1 Kings 12

1 Then Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone there to make him king.

1 羅波安往示劍去；因為以色列人都到了示劍要立他作王。

2 When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard about this, he was still in Egypt where he had fled from King Solomon and had been living ever since.

2 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 So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and the whole assembly of Israel came to Rehoboam and said,

3 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 “Your father put a heavy yoke on us. But now you must lighten the burden of your father’s service and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”

4 「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 Rehoboam answered, “Go away for three days and then return to me.” So the people departed.

5 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 with the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. “How do you advise me to respond to these people?” he asked.

6 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 They replied, “If you will be a servant to these people and serve them this day, and if you will respond by speaking kind words to them, they will be your servants forever.”

7 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 Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders; instead, he consulted the young men who had grown up with him and served him.

8 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 He asked them, “What message do you advise that we send back to these people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke your father put on us’?”

9 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 The young men who had grown up with him replied, “This is how you should answer these people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you must make it lighter.’ This is what you should tell them: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist!

10 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 Whereas my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. Whereas my father scourged you with whips, I will scourge you with scorpions.’”

11 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 After three days, Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, since the king had said, “Come back to me on the third day.”

12 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. He rejected the advice of the elders

13 王用嚴厲的話回答百姓，不用老年人給他所出的主意，

14 and spoke to them as the young men had advised, saying, “Whereas my father made your yoke heavy, I will add to your yoke. Whereas my father scourged you with whips, I will scourge you with scorpions.”

14 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 So the king did not listen to the people, and indeed this turn of events was from the LORD, to fulfill the word He had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah the Shilonite.

15 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 When all Israel saw that the king had refused to listen to them, they answered the king: “What portion do we have in David, and what inheritance in the son of Jesse? To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, O David!” So the Israelites went home,

16 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 Rehoboam still reigned over the Israelites living in the cities of Judah.

17 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 out Adoram, who was in charge of the forced labor, but all Israel stoned him to death. And King Rehoboam mounted his chariot in haste and escaped to Jerusalem.

18 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 to this day Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David.

19 這樣，以色列人背叛大衛家，直到今日。

20 When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they summoned him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah followed the house of David.

20 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 arrived in Jerusalem, he mobilized the whole house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin—180,000 chosen warriors—to fight against the house of Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam son of Solomon.

21 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 But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God:

22 但上帝的話臨到神人示瑪雅，說：

23 “Tell Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah, all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and the rest of the people

23 「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 that this is what the LORD says: ‘You are not to go up and fight against your brothers, the Israelites. Each of you must return home, for this is My doing.’” So they listened to the word of the LORD and turned back according to the word of the LORD.

24 『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 lived there. And from there he went out and built Penuel.

25 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 Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom might revert to the house of David.

26 耶羅波安心裏說：「恐怕這國仍歸大衛家；

27 If these people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, their hearts will return to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah; then they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.”

27 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 After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves and said to the people, “Going up to Jerusalem is too much for you. Here, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.”

28 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 One calf he set up in Bethel, and the other in Dan.

29 他就把牛犢一隻安在伯特利，一隻安在但。

30 And this thing became a sin; the people walked as far as Dan to worship before one of the calves.

30 這事叫百姓陷在罪裏，因為他們往但去拜那牛犢。

31 Jeroboam also built shrines on the high places and appointed from every class of people priests who were not Levites.

31 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 ordained a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the feast that was in Judah, and he offered sacrifices on the altar; he made this offering in Bethel to sacrifice to the calves he had set up, and he installed priests in Bethel for the high places he had set up.

32 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 On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, a month of his own choosing, Jeroboam offered sacrifices on the altar he had set up in Bethel. So he ordained a feast for the Israelites, offered sacrifices on the altar, and burned incense.

33 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。