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。」
When Saul returned from chasing the Philistines, it was reported to him, “David is in the Desert of En-gedi.”
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。
So Saul took three thousand specially-picked men from all Israel and went searching for David and his men in the area around Wild Goats' Rocks.
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。
As Saul passed the sheep pens on the way, there was a cave, and he went in to relieve himself. David and his men were hiding deep inside 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。
David's men said to him, “Today's the day the Lord promised you when he told you, ‘Listen, I'm going to hand over your enemy to you, so you can do to him whatever you want.’” Then David crept up quietly and cut a piece from the edge of Saul's robe.
5 隨後大衛心中自責，因為割下掃羅的衣襟；
But afterwards David felt really bad because he'd cut off a piece of Saul's robe.
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。」
He told his men, “May the Lord prevent me from doing anything like this to my master, the Lord's anointed one. I will never attack him, for he is the Lord's anointed one.”
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。
He reprimanded his men and didn't allow them to attack Saul. Saul stood up and went on his way.
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。
A little later David came out of the cave and shouted, “My master the king!” When Saul looked around, David bowed down with his face to the ground.
9 大衛對掃羅說：「你為何聽信人的讒言，說大衛想要害你呢？
“Why do you pay attention to people who say, ‘Watch out, David wants to harm you’?” David asked.
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。』
“Just look! You've seen with your own eyes today that the Lord handed you over to me in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I showed you compassion, and said, ‘I refuse to attack my master, for he is the Lord's anointed one.’
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。
Take a look, my father! You see this piece of your robe I'm holding. Yes, I did I cut it off, but I didn't kill you. Now you can see for yourself and you can be sure that I have done nothing evil or rebellious. I have not sinned against you, but you are hunting me down, trying to kill me.
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 decide between you and me as to who of us is right, and may the Lord punish you, but I myself will never try to harm you.
13 古人有句俗語說：『惡事出於惡人。』我卻不親手加害於你。
As the old saying goes, ‘From the wicked comes wickedness,’ but I myself will never try to harm 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。
Who is the king of Israel coming after? Who are you chasing? A dead dog! Just a 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 decide and choose between you and me. May he pay attention to my case and support it; may he save me from you.”
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，
After David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that you speaking, David my son?” and he wept out loud.
17 對大衛說：「你比我公義；因為你以善待我，我卻以惡待你。
He told David, “You are a better person than I am, because you have repaid me with good, but I have repaid you with evil.
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。
Today you have demonstrated how well you have treated me—for when the Lord handed me over to you, you didn't 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 if a man caught hold of his enemy, would he let him escape unharmed? The Lord reward you well for how you've treated me today.
20 我也知道你必要作王，以色列的國必堅立在你手裏。
Listen, I know you definitely will be king, and your rule over the kingdom of Israel will be secure.
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。」
Now swear to me by the Lord that you will not destroy my descendants who follow me, and that you will not wipe out my name from my family line.”
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。
So David promised this to Saul with an oath. Then Saul went back home, but David and his men returned to the stronghold.
