SARAH
《列王纪上》第3章
1 Kings Chapter 3
所谓长江后浪推前浪，大卫王老了以后，儿子所罗门接班，成为了以色列王。
As the saying goes, “The younger generation surpasses the older generation.” After King David grew old, his son Solomon took over and became king of Israel.
这所罗门年纪轻轻，突然让他管这么大一个国家，那压力可不是一般的大。
Solomon was still a young man, and suddenly he had to run such a huge kingdom. You can imagine—the pressure was no joke.
你想想，全国那么多老百姓，清官难断家务事、邻里纠纷、国家大事，全都得找他。
Just think about it: with so many people in the country, family problems, disputes between neighbors, and major national matters all came to him.
这要是换一般人，估计脑袋瓜子都得嗡嗡的：
If it were most people, their heads would probably be spinning:
“我的妈呀，这么多事，我咋整啊？”
“My goodness! With so many things to deal with, what am I supposed to do?”
当时为了江山稳固，与邻国和睦相处，所罗门跟埃及法老家结了亲，娶了法老的女儿。
At that time, in order to strengthen his kingdom and maintain peace with a neighboring country, Solomon formed a marriage alliance with Pharaoh of Egypt and married Pharaoh’s daughter.
那时候耶路撒冷还没建圣殿，老百姓还经常上邱坛献祭。
At that time, the temple had not yet been built in Jerusalem, and the people still often offered sacrifices at the high places.
所罗门虽然年轻，但他心里依然非常敬畏耶和华，也基本按照他爹大卫教导他的去做。
Although Solomon was young, he still deeply respected the Lord and generally followed what his father David had taught him.
有一天，所罗门跑到基遍去。
One day, Solomon went to Gibeon.
基遍那地方有个特别大的邱坛。
There was a very large high place there.
所罗门到了那儿，整了一千只牲畜献给耶和华。
When Solomon arrived there, he offered a thousand burnt offerings to the Lord.
场面十分浩大！
It was quite a spectacular scene!
到了晚上，所罗门睡着了。
That night, Solomon went to sleep.
就在梦里，耶和华神向他显现。
In a dream, the Lord appeared to him.
神跟他说：
God said to him:
“所罗门，是我，你所求所想我都会满足你，你尽管说。”
“Solomon, it is I. Ask for whatever you want, and I will give it to you. Just tell Me what you desire.”
朋友们，这机会可不常有啊！
Friends, you don’t get an opportunity like this very often!
换咱们，听见这话一般都会想：
If it were us, we would probably start thinking:
“要啥呢？要钱？要房？要长生不老？还是黄金呢？”
“What should I ask for? Money? A house? Eternal life? Or maybe some gold?”
可所罗门毕竟是所罗门，他没这么想。
But Solomon was Solomon. He didn’t think that way.
他跟神说：
He said to God:
“主啊，我爹大卫以前在你面前行得不错，你也一直恩待他。
“Lord, my father David walked faithfully before You, and You have shown him great kindness.
现在我接他的班了，可我年龄小，经验不足，我有点没底。
Now I have taken his place, but I am young and inexperienced, and honestly, I don’t really know what I’m doing.
这么老些百姓你都交给我管，我哪知道所有的事情办得对不对啊，合不合你心意啊？
You have given me all these people to lead. How am I supposed to know whether I’m making the right decisions and whether what I do is pleasing to You?
所以我就求你一件事——
So I’m asking You for just one thing—
给我个聪明智慧的心，让我知道啥是对的，啥是错的，好好为老百姓断案。
Give me a wise and understanding heart, so I can know what is right and what is wrong, and judge Your people fairly.
神一听，十分满意。
God was very pleased when He heard this.
神就说：
So God said:
“你这孩子，求得对呀。
“My son, you asked for the right thing.
你没求长寿，也没求发财，更没求把仇人全弄死。
You did not ask for a long life, or for riches, or for the death of your enemies.
你就求智慧，想把老百姓管明白。
You simply asked for wisdom so that you could govern the people wisely.
行！
Very well!
我就赐你智慧。
I will give you wisdom.
而且不是一般的智慧，你的聪明程度将前无古人后无来者。
And not just ordinary wisdom. Your wisdom will be greater than anyone who came before you or anyone who comes after you.
另外，你没求的财富、尊荣，我也一并给你。
And I will also give you the riches and honor that you did not ask for.
不过有一样，你得记住：
But there is one thing you must remember:
你得照着你父亲大卫走的道走，遵守我的诫命和律例。
You must walk in the ways of your father David and obey My commands and laws.
你要是一直这么做，我也会赐你长寿。”
If you continue to do this, I will also give you a long life.”
渐渐所罗门从梦里醒来。
Eventually, Solomon woke up from his dream.
然后意识到：“哎呀，原来是个梦！”
Then he realized, “Oh! It was a dream!”
不过这可不是普通的梦。
But this was no ordinary dream.
他知道这是神对他的应许。
He knew that this was God’s promise to him.
于是他回到耶路撒冷，在约柜面前献祭，又摆宴席，请他的臣仆们一起吃饭。
So he returned to Jerusalem, stood before the Ark of the Covenant, offered sacrifices, and held a feast for all his officials.
两个妇人来找王断案
Two Women Come Before the King for Judgment
没过多久，来了两个妇人。
Not long afterward, two women came before the king.
这俩人住一块儿，而且都刚生了孩子。
They lived in the same house, and both of them had recently given birth.
其中一个妇人哭着跟所罗门说：
One of the women cried out to Solomon:
“我主啊，我跟她住一个屋。
“My lord, I live in the same house with this woman.
我先把孩子生下来了，过了三天，她也生了一个。
I gave birth to a baby first, and three days later, she also gave birth to a baby.
那屋里就我们俩，没别人。
There was no one else in the house except the two of us.
结果有一天晚上，她睡觉的时候把自己的孩子压死了。
Then one night, she accidentally rolled over on her baby and the baby died.
半夜的时候发现她自己的孩子没了呼吸。
In the middle of the night, she realized that her own baby was no longer breathing.
然后她趁我睡着，偷偷把我的孩子抱走，把她那个死孩子塞到我怀里。
Then, while I was sleeping, she secretly took my baby and put her dead baby in my arms.
第二天早上，我起来给孩子喂奶，一看：
The next morning, I got up to feed the baby, and I saw:
哎？这孩子咋死了呢？
“Wait a minute! Why is this baby dead?”
我仔细一瞅，这根本就不是我的孩子！”
I looked carefully and realized, “This isn’t my baby at all!”
另一个妇人一听，当场就不干了：
The other woman immediately protested:
“你可拉倒吧！别瞎说了。活着这个就是我的孩子，死的那个才是你的！”
“Oh, come on! Stop making things up. The living baby is mine, and the dead baby is yours!”
第一个妇人也急了：
The first woman became even more upset:
“是你瞎说？活着的是我的，死的是你的！”
“You’re the one who’s lying! The living baby is mine, and the dead one is yours!”
俩人你一句我一句，吵得那叫一个激烈。
The two women kept arguing back and forth, and the argument became more and more heated.
所罗门王坐那儿一看：
King Solomon watched them and said:
“行了行了，别吵了。”
“All right, all right. Stop arguing.”
然后说道：
Then he said:
“你俩都说活的孩子是自己的。
“You both claim that the living baby is yours.
来人啊——
Guards!
拿刀来！”
“Bring me a sword!”
这话一出来，旁边的人都懵了：
When they heard this, everyone standing nearby was stunned:
“啥意思？怎么还动刀了呢？”
“What does he mean? Why is he asking for a sword?”
不过所罗门的命令还是要遵守的。刀拿来了。
But Solomon’s command had to be obeyed. So the sword was brought to him.
所罗门接着说：
Solomon continued:
“既然你俩都说这孩子是自己的，那就把孩子劈成两半。
“Since you both claim this baby is yours, then cut the baby in two.
一人一半。
Give half to one woman and half to the other.
谁也别争了。”
Then neither of you will have to fight over him.”
这话一说完，其中一个妇人马上急了。
As soon as he said this, one of the women became extremely distressed.
她赶紧说道：
She quickly cried out:
“不行不行！我主啊，千万别杀孩子！
“No, no! My lord, please don’t kill the baby!
把孩子给她吧！只要孩子能活着就行！”
“Give the baby to her! Just let the baby live!”
而另外那个妇人却说：
But the other woman said:
“行啊，那就劈吧！
“Fine, then cut him in two!
反正这孩子也不能归我，也不能归她，劈了得了！”
If I can’t have him, she can’t have him either. Just cut him in half!”
所罗门王是多聪明的人呐，一听，心里立刻就明白了。
Solomon was a very wise man. As soon as he heard this, he immediately understood what was going on.
他指着第一个妇人说：
He pointed to the first woman and said:
“把孩子给她，她才是真正的母亲。”
“Give the baby to her. She is the true mother.”
现在大家明白所罗门王的用意了吧。
Now you understand what Solomon was trying to do, right?
因为真正当妈的，哪舍得看自己孩子被杀？
A real mother could never bear to see her own child killed.
她宁可失去孩子，也要保住孩子的命。
She would rather give up her child than let the child lose his life.
神赐给所罗门的智慧
The Wisdom God Gave Solomon
这件事传出去以后，以色列老百姓一听：
When the news spread throughout Israel, the people said:
“哎呀，我们的王是真不简单啊！”
“Wow! Our king is really something!”
大家都开始敬畏所罗门。
And the people began to respect and fear Solomon.
因为他们看出来了：
Because they could see that:
所罗门不是糊涂的君王，而是神把智慧赐给了他。
Solomon was not a foolish king; God had given him wisdom.