2 Chronicles
Chapter 30
1 Hezekiah sent a message to all Israel and Judah, and even wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh saying that they should come to the house of the LORD in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover in honor of the LORD, the God of Israel.
希则克雅派人到全以色列和犹大，且也写了封公函给厄弗辣因和默纳协，叫他们来耶路撒冷上主的殿内，向上主以色列的天主举行逾越节，
2 The king, his princes, and the entire assembly in Jerusalem had agreed to celebrate the Passover during the second month,
因为君王与首领和耶路撒冷会众已商妥，在二月举行逾越节。
3 for they could not celebrate it at the time of the restoration: the priests had not sanctified themselves in sufficient numbers, and the people were not gathered at Jerusalem.
他们不能如期举行的原因，是因为自洁的司祭尚不敷用，百姓又尚未齐集在耶路撒冷。
4 When this proposal had been approved by the king and the entire assembly,
君王和全会众都认为这样做很对，
5 they issued a decree to be proclaimed throughout all Israel from Beer-sheba to Dan, that everyone should come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover in honor of the LORD, the God of Israel; for not many had kept it in the manner prescribed.
遂下令通告全以色列，从贝尔舍巴直到丹，都来耶路撒冷，向上主以色列的天主举行逾越节，因为人很久没有照章举行这节了。
6 Accordingly the couriers, with the letters written by the king and his princes, traversed all Israel and Judah, and at the king's command they said: ＂Israelites, return to the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, that he may return to you, the remnant left from the hands of the Assyrian kings.
使者遂带着君王和首领的公函，走遍全以色列和犹大，照君王的吩咐，宣布说：＂以色列的子民，你们应当转向上主，亚巴郎、依撒格和以色列的天主，好使他转向你们，这些摆脱亚述王权下的遗民。
7 Be not like your fathers and your brethren who proved faithless to the LORD, the God of their fathers, so that he delivered them over to desolation, as you yourselves now see.
你们不可像你们的祖先和弟兄一样，因为他们背叛了上主，他们祖先的天主，上主遂叫他们成了惊骇的对象，有如你们亲眼所见的。
8 Be not obstinate, as your fathers were; extend your hands to the LORD and come to his sanctuary that he has consecrated forever, and serve the LORD, your God, that he may turn away his burning anger from you.
现在，你们再别颈硬，如同你们祖先一样，反应投奔上主，进入他永远祝圣的居所，奉事上主你们的天主，使他的盛怒转离你们。
9 For when you return to the LORD, your brethren and your children will find mercy with their captors and return to this land; for merciful and compassionate is the LORD, your God, and he will not turn away his face from you if you return to him.＂
如果你们转向上主你们的天主，你们的弟兄子女，在掳掠他们的人面前必会蒙受怜悯，会再回到这地；因为上主你们的天主是慈悲的，是仁爱的；如果你们转向他，他决不会转面不顾你们。＂
10 So the couriers passed from city to city in the land of Ephraim and Manasseh and as far as Zebulun, but they were derided and scoffed at.
使者由这城到那城，走遍了厄弗辣因和默纳协各地，直到则步隆；但是，那里的人却嘲笑侮辱他们。
11 Nevertheless, some from Asher, Manasseh and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem.
可是，有些阿协尔、默纳协和则步隆人自谦自卑，来到耶路撒冷。
12 In Judah, however, the power of God brought it about that the people were of one mind to carry out the command of the king and the princes in accordance with the word of the LORD.
天主的手也在犹大行事，使民众一心遵从君王和首领，照上主的话所出的命令。
13 Thus many people gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of Unleavened Bread in the second month; it was a very great assembly.
二月，有很多人民聚集在耶路撒冷，举行无酵节，实在是一个大盛会。
14 They proceeded to take down the altars that were in Jerusalem; also they removed all the altars of incense and cast them into the Kidron Valley.
民众起来，将耶路撒冷所有的丘坛拆毁，将所有焚香的器具拿去，丢在克德龙溪里。
15 They slaughtered the Passover on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and Levites, touched with shame, sanctified themselves and brought holocausts into the house of the LORD.
二月十四日宰杀了逾越节羔羊；司祭和肋未人自觉惭愧，便圣洁自己，好能在上主殿内奉献全燔祭。
16 They stood in the places prescribed for them according to the law of Moses, the man of God. The priests sprinkled the blood given them by the Levites;
他们都按天主仆人梅瑟的法律，各自立在自己的地方，司祭由肋未人手中取过血来，洒在祭坛上。
17 for many in the assembly had not sanctified themselves, and the Levites were in charge of slaughtering the Passover victims for all who were unclean and therefore could not consecrate them to the LORD.
因为会众中有许多人尚未自洁，肋未人便为所有不洁的人，宰杀逾越节的羔羊，好奉献给上主。
18 The greater part of the people, in fact, chiefly from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves. Nevertheless they ate the Passover, contrary to the prescription; for Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, ＂May the LORD, who is good, grant pardon to
实在，有许多人，有许多来自厄弗辣因，默纳协、依撒加尔和则步隆的人，没有自洁，就吃了逾越节的羔羊，竟没有遵守明文的规定；为此，希则克雅为他们祈祷说：＂
19 everyone who has resolved to seek God, the LORD, the God of his fathers, though he be not clean as holiness requires.＂
凡诚心寻求天主，上主，他们祖先的天主的人，虽然没有依照圣所的洁礼自洁，愿良善的上主予以宽恕！
20 The LORD heard Hezekiah and spared the people.
上主垂允了希则克雅，宽恕了百姓。
21 Thus the Israelites who were in Jerusalem celebrated the feast of Unleavened Bread with great rejoicing for seven days, and the Levites and the priests sang the praises of the LORD day after day with all their strength.
在耶路撒冷的以色列子民，极其欢乐，七天举行了无酵节；肋未人和司祭们，天天赞颂上主，极力赞颂上主。
22 Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites who had shown themselves well skilled in the service of the LORD. And when they had completed the seven days of festival, slaying peace offerings and singing praises to the LORD, the God of their fathers,
由于所有的肋未人殷勤服事上主，希则克雅便慰劳他们。七天之久，众人吃了节宴，献了和平祭，称谢了上主，他们祖先的天主。
23 the whole assembly agreed to celebrate another seven days. With joy, therefore, they continued the festivity seven days longer.
以后，全会众议定，再举行七天，于是欢乐地又举行了七天，
24 King Hezekiah of Judah had contributed a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep to the assembly, and the princes had contributed to the assembly a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep. The priests sanctified themselves in great numbers,
因为犹大王希则克雅送给了会众一千头牛犊，七千只绵羊；首领们也送给了会众一千头牛犊，一万只绵羊；且有许多司祭已行了自洁礼。
25 and the whole assembly of Judah rejoiced, together with the priests and Levites and the rest of the assembly that had come from Israel, as well as the sojourners from the land of Israel and those that lived in Judah.
犹大全会众、司祭和肋未人，来自以色列的全会众，以及由以色列地来的，或是侨居在犹大的人，都非常高兴。
26 There was great rejoicing in Jerusalem, for since the days of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel, there had not been the like in the city.
欢乐弥漫了耶路撒冷，自以色列王达味的儿子撒罗满以来，耶路撒冷从未有过这样大的喜庆。
27 Then the levitical priests rose and blessed the people; their voice was heard and their prayer reached heaven, God's holy dwelling.
肋未人司祭起来为民众祝福，他们的声音承蒙垂听，他们的祈祷达于他天上的神圣居所。
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