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，
It happened, when all the kings who were beyond the Jordan, in the hill country, and in the lowland, and on all the shore of the Great Sea in front of Lebanon, the Hethite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard of it
2 聯合起來，同心協力對抗若蘇厄和以色人。
that they gathered themselves together to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.
3 基貝紅居民聽說若蘇厄對耶利哥和哈依所行的事，
But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to 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；
they also resorted to a ruse, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks on their donkeys, and wineskins, old and torn and bound up,
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 old and patched shoes on their feet, and wore old garments. All the bread of their provision was dry and moldy.
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。」
They went to Joshua to the camp at Gilgal, and said to him, and to the men of Israel, "We have come from a far country. Now therefore make a covenant 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﹖」
The men of Israel said to the Hivites, "What if you live among us. How could we make a covenant 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﹖」
They said to Joshua, "We are your servants." Joshua said to them, "Who are you? 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，
They said to him, "Your servants have come from a very far country because of the name of the LORD your God; for we have heard of his fame, all that he did in Egypt,
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 all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon and to Og king of Bashan, who was 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。
Our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, 'Take provision in your hand for the journey, and go to meet them, and tell them, "We are your servants. Now make a covenant 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 our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we went out to go to you; but now, look, it is dry, and has become moldy.
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。」
These wineskins, which we filled, were new; and look, they are torn. These our garments and our shoes have become old because of the very long journey."
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；
The men sampled their provisions, and did not ask counsel from the mouth of 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。
Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them, to let them live. The leaders of the congregation swore 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。
It happened at the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were their neighbors, and that they lived among 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。
The children of Israel traveled and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, 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。
The children of Israel did not strike them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. And the whole congregation murmured against the leaders.
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 leaders said to all the congregation, "We have sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel; and now therefore we may not touch 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 we will do to them, and let them live; lest wrath be on us, because of the oath which we swore 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。
And the leaders said to them, "Let them live." So they became wood cutters and drawers of water for all the congregation, and all the congregation did as the leaders had spoken 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﹖
Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, "Why have you deceived us, saying, 'We are very far from you,' when you live 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 therefore you are cursed, and some of you will never fail to be bondservants, both wood cutters and drawers of 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。
They answered Joshua, and said, "Because your servants were certainly told how the LORD your God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you. Therefore we were very afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing.
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! 」
Now, look, we are in your hand. Do to us as it seems good and right to you to do."
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。
He did so to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, so that they did not kill them.
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。
That day Joshua made them wood cutters and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the LORD, to this day, in the place which he should choose.
