2 Samuel 18
1 And so David, having reviewed his people, appointed over them tribunes and centurions.
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 he placed a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Ittai, who was from Gath. And the king said to the people, “I, too, will go forth 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 the people responded: “You shall not go out. For if we flee, there will not be great concern in them for us. Or if one half part of us will fall, they will not care much. For you are considered as one for ten thousand. Therefore, it is better that you should be in the city to strengthen us.”
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, “I will do whatever seems good to you.” Therefore, the king stood beside the gate. And the people went out by their troops, 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 ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “Preserve for me the boy Absalom.” And all the people heard the king commanding all the leaders on behalf of Absalom.
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 so, the people departed into the field against Israel. And the battle took place in the forest 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 were cut down in that place by the army of David. And a great slaughter occurred on that day: 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 Now the battle in that place was dispersed over the face of all the land. And there were many more of the people whom the forest had consumed, than the sword had devoured, on that day.
戰爭蔓廷全境，樹林內死的人，比刀劍所殺的人還多。
9 Then it happened that Absalom, riding on a mule, met the servants of David. And when the mule had entered under a thick and large oak tree, his head became trapped in the oak. And while he was suspended between heaven and earth, the mule on which he had been sitting continued on.
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 Then a certain one saw this and reported it to Joab, saying, “I saw Absalom hanging from 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 had reported it to him, “If you saw him, why did you not stab him to the ground, and I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a belt?”
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 he said to Joab: “Even if you weighed out to my hands one thousand silver coins, I would never lay my hands on the son of the king. For in our hearing the king ordered you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Keep for me the boy Absalom.’
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 Then too, if I had acted with such audacity, against my own life, this would never have been able to be hidden from the king. And would you then have stood by my side?”
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, “It will not be as you wish. Instead, I will be assailing him in your sight.” Then he took three lances in his hand, and he fixed them in the heart of Absalom. And while he was still clinging to life upon 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 ten young men, armor bearers of Joab, ran up, and striking him, they killed him.
約阿布的十個少年圍上前來，將阿貝沙隆擊斃。
16 Then Joab sounded the trumpet, and he held back the people, lest they pursue Israel in their flight, for he was willing to spare the multitude.
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 they took Absalom, and they threw him into a great pit in the forest. And they piled an exceedingly great heap of stones over him. But all of Israel fled to their own tents.
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 Absalom had raised up for himself, when he was still alive, a monument, which is in the Valley of the King. For he said, “I have no son, and so this shall be the memorial to my name.” And he called the monument by his own name. And it is called the Hand of Absalom, even to 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 Then Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, said, “I will run and report to the king that the Lord has accomplished judgment for 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 the messenger on this day. Instead, you shall report on another day. I am not willing for you to give the report today, because the son of the king 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 Then Joab said to Hushai, “Go, and report to the king what you have seen.” Hushai reverenced Joab, and he ran.
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 Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, said to Joab again, “What prevents me from running after Hushai also?” And Joab said to him: “Why do you want to run, my son? You would not be the bearer of good news.”
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 responded, “But what if I do run?” And he said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz, running along a shorter way, passed Hushai.
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 Now David was sitting between the two gates. Truly, the watchman, who was at the summit of the gate upon the wall, lifting up his eyes, saw a man running alone.
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 crying out, he told the king. And the king said, “If he is alone, there is good news in his mouth.” But as he was advancing and drawing nearer,
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 the watchman saw another man running. And so, crying out from the height, he said: “Another man has appeared, running alone.” And the king said, “This one also is a good messenger.”
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 Then the watchman said, “The running of the closest one seems like the running of Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok.” And the king said, “He is a good man, and he arrives bearing good news.”
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 Then, Ahimaaz, crying out, said to the king, “Be well, O king.” And reverencing the king prone on the ground before him, he said, “Blessed be the Lord your God, who has enclosed the men who had 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 there peace for the boy Absalom?” And Ahimaaz said: “I saw a great tumult, O king, when your servant Joab sent me, your servant. I know nothing else.”
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 to him, “Pass, and stand here.” And when he had passed and stood still,
王說：「你退在一邊，站在那裏」。他便退在一邊，站在那裏。
31 Hushai appeared. And approaching, he said: “I bear good news, my lord the king. For today the Lord has judged for you, from the hand of all who had risen 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 But the king said to Hushai, “Is there peace for the boy Absalom?” And responding, Hushai said to him, “May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise against him for evil, be as the boy is.”
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 so the king, being greatly saddened, ascended to the upper room of the gate, and he wept. And as he went, he was speaking in this manner: “My son Absalom! Absalom my son! Who can grant to me that I may die on your behalf? Absalom, my son! My son, Absalom!”
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! 」
