< 創世記 24 >
Now Abraham was old, well advanced in days, and the LORD had blessed Abraham 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 Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his household, who was in charge over all that he had, "Please 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 make you swear by the God of heaven and earth, that you must not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living,
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 must go to my country and to my relatives, and get 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 asked him, "What if the woman isn't willing to follow me to this land? Must I then bring 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。
Then Abraham told him, "Be careful 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。
Now the God of heaven, who took me from my father's household and from the land of my birth, who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, 'I will give this land to your offspring' -- he will send his angel before you, and you will get 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。」
But if the woman isn't willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath to me. Only you must not bring 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 put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and gave his 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 camels from his master's camels and departed, having a variety of good things from his master at his disposal, and he set out and went to Aram Naharaim, to the city of Nahor.
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 made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time when women go 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。
Then he said, "God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show kindness to my master Abraham.
Look, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city 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 young woman to whom I will say, 'Please lower your jug that I may drink,' and she answers, 'Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink,'—her you have chosen 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。
And it happened, before he had finished speaking, that look, Rebekah was coming out with her jug on her shoulder—who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother.
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 young woman was very beautiful in appearance, a virgin; no man had ever slept with her. And she went down to the spring and filled her jug 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! 」
Then the servant ran to meet her, and said, "Please give me a little water to drink from your jug."
18 她回答說:「先生! 請喝! 」她急忙將水罐放低,托在手上讓他喝。
So she said, "Drink, my lord." And she hurried and let down her jug 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。」
Now when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, "I will also draw for your camels, until they have finished drinking."
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。
So she hurried and emptied her jug into the trough and ran again to the well to draw, and drew 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。
And the man watched her in silence so as to know whether God had made his journey successful 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 happened, as the camels had finished drinking, that the man took a gold ring weighing a beka, which he put on her nose, and two bracelets for her hands weighing 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 said, "Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room in your father's house for us to lodge?"
24 她回答說:「我是米耳加給納曷爾所生之子貝突耳的女兒。」
Then she said to him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, whom she 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。」
And she also said to him, "We have plenty of straw and fodder, and room to lodge."
Then the man bowed his head and worshiped God,
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 God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his loving kindness and his truth toward my master. As for me, he 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。
Then the young woman ran, and told her mother's household about 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。」
Now Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban, and he ran 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,
And it happened, when he saw the nose ring and the bracelets on his sister's wrists, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, "This is what the man said to me," that he went to the man. And look, he was standing by the camels at 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﹖」
And he said, "Come in, you blessed of God. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house and room 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 went into the house and he unloaded the camels. And he gave straw and fodder for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who 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 him food to eat, but he said, "I will not eat until I have told my message." And he said, "Say it."
So he said, "I am Abraham's servant.
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, so that he has become great, and he has given him sheep and cattle, and silver and gold, and male servants and female servants, 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。
And Sarah my master's wife bore a son to my master when she was old, and to him he has given all that he has.
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。
Now my master put me under oath, saying, 'You must not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live,
but you must go to my father's house, and to my relatives, and get a wife for my son.'
And I said to my master, 'What if the woman will not follow 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。
But he said to me, 'God, before whom I walk, will send his angel with you, and make your journey successful, and you will get a wife for my son from my relatives, and of 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。
Then will you be free from my oath, when you come to my relatives. And if they do not give her to you, then you will be free 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 today I came to the spring, and said, 'God of my master Abraham, if now you will make my journey successful in which I go—
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!
look, I am standing by this spring of water, and may it happen that the young woman who comes out to draw, to whom I will say, "Please give me a little water from your pitcher to drink,"
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 will say to me, "Drink, and I will also draw for your camels,"—may she be the woman who has been chosen 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!
Before I had finished praying in my heart, look, Rebekah came out with her jug on her shoulder, and she went down to the spring, and drew. And 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。
And she quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder, and said, 'Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink.' So I drank, and she also gave the camels water.
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, and said, 'Whose daughter are you?' And she replied, 'The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, 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 my head and worshiped God, and blessed the God of my master Abraham, who had guided me on the right road to find 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 truth to my master, 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。
Then Laban and Bethuel answered, "The matter comes from God. We can't speak to 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。」
Look, Rebekah is before you. Take, and go, and let her become the wife of your master's son, as God has spoken."
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 happened when Abraham's servant heard their words, that he bowed himself down to the ground.
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 the servant brought out articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. And he also gave valuable 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! 」
Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank, and spent the night. Then they got up in the morning, and he said, "Send me away 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 her mother said, "Let the young woman stay 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 said to them, "Do not delay me, seeing that he has made my journey successful. Send me away that I may go to my master."
Then they said, "We will call the young woman and ask her."
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。」
So they called Rebekah, and said to her, "Will you go with this man?" And she replied, "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 away their sister Rebekah, and 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 be the mother of thousands of ten thousands, and may your descendants possess the gate of those who hate them."
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 Rebekah and her female servants got ready, and they rode on the camels and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and went on his way.
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 come from the way of Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the land of 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。
And Isaac went out in the field to think in the early evening. And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and look, he saw camels approaching.
And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted 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 she asked the servant, "Who is the man who is walking in the field to meet us?" And the servant said, "It is my master." Then she took her veil and covered herself.
And the servant told Isaac all the things 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。
Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife. And he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.