Kings II 18
1 And David numbered the people with him, and set over them captains of thousands and captains of hundreds.
達味檢閱了跟隨他的人，給他們委派了千夫長和百夫長，
2 And David sent away the people, the third part under the hand of Joab, and the third part under the hand of Abessa the son of Saruia, the brother of Joab, and the third part under the hand of Ethi the Gittite. And David said to the people, I also will surely go out with you.
將軍人分為三隊：一隊由約阿布率領，一隊由責魯特的兒子，約阿布的兄弟阿彼瑟率領，一隊由加特人依泰率領；然後君王對軍人說：「我自己也要同你們一起出征」。
3 And they said, You shall not go out: for if we should indeed flee, they will not care for us; and if half of us should die, they will not mind us; for you [are] as ten thousand of us: and now [it is] well that you shall be to us an aid to help us in the city.
軍人回答說：「你萬不可去! 因為若我們逃散，無人對我們介意，既使我們死了一半，也無人對我們介意；但是，你一個卻抵我們一萬，所以，現今你更好留在城內，設法援助我們」。
4 And the king said to them, Whatsoever shall seem good in your eyes I will do. And the king stood by the side of the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.
君王對他們說：「你們看看怎樣好，我就怎樣做」。君王站在門旁，軍人整隊出發，或百人一阻，或千人一組﹖
5 And the king commanded Joab and Abessa and Ethi, saying, Spare for my sake the young man Abessalom. And all the people heard the king charging all the commanders concerning Abessalom.
君王命令約阿布、阿阿彼瑟和依泰說：「對少年阿貝沙隆，你們應給我留情」。軍人都聽見了君王關於阿貝沙隆，給眾將領所出的命令。
6 And all the people went out into the wood against Israel; and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim.
軍人出發，來到平原，攻打以色列；在厄弗辣因森林發生了戰事。
7 And the people of Israel fell down there before the servants of David, and there was a great slaughter in that day, [even] twenty thousand men.
以色列人在那裏為達味的臣僕打敗，那天死傷慘重，陣亡的有二萬人。
8 And the battle there was scattered over the face of all the land: and the wood consumed more of the people than the sword consumed amongst the people in that day.
戰爭蔓廷全境，樹林內死的人，比刀劍所殺的人還多。
9 And Abessalom went to meet the servants of David: and Abessalom was mounted on his mule, and the mule came under the thick boughs of a great oak; and his head was entangled in the oak, and he was suspended between heaven and earth; and the mule passed on from under him.
阿貝沙隆正遇上了達味的臣僕，他那時騎著一匹驢子，由大橡樹的叢枝下經過，他的頭髮被橡樹枝纏住，身懸在天地間，所騎的驢子已跑走。
10 And a man saw it, and reported to Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Abessalom hanging in an oak.
有一個人看見，就告訴約阿布說：「我看見阿貝沙隆懸在橡樹上」。
11 And Joab said to the man who reported it to him, And, behold, you did see him: why did you not strike him there to the ground? and I would have given you ten [pieces] of silver, and a girdle.
約阿布對那向他報信的人說：「你看見了，為什麼不把他砍倒在地﹖那麼我必賞你十「協刻耳」銀子和一條腰帶」。
12 And the man said to Joab, Were I even to receive a thousand shekels of silver, I would not lift my hand against the king's son; for in our ears the king charged you and Abessa and Ethi, saying, Take care of the young man Abessalom for me,
那人對約阿布說：「即使交在我手裏一千「協刻耳」銀子，我也不願伸手加害君王的兒子，因為我們親聽見君王吩咐你、阿彼瑟和依泰說：你們應為了我，保全少年阿貝沙隆。
13 so as to do no harm to his life: and nothing of the matter will be concealed from the king, and you will set yourself against me.
並且，若我冒性命的危險，做錯了事，也決不能瞞過君王，那時你也許不會保護我」。
14 And Joab said, I will begin this; I will not thus remain with you. And Joab took three darts in his hand, and thrust them into the heart of Abessalom, while he was yet alive in the heart of the oak.
約阿布說：「不願在你面前這樣耽擱時間! 」他就手裏拿了三根短箭，射在阿貝沙隆心中，那時，他在橡樹上還著。
15 And ten young men that bore Joab's armour compassed Abessalom, and struck him and killed him.
約阿布的十個少年圍上前來，將阿貝沙隆擊斃。
16 And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel, for Joab spared the people.
約阿布遂次起號角，軍人便回來，不再追趕以色列人，因為約阿布願顧惜人民。
17 And he took Abessalom, and cast him into a great cavern in the wood, into a deep pit, and set up over him a very great heap of stones: and all Israel fled every man to his tent.
人們取下阿貝沙隆，將他塊在樹林中的一個大坑內，在他上面堆了一大堆石頭。眾以色列人各自回本家去了。
18 Now Abessalom while yet alive had taken and set up for himself the pillar near which he was taken, and set it up so as to have the pillar in the king's dale; for he said he had no son to keep his name in remembrance: and he called the pillar, Abessalom's hand, until this day.
阿貝沙隆活著時，在君王山谷就為自己建立一石柱說：「我沒有兒子，來懷念我的名字；」所他給那石柱起了自己的名字。直至今日，人還稱那石柱為阿貝沙隆記念碑。
19 And Achimaas the son of Sadoc said, Let me run now and carry glad tidings to the king, for the Lord has delivered him from the hand of his enemies.
匝多克的兒子阿希瑪茲對約阿布說：「讓我跑去，將上主對王的仇敵替王伸冤的喜信，稟報給君王」。
20 And Joab said to him, You [shall] not [be] a messenger of glad tidings this day; you shall bear them another day; but on this day you shall bear no tidings, because the king's son is dead.
約阿布卻對他說：「今日你不是報喜的人，改天再去報吧! 因為君王的兒子死了，今日你不可去報信」。
21 And Joab said to Chusi, Go, report to the king all that you have seen. And Chusi did obeisance to Joab, and went out.
約阿布遂對一個雇士人說：「你去將所見的事報告君王」。雇士人就拜別約阿布跑去信。
22 And Achimaas the son of Sadoc said again to Joab, Nay, let me also run after Chusi. And Joab said, Why would you thus run, my son? attend, you have no tidings for profit if you go.
匝多克的兒子阿希瑪茲又對約阿布說：「無論如何，我得跟著雇士人去! 」約阿布答說：「為什麼你要去﹖我兒，為這喜訊你得到什麼報酬! 」
23 And he said, Why should I not run? and Joab said to him, Run. And Achimaas ran along the way of Kechar, and outran Chusi.
他說：「我無論如何要去! 」他答說：「去吧! 」阿希瑪茲就沿著約旦平原的大路跑去，跑過了雇士人。
24 And David was sitting between the two gates: and the watchman went up on the top of the gate of the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold a man running alone before him.
那時達味正坐在兩門中間，守衛士兵上了門樓頂。守衛兵舉目一望，見一人獨自跑來，
25 And the watchman cried out, and reported to the king. And the king said, If he be alone, [there are] good tidings in his mouth. And the man came and drew near.
就大聲喊叫．君王君王。王說：「若是一人，必有喜訊傳報」。他越來越近了。
26 And the watchman saw another man running: and the watchman cried at the gate, and said, And look, another man running alone. And the king said, He also brings glad tidings.
守衛又看見一個人跑來，守衛兵立刻對看門的大聲喊說：「看，又有一人獨自跑來」。王說：「這也是來報喜信的」。
27 And the watchman said, I see the running of the first as the running of Achimaas the son of Sadoc. And the king said, He [is] a good man, and will come to [report] glad tidings.
守衛兵說：「我看見前一個人的跑法，像匝多克的兒子阿希瑪茲的跑法」。王說：「他是個好人，必是來報喜信的」。
28 And Achimaas cried out and said to the king, Peace. And he did obeisance to the king with his face to the ground, and said, Blessed [be] the Lord your God, who has delivered up the men that lifted up their hands against my lord the king.
阿希瑪茲上前對君王說：「安好! 」就俯首至地，叩拜君王，接著說：「上主，你的天主是可讚美的，因為衪消滅了反抗我主大王的人」。
29 And the king said, [Is] the young man Abessalom safe? and Achimaas said, I saw a great multitude [at the time] of Joab's sending the king's servant and your servant, and I knew not what was there.
王問說：「少年阿貝沙隆是否無恙﹖」阿希瑪茲答說：「當大王的臣僕約阿布打發你的僕人時，我見有大騷動，但不是什麼事﹖」
30 And the king said, Turn aside, stand still here. And he turned aside, and stood.
王說：「你退在一邊，站在那裏」。他便退在一邊，站在那裏。
31 And, behold, Chusi came up, and said to the king, Let my lord the king hear glad tidings, for the Lord has avenged you this day upon all them that rose up against you.
雇士人也來到了，雇士人說：「有喜信報告給我主大王! 上主今日對一切起來反抗你的的人為你伸了冤」。
32 And the king said to Chusi, Is it well with the young man Abessalom? and Chusi said, Let the enemies of my lord the king, and all whoever have risen up against him for evil, be as that young man.
王問雇士人說：「少年阿貝沙隆是否無恙﹖」雇士人答說：「願我主大王的仇敵，以及凡心懷惡意起來反抗你的人，都相似這個少年人! 」
33 And the king was troubled, and went to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and thus he said as he went, My son Abessalom, my son, my son Abessalom; would God I had died for you, [even] I [had died] for you, Abessalom, my son, my son!
君王一聽這話，不勝悲傷，就上了門樓痛哭；他哭著說：我兒阿貝沙隆! 我兒! 我兒阿貝沙隆，巴不得我替你死了，我兒阿貝沙隆! 我兒! 」
