列王紀上 12
1 羅波安往示劍去；因為以色列人都到了示劍要立他作王。
Then Rehoboam went to Shechem. For in that place, all of Israel had gathered to appoint him as king.
2 尼八的兒子耶羅波安先前躲避所羅門王，逃往埃及，住在那裏（他聽見這事。）
Yet truly, Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, while he was still in Egypt as a fugitive from the face of king Solomon, hearing of his death, returned from Egypt.
3 以色列人打發人去請他來，他就和以色列會眾都來見羅波安，對他說：
And they sent and called him. Therefore, Jeroboam went, with the entire multitude of Israel, and they spoke to Rehoboam, saying:
4 「你父親使我們負重軛，做苦工，現在求你使我們做的苦工、負的重軛輕鬆些，我們就事奉你。」
“Your father imposed a very harsh yoke upon us. And so, you should now take away a little from the very harsh rule of your father and from his very grievous yoke, which he imposed upon us, and we will serve you.”
5 羅波安對他們說：「你們暫且去，第三日再來見我。」民就去了。
And he said to them, “Go away, until the third day, and then return to me.” And when the people had gone away,
6 羅波安之父所羅門在世的日子，有侍立在他面前的老年人，羅波安王和他們商議，說：「你們給我出個甚麼主意，我好回覆這民。」
king Rehoboam took counsel with the elders who had assisted before his father Solomon while he was still living. And he said, “What counsel do you give to me, so that I may respond to this people?”
7 老年人對他說：「現在王若服事這民如僕人，用好話回答他們，他們就永遠作王的僕人。」
They said to him, “If today you will obey and serve this people, and yield to their petition, and if you will speak lenient words to them, they will be your servants for all days.”
8 王卻不用老年人給他出的主意，就和那些與他一同長大、在他面前侍立的少年人商議，
But he abandoned the counsel of the old men, which they had given to him. And he consulted the young men who had been raised with him, and who were assisting him.
9 說：「這民對我說：『你父親使我們負重軛，求你使我們輕鬆些。』你們給我出個甚麼主意，我好回覆他們。」
And he said to them: “What counsel do you give to me, so that I may respond to this people, who have said to me: ‘Make light the yoke that your father imposed on us?’”
10 那同他長大的少年人說：「這民對王說：『你父親使我們負重軛，求你使我們輕鬆些。』王要對他們如此說：『我的小拇指頭比我父親的腰還粗。
And the young men who had been raised with him, said: “You shall speak in this way to this people, who have spoken to you, saying: ‘Your father weighed down our yoke. You should relieve us.’ You shall say this to them: ‘My little finger is thicker than the back of my father.
11 我父親使你們負重軛，我必使你們負更重的軛！我父親用鞭子責打你們，我要用蠍子鞭責打你們！』」
And now, my father placed a heavy yoke upon you, but I will add more upon your yoke. My father cut you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions.’”
12 耶羅波安和眾百姓遵着羅波安王所說「你們第三日再來見我」的那話，第三日他們果然來了。
Therefore, Jeroboam and all the people went to Rehoboam on the third day, just as the king had spoken, saying, “Return to me on the third day.”
13 王用嚴厲的話回答百姓，不用老年人給他所出的主意，
And the king responded to the people harshly, leaving behind the counsel of the elders that they had given to him.
14 照着少年人所出的主意對民說：「我父親使你們負重軛，我必使你們負更重的軛！我父親用鞭子責打你們，我要用蠍子鞭責打你們！」
And he spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying: “My father weighed down your yoke, but I will add more to your yoke. My father cut you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions.”
15 王不肯依從百姓，這事乃出於耶和華，為要應驗他藉示羅人亞希雅對尼八的兒子耶羅波安所說的話。
And the king did not acquiesce to the people. For the Lord had turned him away, so that he might raise up his word, which he had spoken by the hand of Ahijah, the Shilonite, to Jeroboam, the son of Nebat.
16 以色列眾民見王不依從他們，就對王說： 我們與大衛有甚麼分兒呢？ 與耶西的兒子並沒有關涉。 以色列人哪，各回各家去吧！ 大衛家啊，自己顧自己吧！ 於是，以色列人都回自己家裏去了，
And so the people, seeing that the king had not been willing to listen to them, responded to him, saying: “What part do we have in David? Or what inheritance do we have in the son of Jesse? Go to your own tents, O Israel. Now David, see to your own house.” And Israel went away to their own tents.
17 惟獨住猶大城邑的以色列人，羅波安仍作他們的王。
But over all the sons of Israel who were living in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned.
18 羅波安王差遣掌管服苦之人的亞多蘭往以色列人那裏去，以色列人就用石頭打死他。羅波安王急忙上車，逃回耶路撒冷去了。
Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute. And all of Israel stoned him, and he died. Therefore, king Rehoboam hurrying, climbed into the chariot, and fled to Jerusalem.
19 這樣，以色列人背叛大衛家，直到今日。
And Israel drew away from the house of David, even to the present day.
20 以色列眾人聽見耶羅波安回來了，就打發人去請他到會眾面前，立他作以色列眾人的王。除了猶大支派以外，沒有順從大衛家的。
And it happened that, when all of Israel had heard that Jeroboam had returned, gathering an assembly, they sent and called him, and they appointed him as king over all of Israel. And no one followed the house of David, except the tribe of Judah alone.
21 羅波安來到耶路撒冷，招聚猶大全家和便雅憫支派的人共十八萬，都是挑選的戰士，要與以色列家爭戰，好將國奪回，再歸所羅門的兒子羅波安。
Then Rehoboam went to Jerusalem, and he gathered together the entire house of Judah, and the tribe of Benjamin, one hundred and eighty thousand elect men of war, so that they might fight against the house of Israel, and might bring the kingdom back to Rehoboam, the son of Solomon.
22 但上帝的話臨到神人示瑪雅，說：
But the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, the man of God, saying:
23 「你去告訴所羅門的兒子猶大王羅波安和猶大、便雅憫全家，並其餘的民說：
“Speak to Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, the king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah, and to Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, saying:
24 『耶和華如此說：你們不可上去與你們的弟兄以色列人爭戰。各歸各家去吧！因為這事出於我。』」眾人就聽從耶和華的話，遵着耶和華的命回去了。
‘Thus says the Lord: You shall not go up, and you shall not make war against your brothers, the sons of Israel. Let each man return to his own house. For this word came from me.’” And they listened to the word of the Lord, and they returned from the journey, as the Lord had instructed them.
25 耶羅波安在以法蓮山地建築示劍，就住在其中；又從示劍出去，建築毗努伊勒。
Then Jeroboam built up Shechem, on mount Ephraim, and he lived there. And departing from there, he built up Penuel.
26 耶羅波安心裏說：「恐怕這國仍歸大衛家；
And Jeroboam said in his heart: “Now the kingdom will return to the house of David,
27 這民若上耶路撒冷去，在耶和華的殿裏獻祭，他們的心必歸向他們的主－猶大王羅波安，就把我殺了，仍歸猶大王羅波安。」
if this people ascend to offer sacrifices in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem. And the heart of this people will be converted to their lord Rehoboam, the king of Judah, and they will put me to death, and return to him.”
28 耶羅波安王就籌劃定妥，鑄造了兩個金牛犢，對眾民說：「以色列人哪，你們上耶路撒冷去實在是難；這就是領你們出埃及地的神。」
And devising a plan, he made two golden calves. And he said to them: “No longer choose to ascend to Jerusalem. Behold, these are your gods, O Israel, who led you away from the land of Egypt!”
29 他就把牛犢一隻安在伯特利，一隻安在但。
And he stationed one in Bethel, and the other in Dan.
30 這事叫百姓陷在罪裏，因為他們往但去拜那牛犢。
And this word became an occasion of sin. For the people went to adore the calf, even to Dan.
31 耶羅波安在邱壇那裏建殿，將那不屬利未人的凡民立為祭司。
And he made shrines on the high places, and he made priests out of the lowest people, who were not of the sons of Levi.
32 耶羅波安定八月十五日為節期，像在猶大的節期一樣，自己上壇獻祭。他在伯特利也這樣向他所鑄的牛犢獻祭，又將立為邱壇的祭司安置在伯特利。
And he appointed a solemn day in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, in imitation of the solemnity that was celebrated in Judah. And ascending to the altar, he acted similarly in Bethel, so that he immolated to the calves, which he had made. And in Bethel, he appointed priests of the high places, which he had made.
33 他在八月十五日，就是他私自所定的月日，為以色列人立作節期的日子，在伯特利上壇燒香。
And he ascended to the altar, which he had raised up in Bethel, on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, the day that he had decided in his own heart. And he made a solemnity to the sons of Israel, and he ascended to the altar, so that he might burn incense.
