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Joshua 1 When 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, 约但河西，住在山地和平原并沿大海一带直到黎巴嫩山的众王子，即赫特人、阿摩黎人、客纳罕人、培黎齐人、希威人和耶步斯人，听见了这些事， 2 they all formed an alliance to launch a common attack against Joshua and 就联合起来，同心协力对抗若苏厄和以色列人。 3 On learning what Joshua had done to 基贝红居民听说若苏厄对耶里哥和哈依所行的事， 4 put 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. 便设诡计带着行粮上路，将一些旧布袋和破裂缝补的旧酒囊驮在驴上； 5 They wore old, patched sandals and shabby garments; and all the bread they took was dry and crumbly. 脚上穿著补过的破鞋，身上穿著褴褛的衣服；所带的食物，又干又碎， 6 Thus they journeyed to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal, where they said to him and to the men of 来到基耳加耳营中见若苏厄；对他和以色列人说：＂我们是远方来的，现在请你们与我们立约。＂ 7 1 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?＂ 以色列对这些希威人说：＂你们也许是我们附近的居民，我们怎能同你们立约？＂ 8 But they answered Joshua, ＂We are your servants.＂ Then Joshua asked them, ＂Who are you? Where do you come from?＂ 他们回答若苏厄说：＂我们是你的仆人。＂若苏厄问他们说：＂你们是什么人？是从那里来的？＂ 9 They 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 他们答说：＂你的仆人们是因为听了上主你们天主的名声，由极远的地方来的，因为我们听见人谈及衪的声望，和衪在埃及所行的一切， 10 and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites beyond the Jordan, Sihon, king of Heshbon, and Og, king of 以及衪对住在约但河东的两个阿摩黎王：即赫市朋王息红和阿市塔洛特的巴商王敖格所行的一切。 11 So 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.' 为此，我们的长老和我们本地的居民，对我们说：你们手中带些路上用的食物，去迎接以色列人；对他们说：我们是你们的仆人，现在请你们与我们立约。 12 This 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. 看，这就是我们的食物，我们从家中带出来，要到你们这里来的那天还热，看，现在又干又碎； 13 Here 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.＂ 这就是我们的酒囊，才盛酒的时候还新，看，现在都破裂了；这是我们的衣服和鞋，为了路途遥远，都穿烂了。＂ 14 Then the Israelite princes partook of their provisions, without seeking the advice of the LORD. 以色列的首领便取了些他们的行粮，并没有请求上主的谕示； 15 So Joshua made an alliance with them and entered into an agreement to spare them, which the princes of the community sealed with an oath. 若苏厄便与他们修好，与他们立了约，让他们生存，会众的首领也向他们起了誓。 16 Three days after the agreement was entered into, the Israelites learned that these people were from nearby, and would be living in 但是，与他们立约后过了三天，以色列人就听说，他们是住在自己附近的居民。 17 The third day on the road, the Israelites came to their cities of 以色列子民于是动身，第三天便到了他们的城市：就是基贝红、革非辣、贝洛特和克黎雅特耶阿陵。 18 but 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, 但以色列子民没有击杀他们，因为会众的首领指着上主，以色列的天主，对他们起过誓；但全会众都对他们的首领不满。 19 these all remonstrated with the people, ＂We have sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel, and so we cannot harm them. 众首领对全会众说：＂我们既已指着上主以色列的天主对他们起誓，那么我们决不能加害他们， 20 Let us therefore spare their lives and so deal with them that we shall not be punished for the oath we have sworn to them.＂ 只有这样做，就是让他们生存下去，免得因我们对他们所起的誓，为我们招来上主的义怒。＂ 21 2 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. 首领又对民众说：＂让他们生存下去，但他们应为全会众劈柴挑水。＂全会众便遵照首领的话而行。 22 Joshua 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? 若苏厄将基贝红人召来，对他们说：＂你们为什么欺骗我们说：我们离你们很远，其实你们就住在我们附近？ 23 For 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.＂ 从此你们应受诅咒，你们中间，决不断要有人在我天主的殿内，做劈柴挑水的劳役。＂ 24 They 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. 他们回答若苏厄说：＂你的仆人们确实听说：上主你的天主，曾吩咐衪的仆人梅瑟，要把这整块土地赐给你们，并在你们面前，将这地方上的一切居民消灭；我们见你们前来，我们实在为我们的生命担忧，所以才做了这事。 25 And now that we are in your power, do with us what you think fit and right.＂ 现在，我们都在你手里，你以为怎样好，怎样对，就怎样对待我们罢！＂ 26 3 Joshua did what he had decided: while he saved them from being killed by the Israelites, 若苏厄就这样对待了他们：将他们由以色列人手中救出，不让人加害他们。 27 at 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. 当天就派定他们在上主选定的地方，为会众，为上主的祭坛，劈柴挑水，直到今日。 Footnotes(注解) 1 [7] The Hivites: apparently the Gibeonites belonged to this larger ethnic group (cf also Joshua 11:19), although in 2 Sam 21:2 they are classed as Amorites; both groups are listed among the seven nations in Canaan whom the Israelites were to exterminate; cf Deut 7:1-2. 2 [21] Hewers of wood and drawers of water: proverbial terms for the lowest social class in the Israelite community; cf Deut 29:10-11. 3 [26-27] Later on, Saul violated the immunity of the Gibeonites, but David vindicated it; cf 2 Sam 21:1-9. |
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