< 創世記 38 >
1 那時,猶大離開他弟兄下去,到一個亞杜蘭人名叫希拉的家裏去。
About the same time, Judah, descending from his brothers, turned toward an Adullamite man, named Hirah.
2 猶大在那裏看見一個迦南人名叫書亞的女兒,就娶她為妻,與她同房,
And he saw there the daughter of a man called Shua, of Canaan. And taking her as a wife, he entered to her.
And she conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Er.
And conceiving offspring again, having given birth to a son, she called him Onan.
5 她復又生了兒子,給他起名叫示拉。她生示拉的時候,猶大正在基悉。
Likewise, she bore a third, whom she called Shelah, after whose birth, she ceased to bear any more.
Then Judah gave a wife to his first born Er, whose name was Tamar.
7 猶大的長子珥在耶和華眼中看為惡,耶和華就叫他死了。
And it also happened that Er, the first born of Judah, was wicked in the sight of the Lord and was killed by him.
8 猶大對俄南說:「你當與你哥哥的妻子同房,向她盡你為弟的本分,為你哥哥生子立後。」
Therefore, Judah said to his son Onan: “Enter to the wife of your brother, and associate with her, so that you may raise offspring to your brother.”
9 俄南知道生子不歸自己,所以同房的時候便遺在地,免得給他哥哥留後。
He, knowing that the sons to be born would not be his, when he entered to the wife of his brother, he spilled his seed on the ground, lest children should be born in his brother’s name.
10 俄南所做的在耶和華眼中看為惡,耶和華也就叫他死了。
And for this reason, the Lord struck him down, because he did a detestable thing.
11 猶大心裏說:「恐怕示拉也死,像他兩個哥哥一樣」,就對他兒婦她瑪說:「你去,在你父親家裏守寡,等我兒子示拉長大。」她瑪就回去,住在她父親家裏。
Because of this matter, Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Be a widow in your father’s house, until my son Shelah grows up.” For he was afraid, lest he also might die, just as his brothers did. She went away, and she lived in her father’s house.
12 過了許久,猶大的妻子書亞的女兒死了。猶大得了安慰,就和他朋友亞杜蘭人希拉上亭拿去,到他剪羊毛的人那裏。
Then, after many days had passed, the daughter of Shua, the wife of Judah, died. And when he accepted consolation after his mourning, he went up to the shearers of his sheep at Timnah, he and Hirah, the herdsman of the Adullamite flock.
13 有人告訴她瑪說:「你的公公上亭拿剪羊毛去了。」
And it was reported to Tamar that her father-in-law had gone up to Timnah to shear the sheep.
14 她瑪見示拉已經長大,還沒有娶她為妻,就脫了她作寡婦的衣裳,用帕子蒙着臉,又遮住身體,坐在亭拿路上的伊拿印城門口。
And storing away the garments of her widowhood, she took up a veil. And changing her clothing, she sat at the crossroad that leads to Timnah, because Shelah had grown up, and she had not received him as a husband.
And when Judah saw her, he thought her to be a harlot. For she had covered her face, lest she be recognized.
16 猶大就轉到她那裏去,說:「來吧!讓我與你同寢。」他原不知道是他的兒婦。她瑪說:「你要與我同寢,把甚麼給我呢?」
And entering to her, he said, “Permit me to join with you.” For he did not know her to be his daughter-in-law. And she responded, “What will you give to me, to enjoy me as a concubine?”
17 猶大說:「我從羊群裏取一隻山羊羔,打發人送來給你。」她瑪說:「在未送以先,你願意給我一個當頭嗎?」
He said, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” And again, she said, “I will allow what you want, if you give me a pledge, until you may send what you promise.”
18 他說:「我給你甚麼當頭呢?」她瑪說:「你的印、你的帶子,和你手裏的杖。」猶大就給了她,與她同寢,她就從猶大懷了孕。
Judah said, “What do you want to be given for a pledge?” She responded, “Your ring and bracelet, and the staff that you hold in your hand.” Thereupon, the woman, from one sexual encounter, conceived.
19 她瑪起來走了,除去帕子,仍舊穿上作寡婦的衣裳。
And she arose and went away. And storing away the garments that she had taken up, she was clothed in the garments of her widowhood.
20 猶大託他朋友亞杜蘭人送一隻山羊羔去,要從那女人手裏取回當頭來,卻找不着她,
Then Judah sent a young goat by his shepherd, the Adullamite, so that he might receive the pledge that he had given to the woman. But, when he had not found her,
21 就問那地方的人說:「伊拿印路旁的妓女在哪裏?」他們說:「這裏並沒有妓女。」
he questioned the men of that place: “Where is the woman who sat at the crossroad?” And they all responded, “There has been no harlot in this place.”
22 他回去見猶大說:「我沒有找着她,並且那地方的人說:『這裏沒有妓女。』」
He returned to Judah, and he said to him: “I did not find her. Moreover, the men of that place told me that a prostitute had never sat there.”
23 猶大說:「我把這山羊羔送去了,你竟找不着她。任憑她拿去吧,免得我們被羞辱。」
Judah said: “Let her hold herself to blame. Certainly, she is not able to accuse us of a lie. I sent the young goat that I had promised, and you did not find her.”
24 約過了三個月,有人告訴猶大說:「你的兒婦她瑪作了妓女,且因行淫有了身孕。」猶大說:「拉出她來,把她燒了!」
And behold, after three months, they reported to Judah, saying, “Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has committed fornication and her abdomen appears to be enlarged.” And Judah said, “Produce her, so that she may be burned.”
25 她瑪被拉出來的時候便打發人去見她公公,對他說:「這些東西是誰的,我就是從誰懷的孕。請你認一認,這印和帶子並杖都是誰的?」
But when she was led out to the punishment, she sent to her father-in-law, saying: “I conceived by the man to whom these things belong. Recognize whose ring, and bracelet, and staff this is.”
26 猶大承認說:「她比我更有義,因為我沒有將她給我的兒子示拉。」從此猶大不再與她同寢了。
But he, acknowledging the gifts, said: “She is more just than I am. For I did not deliver her to my son Shelah.” However, he knew her no more.
Then, at the moment of birth, there appeared twins in the womb. And so, in the very delivery of the infants, one put forth a hand, on which the midwife tied a scarlet thread, saying,
28 到生產的時候,一個孩子伸出一隻手來;收生婆拿紅線拴在他手上,說:「這是頭生的。」
“This one will go out first.”
29 隨後這孩子把手收回去,他哥哥生出來了;收生婆說:「你為甚麼搶着來呢?」因此給他起名叫法勒斯。
But in truth, drawing back his hand, the other came out. And the woman said, “Why is the partition divided for you?” And for this reason, she called his name Perez.
30 後來,他兄弟那手上有紅線的也生出來,就給他起名叫謝拉。
After this, his brother came out, on whose hand was the scarlet thread. And she called him Zerah.