1 Samuel 25

1 When Samuel died, all Israel gathered to mourn for him; and they buried him at his home in Ramah. Then David set out and went down to the Wilderness of Paran.

1 撒母耳死了，以色列眾人聚集，為他哀哭，將他葬在拉瑪－他自己的墳墓 裏。 大衛起身，下到巴蘭的曠野。

2 Now there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. He was a very wealthy man with a thousand goats and three thousand sheep, which he was shearing in Carmel.

2 在瑪雲有一個人，他的產業在迦密，是一個大富戶，有三千綿羊，一千山羊；他正在迦密剪羊毛。

3 His name was Nabal, and his wife’s name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband, a Calebite, was harsh and evil in his dealings.

3 那人名叫拿八，是迦勒族的人；他的妻名叫亞比該，是聰明俊美的婦人。拿八為人剛愎凶惡。

4 While David was in the wilderness, he heard that Nabal was shearing sheep.

4 大衛在曠野聽見說拿八剪羊毛，

5 So David sent ten young men and instructed them, “Go up to Nabal at Carmel. Greet him in my name

5 大衛就打發十個僕人，吩咐他們說：「你們上迦密去見拿八，提我的名問他安。

6 and say to him, ‘Long life to you, and peace to you and to your house and to all that belongs to you.

6 要對那富戶如此說：『願你平安，願你家平安，願你一切所有的都平安。

7 Now I hear that it is time for shearing. When your shepherds were with us, we did not harass them, and nothing of theirs was missing the whole time they were in Carmel.

7 現在我聽說有人為你剪羊毛，你的牧人在迦密的時候和我們在一處，我們沒有欺負他們，他們也未曾失落甚麼。

8 Ask your young men, and they will tell you. So let my young men find favor with you, for we have come on the day of a feast. Please give whatever you can spare to your servants and to your son David.’”

8 可以問你的僕人，他們必告訴你。所以願我的僕人在你眼前蒙恩，因為是在好日子來的。求你隨手取點賜與僕人和你兒子大衛。』」

9 When David’s young men arrived, they relayed all these words to Nabal on behalf of David. Then they waited.

9 大衛的僕人到了，將這話提大衛的名都告訴了拿八，就住了口。

10 But Nabal asked them, “Who is David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants these days are breaking away from their masters.

10 拿八回答大衛的僕人說：「大衛是誰？耶西的兒子是誰？近來悖逆主人奔逃的僕人甚多，

11 Why should I take my bread and water and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give them to these men whose origin I do not know?”

11 我豈可將飲食和為我剪羊毛人所宰的肉給我不知道從哪裏來的人呢？」

12 So David’s men turned around and went back, and they relayed to him all these words.

12 大衛的僕人就轉身從原路回去，照這話告訴大衛。

13 And David said to his men, “Strap on your swords!” So David and all his men strapped on their swords, and about four hundred men followed David, while two hundred stayed with the supplies.

13 大衛向跟隨他的人說：「你們各人都要帶上刀！」眾人就都帶上刀，大衛也帶上刀。跟隨大衛上去的約有四百人，留下二百人看守器具。

14 Meanwhile, one of Nabal’s young men informed Nabal’s wife Abigail, “Look, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master, but he screamed at them.

14 有拿八的一個僕人告訴拿八的妻亞比該說：「大衛從曠野打發使者來問我主人的安，主人卻辱罵他們。

15 Yet these men were very good to us. When we were in the field, we were not harassed, and nothing of ours went missing the whole time we lived among them.

15 但是那些人待我們甚好；我們在田野與他們來往的時候，沒有受他們的欺負，也未曾失落甚麼。

16 They were a wall around us, both day and night, the whole time we were herding our sheep near them.

16 我們在他們那裏牧羊的時候，他們晝夜作我們的保障。

17 Now consider carefully what you must do, because disaster looms over our master and all his household. For he is such a scoundrel that nobody can speak to him!”

17 所以你當籌劃，看怎樣行才好；不然，禍患定要臨到我主人和他全家。他性情凶暴，無人敢與他說話。」

18 Then Abigail hurried and took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five butchered sheep, five seahs of roasted grain, a hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs. She loaded them on donkeys

18 亞比該急忙將二百餅，兩皮袋酒，五隻收拾好了的羊，五細亞烘好了的穗子，一百葡萄餅，二百無花果餅，都馱在驢上，

19 and said to her young men, “Go ahead of me. I will be right behind you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal.

19 對僕人說：「你們前頭走，我隨着你們去。」這事她卻沒有告訴丈夫拿八。

20 As Abigail came riding her donkey into a mountain ravine, she saw David and his men coming down toward her, and she met them.

20 亞比該騎着驢，正下山坡，見大衛和跟隨他的人從對面下來，亞比該就迎接他們。

21 Now David had just said, “In vain I have protected all that belonged to this man in the wilderness. Nothing that belongs to him has gone missing, yet he has paid me back evil for good.

21 大衛曾說：「我在曠野為那人看守所有的，以致他一樣不失落，實在是徒然了！他向我以惡報善。

22 May God punish David, and ever so severely, if I let one male belonging to Nabal survive until morning.”

22 凡屬拿八的男丁，我若留一個到明日早晨，願上帝重重降罰與我！」

23 When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off the donkey, fell facedown, and bowed before him.

23 亞比該見大衛，便急忙下驢，在大衛面前臉伏於地叩拜，

24 She fell at his feet and said, “My lord, may the blame be on me alone, but please let your servant speak to you; hear the words of your servant.

24 俯伏在大衛的腳前，說：「我主啊，願這罪歸我！求你容婢女向你進言，更求你聽婢女的話。

25 My lord should pay no attention to this scoundrel Nabal, for he lives up to his name: His name means Fool, and folly accompanies him. I, your servant, did not see my lord’s young men whom you sent.

25 我主不要理這壞人拿八，他的性情與他的名相稱；他名叫拿八 ，他為人果然愚頑。但我主所打發的僕人，婢女並沒有看見。

26 Now, my lord, as surely as the LORD lives and you yourself live, since the LORD has held you back from bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hand, may your enemies and those who seek harm for my lord be like Nabal.

26 我主啊，耶和華既然阻止你親手報仇，取流血的罪，所以我指着永生的耶和華、又敢在你面前起誓說：『願你的仇敵和謀害你的人都像拿八一樣。』

27 Now let this gift your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow you.

27 如今求你將婢女送來的禮物給跟隨你的僕人。

28 Please forgive your servant’s offense, for the LORD will surely make a lasting dynasty for my lord, because he fights the LORD’s battles. May no evil be found in you as long as you live.

28 求你饒恕婢女的罪過。耶和華必為我主建立堅固的家，因我主為耶和華爭戰；並且在你平生的日子查不出有甚麼過來。

29 And should someone pursue you and seek your life, then the life of my lord will be bound securely by the LORD your God in the bundle of the living. But He shall fling away the lives of your enemies like stones from a sling.

29 雖有人起來追逼你，尋索你的性命，你的性命卻在耶和華－你的上帝那裏蒙保護，如包裹寶器一樣；你仇敵的性命，耶和華必拋去，如用機弦甩石一樣。

30 When the LORD has done for my lord all the good He promised, and when He has appointed you ruler over Israel,

30–31 我主現在若不親手報仇流無辜人的血，到了耶和華照所應許你的話賜福與你，立你作以色列的王，那時我主必不致心裏不安，覺得良心有虧。耶和華賜福與我主的時候，求你記念婢女。」

31 then my lord will have no remorse or guilt of conscience over needless bloodshed and revenge. And when the LORD has dealt well with my lord, may you remember your servant.”

32 Then David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who sent you to meet me this day!

32 大衛對亞比該說：「耶和華－以色列的上帝是應當稱頌的，因為他今日使你來迎接我。

33 Blessed is your discernment, and blessed are you, because today you kept me from bloodshed and from avenging myself by my own hand.

33 你和你的見識也當稱讚；因為你今日攔阻我親手報仇、流人的血。

34 Otherwise, as surely as the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, who has restrained me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, then surely no male belonging to Nabal would have been left alive by morning light.”

34 我指着阻止我加害於你的耶和華－以色列永生的上帝起誓，你若不速速地來迎接我，到明日早晨，凡屬拿八的男丁必定不留一個。」

35 Then David accepted from her hand what she had brought him, and he said to her, “Go home in peace. See, I have heeded your voice and granted your request.”

35 大衛受了亞比該送來的禮物，就對她說：「我聽了你的話，准了你的情面，你可以平平安安地回家吧！」

36 When Abigail returned to Nabal, there he was in the house, holding a feast fit for a king, in high spirits and very drunk. So she told him nothing until morning light.

36 亞比該到拿八那裏，見他在家裏設擺筵席，如同王的筵席；拿八快樂大醉。亞比該無論大小事都沒有告訴他，就等到次日早晨。

37 In the morning when Nabal was sober, his wife told him about these events, and his heart failed within him, and he became like a stone.

37 到了早晨，拿八醒了酒，他的妻將這些事都告訴他，他就魂不附體，身僵如石頭一般。

38 About ten days later, the LORD struck Nabal dead.

38 過了十天，耶和華擊打拿八，他就死了。

39 On hearing that Nabal was dead, David said, “Blessed be the LORD, who has upheld my cause against the reproach of Nabal and has restrained His servant from evil. For the LORD has brought the wickedness of Nabal down upon his own head.” Then David sent word to Abigail, asking her to become his wife.

39 大衛聽見拿八死了，就說：「應當稱頌耶和華，因他伸了拿八羞辱我的冤，又阻止僕人行惡；也使拿八的惡歸到拿八的頭上。」於是大衛打發人去，與亞比該說，要娶她為妻。

40 When his servants came to Abigail at Carmel, they said, “David has sent us to take you as his wife.”

40 大衛的僕人到了迦密見亞比該，對她說：「大衛打發我們來見你，想要娶你為妻。」

41 She arose, bowed facedown, and said, “Here is your servant, ready to serve and to wash the feet of my lord’s servants.”

41 亞比該就起來，俯伏在地，說：「我情願作婢女，洗我主僕人的腳。」

42 So Abigail hurried and got on a donkey, and attended by five of her maidens, she followed David’s messengers and became his wife.

42 亞比該立刻起身，騎上驢，帶着五個使女，跟從大衛的使者去了，就作了大衛的妻。

43 David had also married Ahinoam of Jezreel. So she and Abigail were both his wives.

43 大衛先娶了耶斯列人亞希暖，她們二人都作了他的妻。

44 But Saul had given his daughter Michal, David’s wife, to Palti son of Laish, who was from Gallim.

44 掃羅已將他的女兒米甲，就是大衛的妻，給了迦琳人拉億的兒子帕提為妻。