| 若蘇厄書 |
Joshua |
| 1約但河西，住在山地和平原，並沿大海一帶直到黎巴嫩山的眾王子，即赫特人、阿摩黎人、客納罕人、培黎齊人、希威人和耶步斯人，聽見了這些事， |
1When the news reached the kings west of the Jordan, in the mountain regions and in the foothills, and all along the coast of the Great Sea as far as Lebanon: Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, |
| 2就聯合起來，同心協力對抗若蘇厄和以色列人。 |
2they all formed an alliance to launch a common attack against Joshua and Israel. |
| 3基貝紅居民，聽說若蘇厄對耶里哥和哈依所行的事， |
3On learning what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, the inhabitants of Gibeon |
| 4便設詭計帶着行糧上路，將一些舊布袋和破裂縫補的舊酒囊馱在驢上； |
4put into effect a device of their own. They chose provisions for a journey, making use of old sacks for their asses, and old wineskins, torn and mended. |
| 5腳上穿着補過的破鞋，身上穿着襤褸的衣服；所帶的食物，又乾又碎， |
5They wore old, patched sandals and shabby garments; and all the bread they took was dry and crumbly. |
| 6來到基耳加耳營中見若蘇厄；對他和以色列人說：「我們是遠方來的，現在請你們與我們立約。」 |
6Thus they journeyed to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal, where they said to him and to the men of Israel, "We have come from a distant land to propose that you make an alliance with us." |
| 7以色列對這些希威人說：「你們也許是我們附近的居民，我們怎能同你們立約？」 |
7 But the men of Israel replied to the Hivites, "You may be living in land that is ours. How, then, can we make an alliance with you?" |
| 8他們回答若蘇厄說：「我們是你的僕人。」若蘇厄問他們說：「你們是什麼人？是從那裏來的？」 |
8But they answered Joshua, "We are your servants." Then Joshua asked them, "Who are you? Where do you come from?" |
| 9他們答說：「你的僕人們是因為聽了上主你們天主的名聲，由極遠的地方來的，因為我們聽見人談及他的聲望，和他在埃及所行的一切， |
9They answered him, "Your servants have come from a far-off land, because of the fame of the LORD, your God. For we have heard reports of all that he did in Egypt |
| 10以及他對住在約但河東的兩個阿摩黎王：即赫市朋王息紅和阿市塔洛特的巴商王敖格所行的一切。 |
10and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites beyond the Jordan, Sihon, king of Heshbon, and Og, king of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth. |
| 11為此，我們的長老和我們本地的居民，對我們說：你們手中帶些路上用的食物，去迎接以色列人；對他們說：我們是你們的僕人，現在請你們與我們立約。 |
11So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country said to us, 'Take along provisions for the journey and go to meet them. Say to them: We are your servants; we propose that you make an alliance with us.' |
| 12看這就是我們的食物，我們從家中帶出來，要到你們這裏來的那天還熱，看，現在又乾又碎； |
12This bread of ours was still warm when we brought it from home as provisions the day we left to come to you, but now it is dry and crumbled. |
| 13這就是我們的酒囊，纔盛酒的時候還新，看，現在都破裂了；這是我們的衣服和鞋，為了路途遙遠，都穿爛了。」 |
13Here are our wineskins, which were new when we filled them, but now they are torn. Look at our garments and sandals, which are worn out from the very long journey." |
| 14以色列的首領便取了些他們的行糧，並沒有請求上主的諭示； |
14Then the Israelite princes partook of their provisions, without seeking the advice of the LORD. |
| 15若蘇厄便與他們修好，與他們立了約，讓他們生存，會眾的首領也向他們起了誓。 |
15So Joshua made an alliance with them and entered into an agreement to spare them, which the princes of the community sealed with an oath. |
| 16但是，與他們立約後過了三天，以色列人就聽說，他們是住在自己附近的居民。 |
16Three days after the agreement was entered into, the Israelites learned that these people were from nearby, and would be living in Israel. |
| 17以色列子民於是動身，第三天便到了他們的城市：就是基貝紅、革非辣、貝洛特和克黎雅特耶阿陵。 |
17The third day on the road, the Israelites came to their cities of Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth and Kiriath-jearim, |
| 18但以色列子民沒有擊殺他們，因為會眾的首領指着上主，以色列的天主，對他們起過誓；但全會眾都對他們的首領不滿。 |
18but did not attack them, because the princes of the community had sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. When the entire community grumbled against the princes, |
| 19眾首領對全會眾說：「我們既已指着上主以色列的天主對他們起誓，那麼我們決不能加害他們， |
19these all remonstrated with the people, "We have sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel, and so we cannot harm them. |
| 20只有這樣作：就是讓他們生存下去，免得因我們對他們所起的誓，為我們招來上主的義怒。」 |
20Let us therefore spare their lives and so deal with them that we shall not be punished for the oath we have sworn to them." |
| 21首領又對民眾說：「讓他們生存下去，但他們應為全會眾劈柴挑水。」全會眾便遵照首領的話而行。 |
21 Thus the princes recommended that they be let live, as hewers of wood and drawers of water for the entire community; and the community did as the princes advised them. |
| 22若蘇厄將基貝紅人召來，對他們說：「你們為什麼欺騙我們說：我們離你們很遠，其實你們就住在我們附近？ |
22Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said to them, "Why did you lie to us and say that you lived at a great distance from us, when you will be living in our very midst? |
| 23從此你們應受詛咒，你們中間，決不斷要有人在我天主的殿內，做劈柴挑水的勞役。」 |
23For this are you accursed: every one of you shall always be a slave (hewers of wood and drawers of water) for the house of my God." |
| 24他們回答若蘇厄說：「你的僕人們確實聽說：上主你的天主，曾吩咐他的僕人梅瑟，要把這整塊土地賜給你們，並在你們面前，將這地方上的一切居民消滅；我們見你們前來，我們實在為我們的生命擔憂，所以纔做了這事。 |
24They answered Joshua, "Your servants were fully informed of how the LORD, your God, commanded his servant Moses that you be given the entire land and that all its inhabitants be destroyed before you. Since, therefore, at your advance, we were in great fear for our lives, we acted as we did. |
| 25現在，我們都在你手裏，你以為怎樣好，怎樣對，就怎樣對待我們罷！」 |
25And now that we are in your power, do with us what you think fit and right." |
| 26若蘇厄就這樣對待了他們：將他們由以色列人手中救出，不讓人加害他們。 |
26 Joshua did what he had decided: while he saved them from being killed by the Israelites, |
| 27當天就派定他們在上主選定的地方，為會眾，為上主的祭壇，劈柴挑水，直到今日。 |
27at the same time he made them, as they still are, hewers of wood and drawers of water for the community and for the altar of the LORD, in the place of the LORD'S choice. |
