| 撒慕爾紀上 |
1 Samuel |
| 1撒慕爾拿出油具，把油倒在他頭上，口吻他說：「不是上主給你傅油，立你作他百姓以色列的首領嗎？是你要統治上主的百姓，從四周的仇人手中解救百姓。這是上主給你傅油立你為自己產業首領的先兆： |
1Then, from a flask he had with him, Samuel poured oil on Saul's head; he also kissed him, saying: "The LORD anoints you commander over his heritage. You are to govern the LORD'S people Israel, and to save them from the grasp of their enemies round about. "This will be the sign for you that the LORD has anointed you commander over his heritage: |
| 2今天你離開我以後，在本雅明邊境辣黑耳的墓旁，正午你會遇見兩個人，他們要對你說：你去找的那些母驢，已找到了。為母驢的事，你父親早已忘懷，現在他卻為你們着急說：為我的兒子我該怎麼辦？」 |
2 When you leave me today, you will meet two men near Rachel's tomb at Zelzah in the territory of Benjamin, who will say to you, 'The asses you went to look for have been found. Your father is no longer worried about the asses, but is anxious about you and says, What shall I do about my son?' |
| 3你從那裏再往前走，來到德波辣的橡樹旁時，要遇見三個上貝特耳去敬禮天主的人：一人牽着三隻小山羊，一人拿着三張餅，一人帶着一皮囊酒。 |
3Farther on, when you arrive at the terebinth of Tabor, you will be met by three men going up to God at Bethel; one will be bringing three kids, another three loaves of bread, and the third a skin of wine. |
| 4他們要向你請安，給你兩張餅，你要從他們手中接過來。 |
4They will greet you and offer you two wave offerings of bread, which you will take from them. |
| 5此後，你要往天主的基貝亞去──在那裏駐有培肋舍特人的官吏──你一進城，就會遇見一群正從高丘下來的先知，在他們前面有彈弦的、有打鼓的、有吹笛的、有彈琴的，他們正在出神說妙語。 |
5 After that you will come to Gibeath-elohim, where there is a garrison of the Philistines. As you enter that city, you will meet a band of prophets, in a prophetic state, coming down from the high place preceded by lyres, tambourines, flutes and harps. |
| 6這時，上主的神會突然降在你身上，你也要同他們一起出神說妙語；你要變成另一個人。 |
6The spirit of the LORD will rush upon you, and you will join them in their prophetic state and will be changed into another man. |
| 7當你遇見這些現象時，你應見機行事，因為天主必與你同在。 |
7When you see these signs fulfilled, do whatever you judge feasible, because God is with you. |
| 8你要在我以先下到基耳加耳去；我要下到你那裏去奉獻全燔祭，宰殺和平祭犧牲。你要等候七天，直到我到了你那裏，告訴你當作的事。」 |
8 Now go down ahead of me to Gilgal, for I shall come down to you, to offer holocausts and to sacrifice peace offerings. Wait seven days until I come to you; I shall then tell you what you must do." |
| 9當他轉身離開撒慕爾時，天主就改變了他的心，那一切先兆在當天都實現了。 |
9As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God gave him another heart. That very day all these signs came to pass. . . . |
| 10他從那裏來到基貝亞時，果然有一群先知迎面而來，天主的神突然降在他身上，他就在他們中間出神說起妙語來。 |
10 When they were going from there to Gibeah, a band of prophets met him, and the spirit of God rushed upon him, so that he joined them in their prophetic state. |
| 11凡先前認識他的人，見他同先知們一起出神說妙語，就彼此說：「克士的兒子遭遇了什麼事？怎麼，連撒烏耳也列在先知之中？」 |
11When all who had known him previously saw him in a prophetic state among the prophets, they said to one another, "What has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?" |
| 12他們中有人回答說：「他們的父親是誰？」因此有一句俗話說：「怎麼，連撒烏耳也列在先知中嗎？」 |
12And someone from that district added, "And who is their father?" Thus the proverb arose, "Is Saul also among the prophets?" |
| 13他說完妙語後，就回了家。 |
13When he came out of the prophetic state, he went home. |
| 14撒烏耳的一個叔父問他和他的僕人說：「你們往那裏去了？」撒烏耳回答說：「找母驢去了；我們看沒法找着，就到了撒慕爾那裏。」 |
14Saul's uncle inquired of him and his servant, "Where have you been?" Saul replied, "To look for the asses. When we could not find them, we went to Samuel." |
| 15撒烏耳的叔父向他說：「請你告訴我，撒慕爾給你說了些什麼？」 |
15Then Saul's uncle said, "Tell me, then, what Samuel said to you." |
| 16撒烏耳回答他叔父說：「他告訴我們，母驢的確已經找到了。」但撒慕爾所說有關立君王的話，撒烏耳卻沒有告訴他。 |
16Saul said to his uncle, "He assured us that the asses had been found." But he mentioned nothing to him of what Samuel had said about the kingship. |
| 17撒慕爾召集人民來到米茲帕上主面前， |
17Samuel called the people together to the LORD at Mizpah |
| 18對以色列子民說：「上主以色列的天主這樣說：是我領以色列出離了埃及，從埃及人和一切壓迫你們的國家中拯救了你們。 |
18and addressed the Israelites: "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'It was I who brought Israel up from Egypt and delivered you from the power of the Egyptians and from the power of all the kingdoms that oppressed you.' |
| 19然而今天你們拋棄了你們的天主，雖然他從你們一切災難和壓迫中解救了你們，你們卻說：不，你該給我們立一位君王！現今你們要按照你們的支派和家族到上主面前來。」 |
19But today you have rejected your God, who delivers you from all your evils and calamities, by saying to him, 'Not so, but you must appoint a king over us.' Now, therefore, take your stand before the LORD according to tribes and families." |
| 20撒慕爾就叫以色列眾支派上前來，本雅明支派中了籤； |
20So Samuel had all the tribes of Israel come forward, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen. |
| 21他叫本雅明支派按照家族上前來，瑪特黎家族中了籤，他叫瑪特黎家族各個男子上前來，克士的兒子撒烏耳中了籤，大家便尋找他，卻沒有找着。 |
21Next he had the tribe of Benjamin come forward in clans, and the clan of Matri was chosen, and finally Saul, son of Kish, was chosen. But they looked for him in vain. |
| 22他們再求問上主說：「這人到這裏來了沒有？」上主回答說：「看，他隱藏在行李中。」 |
22Again they consulted the LORD, "Has he come here?" The LORD answered, "He is hiding among the baggage." |
| 23人們就趕快去將他從那裏請出來，他站在百姓當中，高出眾人一肩。 |
23They ran to bring him from there; and when he stood among the people, he was head and shoulders above all the crowd. |
| 24撒慕爾就向民眾說：「你們看了上主所揀選的嗎？在全人民中，沒有一人可與他相比。」眾百姓就歡呼說：「君王萬歲！」 |
24Samuel said to all the people, "Do you see the man whom the LORD has chosen? There is none like him among all the people!" Then all the people shouted, "Long live the king!" |
| 25撒慕爾向民眾說明了君王的權利，並寫在書卷上，放在上主面前。然後撒慕爾打發民眾各自回了家。 |
25 Samuel next explained to the people the law of royalty and wrote it in a book, which he placed in the presence of the LORD. This done, Samuel dismissed the people, each to his own place. |
| 26撒烏耳也回基貝亞本家去了；有些為天主所感動的勇士也跟他去了， |
26Saul also went home to Gibeah, accompanied by warriors whose hearts the LORD had touched. |
| 27但有些無賴漢卻說：「這人怎能拯救我們？」就看不起他，也未給他送禮。 |
27But certain worthless men said, "How can this fellow save us?" They despised him and brought him no present. |
