撒母耳記下 3
1 撒烏耳家與達味家間的戰爭相持很久；但達味家逐漸強盛，撒烏耳家卻日趨衰弱。
Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. But David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.
2 達味在赫貝龍生的兒子：長子阿默農，是依次勒耳人阿希諾罕所生；
Now sons were born to David in Hebron. And his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam of Jezreel;
3 次子基肋阿布，是曾作加爾默耳人納巴耳妻子的阿彼蓋耳所生；
and his second, Daluiah, of Abigail of Carmel; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;
4 四子阿多尼雅，是哈基特所生；五子舍法提雅，是阿彼塔耳所生；
and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah, of Abital;
5 六子依特蘭，是達味妻子厄革拉所生：以上是達味在赫貝龍所生的兒子。
and the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah, David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron.
6 撒烏耳家同達味家戰爭期間，阿貝乃爾獲得操縱撒烏耳家的權柄。
And it came about while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner was gaining power in the house of Saul.
7 撒烏耳有一妾名叫黎茲帕，是阿雅的女兒，阿貝乃爾娶了她；依市巴耳對阿貝乃爾說：「你為什麼親近我父親的妾﹖」
Now Saul had a secondary wife, Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ishbaal son of Saul said to Abner, "Why have you gone in to my father's secondary wife?"
8 為了依市巴耳這句話，阿貝乃爾勃然大怒說：「莫非我是猶大的狗頭﹖直到今天我憐恤你父親撒烏耳，和他的兄弟以及他的朋友，沒有使你落在達味手裏；你今天竟為了一個女人挑我的錯!
Then Abner was very angry over the words of Ishbaal, and said, "Am I a dog's head? Until today, is it for myself that I have been doing all these things, showing loyalty to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David? And yet you charge me this day with a fault concerning this woman.
9 若我今後不依照上主對達味所誓許的去行：
God do so to Abner, and more also, if, as the LORD has sworn to David, I do not do even so to him;
10 廢除撒烏耳家的王位，建立達味的寶座，使他由丹直到貝爾舍巴，統治全以色列和猶大，願天主如此，並加倍地懲罰我! 」
to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba."
11 依市巴耳因為怕阿貝乃爾，連一句話也不敢回答。
And Ishbaal could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him.
12 阿貝乃爾立即派使者到赫貝龍見達味說：「這地是誰的﹖」是說：「只要你與我訂立盟約，我必伸手援助你，使全以色列都歸順你。」
Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, "Whose is the land?" and saying, "Make an agreement with me, and look, my hand shall be with you, to bring all Israel around to you."
13 達味答說：「好! 我願與你訂立盟約，但是，我要求你一個條件：就是你來見我時，若不把撒烏耳的女兒米加耳帶來，你休想見我。」
He said, "Good. I will make a covenant with you, but one thing I require of you. That is, you shall not see my face unless you first bring Mikal, Saul's daughter, when you come to see my face."
14 隨後，達味就派使者到撒烏耳的兒子依市巴耳那裏說：「請把我的妻米加耳歸還給我，她是我以一百培肋特舍人的包皮聘定的。」
David sent messengers to Ishbaal, Saul's son, saying, "Give me my wife Mikal, whom I betrothed to myself for one hundred foreskins of the Philistines."
15 依市巴耳就派人，從拉依士的兒子帕耳提耳，她丈夫那裏把她帶來。
Ishbaal sent and took her from her husband Paltiel the son of Laish.
16 她的丈夫與她同行，一邊走一邊哭，送她到了巴胡凌。阿貝乃爾向他說：「你回去罷! 」他就回去了。
But her husband went with her, weeping behind her, as far as Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, "Go back." So he went back.
17 阿貝乃爾同以色列的長老商議說：「你們早已渴望達味作你們的君王。
Abner advised the elders of Israel, saying, "For some time you have wanted David to be king over you.
18 現在你們就進行罷! 因為上主曾論及達味說：我要藉我的僕人達味，從培肋舍特人及一切仇敵手中，拯救我的百姓以色列。」
Now then do it, for the LORD has spoken of David, saying, 'By the hand of my servant David, I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.'"
19 阿貝乃爾也遊說了本雅明人；以後阿貝乃爾去赫貝龍見達味，向他報告以色列和本雅明全家共同贊成的事。
And Abner also spoke privately to the sons of Benjamin. And Abner also spoke privately to David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and to the whole house of Benjamin.
20 阿貝乃爾遂率領二十人去赫貝龍見達味。達味設宴款待了阿貝乃爾和他的隨員。
So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. David made Abner and the men who were with him a feast.
21 阿貝乃爾向達味說：「我要動身去號召全以色列，來擁護我主大王，使他們與你立約：這樣你能依照你的心願來統治一切。」事後，達味放阿貝乃爾平安走了。
Abner said to David, "I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your soul desires." David sent Abner away; and he left in peace.
22 達味的臣僕和約阿布出征回來，帶回了很多戰利品。那時，阿貝乃爾已不在赫貝龍達味那裏了，因為達味放他平安走了。
Look, the servants of David and Joab were returning from a raid, and brought in a great spoil with them. But Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he left in peace.
23 約阿布和他率領的軍隊一來到，就有人告訴他說：「乃爾的兒子阿貝乃爾曾來到君王前，君王放他平安走了。」
When Joab and all the army who was with him had come, they told Joab, saying, "Abner the son of Ner came to David, and he has sent him away, and he left in peace."
24 約阿布就去見君王說：「你作的是什麼事﹖阿貝乃爾到你這裏來，你為什麼放他平安走了﹖
Then Joab came to the king, and said, "What have you done? Look, Abner came to you. Why is it that you have sent him away? Now he has gone.
25 你豈不認識乃爾的兒子阿貝乃爾﹖他來是為欺騙你，願探聽你的出入，知道你的一切行動。」
Don't you know the evil ways of Abner the son of Ner? He came to deceive you and to observe your movements and to learn everything that you are doing."
26 約阿布離開達味就打發差役去追趕阿貝乃爾。他們從息辣的旱井旁，把他帶回來，。達味一點也不知道。
When Joab had left David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David did not know it.
27 阿貝乃爾一回到赫貝龍，約阿布就領他到大門旁，彷彿要與他暗地交談，就在那裏一刀剌穿了他的肚腹，他立即死了；這樣替他兄弟阿撒耳報了血仇。
When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly, and struck him there in the abdomen, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.
28 事後，達味一聽說這事，就說：「我和我的國家，對乃爾的兒子阿貝乃爾的血案，在上主面前，永遠是無罪的!
Afterward, when David heard it, he said, "I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD now and forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner.
29 願這罪歸在約阿布的頭上和他父的全家! 願約阿布家中不斷有患淋症，長癩病，只會紡線，喪身刀下和缺糧的人! 」
May it whirl over the head of Joab, and on all his father's house. Let there not fail from the house of Joab one who has an issue, or who is a leper, or who leans on a staff, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks bread."
30 約阿布和他的兄弟阿彼瑟暗殺了阿貝乃爾，是因為他在基貝紅打仗時，殺死了他們的兄弟阿撒耳。
So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.
31 達味向約阿布和同他在一起的民眾說：「要撕裂你們的衣服，穿上喪服，為阿貝乃爾舉哀! 」達味王也跟在靈柩後送葬。
David said to Joab, and to all the people who were with him, "Tear your clothes, and clothe yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner." And King David followed the coffin.
32 他們在赫貝龍埋葬了阿貝乃爾；君王在阿貝乃爾墓旁放聲大哭，民眾也都哭了。
They buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept.
33 君王作哀歌弔阿貝乃爾說：「阿貝乃爾豈應像傻瓜一樣死去﹖
The king lamented for Abner, and said, "Should Abner die as a fool dies?
34 你的手並未束拷，你的腳也沒帶鐐，怎麼你斃命，竟如兇犯斃命一樣! 」為此民眾更加痛哭。
Your hands were not bound in chains, your feet were not put into fetters. As a man falls before the ruthless, so you fell." All the people wept again over him.
35 隨後，眾人前來勸君王進食，那時還是白天，達味卻發誓說：「若我在日落前進食，或嘗什麼東西，願天主如此，並加倍地懲罰我!」
Then all the people came to persuade David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David swore, saying, "God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or anything else, until the sun goes down."
36 眾人見到此事，都心悅誠服，因為凡君王所行的，無不叫眾人心悅誠服。
And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them; just as everything the king did pleased the people.
37 如此，眾人和全以色列當天都知道，殺乃爾的兒子阿貝乃爾，不是出於君王的命令。
So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to kill Abner the son of Ner.
38 達味向他的臣僕說：「你們不知道今天在以色列喪失了一位將領和偉人嗎﹖
The king said to his servants, "Do you not realize that a leader and a great man has fallen this day in Israel?
39 我今天雖是傅油的君王，仍年幼無力，責魯雅的兒子們又比我剛強；願上主依照人所行的邪惡，來施行報復! 」
I am this day weak, though anointed king. And these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too brutal for me. May the LORD reward the evildoer according to his wickedness."
