大衛便對信使說：「你去告訴約押不要為這事難過，因為刀劍無情。讓他只管竭力攻陷城池。要這樣勉勵約押。」

王向使者说：“你告诉约押说：‘不要因这事愁闷，刀剑或吞灭这人或吞灭那人，没有一定的；你只管竭力攻城，将城倾覆。’可以用这话勉励约押。”

大卫向使者说：“你对约押这样说：‘不要为这事难过，因为刀剑可能吞灭这人或那人。你只管竭力攻城，将城倾覆。’你要勉励约押。”

大卫向使者说：“你对约押这样说：‘不要为这事难过，因为刀剑可能吞灭这人或那人。你只管竭力攻城，将城倾覆。’你要勉励约押。”

大卫便对信使说：“你去告诉约押不要为这事难过，因为刀剑无情。让他只管竭力攻陷城池。要这样勉励约押。”

大卫对那使者说：“你要对约押这样说：‘不要为这件事难过，因为刀剑有时吞灭这人，有时吞灭那人。你只要加紧攻打这城，把城毁灭。’你要这样鼓励他。”

王向使者說：「你告訴約押說：『不要因這事愁悶，刀劍或吞滅這人或吞滅那人，沒有一定的；你只管竭力攻城，將城傾覆。』可以用這話勉勵約押。」

大衛向使者說：「你對約押這樣說：『不要為這事難過，因為刀劍可能吞滅這人或那人。你只管竭力攻城，將城傾覆。』你要勉勵約押。」

大衛向使者說：「你對約押這樣說：『不要為這事難過，因為刀劍可能吞滅這人或那人。你只管竭力攻城，將城傾覆。』你要勉勵約押。」

大衛對那使者說：“你要對約押這樣說：‘不要為這件事難過，因為刀劍有時吞滅這人，有時吞滅那人。你只要加緊攻打這城，把城毀滅。’你要這樣鼓勵他。”

王對使者說：『你告訴約押說：「你看了這事不要難受，因為刀劍吞滅這人或那人是沒有一定的；你只管加強戰力攻城，將城翻毁好啦；」你總要使約押的意志剛強。』

大衛就對使者說：「你要對約押如此說：『不要為這件事難過，因為刀劍有時吞噬這個，有時吞噬那個。你只要竭力攻擊那城，把它摧毀！』你要這樣鼓勵約押。」

大衛謂使者曰、爾其語約押曰、毋以此為憂、刃之吞人、或彼或此、當益奮厥力、攻城而毀之、以此勉勵約押、

大闢謂使者曰、汝必告約押曰、勿以此為憂、亡於刃者、或彼或此、爾當攻城、愈奮其力、期以必陷、爾以是言勵其銳志。

大衛謂使者曰、爾當告約押曰、勿以此為憂、刀劍殺人、刀劍殺人或作亡於刃者或彼或此、無所定焉、但當極力攻城而傾毀之、爾可以此言慰約押、

David told the messenger,“ Say this to Joab:‘ Don’t let this upset you; the sword devours one as well as another. Press the attack against the city and destroy it.’ Say this to encourage Joab.”

David told the messenger,“ Tell Joab,‘ Don’t get upset over what happened. Swords kill one person as well as another. So keep on attacking the city. Destroy it.’ Tell that to Joab. It will cheer him up.”

David said to the messenger,“ Thus shall you say to Joab,‘ Do not let this matter displease you, for the sword devours now one and now another. Strengthen your attack against the city and overthrow it.’ And encourage him.”

“ Well, tell Joab not to be discouraged,” David said.“ The sword devours this one today and that one tomorrow! Fight harder next time, and conquer the city!”

David told the messenger,“ Say this to Joab:‘ Don’t let this matter upset you because the sword devours all alike. Intensify your fight against the city and demolish it.’ Encourage him.”

Then David said to the messenger,“ This is what you shall say to Joab:‘ Do not let this thing displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another; fight with determination against the city and overthrow it’; and thereby encourage him.”

Then David said to the messenger,“ Thus you shall say to Joab:‘ Do not let this thing displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Strengthen your attack against the city, and overthrow it.’ So encourage him.”

Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another; make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him.

David told the messenger,“ Say this to Joab:‘ Don’t let this matter upset you because the sword devours all alike. Intensify your fight against the city and demolish it.’ Encourage him.”

Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him.

David said to the messenger,“ Tell Joab,‘ Don’t let this thing upset you. There is no way to anticipate whom the sword will cut down. Press the battle against the city and conquer it.’ Encourage him with these words.”

Then David said to the messenger,“ Tell Joab,‘ Don’t let this thing displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Make your battle stronger against the city, and overthrow it.’ Encourage him.”

我仔細思想、探究這些事，就知道義人、智者及他們的行事為人都由上帝掌管，人無法知道前面等待自己的是愛還是恨。義人和惡人、好人和壞人、潔淨的和污穢的、獻祭的和不獻祭的、行善的和犯罪的、敢於起誓的和不敢起誓的人，最終的命運都一樣。在日光之下有一件可悲的事，就是人最終的命運都一樣。再者，人內心都充滿邪惡，活著的時候行事狂妄，最後都步入死亡。

我又發現，日光之下，跑得快的未必能得獎，強大的未必能得勝，智者未必得溫飽，聰明人未必有財富，博學者未必受愛戴，因為時機和境遇左右眾人。再者，人無法知道何時大難臨頭。禍患突然臨到時，人根本無法擺脫，就像魚落入險惡的網中，又像鳥兒陷入網羅。

你們要留意觀察，如果車朝以色列邊境的伯·示麥去，這大災難就是耶和華降給我們的。如果不朝那方向走，我們就知道不是祂懲罰我們，是偶然發生的。」

那時，約押正攻打亞捫人的都城拉巴。

主啊，現在以色列人被仇敵打敗，我還有什麼話可說呢？迦南人和這一帶的人聽到這消息以後，必從四面八方來圍攻我們，將我們從地上斬盡殺絕。那時候，你的威名又何在呢？」