< 2 Chronicles 32 >
1 After these things, and after this manner of truth, Sennacherib, the king of the Assyrians arrived. And entering Judah, he besieged the fortified cities, desiring to seize them.
[亞述來犯]這些忠貞之事作完之後,亞述王散乃黑黎布來進攻猶大,包圍一切堅城,企圖攻破,佔為己有。
2 And when Hezekiah had seen this, specifically that Sennacherib had arrived, and that the entire force of the war was turning against Jerusalem,
希則克雅見散乃黑黎市前來,決意要進攻耶路撒冷,
3 he took counsel with the rulers and with the most valiant men, so that they might obstruct the heads of the springs which were beyond the city. And with everyone discerning the same judgment about this,
便與自己的將領和勇士商議,將城外的水泉杜塞;他們都贊成;
4 he gathered together a great multitude, and they obstructed all the springs, and the brook which was flowing through the midst of the land, saying: “Otherwise, the kings of the Assyrians might arrive and find an abundance of water.”
於是召集許多人,將水泉和通過田間的水渠都杜塞,說:「為什麼讓亞述王來,得到這樣多的水! 」
5 Also, acting industriously, he built up the entire wall that had been broken apart. And he constructed towers upon it, and another wall outside it. And he repaired Millo, in the City of David. And he made all kinds of weapons and shields.
希則克雅遂加強防禦工事,重修所有破裂的城牆,上面建上城樓,城外又築了一道牆,加強達味城的米羅,製造了許多箭矢和盾牌。
6 And he appointed leaders of the warriors within the army. And he summoned them all to the wide street of the gate of the city. And he spoke to their heart, saying:
然後派了將官率領軍民,將他們集合到城門廣場他自己面前,鼓勵他們說:「
7 “Act manfully and be strengthened. Do not be afraid. Neither should you dread the king of the Assyrians and the entire multitude that is with him. For many more are with us than with him.
你們應該勇敢大膽,不要害怕,不要因亞述王和他所統領的大軍而膽怯,因為那與我們同在的比與他同在的,更有能力。
8 For with him is an arm of flesh; with us is the Lord our God, who is our helper, and who fights for us.” And the people were strengthened by this type of words from Hezekiah, the king of Judah.
那與他同在的只是血肉的手臂,那與我們同在的卻是天主,我們的天主,他必要協助我們,為我們作戰。」眾人都因猶大王希則克雅這番話而得到鼓勵。[亞述王的侮辱]
9 After these things, Sennacherib, the king of the Assyrians, sent his servants to Jerusalem, (for he and his entire army were besieging Lachish) to Hezekiah, the king of Judah, and to all the people who were in the city, saying:
此後,亞述王散乃黑黎布派自己的臣僕到耶路撒冷來,─他本人偕全軍駐在拉基士─向猶大王希則克雅,和在耶路撒冷所有的猶大人說:「
10 “Thus says Sennacherib, the king of the Assyrians: In whom do you have faith, as you sit besieged in Jerusalem?
亞述王散乃黑黎布這樣說:你們在耶路撒冷受困,還依靠什麼呢﹖
11 Does not Hezekiah deceive you, so that he would deliver you to die from hunger and thirst, by affirming that the Lord your God will free you from the hand of the king of the Assyrians?
希則克雅曾對你們說過:雅威我們的天主必要救我們脫離亞述王的手,這豈不是誘惑你們,使你們餓死渴死嗎﹖
12 Is this not the same Hezekiah who destroyed his own high places and altars, and who instructed Judah and Jerusalem, saying: ‘You shall worship before one altar, and you shall burn incense upon it?’
希則克雅豈不是將高丘和鄉壇推翻,且吩咐猶大和耶路撒冷人說:你們應在一個壇前朝拜,單在這上面焚香嗎﹖
13 Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the lands? Have the gods of the nations and all the lands prevailed so as to free their region from my hand?
難道你們不知道我與我的祖先,對各列邦民所作的事嗎﹖列邦各地的神,是否曾能拯救自己的國土,脫離我的手﹖
14 Who is there, out of all the gods of the nations that my fathers destroyed, who is able to rescue his people from my hand, so that now also your God would be able to rescue you from this hand?
我祖先所消滅的那些邦國的諸神中,有那一個曾能夠拯救自己的百姓,脫離我的手﹖難道你們的神就能拯救你們脫離我的手嗎﹖
15 Therefore, let not Hezekiah deceive or delude you with vain persuasion. And you should not believe him. For if no god out of all the nations and kingdoms was able to free his people from my hand, and from the hand of my fathers, consequently neither will your God be able to rescue you from my hand.”
所以現在,不要讓希則克雅這樣欺騙你們,迷惑你們;你們也不要相信他,因為任何一個國家,一個民族的神,都不能拯救自己的百姓,脫離我的手,和我祖先的手;何況你們的神﹖他更不能拯救你們脫離我的手! 」
16 Then too, his servants were speaking many other things against the Lord God, and against his servant Hezekiah.
散乃黑黎布的臣僕,還說了許多譭謗上主天主,和他僕人希則克雅的話。
17 Also, he wrote letters full of blasphemy against the Lord God of Israel. And against him he said: “Just as the gods of other nations were unable to free their people from my hand, so also is the God of Hezekiah unable to rescue his people from this hand.”
散乃黑黎布也寫信嘲笑上主以色列的天主,侮辱他說:「就如列邦民族的神沒有拯救自己的百姓脫離我的手,同樣希則克雅的神也不能救自己的百姓脫離我的手。」
18 Moreover, he also shouted with a great clamor, in the language of the Jews, toward the people who were sitting upon the walls of Jerusalem, so that he might frighten them and so seize the city.
隨後,他們用猶大方言向耶路撒冷城牆上的軍民呼喊,想驚嚇他們,令他們恐懼,以便奪取京城。
19 And he was speaking against the God of Jerusalem, just as against the gods of the peoples of the earth, which are works of the hands of men.
他們論及耶路撒冷的天主,好似論及列邦民族的神一樣,當作了人手的造物。[希則克雅祈禱獲允]
20 And Hezekiah the king, and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, prayed against this blasphemy, and they cried out to heaven.
希則克雅王與阿摩茲的兒子依撒意亞先知為此巷天祈求呼籲。
21 And the Lord sent an Angel, who struck all the experienced men and warriors, and the leaders of the army of the king of the Assyrians. And he returned in disgrace to his own land. And when he had entered the house of his god, the sons who had gone forth from his loins killed him with the sword.
上主便派一位天使進入亞述王的營爭,將所有的兵士、將軍和統帥,予以殲滅,使亞述王含羞回了本國。當他進入自己的神廟時,為他親生的兒子用劍所殺。
22 And the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib, the king of the Assyrians, and from the hand of all. And he presented to them peace on every side.
這樣,上主救了希則克雅和耶路撒冷的居民,脫離了亞述王散乃黑黎布和所有敵人的手,使他們四境獲得了安寧。
23 And now many were bringing victims and sacrifices to the Lord in Jerusalem, and gifts to Hezekiah, the king of Judah. And after these things, he was exalted before all the nations.
眾人就都到耶路撒冷向上主獻上禮品也贈予猶大王希則克雅禮物;從此以後,希則克雅乃為個國所敬重。
24 In those days, Hezekiah was sick, even unto death, and he prayed to the Lord. And he heeded him, and gave to him a sign.
那時,希則克雅害病要死,他哀求了上主,上主便應允了他,給了他一個異兆。
25 But he did not repay according to the benefits which he had received, for his heart was lifted up. And so wrath was brought against him, and against Judah and Jerusalem.
但是,希則克雅不但沒有照他所受的恩惠還報,反而心高氣傲,於是上主的怒火降於他和猶大並耶路撒冷。
26 And after this, he was humbled, because he had exalted his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And therefore the wrath of the Lord did not overwhelm them in the days of Hezekiah.
以後,希則克雅抑制了自己的驕傲,他和耶路撒冷居民都自謙自卑,因此上主的怒氣,在希則克雅生時,沒有向他們發作。[希則克雅一生概略]
27 Now Hezekiah was wealthy and very famous. And he gathered for himself many treasures of silver and gold and precious stones, of aromatics, and all kinds of weapons, and vessels of great price,
希則克雅享盡富貴榮華,建造了府庫,儲藏金銀、寶石、香料、盾牌和各種珍器;
28 and also repositories of grain, wine, and oil, and stalls for every beast of burden, and fencing for cattle.
修建了倉廩,儲藏五穀、新酒和油;修蓋了棚欄,為養各類牲畜;為羊群修了羊棧;
29 And he built for himself cities. For indeed, he had innumerable herds and flocks of sheep. For the Lord had given to him an exceedingly great substance.
又畜養了驢,以及許多大小牲畜;天主實在賜給了他極多的財物。
30 This same Hezekiah was the one who blocked the upper font of the waters of Gihon, and who diverted them down to the western part of the City of David. In all his works, he prosperously accomplished whatever he willed.
希則克雅堵住基紅泉上邊的水,將水直引到達味城西。希則克雅所作所為無不順利。
31 Yet still, concerning the legates from the leaders of Babylon, who had been sent to him so that they might inquire about the portent which had happened upon the earth, God permitted him to be tempted, so that everything might be made known which was in his heart.
甚至巴比倫王公大人派使者來見希則克雅,詢問他國內發生的奇事時,天主也讓他自由,藉以考驗他,好知道他心中的一切。
32 Now the rest of the words of Hezekiah, and his mercies, have been written in the vision of the prophet Isaiah, the son of Amos, and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
希則克雅其餘的事蹟,以及他的善行,都記載在阿摩茲的兒子依撒意亞先知的神視錄及猶大和以色列列王實錄上。
33 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers. And they buried him above the sepulchers of the sons of David. And all of Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, celebrated his funeral. And his son, Manasseh, reigned in his place.
希則克雅與他的祖先同眠,葬在達味子孫墓地的斜坡上;他死了,全猶大和耶路撒冷居民都為他舉哀致敬;他的兒子默納舍繼位為王。