撒母耳記下 7
1 那時，君王住在宮殿裏，上主賜他安享太平，不為四周仇敵所侵擾，
And it came to pass, when the king dwelt in his house, and the Lord had given him rest round about from all his enemies;
2 君王遂對納堂先知說：「請看，我住在香柏木的宮殿，而天主的約櫃卻在帳幕內。」
That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, while the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.
3 納堂回答君王說：「你心內打算的，你全可照辦! 因為上主與你同在。」
And Nathan said to the king, all that is in thy heart go and do; for the Lord is with thee.
4 但是，當夜就有上主的話傳於納堂說：「
And it came to pass during that night, That the word of the Lord came unto Nathan, saying,
5 你去告訴我的僕人達味，上主這樣說：你要建築一座殿宇給我居住嗎﹖
Go and say unto my servant, unto David, Thus hath said the Lord, Wilt thou indeed build me a house for my dwelling?
6 我自從埃及領以色列子民上來那一天起，直到今日，從沒有居住過殿宇，只隨帳棚和會幕漂泊。
For I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even until this day; but have been moving about in a tent and in a tabernacle.
7 我與去色列子民同行時，我何嘗向我立為牧養我民以色列的一個民長說過：你們為什麼不為我建造一座香柏木的殿宇﹖
In all the places where I moved about among all the children of Israel, did I speak a word to any one of the tribes of Israel, whom I ordained to feed my people Israel, saying, Why have ye not built for me a house of cedar?
8 現在，你要對我的僕人達味說：萬軍的上主這樣說：是我揀選你離開牧場，離開放羊的事，作我民以色列的領袖。
Now therefore, thus shalt thou say unto my servant, to David, Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the sheep-cote, from behind the flocks, to be a ruler over my people, over Israel;
9 你不論到那裏去，我總是偕同你，由你面前消滅你的一切仇敵；我要使你成名，像世上出名的大人物；
And I have been with thee whithersoever thou didst go, and I have cut off all thy enemies from thy presence, and I have made thee a great name, like the name of the great who are on the earth;
10 我要把我民以色列安置在一個地方，裁培他們，在那裏久住，再也不受驚恐，再也不像先前受惡人的欺壓，
And I have procured a place for my people, for Israel, and I have planted them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and be no more troubled; and that the children of wickedness shall not afflict them any more as aforetimes,
11 有如自從我為我民以色列立了民長以來一樣；我要賜他們安寧，不受仇敵的騷擾。上主也告訴你：他要為你建立家室。
And [as it was] since the day that I ordained judges to be over my people Israel; and I have caused thee to rest from all thy enemies; and the Lord telleth thee that he, the Lord, will make thee a house.
12 當你的日子滿期與你祖先長眠時，我必在你以後興起一個後裔，即你所生的兒子；我必鞏固他的王權。
When thy days will be completed, and thou wilt sleep with thy fathers: then will I set up thy seed after thee, who shall proceed out of thy body, and I will establish his kingdom.
13 是他要為我的名建立殿宇；我要鞏固他的王位直到永遠。
He it is that shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
14 我要作他的父親，他要作我的兒子；若是他犯了罪，我必用人用的鞭，世人用的棍，來懲戒他；
I too will be to him as a father, and he shall indeed be to me as a son: so that when he committeth iniquity, I will chastise him with the rod of men, and with the plagues of the children of man;
15 但我決不由他收回我的恩情，就如在你以前由撒烏耳收回我的恩情一樣。
But my kindness shall not depart from him, as I caused it to depart from Saul, whom I removed from before thee.
16 你的家室和王權，在我面前永遠存在，你的王位也永遠堅定不移。」
And thy house and thy kingdom shall be steadfast for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
17 納堂便照這一切話，將整個啟示告訴了達味。
In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.
18 達味王就進去，端坐在上主面前說：「我主上主! 我是誰﹖我的家族又算什麼，你竟領我到了這個地步﹖
Then went king David in, and sat down before the Lord, and he said, Who am I, O Lord Eternal? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me as far as hitherward?
19 我主上主! 這在你眼中還以為太小，而你又說明了你僕人的家族未來的遠景，並將此事顯示給我這個人，我主上主!
And this was yet too small a thing in thine eyes, O Lord Eternal; and thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a distant time. And is this the desert of man, O Lord Eternal?
20 達味還對你說什麼﹖我主上主! 你認識你的僕人。
And what can David add yet more to speak unto thee? since thou, O Lord Eternal, knowest well thy servant?
21 你為了你的預許，按照你的心意，成就了這些偉大的事，為叫你的僕人認識清楚。
For the sake of thy word, and in accordance with thy own heart, hast thou done all this great thing, so as to let thy servant know it.
22 我主上主! 為此，你是偉大的，沒有與你相似的；按照我耳所聽的，除了你以外，沒有別的神。
Therefore art thou great, O Eternal God; for there is none like thee, and there is no God beside thee, in accordance with all that we have heard with our ears.
23 世上又那裏有一個民族能比得上你的民族以色列﹖天主親自去解救他們出來，作為自己的民族；為使他們成名，在你從埃及解救出來的人民前，行了大而可畏的奇事，驅除異民以及他們的神。
And who is like thy people, like Israel, the only nation on the earth, which God went to redeem for himself as a people, and to acquire for himself a name, and to do for you this great deed, and fearful things for thy land [to drive out], from before thy people which thou hast redeemed for thyself from Egypt, nations and their gods.
24 你將你民以色列永遠堅定為你的民族，你，上主做了他們的天主。
For thou hast established for thyself thy people Israel as a people unto thee for ever; and thou, O Lord, art indeed become their God.
25 我主上主! 現在，求你永遠堅持你論及你的僕人和他的家室所說的話，按照你所說的履行罷!
And now, O Eternal God, let the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, stand firm for ever, and do as thou hast spoken.
26 願你的名永遠受尊崇! 人要說：萬軍的上主是以色列的天主! 願你僕人達味的家室，永遠堅家在你面前!
And let thy name be magnified unto everlasting, that men may say, The Lord of hosts is the God over Israel: and may the house of thy servant David be established before thee.
27 萬軍的上主，以色列的天主! 因為你曾啟示你的僕人說：我要建立你的家室，因此，你的僕人纔敢在你面前向你如此祈禱。
For thou, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, hast revealed to the ear of thy servant, saying, A house will be built up for thee; therefore hath thy servant found the heart to pray unto thee this prayer.
28 我主上主，惟有你是天主! 你的話是真理，是你向你僕人應許了這些恩惠。
And now, O Lord Eternal, thou art the [true] God, and thy words must become the truth, and thou hast spoken unto thy servant this goodness:
29 求你如今就祝福你僕人的家室，使永遠你面前存立，因為是你，我主上主所預許的，因此，你僕人的家室，必因你的祝福永遠獲得祝福。」
And now let it please thee and bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee; for thou, O Lord Eternal, hast spoken it; and from thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever.
