創世記 43
1 地上的饑荒仍然嚴重。
The famine was severe in the land.
2 他們吃完了由埃及帶來的糧食，父親對他們說：「你們再去給我們買點糧食來吃! 」
When they had eaten up the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again, buy us a little more food.”
3 猶大立即回答父親說：「那人明明告訴我們說：你們若不帶弟弟一起來，你們休想見我的面。
Judah spoke to him, saying, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’
4 你若讓我們的弟弟與我們一同去，我們下去給你買些糧食來；
If you’ll send our brother with us, we’ll go down and buy you food;
5 你若不讓他去，我們也不下去；因為那人對我們說過：你們若不帶弟弟與你們一同來，你們休想見我的面。」
but if you don’t send him, we won’t go down, for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’”
6 以色列說：「你們為什麼這樣害我，告訴那人你們還有個弟弟﹖」
Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly, telling the man that you had another brother?”
7 他們回答說：「那人再三再四問我們和我們的家庭說：你們的父親是否還活著﹖你們是否另有個兄弟﹖我們只得照這些話答覆他。那裏會知道他要說：帶你們的兄弟一同下來﹖」
They said, “The man asked directly concerning ourselves, and concerning our relatives, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ We just answered his questions. Is there any way we could know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?”
8 猶大又對他父親以色列說：「你叫孩童與我同去，我們就起身前去；這樣，我們和你並我們的幼兒，可以生活，不致餓死。
Judah said to Israel, his father, “Send the boy with me, and we’ll get up and go, so that we may live, and not die, both we, and you, and also our little ones.
9 我為他擔保，你可由我手中要人；如果我不將他帶回，交在你面前，我在你前終生負罪。
I’ll be collateral for him. From my hand will you require him. If I don’t bring him to you, and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever;
10 假使我們沒有遲延，現在第二次也回來了! 」
for if we hadn’t delayed, surely we would have returned a second time by now.”
11 他們的父親以色列對他們說：「如果必須如此，你們就這樣做：在行李內帶些本地最好的出產，一些香液、蜂蜜、樹膠、香料、榧子和杏仁，下去送給那人當作禮物。
Their father, Israel, said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Take from the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry down a present for the man, a little balm, a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts, and almonds;
12 手中多帶一倍銀錢，將那放在你們糧袋口的銀錢，也一併帶上，這或者是出於一時的錯誤。
and take double money in your hand, and take back the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight.
13 並且帶著你們的弟弟起身往那人那裏去。
Take your brother also, get up, and return to the man.
14 願全能的天主使你們在那人面前蒙恩，放回你們那個兄弟和本雅明；至於我，如要喪子，就喪子罷! 」
May God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.”
15 這一夥人於是帶了那些禮物，手中帶上雙倍銀錢，帶本雅明起身下道埃及去，到了若瑟面前。
The men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and got up, went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
16 若瑟一看見他們和本雅明，就對自己的管家說：「帶這些人到家裏去，宰殺設宴，中午這些人要與我一起吃飯。」
When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Bring the men into the house, and butcher an animal, and prepare; for the men will dine with me at noon.”
17 管家就依照若瑟吩咐的做了，將這些人帶到若瑟家中。
The man did as Joseph commanded, and the man brought the men to Joseph’s house.
18 這些人一進入了若瑟的家，就害怕起來，心裏想：「他帶我們到這裏來，定是為了上次放回我們袋裏銀錢的事，想找我們的錯處，加害我們，拿住我們當奴隸，奪取我們的驢。」
The men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph’s house; and they said, “Because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time, we’re brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, attack us, and seize us as slaves, along with our donkeys.”
19 他們於是走到若瑟的管家，前在房門口同他談起這事，
They came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they spoke to him at the door of the house,
20 說：「我主，請原諒：我們上次下到這裏來購買糧食，
and said, “Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food.
21 當我們到了客棧，打開我們的布袋時，發見各人的銀錢仍在各人的布袋口，我們的銀錢一分不少；現在我們又親手帶回來了。
When we came to the lodging place, we opened our sacks, and behold, each man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. We have brought it back in our hand.
22 此外我們手中又帶了些銀錢，來購買糧食；我們不知道是誰將我們的銀錢放在我們的布袋內。」
We have brought down other money in our hand to buy food. We don’t know who put our money in our sacks.”
23 管家答說：「請你們放心，不必害怕! 是你們的天主，你們祖先的天主，在你們的布袋裏給你們放上了財寶；你們的銀錢我已經收了。」以後給他們領出西默盎來。
He said, “Peace be to you. Don’t be afraid. Your God, and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks. I received your money.” He brought Simeon out to them.
24 管家卡領這些人到了若瑟家裏，先給他們拿水洗了腳，然後拿草料餵了驢。
The man brought the men into Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet. He gave their donkeys fodder.
25 他們遂將禮物預備好，等候若瑟中午回來；因為聽說，他們要在那裏吃午飯。
They prepared the present for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there.
26 若瑟回到家裏，他們就將手中的禮物獻給他，俯首至地向他下拜。
When Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves down to the earth before him.
27 若瑟先向他們問安，然後說：「你們以前所說的老父好麼﹖還健在麼﹖」
He asked them of their welfare, and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he yet alive?”
28 他們答說：「你的僕人，我們的父親還好，還健在。」遂又鞠躬下拜。
They said, “Your servant, our father, is well. He is still alive.” They bowed down humbly.
29 若瑟舉目，見了他母親生的弟弟本雅明，就問說：「這就是你們對我說的那小弟弟嗎﹖」繼而說：「孩子，願天主保佑你! 」
He lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin, his brother, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?” He said, “God be gracious to you, my son.”
30 若瑟愛弟情切，想要流淚，趕快進了自己的內室，在那裏哭了一場；
Joseph hurried, for his heart yearned over his brother; and he sought a place to weep. He entered into his room, and wept there.
31 然後洗臉出來，勉強抑制自己，吩咐說：「擺飯罷! 」
He washed his face, and came out. He controlled himself, and said, “Serve the meal.”
32 人就給若瑟擺了一席，為他們擺了一席，為與若瑟一起吃飯的埃及人另擺了一席；因為埃及人不能同希伯來人一起吃飯，這為他們是個恥辱。
They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians don’t eat with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.
33 他們便在若瑟前，安排就坐，全按長幼的次序，長者在上，幼者在下；眾兄弟彼此相看，驚奇不已。
They sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth, and the men marveled with one another.
34 若瑟將自己面前的食物分開，分給他們；但本雅明的一分，比其餘的人多五倍。他們遂與若瑟飲酒宴樂。
He sent portions to them from before him, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. They drank, and were merry with him.
