撒母耳記上 24
1 掃羅追趕非利士人回來，有人告訴他說：「大衛在隱‧基底的曠野。」
And when Saul had returned after pursuing the Philistines, they reported to him, saying, “Behold, David is in the desert of Engedi.”
2 掃羅就從以色列人中挑選三千精兵，率領他們往野羊的磐石去，尋索大衛和跟隨他的人。
Therefore, Saul, taking three thousand elect men from all of Israel, traveled in order to search for David and his men, even upon the most broken rocks, which are passable only to mountain goats.
3 到了路旁的羊圈，在那裏有洞，掃羅進去大解。大衛和跟隨他的人正藏在洞裏的深處。
And he arrived at the sheepfolds, which presented themselves along the way. And a cave was in that place, which Saul entered, so that he might ease his bowels. But David and his men were hiding in the interior part of the cave.
4 跟隨的人對大衛說：「耶和華曾應許你說：『我要將你的仇敵交在你手裏，你可以任意待他。』如今時候到了！」大衛就起來，悄悄地割下掃羅外袍的衣襟。
And the servants of David said to him: “Behold the day, about which the Lord said to you, ‘I will deliver your enemy to you, so that you may do to him as it will be pleasing in your eyes.’” Then David rose up, and he quietly cut off the edge of Saul’s cloak.
5 隨後大衛心中自責，因為割下掃羅的衣襟；
After this, his own heart struck David, because he had cut off the edge of Saul’s cloak.
6 對跟隨他的人說：「我的主乃是耶和華的受膏者，我在耶和華面前萬不敢伸手害他，因他是耶和華的受膏者。」
And he said to his men: “May the Lord be gracious to me, lest I do this thing to my lord, the Christ of the Lord, so that I lay my hand upon him. For he is the Christ of the Lord.”
7 大衛用這話攔住跟隨他的人，不容他們起來害掃羅。掃羅起來，從洞裏出去行路。
And David restrained his men with his words, and he would not permit them to rise up against Saul. And so Saul, going out of the cave, continued to undertake his journey.
8 隨後大衛也起來，從洞裏出去，呼叫掃羅說：「我主，我王！」掃羅回頭觀看，大衛就屈身、臉伏於地下拜。
Then David also rose up after him. And departing from the cave, he cried out behind the back of Saul, saying: “My lord, the king!” And Saul looked behind him. And David, bowing himself face down to the ground, reverenced.
9 大衛對掃羅說：「你為何聽信人的讒言，說大衛想要害你呢？
And he said to Saul: “Why do you listen to the words of men who say: ‘David seeks evil against you?’
10 今日你親眼看見在洞中，耶和華將你交在我手裏；有人叫我殺你，我卻愛惜你，說：『我不敢伸手害我的主，因為他是耶和華的受膏者。』
Behold, this day your eyes have seen that the Lord has delivered you into my hand, in the cave. And I thought that I might kill you. But my eye has spared you. For I said: I will not extend my hand against my lord, for he is the Christ of the Lord.
11 我父啊，看看你外袍的衣襟在我手中。我割下你的衣襟，沒有殺你；你由此可以知道我沒有惡意叛逆你。你雖然獵取我的命，我卻沒有得罪你。
Moreover, see and know, O my father, the edge of your cloak in my hand. For though I cut off the top of your cloak, I was not willing to extend my hand against you. Turn your soul and see that there is no evil in my hand, nor any iniquity or sin against you. Yet you lie in wait for my life, so that you may take it away.
12 願耶和華在你我中間判斷是非，在你身上為我伸冤，我卻不親手加害於你。
May the Lord judge between me and you. And may the Lord vindicate me from you. But my hand will not be against you.
13 古人有句俗語說：『惡事出於惡人。』我卻不親手加害於你。
So too, it is said in the ancient proverb, ‘From the impious, impiety will go forth.’ Therefore, my hand will not be upon you.
14 以色列王出來要尋找誰呢？追趕誰呢？不過追趕一條死狗，一個虼蚤就是了。
Whom are you pursuing, O king of Israel? Whom are you pursuing? You are pursuing a dead dog, a single flea.
15 願耶和華在你我中間施行審判，斷定是非，並且鑒察，為我伸冤，救我脫離你的手。」
May the Lord be the judge, and may he judge between me and you. And may he see and judge my case, and rescue me from your hand.”
16 大衛向掃羅說完這話，掃羅說：「我兒大衛，這是你的聲音嗎？」就放聲大哭，
And when David had completed speaking words in this way to Saul, Saul said, “Could this be your voice, my son David?” And Saul lifted up his voice, and he wept.
17 對大衛說：「你比我公義；因為你以善待我，我卻以惡待你。
And he said to David: “You are more just than I am. For you have distributed good to me, but I have repaid evil to you.
18 你今日顯明是以善待我；因為耶和華將我交在你手裏，你卻沒有殺我。
And you have revealed this day the good that you have done for me: how the Lord delivered me into your hand, but you did not kill me.
19 人若遇見仇敵，豈肯放他平安無事地去呢？願耶和華因你今日向我所行的，以善報你。
For who, when he will have found his enemy, will release him along a good path? So may the Lord repay you for this good turn, because you have acted on my behalf this day.
20 我也知道你必要作王，以色列的國必堅立在你手裏。
And now I know certainly that you shall be king, and you shall have the kingdom of Israel in your hand.
21 現在你要指着耶和華向我起誓，不剪除我的後裔，在我父家不滅沒我的名。」
Swear to me in the Lord that you will not take away my offspring after me, nor take away my name from the house of my father.”
22 於是大衛向掃羅起誓，掃羅就回家去；大衛和跟隨他的人上山寨去了。
And David swore to Saul. Therefore, Saul went away to his own house. And David and his men ascended to places that were more secure.
