約書亞記 22
1 那時若蘇厄將勒烏本人加特人和默納協半支派的人召來，
Then Joshua summoned the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh
2 對他們說：「上主僕人梅瑟吩咐你們的一切，你們都遵守了，在我吩咐他們的一切事上，你們也都聽了我的話。
and told them, “You have done all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, and you have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you.
3 這許多日子，你們從來沒有你們的的弟兄，直到今天，忠信遵守了上主你們天主的命令。
All this time you have not deserted your brothers, up to this very day, but have kept the charge given you by the LORD your God.
4 現在上主我們的天主，照衪所應許的，使你們的弟兄獲得了安居，你們現在可返回自己的帳幕，回到上主的僕人梅瑟在約旦河東岸，賜你們為產業的地方去，
And now that the LORD your God has given your brothers rest as He promised them, you may return to your homes in the land that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you across the Jordan.
5 只要要你們遵守上主的僕人梅瑟吩咐你們的誡命和法律：愛慕上主你們的天主，遵行衪的一切道路，謹守衪的誡命，全心人靈歸屬上主，服事上主。」
But be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.”
6 若蘇厄於是祝福了他們，打發他們回去；他們就返回了自己的帳幕。──
So Joshua blessed them and sent them on their way, and they went to their homes.
7 梅瑟在巴商已分給了默納協半支派土地。至於另半個支派，若蘇厄在約旦河西，在他們的弟兄中，也分給了他們土地，此外，當若蘇厄打發他們回帳幕的時候，祝福了他們，
(To the half-tribe of Manasseh Moses had given land in Bashan, and to the other half Joshua gave land on the west side of the Jordan among their brothers.) When Joshua sent them to their homes he blessed them,
8 向他們說：「現在你們帶著這許多財物、牛、羊、金銀、銅鐵，和大批衣服回到自己的帳幕，也要將你們從由敵人奪得的財物，分給你們的弟兄! 」
saying, “Return to your homes with your great wealth, with immense herds of livestock, with silver, gold, bronze, iron, and very many clothes. Divide with your brothers the spoil of your enemies.”
9 勒烏本人、召集人和默納協半支派的人，於是從客納罕的史羅起身，離開以色列人，回到自己得為產業的基肋阿得，即上主藉梅瑟吩咐給他們作為產業的地方。
So the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh left the Israelites at Shiloh in the land of Canaan to return to their own land of Gilead, which they had acquired according to the command of the LORD through Moses.
10 當勒烏本人、加得和默納協半支派的人來到屬客納罕地的約旦河附近地區時，在約旦河邊築了一座祭壇，一座高大可觀的祭壇。
And when they came to Geliloth near the Jordan in the land of Canaan, the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an imposing altar there by the Jordan.
11 以色列人聽見說：「看，勒烏本人、加得人和默納協半支派的人，在屬客納罕地的約旦河附近地區，以色列子民境內，築了一座祭壇。」
Then the Israelites received the report: “Behold, the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built an altar on the border of the land of Canaan, at Geliloth near the Jordan on the Israelite side.”
12 以色列子民一聽說這事，全會眾便聚集在史羅，要去作戰攻打他們。
And when they heard this, the whole congregation of Israel assembled at Shiloh to go to war against them.
13 以色列子民便委派厄肋阿匝爾的兒子丕乃哈斯司祭，到基肋阿得地方去見勒烏本人、加得人和默納協半支派人，
The Israelites sent Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest to the land of Gilead, to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.
14 和他們同去的尚有十位領袖，每支派一個，他們都是以色列各家族的族長。
With him they sent ten chiefs—one family leader from each tribe of Israel, each the head of a family among the clans of Israel.
15 他們來到基肋阿得地方，見勒烏本人、加得人和默納協半支派人，向他們說：
They went to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in the land of Gilead and said to them,
16 「上主的全會眾這樣說：你們相反以色列的天主，犯這不信的罪，有什麼意思﹖為什麼你們今天離開上主，另建立祭壇，公開背叛上主﹖
“This is what the whole congregation of the LORD says: ‘What is this breach of faith you have committed today against the God of Israel by turning away from the LORD and building for yourselves an altar, that you might rebel against the LORD this day?
17 以前敬拜培敖爾的罪萵為我們還不夠嗎﹖為了那個罪過，災禍降於上主的會眾，直到今天，我們還沒洗淨：
Was not the sin of Peor enough for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves to this day? It even brought a plague upon the congregation of the LORD.
18 看，你們今天又要離開上主，你們今天違背上主，明天衪必向以色列全會眾發怒。
And now, would you turn away from the LORD? If you rebel today against the LORD, tomorrow He will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel.
19 如果你們認為所得的地方不潔，可以回到上主的地方，上主帳幕的所在地，住在我們中間；決不可違背上主，激怒我們，在上主我們的祭壇以外，為自己另築祭壇。
If indeed the land of your inheritance is unclean, then cross over to the land of the LORD’s possession, where the LORD’s tabernacle stands, and take possession of it among us. But do not rebel against the LORD or against us by building for yourselves an altar other than the altar of the LORD our God.
20 以前則辣黑的子孫阿干，在應毀滅的財物上犯了不忠之罪，雖只他一人犯罪，憤怒豈不是臨到以色列全會眾﹖死在他罪過中的不只他一人」。
Was not Achan son of Zerah unfaithful regarding what was set apart for destruction, bringing wrath upon the whole congregation of Israel? Yet it was not only Achan who perished because of his sin!’”
21 勒烏本人、加得和默納協半支派的人，回答以色列的首長說：
Then the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered the leaders of the clans of Israel:
22 「大能者天主上主，大能者天主上主清楚知道，以色列也明白：如果我們有違背或干犯上主的事，願衪今天別救我們!
“The LORD, the Mighty One, is God! The LORD, the Mighty One, is God! He knows, and may Israel also know. If this was in rebellion or breach of faith against the LORD, do not spare us today.
23 如果我們建築這祭壇，有意離開上主，或有意在祭壇上祭全燔祭、素祭或和平祭，願上主自己懲罰我們!
If we have built for ourselves an altar to turn away from Him and to offer burnt offerings and grain offerings on it, or to sacrifice fellowship offerings on it, may the LORD Himself hold us accountable.
24 我們做這事，其實正是顧慮到：將來你們的子孫會對我們的子孫說：你們和上主以色列的天主有什麼關係﹖
But in fact we have done this for fear that in the future your descendants might say to ours, ‘What have you to do with the LORD, the God of Israel?
25 天主定了約旦河為我們和你們勒烏本和和得人之間的界限，你們和上主已沒有分子。這樣你們的子孫必使我們的的子孫不再敬畏上主。
For the LORD has made the Jordan a border between us and you Reubenites and Gadites. You have no share in the LORD!’ So your descendants could cause ours to stop fearing the LORD.
26 因此我們想：我們還是建築一座祭壇，不是為獻全燔祭，也不是為祭獻犧牲，
That is why we said, ‘Let us take action and build an altar for ourselves, but not for burnt offerings or sacrifices.
27 只是為在你我之間，在你我後人之間作一證據，證明我們願在上主面前以全燔祭犧牲及和平祭敬禮上主，免得日後你們的子孫對我們的子孫說：你們與上主已沒有分子o
Rather, let it be a witness between us and you and the generations to come, that we will worship the LORD in His presence with our burnt offerings, sacrifices, and peace offerings.’ Then in the future, your descendants cannot say to ours, ‘You have no share in the LORD!’
28 因此我們想：日後如有人對我們或我們的子孫說，我們可以說：你們試看我們的祖先所築的上主的祭壇的式樣，不是為獻全燔祭，也不是為獻犧牲，而是為作你我之間的證劇。
Therefore we said, ‘If they ever say this to us or to our descendants, we will answer: Look at the replica of the altar of the LORD that our fathers made, not for burnt offerings or sacrifices, but as a witness between us and you.’
29 我們今天沒有意思違背上主，離開上主，在上主我們天主的帳幕前的祭壇以外，為獻全墦祭、素祭和犧牲，另建立一祭壇。」
Far be it from us to rebel against the LORD and turn away from Him today by building an altar for burnt offerings, grain offerings, or sacrifices, other than the altar of the LORD our God, which stands before His tabernacle.”
30 司祭丕乃哈斯和同他同來的會眾的首領，即以色列人的族長，聽了勒烏本人、加得人和默納協人所的話，都表示滿意。
When Phinehas the priest and the chiefs of the congregation—the heads of Israel’s clans who were with him—heard what the descendants of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh had to say, they were satisfied.
31 厄肋阿則爾的兒子丕乃哈司祭對勒烏本人、加得人和默納協人說：「今天我們知道上主是在我們中間，因為你們對上主沒有犯過這樣不忠信的罪，現在你們由上主手中救了以色列子民。」
Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest said to the descendants of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh, “Today we know that the LORD is among us, because you have not committed this breach of faith against Him. Consequently, you have delivered the Israelites from the hand of the LORD.”
32 厄肋阿則爾的兒子丕乃哈司祭和首領便離開勒烏本人、加得人和默納協半支派的人，從基肋阿得地方回到客納罕地見以色列子民，給他們報告了這事。
Then Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest, together with the other leaders, returned to the Israelites in the land of Canaan and brought back a report regarding the Reubenites and Gadites in the land of Gilead.
33 以色列子民對這報告都表示滿意，遂頌揚上主，不再想作戰攻打勒烏本人和加得人，毀滅他們所住的地方。
The Israelites were satisfied with the report, and they blessed God and spoke no more about going to war against them to destroy the land where the Reubenites and Gadites lived.
34 勒烏本人和加得人給那祭壇起名叫「赫得，」因為他們說：「這祭壇在我們中間證明上主是真天主。」
So the Reubenites and Gadites named the altar Witness, for they said, “It is a witness between us that the LORD is God.”
