< Kings I 9 >

1 And [there was] a man of the sons of Benjamin, and his name [was] Kis, the son of Abiel, the son of Jared, the son of Bachir, the son of Aphec, the son of a Benjamite, a man of might.
本雅明支派有個人名叫克士,他是阿彼耳的兒子,阿彼耳是責洛爾的兒子,責洛爾是貝苛辣特的兒子,貝苛辣特是阿非亞的兒子;這本雅明人是個英勇的戰士。
2 And this man [had] a son, and his name was Saul, of great stature, a goodly man; and there was not among the sons of Israel a goodlier than he, high above all the people from his shoulders and upward.
他有個兒子名叫撒烏耳,魁梧英俊,在以色列人中沒有比他更俊美的,比所有的人高出一肩。
3 And the asses of Kis the father of Saul were lost; and Kis said to Saul his son, Take with thee one of the young men, and arise ye, and go seek the asses.
撒烏耳的父親克士有幾匹母驢,走迷了路,克士遂對兒子撒烏耳說:「你帶一個僕人,起身去尋找那些驢。」
4 And they went through mount Ephraim, and they went through the land of Selcha, and found them not: and they passed through the land of Segalim, and they were not there: and they passed through the land of Jamin, and found them not.
他們走過了厄弗辣因山地和沙里地方,卻沒有找著;又過了沙阿林地方,也沒有找到;最後經過耶米尼地方,也不見蹤影。
5 And when they came to Siph, then Saul said to his young man that was with him, Come and let us return, lest my father leave the asses, and take care for us.
當他們來到族弗地方時,撒烏耳對跟隨自己的僕人說:「我們回去罷! 免得我父親不掛念驢,反而掛慮我們。」
6 And the young man said to him, Behold now, [there is] a man of God in this city, and the man [is] of high repute; all that he shall speak will surely come to pass: now then let us go, that he may tell us our way on which we have set out.
僕人回答他說:「請看,這城裏有一位天主的人,很受敬重;凡他說的,必定應驗;現在我們往那裏去,或許他會告訴我們應走的路。」
7 And Saul said to his young man that was with him, Lo, then, we will go; but what shall we bring the man of God? for the loaves are spent out of our vessels, and we have nothing more with us that belongs to us to bring to the man of God.
撒烏耳回答僕人說:「好! 我們可以去,但是給那人送什麼呢﹖我們袋裏的乾糧已經用盡,沒有禮物可送給天主的人了。我們還有什麼呢﹖」
8 And the young man answered Saul again, and said, Behold, there is found in my hand a fourth part of a shekel of silver; and thou shalt give it to the man of God, and he shall tell us our way.
僕人回答撒烏耳說:「看,我手裏還有四分之一「協刻耳」銀子,你可把它送給天主的人,請他把我們當走的路告訴我們。」
9 Now before time in Israel every one in going to enquire of God said, Come and let us go to the seer; for the people beforetime called the prophet, the seer.
撒烏耳對他的僕人說:「你說的對,來,我們去罷! 」他們就往天主的人所住的城裏去了。
10 And Saul said to his servant, Well said, come and let us go: and they went to the city where the man of God was.
當他們上那城的山坡時,遇見一些少女出來打水,就問她們說:「先見者在這裏嗎﹖」──
11 As they went up the ascent to the city, they find damsels come out to draw water, and they say to them, Is the seer here?
過去在以色列,如果有人去求問天主,常說:「來,我們到先見者那裏去! 」現今所稱的「先知,」就是從前稱的「先見者。」──
12 And the virgins answered them, and they say to them, He is: behold, [he is] before you: now he is coming to the city, because of the day, for to-day [there is] a sacrifice for the people in Bama.
她們回答說:「是。看,先見者就在你們前面,剛剛進了城,因為今天百姓要在高丘上舉行祭獻。
13 As soon as ye shall enter into the city, so shall ye find him in the city, before he goes up to Bama to eat; for the people will not eat until he comes in, for he blesses the sacrifice, and afterwards the guests eat; now then go up, for ye shall find him because of the holiday.
你們進了城,在他上到高丘進食以前,一定會遇見他,因為人民在他來以前,不先吃什麼,因他要祝福犧牲,然後賓客纔進食。你們現在上去,立刻會遇見他。」
14 And they go up to the city; and as they were entering into the midst of the city, behold, Samuel came out to meet them, to go up to Bama.
他們於是上到那城,剛進城門,看,撒慕爾就朝著他們出來,要上高丘去。
15 And the Lord uncovered the ear of Samuel one day before Saul came to him, saying,
在撒烏耳來的前一日,上主曾啟示給撒慕爾說:「
16 At this time to-morrow I will send to thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be ruler over my people Israel, and he shall save my people out of the hand of the Philistines; for I have looked upon the humiliation of my people, for their cry is come unto me.
明日大約這時,我打發一個本雅明地方的人到你這裏來,你要給他傅油,立他當我民以色列的首領,他要從培肋舍特人手中拯救我的百姓,因我已看到我百姓的痛苦,他們的哀號已上達於我。」
17 And Samuel looked upon Saul, and the Lord answered him, Behold the man of whom I spoke to thee, this one shall rule over my people.
撒慕爾一看見撒烏耳,上主就提醒他說:「看,這就是我曾對你提及的那人,他要統治我的百姓。」
18 And Saul drew near to Samuel into the midst of the city, and said, Tell me now which [is] the house of the seer?
撒烏耳走到撒慕爾跟前,在城門洞中問他說:「請你告訴我,先見者的家在那裏﹖」
19 And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am he: go up before me to Bama, and eat with me to-day, and I will send thee away in the morning, and I will tell thee all that is in thine heart.
撒慕爾回答撒烏耳說:「我就是先見者;請你在我以前上高丘去;你們今天要同我一起吃飯,明天早晨我打發你去,你心中所懷念的事,我會全告訴你。
20 And concerning thine asses that have been lost now these three days, care not for them, for they are found. And to whom does the excellency of Israel belong? does it not to thee and to thy father's house?
至於三天以前你所失的母驢,不必擔心,都已找著了。此外,以色列所有的至寶是誰的呢﹖豈不是你和你父親全家的嗎! 」
21 And Saul answered and said, Am not I the son of a Benjamite, the least tribe of the people of Israel? and of the least family of the whole tribe of Benjamin? and why hast thou spoken to me according to this word?
撒烏耳回答說:「我豈不是一個本雅明人,屬於以色列最小的一支派嗎﹖我的家族在本雅明家族中,不也是最小的嗎﹖你怎能向我說出這樣的話﹖」
22 And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them to the inn, and set them there a place among the chief of those that were called, about seventy men.
以後撒慕爾將撒烏耳和他的僕人領到餐廳內,叫他們坐在賓客的首位上,賓客約有三十人。
23 And Samuel said to the cook, Give me the portion which I gave thee, which I told thee to set by thee.
撒慕爾對廚師說:「將我交給你的那份,即對你說:暫且留下的那一份,給我拿來。」
24 Now the cook [had] boiled the shoulder, and he set it before Saul; and Samuel said to Saul, Behold that which is left: set before thee, an eat; for it is set thee for a testimony in preference to the others; take [of it]: and Saul ate with Samuel on that day.
廚師遂把後腿和肥尾端上來,放在撒烏耳面前。撒慕爾對他說:「看,擺在你面前的,是預先特意保留的一份,請吃罷! 因為特意為你保留下的,叫你好同賓客一起吃。」撒烏耳那天就同撒慕爾一起吃了飯。
25 And he went down from Bama into the city; and they prepared a lodging for Saul on the roof, and he lay down.
他們從高丘下到城裏,有人在露台上給撒烏耳舖好了臥榻,
26 An it came to pass when the morning dawned, that Samuel called Saul on the roof, saying, Rise up, and I will dismiss thee. And Saul arose, and he and Samuel went out.
撒烏耳就睡在那裏。天一亮,撒慕爾就叫醒在露台上的撒烏耳,對他說:「起來,讓我送你走。」撒烏耳起來,他們二人,即他和撒慕爾,就往城外走;
27 As they went down to a part of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Speak to the young man, and let him pass on before us; and do thou stand as to-day, and hearken to the word of God.
當他們下到城邊時,撒慕爾對撒烏耳說:「你吩咐僕人,叫他在我們前面先走,你暫且停留一會,我要把天主話告訴你。」

< Kings I 9 >