< 撒母耳記上 3 >
1 童子撒母耳在以利面前事奉耶和華。當那些日子,耶和華的言語稀少,不常有默示。
The child Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. The word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.
2 一日,以利睡臥在自己的地方;他眼目昏花,看不分明。
It happened at that time, when Eli was lying down in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see),
3 上帝的燈在上帝耶和華殿內約櫃那裏,還沒有熄滅,撒母耳已經睡了。
and the lamp of God hadn't yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the LORD's temple, where the ark of God was;
that the LORD called, "Samuel. Samuel." And he said, "Here I am."
5 就跑到以利那裏,說:「你呼喚我?我在這裏。」以利回答說:「我沒有呼喚你,你去睡吧。」他就去睡了。
He ran to Eli, and said, "Here I am; for you called me." He said, "I did not call; lie down again." He went and lay down.
6 耶和華又呼喚撒母耳。撒母耳起來,到以利那裏,說:「你呼喚我?我在這裏。」以利回答說:「我的兒,我沒有呼喚你,你去睡吧。」
The LORD called yet again, "Samuel. Samuel." And he got up and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am; for you called me." He answered, "I did not call, my son; lie down again."
7 那時撒母耳還未認識耶和華,也未得耶和華的默示。
Now Samuel did not yet know God, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed to him.
8 耶和華第三次呼喚撒母耳。撒母耳起來,到以利那裏,說:「你又呼喚我?我在這裏。」以利才明白是耶和華呼喚童子。
Then the LORD called Samuel again the third time, and he got up and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you called me." Then Eli realized that the LORD had called the child.
9 因此以利對撒母耳說:「你仍去睡吧;若再呼喚你,你就說:『耶和華啊,請說,僕人敬聽!』」撒母耳就去,仍睡在原處。
So he said, "Go, lie down, and if he calls you, reply, 'Speak, for your servant is listening.'" Then Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 耶和華又來站着,像前三次呼喚說:「撒母耳啊!撒母耳啊!」撒母耳回答說:「請說,僕人敬聽!」
And the LORD came and stood, and called as at other times. Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."
11 耶和華對撒母耳說:「我在以色列中必行一件事,叫聽見的人都必耳鳴。
The LORD said to Samuel, "Look, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of everyone who hears it shall tingle.
12 我指着以利家所說的話,到了時候,我必始終應驗在以利身上。
In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from the beginning even to the end.
13 我曾告訴他必永遠降罰與他的家,因他知道兒子作孽,自招咒詛,卻不禁止他們。
For I have told him that I will judge his house forever, for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons were cursing God, and he did not restrain them.
14 所以我向以利家起誓說:『以利家的罪孽,雖獻祭奉禮物,永不能得贖去。』」
Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be removed with sacrifice nor offering forever."
15 撒母耳睡到天亮,就開了耶和華的殿門,不敢將默示告訴以利。
And Samuel lay there until the morning, and in the morning he got up and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision.
16 以利呼喚撒母耳說:「我兒撒母耳啊!」撒母耳回答說:「我在這裏!」
Then Eli said to Samuel, "Samuel, my son." And he replied, "Here I am."
17 以利說:「耶和華對你說甚麼,你不要向我隱瞞;你若將上帝對你所說的隱瞞一句,願他重重地降罰與你。」
He said, "What is the thing that he has spoken to you? Please do not hide it from me. May God do thus to you if you hide anything from me of all the words that he spoke to you in your ears."
18 撒母耳就把一切話都告訴了以利,並沒有隱瞞。以利說:「這是出於耶和華,願他憑自己的意旨而行。」
And Samuel told him everything, and did not hide anything from him. And he said, "It is the LORD. Let him do what seems good to him."
19 撒母耳長大了,耶和華與他同在,使他所說的話一句都不落空。
So Samuel continued to grow, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fail.
20 從但到別是巴所有的以色列人都知道耶和華立撒母耳為先知。
Thus all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the LORD.
21 耶和華又在示羅顯現;因為耶和華將自己的話默示撒母耳,撒母耳就把這話傳遍以色列地。
And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh, for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel.