Judges
Chapter13
1TheIsraelitesagainoffendedtheLORD,whothereforedeliveredthemintothepowerofthePhilistinesforfortyyears.
以色列子民又行了上主视为恶的事,因此上主把他们交于培肋舍特人手中四十年之久。
2TherewasacertainmanfromZorah,oftheclanoftheDanites,whosenamewasManoah.Hiswifewasbarrenandhadbornenochildren.
那时,在祚辣有一个人,属于丹支派,名叫玛诺亚,他的妻子是个石女,从未生育。
3AnangeloftheLORDappearedtothewomanandsaidtoher,"Thoughyouarebarrenandhavehadnochildren,yetyouwillconceiveandbearason.
上主的使者显现给那妇人,对她说:“看,你原是个石女,从未生育,但是你要怀孕生子。
4Now,then,becarefultotakenowineorstrongdrinkandtoeatnothingunclean.
今后要留心:清酒浓酒都不可喝,各种不洁的东西也不可吃!
51Asforthesonyouwillconceiveandbear,norazorshalltouchhishead,forthisboyistobeconsecratedtoGodfromthewomb.ItishewhowillbeginthedeliveranceofIsraelfromthepowerofthePhilistines."
看,你将怀孕生子,剃刀不可触及他的头,因为这孩子从母胎就是献于上主的;他要开始从培肋舍特人手中拯救以色列。”
6Thewomanwentandtoldherhusband,"AmanofGodcametome;hehadtheappearanceofanangelofGod,terribleindeed.Ididnotaskhimwherehecamefrom,nordidhetellmehisname.
那妇人遂去告诉自己的丈夫说:“有一个天主的人来到我这里,他的容貌好象天主的使者,极其威严;我没有问他从那里来;他也没有告诉我他的名字。
7Buthesaidtome,'Youwillbewithchildandwillbearason.Sotakeneitherwinenorstrongdrink,andeatnothingunclean.FortheboyshallbeconsecratedtoGodfromthewomb,untilthedayofhisdeath.'"
他对我说:看,你将怀孕生子,从今以后清酒浓酒都不可喝,各种不洁的东西都不可吃,因为这孩子从母胎一直到死,是献于天主的。”
8ManoahthenprayedtotheLORD."OLORD,Ibeseechyou,"hesaid,"maythemanofGodwhomyousent,returntoustoteachuswhattodofortheboywhowillbeborn."
玛诺亚就向上主恳求说:“我主!求你叫你所派的那位天主的人再到我们这里来!指教我们对于将生的婴孩应该作什么?”
9GodheardtheprayerofManoah,andtheangelofGodcameagaintothewomanasshewassittinginthefield.SinceherhusbandManoahwasnotwithher,
天主听了玛诺亚的话;天主的使者又来到那妇人跟前;那时她正坐在田间,她的丈夫没有同她在一起。
10thewomanraninhasteandtoldherhusband."Themanwhocametometheotherdayhasappearedtome,"shesaidtohim;
那妇人就急速跑去告诉丈夫说:“看,那天来我跟前的那个人,又显现给我了。”
11soManoahgotupandfollowedhiswife.Whenhereachedtheman,hesaidtohim,"Areyoutheonewhospoketomywife?""Yes,"heanswered.
玛诺亚就起来,跟着妻子来到那人跟前,对他说:“你就是向这妇人说话的那人吗?”他回答说:“我就是。”
12ThenManoahasked,"Now,whenthatwhichyousaycomestrue,whatareweexpectedtodofortheboy?"
玛诺亚向他说:“当你的话应验的时候,我们应该怎样管教这孩子?要怎样待他?”
13TheangeloftheLORDansweredManoah,"YourwifeistoabstainfromallthethingsofwhichIspoketoher.
上主的使者对玛诺亚说:“我给这妇人所说的一切,她都当留神:
14Shemustnoteatanythingthatcomesfromthevine,nortakewineorstrongdrink,noreatanythingunclean.LetherobserveallthatIhavecommandedher."
凡葡萄树所结的,她不能吃;清酒浓酒她不能喝,各种不洁的东西她不能吃;凡我所吩咐她的,她都该遵守。”
15ThenManoahsaidtotheangeloftheLORD,"Canwepersuadeyoutostay,whileweprepareakidforyou?"
玛诺亚对上主的使者说:“请容许我款留你,为你预备一只小山羊。”
16ButtheangeloftheLORDansweredManoah,"Althoughyoupressme,Iwillnotpartakeofyourfood.Butifyouwill,youmayofferaholocausttotheLORD."NotknowingthatitwastheangeloftheLORD,
上主的使者对玛诺亚说:“你虽然款留我,我却不吃你的食物;假使你要献一全燔祭,就当献于上主。”因玛诺亚当时还不知道他是上主的使者。
17Manoahsaidtohim,"Whatisyourname,thatwemayhonoryouwhenyourwordscometrue?"
玛诺亚问上主的使者说:“你叫什么名字?当你的话应验的时候,我们好恭敬你。”
182TheangeloftheLORDansweredhim,"Whydoyouaskmyname,whichismysterious?"
上主的使者回答说:“你为什么问我的名字?它是奥妙的。”
19ThenManoahtookthekidwithacerealofferingandoffereditontherocktotheLORD,whoseworksaremysteries.WhileManoahandhiswifewerelookingon,
玛诺亚取了一只小山羊和素祭,在一块盘石上献于行奇事的上主。
20astheflamerosetotheskyfromthealtar,theangeloftheLORDascendedintheflameofthealtar.WhenManoahandhiswifesawthis,theyfellprostratetotheground;
当火焰从祭坛上向天升起时,上主的使者也在祭坛的火焰中上升了。玛诺亚和他的妻子看见这事,就俯伏在地上。
21buttheangeloftheLORDwasseennomorebyManoahandhiswife.ThenManoah,realizingthatitwastheangeloftheLORD,
上主的使者没有再显现给玛诺亚和他的妻子,那时玛诺亚才知道他是上主的使者。
22saidtohiswife,"Wewillcertainlydie,forwehaveseenGod."
玛诺亚对自己的妻子说:“我们必定要死,因为我们看见了天主。”
23Buthiswifepointedouttohim,"IftheLORDhadmeanttokillus,hewouldnothaveacceptedaholocaustandcerealofferingfromourhands!Norwouldhehaveletusseeallthisjustnow,orhearwhatwehaveheard."
但他妻子对他说:“如果上主有意叫我们死,必定不会悦纳我们的手所献的全燔祭和素祭,必不会使我们看见这些事,也不会使我们听到像现在这样的话。”
24ThewomanboreasonandnamedhimSamson.TheboygrewupandtheLORDblessedhim;
后来那妇人生了一个儿子,给他起名叫三松;孩子渐渐长大,上主祝福了他。
25thespiritoftheLORDfirststirredhiminMahaneh-dan,whichisbetweenZorahandEshtaol.
在玛哈乃丹,即在祚辣与厄市陶耳之间,上主的神开始感动他。
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Footnotes(注解)
1[5]Consecrated:inHebrew,nazir.Samsonthereforewasforlifetobeunderthenaziritevow,whichobligedhimtoabstainfromdrinkingwineorhavinghishaircut;cfNumbers6:2-8.
2[18]Mysterious:incomprehensible,abovehumanunderstanding.Hence,theangelspeaksinthenameoftheLordhimself,towhomManoahatonceoffersasacrifice.