< 創世記 24 >
And Abraam was old, advanced in days, and the Lord blessed Abraam in all things.
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,
And Abraam said to his servant the elder of his house, who had rule over all his possessions, Put 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 adjure you by the Lord the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that you take not a wife for my son Isaac from the daughters of the Chananites, with whom I dwell, in the midst of them.
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 you shall go instead to my country, where I was born, and to my tribe, and you shall take from thence 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﹖」
And the servant said to him, Shall I carry back your son to the land whence you came forth, if haply the woman should not be willing to return with me to this land?
6 亞巴郎答覆他說:「你切不可帶我的兒子回到那裏去。
And Abraam said to him, Take heed to yourself that you carry not 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, and the God of the earth, who took me out of my father's house, and out of the land whence I sprang, who spoke to me, and who swore to me, saying, I will give this land to you and to your seed, he shall send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife to my son from thence.
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 should not be willing to come with you into this land, you shall be clear from my oath, only carry not my son there again.
9 僕人遂將手放在主人亞巴郎的胯下,為這事向他起了誓。
And the servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraam, and swore 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。
And the servant took ten camels of his master's camels, and [he took] of all the goods of his master with him, and he arose and went into Mesopotamia to the city of Nachor.
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,
And he rested his camels without the city by the well of water towards evening, when damsels go forth 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。
And he said, O Lord God of my master Abraam, prosper my way before me to day, and deal mercifully with my master Abraam.
Behold! I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of them that inhabit the city come forth 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。」
And it shall be, the virgin to whoever I shall say, Incline your water-pot, that I may drink, and she shall say, Drink you, and I will give your camels drink, until they shall have done drinking—even this one you have prepared for your servant Isaac, and hereby shall I know that you have dealt mercifully with my master Abraam.
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。
And it came to pass before he had done speaking in his mind, that behold, Rebecca the daughter of Bathuel, the son of Melcha, the wife of Nachor, and [the same] the brother of Abraam, came forth, having a water-pot on her shoulders.
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。
And the virgin was very beautiful in appearance, she was a virgin, a man had not known her; and she went down to the well, and filled her water-pot, and came up.
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! 」
And the servant ran up to meet her, and said, Give me a little water to drink out of your pitcher;
18 她回答說:「先生! 請喝! 」她急忙將水罐放低,托在手上讓他喝。
and she said, Drink, Sir; and she hasted, and let down the pitcher upon her arm, and gave him to drink, till he ceased drinking.
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。」
And she said, I will also draw water for your camels, till they shall all have drunk.
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 hasted, and emptied the water-pot into the trough, and ran to the well to draw again, and drew water for all the 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。
And the man took great notice of her, and remained silent to know whether the Lord had made his way prosperous or not.
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 it came to pass when all the camels ceased drinking, that the man took golden ear-rings, each of a drachm weight, and he [put] two bracelets on her hands, their weight was ten pieces of gold.
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﹖」
And he asked her, and said, Whose daughter are you? Tell me if there is room for us to lodge with your father.
24 她回答說:「我是米耳加給納曷爾所生之子貝突耳的女兒。」
And she said to him, I am the daughter of Bathuel the son of Melcha, whom she bore to Nachor.
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。」
And she said to him, We have both straw and much provender, and a place for resting.
And the man being well pleased, worshipped 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。」
and said, Blessed be the Lord the God of my master Abraam, who has not suffered his righteousness to fail, nor his truth from my master, and the Lord has brought me prosperously to the house of the brother of my lord.
28 那少女跑回去,將這一切事告訴了她母親家中的人。
And the damsel ran and reported to the house of her mother according to these words.
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。」
And Rebecca had a brother whose name was Laban; and Laban ran out to meet the man, to the well.
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,
And it came to pass when he saw the ear-rings and the bracelets on the hands of his sister, and when he heard the words of Rebecca his sister, saying, Thus the man spoke to me, that he went to the man, as he stood by the camels at the well.
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﹖」
And he said to him, Come in hither, you blessed of the Lord, why stand you without, whereas 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,
And the man entered into the house, and unloaded the camels, and gave the camels straw and provender, and water to wash his feet, and the feet of the men that were with him.
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! 」
And he set before them loaves to eat; but he said, I will not eat, until I have told my errand. And he said, Speak on.
And he said, I am a servant of Abraam;
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。
and the Lord has blessed my master greatly, and he is exalted, and he has given him sheep, and calves, and silver, and gold, servants and servant-maids, camels, and asses.
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。
And Sarrha my master's wife bore one son to my master after he had grown old; and he gave him whatever he had.
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。
And my master caused me to swear, saying, You shall not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the Chananites, amongst whom I sojourn in their land.
But you shall go to the house of my father, and to my tribe, and you shall take thence a wife for my son.
And I said to my master, Haply the woman will not go 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 said to me, The Lord God to whom I have been acceptable in his presence, himself shall send out his angel with you, and shall prosper your journey, and you shall take a wife for my son of my tribe, and of the house of my father.
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。
Then shall you be clear from my curse, for whenever you shall have come to my tribe, and they shall not give her to you, then shall you be clear 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。
And having come this day to the well, I said, Lord God of my master Abraam, if you prosper my journey on which I am now going,
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!
behold, I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city come forth to draw water, and it shall be [that] the damsel to whom I shall say, Give me a little water to drink out of your pitcher,
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 shall say to me, Both drink you, and I will draw water for your camels, this [shall be] the wife whom the Lord has prepared for his own servant Isaac; and hereby shall I know that you have wrought mercy with my master Abraam.
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 it came to pass before I had done speaking in my mind, straightway Rebecca came forth, having her pitcher on her shoulders; and she went down to the well, and drew water; and I said to her, Give me to 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。
And she hasted and let down her pitcher on her arm from her head, and said, Drink you, and I will give your camels drink; and I drank, and she gave the camels drink.
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。
And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter are you? tell me; and she said, I am daughter of Bathuel the son of Nachor, whom Melcha bore to him; and I put on her the ear-rings, and the bracelets on her hands.
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。
And being well-pleased I worshipped the Lord, and I blessed the Lord the God of my master Abraam, who has prospered me in a true way, so that I should take the daughter 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。」
If then you [will] deal mercifully and justly with my lord, [tell me], and if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand or to the left.
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。
And Laban and Bathuel answered and said, This matter has come forth from the Lord, we shall not be able to answer you bad or good.
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。」
Behold, Rebecca is before you, take her and go away, and let her be wife to the son of your master, as the Lord has said.
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;
And it came to pass when the servant of Abraam heard these words, he bowed himself to the Lord down to the earth.
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。
And the servant having brought forth jewels of silver and gold and raiment, gave them to Rebecca, and gave gifts to her brother, and to 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! 」
And both he and the men with him ate and drank and went to sleep. And he arose in the morning and said, Send me away, that I may go 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! 」
And her brethren and her mother said, Let the virgin remain with us about ten days, and after that she shall depart.
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 said to them, Hinder me not, for the Lord has prospered my journey for me; send me away, that I may depart to my master.
And they said, Let us call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth.
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。」
And they called Rebecca, and said to her, Will you go with this man? and she said, I will go.
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 forth Rebecca their sister, and her goods, and the servant of Abraam, and his attendants.
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 Rebecca, and said to her, You are our sister; become you thousands of myriads, and let your seed possess the cities 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。
And Rebecca rose up and her maidens, and they mounted the camels and went with the man; and the servant having taken up Rebecca, departed.
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。
And Isaac went through the wilderness to the well of the vision, and he lived in the land towards the south.
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。
And Isaac went forth into the plain towards evening to meditate; and having lifted up his eyes, he saw camels coming.
And Rebecca lifted up her eyes, and saw Isaac; and she alighted briskly from the 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 said to the servant, Who is that man that walks in the plain to meet us? And the servant said, This is my master; and she took her veil and covered herself.
And 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 went into the house of his mother, and took Rebecca, and she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted for Sarrha his mother.