< Genesis 43 >
1 But the famine prevailed in the land.
地上的饑荒仍然嚴重。
2 And it came to pass, when they had finished eating the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, that their father said to them, Go again; buy us a little food.
他們吃完了由埃及帶來的糧食,父親對他們說:「你們再去給我們買點糧食來吃! 」
3 And Judas spoke to him, saying, The man, the lord of the country, positively testified to us, saying, You shall not see my face, unless your younger brother be with you.
猶大立即回答父親說:「那人明明告訴我們說:你們若不帶弟弟一起來,你們休想見我的面。
4 If, then, you send our brother with us, we will go down, and buy you food;
你若讓我們的弟弟與我們一同去,我們下去給你買些糧食來;
5 but if you send not our brother with us, we will not go: for the man spoke to us, saying, You shall not see my face, unless your younger brother be with you.
你若不讓他去,我們也不下去;因為那人對我們說過:你們若不帶弟弟與你們一同來,你們休想見我的面。」
6 And Israel said, Why did you harm me, inasmuch as you told the man that you had a brother?
以色列說:「你們為什麼這樣害我,告訴那人你們還有個弟弟﹖」
7 And they said, The man closely questioned us about our family also, saying, Does your father yet live, and have you a brother? and we answered him according to this question: did we know that he would say to us, Bring your brother?
他們回答說:「那人再三再四問我們和我們的家庭說:你們的父親是否還活著﹖你們是否另有個兄弟﹖我們只得照這些話答覆他。那裏會知道他要說:帶你們的兄弟一同下來﹖」
8 And Judas said to his father Israel, Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you, and our store.
猶大又對他父親以色列說:「你叫孩童與我同去,我們就起身前去;這樣,我們和你並我們的幼兒,可以生活,不致餓死。
9 And I engage for him; at my hand do you require him; if I bring him not to you, and place him before you, I shall be guilty towards you for ever.
我為他擔保,你可由我手中要人;如果我不將他帶回,交在你面前,我在你前終生負罪。
10 For if we had not tarried, we should now have returned twice.
假使我們沒有遲延,現在第二次也回來了! 」
11 And Israel, their father, said to them, If it be so, do this; take of the fruits of the earth in your vessels, and carry down to the man presents of gum and honey, and frankincense, and stacte, and turpentine, and walnuts.
他們的父親以色列對他們說:「如果必須如此,你們就這樣做:在行李內帶些本地最好的出產,一些香液、蜂蜜、樹膠、香料、榧子和杏仁,下去送給那人當作禮物。
12 And take double money in your hands, and the money that was returned in your sacks, carry back with you, lest perhaps it is a mistake.
手中多帶一倍銀錢,將那放在你們糧袋口的銀錢,也一併帶上,這或者是出於一時的錯誤。
13 And take your brother; and arise, go down to the man.
並且帶著你們的弟弟起身往那人那裏去。
14 And my God give you favour in the sight of the man, and send away your other brother, and Benjamin, for I accordingly as I have been bereaved, am bereaved.
願全能的天主使你們在那人面前蒙恩,放回你們那個兄弟和本雅明;至於我,如要喪子,就喪子罷! 」
15 And the men having taken these presents, and the double money, took in their hands also Benjamin; and they rose up and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
這一夥人於是帶了那些禮物,手中帶上雙倍銀錢,帶本雅明起身下道埃及去,到了若瑟面前。
16 And Joseph saw them and his brother Benjamin, born of the same mother; and he said to the steward of his household, Bring the men into the house, and kill beasts and make ready, for the men are to eat bread with me at noon.
若瑟一看見他們和本雅明,就對自己的管家說:「帶這些人到家裏去,宰殺設宴,中午這些人要與我一起吃飯。」
17 And the man did as Joseph said; and he brought the men into the house of Joseph.
管家就依照若瑟吩咐的做了,將這些人帶到若瑟家中。
18 And the men, when they perceived that they were brought into the house of Joseph, said, We are brought in because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first; even in order to inform against us, and lay it to our charge; to take us for servants, and our asses.
這些人一進入了若瑟的家,就害怕起來,心裏想:「他帶我們到這裏來,定是為了上次放回我們袋裏銀錢的事,想找我們的錯處,加害我們,拿住我們當奴隸,奪取我們的驢。」
19 And having approached the man who was over the house of Joseph, they spoke to him in the porch of the house,
他們於是走到若瑟的管家,前在房門口同他談起這事,
20 saying, We pray [you], Sir; we came down at first to buy food.
說:「我主,請原諒:我們上次下到這裏來購買糧食,
21 And it came to pass, when we came to unlade, and opened our sacks, [there was] also this money of each in his sack; we have now brought back our money by weight in our hands.
當我們到了客棧,打開我們的布袋時,發見各人的銀錢仍在各人的布袋口,我們的銀錢一分不少;現在我們又親手帶回來了。
22 And we have brought other money with us to buy food; we know not who put the money into our sacks.
此外我們手中又帶了些銀錢,來購買糧食;我們不知道是誰將我們的銀錢放在我們的布袋內。」
23 And he said to them, [God deal] mercifully with you; be not afraid; your God, and the God of your fathers, has given you treasures in your sacks, and I have enough of your good money. And he brought Symeon out to them.
管家答說:「請你們放心,不必害怕! 是你們的天主,你們祖先的天主,在你們的布袋裏給你們放上了財寶;你們的銀錢我已經收了。」以後給他們領出西默盎來。
24 And he brought water to wash their feet; and gave provender to their asses.
管家卡領這些人到了若瑟家裏,先給他們拿水洗了腳,然後拿草料餵了驢。
25 And they prepared their gifts, until Joseph came at noon, for they heard that he was going to dine there.
他們遂將禮物預備好,等候若瑟中午回來;因為聽說,他們要在那裏吃午飯。
26 And Joseph entered into the house, and they brought him the gifts which they had in their hands, into the house; and they did him reverence with their face to the ground.
若瑟回到家裏,他們就將手中的禮物獻給他,俯首至地向他下拜。
27 And he asked them, How are you? and he said to them, Is your father, the old man of whom you spoke, well? Does he yet live?
若瑟先向他們問安,然後說:「你們以前所說的老父好麼﹖還健在麼﹖」
28 And they said, Your servant our father is well; he is yet alive. And he said, Blessed be that man by God; —and they bowed, and did him reverence.
他們答說:「你的僕人,我們的父親還好,還健在。」遂又鞠躬下拜。
29 And Joseph lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, born of the same mother; and he said, Is this your younger brother, whom you spoke of bringing to me? and he said, God have mercy on you, my son.
若瑟舉目,見了他母親生的弟弟本雅明,就問說:「這就是你們對我說的那小弟弟嗎﹖」繼而說:「孩子,願天主保佑你! 」
30 And Joseph was troubled, for his bowels yearned over his brother, and he sought to weep; and he went into his chamber, and wept there.
若瑟愛弟情切,想要流淚,趕快進了自己的內室,在那裏哭了一場;
31 And he washed his face and came out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.
然後洗臉出來,勉強抑制自己,吩咐說:「擺飯罷! 」
32 And they set on [bread] for him alone, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians feasting with him by themselves, for the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews, for it is an abomination to the Egyptians.
人就給若瑟擺了一席,為他們擺了一席,為與若瑟一起吃飯的埃及人另擺了一席;因為埃及人不能同希伯來人一起吃飯,這為他們是個恥辱。
33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his seniority, and the younger according to his youth; and the men looked with amazement every one at his brother.
他們便在若瑟前,安排就坐,全按長幼的次序,長者在上,幼者在下;眾兄弟彼此相看,驚奇不已。
34 And they took their portions from him to themselves; but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as the portions of [the others]. And they drank and were filled with drink with him.
若瑟將自己面前的食物分開,分給他們;但本雅明的一分,比其餘的人多五倍。他們遂與若瑟飲酒宴樂。