Genesis 42
1 And Jacob having seen that there was a sale [of corn] in Egypt, said to his sons, Why are ye indolent?
雅各伯見埃及有糧食出售，便對自己的兒子們說：「你們為什麼彼此觀望﹖」
2 Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt; go down thither, and buy for us a little food, that we may live, and not die.
繼而說：「我聽說在埃及有糧食出售，你們下到那裏，給我們購買些糧食，叫我們好活下去，不致餓死。」
3 And the ten brethren of Joseph went down to buy corn out of Egypt.
於是若瑟的十個哥哥下到埃及買糧食去了。
4 But [Jacob] sent not Benjamin, the brother of Joseph, with his brethren; for he said, Lest, haply, disease befall him.
至於若瑟的弟弟本雅明，雅各伯沒有叫他與哥哥們同去，因為他想：怕他遇害。
5 And the sons of Israel came to buy with those that came, for the famine was in the land of Chanaan.
這樣以色列的兒子們也夾在前來購糧的人中，前來購糧，因為客納罕地也發生了飢荒。
6 And Joseph was ruler of the land; he sold to all the people of the land. And the brethren of Joseph, having come, did reverence to him, [bowing] with the face to the ground.
當時在地方上執政的人是若瑟，給地方上所有人民配售糧食的也是他。若瑟的哥哥們來了，就俯首至地，向他下拜。
7 And when Joseph saw his brethren, he knew them, and estranged himself from them, and spoke hard words to them; and said to them, Whence are ye come? And they said, Out of the land of Chanaan, to buy food.
若瑟一見他的哥哥們，就認出他們來，卻裝做生人，向他們說了一切嚴厲的話，問他們說：「你們是從那裏來的﹖」他們答說：「我們是從客納罕地來購買糧食的。」
8 And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.
若瑟認出哥哥們來，他們卻沒有認出他來。
9 And Joseph remembered his dream, which he saw; and he said to them, Ye are spies; to observe the marks of the land are ye come.
於是若瑟想起了他昔日關於他們所作的夢，便對他們說：「你們是探子，前來刺探本地的虛實。」
10 But they said, Nay, Sir, we thy servants are come to buy food;
他們回答說：「我主! 絕對不是：你的僕人們是來購買糧食的。
11 we are all sons of one man; we are peaceable, thy servants are not spies.
我們全是一個人的兒子，我們是誠實人；你的僕人們從未做過探子。」
12 And he said to them, Nay, but ye are come to observe the marks of the land.
若瑟對他們說：「不，你們前來必是為刺探此地的虛實。」
13 And they said, We thy servants are twelve brethren, in the land of Chanaan; and, behold, the youngest is with our father to-day, but the other one is not.
他們答說：「你的僕人們原是兄弟十二人，同是客納罕地一個人的兒子；最小的現今在父親那裏，另一個已不在了。」
14 And Joseph said to them, This is it that I spoke to you, saying, ye are spies;
若瑟對他們說：「我才說你們是探子；這話實在不錯。
15 herein shall ye be manifested; by the health of Pharao, ye shall not depart hence, unless your younger brother come hither.
為此我要考驗你們：我指著法郎的生命起誓：如果你們最小的弟弟不到這裏來，你們莫想離開此地。
16 Send one of you, and take your brother; and go ye to prison, till your words be clear, whether ye speak the truth or not; but, if not, by the health of Pharao, verily ye are spies.
你們可由你們中派一個人回去，帶你們的弟弟來，其他的人暫且拘留，以待證明你們的話是否誠實；如果不是真的，我只著法郎的生命起誓：你們必是探子。」
17 And he put them in prison three days.
於是在拘留所內拘禁了他們三天。
18 And he said to them on the third day, This do, and ye shall live, for I fear God.
第三天，若瑟對他們說：「我原是個敬畏天主的人，你們願意保全性命，應這樣做：
19 If ye be peaceable, let one of your brethren be detained in prison; but go ye, and carry back the corn ye have purchased.
如果你們是誠實人，叫你們兄弟中一個人留在拘留所內，其餘的人可帶糧食回去，解救家中的飢荒。
20 And bring your younger brother to me, and your words shall be believed; but, if not, ye shall die. And they did so.
然後給我帶你們的小弟弟來，好證實你們的話，你們也不致於死。」他們就這樣作了。
21 And each said to his brother, Yes, indeed, for we are in fault concerning our brother, when we disregarded the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we hearkened not to him; and therefore has this affliction come upon us.
他們彼此說：「我們實在該賠補加害我們兄弟的罪，因為他向我們哀求時，我們見了他心靈痛苦，竟不肯聽；為此這場苦難才落到我們身上! 」
22 And Ruben answered them, saying, Did I not speak to you, saying, Hurt not the boy, and ye heard me not? and, behold, his blood is required.
勒烏本就對他們說：「我豈不是對你們說過：不要傷害那孩子嗎﹖你們卻不肯聽；看，現在要追討他的血了。」
23 But they knew not that Joseph understood them; for there was an interpreter between them.
他們原不知道若瑟都聽得懂，因為在他們中有一翻譯員。
24 And Joseph turned away from them, and wept; and again he came to them, and spoke to them; and he took Symeon from them, and bound him before their eyes.
若瑟就由他們前退出去哭了。然後又回來與他們交談，由他們中提出西默盎在他們眼前將他捆綁起來。
25 And Joseph gave orders to fill their vessels with corn, and to return their money to each into his sack, and to give them provision for the way; and it was so done to them.
若瑟遂吩咐人將他們的布袋裝滿了糧食，將各人的銀錢仍放在各人的布袋內，並且還給了他們途中所需要的食物；人就對他們這樣做了。
26 And having put the corn on the asses, they departed thence.
他們將購得的糧食馱在驢上，就從那裏起身走了。
27 And one having opened his sack to give his asses fodder, at the place where they rested, saw also his bundle of money, for it was on the mouth of his sack.
到了客棧，他們中一人打開了布袋拿料餵驢，看見自己的銀錢仍在布袋口，
28 And he said to his brethren, My money has been restored to me, and behold this is in my sack. And their heart was wonder-struck, and they were troubled, saying one to another, What is this that God has done to us?
遂對兄弟們說：「我的銀錢退回來了；看，仍在我的袋裏。」他們心驚起來，彼此戰慄地說：「天主對我們所作的，是怎麼一回事。」
29 And they came to their father, Jacob, into the land of Chanaan, and reported to him all that had happened to them, saying,
他們回到客納罕地，他們的父親雅各伯那裏，將所遇見的事全告訴他說：「
30 The man, the lord of the land, spoke harsh words to us, and put us in prison as spies of the land.
那地方的主人對我們說了一些嚴厲的話，將我們視作刺探那地方的人。
31 And we said to him, We are men of peace, we are not spies.
我們對他說：「我們是誠實人，決不是探子；
32 We are twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is with his father to-day in the land of Chanaan.
我們原是兄弟十二人，同一父親的兒子，一個已不在了，最小的現在同我們的父親在客納罕地。
33 And the man, the lord of the land, said to us, Herein shall I know that ye are peaceable; leave one brother here with me, and having taken the corn ye have purchased for your family, depart.
那地方的主人對我們說：為叫我知道你們是誠實人，你們兄弟中一人留在我這裏，其餘的人帶糧食回去解救家中的飢荒；
34 And bring to me your younger brother; then I shall know that ye are not spies, but that ye are men of peace: and I will restore you your brother, and ye shall trade in the land.
然後將你們的弟弟給我帶來，那時我才能知道你們不是探子，確是誠實人，我將你們的兄弟還給你們，你們可在這地方自由行動。」
35 And it came to pass as they were emptying their sacks, there was each man's bundle of money in his sack; and they and their father saw their bundles of money, and they were afraid.
當他們倒自己的糧袋時，不料各人的錢囊仍在各人的袋內。他們和他們的父親，一見錢囊，都害怕起來。
36 And their father Jacob said to them, Ye have bereaved me. Joseph is not, Symeon is not, and will ye take Benjamin? all these things have come upon me.
他們的父親雅各伯對他們說：「你們總是使我喪失兒子：若瑟不在了，西默盎不在了，你們還要帶走本雅明! 這一切都落在我身上! 」
37 And Ruben spoke to his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee; give him into my hand, and I will bring him back to thee.
勒烏本對他父親說：「如果我不將他給你帶回來，你可殺死我的兩個兒子；只管將他交在我手裏，我必再還給你。」
38 But he said, My son shall not go down with you, because his brother is dead, and he only has been left; and [suppose] it shall come to pass that he is afflicted by the way by which ye go, then ye shall bring down my old age with sorrow to Hades. (Sheol h7585)
雅各伯答說：「我兒子不能和你們一同下去，因為他哥哥死了，只剩下了他獨自一個；如果他在你們行的路上遇到什麼不幸，那你們就要使我這白髮老人在憂苦中降入陰府了。」 (Sheol h7585)
