Joshua 9
1 And when the kings of the Amorites on the other side of Jordan, who were in the mountain country, and in the plain, and in all the coast of the great sea, and those who were near Antilibanus, and the Chettites, and the Chananites, and the Pherezites, and the Evites, and the Amorites, and the Gergesites, and the Jebusites, heard [of it],
約旦河西，住在山地和平原並沿大海一帶直到黎巴嫩山上的眾王子，即赫特人、阿摩黎人、客納罕人、堷黎齊人、希威人和耶步斯人，聽見了這些事，
2 they came all together at the same time to make war against Joshua and Israel.
聯合起來，同心協力對抗若蘇厄和以色人。
3 And the inhabitants of Gabaon heard of all that the Lord did to Jericho and Gai.
基貝紅居民聽說若蘇厄對耶利哥和哈依所行的事，
4 And they also wrought craftily, and they went and made provision and prepared themselves; and having taken old sacks on their shoulders, and old and rent and patched bottles of wine,
便設詭許帶著行糧上路將一些舊布袋和破裂縫補的舊酒囊馱在驢上；
5 and the upper part of their shoes and their sandals old and clouted on their feet, and their garments old upon them—and the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy and corrupt.
腳上穿著補過的破鞋，身上穿著襤褸的衣服；所帶的食物，又乾又碎，
6 And they came to Joshua into the camp of Israel to Galgala, and said to Joshua and Israel, We are come from a far land: now then make a covenant with us.
來到基耳加耳營中見若蘇厄；對他和以色列人說：「我們是遠方來的，現在請你們與我們立約。」
7 And the children of Israel said to the Chorrhaean, Peradventure thou dwellest amongst us; and how should I make a covenant with thee?
以色列對這些希威人說：「你們也許是我們附近的居民，我們怎能同你們立約﹖」
8 And they said to Joshua, We are thy servants: and Joshua said to them, Whence are ye, and whence have ye come?
他們回答若蘇厄說：「我們是你的僕人。」若蘇厄問他們說：「你們是什麼人﹖是從那裏來的﹖」
9 And they said, Thy servants are come from a very far country in the name of the Lord thy God: for we have heard his name, and all that he did in Egypt,
他們答說：「你的僕人是因為聽了上主你們天主的名聲，由極遠的地方來的，因為我們聽見人 談及衪的聲望，和衪在埃及所行的一切，
10 and all that he did to the kings of the Amorites, who were beyond Jordan, to Seon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Basan, who dwelt in Astaroth and in Edrain.
以及衪對住在約旦河東的的兩阿摩黎王：即赫市朋王息紅和阿市塔洛特的巴商王敖格所行的一切。
11 And our elders and all that inhabit our land when they heard spoke to us, saying, Take to yourselves provision for the way, and go to meet them; and ye shall say to them, We are thy servants, and now make a covenant with us.
為此，我們的長老和我們本地的居民，對我們說：你們手中拿些路用的食物，去迎接以色列人；對他們說：我們是你們的僕人，現在請你們與我們立約。
12 These [are] the loaves—we took them hot for our journey on the day on which we came out to come to you; and now they are dried and become mouldy.
看，這是我們的食物，我們從家中帶出來，要到你們這裏來的那天還熱，看，現在又乾又碎；
13 And these [are] the skins of wine which we filled when new, and they are rent; and our garments and our shoes are worn out because of the very long journey.
這就是我們的酒囊，才盛酒的時候還新，看，現在都破裂了；這是我們的衣服和鞋，為了路途遙遠，都穿爛了。」
14 And the chiefs took of their provision, and asked not [counsel of] the Lord.
以色列的首領便取了他們的行糧，並沒有請求上主的諭示；
15 And Joshua made peace with them, and they made a covenant with them to preserve them; and the princes of the congregation sware to them.
若蘇厄便與他們修好，與他們立了約，讓他們生存，會眾的首領也向他們起了誓。
16 And it came to pass three days after they had made a covenant with them, they heard that they were near neighbours, and that they dwelt among them.
但是，與他們立約後才過了三天，以色列人就聽說，他們是住在自己附近的居民。
17 And the children of Israel departed and came to their cities; and their cities [were] Gabaon, and Kephira, and Berot, and the cities of Jarin.
以色列子民於是動身，第三天便到了他們的城市：就是基貝紅、革非辣、貝洛特和克黎雅特耶阿陵。
18 Land the children of Israel fought not with them, because all the princes sware to them by the Lord God of Israel; and all the congregation murmured at the princes.
但以色列子民沒有擊殺他們，因為會眾的首領指著上主，以色列的天主，對他們起過誓；但全會眾對他們的首領不滿。
19 And the princes said to all the congregation: We have sworn to them by the Lord God of Israel, and now we shall not be able to touch them.
眾首領對全會眾說：「我們既已指著上主以色列的天主對他們起誓，那麼我們決不能加害他們，
20 This we will do; take them alive, and we will preserve them: so there shall not be wrath against us by reason of the oath which we swore to them.
只有這樣做，就是讓他們生存下去，免得因我們對他們所起的誓，為我們招來上主的義怒。」
21 They shall live, and shall be hewers of wood and drawers of water to all the congregation, as the princes said to them.
首領又對民眾說：「讓他們生存下去，但他們應為全會眾劈柴挑水。」全會眾便遵照首領的話而行。
22 And Joshua called them together and said to them, Why have ye deceived me, saying, We live very far from you; whereas ye are fellow-countrymen of those who dwell among us?
若蘇厄將基貝紅人召來，對他們說：「你們為什麼欺騙我們說：我們離你們很遠，其實你們就住在我們附近﹖
23 And now ye are cursed: there shall not fail of you a slave, or a hewer of wood, or a drawer of water to me and my God.
從此你們應受詛咒，你們中間，決不斷有人在我天主的殿內，做劈柴挑水的勞役。」
24 And they answered Joshua, saying, It was reported to us what the Lord thy God charged his servant Moses, to give you this land, and to destroy us and all that dwelt on it from before you; and we feared very much for our lives because of you, and [therefore] we did this thing.
他們回答若蘇厄說：「你的僕人確實聽說：上主你的天主，曾吩咐衪的僕人梅瑟，要把這整塊土地賜給你們，並在你們面前，將這地方上的一切居民消滅；我們見你們前來，我們實在為我們的生命擔憂，所以才做了這事。
25 And now, behold, we [are] in your power; do to us as it is pleasing to you, and as it seems [good] to you.
現在，我們都在你手裏，你以為怎樣好，怎樣對，就怎樣對待我們吧! 」
26 And they did so to them; and Joshua rescued them in that day out of the hands of the children of Israel, and they did not slay them.
若蘇厄就這樣對待了他們：將他們由以色列人手中救出，不讓人加害他們。
27 And Joshua made them in that day hewers of wood and drawers of water to the whole congregation, and for the altar of God: therefore the inhabitants of Gabaon became hewers of wood and drawers of water for the altar of God until this day, even for the place which the Lord should choose.
當天就派定他們在上主選定的地方，為會眾，為上主的祭壇，劈柴挑水，直到今日。
