1David numbered the people who were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
1押沙龍戰敗大衛數點了跟隨他的人，亦立千夫長、百夫長率領他們。
2David sent forth the people, a third part under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the people, “I will surely go forth with you myself also.”
2大衛派遣眾人出戰：三分之一在約押手下，三分之一在約押的兄弟、洗魯雅的兒子亞比篩手下，三分之一在迦特人以太手下。大衛對眾人說：“我也必與你們一同出戰。”
3But the people said, “You shall not go forth; for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore now it is better that you are ready to help us out of the city.”
3眾人卻說：“你不可以出戰。因為如果我們逃跑，他們不會把我們放在心上，即使我們死了一半，他們也不會把我們放在心上。因為你一個人抵得上我們一萬人；所以你最好還是留在城裡，隨時支援我們。”
4The king said to them, “I will do what seems best to you.” The king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.
4王對他們說：“你們看怎麼好，我就怎樣作吧！”於是王站在城門旁邊，眾人組成百人一隊或千人一隊出發了。
5The king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom.” All the people heard when the king commanded all the captains concerning Absalom.
5王吩咐約押、亞比篩和以太說：“為我的緣故，你們要寬待那年輕人押沙龍。”王為押沙龍吩咐眾將領的話，眾人都聽到了。
6So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim.
6眾人出到田野迎戰以色列人；戰爭發生在以法蓮的樹林裡。
7The people of Israel were struck there before the servants of David, and there was a great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men.
7在那裡，以色列人在大衛的臣僕面前被打敗了；那天被殺的人很多，共有二萬人。
8For the battle was there spread over the surface of all the country; and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
8戰事在那裡蔓延到全地；那一天，樹林所吞滅的比刀劍所吞滅的更多。
9Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the sky and earth; and the mule that was under him went on.
9押沙龍慘死押沙龍偶然遇上了大衛的臣僕。那時押沙龍騎著騾子，騾子從一棵大橡樹茂密的樹枝下經過，押沙龍的頭髮被橡樹枝緊緊勾住，他就吊在空中，他所騎的騾子卻跑開了。
10A certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, “Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.”
10有一個人看見了，就告訴約押說：“看哪！我看見押沙龍懸在一棵橡樹上。”
11Joab said to the man who told him, “Behold, you saw it, and why didn’t you strike him there to the ground? I would have given you ten pieces of silver, and a sash.”
11約押對那向他報告的人說：“你既然看見了，為甚麼不當場把他擊殺，落在地上呢？那樣，我就賞賜你一百一十四克銀子和一條腰帶。”
12The man said to Joab, “Though I should receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I still wouldn’t put forth my hand against the king’s son; for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.’
12那人回答約押：“就是量十一公斤銀子放在我手中，我也不敢伸手傷害王的兒子，因為我們親耳聽見王吩咐你、亞比篩和以太說：‘你們要為我的緣故，照顧那年輕人押沙龍。’
13Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against his life (and there is no matter hidden from the king), then you yourself would have set yourself against me.”
13我若是膽大妄為傷害了他的性命，那時你也不會維護我。”
14Then Joab said, “I’m not going to wait like this with you.” He took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.
14約押說：“我不能與你這樣耽誤時間。”於是約押手裡拿起三根短矛，趁押沙龍還懸掛在橡樹上的時候，就刺透了他的心。
15Ten young men who bore Joab’s armor surrounded and struck Absalom, and killed him.
15給約押拿武器的十個年輕人圍著押沙龍，攻擊他，把他殺死。
16Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; for Joab held back the people.
16約押吹響號角，眾人就回來，不再追趕以色列人；因為約押攔阻眾人繼續追趕。
17They took Absalom, and cast him into the great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of stones. Then all Israel fled everyone to his tent.
17他們把押沙龍的屍體抬起來，丟在樹林中的一個大坑裡，又在上面堆起一大堆石頭。以色列眾人都逃跑，各回自己的家去了。
18Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself the pillar, which is in the king’s dale; for he said, “I have no son to keep my name in memory.” He called the pillar after his own name; and it is called Absalom’s monument, to this day.
18押沙龍生前曾在王谷為自己立了一根石柱，因為他想：“我沒有兒子記念我的名字。”他就以自己的名字稱那石柱。因此人稱那石柱為押沙龍柱，直到今日。
19Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Let me now run, and bear the king news, how that Yahweh has avenged him of his enemies.”
19二人向大衛報信撒督的兒子亞希瑪斯說：“讓我跑去，把這好消息向王報告，就是耶和華已經把他從仇敵的手中拯救出來了。”
20Joab said to him, “You shall not be the bearer of news this day, but you shall bear news another day. But today you shall bear no news, because the king’s son is dead.”
20約押對他說：“你今天不可去報消息，改天才可以去報。你今天不可去報消息，因為王的兒子死了。”
21Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen!” The Cushite bowed himself to Joab, and ran.
21於是約押對一個古實人說：“你去把你所看見的告訴王吧！”那古實人叩拜了約押，就跑去了。
22Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said yet again to Joab, “But come what may, please let me also run after the Cushite.” Joab said, “Why do you want to run, my son, since that you will have no reward for the news?”
22撒督的兒子亞希瑪斯又對約押說：“不管怎樣，請讓我也跟著那古實人跑去。”約押說：“你為甚麼要跑去呢？我兒，你是不會得到報消息的賞賜的。”
23“But come what may,” he said, “I will run.” He said to him, “Run!” Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and outran the Cushite.
23“不管怎樣，請讓我跑去！”於是約押對他說：“你跑去吧！”亞希瑪斯就沿著約旦河大道跑去，趕過了那古實人。
24Now David was sitting between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate to the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, a man running alone.
24那時，大衛正坐在內外城門中間的地方。守望的人上到城樓的平頂上，舉目觀看，見有一個人獨自跑來。
25The watchman cried, and told the king. The king said, “If he is alone, there is news in his mouth.” He came closer and closer.
25守望的人就喊叫，把這事告訴王；王說：“他若是單獨一人，必是來報好消息的。”那人越走越近了。
26The watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called to the porter, and said, “Behold, a man running alone!” The king said, “He also brings news.”
26後來，守望的人又看見另一個人跑來，就對守城門的人喊叫，說：“看哪！又有一個人獨自跑來！”王說：“這也必是來報好消息的。”
27The watchman said, “I think the running of the first one is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.” The king said, “He is a good man, and comes with good news.”
27守望的人說：“我看前頭那人的跑法好像撒督的兒子亞希瑪斯的跑法一樣。”王說：“他是個好人，必是帶好消息來的。”
28Ahimaaz called, and said to the king, “All is well.” He bowed himself before the king with his face to the earth, and said, “Blessed is Yahweh your God, who has delivered up the men who lifted up their hand against my lord the king!”
28亞希瑪斯向王呼叫，說：“平安！”就臉伏於地，叩拜王，說：“耶和華你的 神是應當稱頌的，因為他已經把舉手攻擊我主我王的人交給你了！”
29The king said, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, even me your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I don’t know what it was.”
29王問：“那年輕人押沙龍平安不平安？”亞希瑪斯回答：“約押差派王的僕人，就是你的僕人我來的時候，我看見有大動亂，卻不知道是甚麼事。”
30The king said, “Turn aside, and stand here.” He turned aside, and stood still.
30王說：“你退到一旁，站在那裡！”他就退到一旁，站在那裡。
31Behold, the Cushite came. The Cushite said, “News for my lord the king; for Yahweh has avenged you this day of all those who rose up against you.”
31大衛聞報大大哀慟那古實人也到了。他說：“有好消息報給我主我王；今天耶和華已經救你脫離那些起來攻擊你的人的手了！”
32The king said to the Cushite, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” The Cushite answered, “May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you to do you harm, be as that young man is.”
32王問古實人：“那年輕人押沙龍平安嗎？”古實人回答：“願我主我王的仇敵和一切來攻擊你、傷害你的人，都像那年輕人一樣。”
33The king was much moved, and went up to the room over the gate, and wept. As he went, he said, “My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! I wish I had died for you, Absalom, my son, my son!”
33王悲慟得全身發抖，就上城樓去哀哭。他一面走一面這樣說：“我兒押沙龍啊！我兒，我兒押沙龍啊！但願我替你死。押沙龍啊！我兒，我兒啊！”（本節在《馬索拉抄本》為19:1）