< 1 Kings 21 >
1 Sometime later this happened: There was a man named Naboth from Jezreel, who owned a vineyard in Jezreel close to King Ahab's palace in Samaria.
[葡萄園的風波]這事以後,依次勒耳人納波特在依次勒耳,靠近撒瑪黎雅王阿哈布的宮殿,有一個葡萄園。
2 Ahab went to Naboth and said, “Give me your vineyard so I can turn it into a vegetable garden, because it's close to my palace. In return I'll give you a better vineyard, or if you want I'll pay you for it in cash.”
阿哈布對納波特說:「請將你的葡萄園讓給我,我可以用作菜園,因為離我的宮殿很近;我願拿一個更好的葡萄園來與你交換;或者,如果你認為好,我也可以照葡萄園的價值給你錢。」
3 But Naboth replied, “The Lord curse me if I should give you my forefathers' inheritance.”
納波特回答阿哈布說:「上主決不許我將我祖先的產業讓給你! 」
4 Ahab went home sulking and infuriated because Naboth from Jezreel had said, “I will not give you my forefathers' inheritance.” He went to bed, wouldn't look at anyone, and refused to eat.
阿哈布由於依次勒耳人納波特對他所說:「我決不將我祖先的產業讓給你」的話,便悶悶不樂地回到宮中,躺在床上,轉過臉去,不肯吃飯。
5 His wife Jezebel came in and asked him, “Why are you so upset about? That you don't want to eat?”
他的妻子依則貝耳來見他,問他說:「你為什麼心裏這樣憂悶,連飯都不肯吃﹖」
6 Ahab replied, “It's because I talked with Naboth from Jezreel and I asked him, ‘Give me your vineyard for cash, or if you want, I'll give you another vineyard instead.’ But he said, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’”
阿哈布回答說:「因為我對依次勒耳人納波特說:請將你的葡萄園按現價賣給我,或者如果你願意,我可以拿另一個葡萄園來與你交換;他卻回答說:我決不將我的葡萄園讓給你。」
7 “Aren't you the king of Israel?” his wife Jezebel replied. “Get up, have something to eat, and cheer up. I'll get you the vineyard of Naboth from Jezreel.”
他的妻室依則貝耳對他說:「你真會統治以色列! 只管起來吃飯,心情愉快,我必將依次勒耳人納波特的葡萄園交給你。」
8 So she wrote some letters in Ahab's name and sealed them with his seal. She sent the letters to the elders and leaders in the town where Naboth lived.
依則貝耳便以阿哈布的名義寫了一封信,蓋上君王的印章,送給與納波特同住一城的長老和官紳,
9 In the letters she wrote to tell them, “Announce a religious fast, and give Naboth a seat of honor.
信上寫道:「請你們宣布禁食,叫納波特坐上民眾的首位,
10 But seat two bad men opposite him and have them accuse him, saying, ‘You have cursed God and the king!’ Then take him out and stone him to death.”
然後再叫兩個流氓坐在他的對面,作證控告他說:納波特辱罵了天主和君王,你們應將他拉出城外,用石頭砸死。」
11 So the elders and leaders who lived in Naboth's town did as Jezebel had said in the letters she had written and sent to them.
那些與納波特同住在一城的長老和官紳,便照依則貝耳吩咐他們的,照她在送給他們的信上所寫的去行:
12 They announced a religious fast, and gave Naboth a seat of honor.
宣布禁食,叫納波特坐上民眾的首位,
13 Two bad men came and sat opposite him, and accused him in front of the people, saying, “Naboth has cursed God and the king.” So they took him outside the town and stoned him to death.
兩個流氓前來坐在他的對面,當眾作證控告他說:「納波特辱罵了天主和君王。」眾人便將他拉出城外,用石頭砸死了。
14 Then they sent a message to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned. He's dead.”
然後派人告訴依則貝耳說:「納波特已用石頭砸死了。」
15 As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and he was dead, Jezebel told Ahab, “Get up, go and claim ownership of the vineyard of Naboth from Jezreel, which he refused to sell you, for Naboth is no longer alive, but dead.”
依則貝耳聽說納波特已用石頭砸死了,就對阿哈布說:「你起來,去佔領依次勒耳人納波特,先前不肯照現價賣給你的葡萄園,因為納波特已經不在了,已經死了。」
16 When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went to claim ownership of Naboth's vineyard.
阿哈布一聽說納波特死了,就起身下到依次勒耳人納波特的葡萄園,霸佔了那葡萄園。厄里亞預言天主的懲罰
17 Then the Lord sent a message to Elijah the Tishbite:
那時,有上主的話傳於提市貝人厄里亞說:「
18 “Go and meet Ahab, king of Israel, in Samaria. He is right now in Naboth's vineyard, where he has gone to claim ownership of it.
你起來,下去會晤住在撒瑪黎雅的以色列王阿哈布;看,他現在正在納波特的葡萄園內,他下到那裏去霸佔了那葡萄園。
19 Tell him: This is what the Lord says: Have you murdered a man and robbed him? Then tell him: This is what the Lord says: In the very spot where dogs licked up Naboth's blood, dogs will lick up your own blood.”
你要對他說:上主這樣說:你殺了人,還要霸佔他的產業嗎﹖繼而對他說:上主這樣說:狗在什麼地方,舔了納波特的血,也要在什麼地方舔你的血。」
20 “So have you come to find me, my enemy?” Ahab asked Elijah. “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the Lord sight,” Elijah replied.
阿哈布對厄里亞說:「我的對頭,你又找到了我的錯嗎﹖」厄里亞答說:「是,我找到了你的錯,因為你出賣了你自己,去行上主視為惡的事。
21 He says, “Watch out! I'm going to bring disaster on you and destroy your descendants. I will kill from every male of Ahab's line, both slave and free, in the whole of Israel.
我必要在你身上降災,消滅你的宗族;以色列所有屬於阿哈布的男子無論是自由的或不自由的,一概滅絕。
22 I will make your house like that of Jeroboam, son of Nebat, and like that of Baasha, son of Ahijah, because you have angered me and made Israel sin.
我要使你的家像乃巴特的兒子雅洛貝罕的家,又像阿希雅的兒子巴厄沙的家,因為你惹我發怒,使以色列陷於罪惡。
23 And as far as Jezebel is concerned, the Lord says, ‘Dogs will eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.’
至於依則貝耳,上主也預言說:狗要在依則貝耳的田間,吞食依則貝耳。
24 Those of Ahab's family who die in the town will be eaten by dogs, and those who die in the countryside will be eaten by birds.”
凡屬阿哈布的人,死在城中的,要為狗吞食,死在田間的,要為空中的飛鳥啄食。」
25 (No one else was so bad as Ahab, who sold himself to do what is evil in the Lord's sight, because his wife Jezebel encouraged him.
實在,從來沒有人像阿哈布一樣,受他的妻子依則貝耳的引誘,這樣出賣自己,行上主視為惡的事。
26 He did the most despicable things, worshiping idols like the Amorites the Lord had driven out before Israel.)
他行了最可憎惡的事,歸依了邪神偶像,全像上主從以色列子民前,趕走了阿摩黎人所行的一樣。阿哈布懺悔免罰
27 As soon as Ahab heard this message, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. He even went to bed in sackcloth, and walked around repentantly.
阿哈布一聽這些話,就撕破自己的衣服,身穿麻衣,禁食,穿著麻衣睡覺,低頭緩步行走。
28 Then the Lord sent a message to Elijah the Tishbite:
於是有上主的話傳於提市貝人厄里亞說:「
29 “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster during his lifetime, but I will bring down disaster on his family in the lifetime of his son.”
阿哈布在我面前這樣自卑自賤,你看見了沒有﹖他既然在我面前自卑自賤,在他有生之日,我不降此災禍;但是,到他兒子的日子,我要使這災禍臨於他家。」