* 本篇文章难度系数6.3，由《小仙英语伴读》人工智能难度分析系统提供评分。

* 提高英语阅读水平要 “轻翻译，重分析理解”，译文仅在不得已的时候参考用，这里的译文也不求高质量，甚至有时都不一定通顺，但一定有助于提高阅读能力。

* 解析中英语单词的音标使用Dictcom和IPA双音标标注，如果需要了解Dictcom音标，请参看我们的《dictionary.com所用的音标体系》一文。

* 本文选自《Child Bible》，讲述的是摩西去世后，约书亚继续带领族人的时期发生的事情。

JEPHTHAH'S FOOLISH PROMISE

【译】Jephthah愚蠢的诺言

【单词】FOOLISH 原型：foolish 形容词 ['foo-lish]['fuːlɪʃ] adj. 愚蠢的；荒谬的；可笑的

【单词】PROMISE 原型：promise 名词 ['prom-is]['prɒmɪs] n. 诺言；约定

Jephthah, the Gileadite, was an able warrior, but he was the son of a wicked woman, and had fled from his relatives and lived in the land of Tob.

【译】基列人Jephthah是一个能干的战士，但他是一个坏女人的儿子，他逃离了他的亲戚，住在Tob这地。

【单词】warrior 名词 ['wawr-ee-er, 'wawr-yer, 'wor-ee-er, 'wor-yer]['wɒriə] n. 勇士；战士；武士

【单词】wicked 形容词 ['wik-id]['wɪkɪd] adj. 坏的；邪恶的

【单词】fled 原型：flee 动词过去分词 [flee][fliː] v. 逃走；逃离

【单词】relatives 原型：relative 名词复数形式 ['rel-uh-tiv]['relətɪv] n. 亲戚

【专有名词】Gileadite 名词 ['gil-ee-uh-dahyt]['ɡiliədait] n. 基列人

There certain rascals gathered about him, and they used to go out on raids with him.

【译】在那里，一些流氓老是聚集在一起打劫他。

【短语】used to ... 过去一向，过去时常; 例句：Young ladies used to have lessons in deportment. 少女们以前要上仪态课。

【单词】certain 代词 ['sur-tn]['sɜːt(ə)n] pron. 某些

【单词】rascals 原型：rascal 名词复数形式 ['ras-kuhl]['rɑːskl] n. 淘气鬼；流氓；坏蛋

【单词】gathered 原型：gather 动词过去式 ['gath-er]['ɡæðə] v. 聚集；集合

【单词】raids 原型：raid 名词复数形式 [reyd][reɪd] n. 袭击；搜捕；劫掠

After a time the Ammonites made war against the Israelites.

【译】一段时间后，阿莫尼特人攻打以色列人。

【短语】made war against 原型：make war against 向……开战；例句：The king decided to make war against his enemies. 国王决定对敌人开战。

【专有名词】Ammonites 原型：Ammonite 名词复数形式 ['am-uh-nahyt]['æmənaɪt] n. 阿莫尼特人

【专有名词】Israelites 原型：Israelite 名词复数形式 ['iz-ree-uh-lahyt, -rey-]['iz,riəlait] n. 以色列人

Then the elders of Gilead went to bring Jephthah from the land of Tob, and they said to him, "Come and be our commander, that we may fight against the Ammonites." But Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, "Are you not the men who hated me and drove me out of my father's house?

【译】然后，基列的长老就去Tob想把Jephthah带回来，他们对他说：“来成为我们的指挥官吧，我们就可以对抗阿莫尼特人了。”但Jephthah对他们说：“你们不是非常恨我，还把我逐出我父亲的房子了吗？

【短语】drove out 原型：drive out 逐出，驱逐；例句：They conspired to drive him out of the country. 他们共谋把他逐出国外。

【单词】elders 原型：elder 名词复数形式 ['el-der]['eldə] n. 长者；长辈

【单词】commander 名词 [kuh-'man-der, -'mahn-][kə'mɑːndə] n. 司令官；指挥官

【单词】hated 原型：hate 动词过去式 [heyt][heɪt] v. 憎恨；厌恶；讨厌

【专有名词】Gilead 基列(古巴勒斯坦地区,在约旦河以东)

Why then do you come to me now when you are in trouble?" But the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, "This is why we have now turned to you, that you may go with us and fight against the Ammonites, and you shall be our chief, even over all the people who live in Gilead." Then Jephthah said to the rulers of Gilead, "If you take me back to fight against the Ammonites and Jehovah gives me the victory over them, I shall be your chief." The elders of Gilead replied, "Jehovah shall be a witness between us; we swear to do as you say."

【译】现在你们有困难了为什么又来找我？”基列的长老回答他说：“我们现在来找你，是为了让你和我们一起去攻打阿莫尼特人，你将是我们的首领，甚至是基列全地的首领。”然后Jephthah对基列的统治者说：“如果你让我回来攻打阿莫尼特人，Jehovah还助我战胜了他们，我就将成为你们的首领。”基列的长老回答说：“Jehovah将是我们之间的一个见证；我们发誓要照你说的做。”

【短语】are in trouble 原型：be in trouble 处于困难或麻烦中；例句：You'll be in trouble if you don't watch your step. 你要是不谨慎从事就要倒霉了。

【短语】turned to 原型：turn to 转向，求助于；例句：I had to turn to the dictionary for help. 我只得求助于字典了。

【单词】chief 名词 [cheef][tʃiːf] n. 首领

【单词】rulers 原型：ruler 名词复数形式 ['roo-ler]['ruːlə] n. 统治者；支配者

【单词】replied 原型：reply 动词过去式 [ri-'plahy][rɪ'plaɪ] v. 回答；答复；回应

【单词】witness 名词 ['wit-nis]['wɪtnəs] n. 目击者；证人

【单词】swear 动词 [swair][sweə] v. 发誓；宣誓

【专有名词】Jehovah [ji-'hoh-vuh][dʒɪ'həʊvə] n. [圣经]耶和华(指上帝)

Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him chief and commander over them.

【译】Jephthah和基列的长老一同回去，百姓就立他作他们的首领和指挥者。

Jephthah also made this vow to Jehovah: "If thou wilt deliver the Ammonites into my power, then whoever comes out of the door of my house to meet me, when I return victorious from the Ammonites, shall be Jehovah's, and I will offer that one as an offering to be burned with fire."

【译】Jephthah还对Jehovah发誓说：“如果你让我打败阿莫尼特人，当我凯旋归来时，从我家出来迎接我的人都将属于你Jehovah，我将把那人作为祭品用火焚烧。”

【词法】wilt 在这里是古英语中 will 的第二人称单数现在时陈述语气，一般和 thou （古语的第二人称“你”的单数形式）连用；例句：Through me every time thou wilt see the delight. 让你每次透过我都能看到快乐。

【单词】vow 名词 [vou][vaʊ] n. 誓约

【单词】thou 代词 [th ou][ðaʊ] pron. [古]你

【单词】deliver 动词 [dih-'liv-er][dɪ'lɪvə] v. 交付

【单词】victorious 形容词 [vik-'tawr-ee-uh s, -'tohr-][vɪk'tɔːriəs] adj. 胜利的；得胜的

【单词】offering 名词 ['aw-fer-ing, 'of-er-][ɔːfərɪŋ] n. 祭品

【单词】burned 原型：burn 动词过去分词 [burn][bɜːn] v. 燃烧；烧着

So Jephthah went out to fight against the Ammonites; and Jehovah gave him the victory over them, and delivered them into his hands.

【译】Jephthah就去攻打阿莫尼特人；Jehovah使他取得胜利，将他们交到他手中。

【短语】fight against 对抗，抵抗；例句：We must fight against ignorance. 我们必须和无知作战。

But when he came home to Mizpah, his daughter was just coming out to meet him with tambourines and choral dances.

【译】但当他回到Mizpah的家，�他的女儿就用击鼓和舞蹈来迎接他。

【单词】tambourines 原型：tambourine 名词复数形式 [tam-buh-'reen][,tæmbə'riːn] n. 小手鼓

【单词】choral 形容词 [adjective 'kawr-uh l, 'kohr-; noun kuh-'ral, kaw-, koh-, 'kawr-uh l, 'kohr-]['kɔːrəl] adj. 合唱队的；合唱的；集体朗诵的

She was his only child; besides this one he had neither son nor daughter.

【译】她是他唯一的孩子，除此之外他没有其他子女。

【单词】besides 介词 [bih-'sahydz][bɪ'saɪdz] prep. 除 ... 之外

So when he saw her, he tore his clothes and said, "Oh, my daughter, you have stricken me!

【译】他一看见她，就抓裂着自己的衣服说：“我的女儿，你害了我！

【单词】tore 原型：tear 动词过去式 [teer][teə] v. 撕掉；扯下；撕破

【单词】stricken 原型：strike 动词过去分词 [strahyk][straɪk]v. 打；打击

It is you who are the cause of my woe! for I have made a solemn vow to Jehovah and cannot break it." She said to him, "My father, you have made a solemn vow to Jehovah; do to me what you have promised, since Jehovah has punished your enemies the Ammonites.

【译】你是我悲哀的根源！我对Jehovah许下了一个庄重的誓言，而且不能违背。”她对他说：“我的父亲，你对Jehovah许下了一个庄重的誓言；你就按许诺的那样对我吧，因为Jehovah已经惩罚了你的仇敌阿莫尼特人。

【词法】It is/was + 被强调成分 + that/who …… 是强调结构，强调句子的某一成分，通常是主语、宾语或状语（本句中是 you ）；例句：It was her I met yesterday. 昨天我遇到的是她。

【单词】cause 名词 [kawz][kɔːz] n. 原因

【单词】woe 名词 [woh][wəʊ] n. 悲哀；苦痛；不幸

【单词】solemn 形容词 ['sol-uhm]['sɒləm] adj. 庄严的；严肃的；隆重的

【单词】promised 原型：promise 动词过去分词 ['prom-is]['prɒmɪs] v. 允诺；发誓；答应

【单词】punished 原型：punish 动词过去分词 ['puhn-ish]['pʌnɪʃ] v. 惩罚；处罚

But let this favor be granted me: spare me two months that I may go out upon the mountains with those who would have been my bridesmaids and lament because I will never become a wife and mother." He said, "Go."

【译】但请给我这恩惠：给我两个月的时间，我将带着本应成为我伴娘的人和悲痛爬上山去，因为我永远也无法成为一个妻子和母亲了。”他说：“去吧。”

【单词】favor 名词 ['fey-ver]['feɪvə] n. 恩惠

【单词】granted 原型：grant 动词过去分词 [grant, grahnt][grɑːnt] v. 授予

【单词】spare 动词 [spair][speə] v. 抽出；分出

【单词】bridesmaids 原型：bridesmaid 名词复数形式 ['brahydz-meyd]['braɪdzmeɪd] n. 伴娘

【单词】lament 动词 [luh-'ment][lə'ment] v. 哀悼；惋惜；悲叹

So he sent her away for two months with her friends, and she mourned on the mountains because she would never become a wife and mother.

【译】于是他送她和她的朋友们出去了两个月，她在山上哀悼，因为她永远也无法成为一个妻子和母亲。

【单词】mourned 原型：mourn 动词过去式 [mawrn, mohrn][mɔːn] v. 哀悼；忧伤

At the end of two months she returned to her father, who did what he had vowed to do, even though she had never been married.

【译】两个月后，她回到父亲身边，尽管她还没结婚，她父亲还是做了之前发誓要做的事。

【词法】even though是“尽管”的意思，为连词，引导让步状语从句用于引导让步状语从句。如：He went out even though it was raining. 尽管在下雨，他还是出去了。even though与even if很多情况下可以互换，但是还是有一些细微的区别。even though 引导的从句内容往往是真实的，主要用于引出不利用于主句情况的信息，相当于汉语的“尽管”，“虽然”。如上面例句中。而even if 引导的从句是往往是假设性的，相当于汉语的“即使”，“纵然”，如：Even if it rains tomorrow, we won't change our plan. 即使明天下雨，我们也决不改变计划。

So it became a custom in Israel: each year the women of Israel go out for four days to bewail the death of the daughter of Jephthah, the Gileadite.

【译】因此这也成了以色列的一个习俗：每年以色列的女人出去四天，去哀悼基列人Jephthah的女儿之死�。

【单词】custom 名词 ['kuhs-tuh m]['kʌstəm] n. 习惯；风俗；惯例

【单词】bewail 动词 [bih-'weyl][bɪ'weɪl] v. 哀悼；悲叹；痛哭

【专有名词】Israel 地名 ['iz-ree-uh l, -rey-]['ɪzreɪl] n. 以色列