2 Samuel 20
1 Now a worthless man named Sheba son of Bichri, a Benjamite, happened to be there, and he blew the ram’s horn and shouted: “We have no share in David, no inheritance in Jesse’s son. Every man to his tent, O Israel!”
當時，在那裏有個敗類，始叫舍尸巴，是本雅明人彼革黎的兒子。吹著號，喊說：「我們和達味沒有關係，對葉瑟兒子的產業沒有分子。以色列人! 各自回本家吧!
2 So all the men of Israel deserted David to follow Sheba son of Bichri. But the men of Judah stayed by their king all the way from the Jordan to Jerusalem.
因此，眾以色列人離開達味，跟隨了彼革黎的兒子舍巴；但猶大人仍然緊隨他們的君王，由約旦河直到了耶路撒冷。
3 When David returned to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines he had left to care for the palace, and he placed them in a house under guard. He provided for them, but he no longer slept with them. They were confined until the day of their death, living as widows.
達味王進了耶路撒冷的宮殿，就將他留下看守宮殿的十個個嬪妃，留在禁官裏，養活她們，卻不再親近她們。她們被禁在冷官內，一直到死，終身守寡。
4 Then the king said to Amasa, “Summon the men of Judah to come to me within three days, and be here yourself.”
王對阿瑪撒說：「三天之內，你應給我召集猶大人，你也親自也該來到這裏」。
5 So Amasa went to summon Judah, but he took longer than the time allotted him.
阿彼撒去召集猶大人，但他遲延耽擱，過了君王他所定的期限。
6 And David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom. Take your lord’s servants and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities and elude us.”
達味就對阿彼撒說：「現今彼革黎的兒子舍巴危害我們，恐怕甚於阿貝沙隆。你快去領你主人的軍隊去追趕他，免得他佔了設防的城，由我們眼前逃脫」。
7 So Joab’s men, along with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the mighty men, marched out of Jerusalem in pursuit of Sheba son of Bichri.
約阿布的部下，革肋提人和培肋提人，以及所有的勇士，都跟阿彼撒去了。他們由耶路撒冷出發，趕走彼革黎的兒子舍巴。
8 And while they were at the great stone in Gibeon, Amasa joined them. Now Joab was dressed in military attire, with a dagger strapped to his belt. And as he stepped forward, he slipped the dagger from its sheath.
當他們來到基貝紅的大石旁，阿瑪撒也迎面而來。約阿布身穿戰袍，束著腰帶，腰間掛著一把帶鞘的刀。約阿布的刀出鞘落地。
9 “Are you well, my brother?” Joab asked Amasa. And with his right hand Joab grabbed Amasa by the beard to kiss him.
約阿布對阿瑪撒說：「吾兄，你好﹖」約阿布遂用石手抓住阿瑪撒的鬍鬚，與他親吻。
10 Amasa was not on guard against the dagger in Joab’s hand, and Joab stabbed him in the stomach and spilled out his intestines on the ground. And Joab did not need to strike him again, for Amasa was dead. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bichri.
阿瑪撒沒有提防約阿布手中的刀；約阿布就用刀刺穿了他的肚腹，五臟傾流在地上，沒有再刺第二下，他就死了。約阿布與自己的兄弟阿彼瑟，便往前追趕彼革黎的兒子舍巴。
11 One of Joab’s young men stood near Amasa and said, “Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab!”
看守阿瑪撒屍首的約阿布的一個兵士喊說：「誰喜愛約阿布，誰屬達味，就跟約阿布去! 」
12 But Amasa wallowed in his blood in the middle of the road, and when the man saw that all the troops were stopping there, he dragged the body off the road into a field and threw a garment over it.
阿瑪撒此時臥在路中血泊中，那人見眾人停留不前，就將阿瑪撒的屍首，由路上搬到田裏，上面蓄上一件衣服，因為他見軍人到了那裏，就停在屍首前。
13 As soon as Amasa’s body was removed from the road, all the men went on with Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bichri.
屍首由路上搬走後，軍人就都過去，跟隨約阿布追趕彼革黎的兒子舍巴。
14 Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel-beth-maacah and through the entire region of the Berites, who gathered together and followed him.
舍巴走遍了以色列各支派，人都不理他。隨後到了貝特瑪阿加的阿貝耳，眾彼革黎人卻聚集起來，跟隨了他。
15 And Joab’s troops came and besieged Sheba in Abel-beth-maacah and built a siege ramp against the outer rampart of the city. As all the troops with Joab were battering the wall to topple it,
約阿布大軍前來，把他包圍在貝特瑪阿加的阿貝內，興築攻城的壁壘。跟隨約阿布的大軍遂下手挖城牆，使牆倒塌。
16 a wise woman called out from the city, “Listen! Listen! Please tell Joab to come here so that I may speak with him.”
當時城中有個聰明的婦人，站在城牆上喊說：「請聽! 請聽! 你們對約阿布說：來這裏，我有話對你說」。
17 When he had come near to her, the woman asked, “Are you Joab?” “I am,” he replied. “Listen to the words of your servant,” she said. “I am listening,” he answered.
約阿布來到她那裏，婦人便問說：「你是約阿布嗎﹖」他答說：「我是」。她便對他說：「請你聽你婢女一言! 」他答說：「我聽」。
18 Then the woman said, “Long ago they used to say, ‘Seek counsel at Abel,’ and that is how disputes were settled.
她說：「從前有句話說：你去問問阿貝耳，事便可解決。
19 I am among the peaceable and faithful in Israel, but you are trying to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up the LORD’s inheritance?”
我在以色列算是一座和平忠厚的城，你卻圖謀消滅一座以色列的母城。為什麼你要吞滅上主的產業﹖」
20 “Far be it!” Joab declared. “Far be it from me to swallow up or destroy!
約阿布答說：「決無此事，我決無意消滅或破壞。
21 That is not the case. But a man named Sheba son of Bichri, from the hill country of Ephraim, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. Deliver him alone, and I will depart from the city.” “Look,” the woman replied, “his head will be thrown to you over the wall.”
完全不是這麼一回事；只因厄弗辣因山地的一人，即彼革黎的兒子名叫舍巴的，造反抗拒達味王；只要你們將他交來，我即撤離此城」。婦人對約阿布說：「請看，他的頭由城上拋給你」。
22 Then the woman went to all the people with her wise counsel, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. So he blew the ram’s horn and his men dispersed from the city, each to his own home. And Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.
婦人就去憑自己的智慧勸說眾百姓。他們便砍了彼革黎的兒子舍巴的頭，拋給約阿布。約阿布遂吹起號角，撤兵離城，各自了本家。約阿布也回了耶路撒冷君王那裏。
23 Now Joab was over the whole army of Israel; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and Pelethites;
約阿布統率以色列的眾軍隊；約雅達的兒子貝納雅管理革勒提人和培肋提人；
24 Adoram was in charge of the forced labor; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder;
阿多蘭管理奴役；阿希路得的兒子約沙法特作御史；
25 Sheva was the scribe; Zadok and Abiathar were priests;
史沙作書記；匝多克和厄貝雅塔爾作司祭；
26 and Ira the Jairite was David’s priest.
此外，雅提爾人依辣也也作達味的司祭。
