< Chronicles II 18 >

1 And Josaphat had yet great wealth and glory, and he connected himself by marriage with the house of Achaab.
[南北聯婚齊戰阿蘭]約沙法特的財產豐富,尊榮很大,且與阿哈布聯婚。
2 And he went down after a term of years to Achaab to Samaria: and Achaab killed for him sheep and calves, in abundance, and for the people with him, and he much desired him to go up with him to Ramoth of the country of Galaad.
幾年內以後,他到撒瑪黎雅去見阿哈布。阿哈布為他和跟從他的隨員,宰殺了許多牛羊,慫恿他去攻打辣摩特基肋阿得。
3 And Achaab king of Israel said to Josaphat king of Juda, Will you go with me to Ramoth of the country of Galaad? And he said to him, As I [am], so also [are] you, as your people, [so] also [is] my people with you for the war.
以色列王阿哈布對猶大王約沙法特說:「你願意同我一起去攻打辣摩特基肋阿得嗎﹖」約沙法特回答說:「你我原不分彼此,我的人民就是你的人民;我必與你同去作戰。」[假先知預言勝利]
4 And Josaphat said to the king of Israel, Seek, I pray you, the Lord today.
約沙法特對以色列王說:「請你先求問上主的答話! 」
5 And the king of Israel gathered the prophets, four hundred men, and said to them, Shall I go to Ramoth Galaad to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up, and God shall deliver [it] into the hands of the king.
以色列王於是召集了先知,共四百人,問他們說:「我們應該上去進攻辣摩特基肋阿得﹖還是不去呢﹖」他們回答說:「上主,天主必將那地交於大王手中。」
6 And Josaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we may enquire of him?
但是約沙法特說:「這裏就沒有一位上只的先知,我們可以託他求問嗎﹖」
7 And the king of Israel said to Josaphat, There is yet one man by whom to enquire of the Lord; but I hate him, for he does not prophesy concerning me for good, for all his days [are] for evil: this [is] Michaias the son of Jembla. And Josaphat said, Let not the king say so.
以色列王回答約沙法特說:「還有一個人,可以託他求問天主,不過我憎恨他,因為他對我說預言,總不說吉祥話,常說兇言;這人就是依默拉的兒子米加雅。」約沙法特對他說:「請大王別這樣說! 」
8 And the king called an eunuch, and said, [Fetch] quickly Michaias the son of Jembla.
於是以色列王召來一個宦官,吩咐他說:「快去將依默拉的兒子米加雅召來! 」
9 And the king of Israel and Josaphat king of Juda were sitting each on his throne, and clothed in their robes, sitting in the open space at the entrance of the gate of Samaria: and all the prophets were prophesying before them.
當時以色列王和猶大王約沙法特在撒瑪黎雅城門前的廣場上,各穿朝服,坐在寶座上;所有的先知在他們面前說預言。
10 And Sedekias son of Chanaan made for himself iron horns, and said, Thus says the Lord, With these you shall thrust Syria until it be consumed.
革納阿納的兒子漆德克雅帶了一些鐵角說:「上主這樣說:你要用這些鐵角刺殺阿蘭人,直到將他們消滅。」
11 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth Galaad, and you shall prosper; and the Lord shall deliver it into the hands of the king.
所有的先知也這樣預言說:「你上辣摩特基肋阿得去必會勝利,上主必將那地交於大王手中! 」[米加雅預言戰敗]
12 And the messenger that went to call Michaias spoke to him, saying, Behold, the prophets have spoken favourably concerning the king with one mouth; let now, I pray you, your words be as [the words] of one of them, and do you speak good things.
那去召米加雅的使者對米加雅說:「看,先知們都異口同聲對君王說吉祥的話,希望你說的話也與他們每人說的話一樣,也是吉祥的話! 」
13 And Michaias said, [As] the Lord lives, whatever God shall say to me, that will I speak.
米加雅回答說:「我指著永生的上主起誓:我的天主吩咐什麼,我就說什麼! 」
14 And he came to the king, and the king said to him, Michaias, shall I go up to Ramoth Galaad to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said, Go up, and you shall prosper, and they shall be given into your hands.
米加雅來到王那裏,王就問他說:「米加雅,我們應該上去進攻辣摩特基肋阿得,還是不去呢﹖」他回答說:「上去,必然勝利,他們必落在你們手中。」
15 And the king said to him, How often shall I solemnly charge you that you speak to me nothing but truth in the name of the Lord?
君王對他說:「我應當多少次叫你宣誓,你纔奉上主的名,對我說實話呢﹖」
16 And he said, I saw Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep without a shepherd: and the Lord said, These have no commander; let each return to his home in peace.
米加雅答說:「我看見全以色列散在山上,好像沒有牧人的羊群。上主說:這些人既然沒有主人,更好各自平安回家去罷! 」
17 And the king of Israel said to Josaphat, Said I not to you, that he would not prophesy concerning me good, but evil?
以色列王對約沙法特說:「我不是告訴過你,他對我說預言,總不說吉祥話,只說兇言麼﹖」
18 But he said, Not so. Hear you the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven stood by on his right hand and on his left.
米加雅答說:「請你們靜聽上主的話:我見上主坐在寶座上,天上的萬軍侍立在他左右。
19 And the Lord said, Who will deceive Achaab king of Israel, that he may go up, and fall in Ramoth Galaad? And one spoke this way, and another spoke that way.
上主問說:誰去唆使以色列王阿哈布上去,叫他陣王在辣摩特基肋阿得呢﹖那時有的說這樣,有的說那樣。
20 And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will deceive him. And the Lord said, Whereby?
以後有一個神出來,立在上主面前說:我能唆使他。上主的問他說:用什麼方法﹖
21 And he said, I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And [the Lord] said, You shall deceive [him], and shall prevail: go forth, and do so.
那神答說:我去,在他所有先知們口中做虛言的神。上主回答說:你能唆使,也必會成功的,就去照樣辦罷!
22 And now, behold, the Lord has put a false spirit in the mouth of these your prophets, and the Lord has spoken evil against you.
現在上主將虛言的神放入你這些先知口中,上主已注定你必遭殃。」
23 Then Sedekias the son of Chanaan drew near, and struck Michaias on the cheek, and said to him, By what way passed the Spirit of the Lord from me to speak to you?
那時,革納阿納的兒子漆德克雅前來,打米加雅的臉說:「上主的神由那條路離開了我,而同你說話呢﹖」
24 And Michaias said, Behold, you shall see in that day, when you shall go from chamber to chamber to hide yourself.
米加雅答說:「在你進入最嚴密的室內隱藏的那一天,你就會知道了! 」
25 And the king of Israel said, Take Michaias, and carry him back to Emer the governor of the city, and to Joas the captain, the king's son;
以色列王吩咐說:「將米加雅帶去,交給阿孟市長和約阿布王子,
26 and you shall say, Thus said the king, Put this fellow into the prison house, and let him eat the bread of affliction, and [drink] the water of affliction, until I return in peace.
說君王這樣吩咐:將這人下在監裏,少給他吃的喝的,等我平安回來。」
27 And Michaias said, If you do at all return in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me. And he said, Hear, all you people.
米加雅說:「你如果能平安回來,那麼,上主就沒藉我說過話。」又說:「眾百姓! 你們要聽清楚啊! 」[阿哈布陣亡]
28 So the king of Israel, and Josaphat king of Juda, went up to Ramoth Galaad.
以色列王遂與猶大王約沙法特上去進攻辣摩特基肋阿得。
29 And the king of Israel said to Josaphat, Disguise me, and I will enter into the battle: and do you put on my raiment. so the king of Israel disguised himself, and entered into the battle.
以色列王對約沙法特說:「我要改裝上陣,你可仍穿朝服。」於是以色列王改裝上了陣。
30 Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots that were with him, saying, Fight neither against small nor great, but only against the king of Israel.
阿蘭王曾吩咐自己的戰車隊長說:「你們不必與大小將士交戰,只攻打以色列王。」
31 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Josaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel: and they compassed him about to fight against him: and Josaphat cried out, and the Lord delivered him; and God turned them away from him.
戰車隊長一看見約沙法特,便說:「這必是以色列王! 」遂將他包圍,向他進攻;約沙法特連聲叫苦,上主援助了他,天主使敵人遠離了他。
32 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned away from him.
戰車隊長見他不是以色列王,就不再追擊他。
33 And a man drew a bow with a good aim, and struck the king of Israel between the lungs and the breast-plate: and he said to the charioteer, Turn your hand, drive me out of the battle, for I am wounded.
有人偶然一箭,正射入以色列王的鎧甲與腰帶中,君王對駕車的人說:「轉回,載我離開陣地,我已受傷。」
34 And the battle turned in that day; and the king of Israel remained on the chariot against Syria until evening, and died at sunset.
但那天戰事越來越激烈,以色列王仍立在車上,抵抗阿蘭人,直到晚上;日落的時後,王就死了。

< Chronicles II 18 >