< Exodus 13 >

1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
奉獻長子的法律1. 上主訓示梅瑟說:「
2 Sanctify to me every firstborn, first produced, opening every womb amongst the children of Israel both of man and beast: it is mine.
以色列子民中,無論是人或牲畜,凡是開胎首生的,都應祝聖於我,屬於我。」
3 And Moses said to the people, Remember this day, in which you came forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, for with a strong hand the Lord brought you forth thence; and leaven shall not be eaten.
梅瑟向百姓說:「你們應當記念從埃及,從為奴之家出來的這一天,因為上主在這一天用強有力的手臂,從那裡領出了你們,故此不可吃有酵的食物。
4 For on this day you go forth in the month of new [corn].
今天你們出來正在「阿彼布」月。
5 And it shall come to pass when the Lord your God shall have brought you into the land of the Chananites, and the Chettites, and Amorites, and Evites, and Jebusites, and Gergesites, and Pherezites, which he sware to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, that you shall perform this service in this month.
幾時上主領你們進了客納罕人、赫特人、阿摩黎人、希威人和耶步斯人的地方,就是他同你的祖先起誓應許給你那流奶流蜜之地,你應在這一月舉行此禮:
6 Six days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day is a feast to the Lord.
七天之內應吃無酵餅,第七天是敬禮上主的節日。
7 Seven days shall you eat unleavened bread; nothing leavened shall be seen with you, neither shall you have leaven in all your borders.
七天之內吃無酵餅,在你面前不可有發酵之物,在你四境之內也不可見有酵母。
8 And you shall tell your son in that day, saying, Therefore the Lord dealt thus with me, as I was going out of Egypt.
在那一天要告訴你們的兒子說:因為上主在我出埃及時,為我所行的事。
9 And it shall be to you a sign upon your hand and a memorial before your eyes, that the law of the Lord may be in your mouth, for with a strong hand the Lord God brought you out of Egypt.
應把這事做你手上的記號,做你額上的記念,好使上主的法律常在你口中,因為上主用強有力的手臂,領你出了埃及。
10 And preserve you this law according to the times of the seasons, from year to year.
所以你應年年按照定期遵守這規定。
11 And it shall come to pass when the Lord your God shall bring you into the land of the Chananites, as he sware to your fathers, and shall give it you,
當上主照他起誓向你和你祖先所許的話,領你到了客納罕人的地方,將那地給了你之後,
12 that you shall set apart every [offspring] opening the womb, the males to the Lord, every one that opens the womb out of the herds or amongst your cattle, as many as you shall have: you shall sanctify the males to the Lord.
你應將一切開胎首生者歸於上主;你牲畜中,凡開胎首生的牲畜,亦應歸於上主。
13 Every [offspring] opening the womb of the ass you shall change for a sheep; and if you will not change it, you shall redeem it: every firstborn of man of your sons shall you redeem.
凡首生的驢,應用羊贖回;你若不贖回,應打斷牠的頸項。你的子孫中,凡是長子,你應贖回。
14 And if your son should ask you hereafter, saying, What is this? then you shall say to him, With a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
將來若你的兒子問你:這是什麼意思﹖你要回答他說:這是因為上主用強有力的手臂領我們出離了埃及,出離了為奴之家。
15 And when Pharao hardened [his heart so as not] to send us away, he killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast; therefore do I sacrifice every [offspring] that opens the womb, the males to the Lord, and every firstborn of my sons I will redeem.
原來法朗頑固,不釋放我們,上主就把埃及國一切首生者,不拘是人或牲畜的首生者都殺了,為此我把一切首開母胎的雄性都祭獻於上主;但首生的男孩,我卻要贖回。
16 And it shall be for a sign upon your hand, and immovable before your eyes, for with a strong hand the Lord brought you out of Egypt.
應將這事作你手上的記號,作你額上的標誌,記念上主用強有力的手臂領我們出了埃及。」往紅海進行
17 And when Pharao sent forth the people, God led them not by the way of the land of the Phylistines, because it was near; for God said, Lest at any time the people repent when they see war, and return to Egypt.
法朗放走百姓以後,天主沒有領他們走培肋舍特地的近路,因為上主想:「怕百姓遇見戰爭而後悔,再回到埃及。」
18 And God led the people round by the way to the wilderness, to the Red Sea: and in the fifth generation the children of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt.
因此天主領百姓繞道,走向靠紅海的曠野。以色列子民都武裝著離開了埃及。
19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had solemnly adjured the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones hence with you.
梅瑟也帶了若瑟的骨骸,因為若瑟曾叫以色列的兒子們起誓說:「天主必要眷顧你們,那時你們應把我的骨骸從此地帶回去。」
20 And the children of Israel departed from Socchoth, and encamped in Othom by the wilderness.
他從穌苛特起程前行,就在位於曠野邊緣的厄堂安了營。
21 And God led them, in the day by a pillar of cloud, to show them the way, and in the night by a pillar of fire.
上主在他們前面行,白天在雲柱裏給他們領路,夜間在火柱裏光照他們,為叫他們白天黑夜都能走路:
22 And the pillar of cloud failed not by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, before all the people.
白天的雲柱,黑夜的火柱,總不離開百姓面前。

< Exodus 13 >