Joshua 23
1 Yahweh enabled the Israelis to live peacefully [for many years] with the people-groups that were around them.
耶和華使以色列人安靜，不與四圍的一切仇敵爭戰，已經多日。約書亞年紀老邁，
2 Joshua was now very old. [One day] he summoned the leaders of the tribes of Israel, the leaders of the clans, the judges, and [other] officials. He said to them, “I am now very old.
就把以色列眾人的長老、族長、審判官，並官長都召了來，對他們說：「我年紀已經老邁。
3 You people have seen what Yahweh our God has done to help you defeat the people-groups [that lived in this land]. Yahweh our God has fought for you.
耶和華－你們的上帝因你們的緣故向那些國所行的一切事，你們親眼看見了，因那為你們爭戰的是耶和華－你們的上帝。
4 But do not forget that he has given to you all this land, from the Jordan [River in the east] to the Mediterranean Sea in the west, all this land that I have allotted to you.
我所剪除和所剩下的各國，從約旦河起到日落之處的大海，我已經拈鬮分給你們各支派為業。
5 Yahweh our God will compel the people who are still living there to leave. He will push them out as you advance. Then the land will be yours, as Yahweh has promised you.
耶和華－你們的上帝必將他們從你們面前趕出去，使他們離開你們，你們就必得他們的地為業，正如耶和華－你們的上帝所應許的。
6 “Be sure that you obey all the laws that are in the book that Moses wrote. Do not disobey any part of it [IDM].
所以，你們要大大壯膽，謹守遵行寫在摩西律法書上的一切話，不可偏離左右。
7 Do not associate with the people who live among us [who are not Israelis and who worship other gods]. Do not mention the names of their gods, and do not use the names of their gods when you promise to do something. Do not serve their gods or worship them.
不可與你們中間所剩下的這些國民攙雜。他們的神，你們不可提他的名，不可指着他起誓，也不可事奉、叩拜；
8 You must continue to do what Yahweh our God wants us to do, as you have been doing.
只要照着你們到今日所行的，專靠耶和華－你們的上帝。
9 “Yahweh has forced [many] very powerful people-groups to leave as you advanced. No people-group has been able to defeat you.
因為耶和華已經把又大又強的國民從你們面前趕出；直到今日，沒有一人在你們面前站立得住。
10 Each of you will be able to cause 1,000 of them to run away, because Yahweh your God will fight for you, just like he promised to do.
你們一人必追趕千人，因耶和華－你們的上帝照他所應許的，為你們爭戰。
11 So be sure that you continue to love Yahweh our God.
你們要分外謹慎，愛耶和華－你們的上帝。
12 “If you turn away from doing what Yahweh desires and you associate with the people who are not Israelis, and if you marry them,
你們若稍微轉去，與你們中間所剩下的這些國民聯絡，彼此結親，互相往來，
13 then you can be sure that Yahweh our God will not help you to expel those people-groups from your land. They will be [like] traps [DOU, MET] [that will catch you]. They will be [like] whips [that strike] your backs, and like thorns [that will scratch] your eyes. As a result, none of you will be left in this good land that Yahweh our God is giving to you.
你們要確實知道，耶和華－你們的上帝必不再將他們從你們眼前趕出；他們卻要成為你們的網羅、機檻、肋上的鞭、眼中的刺，直到你們在耶和華－你們上帝所賜的這美地上滅亡。
14 “It is almost time for me to die, like everyone does [EUP]. You know in your hearts [DOU] that Yahweh has done for you [LIT] everything that he promised to do.
「我現在要走世人必走的路。你們是一心一意地知道，耶和華－你們上帝所應許賜福與你們的話沒有一句落空，都應驗在你們身上了。
15 He has given to you all the good things that he promised. In the same way, the other things that he promised, [things that are not good], will also happen. He said that if you do what is evil, he will get rid of you and send you away from this good land that he has given to you.
耶和華－你們上帝所應許的一切福氣怎樣臨到你們身上，耶和華也必照樣使各樣禍患臨到你們身上，直到把你們從耶和華－你們上帝所賜的這美地上除滅。
16 That will happen if you do not obey the commands that Yahweh our God told you to obey. If you serve other gods and worship them, Yahweh will become very angry with you. Very quickly [he will expel you from] this good land that he has given to you, [and] none of you will be left here.”
你們若違背耶和華－你們上帝吩咐你們所守的約，去事奉別神，叩拜他，耶和華的怒氣必向你們發作，使你們在他所賜的美地上速速滅亡。」
