創世記 24
1 亞巴郎年紀已老，上主在一切事上常祝福他。
By now Abraham was old and well along in years, and the LORD had blessed him in every way.
2 亞巴郎對管理他所有家產的老僕人說：「請你將手放在我的胯下，
So Abraham instructed the chief servant of his household, who managed all he owned, “Place your hand under my thigh,
3 要你指著上主、天地的天主起誓：你決不要為我的兒子，由我現住的客納罕人中，娶一個女子為妻；
and I will have you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am dwelling,
4 卻要到我的故鄉，我的親族中去，為我的兒子依撒格娶妻。」
but will go to my country and my kindred to take a wife for my son Isaac.”
5 僕人對他說：「假使那女子不願跟我到此地來，我能否帶你的兒子回到你的本鄉﹖」
The servant asked him, “What if the woman is unwilling to follow me to this land? Shall I then take your son back to the land from which you came?”
6 亞巴郎答覆他說：「你切不可帶我的兒子回到那裏去。
Abraham replied, “Make sure that you do not take my son back there.
7 那引我出離父家和我生身地，同我談過話，對我起誓說「我必將這地賜給你後裔」的上主，上天的天主，必派遣自己的使者作你的前導，領你由那裏給我兒子娶個妻子。
The LORD, the God of heaven, who brought me from my father’s house and my native land, who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give this land’—He will send His angel before you so that you can take a wife for my son from there.
8 假若那女子不願跟你來，你對我起的誓，就與你無涉；無論如何，你不能帶我的兒子回到那裏去。」
And if the woman is unwilling to follow you, then you are released from this oath of mine. Only do not take my son back there.”
9 僕人遂將手放在主人亞巴郎的胯下，為這事向他起了誓。
So the servant placed his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore an oath to him concerning this matter.
10 僕人由他主人的駱駝中，牽了十匹駱駝，帶著主人的各樣寶物，起身往美索不達米亞的納曷爾城去了。
Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed with all manner of good things from his master in hand. And he set out for Nahor’s hometown in Aram-naharaim.
11 傍晚，女人們出來打水的時候，他叫駱駝臥在城外的水井旁，
As evening approached, he made the camels kneel down near the well outside the town at the time when the women went out to draw water.
12 然後說：「上主、我主人亞巴郎的天主! 求你對我主人亞巴郎施行仁慈，今日使我幸運。
“O LORD, God of my master Abraham,” he prayed, “please grant me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.
13 看我站在水泉旁，此時城中的女子正出來打水。
Here I am, standing beside the spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water.
14 我對那個少女說：請你放下水罐，讓我喝點水。如果她答說：請喝! 並且我還要打水給你的駱駝喝，她即是你為你的僕人依撒格預定的少女；由此我知道，你對我主人施行了仁慈。」
Now may it happen that the girl to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who responds, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels as well’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. By this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.”
15 話還沒有說完，黎貝加就肩著水罐出來了。她是亞巴郎的兄弟納曷爾的妻子米耳加的兒子貝突耳的女兒。
Before the servant had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor.
16 這少女容貌很美，是個還沒有人認識的處女。她下到水泉，灌滿了水罐，就上來了。
Now the girl was very beautiful, a virgin who had not had relations with any man. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up again.
17 僕人就跑上前去迎著她說：「請讓我喝點你水罐裏的水，好嗎! 」
So the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me have a little water from your jar.”
18 她回答說：「先生! 請喝! 」她急忙將水罐放低，托在手上讓他喝。
“Drink, my lord,” she replied, and she quickly lowered her jar to her hands and gave him a drink.
19 他喝足了以後，少女說：「我再為你的駱駝打水，叫牠們也喝足。」
After she had given him a drink, she said, “I will also draw water for your camels, until they have had enough to drink.”
20 遂急忙將罐裏的水倒在槽裏，再跑到那井裏去打水，打給他的駱駝喝。
And she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran back to the well to draw water, until she had drawn water for all his camels.
21 僕人在旁靜靜地注視她，急願知道，是否上主已使他此行成功。
Meanwhile, the man watched her silently to see whether or not the LORD had made his journey a success.
22 駱駝喝完了水以後，老人就拿出一個半「協刻耳」重的金鼻環，和一對重十「協刻耳」的金手鐲，給她戴上，
And after the camels had finished drinking, he took out a gold ring weighing a beka, and two gold bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels.
23 然後說：「請你告訴我你是誰的女兒﹖你父親家裏，有沒有地方可讓我們過宿﹖」
“Whose daughter are you?” he asked. “Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?”
24 她回答說：「我是米耳加給納曷爾所生之子貝突耳的女兒。」
She replied, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milcah bore to Nahor.”
25 她又繼續說：「我們家裏有很多草料和飼糧，而且還有地方可供過宿。」
Then she added, “We have plenty of straw and feed, as well as a place for you to spend the night.”
26 老人就俯身朝拜了上主，說：「
Then the man bowed down and worshiped the LORD,
27 上主，我主人亞巴郎的天主應受讚美! 因為他不斷以仁慈和忠信善待了我的主人。上主也一路引我來到了我主人的老家。」
saying, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not withheld His kindness and faithfulness from my master. As for me, the LORD has led me on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives.”
28 那少女跑回去，將這一切事告訴了她母親家中的人。
The girl ran and told her mother’s household about these things.
29 黎貝加有個哥哥名叫拉班，他一看見他妹妹鼻上的金環，和手腕上的金鐲，聽見他妹妹黎貝加說：「那人如此如此對我說。」
Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he rushed out to the man at the spring.
30 拉班就跑去見那在郊外水泉旁的人，迨他來到那人那裏，見他仍站在靠近水泉的駱駝旁，
As soon as he saw the ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and heard Rebekah’s words, “The man said this to me,” he went and found the man standing by the camels near the spring.
31 就對他說：「你這受上主祝福的人，請來我已預備好了房屋和餵駱駝的地方；你為什麼還站在郊外﹖」
“Come, you who are blessed by the LORD,” said Laban. “Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.”
32 拉班便將那人領進家去，卸了駱駝，餵上草料和飼糧；又拿水給他和與他同來的人洗腳，
So the man came to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and feed were brought to the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of his companions.
33 然後在他面前擺上飯，但僕人卻說：「在我未說明我的來意之前，我不吃飯。」拉班說：「你說罷! 」
Then a meal was set before the man, but he said, “I will not eat until I have told you what I came to say.” So Laban said, “Please speak.”
34 他說：「我是亞巴郎的僕人，
“I am Abraham’s servant,” he replied.
35 上主厚厚地祝福了我的主人，使他十分富有，賜了他羊群、牛群、金銀、僕婢、駱駝和驢子。
“The LORD has greatly blessed my master, and he has become rich. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, menservants and maidservants, camels and donkeys.
36 我主人的妻子撒辣，在老年給我主人生了一個兒子，主人遂將所有的財產都給了他。
My master’s wife Sarah has borne him a son in her old age, and my master has given him everything he owns.
37 我主人叫我起誓說：你決不要給我的兒子，由我現居地的客納罕人中，娶一個女子為妻。
My master made me swear an oath and said, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites in whose land I dwell,
38 你該到我的父家和我的同族中，為我兒子娶妻。
but you shall go to my father’s house and to my kindred to take a wife for my son.’
39 我對我主人說：假使女兒不願跟我來怎麼辦﹖
Then I asked my master, ‘What if the woman will not come back with me?’
40 他回答我說：我一向在上主面前行走，他必派遣自己的使者與你同行，使你此行必成功，能由我的同族，我的父家，為我兒子娶妻。
And he told me, ‘The LORD, before whom I have walked, will send His angel with you and make your journey a success, so that you may take a wife for my son from my kindred and from my father’s house.
41 只要你去了我同族那裏，你就履行了對我起的誓；若是他們不給你，你對我起的誓，就與你無涉。
And when you go to my kindred, if they refuse to give her to you, then you will be released from my oath.’
42 今天我到了水泉那裏就說：上主，我主人亞巴郎的天主! 惟願你使我此行成功。
So when I came to the spring today, I prayed: O LORD, God of my master Abraham, if only You would make my journey a success!
43 看我現在站在泉旁，我對那個出來打水的少女說：請你讓我喝點你水罐裏的水罷!
Here I am, standing beside this spring. Now if a maiden comes out to draw water and I say to her, ‘Please let me drink a little water from your jar,’
44 如果她對我說：請喝，並且我還要打水給你的駱駝喝，她即是上主為我主人的兒子預定的妻子。
and she replies, ‘Drink, and I will draw water for your camels as well,’ may she be the woman the LORD has appointed for my master’s son.
45 我心裏尚未說完這話，看，黎貝加肩著水罐來了，下到水泉那裏打水，我就對她說：請給我一點水喝!
And before I had finished praying in my heart, there was Rebekah coming out with her jar on her shoulder, and she went down to the spring and drew water. So I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’
46 她急忙從肩上放下水罐說：你喝，並且我還要打水給你的駱駝喝。我喝了，同時她也給了駱駝水喝。
She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels as well.’ So I drank, and she also watered the camels.
47 我於是問她說：你是誰的女兒﹖她答說：我是米耳加給納曷爾生的兒子貝突耳的女兒。我就將鼻環戴在她鼻上，將手鐲帶在她手腕上。
Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She replied, ‘The daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to him.’ So I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists.
48 然後我俯身朝拜了上主，讚頌了上主、我主人亞巴郎的天主，因為他引我走了正路，為我主人的兒子娶了我主人兄弟的孫女。
Then I bowed down and worshiped the LORD; and I blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who led me on the right road to take the granddaughter of my master’s brother for his son.
49 現在，如果你們願意以仁慈和忠信善待我主人，請告訴我；如果不肯，也請告訴我；我好決定行事。」
Now if you will show kindness and faithfulness to my master, tell me; but if not, let me know, so that I may go elsewhere.”
50 拉班和貝突耳答說：「這件事既是出於上主，我們不能對你說好說壞。
Laban and Bethuel answered, “This is from the LORD; we have no choice in the matter.
51 看黎貝加在你面前，你可帶她去做你主人兒子的妻子，如上主所說的。」
Rebekah is here before you. Take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master’s son, just as the LORD has decreed.”
52 亞巴郎的僕人一聽見他們說出這話，就俯伏在地朝拜了上主；
When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed down to the ground before the LORD.
53 然後拿出金銀的珍飾和衣服來，送給了黎貝加，又送給了她的哥哥和她的母親一些寶貴禮品。
Then he brought out jewels of silver and gold, and articles of clothing, and he gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious gifts to her brother and her mother.
54 這以後，他和同他前來的人才吃喝，並住了一宿。清早起來，他就說：「請讓我回到我主人那裏去! 」
Then he and the men with him ate and drank and spent the night there. When they got up the next morning, he said, “Send me on my way to my master.”
55 黎貝加的哥哥和母親說：「讓少女同我們再住上幾天或十天，然後走罷! 」
But her brother and mother said, “Let the girl remain with us ten days or so. After that, she may go.”
56 他回答他們說：「你們不要挽留我，上主既使我此行成功，請你們讓我走，回到我主人那裏去。」
But he replied, “Do not delay me, since the LORD has made my journey a success. Send me on my way so that I may go to my master.”
57 他們說：「我們可叫少女來，問問她的意思。」
So they said, “We will call the girl and ask her opinion.”
58 他們就將黎貝加叫來問她說：「你願意跟這人去嗎﹖」她答說：「願意。」
They called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?” “I will go,” she replied.
59 於是他們打發自己的姊妹黎貝加和她的乳母，同亞巴郎的僕人和與他同來的人一起走了。
So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, along with her nurse and Abraham’s servant and his men.
60 他們祝福黎貝加說：「我們的姊妹，願你子孫無數! 願你的後裔，佔領仇敵的城門! 」
And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “Our sister, may you become the mother of thousands upon thousands. May your offspring possess the gates of their enemies.”
61 黎貝加便和自己的婢女們起來，上了駱駝，跟那人去了。僕人便帶著黎貝加起了程。
Then Rebekah and her servant girls got ready, mounted the camels, and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left.
62 那時依撒格剛來到拉海洛依井旁附近，他原住在乃革布地方。
Now Isaac had just returned from Beer-lahai-roi, for he was living in the Negev.
63 傍晚時，依撒格出來在田間來回沉思，舉目一望，看見了一隊駱駝。
Early in the evening, Isaac went out to the field to meditate, and looking up, he saw the camels approaching.
64 黎貝加舉目看見了依撒格，便由駱駝上下來，
And when Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac, she got down from her camel
65 問僕人說：「田間前來迎接我們的那人是誰﹖」僕人答說：「是我的主人。」黎貝加遂拿面紗蒙在臉上。
and asked the servant, “Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?” “It is my master,” the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself.
66 僕人就將自己所作的一切事，告訴了依撒格。
Then the servant told Isaac all that he had done.
67 依撒格便領黎貝加進入自己母親撒辣的帳幕，娶了她為妻，很是愛她。依撒格自從母親死後，這才有了安慰。
And Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah and took Rebekah as his wife. And Isaac loved her and was comforted after his mother’s death.
