撒母耳記下 19
1 有人告訴約押說：「王為押沙龍哭泣悲哀。」
Soon Joab was told, “The king is crying and mourning for Absalom.”
2 眾民聽說王為他兒子憂愁，他們得勝的歡樂卻變成悲哀。
Victory that day was turned into mourning for the whole army, because they were told, “The king is grieving for his son.”
3 那日眾民暗暗地進城，就如敗陣逃跑、慚愧的民一般。
They stole back into town that day like defeated people steal in, ashamed of running away from the battle.
4 王蒙着臉，大聲哭號說：「我兒押沙龍啊！押沙龍，我兒，我兒啊！」
The king held his face in his hands and sobbed loudly, “My son Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!”
5 約押進去見王，說：「你今日使你一切僕人臉面慚愧了！他們今日救了你的性命和你兒女妻妾的性命，
Then Joab went inside and told the king, “Today you have humiliated all your men who have saved your life, and the lives of your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your concubines.
6 你卻愛那恨你的人，恨那愛你的人。你今日明明地不以將帥、僕人為念。我今日看明，若押沙龍活着，我們都死亡，你就喜悅了。
You did this by loving those who hate you and hating those who love you. Today you have made it plain that the commanders and the men don't mean anything to you. Today I'm sure that you'd be quite happy if Absalom was alive and all of us were dead!
7 現在你當出去，安慰你僕人的心。我指着耶和華起誓：你若不出去，今夜必無一人與你同在一處；這禍患就比你從幼年到如今所遭的更甚！」
So get up, go out, and thank your men. I swear by the Lord that if you don't, you won't have a man left by tonight. That will be far worse for you than all the disasters you've had from your youth until now.”
8 於是王起來，坐在城門口。眾民聽說王坐在城門口，就都到王面前。 以色列人已經逃跑，各回各家去了。
So the king got up and went to sit at the town gate. Everybody was told: “Look, the king is sitting at the town gate.” They all came to see the king. In the meantime the Israelites had run away and gone to their homes.
9 以色列眾支派的人紛紛議論說：「王曾救我們脫離仇敵的手，又救我們脫離非利士人的手，現在他躲避押沙龍逃走了。
Everyone among the tribes of Israel were arguing with each other, saying, “The king rescued us from the persecution of our enemies, he saved us from the Philistines, but now he's had to run from the country because of Absalom.
10 我們膏押沙龍治理我們，他已經陣亡。現在為甚麼不出一言請王回來呢？」
Now Absalom, the man we chose to be our king by anointing him, he's died in battle. Why don't we do something and invite King David to come back?”
11 大衛王差人去見祭司撒督和亞比亞他，說：「你們當向猶大長老說：『以色列眾人已經有話請王回宮，你們為甚麼落在他們後頭呢？
King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests: “Tell the elders of Judah, ‘Are you going to be the last people to bring the king back to his palace, since the king has heard that all of Israel wants it?
12 你們是我的弟兄，是我的骨肉，為甚麼在人後頭請王回來呢？』
You are my brothers, my own flesh and blood. Why should you be the last ones to want to bring the king back?’
13 也要對亞瑪撒說：『你不是我的骨肉嗎？我若不立你替約押常作元帥，願上帝重重地降罰與我！』」
Tell Amasa, ‘Aren't you my flesh and blood too? May God punish me very severely if from now on you're not the commander of my army instead of Joab!’”
14 如此就挽回猶大眾人的心，如同一人的心。他們便打發人去見王，說：「請王和王的一切臣僕回來。」
Amasa convinced all the people of Judah to unitedly support David, so they sent a message to the king: “Please come back, you and everyone with you.”
15 王就回來，到了約旦河。猶大人來到吉甲，要去迎接王，請他過約旦河。
The king began his journey back, and when he arrived at the Jordan, the men of Judah met him at Gilgal to help him cross the river.
16 巴戶琳的便雅憫人、基拉的兒子示每急忙與猶大人一同下去迎接大衛王。
Shimei, son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David.
17 跟從示每的有一千便雅憫人，還有掃羅家的僕人洗巴和他十五個兒子，二十個僕人；他們都詵過約旦河迎接王。
With him were one thousand men from the tribe of Benjamin, including Ziba, servant of Saul's family, as well as Ziba's fifteen sons and twenty servants. They rushed down to the Jordan to meet the king.
18 有擺渡船過去，渡王的家眷，任王使用。 王要過約旦河的時候，基拉的兒子示每就俯伏在王面前，
They crossed at the ford to bring the king's household over and whatever else he wanted. Shimei crossed the Jordan and fell facedown before the king.
19 對王說：「我主我王出耶路撒冷的時候，僕人行悖逆的事，現在求我主不要因此加罪與僕人，不要記念，也不要放在心上。
“Your Majesty, please forgive me and disregard the wrong that I, your servant, did when Your Majesty left Jerusalem. Please forget all about it.
20 僕人明知自己有罪，所以約瑟全家之中，今日我首先下來迎接我主我王。」
I, your servant, recognize that I have sinned. But look! Today I'm the first from any of the tribes of Joseph to come down and meet Your Majesty.”
21 洗魯雅的兒子亞比篩說：「示每既咒罵耶和華的受膏者，不應當治死他嗎？」
Abishai, son of Zeruiah, said, “Shouldn't Shimei be executed for this, because he cursed the Lord's anointed one?”
22 大衛說：「洗魯雅的兒子，我與你們有何關涉，使你們今日與我反對呢？今日在以色列中豈可治死人呢？我豈不知今日我作以色列的王嗎？」
But David replied, “What's that got do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? Do you want to be my enemies today? Is this a day to execute anybody in Israel? Aren't I certain that today I'm the king of Israel once more?”
23 於是王對示每說：「你必不死。」王就向他起誓。
David turned to Shimei and swore an oath to him, “You're not going to die.”
24 掃羅的孫子米非波設也下去迎接王。他自從王去的日子，直到王平平安安地回來，沒有修腳，沒有剃鬍鬚，也沒有洗衣服。
Then Mephibosheth, Saul's grandson, went to meet the king. He had refused to look after his feet or trim his mustache or have his clothes washed from the day the king left until the day of his peaceful return.
25 他來到耶路撒冷迎接王的時候，王問他說：「米非波設，你為甚麼沒有與我同去呢？」
When he arrived from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, “Why didn't you come with me, Mephibosheth?”
26 他回答說：「我主我王，僕人是瘸腿的。那日我想要備驢騎上，與王同去，無奈我的僕人欺哄了我，
Mephibosheth answered, “Your Majesty, my servant Ziba tricked me. I told him, ‘Saddle up my donkey so I can ride her and leave with the king,’ because you know that I'm lame.
27 又在我主我王面前讒毀我。然而我主我王如同上帝的使者一般，你看怎樣好，就怎樣行吧！
Ziba has misrepresented me, your servant, to Your Majesty. However, Your Majesty is like an angel of God, so do what you think best.
28 因為我祖全家的人，在我主我王面前都算為死人，王卻使僕人在王的席上同人吃飯，我現在向王還能辨理訴冤嗎？」
All my grandfather's family could only expect death from Your Majesty, but you included me, your servant, among those who eat at your table. So what right do I have to ask the king for anything more?”
29 王對他說：「你何必再提你的事呢？我說，你與洗巴均分地土。」
“Why talk any more about these issues of yours?” David responded. “I've decided that you and Ziba should divide the land.”
30 米非波設對王說：「我主我王既平平安安地回宮，就任憑洗巴都取了也可以。」
Mephibosheth replied to the king, “Let him have it all! I'm just happy that Your Majesty has returned home in peace.”
31 基列人巴西萊從羅基琳下來，要送王過約旦河，就與王一同過了約旦河。
Barzillai the Gileadite had also came down from Rogelim to help the king cross the Jordan and to make his way onwards from there.
32 巴西萊年紀老邁，已經八十歲了。王住在瑪哈念的時候，他就拿食物來供給王；他原是大富戶。
Barzillai was very old, eighty years of age, and because he was a very wealthy man, he had provided the king with food while he was staying in Mahanaim.
33 王對巴西萊說：「你與我同去，我要在耶路撒冷那裏養你的老。」
The king said to Barzillai, “Cross the Jordan with me, and I will provide for you while you stay with me in Jerusalem.”
34 巴西萊對王說：「我在世的年日還能有多少，使我與王同上耶路撒冷呢？
“How much longer do you think I have to live so I could go to Jerusalem and stay there with the king?” Barzillai replied.
35 僕人現在八十歲了，還能嘗出飲食的滋味、辨別美惡嗎？還能聽男女歌唱的聲音嗎？僕人何必累贅我主我王呢？
“I'm already eighty. I don't enjoy anything anymore. I can't taste what I eat or drink. I can't hear when people sing. There's no point for me, your servant, to be another burden to Your Majesty!
36 僕人只要送王過約旦河，王何必賜我這樣的恩典呢？
For your servant to cross the Jordan River with the king is enough reward for me!
37 求你准我回去，好死在我本城，葬在我父母的墓旁。這裏有王的僕人金罕，讓他同我主我王過去，可以隨意待他。」
Then let your servant go back home, that I may die in my home town near the tomb of my father and mother. But here is your servant, my son Chimham. Let him cross over with Your Majesty, and treat him as you think best.”
38 王說：「金罕可以與我同去，我必照你的心願待他。你向我求甚麼，我都必為你成就。」
The king replied, “Chimham will cross over with me, and I will treat him as you think best, and I will do for you whatever you want.”
39 於是眾民過約旦河，王也過去。王與巴西萊親嘴，為他祝福，巴西萊就回本地去了。
So everybody crossed the Jordan first, and then the king crossed over. The king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and then Barzillai went back home.
40 王過去，到了吉甲，金罕也跟他過去。猶大眾民和以色列民的一半也都送王過去。
Then the king carried on to Gilgal, and Chimham went with him. The whole army of Judah and half the army of Israel accompanied the king.
41 以色列眾人來見王，對他說：「我們弟兄猶大人為甚麼暗暗送王和王的家眷，並跟隨王的人過約旦河？」
But soon the men of Israel who were there came to the king and asked him, “Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, secretly take Your Majesty away and bring you and your household across the Jordan, together with all your men?”
42 猶大眾人回答以色列人說：「因為王與我們是親屬，你們為何因這事發怒呢？我們吃了王的甚麼呢？王賞賜了我們甚麼呢？」
The men of Judah explained to the men of Israel, “We did this because the king is one of our relatives. Why are you getting upset about this? When did we ever eat the king's food? When did we ever get anything for yourselves?”
43 以色列人回答猶大人說：「按支派，我們與王有十分的情分；在大衛身上，我們也比你們更有情分。你們為何藐視我們，請王回來不先與我們商量呢？」 但猶大人的話比以色列人的話更硬。
“We've got ten shares in the king,” the men of Israel replied, “so we have a greater claim on David than you do. So why do you look down us? Weren't we the first ones to talk about bringing back our king?” But the men of Judah argued even more strongly than the men of Israel.
