1 Kings 12
1 And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.
羅波安往示劍去；因為以色列人都到了示劍要立他作王。
2 And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it, (for he was yet in Egypt, wither he had fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt,
尼八的兒子耶羅波安先前躲避所羅門王，逃往埃及，住在那裏（他聽見這事。）
3 and they sent and called him; ) that Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying,
以色列人打發人去請他來，他就和以色列會眾都來見羅波安，對他說：
4 Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.
「你父親使我們負重軛，做苦工，現在求你使我們做的苦工、負的重軛輕鬆些，我們就事奉你。」
5 And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed.
羅波安對他們說：「你們暫且去，第三日再來見我。」民就去了。
6 And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give ye me to return answer to this people?
羅波安之父所羅門在世的日子，有侍立在他面前的老年人，羅波安王和他們商議，說：「你們給我出個甚麼主意，我好回覆這民。」
7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.
老年人對他說：「現在王若服事這民如僕人，用好話回答他們，他們就永遠作王的僕人。」
8 But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men that were grown up with him, that stood before him.
王卻不用老年人給他出的主意，就和那些與他一同長大、在他面前侍立的少年人商議，
9 And he said unto them, What counsel give ye, that we may return answer to this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke that thy father did put upon us lighter?
說：「這民對我說：『你父親使我們負重軛，求你使我們輕鬆些。』你們給我出個甚麼主意，我好回覆他們。」
10 And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou say unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou speak unto them, My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins.
那同他長大的少年人說：「這民對王說：『你父親使我們負重軛，求你使我們輕鬆些。』王要對他們如此說：『我的小拇指頭比我父親的腰還粗。
11 And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
我父親使你們負重軛，我必使你們負更重的軛！我父親用鞭子責打你們，我要用蠍子鞭責打你們！』」
12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come to me again the third day.
耶羅波安和眾百姓遵着羅波安王所說「你們第三日再來見我」的那話，第三日他們果然來了。
13 And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him;
王用嚴厲的話回答百姓，不用老年人給他所出的主意，
14 and spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions;
照着少年人所出的主意對民說：「我父親使你們負重軛，我必使你們負更重的軛！我父親用鞭子責打你們，我要用蠍子鞭責打你們！」
15 So the king hearkened not unto the people; for it was a thing brought about of the LORD, that he might establish his word, which the LORD spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
王不肯依從百姓，這事乃出於耶和華，為要應驗他藉示羅人亞希雅對尼八的兒子耶羅波安所說的話。
16 And when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.
以色列眾民見王不依從他們，就對王說： 我們與大衛有甚麼分兒呢？ 與耶西的兒子並沒有關涉。 以色列人哪，各回各家去吧！ 大衛家啊，自己顧自己吧！ 於是，以色列人都回自己家裏去了，
17 But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.
惟獨住猶大城邑的以色列人，羅波安仍作他們的王。
18 Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the levy; and all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. And king Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.
羅波安王差遣掌管服苦之人的亞多蘭往以色列人那裏去，以色列人就用石頭打死他。羅波安王急忙上車，逃回耶路撒冷去了。
19 So Israel rebelled against the house of David, unto this day.
這樣，以色列人背叛大衛家，直到今日。
20 And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was returned, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.
以色列眾人聽見耶羅波安回來了，就打發人去請他到會眾面前，立他作以色列眾人的王。除了猶大支派以外，沒有順從大衛家的。
21 And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, and the tribe of Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.
羅波安來到耶路撒冷，招聚猶大全家和便雅憫支派的人共十八萬，都是挑選的戰士，要與以色列家爭戰，好將國奪回，再歸所羅門的兒子羅波安。
22 But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
但上帝的話臨到神人示瑪雅，說：
23 Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, saying,
「你去告訴所羅門的兒子猶大王羅波安和猶大、便雅憫全家，並其餘的民說：
24 Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is of me. So they hearkened unto the word of the LORD, and returned and went their way, according to the word of the LORD.
『耶和華如此說：你們不可上去與你們的弟兄以色列人爭戰。各歸各家去吧！因為這事出於我。』」眾人就聽從耶和華的話，遵着耶和華的命回去了。
25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and he went out from thence, and built Penuel.
耶羅波安在以法蓮山地建築示劍，就住在其中；又從示劍出去，建築毗努伊勒。
26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David:
耶羅波安心裏說：「恐怕這國仍歸大衛家；
27 if this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah; and they shall kill me, and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.
這民若上耶路撒冷去，在耶和華的殿裏獻祭，他們的心必歸向他們的主－猶大王羅波安，就把我殺了，仍歸猶大王羅波安。」
28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold; and he said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
耶羅波安王就籌劃定妥，鑄造了兩個金牛犢，對眾民說：「以色列人哪，你們上耶路撒冷去實在是難；這就是領你們出埃及地的神。」
29 And he set the one in Beth-el, and the other put he in Dan.
他就把牛犢一隻安在伯特利，一隻安在但。
30 And this thing became a sin: for the people went [to worship] before the one, even unto Dan.
這事叫百姓陷在罪裏，因為他們往但去拜那牛犢。
31 And he made houses of high places, and made priests from among all the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.
耶羅波安在邱壇那裏建殿，將那不屬利未人的凡民立為祭司。
32 And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he went up unto the altar; so did he in Beth-el, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Beth-el the priests of the high places which he had made.
耶羅波安定八月十五日為節期，像在猶大的節期一樣，自己上壇獻祭。他在伯特利也這樣向他所鑄的牛犢獻祭，又將立為邱壇的祭司安置在伯特利。
33 And he went up unto the altar which he had made in Beth-el on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart: and he ordained a feast for the children of Israel, and went up unto the altar, to burn incense.
他在八月十五日，就是他私自所定的月日，為以色列人立作節期的日子，在伯特利上壇燒香。
