中英對照/摩爾門經/阿爾瑪書/第20章
主差遣艾蒙前往密度乃解救獄中的弟兄──艾蒙和拉摩那遇見拉摩那的父親，他是全地的國王──艾蒙迫使老國王答應釋放他的弟兄。約主前九○年。
The Lord sends Ammon to Middoni to deliver his imprisoned brethren—Ammon and Lamoni meet Lamoni’s father, who is king over all the land—Ammon compels the old king to approve the release of his brethren. About 90 B.C.
1 事情是這樣的，他們在那地方建立教會後，拉摩那王希望艾蒙同他一起去尼腓地，好將艾蒙引見給他父親。
1 And it came to pass that when they had established a church in that aland, that king Lamoni desired that Ammon should go with him to the land of Nephi, that he might show him unto his father.
2 但是主的聲音臨到艾蒙說：不要上尼腓地，因為看啊，國王會取你的性命；你應該去密度乃地，因為看啊，你哥哥亞倫，以及繆洛卡和愛姆瑪都在牢裡。
2 And the voice of the Lord came to Ammon, saying: Thou shalt not go up to the land of Nephi, for behold, the king will seek thy life; but thou shalt go to the land of aMiddoni; for behold, thy brother Aaron, and also Muloki and Ammah are in prison.
3 事情是這樣的，艾蒙聽了就對拉摩那說：看啊，我哥哥和弟兄們在密度乃的牢裡，我要去救他們。
3 Now it came to pass that when Ammon had heard this, he said unto Lamoni: Behold, my brother and brethren are in prison at Middoni, and I go that I may deliver them.
4 拉摩那對艾蒙說：我知道你可以憑主的ａ力量做任何事。但是看啊，我願跟你一道去密度乃地；密度乃地的國王名叫安鐵奧諾，是我的朋友；因此我到密度乃地，可以向那地的國王說好話，他會放你的弟兄出ｂ獄。拉摩那對他說：誰告訴你說你的弟兄在牢裡呢？
4 Now Lamoni said unto Ammon: I know, in the astrength of the Lord thou canst do all things. But behold, I will go with thee to the land of Middoni; for the king of the land of Middoni, whose name is Antiomno, is a friend unto me; therefore I go to the land of Middoni, that I may flatter the king of the land, and he will cast thy brethren out of bprison. Now Lamoni said unto him: Who told thee that thy brethren were in prison?
5 艾蒙對他說：除了神以外，沒有人告訴我；祂對我說：去救你的弟兄，他們在密度乃地的牢裡。
5 And Ammon said unto him: No one hath told me, save it be God; and he said unto me—Go and deliver thy brethren, for they are in prison in the land of Middoni.
6 拉摩那聽了這話，就命令僕人備妥他的ａ馬匹和車輛。
6 Now when Lamoni had heard this he caused that his servants should make ready his ahorses and his chariots.
7 他對艾蒙說：來，我跟你一道下密度乃地，我要到那裡懇求那國王放你的弟兄出獄。
7 And he said unto Ammon: Come, I will go with thee down to the land of Middoni, and there I will plead with the king that he will cast thy brethren out of prison.
8 事情是這樣的，艾蒙和拉摩那正往那裡去時，遇見了拉摩那的父親，他是ａ全地的國王。
8 And it came to pass that as Ammon and Lamoni were journeying thither, they met the father of Lamoni, who was kingaover all the land.
9 看啊，拉摩那的父親對他說：我設宴款待我兒子和人民的那大日子，你怎麼沒來參加ａ宴會？
9 And behold, the father of Lamoni said unto him: Why did yeanot come to the bfeast on that great day when I made a feast unto my sons, and unto my people?
10 他又說：你要和這個尼腓人去哪裡呢？他是個ａ騙子的子孫。
10 And he also said: Whither art thou going with this Nephite, who is one of the children of a aliar?
11 事情是這樣的，拉摩那向他說明去處，因為他怕得罪他。
11 And it came to pass that Lamoni rehearsed unto him whither he was going, for he feared to offend him.
12 他也告訴他為什麼留在國內，沒去參加父親準備的宴會。
12 And he also told him all the cause of his tarrying in his own kingdom, that he did not go unto his father to the feast which he had prepared.
13 拉摩那說明這一切事情後，看啊，他大感震驚，他父親竟然惱怒他，說：拉摩那，你竟然要去救這些尼腓人，他們都是騙子的兒子。看啊，那騙子搶奪我們的祖先；現在他的子孫又來我們這裡，想以詭計和謊言欺騙我們，好再來搶奪我們的財產。
13 And now when Lamoni had rehearsed unto him all these things, behold, to his astonishment, his father was angry with him, and said: Lamoni, thou art going to deliver these Nephites, who are sons of a liar. Behold, he robbed our fathers; and now his children are also come amongst us that they may, by their cunning and their lyings, deceive us, that they again may rob us of our property.
14 拉摩那的父親命令他用劍殺了艾蒙，又命令他不得前往密度乃地，要他一同回ａ以實瑪利地。
14 Now the father of Lamoni commanded him that he should slay Ammon with the sword. And he also commanded him that he should not go to the land of Middoni, but that he should return with him to the land of aIshmael.
15 但是拉摩那告訴他說，我不會殺艾蒙，也不會回以實瑪利地，我要去密度乃地放了艾蒙的弟兄，因為我知道他們是正義的人，是真神的聖先知。
15 But Lamoni said unto him: I will not slay Ammon, neither will I return to the land of Ishmael, but I go to the land of Middoni that I may release the brethren of Ammon, for I know that they are just men and holy prophets of the true God.
16 他父親聽了這些話，就惱怒他，拔劍要把他砍倒在地。
16 Now when his father had heard these words, he was angry with him, and he drew his sword that he might smite him to the earth.
17 但是艾蒙站上前去，對他說：看啊，你不可以殺你兒子，不過，他倒下去比你倒下去要ａ好，因為看啊，他已ｂ悔改了他的罪；現在，如果你在憤怒中倒下去，你的靈魂便無法得救。
17 But Ammon stood forth and said unto him: Behold, thou shalt not slay thy son; nevertheless, it were abetter that he should fall than thee, for behold, he has brepented of his sins; but if thou shouldst fall at this time, in thine anger, thy soul could not be saved.
18 而且，你最好忍耐；因為如果你ａ殺了你兒子這樣一個無辜的人，他的血必從地下向主他的神呼求，向你報復；或許你會因此喪失ｂ靈魂。
18 And again, it is expedient that thou shouldst forbear; for if thou shouldst aslay thy son, he being an innocent man, his blood would cry from the ground to the Lord his God, for vengeance to come upon thee; and perhaps thou wouldst lose thy bsoul.
19 艾蒙對他說了這些話後，他回答說：我知道如果我殺了我兒子，我就是流無辜者的血；因為那企圖毀了他的人是你。
19 Now when Ammon had said these words unto him, he answered him, saying: I know that if I should slay my son, that I should shed innocent blood; for it is thou that hast sought to destroy him.
20 於是他伸手要殺艾蒙。艾蒙擋住了他的攻擊，並擊打他的手臂，使他無法用他的手臂。
20 And he stretched forth his hand to slay Ammon. But Ammon withstood his blows, and also smote his arm that he could not use it.
21 國王眼看艾蒙能殺他，便開始求艾蒙饒命。
21 Now when the king saw that Ammon could slay him, he began to plead with Ammon that he would spare his life.
22 但是艾蒙舉劍對他說：看啊，除非你答應放我的弟兄出獄，否則我就殺了你。
22 But Ammon raised his sword, and said unto him: Behold, I will smite thee except thou wilt grant unto me that my brethren may be acast out of prison.
23 國王怕丟了性命，就說：如果你肯饒我，不論你要什麼我都答應，即使是要半個王國。
23 Now the king, fearing he should lose his life, said: If thou wilt spare me I will grant unto thee whatsoever thou wilt ask, even to half of the kingdom.
24 艾蒙見自己如願左右了老國王，便對他說：如果你答應放我的弟兄出獄，也讓拉摩那保有他的王國，不惱怒他，讓他照自己的意思做他想做的ａ任何事，那麼我就饒你；否則我就把你砍倒在地。
24 Now when Ammon saw that he had wrought upon the old king according to his desire, he said unto him: If thou wilt grant that my brethren may be cast out of prison, and also that Lamoni may retain his kingdom, and that ye be not displeased with him, but grant that he may do according to his own desires inawhatsoever thing he thinketh, then will I spare thee; otherwise I will smite thee to the earth.
25 艾蒙說了這些話後，國王就開始因自己可以活命而高興起來。
25 Now when Ammon had said these words, the king began to rejoice because of his life.
26 他看到艾蒙無意殺他，又看到艾蒙非常愛護他的兒子拉摩那，甚感驚奇，說：由於你所希望的只是要我放了你的弟兄，並且讓我兒子拉摩那保有他的王國，看啊，我答應你，我兒子從今以後可以永遠保有他的王國，我不再管束他了──
26 And when he saw that Ammon had no desire to destroy him, and when he also saw the great alove he had for his son Lamoni, he was astonished exceedingly, and said: Because this is all that thou hast desired, that I would brelease thy brethren, and suffer that my son Lamoni should retain his kingdom, behold, I will grant unto you that my son may retain his kingdom from this time and forever; and I will govern him no more—
27 我也答應放你的弟兄出獄，你和你的弟兄都可以到我這裡來，到我的王國裡，我非常希望再見到你。國王對於他講的話，以及他兒子拉摩那講的話，感到十分驚奇，因此ａ很想了解。
27 And I will also grant unto thee that thy brethren may be cast out of prison, and thou and thy brethren may come unto me, in my kingdom; for I shall greatly desire to see thee. For the king was greatly astonished at the words which he had spoken, and also at the words which had been spoken by his son Lamoni, therefore he was adesirous to learn them.
28 事情是這樣的，艾蒙和拉摩那就繼續前往密度乃地。拉摩那深得當地國王的好感，而使艾蒙的弟兄獲釋出獄。
28 And it came to pass that Ammon and Lamoni proceeded on their journey towards the land of Middoni. And Lamoni found favor in the eyes of the king of the land; therefore the brethren of Ammon were brought forth out of prison.
29 艾蒙與他們見面時極為憂傷，因為看啊，他們赤裸著，皮膚被身上所綁的堅韌繩索磨破得很厲害。他們受盡飢渴及種種苦難，但是他們在一切痛苦中都能ａ忍耐。
29 And when Ammon did meet them he was exceedingly sorrowful, for behold they were naked, and their skins were worn exceedingly because of being bound with strong cords. And they also had asuffered hunger, thirst, and all kinds of afflictions; nevertheless they were bpatient in all their sufferings.
30 照事情的發生看來，他們註定要落入心地較硬又較倔強的人民手中；因此他們不肯聽他們的話，驅逐他們，毆打他們，把他們從這家趕到那家，從這裡趕到那裡，直到他們來到密度乃地；他們在此被捕入獄，被人用ａ堅韌的繩索綁起來，關在牢裡多日，才被拉摩那和艾蒙救出來。
30 And, as it happened, it was their lot to have fallen into the hands of a more hardened and a more astiffnecked people; therefore they would not hearken unto their words, and they had cast them out, and had smitten them, and had driven them from house to house, and from place to place, even until they had arrived in the land of Middoni; and there they were taken and cast into prison, and bound with bstrong cords, and kept in prison for many days, and were delivered by Lamoni and Ammon.
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