士師記 9
1 耶魯巴耳的兒子阿彼默肋客到舍根去見他的母舅們，對他們和他母家的人說：「
Abimelech, son of Jerub-baal, went to his mother's brothers at Shechem and told them and all his mother's relatives,
2 請你們問一問舍根所有的公民：是耶魯巴耳的兒子七十人治理你們好呢﹖還是一個人治理你們好呢﹖你們還要記得：我是你們的骨肉。」
“Please ask all the leaders of Shechem, ‘What's best for you? That seventy men, all of them Jerub-baal's sons, rule over you—or just one man?’ Remember I'm your own flesh and blood!”
3 他的母舅們就替他把這些話傳給舍根所有的公民；他們的心都傾向阿彼默肋客，因為他們說：「他確是我們的兄弟! 」
His mother's brothers shared his proposal with all the leaders of Shechem, and they decided to follow Abimelech, because they said, “He is our relative.”
4 他們遂從巴耳貝黎特廟裏拿了七十塊銀錢給他，阿彼默肋客就用這些錢僱了一些放蕩無賴之徒跟隨他。
They gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-berith. Abimelech used the money to hire some arrogant troublemakers as his gang.
5 他回到敖弗辣他父親家裏，在一塊石頭上把自己的兄弟，即耶魯巴耳的兒子七十人都殺了，只剩下耶魯巴耳的幼子約堂，因為他藏了起來。
He went to his father's house in Ophrah, and on one stone killed his seventy half-brothers, the sons of Jerub-baal. But Jotham, Jerub-baal's youngest son, escaped by going into hiding.
6 於是舍根所有的公民和貝特米羅人都集合起來，在舍根的紀念碑前那棵橡樹下，立阿彼默肋客為王。約堂講寓言
Then the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo all assembled by the oak at the pillar in Shechem and made Abimelech their king.
7 有人將此事告訴了約堂，約堂就上了革黎斤山頂，站在那裏，高聲向他們喊說：「舍根公民，請你們聽我，望天主也聽你們!
When Jotham got to hear this, he went up to the top of Mount Gerizim, and shouted in a loud voice: “Listen to me, leaders of Shechem, and God may to listen to you!
8 有一次，眾樹要去立一樹為他們的君王，就對橄欖樹說：請你作我們的君王!
Once upon a time the trees were determined to anoint a king to rule over them. They said to the olive tree, ‘You shall be our king.’
9 橄欖樹回答說：人用我的油來敬禮神，尊崇人，難道要我放棄出油，而去搖搖在眾樹之上嗎﹖
But the olive tree replied, ‘Should I stop giving my rich oil that benefits both gods and men just to go and sway to and fro over the trees?’
10 眾樹又對無花果樹說：請你來作我們的君王!
Then the trees asked the fig tree, ‘You come and be our king.’
11 無花果樹回答說：難道要我捨掉我的甘甜和美果，而去搖搖在眾樹之上嗎﹖
But the fig tree replied, ‘Should I stop giving my good sweet fruit just to go and sway to and fro over the trees?’
12 眾樹又對葡萄樹說：請你來作我們的君王!
Then the trees asked the grape vine, ‘You come and be our king.’
13 葡萄樹就回答說：我的新酒悅樂神人，難道要我放棄出產，而去搖搖在眾樹之上嗎﹖
But the grape vine replied, ‘Should I stop giving my wine that makes both gods and men happy just to go and sway to and fro over the trees?’
14 於是眾樹對荊棘說：請你來作我們的君王!
Then all the trees asked the thorn bush, ‘You come and be our king.’
15 荊棘對樹木答道：若你們真願立我作你們的君王，來罷! 躲在我的蔭下；否則，火必從荊棘冒出，吞滅黎巴嫩的香柏木。
The thorn bush replied to the trees, ‘If you're really sincere about anointing me as your king, come and find shelter in my shade. But if not, may fire flame out of the thorn bush and burn up the cedars of Lebanon!’
16 現在，你們立阿彼默肋客為王，如果你們認為作的真誠正直，如果你們認為是善待了耶魯巴耳和他的家族，如果你們認為你們這樣行事，對得起他一手所立的功勳，─
Have you acted sincerely and honestly by making Abimelech your king? Have you been acted honorably to Jerub-baal and his family? Have you respected him for all that he accomplished?
17 因為原是我父親為你們作戰而捨生，把你們由米德楊手中救出來。
Don't forget how my father fought for you and risked his own life to save you from the Midianites!
18 然而你們今日卻來反對我父親的家族，在一塊石頭上殺了他的兒子七十人，立他婢女的兒子阿彼默肋客為舍根公民的君王，因為他是你們的弟兄。─
But you have rebelled against my father's family today. You have killed his seventy sons on one stone and have made Abimelech, the son of his slave woman, king over the leaders of Shechem simply because he's related to you.
19 今天如果你們認為以真誠正直對待了耶魯巴耳和他的家族，那麼，你們就因阿彼默肋客而喜樂罷! 希望他有因你們而喜樂!
Have you acted sincerely and honestly toward Jerub-baal and his family today? If so, may you be happy with Abimelech, and may he be happy with too!
20 不然，願火從阿彼默肋客發出，吞滅舍根的公民和貝特米羅! 也願火從舍根的公民和貝特米羅發出，吞滅阿彼默肋客! 」
But if you haven't, then may fire flame out from Abimelech, and may it burn up the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo, and may fire flame out from the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo and burn up Abimelech!”
21 以後約堂出走，逃到貝爾去了，住在那裏，遠避他的哥哥阿彼默肋客。舍根叛變
Then Jotham escaped and ran away. He went to Beer and stayed there because of the threat of Abimelech his brother.
22 阿彼默肋客治理以色列三年。
Abimelech ruled over Israel for three years.
23 天主使惡神降在阿彼默肋客和舍根公民中間，舍根的公民便背叛了阿彼默肋客，
Then God sent an evil spirit to cause trouble between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem. The leaders of Shechem betrayed Abimelech.
24 要報復對耶魯巴耳七十個兒子的罪行，將他們的血歸於他們的兄弟阿彼默肋客，因為是他殺害了他們；也歸於舍根的公民，因為他們曾鼓勵他殺害自己的兄弟。
This happened because of the murder of the seventy sons of Jerub-baal and that responsibility for their blood be placed on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the leaders of Shechem, who provided the means to kill his brothers.
25 舍根公民為反抗他，就在山頂上設下伏兵，搶掠所有路過他們那裏的人：有人將這事報告給阿彼默肋客。
The leaders of Shechem sent men to the hill passes to lie in wait and attack Abimelech, and, in the meantime, they robbed everyone who passed by on the road. Abimelech found out what was happening.
26 那時厄貝得的兒子加阿耳和他同族的人遷徙到舍根，舍根的居民竟信任了他；
Gaal, son of Ebed, had moved to Shechem with his relatives, and he gained the loyalty of the leaders of Shechem.
27 他們便到田間收葡萄，榨酒，開慶祝會，到他們的神廟裏又吃又喝，也咒罵了阿彼默肋客。
At harvest time they went out into the countryside and gathered the grapes from their vineyards and trod them. They celebrated by having a festival in the temple of their god, where they ate and drank, and cursed Abimelech.
28 厄貝得的兒子加阿耳說：「阿彼默肋客是誰，我們舍根人是誰，我們竟該服侍他﹖豈不是耶魯巴耳的兒子和官員則步耳，該服侍舍根的始祖哈摩爾的後人嗎﹖我們為什麼要服侍阿彼默肋客﹖
“Who is this Abimelech?” asked Gaal, son of Ebed. “And who is Shechem, that we should have to serve him? Isn't he the son of Jerub-baal, while Zebul is actually the one in charge? You should serve the family of Hamor, the father of Shechem. Why should we have to serve Abimelech?
29 恨不得這百姓交於我手中，好把阿彼默肋客除掉。我要對阿彼默肋客說：增派你的軍隊出征罷! 」
If I was the one in charge of you people, I would dispose of Abimelech! I would tell him, ‘Get your army together, and come and fight!’”
30 則步耳城尉聽到厄貝得的兒子加阿耳的話，大發忿怒，
When Zebul, the governor of the city, got to hear what Gaal was saying, he became very angry.
31 遂打發使者去見在阿魯瑪的阿彼默肋客說：「看，厄貝得的兒子加阿耳和他的同族人，來到舍根，挑唆全城反叛你。
He secretly sent messengers to Abimelech to tell him, “Look, Gaal, son of Ebed, and his relatives have arrived in Shechem, and they are stirring up the town to rebel against you.
32 所以現在你和跟隨你的人夜裏要起來，埋伏在田野間，
So come at night with your army and hide in the countryside.
33 明天早晨太陽一出來，就攻城。當他和隨從他的人出來抵抗你時，你看看怎樣好，就怎樣對付他。」
In the morning as soon as the sun comes up, go and attack the town. When Gaal and his men come out to fight you, you can do whatever you want to them.”
34 阿彼默肋客遂同所有跟隨他的人夜間起身，分作四隊，對著舍根設下埋伏。
Abimelech left at night along with his army, and they separated into four companies that lay in wait near Shechem.
35 當厄貝得的兒子加阿耳出來，站在城門口時，阿彼默肋客便與隨從他的人從埋伏的地方出來，
When Gaal, son of Ebed, went out and stood at the town's entrance gate, Abimelech and his army came out from where they had been hiding.
36 加阿耳一見這些人就對則步耳說：「看，有人從山頂下來! 」則步耳回答他說：「你看見山影，誤以為是人! 」
Gaal saw the army approaching and said to Zebul, “Look! Some people are coming down from the hilltops!” “That's just shadows made by the hills that look like men,” Zebul replied.
37 加阿耳接著又說：「看，有人從高地出來，又有一隊沿巫士橡樹道上前來。」
“No really, people are coming down from the high ground,” Gaal repeated. “Plus, there's another company coming down the road that passes the diviners' oak tree.”
38 則步耳對他說：「現在你的口在那裏﹖不是你曾說過：阿彼默肋客是誰，要我們服侍他﹖這不是你所輕視的人嗎﹖現在請你出去攻打他罷! 」
“Where's your big mouth now? You're the one who said, ‘Who is this Abimelech, that we should have to serve him?’” Zebul told him. “Aren't these the people you detested? Go on then—go and fight with them!”
39 加阿耳就在舍根公民之前出去，攻打阿彼默肋客；
So Gaal led the leaders of Shechem out of the town and fought with Abimelech.
40 a可是阿彼默肋客一追擊他，他就在他面前逃跑了；直到城門有許多傷亡的人。
Abimelech attacked, and chased him and his men as they ran away, killing many of them as they tried to get back to the town gate.
41 以後阿彼默肋客回到阿魯瑪；則步耳將加阿耳和他的同族人趕走，禁止他們住在舍根。舍根滅亡
Abimelech went back to Arumah while Zebul expelled Gaal and his relatives from Shechem.
42 第二天早晨，人民到田野裏去，有人告訴了阿彼默肋客，
The following day the people of Shechem went out to the fields, and Abimelech was informed about it.
43 他於是把自己的人分作三隊，叫他們埋伏在田間；他自己窺望，當他看見百姓從城裏出來，就衝過去，擊殺了他們；
He divided his army into three companies and had them lay in ambush in the fields. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he attacked and killed them.
44 當時阿彼默肋客與跟隨他的軍隊衝過去，把住城門口，而另兩隊衝向田間的眾人，殺了他們。
Abimelech and his company raced to occupy the town's entrance gate, while the two companies raced to attack everyone in the fields and kill them.
45 那一天，阿彼默肋客整天攻打那城，把城攻下，殺了城中的居民，把城拆毀，撒上鹽。
The battle for the town lasted all day but eventually Abimelech captured it. He killed the people, demolished the town, and scattered salt over the ground.
46 舍根碉堡裏的人聽見此事，就躲到巴耳貝黎特廟裏的地穴裏。
When all the leaders of the tower of Shechem realized what had happened, they took refuge in the strongroom of the temple of El-berith.
47 有人告訴阿彼默肋客，人民都聚集在舍根碉堡內。
When Abimelech found out that all the leaders in the tower of Shechem had gathered there,
48 阿彼默肋客和跟隨他的人就上了匝耳孟山；阿彼默肋客手裏拿著一把斧頭，砍了一根樹枝，拿起來放在肩上，然後向跟隨他的人說：「你們看我作什麼，你們也趕快照樣去作! 」
he and all the men with him went up Mount Zalmon. Abimelech grabbed hold of an ax and cut a branch from the trees. He lifted it onto his shoulder, and told his men, “Quick! You saw what I did. Do the same!”
49 於是眾人都各砍了根樹枝，隨著阿彼默肋客把樹枝堆在地穴上，在地穴上點了火，於是舍根碉堡裏所有的人都死了，男女約有一千人。阿彼默肋客的結局
Each of them cut down a branch and followed Abimelech. They placed the branches against the strongroom and set it on fire. So all the people who lived in the tower of Shechem died, around one thousand men and women.
50 此後阿彼默肋客往特貝茲去，安營攻打特貝茲，也佔據了那城。
Then Abimelech went to attack Thebez and captured it.
51 在那城中有一座堅固的城堡，該城所有的公民，男男女女都跑到那裏躲避，關上門，上到碉堡頂上。
But there was a strong tower inside the city. All the men and women and the town leaders ran there and barricaded themselves in, and then went up to the roof of the tower.
52 阿彼默肋客來到碉堡前攻打；當他走近碉堡門口，要放火焚燒時，
Abimelech went up to the tower to attack it. But as he came close to the tower's entrance to set it on fire,
53 有一個婦人拋下了一塊磨石，正落在阿彼默肋客頭上，打碎了他的頭蓋骨。
a woman dropped millstone down on Abimelech's head and cracked his skull open.
54 他急忙喊叫替他執戟的少年，向他說：「拔出你的刀殺了我罷! 免得人講論我說：一個女子殺了他! 」那少年就用刀刺死了他。
He quickly called the young man who carried his weapons, and ordered him, “Draw your sword and kill me, so they won't say about me that a woman killed him.” So the young man drove his sword through him, and he died.
55 以色列人一見阿彼默肋客死了，各回了本家。
When the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, they all left and went home.
56 於是天主報復了阿彼默肋客對他父親所行的惡事，因為他殺了自己的七十個兄弟；
This is how God paid back Abimelech's crime against his father of murdering his seventy brothers.
57 並且天主也把舍根人的一切惡行歸在他們自己的頭上：這樣耶魯巴耳的兒子約堂的詛咒，也應驗在他們身上。
He also repaid the people of Shechem for their evil, and the curse of Jotham, son of Jerub-baal, came down upon them.
