2 Chronicles 20
1 After this, the Moabites and Ammonites, together with some of the Meunites, came to make war against Jehoshaphat.
[聯軍進襲猶大]此後，摩阿布人、阿孟人，還有一些瑪紅人前來供打約沙法特。
2 Then some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the Sea; they are already in Hazazon-tamar” (that is, En-gedi).
有人來告訴約沙法特說：「由海那邊，由厄東有一支大軍前來攻擊你；他們現已到達哈匝宗塔瑪爾，即恩革狄。」
3 Jehoshaphat was alarmed and set his face to seek the LORD. And he proclaimed a fast throughout Judah.
約沙法特害了怕，一面懇求上主，一面宣佈全猶大禁食。
4 So the people of Judah gathered to seek the LORD, and indeed, they came from all the cities of Judah to seek Him.
猶大人遂集會，求上主援助；猶大各城的人也前來祈求上主。[約沙法特的禱詞]
5 Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem in the house of the LORD in front of the new courtyard
約沙法特在猶大和耶路撒冷的會眾中，站在上主殿宇的新院前，
6 and said, “O LORD, God of our fathers, are You not the God who is in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand, and no one can stand against You.
說「上主，我們祖先的天主! 你不是天上的天主嗎﹖你不是治理萬國萬民的麼﹖你手中有能力和權威，沒有誰能抵抗你。
7 Our God, did You not drive out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham Your friend?
我們的天主! 不是你將這地方的居民，在你百姓以色列面前趕走，將這地方永遠賜給了你友人亞巴郎的後代嗎﹖
8 They have lived in the land and have built in it a sanctuary for Your Name, saying,
他們現在住在這地方，並在這地方為你的名建造了聖殿說：
9 ‘If disaster comes upon us—whether sword or judgment, plague or famine—we will stand before this temple and before You, for Your Name is in this temple. We will cry out to You in our distress, and You will hear us and save us.’
如果我們遭遇了禍患，刀兵災害，或瘟疫饑饉，我們站在這殿前和你面前，在災難中向你呼籲，你必予以垂聽，施行拯救，因為你的名在這殿內。
10 And now, here are the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, whom You did not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt; but Israel turned away from them and did not destroy them.
現在你看，阿孟人、摩阿布人以及色依爾山中的人，這些人是以色列出離埃及時，你曾禁止以色列侵犯，以色列便繞道遠離，未加消滅的人。
11 See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession that You gave us as an inheritance.
你看他們如何報復我們要來驅逐我們離開你賜予我們為基業的地方。
12 Our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this vast army that comes against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”
我們的天主，你不懲罰他們麼﹖我們實在沒有力量抵抗來攻擊我們的這支龐大的軍隊，我們也不知道該作什麼，我們的眼睛惟有仰望你。」
13 Meanwhile all the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, were standing before the LORD.
當時全猶大民眾，連他們全家妻子兒女，都立在上主面前。[先知預報勝利]
14 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite from Asaph’s descendants, as he stood in the midst of the assembly.
上主的神在會眾中臨於肋未人阿撒夫的後裔，瑪塔尼雅的玄孫，耶依耳的曾孫，貝納雅的孫子，則加黎雅的兒子雅哈齊耳身上，
15 And he said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the LORD says: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army, for the battle does not belong to you, but to God.
他遂說：「全猶大人耶路撒冷的居民以及約沙法特王，都要靜聽! 上主這樣對你們說：你們不要為這支龐大軍隊害怕，因為戰爭不在乎你們，而在乎天主。
16 Tomorrow you are to march down against them. You will see them coming up the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley facing the Wilderness of Jeruel.
明天你們要下去迎敵，他們要由漆茲山坡上來，你們要在耶魯耳曠野前的谷口遇到他們。
17 You need not fight this battle. Take up your positions, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out and face them tomorrow, for the LORD is with you.’”
這次你們無須交戰，只須佈陣以待，觀看上主為你們所行的救援。猶大和耶路撒冷，不必畏懼，不必害怕! 明天你們只管出去迎敵，因為上主與你們同在。」
18 Then Jehoshaphat bowed facedown, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down before the LORD to worship Him.
約沙法特遂俯首至地，猶大民眾和耶路撒冷居民也都俯伏在上主面前，朝拜上主。
19 And the Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up to praise the LORD, the God of Israel, shouting in a very loud voice.
刻哈特子孫和科辣黑子孫中的肋未人起立，引吭高歌，讚頌上主以色列的天主。[凱旋歸來]
20 Early in the morning they got up and left for the Wilderness of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood up and said, “Hear me, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Believe in the LORD your God, and you will be upheld; believe in His prophets, and you will succeed.”
次日，他們一早就起來，開往特科亞曠野；在出發時，約沙法特立起來說：「猶大和耶路撒冷的居民，請聽我的話! 你們信賴上主你們的天主，必保生命；相信他的先知，必定勝利。」
21 Then Jehoshaphat consulted with the people and appointed those who would sing to the LORD and praise the splendor of His holiness. As they went out before the army, they were singing: “Give thanks to the LORD, for His loving devotion endures forever.”
他與百姓商定之後，便派歌詠人員讚頌上主，身穿聖潔服裝，走在軍隊面前，歌頌說：「你們應讚頌上主，因為他的慈愛永遠常存! 」
22 The moment they began their shouts and praises, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir who had come against Judah, and they were defeated.
他們正歌詠讚美時，上主派出伏兵，襲擊了那些來攻擊猶大的阿孟人、摩阿布人和色依爾山地的居民；他們便被擊敗了。
23 The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction. And when they had made an end to the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.
阿孟人和摩阿布人起來攻擊色依爾山地的居民，決心將他們殺盡滅絕；殲滅了色依爾山地居民以後，他們又自相殘殺。
24 When the men of Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they looked for the vast army, but there were only corpses lying on the ground; no one had escaped.
猶大人到了俯瞰曠野的高崗上，觀望大軍，見伏屍遍野，沒有一個逃脫的。
25 Then Jehoshaphat and his people went to carry off the plunder, and they found on the bodies an abundance of goods and valuables —more than they could carry away. They were gathering the plunder for three days because there was so much.
約沙法特遂帶他的軍民去掠奪敵人的財物，見有大批的牲畜、財物、衣服和寶物；足足掠取了三天，奪得的財物多得不能攜帶，因為實在太多。
26 On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah, where they blessed the LORD. Therefore that place is called the Valley of Beracah to this day.
第四天，他們聚集在巴辣加谷，在那裏讚頌了上主，為此給那地起名叫巴辣加谷，直到今天。
27 Then all the men of Judah and Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat at their head, returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the LORD had made them rejoice over their enemies.
此後，猶大和耶路撒冷所有的軍民，由約沙法特率領，凱旋回了耶路撒冷，因為上主使他們戰勝仇敵，因而異常歡樂，
28 So they entered Jerusalem and went into the house of the LORD with harps, lyres, and trumpets.
都彈著琴，鼓著瑟，吹著號，來到耶路撒冷，進了上主的殿。
29 And the fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of the lands when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel.
列國的民族一聽說上主擊敗了以色列的敵人，都對天主起了恐怖的心。
30 Then Jehoshaphat’s kingdom was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.
約沙法特的王國於是獲享太平，因為上主賜給他四境平安。[對約沙法特的短評]
31 So Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi.
約沙法特為猶大王，即位時年三十五歲，在耶路撒冷為王凡二十五年；他的母親名叫阿組巴，是史肋希的女兒。
32 And Jehoshaphat walked in the way of his father Asa and did not turn away from it; he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD.
約沙法特走了他父親阿撒的道路，未偏左右，行了上主視為正義的事；
33 The high places, however, were not removed; the people had not yet set their hearts on the God of their fathers.
只是丘壇沒有剷除，人民仍沒有全心全意歸向他們祖先的天主。
34 As for the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, from beginning to end, they are indeed written in the Chronicles of Jehu son of Hanani, which are recorded in the Book of the Kings of Israel.
約沙法特前後其餘的事蹟，都記載在哈納尼之子耶胡的言行錄上這言行錄收集在以色列列王實錄內。[船遭破毀]
35 Later, Jehoshaphat king of Judah made an alliance with Ahaziah king of Israel, who acted wickedly.
此後，猶大王約沙法特與作惡多端的以色列王阿哈齊雅聯盟，
36 They agreed to make ships to go to Tarshish, and these were built in Ezion-geber.
合夥製造船隻，開往塔爾史士去；他們合力在厄茲雍革貝爾製造了一些船。
37 Then Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has destroyed your works.” So the ships were wrecked and were unable to sail to Tarshish.
瑪勒沙人多達瓦的兒子厄里厄則爾講預言攻擊約沙法特說：「因為你與阿哈齊雅聯盟，上主必要破壞你所造的船隻。」後來那些船隻果然遭受破壞，未能開往塔爾史士。
