撒母耳記下 17
1 亞希多弗又對押沙龍說：「求你准我挑選一萬二千人，今夜我就起身追趕大衛，
Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men and set off in pursuit of David tonight.
2 趁他疲乏手軟，我忽然追上他，使他驚惶；跟隨他的民必都逃跑，我就單殺王一人，
I'll attack him while he is tired and weak. I'll catch him by surprise and all his men will run away. I'll only kill the king
3 使眾民都歸順你。你所尋找的人既然死了，眾民就如已經歸順你；這樣，也都平安無事了。」
and bring everybody else back to you. When everybody returns apart from the one man you're after, the whole country will be at peace.”
4 押沙龍和以色列的長老都以這話為美。
This plan looked good to Absalom and to all the elders of Israel.
5 押沙龍說：「要召亞基人戶篩來，我們也要聽他怎樣說。」
But then Absalom said, “Call in Hushai the Archite too, and let's hear what he's got to say as well.”
6 戶篩到了押沙龍面前，押沙龍向他說：「亞希多弗是如此如此說的，我們照着他的話行可以不可以？若不可，你就說吧！」
When Hushai came in, Absalom, asked him, “Ahithophel has recommended this plan. Should we go ahead with it? If not, what's your suggestion?”
7 戶篩對押沙龍說：「亞希多弗這次所定的謀不善。」
“For once Ahithophel's advice isn't good,” Hushai replied.
8 戶篩又說：「你知道，你父親和跟隨他的人都是勇士，現在他們心裏惱怒，如同田野丟崽子的母熊一般，而且你父親是個戰士，必不和民一同住宿。
“You know what your father and his men are like. They're great fighters, and now they're as furious as a she-bear robbed of her cubs. In any case, your father is experienced in military tactics, and he won't spend the night with his men.
9 他現今或藏在坑中或在別處，若有人首先被殺，凡聽見的必說：『跟隨押沙龍的民被殺了。』
Right now he's holed up in a cave or some place like that. If he attacks first and some of your men are killed, people who hear about it will say, ‘Absalom's men are being slaughtered.’
10 雖有人膽大如獅子，他的心也必消化；因為以色列人都知道你父親是英雄，跟隨他的人也都是勇士。
Then even the bravest soldier who has the heart of a lion will be scared to death, because everyone in Israel knows that your father is a powerful man who has brave men with him.
11 依我之計，不如將以色列眾人－從但直到別是巴，如同海邊的沙那樣多－聚集到你這裏來，你也親自率領他們出戰。
My recommendation is that you call up the entire Israelite army from Dan to Beersheba—an army as numerous as the sand on the seashore! Once they've assembled, then you yourself lead them into battle!
12 這樣，我們在何處遇見他，就下到他那裏，如同露水下在地上一般，連他帶跟隨他的人，一個也不留下。
Then we'll attack David wherever he is, and we'll fall on him as dew falls on the ground. Neither he nor a single one of all the men with him will be left alive!
13 他若進了哪一座城，以色列眾人必帶繩子去，將那城拉到河裏，甚至連一塊小石頭都不剩下。」
If he tries to find protection in a town, all of Israel will bring ropes to that town, and we will pull it down into the valley so that not even a stone will be left.”
14 押沙龍和以色列眾人說：「亞基人戶篩的計謀比亞希多弗的計謀更好！」這是因耶和華定意破壞亞希多弗的良謀，為要降禍與押沙龍。
Absalom and all the Israelite leaders said, “Hushai the Arkite's advice is better than Ahithophel's.” For the Lord had decided to block Ahithophel's good advice in order that he might bring disaster on Absalom.
15 戶篩對祭司撒督和亞比亞他說：「亞希多弗為押沙龍和以色列的長老所定的計謀是如此如此，我所定的計謀是如此如此。
Hushai spoke to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, and told them, “Ahithophel has advised Absalom and the Israelite leaders to act in one way, but I have advised them to act in this different way.
16 現在你們要急速打發人去，告訴大衛說：『今夜不可住在曠野的渡口，務要過河，免得王和跟隨他的人都被吞滅。』」
So send a message quickly to David and tell him, ‘Don't wait and spend the night at the fords of the wilderness, but cross over immediately or the king and everybody with him will be destroyed.’”
17 那時，約拿單和亞希瑪斯在隱‧羅結那裏等候，不敢進城，恐怕被人看見。有一個使女出來，將這話告訴他們，他們就去報信給大衛王。
Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En-rogel because they couldn't be seen entering the city. A servant girl would come and tell them what was happening. Then they would go and let King David know.
18 然而有一個童子看見他們，就去告訴押沙龍。他們急忙跑到巴戶琳某人的家裏；那人院中有一口井，他們就下到井裏。
But a boy did see them and he told Absalom. So the two left immediately and went to the house of a man in the town of Bahurim. He had a well in his courtyard, and they climbed into it.
19 那家的婦人用蓋蓋上井口，又在上頭鋪上碎麥，事就沒有洩漏。
His wife took a cloth to cover the well and spread it out over the opening and then scattered grain over it. No one knew the men were there.
20 押沙龍的僕人來到那家，問婦人說：「亞希瑪斯和約拿單在哪裏？」婦人說：「他們過了河了。」 僕人找他們，找不着，就回耶路撒冷去了。
When Absalom's officers arrived they asked the woman, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” “They crossed over the stream,” she replied. The men searched for them but didn't find them, so they went back to Jerusalem.
21 他們走後，二人從井裏上來，去告訴大衛王說：「亞希多弗如此如此定計害你，你們務要起來，快快過河。」
After Absalom's officers left, the two men climbed out of the well and rushed off to give the king their message. “Have everybody get up and cross the river right away, for Ahithophel's advice is to attack you immediately.”
22 於是大衛和跟隨他的人都起來，過約旦河。到了天亮，無一人不過約旦河的。
David and everybody with him got up and crossed the Jordan. By the time it got light there wasn't anybody who hadn't crossed over.
23 亞希多弗見不依從他的計謀，就備上驢，歸回本城；到了家，留下遺言，便吊死了，葬在他父親的墳墓裏。
When Ahithophel realized that his advice had been ignored, he saddled up his donkey and left for his home in the town where he lived. He put his affairs in order and then he hanged himself. He died and was buried in his father's tomb.
24 大衛到了瑪哈念，押沙龍和跟隨他的以色列人也都過了約旦河。
David went on to Mahanaim, and Absalom crossed over the Jordan with the entire Israelite army.
25 押沙龍立亞瑪撒作元帥，代替約押。亞瑪撒是 以實瑪利人 以特拉的兒子。以特拉曾與拿轄的女兒亞比該親近；這亞比該與約押的母親洗魯雅是姊妹。
Absalom had put Amasa in charge of the army to replace Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra, the Ishmaelite who lived with Abigail, the daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah, Joab's mother.
26 押沙龍和以色列人都安營在基列地。
The Israelites under Absalom set up camp in the land of Gilead.
27 大衛到了瑪哈念，亞捫族的拉巴人拿轄的兒子朔比，羅‧底巴人亞‧米利的兒子瑪吉，基列的羅基琳人巴西萊，
When David arrived at Mahanaim, he was welcomed by Shobi, son of Nahash, from Rabbah of the Ammonites, Machir, son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim.
28 帶着被、褥、盆、碗、瓦器、小麥、大麥、麥麵、炒穀、豆子、紅豆、炒豆、
They brought bedding, bowls, and clay jars, as well as wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils,
29 蜂蜜、奶油、綿羊、奶餅，供給大衛和跟隨他的人吃；他們說：「民在曠野，必飢渴困乏了。」
honey, curds, sheep, and cheese made from cow's milk for David and the people with him to eat. For they said, “The people are hungry, tired, and thirsty from their time in the wilderness.”
