列王紀上 2
1 大衛的死期臨近了，就囑咐他兒子所羅門說：
The time of David's death was approaching, so he gave his son Solomon these last instructions:
2 「我現在要走世人必走的路。所以，你當剛強，作大丈夫，
“I am about to go the way everybody on earth must go. Be brave, and act like a man.
3 遵守耶和華－你上帝所吩咐的，照着摩西律法上所寫的行主的道，謹守他的律例、誡命、典章、法度。這樣，你無論做甚麼事，不拘往何處去，盡都亨通。
Do what God orders you to do, follow his ways. Keep his rules, his commands, and his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses, so you may be successful in everything you do, and in everything you give your attention to.
4 耶和華必成就向我所應許的話說：『你的子孫若謹慎自己的行為，盡心盡意誠誠實實地行在我面前，就不斷人坐以色列的國位。』
If so, then the Lord will keep his promise to me when he said: ‘If your descendants are to live right before me, faithfully and with complete commitment, then you will always have one of them on the throne of Israel.’
5 你知道洗魯雅的兒子約押向我所行的，就是殺了以色列的兩個元帥：尼珥的兒子押尼珥和益帖的兒子亞瑪撒。他在太平之時流這二人的血，如在爭戰之時一樣，將這血染了腰間束的帶和腳上穿的鞋。
In addition, you know what Joab, son of Zeruiah, did to me and what he did to Abner, son of Ner, and Amasa, son of Jether, the two army commanders of Israel. He murdered them, spilling the blood of war during a time of peace. He smeared the blood of war on his belt and on his sandals.
Do what you think is right, but don't let his gray head go down peacefully into the grave. (Sheol h7585)
7 你當恩待基列人巴西萊的眾子，使他們常與你同席吃飯；因為我躲避你哥哥押沙龍的時候，他們拿食物來迎接我。
But be kind to the sons of Barzillai of Gilead. Bring them into your royal court, for they helped me when I ran from your brother Absalom.
8 在你這裏有巴戶琳的便雅憫人，基拉的兒子示每；我往瑪哈念去的那日，他用狠毒的言語咒罵我，後來卻下約旦河迎接我，我就指着耶和華向他起誓說：『我必不用刀殺你。』
Don't you forget Shimei, son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim who cursed me with painful words when I went to Mahanaim. When he met me at the Jordan I swore to him by the Lord, ‘I will not kill you with the sword.’
So don't leave him unpunished. You're a wise man and you know what you have to do to him—send him down into the grave with blood on his gray head.” (Sheol h7585)
10 大衛與他列祖同睡，葬在大衛城。
Then David died and his was buried in the City of David.
11 大衛作以色列王四十年：在希伯崙作王七年，在耶路撒冷作王三十三年。
His reign over Israel lasted forty years; seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.
12 所羅門坐他父親大衛的位，他的國甚是堅固。
Solomon took over as king, sitting on the throne of his father David, and his hold on his kingdom was secure.
13 哈及的兒子亞多尼雅去見所羅門的母親拔示巴，拔示巴問他說：「你來是為平安嗎？」回答說：「是為平安」；
Adonijah, son of Haggith, went to see Bathsheba, Solomon's mother. She asked him, “Have you come here with good intentions?” He replied, “Yes, with good intentions.”
14 又說：「我有話對你說。」拔示巴說：「你說吧。」
“I have something I'd like to ask of you,” he continued. “Go on,” she said.
15 亞多尼雅說：「你知道國原是歸我的，以色列眾人也都仰望我作王，不料，國反歸了我兄弟，因他得國是出乎耶和華。
“You know that the kingdom was mine,” he declared, “and everyone in Israel was looking forward to me being their next king. But everything was turned upside-down, and the kingdom passed to my brother, because that's what the Lord wanted.
16 現在我有一件事求你，望你不要推辭。」拔示巴說：「你說吧。」
Now I've just one request to ask of you—please don't say no.” “Tell me,” she said.
17 他說：「求你請所羅門王將書念的女子亞比煞賜我為妻，因他必不推辭你。」
He went on, “Please talk to King Solomon for me because he won't turn you down. Ask him to give me Abishag from Shunem as my wife.”
18 拔示巴說：「好，我必為你對王提說。」
“Very well,” Bathsheba replied. “I will talk to the king for you.”
19 於是，拔示巴去見所羅門王，要為亞多尼雅提說；王起來迎接，向她下拜，就坐在位上，吩咐人為王母設一座位，她便坐在王的右邊。
So Bathsheba went to talk to King Solomon for Adonijah. The king got up from his throne to meet her, and bowed before her. Then he sat back down and ordered another throne brought in for his mother. She sat to his right.
20 拔示巴說：「我有一件小事求你，望你不要推辭。」王說：「請母親說，我必不推辭。」
“I have just one small request to ask of you,” she said. “Please don't say no.” The king replied, “Ask away, dear mother. I won't say no to you.”
21 拔示巴說：「求你將書念的女子亞比煞賜給你哥哥亞多尼雅為妻。」
“Please give Abishag from Shunem to your brother Adonijah as his wife,” she replied.
22 所羅門王對他母親說：「為何單替他求書念的女子亞比煞呢？也可以為他求國吧！他是我的哥哥，他有祭司亞比亞他和洗魯雅的兒子約押為輔佐。」
King Solomon answered his mother, “Why on earth are you asking me to give Abishag to Adonijah? You might as well ask me to give my brother the kingdom! He is my older brother, and Abiathar the priest and Joab, son of Zeruiah, are on his side!”
23 所羅門王就指着耶和華起誓說：「亞多尼雅這話是自己送命，不然，願上帝重重地降罰與我。
Then King Solomon vowed before the Lord, “May God punish me, really punish me, if what Adonijah has asked for doesn't cost him his life.
24 耶和華堅立我，使我坐在父親大衛的位上，照着所應許的話為我建立家室；現在我指着永生的耶和華起誓，亞多尼雅今日必被治死。」
So I vow, as the Lord lives, who affirmed me as king and placed me on the throne of my father David, making me the head of a dynasty as he promised, Adonijah shall be executed today.”
25 於是所羅門王差遣耶何耶大的兒子比拿雅，將亞多尼雅殺死。
King Solomon sent Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, who carried out the king's orders and executed Adonijah.
26 王對祭司亞比亞他說：「你回亞拿突歸自己的田地去吧！你本是該死的，但因你在我父親大衛面前抬過主耶和華的約櫃，又與我父親同受一切苦難，所以我今日不將你殺死。」
In the case of Abiathar, the high priest, the king told him, “Go home and take care of your fields. You should be condemned to death, but I will not kill you right now because you carried the Ark of the Lord God ahead of my father David and went through all his hard times with him.”
27 所羅門就革除亞比亞他，不許他作耶和華的祭司。這樣，便應驗耶和華在示羅論以利家所說的話。
So Solomon dismissed Abiathar from his position as priest of the Lord, and so fulfilled what the Lord had said at Shiloh regarding the descendants of Eli.
28 約押雖然沒有歸從押沙龍，卻歸從了亞多尼雅。他聽見這風聲，就逃到耶和華的帳幕，抓住祭壇的角。
When Joab heard the news he ran to the Lord's Tent and grabbed hold of the horns of the altar. (He had not supported Absalom's rebellion but he had supported Adonijah.)
29 有人告訴所羅門王說：「約押逃到耶和華的帳幕，現今在祭壇的旁邊。」所羅門就差遣耶何耶大的兒子比拿雅，說：「你去將他殺死。」
When King Solomon was told that Joab was seeking sanctuary by the altar, he sent Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, to execute him.
30 比拿雅來到耶和華的帳幕，對約押說：「王吩咐說，你出來吧！」他說：「我不出去，我要死在這裏。」比拿雅就去回覆王，說約押如此如此回答我。
Benaiah went to the Lord's Tent and told called to Joab, “The king orders you to come out!” “No! I'll die here!” Joab replied. Benaiah went back to the king and told him what Joab had said.
31 王說：「你可以照着他的話行，殺死他，將他葬埋，好叫約押流無辜人血的罪不歸我和我的父家了。
“Do as he says,” the king told Benaiah. “Strike him down and bury him. In that way you will remove from me and my family the guilt of the innocent blood that Joab shed.
32 耶和華必使約押流人血的罪歸到他自己的頭上；因為他用刀殺了兩個比他又義又好的人，就是以色列元帥尼珥的兒子押尼珥和猶大元帥益帖的兒子亞瑪撒，我父親大衛卻不知道。
The Lord will pay him back for the blood he shed, for without my father David's knowledge, he killed two good men who were better than he was. With his sword he killed Abner, son of Ner, commander of Israel's army, and Amasa, son of Jether, commander of Judah's army.
33 故此，流這二人血的罪必歸到約押和他後裔的頭上，直到永遠；惟有大衛和他的後裔，並他的家與國，必從耶和華那裏得平安，直到永遠。」
May the responsibility for shedding their blood come back on Joab and his descendants forever; but may the Lord give peace and prosperity to David, his descendants, his family, and his dynasty forever.”
34 於是耶何耶大的兒子比拿雅上去，將約押殺死，葬在曠野約押自己的墳墓裏。
So Benaiah son of Jehoiada returned and killed Joab. He was buried at his home in the wilderness.
35 王就立耶何耶大的兒子比拿雅作元帥，代替約押，又使祭司撒督代替亞比亞他。
The king appointed Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, to take over Joab's role as army commander, and replaced Abiathar with Zadok the priest.
36 王差遣人將示每召來，對他說：「你要在耶路撒冷建造房屋居住，不可出來往別處去。
Then the king summoned Shimei and told him, “Go and build yourself a house in Jerusalem and stay there, but don't leave and go anywhere else.
37 你當確實地知道，你何日出來過汲淪溪，何日必死！你的罪必歸到自己的頭上。」
You should know for certain that the day you leave and cross the Kidron Valley you will die. Your death will be your own responsibility.”
38 示每對王說：「這話甚好！我主我王怎樣說，僕人必怎樣行。」於是示每多日住在耶路撒冷。
“What Your Majesty says is fair,” Shimei replied. “Your servant will do as my lord the king has ordered.” Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time.
39 過了三年，示每的兩個僕人逃到迦特王瑪迦的兒子亞吉那裏去。有人告訴示每說：「你的僕人在迦特。」
But three years later, two of Shimei's slaves escaped to Achish, son of Maacah, king of Gath. Shimei was told, “Look, your slaves are in Gath.”
40 示每起來，備上驢，往迦特到亞吉那裏去找他的僕人，就從迦特帶他僕人回來。
So Shimei saddled up his donkey and went to Achish in Gath to look for his slaves. He found them and brought them back from Gath.
41 有人告訴所羅門說：「示每出耶路撒冷往迦特去，回來了。」
Solomon was informed that Shimei had left Jerusalem to go to Gath, and had then returned.
42 王就差遣人將示每召了來，對他說：「我豈不是叫你指着耶和華起誓，並且警戒你說『你當確實地知道，你哪日出來往別處去，那日必死』嗎？你也對我說：『這話甚好，我必聽從。』
The king summoned Shimei and asked him, “Didn't I vow to you by the Lord, didn't I warn you that the day you left and went somewhere else that you should know for certain that you would die? Didn't you reply to me, ‘What Your Majesty says is fair; I'll do as you ordered’?
43 現在你為何不遵守你指着耶和華起的誓和我所吩咐你的命令呢？」
So why haven't you kept your vow to the Lord, and obeyed my orders?”
44 王又對示每說：「你向我父親大衛所行的一切惡事，你自己心裏也知道，所以耶和華必使你的罪惡歸到自己的頭上；
The king also told Shimei, “Deep down you know all the evil things you did to my father David. That's why the Lord will repay you for your evil.
45 惟有所羅門王必得福，並且大衛的國位必在耶和華面前堅定，直到永遠。」
But I, King Solomon, will be blessed and David's dynasty will be kept safe in the presence of the Lord forever.”
46 於是王吩咐耶何耶大的兒子比拿雅，他就去殺死示每。這樣，便堅定了所羅門的國位。
The king ordered Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, to execute Shimei, so he went and killed Shimei. In this way Solomon's hold on the kingdom was made secure.
