2 Samuel 18

1 Then David reviewed his troops and appointed over them commanders of thousands and of hundreds.

1 大衛數點跟隨他的人，立千夫長、百夫長率領他們。

2 He sent out the troops, a third under Joab, a third under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the troops, “I will surely march out with you as well.”

2 大衛打發軍兵出戰，分為三隊：一隊在約押手下，一隊在洗魯雅的兒子、約押兄弟亞比篩手下，一隊在迦特人以太手下。大衛對軍兵說：「我必與你們一同出戰。」

3 But the people pleaded, “You must not go out! For if we have to flee, they will not care about us. Even if half of us die, they will not care. But you are worth ten thousand of us. It is better now if you support us from the city.”

3 軍兵卻說：「你不可出戰。若是我們逃跑，敵人必不介意；我們陣亡一半，敵人也不介意。因為你一人強似我們萬人，你不如在城裏預備幫助我們。」

4 “I will do whatever seems best to you,” the king replied. So he stood beside the gate, while all the troops marched out by hundreds and by thousands.

4 王向他們說：「你們以為怎樣好，我就怎樣行。」於是王站在城門旁，軍兵或百或千地挨次出去了。

5 Now the king had commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, “Treat the young man Absalom gently for my sake.” And all the people heard the king’s orders to each of the commanders regarding Absalom.

5 王囑咐約押、亞比篩、以太說：「你們要為我的緣故寬待那少年人押沙龍。」王為押沙龍囑咐眾將的話，兵都聽見了。

6 So David’s army marched into the field to engage Israel, and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim.

6 兵就出到田野迎着以色列人，在以法蓮樹林裏交戰。

7 There the people of Israel were defeated by David’s servants, and the slaughter was great that day—twenty thousand men.

7 以色列人敗在大衛的僕人面前；那日陣亡的甚多，共有二萬人。

8 The battle spread over the whole countryside, and that day the forest devoured more people than the sword.

8 因為在那裏四面打仗，死於樹林的比死於刀劍的更多。

9 Now Absalom was riding on his mule when he met the servants of David, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom’s head was caught fast in the tree. The mule under him kept going, so that he was suspended in midair.

9 押沙龍偶然遇見大衛的僕人。押沙龍騎着騾子，從大橡樹密枝底下經過，他的頭髮被樹枝繞住，就懸掛起來，所騎的騾子便離他去了。

10 When one of the men saw this, he told Joab, “I just saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree!”

10 有個人看見，就告訴約押說：「我看見押沙龍掛在橡樹上了。」

11 “You just saw him!” Joab exclaimed. “Why did you not strike him to the ground right there? I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a warrior’s belt!”

11 約押對報信的人說：「你既看見他，為甚麼不將他打死落在地上呢？你若打死他，我就賞你十舍客勒銀子，一條帶子。」

12 The man replied, “Even if a thousand shekels of silver were weighed out into my hands, I would not raise my hand against the son of the king. For we heard the king command you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘Protect the young man Absalom for my sake.’

12 那人對約押說：「我就是得你一千舍客勒銀子，我也不敢伸手害王的兒子；因為我們聽見王囑咐你和亞比篩並以太說：『你們要謹慎，不可害那少年人押沙龍。』

13 If I had jeopardized my own life—and nothing is hidden from the king—you would have abandoned me.”

13 我若妄為害了他的性命，就是你自己也必與我為敵（原來，無論何事都瞞不過王。）」

14 But Joab declared, “I am not going to wait like this with you!” And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the oak tree.

14 約押說：「我不能與你留連。」約押手拿三杆短槍，趁押沙龍在橡樹上還活着，就刺透他的心。

15 And ten young men who carried Joab’s armor surrounded Absalom, struck him, and killed him.

15 給約押拿兵器的十個少年人圍繞押沙龍，將他殺死。

16 Then Joab blew the ram’s horn, and the troops broke off their pursuit of Israel because Joab had restrained them.

16 約押吹角，攔阻眾人，他們就回來，不再追趕以色列人。

17 They took Absalom, cast him into a large pit in the forest, and piled a huge mound of stones over him. Meanwhile, all the Israelites fled, each to his home.

17 他們將押沙龍丟在林中一個大坑裏，上頭堆起一大堆石頭。以色列眾人都逃跑，各回各家去了。

18 During his lifetime, Absalom had set up for himself a pillar in the King’s Valley, for he had said, “I have no son to preserve the memory of my name.” So he gave the pillar his name, and to this day it is called Absalom’s Monument.

18 押沙龍活着的時候，在王谷立了一根石柱，因他說：「我沒有兒子為我留名。」他就以自己的名稱那石柱叫押沙龍柱，直到今日。

19 Then Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, “Please let me run and tell the king the good news that the LORD has avenged him of his enemies.”

19 撒督的兒子亞希瑪斯說：「容我跑去，將耶和華向仇敵給王報仇的信息報與王知。」

20 But Joab replied, “You are not the man to take good news today. You may do it another day, but you must not do so today, because the king’s son is dead.”

20 約押對他說：「你今日不可去報信，改日可以報信；因為今日王的兒子死了，所以你不可去報信。」

21 So Joab said to a Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed to Joab and took off running.

21 約押對古示人說：「你去將你所看見的告訴王。」古示人在約押面前下拜，就跑去了。

22 Ahimaaz son of Zadok, however, persisted and said to Joab, “No matter what, please let me also run behind the Cushite!” “My son,” Joab replied, “why do you want to run, since you will not receive a reward?”

22 撒督的兒子亞希瑪斯又對約押說：「無論怎樣，求你容我隨着古示人跑去。」約押說：「我兒，你報這信息，既不得賞賜，何必要跑去呢？」

23 “No matter what, I want to run!” he replied. “Then run!” Joab told him. So Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and outran the Cushite.

23 他又說：「無論怎樣，我要跑去。」約押說：「你跑去吧！」亞希瑪斯就從平原往前跑，跑過古示人去了。

24 Now David was sitting between the two gates when the watchman went up to the roof of the gateway by the wall, looked out, and saw a man running alone.

24 大衛正坐在城甕裏。守望的人上城門樓的頂上，舉目觀看，見有一個人獨自跑來。

25 So he called out and told the king. “If he is alone,” the king replied, “he bears good news.” As the first runner drew near,

25 守望的人就大聲告訴王。王說：「他若獨自來，必是報口信的。」那人跑得漸漸近了。

26 the watchman saw another man running, and he called out to the gatekeeper, “Look! Another man is running alone!” “This one also brings good news,” said the king.

26 守望的人又見一人跑來，就對守城門的人說：「又有一人獨自跑來。」王說：「這也必是報信的。」

27 The watchman said, “The first man appears to me to be running like Ahimaaz son of Zadok.” “This is a good man,” said the king. “He comes with good news.”

27 守望的人說：「我看前頭人的跑法，好像撒督的兒子亞希瑪斯的跑法一樣。」王說：「他是個好人，必是報好信息。」

28 Then Ahimaaz called out to the king, “All is well!” And he bowed facedown before the king. He continued, “Blessed be the LORD your God! He has delivered up the men who raised their hands against my lord the king.”

28 亞希瑪斯向王呼叫說：「平安了！」就在王面前臉伏於地叩拜，說：「耶和華－你的上帝是應當稱頌的，因他已將那舉手攻擊我主我王的人交給王了。」

29 The king asked, “Is the young man Absalom all right?” And Ahimaaz replied, “When Joab sent the king’s servant and your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I do not know what it was.”

29 王問說：「少年人押沙龍平安不平安？」亞希瑪斯回答說：「約押打發王的僕人，那時僕人聽見眾民大聲喧嘩，卻不知道是甚麼事。」

30 “Move aside,” said the king, “and stand here.” So he stepped aside.

30 王說：「你退去，站在旁邊。」他就退去，站在旁邊。

31 Just then the Cushite came and said, “May my lord the king hear the good news: Today the LORD has avenged you of all who rose up against you!”

31 古示人也來到，說：「有信息報給我主我王！耶和華今日向一切興起攻擊你的人給你報仇了。」

32 The king asked the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom all right?” And the Cushite replied, “May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up against you to harm you be like that young man.”

32 王問古示人說：「少年人押沙龍平安不平安？」古示人回答說：「願我主我王的仇敵，和一切興起要殺害你的人，都與那少年人一樣。」

33 The king was shaken and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he walked, he cried out, “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”

33 王就心裏傷慟，上城門樓去哀哭，一面走一面說：「我兒押沙龍啊！我兒，我兒押沙龍啊！我恨不得替你死，押沙龍啊，我兒！我兒！」