创世记 44
1 约瑟吩咐家宰说：“把粮食装满这些人的口袋，尽着他们的驴所能驮的，又把各人的银子放在各人的口袋里，
Then Joseph instructed the steward of his house, saying: “Fill their sacks with grain, as much as they are able to hold. And place each one’s money at the top of the sack.
2 并将我的银杯和那少年人籴粮的银子一同装在他的口袋里。”家宰就照约瑟所说的话行了；
But place my silver bowl, and the price that he gave for the wheat, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest.” And so it was done.
3 天一亮就打发那些人带着驴走了。
And when morning arose, they were sent away with their donkeys.
4 他们出城走了不远，约瑟对家宰说：“起来，追那些人去，追上了就对他们说：‘你们为什么以恶报善呢？
And now they had departed from the city and had set out a short distance. Then Joseph, sending for the steward of his house, said: “Rise up and pursue the men. And when you have overtaken them, say: ‘Why have you returned evil for good?
5 这不是我主人饮酒的杯吗？岂不是他占卜用的吗？你们这样行是作恶了。’”
The cup that you have stolen, it is that from which my lord drinks, and in which he is accustomed to discern signs. You have done a very sinful thing.’”
6 家宰追上他们，将这些话对他们说了。
He did as he had been ordered. And having overtaken them, he spoke to them according to the order.
7 他们回答说：“我主为什么说这样的话呢？你仆人断不能做这样的事。
And they responded: “Why does our lord speak in this way, as though your servants had committed such a shameful act?
8 你看，我们从前在口袋里所见的银子，尚且从迦南地带来还你，我们怎能从你主人家里偷窃金银呢？
The money, which we found at the top of our sacks, we carried back to you from the land of Canaan. So in what way does it follow that we would steal, from the house of your lord, gold or silver?
9 你仆人中无论在谁那里搜出来，就叫他死，我们也作我主的奴仆。”
Whichever of your servants will be found to have what you seek, may he die, and we shall be the servants of my lord.”
10 家宰说：“现在就照你们的话行吧！在谁那里搜出来，谁就作我的奴仆；其余的都没有罪。”
And he said to them: “Let it be according to your verdict. With whomever it will be found, let him be my servant, but you will be unharmed.”
11 于是他们各人急忙把口袋卸在地上，各人打开口袋。
And so, they quickly placed their sacks down to the ground, and each one was opened.
12 家宰就搜查，从年长的起到年幼的为止，那杯竟在便雅悯的口袋里搜出来。
And when he had searched, beginning with the oldest, all the way to the youngest, he found the cup in Benjamin’s sack.
13 他们就撕裂衣服，各人把驮子抬在驴上，回城去了。
But they, tearing their garments and burdening their donkeys again, returned to the town.
14 犹大和他弟兄们来到约瑟的屋中，约瑟还在那里，他们就在他面前俯伏于地。
And Judah, first among his brothers, entered to Joseph (for he had not yet departed from the place) and together they all fell down before him to the ground.
15 约瑟对他们说：“你们做的是什么事呢？你们岂不知像我这样的人必能占卜吗？”
And he said to them: “Why would you choose to act in this way? Could you be ignorant that there is no one like me in the knowledge of discerning signs?”
16 犹大说：“我们对我主说什么呢？还有什么话可说呢？我们怎能自己表白出来呢？ 神已经查出仆人的罪孽了。我们与那在他手中搜出杯来的都是我主的奴仆。”
And Judah said to him, “What could we answer to my lord? And what would we be able to say, or to justly claim? God has discovered the iniquity of your servants. See, we have all become servants to my lord, both we, and he with whom the cup was found.”
17 约瑟说：“我断不能这样行！在谁的手中搜出杯来，谁就作我的奴仆；至于你们，可以平平安安地上你们父亲那里去。”
Joseph responded: “Far be it from me that I should act in this way. He who stole the cup, he will be my servant. But you may go away free to your father.”
18 犹大挨近他，说：“我主啊，求你容仆人说一句话给我主听，不要向仆人发烈怒，因为你如同法老一样。
Then Judah, approaching closer, said confidently: “I beg you, my lord, let your servant speak a word in your ears, and do not be angry with your servant. For you are next to Pharaoh.
19 我主曾问仆人们说：‘你们有父亲有兄弟没有？’
My lord, you questioned your servants before: ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’
20 我们对我主说：‘我们有父亲，已经年老，还有他老年所生的一个小孩子。他哥哥死了，他母亲只撇下他一人，他父亲疼爱他。’
And we answered you, my lord: ‘There is our father, an old man, and a young boy, who was born in his old age. His brother of the same womb has died, and he alone is left to his mother and father, who truly love him tenderly.’
21 你对仆人说：‘把他带到我这里来，叫我亲眼看看他。’
And you said to your servants, ‘Bring him to me, and I will set my eyes on him.’
22 我们对我主说：‘童子不能离开他父亲，若是离开，他父亲必死。’
We suggested to my lord: ‘The boy is not able to leave his father. For if he sends him away, he will die.’
23 你对仆人说：‘你们的小兄弟若不与你们一同下来，你们就不得再见我的面。’
And you said to your servants: ‘Unless your youngest brother arrives with you, you will not see my face any more.’
24 我们上到你仆人—我们父亲那里，就把我主的话告诉了他。
Therefore, when we had gone up to your servant our father, we explained to him all that my lord had spoken.
25 我们的父亲说：‘你们再去给我籴些粮来。’
And our father said: ‘Return and buy us a little wheat.’
26 我们就说：‘我们不能下去。我们的小兄弟若和我们同往，我们就可以下去。因为，小兄弟若不与我们同往，我们必不得见那人的面。’
And we said to him: ‘We cannot go. If our youngest brother descends with us, we will set out together. Otherwise, in his absence, we do not dare to see the face of the man.’
27 你仆人—我父亲对我们说：‘你们知道我的妻子给我生了两个儿子。
To which he responded: ‘You know that my wife conceived twice by me.
28 一个离开我出去了；我说他必是被撕碎了，直到如今我也没有见他。
One went out, and you said, “A beast devoured him.” And since then, he has not appeared.
If you take this one also, and anything happens to him on the way, you will lead my grey hairs down with grief to the grave.’ (Sheol h7585)
30 我父亲的命与这童子的命相连。如今我回到你仆人—我父亲那里，若没有童子与我们同在，
Therefore, if I would have gone to your servant, our father, with the boy not present, (though his life depends upon the life of him)
and if he were to see that he is not with us, he would die, and your servants will lead his grey hairs down with sorrow to the grave. (Sheol h7585)
32 因为仆人曾向我父亲为这童子作保，说：‘我若不带他回来交给父亲，我便在父亲面前永远担罪。’
Let me be your very own servant, for I accepted this one into my trust, and I promised, saying: ‘Unless I lead him back, I will be guilty of a sin against my father for all time.’
33 现在求你容仆人住下，替这童子作我主的奴仆，叫童子和他哥哥们一同上去。
And so I, your servant, will remain in place of the boy, in ministry to my lord, and then let the boy go up with his brothers.
34 若童子不和我同去，我怎能上去见我父亲呢？恐怕我看见灾祸临到我父亲身上。”
For I cannot return to my father without the boy, lest I appear as a witness to the calamity that will oppress my father.”
