| 撒慕爾紀上 |
1 Samuel |
| 1本雅明支派有個人名叫克士，他是阿彼耳的兒子，阿彼耳是責洛爾的兒子，責洛爾是貝苛辣特的兒子，貝苛辣特是阿非亞的兒子；這本雅明人是個英勇的戰士。 |
1There was a stalwart man from Benjamin named Kish, who was the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite. |
| 2他有個兒子名叫撒烏耳，魁梧英俊，在以色列人中沒有比他更俊美的，比所有的人高出一肩。 |
2He had a son named Saul, who was a handsome young man. There was no other Israelite handsomer than Saul; he stood head and shoulders above the people. |
| 3撒烏耳的父親克士有幾匹母驢，走迷了路，克士遂對兒子撒烏耳說：「你帶一個僕人，起身去尋找那些驢。」 |
3Now the asses of Saul's father, Kish, had wandered off. Kish said to his son Saul, "Take one of the servants with you and go out and hunt for the asses." |
| 4他們走過了厄弗辣因山地和沙里沙地方，卻沒有找着；又過了沙阿林地方，也沒有找到；最後經過耶米尼地方，也不見蹤影。 |
4Accordingly they went through the hill country of Ephraim, and through the land of Shalishah. Not finding them there, they continued through the land of Shaalim without success. They also went through the land of Benjamin, but they failed to find the animals. |
| 5當他們來到族弗地方時，撒烏耳對跟隨自己的僕人說：「我們回去罷！免得我父親不掛念驢，反而掛慮我們。」 |
5When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, "Come, let us turn back, lest my father forget about the asses and become anxious about us." |
| 6僕人回答他說：「請看，這城裏有一位天主的人，很受敬重；凡他說的，必定應驗；現在我們往那裏去，或許他會告訴我們應走的路。」 |
6The servant replied, "Listen! There is a man of God in this city, a man held in high esteem; all that he says is sure to come true. Let us go there now! Perhaps he can tell us how to accomplish our errand." |
| 7撒烏耳回答僕人說：「好！我們可以去，但是給那人送什麼呢？我們袋裏的乾糧已經用盡，沒有禮物可以送給天主的人了。我們還有什麼呢？」 |
7But Saul said to his servant, "If we go, what can we offer the man? There is no bread in our bags, and we have no present to give the man of God. What have we?" |
| 8僕人回答撒烏耳說：「看，我手裏還有四分之一『協刻耳』銀子，你可把它送給天主的人，請他把我們當走的路告訴我們。」 |
8 Again the servant answered Saul, "I have a quarter of a silver shekel. If I give that to the man of God, he will tell us our way." |
| 10撒烏耳對他的僕人說：「你說的對，來，我們去罷！」他們就往天主的人所住的城裏去了。 |
9 (In former times in Israel, anyone who went to consult God used to say, "Come, let us go to the seer." For he who is now called prophet was formerly called seer.) |
| 11當他們上那城的山坡時，遇見一些少女出來打水，就問她們說：「先見者在這裏嗎？」── |
10Saul then said to his servant, "Well said! Come on, let us go!" And they went to the city where the man of God lived. |
| 9過去在以色列，如果有人去求問天主，常說：「來，我們到先見者那裏去！」現今所稱的「先知」，就是從前稱的「先見者」── |
11As they were going up the ascent to the city, they met some girls coming out to draw water and inquired of them, "Is the seer in town?" |
| 12她們回答說：「是。看，先見者就在你們前面，剛剛進了城，因為今天百姓要在高丘上舉行祭獻。 |
12 The girls answered, "Yes, there--straight ahead. Hurry now; just today he came to the city, because the people have a sacrifice today on the high place. |
| 13你們進了城，在他上到高丘進食以前，一定會遇見他，因為人民在他來以前，不先吃什麼，因他要祝福犧牲，然後賓客纔進食。你們現在上去，立刻會遇見他。」 |
13When you enter the city, you may reach him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not eat until he arrives; only after he blesses the sacrifice will the invited guests eat. Go up immediately, for you should find him right now." |
| 14他們於是上到那城，剛進城門，看，撒慕爾就朝着他們出來，要上高丘去。 |
14So they went up to the city. As they entered it, Samuel was coming toward them on his way to the high place. |
| 15在撒烏耳來的前一日，上主曾啟示給撒慕爾說： |
15The day before Saul's arrival, the LORD had given Samuel the revelation: |
| 16「明日大約這時，我打發一個本雅明地方的人到你這裏來，你要給他傅油，立他當我民以色列的首領，他要從培肋舍特人手中拯救我的百姓，因我已看到我百姓的痛苦，他們的哀號已上達於我。」 |
16"At this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin whom you are to anoint as commander of my people Israel. He shall save my people from the clutches of the Philistines, for I have witnessed their misery and accepted their cry for help." |
| 17撒慕爾一看見撒烏耳，上主就提醒他說：「看，這就是我曾對你提及的那人，他要統治我的百姓。」 |
17When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the LORD assured him, "This is the man of whom I told you; he is to govern my people." |
| 18撒烏耳走到撒慕爾跟前，在城門洞中問他說：「請你告訴我，先見者的家在那裏？」 |
18Saul met Samuel in the gateway and said, "Please tell me where the seer lives." |
| 19撒慕爾回答撒烏耳說：「我就是先見者；請你在我以前上高丘去；你們今天要同我一起吃飯，明天早晨我打發你去，你心中所懷念的事，我會全告訴你。 |
19Samuel answered Saul: "I am the seer. Go up ahead of me to the high place and eat with me today. In the morning, before dismissing you, I will tell you whatever you wish. |
| 20至於三天以前你所失的母驢，不必擔心，都已找着了。此外，以色列所有的至寶是誰的呢？豈不是你和你父親全家的嗎？」 |
20As for the asses you lost three days ago, do not worry about them, for they have been found. Whom does Israel desire ardently if not you and your father's family?" |
| 21撒烏耳回答說：「我豈不是一個本雅明人，屬於以色列最小的一支派嗎？我的家族在本雅明家族中，不也是最小的嗎？你怎能向我說出這樣的話？」 |
21Saul replied: "Am I not a Benjaminite, of one of the smallest tribes of Israel, and is not my clan the least among the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why say such things to me?" |
| 22以後撒慕爾將撒烏耳和他的僕人領到餐廳內，叫他們坐在賓客的首位上，賓客約有三十人。 |
22Samuel then took Saul and his servant and brought them to the room, where he placed them at the head of the guests, of whom there were about thirty. |
| 23撒慕爾對廚師說：「將我交給你的那一份，即對你說：暫且留下的那一份，給我拿來。」 |
23He said to the cook, "Bring the portion I gave you and told you to put aside." |
| 24廚師遂把後腿和肥尾端上來，放在撒烏耳面前。撒慕爾對他說：「看，擺在你面前的，是預先特意保留的一份，請吃罷！因為特意為你保留下的，叫你好同賓客一起吃。」撒烏耳那天就同撒慕爾一起吃了飯。 |
24 So the cook took up the leg and what went with it, and placed it before Saul. Samuel said: "This is a reserved portion that has been set before you. Eat, for it was kept for you until your arrival; I explained that I was inviting some guests." Thus Saul dined with Samuel that day. |
| 25他們從高丘下到城裏，有人在露台上給撒烏耳舖好了臥榻， |
25When they came down from the high place into the city, a mattress was spread for Saul on the roof, |
| 26撒烏耳就睡在那裏。天一亮，撒慕爾就叫醒在露台上的撒烏耳，對他說：「起來，讓我送你走。」撒烏耳起來，他們二人，即他和撒慕爾，就往城外走； |
26and he slept there. At daybreak Samuel called to Saul on the roof, "Get up, and I will start you on your journey." Saul rose, and he and Samuel went outside the city together. |
| 27當他們下到城邊時，撒慕爾對撒烏耳說：「你吩咐僕人，叫他在我們前面先走，你暫且停留一會，我要把天主的話告訴你。」 |
27As they were approaching the edge of the town, Samuel said to Saul, "Tell the servant to go on ahead of us, but stay here yourself for the moment, that I may give you a message from God." |
