若蘇厄書:Chapter 2

若蘇厄書:Chapter 2

若蘇厄書	Joshua
¹農的兒子若蘇厄由史廷暗中派出兩個人作偵探說：「你們去察看那地和耶里哥！」他們就去了，來到一個名叫辣哈布的妓女家中，就住在那裏。	¹ Then Joshua, son of Nun, secretly sent out two spies from Shittim, saying, "Go, reconnoiter the land and Jericho." When the two reached Jericho, they went into the house of a harlot named Rahab, where they lodged.
²有人報告耶里哥王說：「夜間有兩個以色列人到了這裏，偵探這地方。」	²But a report was brought to the king of Jericho that some Israelites had come there that night to spy out the land.
³耶里哥王遂派人到辣哈布那裏說：「將那來到你家中的兩個人交出來，因為他們是來偵探這地方的。」	³So the king of Jericho sent Rahab the order, "Put out the visitors who have entered your house, for they have come to spy out the entire land."
⁴但是那女人預先將那兩個人藏起來，就這樣回答說：「那兩個人的確來過我這裏，但他們是從那裏來的，我卻不知道。	⁴The woman had taken the two men and hidden them, so she said, "True, the men you speak of came to me, but I did not know where they came from.
⁵天黑快關城門時，他們兩人出去了；往那裏去了，我也不知道。你們快去追趕，也許還可趕上他們。」	⁵At dark, when it was time for the gate to be shut, they left, and I do not know where they went. You will have to pursue them immediately to overtake them."
⁶原來她叫那兩個人上了屋頂，藏在她屋頂上堆積的麻稭內。	⁶ Now, she had led them to the roof, and hidden them among her stalks of flax spread out there.
⁷來問的人便沿着約但河，直向渡口去追趕；追趕的人一出去，城門就關了。	⁷But the pursuers set out along the way to the fords of the Jordan, and once they had left, the gate was shut.
⁸他們還沒有睡，那女人就上到屋頂，	⁸ Before the spies fell asleep, Rahab came to them on the roof
⁹對他們二人說：「我知道上主已將這地方交給了你們；你們真叫我們害怕，此地所有的居民，對你們都恐懼不已。	⁹and said: "I know that the LORD has given you the land, that a dread of you has come upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are overcome with fear of you.
¹⁰因為我們聽說，你們出埃及時，上主怎樣使紅海在你們面前乾涸；你們又怎樣對待了約但河東岸的兩個阿摩黎王，即息紅和敖格，將他們完全消滅。	¹⁰For we have heard how the LORD dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and how you dealt with Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites beyond the Jordan, whom you doomed to destruction.
¹¹我們聽了，心都冷了，沒有一人再有勇氣來對抗你們，因為上主你們的天主，就是上天下地的天主。	¹¹At these reports, we are disheartened; everyone is discouraged because of you, since the LORD, your God, is God in heaven above and on earth below.
¹²現在請你們指着上主對我起誓，我既然恩待了你們，你們也要恩待我的父家，請給我一個安全的保證，	¹²Now then, swear to me by the LORD that, since I am showing kindness to you, you in turn will show kindness to my family; and give me an unmistakable token
¹³使我的父母、兄弟、姊妹和他們所有的一切人，都能生存，救我們的性命免於死亡。」	¹³that you are to spare my father and mother, brothers and sisters, and all their kin, and save us from death."
¹⁴他們二人回答她說：「如果你不洩漏我們的約定，我們願拿性命為你們擔保；當上主將這地方交給我們時，我們必慈善忠厚地對待你。」	¹⁴"We pledge our lives for yours," the men answered her. "If you do not betray this errand of ours, we will be faithful in showing kindness to you when the LORD gives us the land."
¹⁵那女人於是用繩子將他們二人由窗戶縋下去，因為她的房屋是在城牆上，她也住在城牆上。	¹⁵ Then she let them down through the window with a rope; for she lived in a house built into the city wall.
¹⁶她又對他們說：「你們要往山中去，免得追趕的人遇見你們。你們在那裏躲藏三天，等追趕的人回來，然後再上道。」	¹⁶"Go up into the hill country," she suggested to them, "that your pursuers may not find you. Hide there for three days, until they return; then you may proceed on your way."
¹⁷他們二人對她說：「如果你不這樣作，你叫我們所起的誓，我們將不負責：	¹⁷The men answered her, "This is how we will fulfill the oath you made us take:
¹⁸就是當我們再到這地方時，你應將這根朱紅線繫在你縋下我們的窗戶上，並且叫你的父母、兄弟和你父親全家人口，都聚集在你這屋內。	¹⁸When we come into the land, tie this scarlet cord in the window through which you are letting us down; and gather your father and mother, your brothers and all your family into your house.
¹⁹誰若走出你的屋門，他的血應由他自己承當，我們不負責任；但凡同你在屋內的，如有人下手加害他，他的血將由我們承當。	¹⁹Should any of them pass outside the doors of your house, he will be responsible for his own death, and we shall be guiltless. But we shall be responsible if anyone in the house with you is harmed.
²⁰但是你若洩漏了我們的約定，那麼，你叫我們所起的誓，我們便不負責。」	²⁰If, however, you betray this errand of ours, we shall be quit of the oath you have made us take."
²¹她回答說：「就照你們說的做罷！」於是打發他們二人走了。他們走後，她遂把那根朱紅線繫在她的窗戶上。	²¹"Let it be as you say," she replied, and bade them farewell. When they were gone, she tied the scarlet cord in the window.
²²他們出去，到了山上，在那裏住了三天，直到追趕的人回去。追趕的人一路尋找他們，結果沒有找到。	²²They went up into the hills, where they stayed three days until their pursuers, who had sought them all along the road without finding them, returned.
²³他們二人轉身，由山上下來，渡過了約但河，回到農的兒子若蘇厄那裏，將他們所遇見的事，一一報告給他。	²³Then the two came back down from the hills, crossed the Jordan to Joshua, son of Nun, and reported all that had befallen them.
²⁴他們對若蘇厄說：「上主實在已將那整個地域交在我們手中，因為那地方的居民對我們都十分恐懼。」	²⁴They assured Joshua, "The LORD has delivered all this land into our power; indeed, all the inhabitants of the land are overcome with fear of us."