< Ruth 4 >
1 Now Boaz went up to the gate, and sat down there. And, behold, the near kinsman of whom Boaz spoke came by, to whom he said, Such man, stay, turn aside. Sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down.
波阿斯到了城門,坐在那裏,恰巧波阿斯所說的那至近的親屬經過。波阿斯說:「某人哪,你來坐在這裏。」他就來坐下。
2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.
波阿斯又從本城的長老中揀選了十人,對他們說:「請你們坐在這裏。」他們就都坐下。
3 And he said to the near kinsman, Naomi, who has come again out of the country of Moab, sells the parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's.
波阿斯對那至近的親屬說:「從摩押地回來的拿俄米,現在要賣我們族兄以利米勒的那塊地;
4 And I thought to disclose it to thee, saying, Buy it before those who sit here, and before the elders of my people. If thou will redeem it, redeem it, but if thou will not redeem it, then tell me that I may know, for there is none to redeem it besides thee, and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it.
我想當贖那塊地的是你,其次是我,以外再沒有別人了。你可以在這裏的人面前和我本國的長老面前說明,你若肯贖就贖,若不肯贖就告訴我。」那人回答說:「我肯贖。」
5 Then Boaz said, That day thou buy the field of the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.
波阿斯說:「你從拿俄米手中買這地的時候,也當娶死人的妻摩押女子路得,使死人在產業上存留他的名。」
6 And the near kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself lest I mar my own inheritance. Take thou my right of redemption on thee, for I cannot redeem it.
那人說:「這樣我就不能贖了,恐怕於我的產業有礙。你可以贖我所當贖的,我不能贖了。」
7 Now this was the custom in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning exchanging, to confirm all things: A man drew off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbor. And this was the manner of attestation in Israel.
從前,在以色列中要定奪甚麼事,或贖回,或交易,這人就脫鞋給那人。以色列人都以此為證據。
8 So the near kinsman said to Boaz, Buy it for thyself. And he drew off his shoe.
那人對波阿斯說:「你自己買吧!」於是將鞋脫下來了。
9 And Boaz said to the elders, and to all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, from the hand of Naomi.
波阿斯對長老和眾民說:「你們今日作見證,凡屬以利米勒和基連、瑪倫的,我都從拿俄米手中置買了;
10 Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, I have purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead not be cut off from among his brothers, and from the gate of his place. Ye are witnesses this day.
又娶了瑪倫的妻摩押女子路得為妻,好在死人的產業上存留他的名,免得他的名在本族本鄉滅沒。你們今日可以作見證。」
11 And all the people who were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. Jehovah make the woman that has come into thy house like Rachel and like Leah, which two built the house of Israel, and do thou worthily in Ephrathah, and be famous in Bethlehem.
在城門坐着的眾民和長老都說:「我們作見證。願耶和華使進你家的這女子,像建立以色列家的拉結、利亞二人一樣。又願你在以法他得亨通,在伯利恆得名聲。
12 And let thy house be like the house of Perez whom Tamar bore to Judah, of the seed which Jehovah shall give thee by this young woman.
願耶和華從這少年女子賜你後裔,使你的家像她瑪從猶大所生法勒斯的家一般。」
13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. And he went in to her, and Jehovah gave her conception, and she bore a son.
於是,波阿斯娶了路得為妻,與她同房。耶和華使她懷孕生了一個兒子。
14 And the women said to Naomi, Blessed be Jehovah, who has not left thee this day without a near kinsman. And let his name be famous in Israel.
婦人們對拿俄米說:「耶和華是應當稱頌的!因為今日沒有撇下你,使你無至近的親屬。願這孩子在以色列中得名聲。
15 And he shall be to thee a restorer of life, and a nourisher of thine old age, for thy daughter-in-law, who loves thee, who is better to thee than seven sons, has borne him.
他必提起你的精神,奉養你的老,因為是愛慕你的那兒婦所生的。有這兒婦比有七個兒子還好!」
16 And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse to it.
拿俄米就把孩子抱在懷中,作他的養母。
17 And the women, her neighbors, gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi. And they called his name Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.
鄰舍的婦人說:「拿俄米得孩子了!」就給孩子起名叫俄備得。這俄備得是耶西的父,耶西是大衛的父。
18 Now these are the generations of Perez: Perez begot Hezron,
法勒斯的後代記在下面:法勒斯生希斯崙;
19 and Hezron begot Ram, and Ram begot Amminadab,
希斯崙生蘭;蘭生亞米拿達;
20 and Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon,
亞米拿達生拿順;拿順生撒門;
21 and Salmon begot Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed,
撒門生波阿斯;波阿斯生俄備得;
22 and Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David.
俄備得生耶西;耶西生大衛。