約書亞記 9
1 約旦河西，住在山地和平原並沿大海一帶直到黎巴嫩山上的眾王子，即赫特人、阿摩黎人、客納罕人、堷黎齊人、希威人和耶步斯人，聽見了這些事，
Now on hearing the news of these things, all the kings on the west side of Jordan, in the hill-country and the lowlands and by the Great Sea in front of Lebanon, the Hittites and the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites,
2 聯合起來，同心協力對抗若蘇厄和以色人。
Came together with one purpose, to make war against Joshua and Israel.
3 基貝紅居民聽說若蘇厄對耶利哥和哈依所行的事，
And the men of Gibeon, hearing what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,
4 便設詭許帶著行糧上路將一些舊布袋和破裂縫補的舊酒囊馱在驢上；
Acting with deceit, got food together as if for a long journey; and took old food-bags for their asses, and old and cracked wine-skins kept together with cord;
5 腳上穿著補過的破鞋，身上穿著襤褸的衣服；所帶的食物，又乾又碎，
And put old stitched-up shoes on their feet, and old clothing on their backs; and all the food they had with them was dry and broken up.
6 來到基耳加耳營中見若蘇厄；對他和以色列人說：「我們是遠方來的，現在請你們與我們立約。」
And they came to Joshua to the tent-circle at Gilgal, and said to him and to the men of Israel, We have come from a far country: so now make an agreement with us.
7 以色列對這些希威人說：「你們也許是我們附近的居民，我們怎能同你們立約﹖」
And the men of Israel said to the Hivites, It may be that you are living among us; how then may we make an agreement with you?
8 他們回答若蘇厄說：「我們是你的僕人。」若蘇厄問他們說：「你們是什麼人﹖是從那裏來的﹖」
And they said to Joshua, We are your servants. Then Joshua said to them, Who are you and where do you come from?
9 他們答說：「你的僕人是因為聽了上主你們天主的名聲，由極遠的地方來的，因為我們聽見人 談及衪的聲望，和衪在埃及所行的一切，
And they said to him, Your servants have come from a very far country, because of the name of the Lord your God: for the story of his great name, and of all he did in Egypt has come to our ears,
10 以及衪對住在約旦河東的的兩阿摩黎王：即赫市朋王息紅和阿市塔洛特的巴商王敖格所行的一切。
And what he did to the two kings of the Amorites east of Jordan, to Sihon, king of Heshbon, and to Og, king of Bashan, at Ashtaroth.
11 為此，我們的長老和我們本地的居民，對我們說：你們手中拿些路用的食物，去迎接以色列人；對他們說：我們是你們的僕人，現在請你們與我們立約。
So the responsible men and all the people of our country said to us, Take food with you for the journey and go to them, and say to them, We are your servants: so now make an agreement with us.
12 看，這是我們的食物，我們從家中帶出來，要到你們這裏來的那天還熱，看，現在又乾又碎；
This bread which we have with us for our food, we took warm and new from our houses when starting on our journey to you; but now see, it has become dry and broken up.
13 這就是我們的酒囊，才盛酒的時候還新，看，現在都破裂了；這是我們的衣服和鞋，為了路途遙遠，都穿爛了。」
And these wine-skins were new when we put the wine in them, and now they are cracked as you see; and our clothing and our shoes have become old because of our very long journey here.
14 以色列的首領便取了他們的行糧，並沒有請求上主的諭示；
And the men took some of their food, without requesting directions from the Lord.
15 若蘇厄便與他們修好，與他們立了約，讓他們生存，會眾的首領也向他們起了誓。
So Joshua made peace with them, and made an agreement with them that they were not to be put to death: and the chiefs of the people took an oath to them.
16 但是，與他們立約後才過了三天，以色列人就聽說，他們是住在自己附近的居民。
Now three days after, when they had made this agreement with them, they had word that these men were their neighbours, living near them.
17 以色列子民於是動身，第三天便到了他們的城市：就是基貝紅、革非辣、貝洛特和克黎雅特耶阿陵。
And the children of Israel went forward on their journey, and on the third day came to their towns. Now their towns were Gibeon and Chephirah and Beeroth and Kiriath-jearim.
18 但以色列子民沒有擊殺他們，因為會眾的首領指著上主，以色列的天主，對他們起過誓；但全會眾對他們的首領不滿。
And the children of Israel did not put them to death, because the chiefs of the people had taken an oath to them by the Lord, the God of Israel. And all the people made an outcry against the chiefs.
19 眾首領對全會眾說：「我們既已指著上主以色列的天主對他們起誓，那麼我們決不能加害他們，
But all the chiefs said to the people, We have taken an oath to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, and so we may not put our hands on them.
20 只有這樣做，就是讓他們生存下去，免得因我們對他們所起的誓，為我們招來上主的義怒。」
This is what we will do to them: we will not put them to death, for fear that wrath may come on us because of our oath to them.
21 首領又對民眾說：「讓他們生存下去，但他們應為全會眾劈柴挑水。」全會眾便遵照首領的話而行。
Keep them living, and let them be servants, cutting wood and getting water for all the people. And all the people did as the chiefs had said to them.
22 若蘇厄將基貝紅人召來，對他們說：「你們為什麼欺騙我們說：我們離你們很遠，其實你們就住在我們附近﹖
Then Joshua sent for them, and said to them, Why have you been false to us, saying, We are very far from you, when you are living among us?
23 從此你們應受詛咒，你們中間，決不斷有人在我天主的殿內，做劈柴挑水的勞役。」
Now because of this you are cursed, and you will for ever be our servants, cutting wood and getting water for the house of my God.
24 他們回答若蘇厄說：「你的僕人確實聽說：上主你的天主，曾吩咐衪的僕人梅瑟，要把這整塊土地賜給你們，並在你們面前，將這地方上的一切居民消滅；我們見你們前來，我們實在為我們的生命擔憂，所以才做了這事。
And, answering Joshua, they said, Because it came to the ears of your servants that the Lord your God had given orders to his servant Moses to give you all this land, and to send destruction on all the people living in it, because of you; so, fearing greatly for our lives because of you, we have done this.
25 現在，我們都在你手裏，你以為怎樣好，怎樣對，就怎樣對待我們吧! 」
And now we are in your hands: do to us whatever seems good and right to you.
26 若蘇厄就這樣對待了他們：將他們由以色列人手中救出，不讓人加害他們。
So he kept them safe from the children of Israel, and did not let them be put to death.
27 當天就派定他們在上主選定的地方，為會眾，為上主的祭壇，劈柴挑水，直到今日。
And that day Joshua made them servants, cutting wood and getting water for the people and for the altar of the Lord, in the place marked out by him, to this day.
