2 Kings 3
1 In the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat’s reign over Judah, Jehoram son of Ahab became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria twelve years.
猶大王約沙法特十八年，阿哈布的兒子耶曷蘭在撒瑪黎雅登極作以色列王，在位凡十二年。
2 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, but not as his father and mother had done. He removed the sacred pillar of Baal that his father had made.
他行了上主視為惡的事，不過還不像他的父親和母親那樣壞，因此他除去了他父親所立的巴耳神柱，
3 Nevertheless, he clung to the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them.
只是對乃巴特的兒子雅洛貝罕使以色列陷於罪過的事，仍戀戀不捨，從未脫離。
4 Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and he would render to the king of Israel a hundred thousand lambs and the wool of a hundred thousand rams.
摩阿布人默沙原是一個以畜牧為業的人，他經常以十萬隻羔羊和十萬隻公山羊毛，巷以色列王進貢；
5 But after the death of Ahab, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
但在阿哈布死後，摩阿布王便背叛了以色列王。
6 So at that time King Jehoram set out from Samaria and mobilized all Israel.
那時，耶曷蘭王從撒瑪黎雅出來，檢閱全以色列人，
7 And he sent a message to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?” “I will go,” replied Jehoshaphat. “I am like you, my people are your people, and my horses are your horses.”
以後派使者去見猶大王約沙法特說：「摩阿布王背叛了我，你願意同我一起去攻打摩阿布嗎﹖」約沙法特說：「願意去；你怎樣，我也怎樣；我的人民就如同是你的人民，我的馬就如同是你的馬。」
8 Then he asked, “Which way shall we go up?” “By way of the Desert of Edom,” replied Joram.
約沙法特接著問說：「我們從哪條路上去﹖」耶曷蘭答說：「從厄東曠野那條路。」
9 So the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom set out, and after they had traveled a roundabout route for seven days, they had no water for their army or for their animals.
於是以色列王、猶大王和厄東王出發，繞道而行，七天以後，軍隊和隨行的一大隊牲畜沒有水喝。
10 “Alas,” said the king of Israel, “for the LORD has summoned these three kings to deliver them into the hand of Moab!”
以色列王說：「哎! 上主召集這三個王子，原是將他們交在摩阿布手中啊! 」
11 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of the LORD here? Let us inquire of the LORD through him.” And one of the servants of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.”
約沙法特問說：「這裏有沒有一位上主的先知，我們可以託他求問上主﹖」以色列王的一個臣僕回答說：「這裏有沙法特的兒子厄里叟，就是常在厄里亞手上倒水的那一位。」
12 Jehoshaphat affirmed, “The word of the LORD is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.
約沙法特說：「他必有上主的話。」以色列王、約沙法特和厄東王，於是一同下去見他。
13 Elisha, however, said to the king of Israel, “What have we to do with each other? Go to the prophets of your father and of your mother!” “No,” replied the king of Israel, “for it is the LORD who has summoned these three kings to deliver them into the hand of Moab.”
厄里叟對以色列王說：「我和你有什麼關係﹖你去找你父親和你母親的先知罷! 」以色列王說：「不要這樣說! 上主召集了這三個王子，原是要將他們交於摩阿布手中啊! 」
14 Then Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, were it not for my regard for the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you or acknowledge you.
厄里叟說：「我指著我所服事的永生萬軍的上主起示：我如果不是為了猶大王約沙法特的情面，我決不看你，也不睬你。
15 But now, bring me a harpist.” And while the harpist played, the hand of the LORD came upon Elisha
現在，你們給我叫一個彈琴的人來。」原來每逢樂師彈琴的時候，上主的手就臨到他身上。
16 and he said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Dig this valley full of ditches.’
厄里叟說：「上主這樣說：你們在這山谷中遍挖壕溝，
17 For the LORD says, ‘You will not see wind or rain, but the valley will be filled with water, and you will drink—you and your cattle and your animals.’
因為上主這樣說：你們不見風，也不見雨，這山谷中卻要充滿了水，使你們、你們的軍隊和牲畜都有水喝。
18 This is a simple matter in the sight of the LORD, and He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand.
這在上主看來還是小事，他還要將摩阿布交在你們手中，
19 And you shall attack every fortified city and every city of importance. You shall cut down every good tree, stop up every spring, and ruin every good field with stones.”
使你們攻破所有設防的城市，砍倒所有的好樹，杜塞所有的水泉，用石頭毀壞所有的良田。」
20 The next morning, at the time of the morning sacrifice, water suddenly flowed from the direction of Edom and filled the land.
果然，早上正獻祭的時候，從厄東方面來了大水，遍地滿了水。
21 Now all the Moabites had heard that the kings had come up to fight against them. So all who could bear arms, young and old, were summoned and stationed at the border.
全摩阿布人一聽說三個王子前來進攻，就召集了所有能佩帶武器的人，把守邊界。
22 When they got up early in the morning, the sun was shining on the water, and it looked as red as blood to the Moabites across the way.
第二天早晨，日光照在水上，摩阿布人起來，看見對面的水紅得像血，
23 “This is blood!” they exclaimed. “The kings have clashed swords and slaughtered one another. Now to the plunder, Moab!”
遂說：「這是血! 一定是那三個王子彼此混戰，互相殘殺。摩阿布，起來，前去奪取財物! 」
24 But when the Moabites came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and attacked them, and they fled before them. So the Israelites invaded their land and struck down the Moabites.
及至他們到了以色列營地，以色列人即奮起迎敵，摩阿布人從他們面前逃走，他們就乘勢追趕，擊殺摩阿布人，
25 They destroyed the cities, and each man threw stones on every good field until it was covered. They stopped up every spring and cut down every good tree. Only Kir-haraseth was left with stones in place, but men with slings surrounded it and attacked it as well.
破壞了他們的城市，個個用石頭拋滿了他們的良田，杜塞了所有的水泉，砍倒了各種好樹；只剩下克爾赫勒斯城，拋石頭的人仍包圍攻擊那城。
26 When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took with him seven hundred swordsmen to break through to the king of Edom, but they could not prevail.
摩阿布王見戰事激烈，難以敵抗，就帶領七百人，手持刀劍，企圖突圍，往投阿蘭王，卻沒有成功；
27 So he took his firstborn son, who was to succeed him, and offered him as a burnt offering on the city wall. And there was great fury against the Israelites, so they withdrew and returned to their own land.
於是將那要繼承自己位的長子叫來，在城牆上祭殺了，作為全燔祭。這事使天主向以色列人大發忿怒；他們便離開摩阿布王，各自回了本地。
