(一个犹大国居民的自述)
I was happy once the Passover started because I like the Passover a lot. I was sad and scared when the Passover ended because just as it ended, the news came that Assyrian army was invading Israel. At least it wasn’t Judah that Assyria was attacking. But I was still scared because I heard from our own spies that Assyria was planning a attack on Judah right after they captured Israel. I was almost scared to death by the thought of being invaded.
每次过逾越节我都很高兴，我个人是非常喜欢这个节日，但是这次却是个例外。刚过完这节日没多久，我就听到了一个令人沮丧的消息。北边大国亚述的军队入侵了以色列国。虽然说他们没有继续进攻犹大国，但我还是心里忍不住担心受怕，因为据我们的情报人员报告说：亚述人打算成功占据以色列后，犹大国就成了他们的下一个猎物目标。我现在一思想这样的情景就有点害怕。

Sennacherib had captured Israel all to himself and he was ready to capture Judah. Hezekiah, our king decided to act first by blocking off springs of water out of the fortified city.
亚述王西拿基立轻而易举地攻占了以色列国。他下一步计划很明确就是攻打犹大国。我们犹大国的希西家王决定先发制人截断亚述军队设防城市的水源。

“Why should they come here finding lots of fresh water to drink?” Hezekiah said. He then gathered his army for the defence of the cities in Judah. I decided to volunteer for the army. I was an officer from the beginning.
“亚述王来，为何让他得着许多水喝呢？”希西家问道。接着他就集聚，许多人塞了一切泉源，并通流国中的小河。让他的军队肩负起保护犹大国的责任。我深受鼓舞，也决定参军去保卫祖国。要知道我一开始就给一个小军官当呢。

Hezekiah also built another wall in front of the first wall of Jerusalem. He reinforced the supporting landforms that guarded Jerusalem like the hills outside of Jerusalem. Our king also made large quantities of shields and weapons.
希西家王下令在耶路撒冷原来的围墙外再加固一堵墙。他力图自强，修筑好所有被毁坏的城墙。所建的新墙皆与城楼相齐，又在城外又筑一城。制造了许多军器、盾牌。

“We should be strong and courageous,” He said to the army officers. “Just like Joshua was when he was leading the Israelites. We should not be discouraged by the large army that Sennacherib has prepared for the siege of Judah.” He added. “Most importantly, God will be with us in the battle and we do not have to be afraid.”
“我们应该勇敢的保卫自己的国家，就像当年耶和华带领着以色列人那样。虽然亚述王西拿基立已经做好充分的准备来侵略我们的国家，但我们也不应该感到害怕。”希西家王对他的那些军官们说道。紧接着，他又加了一句：“最重要的是，上帝永远与我们同在。你们当刚强壮胆，不要因亚述王和跟随他的大军恐惧惊慌，因为与我们同在的，比与他们同在的更大！与他们同在的是肉臂，与我们同在的是耶和华我们的神！他必帮助我们，为我们争战。”百姓就靠犹大王希西家的话，安然无惧了。

Sennacherib and all his forces were going to siege Lachish. He also sent his officers to Jerusalem with a message for Hezekiah.
那个时候亚述王西拿基立正在集中火力进攻拉吉 ，但他还是派臣仆来见希西家王并带来口信。

“This is what Sennacherib, our master says: How are you going to find your own confidence that you remain in your homes under siege?” The messengers said. “When you say God will save us, he is misleading you and going to let you die of hunger and thirst. Did you not know what happened to all the other nations?” They mocked. “Were the gods of those nations able to stop them from my hand? No, so how can your God save you from my hand?” Sennacherib’s officers then kept on speaking against the Lord our God and against our King Hezekiah.
臣仆说：“我们亚述王西拿基立说的原话如下：当我们亚述的军队兵临你们城下时，你有何信心保卫你自己的国家呢？”臣仆接着说：“当你们说上帝会来拯救你们时，要知道这是在误导你们，你们的神最终将会让你死于兵荒马乱。你知道其他那些国家的惨状吗？当我们大肆杀戮他们的军队和民众时，你们的上帝在哪里呢？祂怎么不出面来阻止我们的杀戳行动呢？现在，你们又怎么能指望祂来拯救你们呢？”亚述王西拿基立的那个臣仆不仅冷嘲热讽，还说了些对上帝和希西家王极不尊敬的话。

They also wrote letters insulting our God. The commanders of Sennacherib’s army called out to our people in Hebrew.
亚述王西拿基立还写信辱骂我们的上帝，还把犹太居民集中在

一起，用希伯来语念这封信。

“The God of Jerusalem will fall like the other Gods of the other people in the world, the work of men’s hands.” When Hezekiah heard the words, he and Isaiah, the prophet, burst into tears and cried out to the Lord in heaven about the matter. The Lord answered sending a angel and he killed all the fighting men, leaders and officers of the army of Assyria in the camp. Sennacherib went back home terrified. As he was praying to his own gods, two of his own sons killed him and ran away. The Lord and Hezekiah are now highly regarded by all nations!
“耶路撒冷的神将和世界上其他地方的那些神那样，面对我们强大的亚述军队都将束手无策。”当希西家王听到这番话后，他和亚摩斯的儿子先知以赛亚因此流泪祷告，向天上的父神呼求。耶和华神就差遣一个使者进入亚述王营中，把所有大能的勇士和官长、将帅尽都灭了。亚述王西拿基立吓得急忙逃回了自己的国家，当他正在他自己神的庙中向假神祈祷时，他亲生的两个儿子却在那里杀了他。正因如此，耶和华神和希西家王都受到整个国家人民的崇敬与爱戴。