创世记 43
1 那地的饥荒甚大。
The famine was severe in the land.
2 他们从埃及带来的粮食吃尽了，他们的父亲就对他们说：“你们再去给我籴些粮来。”
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 犹大对他说：“那人谆谆地告诫我们说：‘你们的兄弟若不与你们同来，你们就不得见我的面。’
Judah spoke to him, saying, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’
4 你若打发我们的兄弟与我们同去，我们就下去给你籴粮；
If you’ll send our brother with us, we’ll go down and buy you food;
5 你若不打发他去，我们就不下去，因为那人对我们说：‘你们的兄弟若不与你们同来，你们就不得见我的面。’”
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 以色列说：“你们为什么这样害我，告诉那人你们还有兄弟呢？”
Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly, telling the man that you had another brother?”
7 他们回答说：“那人详细问到我们和我们的亲属，说：‘你们的父亲还在吗？你们还有兄弟吗？’我们就按着他所问的告诉他，焉能知道他要说‘必须把你们的兄弟带下来’呢？”
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 犹大又对他父亲以色列说：“你打发童子与我同去，我们就起身下去，好叫我们和你，并我们的妇人孩子，都得存活，不至于死。
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 我为他作保；你可以从我手中追讨，我若不带他回来交在你面前，我情愿永远担罪。
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 我们若没有耽搁，如今第二次都回来了。”
for if we hadn’t delayed, surely we would have returned a second time by now.”
11 他们的父亲以色列说：“若必须如此，你们就当这样行：可以将这地土产中最好的乳香、蜂蜜、香料、没药、榧子、杏仁都取一点，收在器具里，带下去送给那人作礼物，
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 又要手里加倍地带银子，并将归还在你们口袋内的银子仍带在手里；那或者是错了。
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 也带着你们的兄弟，起身去见那人。
Take your brother also, get up, and return to the man.
14 但愿全能的 神使你们在那人面前蒙怜悯，释放你们的那弟兄和便雅悯回来。我若丧了儿子，就丧了吧！”
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 于是，他们拿着那礼物，又手里加倍地带银子，并且带着便雅悯，起身下到埃及，站在约瑟面前。
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 约瑟见便雅悯和他们同来，就对家宰说：“将这些人领到屋里。要宰杀牲畜，预备筵席，因为晌午这些人同我吃饭。”
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 家宰就遵着约瑟的命去行，领他们进约瑟的屋里。
The man did as Joseph commanded, and the man brought the men to Joseph’s house.
18 他们因为被领到约瑟的屋里，就害怕，说：“领我们到这里来，必是因为头次归还在我们口袋里的银子，找我们的错缝，下手害我们，强取我们为奴仆，抢夺我们的驴。”
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 他们就挨近约瑟的家宰，在屋门口和他说话，
They came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they spoke to him at the door of the house,
20 说：“我主啊，我们头次下来实在是要籴粮。
and said, “Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food.
21 后来到了住宿的地方，我们打开口袋，不料，各人的银子，分量足数，仍在各人的口袋内，现在我们手里又带回来了。
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 另外又带下银子来籴粮。不知道先前谁把银子放在我们的口袋里。”
We have brought down other money in our hand to buy food. We don’t know who put our money in our sacks.”
23 家宰说：“你们可以放心，不要害怕，是你们的 神和你们父亲的 神赐给你们财宝在你们的口袋里；你们的银子，我早已收了。”他就把西缅带出来，交给他们。
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 家宰就领他们进约瑟的屋里，给他们水洗脚，又给他们草料喂驴。
The man brought the men into Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet. He gave their donkeys fodder.
25 他们就预备那礼物，等候约瑟晌午来，因为他们听见要在那里吃饭。
They prepared the present for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there.
26 约瑟来到家里，他们就把手中的礼物拿进屋去给他，又俯伏在地，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 约瑟问他们好，又问：“你们的父亲—就是你们所说的那老人家平安吗？他还在吗？”
He asked them of their welfare, and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he yet alive?”
28 他们回答说：“你仆人—我们的父亲平安；他还在。”于是他们低头下拜。
They said, “Your servant, our father, is well. He is still alive.” They bowed down humbly.
29 约瑟举目看见他同母的兄弟便雅悯，就说：“你们向我所说那顶小的兄弟就是这位吗？”又说：“小儿啊，愿 神赐恩给你！”
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 约瑟爱弟之情发动，就急忙寻找可哭之地，进入自己的屋里，哭了一场。
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 他洗了脸出来，勉强隐忍，吩咐人摆饭。
He washed his face, and came out. He controlled himself, and said, “Serve the meal.”
32 他们就为约瑟单摆了一席，为那些人又摆了一席，也为和约瑟同吃饭的埃及人另摆了一席，因为埃及人不可和希伯来人一同吃饭；那原是埃及人所厌恶的。
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 约瑟使众弟兄在他面前排列坐席，都按着长幼的次序，众弟兄就彼此诧异。
They sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth, and the men marvelled with one another.
34 约瑟把他面前的食物分出来，送给他们；但便雅悯所得的比别人多五倍。他们就饮酒，和约瑟一同宴乐。
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.
