< Joshua 9 >

1 And whanne these thingis weren herd, alle the kyngis biyende Jordan, that lyueden in the hilly places, and in `the feeldi places, in the coostis of the see, and in the brynke of the greet see, and thei that dwellen bisidis Liban, Ethei, and Ammorrei, Cananei, and Feresey, Euey, and Jebusey,
約旦河西,住在山地和平原並沿大海一帶直到黎巴嫩山上的眾王子,即赫特人、阿摩黎人、客納罕人、堷黎齊人、希威人和耶步斯人,聽見了這些事,
2 weren gaderid togidere to fiyte ayens Josue and Israel, with o wille, and the same sentence.
聯合起來,同心協力對抗若蘇厄和以色人。
3 And thei that dwelten in Gabaon, herden alle thingis whiche Josue hadde do to Jerico, and to Hay; and thei thouyten felli,
基貝紅居民聽說若蘇厄對耶利哥和哈依所行的事,
4 and token to hem silf metis, and puttyden elde sackis on assis, and wyn botels brokun and sewid, and ful elde schoon,
便設詭許帶著行糧上路將一些舊布袋和破裂縫補的舊酒囊馱在驢上;
5 whiche weren sewid togidere with patchis, to `the schewyng of eldenesse; and thei weren clothid with elde clothis; also looues, whiche thei baren for lijflode in the weie, weren harde and brokun in to gobetis.
腳上穿著補過的破鞋,身上穿著襤褸的衣服;所帶的食物,又乾又碎,
6 And thei yeden to Josue, that dwellide thanne in tentis in Galgala; and thei seiden to hym, and to al Israel togidere, We comen fro a fer lond, and coueyten to make pees with you. And the men of Israel answeriden to hem,
來到基耳加耳營中見若蘇厄;對他和以色列人說:「我們是遠方來的,現在請你們與我們立約。」
7 and seiden, Lest perauenture ye dwellen in the lond, which is due to vs bi eritage, and we moun not make bond of pees with you.
以色列對這些希威人說:「你們也許是我們附近的居民,我們怎能同你們立約﹖」
8 And thei seiden to Josue, We ben thi seruauntis. To whiche Josue seide, What men ben ye, and fro whennus camen ye?
他們回答若蘇厄說:「我們是你的僕人。」若蘇厄問他們說:「你們是什麼人﹖是從那裏來的﹖」
9 Thei answeriden, Thi seruauntis camen fro a ful fer lond in the name of thi Lord God, for we herden the fame of his power, alle thingis whiche he dide in Egipt,
他們答說:「你的僕人是因為聽了上主你們天主的名聲,由極遠的地方來的,因為我們聽見人 談及衪的聲望,和衪在埃及所行的一切,
10 and to twei kyngis of Ammorreis biyendis Jordan; to Seon king of Esebon, and to Og kyng of Basan, that weren in Astroth.
以及衪對住在約旦河東的的兩阿摩黎王:即赫市朋王息紅和阿市塔洛特的巴商王敖格所行的一切。
11 And the eldere men and alle the dwelleris of oure lond seiden to vs, Take ye metis in youre hondis, for lengeste weie; and go ye to hem, and seie ye, We ben youre seruauntis; make ye boond of pees with vs.
為此,我們的長老和我們本地的居民,對我們說:你們手中拿些路用的食物,去迎接以色列人;對他們說:我們是你們的僕人,現在請你們與我們立約。
12 And we token hoote looues, whanne we yeden out of oure housis to come to you; now tho ben maad drye and brokun, for greet eldenesse;
看,這是我們的食物,我們從家中帶出來,要到你們這裏來的那天還熱,看,現在又乾又碎;
13 we filliden newe botels of wyn; now tho ben brokun and vndoon; the clothis and schoon, with whiche we ben clothid, and whiche we han `in the feet, ben brokun and almost wastid, fro the lengthe of lengere weie.
這就是我們的酒囊,才盛酒的時候還新,看,現在都破裂了;這是我們的衣服和鞋,為了路途遙遠,都穿爛了。」
14 Therfor `the sones of Israel token of the metis of hem, and thei axiden not `the mouth of the Lord.
以色列的首領便取了他們的行糧,並沒有請求上主的諭示;
15 And Josue made pees with hem. And whanne the boond of pees was maad, he bihiyte, that thei schulden not be slayn; and the princes of the multitude sworen to hem.
若蘇厄便與他們修好,與他們立了約,讓他們生存,會眾的首領也向他們起了誓。
16 Forsothe aftir thre daies of the boond of pees maad, thei herden, that thei dwelliden in nyy place, and that thei schulden be among hem.
但是,與他們立約後才過了三天,以色列人就聽說,他們是住在自己附近的居民。
17 And the sones of Israel mouyden tentis, and camen in the thridde dai in to the citees of hem, of whiche citees these ben the names; Gabaon, and Caphira, and Beroth, and Cariathiarym.
以色列子民於是動身,第三天便到了他們的城市:就是基貝紅、革非辣、貝洛特和克黎雅特耶阿陵。
18 And thei smytiden not hem, for the princis of the multitude hadden swore to hem in the name of the Lord God of Israel. Therfor al the comyn puple grutchide ayens the princis of Israel;
但以色列子民沒有擊殺他們,因為會眾的首領指著上主,以色列的天主,對他們起過誓;但全會眾對他們的首領不滿。
19 whiche answeriden to hem, We sworen to hem in the name of the Lord God of Israel, and therfor we moun not touche hem;
眾首領對全會眾說:「我們既已指著上主以色列的天主對他們起誓,那麼我們決不能加害他們,
20 but we schulen do this thing to hem, sotheli be thei reserued that thei lyue, lest the ire of the Lord be stirid ayens vs, if we forsweren to hem;
只有這樣做,就是讓他們生存下去,免得因我們對他們所起的誓,為我們招來上主的義怒。」
21 but so lyue thei, that thei hewe trees, and bere watris, in to the vsis of al the multitude. And while thei spaken these thingis,
首領又對民眾說:「讓他們生存下去,但他們應為全會眾劈柴挑水。」全會眾便遵照首領的話而行。
22 Josue clepide Gabonytis, and seide to hem, Whi wolden ye disseyue vs bi fraude, `that ye seiden, We dwellen ful fer fro you, sithen ye ben in the myddis of vs?
若蘇厄將基貝紅人召來,對他們說:「你們為什麼欺騙我們說:我們離你們很遠,其實你們就住在我們附近﹖
23 Therfor ye schulen be `vndur cursyng, and noon schal faile of youre generacioun, hewynge trees and berynge watris, in to the hows of my God.
從此你們應受詛咒,你們中間,決不斷有人在我天主的殿內,做劈柴挑水的勞役。」
24 Whiche answeryden, It was told to vs thi seruauntis, that thi Lord God bihiyte to Moises, his seruaunt, that he schulde bitake to you al the lond, and schulde leese alle the dwelleris therof; therfor we dredden greetli, and purueiden to oure lyues, and weren compellid bi youre drede, and we token this counsel.
他們回答若蘇厄說:「你的僕人確實聽說:上主你的天主,曾吩咐衪的僕人梅瑟,要把這整塊土地賜給你們,並在你們面前,將這地方上的一切居民消滅;我們見你們前來,我們實在為我們的生命擔憂,所以才做了這事。
25 `Now forsothe we ben in `thin hond; do thou to vs that, that semeth riytful and good to thee.
現在,我們都在你手裏,你以為怎樣好,怎樣對,就怎樣對待我們吧! 」
26 Therfor Josue dide, as he seide, and delyuerede hem fro the hondis of the sones of Israel, that thei schulden not be slayn.
若蘇厄就這樣對待了他們:將他們由以色列人手中救出,不讓人加害他們。
27 And in that dai Josue demyde hem to be in to the seruyce of al the puple, and of the auter of the Lord, and to hewe trees, and to bere watris, `til in to present tyme, in the place which the Lord hadde chose.
當天就派定他們在上主選定的地方,為會眾,為上主的祭壇,劈柴挑水,直到今日。

< Joshua 9 >