< 1 Kings 12 >

1 And Rehoboam went to Shechem, —for, to Shechem, had all Israel come to make him king.
羅波安往示劍去;因為以色列人都到了示劍要立他作王。
2 And it came to pass, when Jeroboam son of Nebat heard of it—he being yet in Egypt, whither he had fled from the face of Solomon the king, that Jeroboam returned from Egypt;
尼八的兒子耶羅波安先前躲避所羅門王,逃往埃及,住在那裏(他聽見這事。)
3 yes they sent, and called him, and Jeroboam and all the convocation of Israel came, —and spake unto Rehoboam, saying:
以色列人打發人去請他來,他就和以色列會眾都來見羅波安,對他說:
4 Thy father, made our yoke, grievous, —now, therefore do, thou, lighten the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, that we may serve thee.
「你父親使我們負重軛,做苦工,現在求你使我們做的苦工、負的重軛輕鬆些,我們就事奉你。」
5 And he said unto them—Depart ye for yet three days, and then come again unto me. And the people departed.
羅波安對他們說:「你們暫且去,第三日再來見我。」民就去了。
6 Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who used to stand before Solomon his father, while he yet lived, saying, —How do, ye, advise, that I answer this people?
羅波安之父所羅門在世的日子,有侍立在他面前的老年人,羅波安王和他們商議,說:「你們給我出個甚麼主意,我好回覆這民。」
7 And they spake unto him, saying—If, to-day, thou wilt be servant unto this people, and wilt serve them, —and answer them kindly, and speak unto them good words, then will they be, thy, servants, always.
老年人對他說:「現在王若服事這民如僕人,用好話回答他們,他們就永遠作王的僕人。」
8 But he declined the counsel of the elders which they gave him, and consulted with the young men, who had grown up with him, who were standing before himself;
王卻不用老年人給他出的主意,就和那些與他一同長大、在他面前侍立的少年人商議,
9 and said unto them—What counsel do, ye, give as to how we shall answer this people who have spoken unto me, saying—Make a lightening of the yoke which thy father put upon us?
說:「這民對我說:『你父親使我們負重軛,求你使我們輕鬆些。』你們給我出個甚麼主意,我好回覆他們。」
10 Then spake unto him the young men who had grown up with him, saying, Thus, shalt thou say to this people that have spoken unto thee, saying—Thy father, made our yoke heavy, thou, therefore lighten it upon us, Thus, shalt thou speak unto them, My little finger, is thicker than my father’s loins;
那同他長大的少年人說:「這民對王說:『你父親使我們負重軛,求你使我們輕鬆些。』王要對他們如此說:『我的小拇指頭比我父親的腰還粗。
11 Now, therefore, whereas, my father, laid upon you a heavy yoke, I, will add to your yoke, —My father, did chastise you with whips, but, I, will chastise you with scorpions.
我父親使你們負重軛,我必使你們負更重的軛!我父親用鞭子責打你們,我要用蠍子鞭責打你們!』」
12 So Jeroboam and all the people came in unto Rehoboam, on the third day, —as the king had bidden, saying—Come again unto me, on the third day.
耶羅波安和眾百姓遵着羅波安王所說「你們第三日再來見我」的那話,第三日他們果然來了。
13 And the king answered the people, harshly, —and declined the counsel of the elders wherewith they had counselled him;
王用嚴厲的話回答百姓,不用老年人給他所出的主意,
14 and spake unto them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father, made your yoke heavy, but, I, will add unto your yoke, —My father, chastised you, with whips, but, I, will chastise you, with scorpions.
照着少年人所出的主意對民說:「我父親使你們負重軛,我必使你們負更重的軛!我父親用鞭子責打你們,我要用蠍子鞭責打你們!」
15 Thus the king hearkened not unto the people, —for there had come about a turn from Yahweh, that he might establish his word, which Yahweh had spoken by Ahijah the Shilonite, unto Jeroboam, son of Nebat.
王不肯依從百姓,這事乃出於耶和華,為要應驗他藉示羅人亞希雅對尼八的兒子耶羅波安所說的話。
16 So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying—What portion have, we, in, David. Or inheritance in the son of Jesse? To your homes O Israel! Now, see to thine own house, O David! And Israel departed to their homes.
以色列眾民見王不依從他們,就對王說: 我們與大衛有甚麼分兒呢? 與耶西的兒子並沒有關涉。 以色列人哪,各回各家去吧! 大衛家啊,自己顧自己吧! 於是,以色列人都回自己家裏去了,
17 But, as for the sons of Israel who were dwelling in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.
惟獨住猶大城邑的以色列人,羅波安仍作他們的王。
18 Then King Rehoboam sent Adoniram who was over the tribute, but all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died, —King Rehoboam, therefore, hastily mounted his chariot, to flee unto Jerusalem.
羅波安王差遣掌管服苦之人的亞多蘭往以色列人那裏去,以色列人就用石頭打死他。羅波安王急忙上車,逃回耶路撒冷去了。
19 So Israel rebelled against the house of David, —unto this day.
這樣,以色列人背叛大衛家,直到今日。
20 And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, that they sent and called him into the assembly, and made him king over all Israel, —there were none that followed the house of David, saving the tribe of Judah only.
以色列眾人聽見耶羅波安回來了,就打發人去請他到會眾面前,立他作以色列眾人的王。除了猶大支派以外,沒有順從大衛家的。
21 And, when Rehoboam entered Jerusalem, he called together all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin—a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men, able to make war, —to fight against the house of Israel, to bring back the kingdom to Rehoboam, son of Solomon.
羅波安來到耶路撒冷,招聚猶大全家和便雅憫支派的人共十八萬,都是挑選的戰士,要與以色列家爭戰,好將國奪回,再歸所羅門的兒子羅波安。
22 Then came the word of God unto Shemaiah, the man of God, saying:
但上帝的話臨到神人示瑪雅,說:
23 Speak unto Rehoboam, son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah, and Benjamin, —and the remnant of the people, saying:
「你去告訴所羅門的兒子猶大王羅波安和猶大、便雅憫全家,並其餘的民說:
24 Thus, saith Yahweh—Ye shall not go up, neither shall ye fight with your brethren the sons of Israel, —return ye every man to his own house, for, from me, hath this thing been brought about. So they hearkened unto the word of Yahweh, and turned back to depart, according to the word of Yahweh.
『耶和華如此說:你們不可上去與你們的弟兄以色列人爭戰。各歸各家去吧!因為這事出於我。』」眾人就聽從耶和華的話,遵着耶和華的命回去了。
25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem, in the hill country of Ephraim, and dwelt therein, —and went forth from thence, and built Penuel.
耶羅波安在以法蓮山地建築示劍,就住在其中;又從示劍出去,建築毗努伊勒。
26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, —Now, shall the kingdom return to the house of David:
耶羅波安心裏說:「恐怕這國仍歸大衛家;
27 If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of Yahweh, in Jerusalem, then will the heart of this people return unto their lord, unto Rehoboam, king of Judah, —and they will slay me, and return unto Rehoboam, king of Judah.
這民若上耶路撒冷去,在耶和華的殿裏獻祭,他們的心必歸向他們的主-猶大王羅波安,就把我殺了,仍歸猶大王羅波安。」
28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, —and said unto them—It is, too much for you, to go up to Jerusalem, Lo! thy gods, O Israel, that brought thee up out of the land of Egypt;
耶羅波安王就籌劃定妥,鑄造了兩個金牛犢,對眾民說:「以色列人哪,你們上耶路撒冷去實在是難;這就是領你們出埃及地的神。」
29 And he set the one in Bethel, —and, the other, put he in Dan.
他就把牛犢一隻安在伯特利,一隻安在但。
30 And this thing became a sin, —and the people went before the one, as far as Dan.
這事叫百姓陷在罪裏,因為他們往但去拜那牛犢。
31 And he made a house of high-places, —and made priests from the whole compass of the people, who were not of the sons of Levi.
耶羅波安在邱壇那裏建殿,將那不屬利未人的凡民立為祭司。
32 And Jeroboam made a festival in the eight month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like the festival which [was held] in Judah, and offered up on the altar, likewise, did he in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves which he had made, —and he kept in attendance in Bethel, the priests of the high-places which he had made.
耶羅波安定八月十五日為節期,像在猶大的節期一樣,自己上壇獻祭。他在伯特利也這樣向他所鑄的牛犢獻祭,又將立為邱壇的祭司安置在伯特利。
33 And he offered up on the altar which he had made in Bethel, on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, in the month which he had devised out of his own heart, —thus made he a festival for the sons of Israel, and offered up on the altar, to make a perfume.
他在八月十五日,就是他私自所定的月日,為以色列人立作節期的日子,在伯特利上壇燒香。

< 1 Kings 12 >