< 約書亞記 2 >

1 農的兒子若蘇厄由史廷暗中派出兩個人作偵探說:「你們去察看那地和耶利哥! 」他們就去了,來到一個名叫辣哈布的妓女家中,就住在那裏。
And Joshua the son of Nun secretly sent two young men out of Shittim as spies, saying, "Go, view the land, and Jericho." And the two young men went and came to Jericho and entered into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab, and slept there.
2 有人報告耶里哥王說:「夜間有兩個以色列人到了這裡,偵探這地方。」
The king of Jericho was told, "Look, men of the children of Israel came in here to spy out the land."
3 耶里哥王遂派人到辣哈布那裡說:「將那來到你家中的兩個人交出來,因為他們是來偵探這地方的。」
The king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, "Bring out the men who came to you tonight; for they have come to spy out all the land."
4 但是那女人預先將那兩個人藏起來,就這樣回答說:「那兩個人的確來過我這裡,但他們是從那裡來的,我卻不知道。
The woman took the two men and hid them. Then she said, "Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they came from.
5 天黑快關城門時,他們兩人出去了;往那裡去了,我也不知道。你們快去追趕,也許還可趕上他們。」
It happened about the time of the shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out. Where the men went, I do not know. Pursue them quickly; for you will overtake them."
6 原來她叫那兩個人上了屋頂,藏在她屋頂上堆積的麻秸內。
But she had brought them up to the roof, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order on the roof.
7 來問的人便沿著約但河,直向渡口去追趕;追趕的人一出去,城門就關了。
The men pursued them the way to the Jordan to the fords: and as soon as those who pursued them had gone out, they shut the gate.
8 他們還沒有睡,那女人就上到屋頂,
Before they had lain down, she came up to them on the roof;
9 對他們二人說:「我知道上主已將這地方交給了你們;你們真叫我們害怕,此地所有的居民,對你們都恐懼不已。
and she said to the men, "I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you.
10 因為我們聽說,你們出埃及時,上主怎樣使紅海在你們面前乾涸;你們又怎樣對待了約但河東岸的兩個阿摩黎王,即息紅和敖格,將他們完全消滅。
For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you, when you came out of Egypt; and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and to Og, whom you utterly destroyed.
11 我們聽了,心都冷了,沒有一人再有勇氣來對抗你們,因為上主你們的天主,就是上天下地的天主。
As soon as we had heard it, our hearts melted, neither did there remain any more spirit in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and on earth beneath.
12 現在請你們指著上主對我起誓,我既然恩待了你們,你們也要恩待我的父家,請給我一個安全的保證,
Now therefore, please swear to me by the LORD, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father's house, and give me a true token;
13 使我的父母、兄弟、姊妹和他們所有的一切人,都能生存,救我們的性命免於死亡。」
and that you will save alive my father, my mother, my brothers, and my sisters, and all that they have, and will deliver our lives from death."
14 他們二人回答她說:「如果你不洩漏我們的約定,我們願拿性命為你們擔保;當上主將這地方交給我們時,我們必慈善忠厚地對待你。」
The men said to her, "Our life for yours, even to death, if you do not talk about this business of ours; and it shall be, when the LORD gives us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with you."
15 那女人於是用繩子將他們二人由窗戶縋下去,因為她的房屋是在城牆上,她也住在城牆上。
Then she let them down by a cord through the window; for her house was on the side of the wall, and she lived on the wall.
16 她又對他們說:「你們要往山中去,免得追趕的人遇見你們。你們在那裡躲藏三天,等追趕的人回來,然後再上道。」
She said to them, "Go to the mountain, lest the pursuers find you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers have returned. Afterward, you may go your way."
17 他們二人對她說:「如果你不這樣作,你叫我們所起的誓,我們將不負責:
The men said to her, "We will be guiltless of this your oath which you have made us to swear.
18 就是當我們再到這地方時,你應將這根朱紅線繫在你縋下我們的窗戶上,並且叫你的父母、兄弟和你父親全家人口,都聚集在你這屋內。
Look, when we come into the land, you shall bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which you did let us down by. You shall gather to yourself into the house your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father's household.
19 誰若走出你的屋門,他的血應由他自己承當,我們不負責任;但凡同你在屋內的,如有人下手加害他,他的血將由我們承當。
It shall be that whoever goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood will be on his head, and we will be guiltless. Whoever is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand is on him.
20 但是你若洩漏了我們的約定,那麼,你叫我們所起的誓,我們便不負責。」
But if you talk about this business of ours, then we shall be guiltless of your oath which you have made us to swear."
21 她回答說:「就照你們說的做罷!」於是打發他們二人走了。他們走後,她遂把那根朱紅線繫在她的窗戶上。
She said, "According to your words, so be it." She sent them away, and they departed. She tied the scarlet line in the window.
22 他們出去,到了山上,在那裡住了三天,直到追趕的人回去。追趕的人一路尋找他們,結果沒有找到。
They went, and came to the mountain, and stayed there three days, until the pursuers had returned. The pursuers sought them throughout all the way, but did not find them.
23 他們二人轉身,由山上下來,渡過了約但河,回到農的兒子若蘇厄那裡,將他們所遇見的事,一一報告給他。
Then the two men returned, descended from the mountain, passed over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun; and they told him all that had happened to them.
24 他們對若蘇厄說:「上主實在已將那整個地域交在我們手中,因為那地方的居民對我們都十分恐懼。」
They said to Joshua, "Truly the LORD has delivered into our hands all the land. Moreover, all the inhabitants of the land melt away before us."

< 約書亞記 2 >