1 Kings 18
1 For almost three years there was no rain in Samaria. Then Yahweh said this to Elijah: “Go and meet with King Ahab and [tell him that] I will soon send rain.”
[預告旱災結束]過了許多時日，到了第三年，有上主的話傳於厄里亞說：「你去見阿哈布，我要在這地上降雨。」
2 So Elijah went to talk to Ahab. In Samaria there was almost no food for anyone to eat.
厄里亞就去見阿哈布；那時，撒瑪黎雅正遭受嚴重的饑荒。
3 There was a man there named Obadiah. He was in charge of the king’s palace. He greatly revered Yahweh.
阿哈布將自己的家宰敖巴狄雅召來，─敖巴狄雅原是一位很敬畏上主的人。
4 One time when [Queen] Jezebel had [tried to] kill all Yahweh’s prophets, Obadiah hid 100 of them in two caves. He put 50 prophets in each cave, and he brought food and water to them.
當依則貝耳殺害上主的先知時，他曾收留一百個先知，每五十人分藏在一個洞裏，私下供給他們飲食。─
5 [By this time, the (famine/lack of food and water) had become very severe in Samaria]. So Ahab summoned Obadiah and said to him, “We must check/look near every spring and in every valley to see if we can find enough grass to give to some of my horses and mules, so that they will not all die.”
阿哈布對敖巴狄雅說：「我們要走遍這地，到所有的水泉和小河那裏去，或許能找到一些青草，使騾馬生存，免得喪失許多牲畜。」
6 So they both started walking throughout the land. Obadiah went in one direction by himself, and Ahab went in another direction by himself.
他們於是分地巡行；阿哈布獨自走了一條路，敖巴狄雅也獨自走了另一條路。敖巴狄雅遇厄里亞
7 While Obadiah was walking along, he saw Elijah coming toward him. Obadiah recognized Elijah and bowed down in front of him and said, “Is it really you, Elijah, my master?”
敖巴狄雅走路時，厄里亞恰巧遇見了他；敖巴狄雅認得他，便俯伏在地說：「你不就是我主厄里亞嗎﹖」
8 Elijah replied, “Yes. Now go and tell [Ahab, ] your master, that I am here.”
厄里亞回答說：「是，你去告訴你的主人說：厄里亞在這裏。」
9 Obadiah objected. He said, “Sir, I have not [RHQ] harmed you at all. So why are you sending me back to Ahab? He will kill me!
敖巴狄雅說：「我犯了什麼罪﹖你竟要將你的僕人交於阿哈布手中，讓他殺死我﹖
10 Yahweh your God [knows that I am telling the truth when] I solemnly declare that King Ahab has searched in every kingdom all over the world [HYP] to find you. Each time that some king said to him, ‘Elijah is not here,’ Ahab demanded that the king of that country solemnly swear/declare that the king was telling the truth.
我指著永生的上主，你的天主起誓：沒有一個民族，沒有一個國家，我的主上不派人去尋找你的；如果人們說：厄里亞不在我們這裏；他一定要叫那個國家和那個民族起誓說：實在他們沒有找到你。
11 Now you say to me, ‘Go and tell your master that Elijah is here!’
現在你說：你去告訴你的主人說：厄里亞在這裏。
12 But as soon as I leave you, the Spirit of Yahweh will carry you away, and I will not know where he will take you. So when [I tell] Ahab [that you are here and he] comes to me and he does not find you here, he will kill me! But [I do not deserve to die because] I have revered Yahweh since I was a boy.
我一離開你，上主的神把你帶到我所不知道的地方去；我若去告訴阿哈布，而他找不到你，啟不要殺死我﹖你的僕人自幼也是個敬畏上主得人啊!
13 My master, have you not heard about what I did when Jezebel wanted to kill all of Yahweh’s prophets? I hid 100 of them in two caves and took food and water to them.
難道我主沒有聽說過：當依則耳殘殺上主的先知時，我所作的事﹖我曾隱藏一百個上主的先知，每五十人分藏在一個洞裏，由我供給他們飲食。
14 Now, sir, you say, ‘Go and tell your master that Elijah is here.’ But if I do that, [and he comes and you are not here, ] he will kill me!”
現在你說：你去告訴你的主人，厄里亞在這裏，他一定要殺我! 」
15 But Elijah replied, “Yahweh, the Almighty One whom I serve [IDM], knows that [I am telling the truth as] I solemnly declare that I will go to meet with Ahab today.”
厄里亞說：「我指著我所服侍的萬軍的永生上主起誓：今天我一定要叫阿哈布看見我。」阿哈布和厄里亞見面
16 So Obadiah went to tell Ahab that Elijah had come. Ahab went to meet with him.
敖巴狄雅於是前去會見阿哈布，告訴他這消息，阿哈布就去迎接厄里亞。
17 When he saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, the one who causes trouble for [the people of] Israel?”
阿哈布一見厄里亞，就對他說：「叫以色列遭難的人，不就是你嗎﹖」
18 Elijah replied, “It is not I who have caused trouble for the people of Israel! You and your family are the ones who have caused trouble! You have refused to obey Yahweh’s commands, and you have worshiped the idols of Baal instead.
厄里亞答說：「不是我叫以色列遭難，而是你和你的父家，因為你們拋棄了上主的誡命，歸順了巴耳邪神。
19 So now, command all the Israeli people to come to Carmel Mountain, and [be sure to] bring all the 450 prophets who worship Baal and the 400 prophets who worship [the goddess] Asherah, the ones to whom [your wife] Jezebel brings food and water.”
現在，你派人去召集全以色列人，同受依則貝耳供養的那四百五十個巴耳的先知，【及那四百個阿舍辣的先知，】上加爾默耳山，到我跟前來。」
20 So Ahab summoned all his prophets and all the other [Israeli] people to the top of Carmel Mountain, [and Elijah went up there too.]
阿哈布便派人召集了所有的以色列子民，聚集了那些先知，一起到了加爾默耳山上。厄里亞與假先知比試
21 Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, “How long [RHQ] are you going to be undecided [about who is truly God]? If Yahweh is [truly] God, then worship/serve him. If Baal is truly God, then worship/serve him!” But the people said nothing [in reply, because they were afraid of what Jezebel would do to them if they admitted that they worshiped Yahweh].
厄里亞走向全體民眾面前說：「你們搖擺不定，模稜兩可，要到幾時呢﹖如果上主是天主，你們就應該隨從上主；如果巴耳是天主，就該隨從巴耳。」人民一句話也不回答。
22 Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only true prophet of Yahweh who is left, but Baal has 450 prophets.
厄里亞對人民說：「上主的先知指剩下我一個人了，巴耳的先知卻有四百五十人。
23 Bring two bulls. The prophets of Baal may choose the one that they want. They must [kill it and] cut it into pieces and lay the pieces on the wood that is on the altar that they have made. But they must not light a fire [under the wood]. [I will kill the other bull and cut it in pieces and lay the pieces on the altar that I make].
請給我們牽兩隻公牛犢來；他們可任選一隻，剖分成塊，放在木柴上，不要點火；我也照樣預備另一隻，放在木柴上，也不點火。
24 Then they must call to their god [MTY], and I will call to Yahweh. The god who answers by lighting a fire [to the wood that is on that altar] is [the true] God!” Then all the people thought that Elijah’s suggestion was good.
你們呼求你們神的名字，我也呼求上主的名字：那降火顯示應允的神，就是真神。」民眾回答說：「你這話說得很好! 」
25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “You call to Baal first, because there are many of you. Choose one of the bulls and prepare it, and then call to your god. But do not light a fire under the wood!”
厄里亞對巴耳的先知們說：「因為你們人數眾多，你們應該先挑選一隻牛犢，準備好，然後呼求你們神的名字，只是不要點火。」
26 So they killed one of the bulls and cut it up and placed the pieces on the altar. Then they called out to Baal all morning. They shouted, “Baal, answer us!” But no one answered. There was no reply at all [DOU]. Then they danced wildly around the altar that they had made.
他們即將人給他們的公牛犢牽來，預備好，從早晨直到中午呼求巴耳的名字說：「巴耳，應允我們罷! 」但是沒有聲音，也沒有答應的。他們就在自己所築的祭壇旁，跪下又起來，跳個不停。
27 About noontime, Elijah started to make fun of them. He said, “[Surely] Baal is a god, so it seems that you must shout louder! Perhaps he is thinking about something, or perhaps he has gone to the toilet. Or perhaps he is traveling somewhere, or perhaps he is asleep and you need to wake him up!”
到了中午，厄里亞嘲弄他們說：「你們再高聲喊叫，因為他是神，或者他正在沉思冥想，或者它暫時隱退，或者正在外旅行，或者他正在睡覺，必須把他叫醒。」
28 So they shouted louder. Then, doing one of the things that they frequently did [when they worshiped Baal], they slashed/cut themselves with knives and swords until a lot of blood flowed.
他們遂更高聲喊叫，照他們的習慣，用刀用槍割傷自己，直到全身流出血來。
29 They continued calling out to Baal all afternoon. But there was no reply, no answer, no god who paid attention.
過了中午，他們仍繼續狂喊亂叫，直到晚祭的時候，但仍然沒有聲音，也沒有答應的，也沒有理會。
30 Then Elijah called to the people saying, “Come closer!” So they all crowded around him. Then Elijah repaired the altar of Yahweh that had previously been (ruined/torn down) [by the prophets of Baal].
厄里亞對全你人民說：「你們到我這裏來。」全體人民便都到他那裏去；厄里亞立即重修了已經坍塌了的上主的祭壇；
31 Then he took twelve [large] stones, each one to represent one of the Israeli tribes. The names of those tribes were given to them by their ancestor Jacob.
依照雅各伯子孫的支派數目，取了十二塊石頭，─這雅各伯就是上主曾對他說過：「你的名字要叫以色列。」─
32 With these stones he rebuilt Yahweh’s altar. Then around the altar he dug a little ditch that was large enough to hold about (three gallons/12 liters) of water.
用這些石頭，為上主的名築成一座祭壇，在祭壇四周作了一個水溝，可容二「色阿」穀種。
33 He piled wood on top of the stones. He killed the bull and cut it in pieces. Then he laid the pieces on top of the wood. Then he said, “Fill four large jars with water, and pour the water on top of the pieces of meat and the wood.” So they did that.
把木柴放好，將牛犢剖分成塊，放在木柴上，
34 Then he said, “Do the same thing again!” So they did it again. Then he said “Do it a third time!” So they did it again.
然後吩咐說：「盛滿四桶水，倒在全燔祭和木柴上! 」他們就這樣做了。他又吩咐說：「再倒一次! 」他們就再倒了一次；他再吩咐說：「倒第三次! 」他們就倒了第三次；
35 As a result, the water flowed down below the altar and filled the ditches.
水沿祭壇四周奔流，溝裏滿了水。
36 When it was time to offer the evening sacrifices, Elijah walked close [to the altar] and prayed. He said, “Yahweh, you who are the God that [our ancestors] Abraham and Isaac and Jacob [worshiped], prove today that you are the God whom the Israeli people [should worship], and prove that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all these things because you told me to do them.
到了要奉獻晚祭的時候，厄里亞先知走近前來說：「上主，亞巴郎、依撒格和以色列的天主，求你今天使人知道：你是以色列的天主，我是你的僕人，是奉你的命作這一切事。
37 Yahweh, answer me! Answer me in order that these people will know that you, Yahweh God, [have the power to do what you say that you will do], and that you have caused them to trust in [IDM] you again!”
上主，求你應允我，應允我! 使這人民知道你上主，是真天主，是你叫他們心回意轉。」
38 Immediately a fire from Yahweh flashed down from the sky. The fire burned up the pieces of meat, the wood, the stones, and the dirt [that was around the altar]. It even dried up all the water in the ditch!
於是上主的火降下，焚盡了全燔祭、柴木、石頭和塵土，也燒乾了溝中的水。
39 When the people saw that, they prostrated themselves on the ground and shouted, “Yahweh is God! Yahweh is God!”
全體人民見了，都俯伏在地說：「雅威是天主，雅威是天主!」
40 Then Elijah commanded them, “Seize all the prophets of Baal! Do not allow any of them to escape!” So the people seized all the prophets of Baal, and took them down the mountain to the Kishon Valley, and Elijah killed them all there.
厄里亞對民眾說：「你們捉住巴耳的先知，不要讓他們走脫一個! 」民眾立即捉住他們。厄里亞帶他們下到克雄小河旁，在那裏將他們全部殺掉。天降大雨
41 Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go and get something to eat and drink. [But do it quickly, because] it is soon going to rain very hard!”
厄里亞對阿哈布說：「你上去吃喝罷! 因為已聽到大雨的怒號聲。」
42 So Ahab [and his men] left to prepare a big meal. But Elijah went back up to the top of Carmel Mountain and prayed.
阿哈布就上去吃喝，厄里亞卻上了加爾默耳山頂，跪伏在地，將臉放在兩膝之間。
43 Then he said to his servant, “Go and look out toward the sea, [to see if there are any rain clouds.]” So his servant went and looked, [and came back] and said, “I do not see anything.” This happened six times.
以後，對自己的僕人說：「你上去，朝海那邊觀看! 」僕人就上去觀看，說：「什麼也沒有。」厄里亞說：「你來回觀看七次! 」他就去了七次。
44 But when the servant went the seventh time, he came back and said, “I saw a very small cloud above the sea. [As I extend my arm, ] the cloud is about the size of my hand/fist.” Then Elijah shouted to him, “Go and tell King Ahab to get his chariot ready and go home immediately! If he does not do that, the rain will stop him!”
第七次僕人說：「看，有一片雲彩，小得像手掌那麼大，從海上升起來了。」厄里亞說：「你上去告訴阿哈布說：快套車下去，免得被雨阻止! 」
45 Very soon the sky was full of black clouds. There was a strong wind, and then it began to rain very hard. Ahab got into his chariot and started to return to Jezreel [city].
轉瞬之間，天空因風雲變為昏黑，落下大雨；阿哈布上車去了依次勒耳。
46 Yahweh gave extra strength to Elijah. He tucked his cloak into his belt [in order to run fast], and he ran ahead of Ahab’s [chariot] all the way [17 miles/26 km.] to Jezreel.
上主的手臨於厄里亞身上，他就束上腰，跑在阿哈布前頭，直到依次勒耳的城門口。
