Genesis 24
1 Now Abraham was old and of many days. And the Lord had blessed him in all things.
亞巴郎年紀已老，上主在一切事上常祝福他。
2 And he said to the elder servant of his house, who was in charge of all that he had: “Place your hand under my thigh,
亞巴郎對管理他所有家產的老僕人說：「請你將手放在我的胯下，
3 so that I may make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live.
要你指著上主、天地的天主起誓：你決不要為我的兒子，由我現住的客納罕人中，娶一個女子為妻；
4 But that you will proceed to my land and kindred, and from there take a wife for my son Isaac.”
卻要到我的故鄉，我的親族中去，為我的兒子依撒格娶妻。」
5 The servant responded, “If the woman is not willing to come with me into this land, must I lead your son back to the place from which you departed?”
僕人對他說：「假使那女子不願跟我到此地來，我能否帶你的兒子回到你的本鄉﹖」
6 And Abraham said: “Beware that you never lead my son back to that place.
亞巴郎答覆他說：「你切不可帶我的兒子回到那裏去。
7 The Lord God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my nativity, who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give this land,’ himself will send his Angel before you, and you will take from there a wife for my son.
那引我出離父家和我生身地，同我談過話，對我起誓說「我必將這地賜給你後裔」的上主，上天的天主，必派遣自己的使者作你的前導，領你由那裏給我兒子娶個妻子。
8 But if the woman is not willing to follow you, you will not be held by the oath. Only do not lead my son back to that place.”
假若那女子不願跟你來，你對我起的誓，就與你無涉；無論如何，你不能帶我的兒子回到那裏去。」
9 Therefore, the servant placed his hand under the thigh of Abraham, his lord, and he swore to him on his word.
僕人遂將手放在主人亞巴郎的胯下，為這事向他起了誓。
10 And he took ten camels from his lord’s herd, and he went forth, carrying with him things from all of his goods. And he set out, and continued on, to the city of Nahor, in Mesopotamia.
僕人由他主人的駱駝中，牽了十匹駱駝，帶著主人的各樣寶物，起身往美索不達米亞的納曷爾城去了。
11 And when he had made the camels lie down outside of the town, near a well of water, in the evening, at the time when women are accustomed to go out to draw water, he said:
傍晚，女人們出來打水的時候，他叫駱駝臥在城外的水井旁，
12 “O Lord, the God of my lord Abraham, meet with me today, I beg you, and show mercy to my lord Abraham.
然後說：「上主、我主人亞巴郎的天主! 求你對我主人亞巴郎施行仁慈，今日使我幸運。
13 Behold, I stand near the fountain of water, and the daughters of the inhabitants of this city will go forth to draw water.
看我站在水泉旁，此時城中的女子正出來打水。
14 Therefore, the girl to whom I will say, ‘Tip your pitcher, so that I may drink,’ and she will respond, ‘Drink. In fact, I will give your camels a drink also,’ the same one is she whom you have prepared for your servant Isaac. And by this, I will understand that you have shown mercy to my lord.”
我對那個少女說：請你放下水罐，讓我喝點水。如果她答說：請喝! 並且我還要打水給你的駱駝喝，她即是你為你的僕人依撒格預定的少女；由此我知道，你對我主人施行了仁慈。」
15 But he had not yet completed these words within himself, when, behold, Rebekah went out, the daughter of Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, the brother of Abraham, having a pitcher on her shoulder.
話還沒有說完，黎貝加就肩著水罐出來了。她是亞巴郎的兄弟納曷爾的妻子米耳加的兒子貝突耳的女兒。
16 She was an exceedingly elegant girl, and a most beautiful virgin, and unknown by man. And she descended to the spring, and she filled her pitcher, and then was returning.
這少女容貌很美，是個還沒有人認識的處女。她下到水泉，灌滿了水罐，就上來了。
17 And the servant ran to meet her, and he said, “Provide me with a little water to drink from your pitcher.”
僕人就跑上前去迎著她說：「請讓我喝點你水罐裏的水，好嗎! 」
18 And she responded, “Drink, my lord.” And she quickly brought down the pitcher on her arm, and she gave him a drink.
她回答說：「先生! 請喝! 」她急忙將水罐放低，托在手上讓他喝。
19 And after he drank, she added, “In fact, I will draw water for your camels also, until they all drink.”
他喝足了以後，少女說：「我再為你的駱駝打水，叫牠們也喝足。」
20 And pouring out the pitcher into the troughs, she ran back to the well to draw water; and having drawn, she gave it to all the camels.
遂急忙將罐裏的水倒在槽裏，再跑到那井裏去打水，打給他的駱駝喝。
21 But he was contemplating her silently, wanting to know whether the Lord had caused his journey to prosper or not
僕人在旁靜靜地注視她，急願知道，是否上主已使他此行成功。
22 Then, after the camels drank, the man took out gold earrings, weighing two shekels, and the same number of bracelets, ten shekels in weight.
駱駝喝完了水以後，老人就拿出一個半「協刻耳」重的金鼻環，和一對重十「協刻耳」的金手鐲，給她戴上，
23 And he said to her: “Whose daughter are you? Tell me, is there any place in your father’s house to lodge?”
然後說：「請你告訴我你是誰的女兒﹖你父親家裏，有沒有地方可讓我們過宿﹖」
24 She responded, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, to whom she gave birth for Nahor.”
她回答說：「我是米耳加給納曷爾所生之子貝突耳的女兒。」
25 And she continued, saying, “There is very much straw and hay with us, and a spacious place to stay.”
她又繼續說：「我們家裏有很多草料和飼糧，而且還有地方可供過宿。」
26 The man bowed himself down, and he adored the Lord,
老人就俯身朝拜了上主，說：「
27 saying, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of my lord Abraham, who has not taken away his mercy and truth from my lord, and who has led me on a direct journey to the house of the brother of my lord.”
上主，我主人亞巴郎的天主應受讚美! 因為他不斷以仁慈和忠信善待了我的主人。上主也一路引我來到了我主人的老家。」
28 And so the girl ran, and she reported all that she had heard in the house of her mother.
那少女跑回去，將這一切事告訴了她母親家中的人。
29 Now Rebekah had a brother, named Laban, who went out quickly to the man, where the spring was.
黎貝加有個哥哥名叫拉班，他一看見他妹妹鼻上的金環，和手腕上的金鐲，聽見他妹妹黎貝加說：「那人如此如此對我說。」
30 And when he had seen the earrings and bracelets in his sister’s hands, and he had heard all the words being repeated, “This is what the man spoke to me,” he came to the man who stood by the camels and near the spring of water,
拉班就跑去見那在郊外水泉旁的人，迨他來到那人那裏，見他仍站在靠近水泉的駱駝旁，
31 and he said to him: “Enter, O blessed of the Lord. Why do you stand outside? I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels.”
就對他說：「你這受上主祝福的人，請來我已預備好了房屋和餵駱駝的地方；你為什麼還站在郊外﹖」
32 And he brought him into his guest quarters. And he unharnessed the camels, and he distributed straw and hay, and water to wash his feet and that of the men who arrived with him.
拉班便將那人領進家去，卸了駱駝，餵上草料和飼糧；又拿水給他和與他同來的人洗腳，
33 And bread was set out in his sight. But he said, “I will not eat, until I have spoken my words.” He answered him, “Speak.”
然後在他面前擺上飯，但僕人卻說：「在我未說明我的來意之前，我不吃飯。」拉班說：「你說罷! 」
34 Then he said: “I am the servant of Abraham.
他說：「我是亞巴郎的僕人，
35 And the Lord has blessed my lord greatly, and he has become great. And he has given him sheep and oxen, silver and gold, men servants and women servants, camels and donkeys.
上主厚厚地祝福了我的主人，使他十分富有，賜了他羊群、牛群、金銀、僕婢、駱駝和驢子。
36 And Sarah, the wife of my lord, has given birth to a son for my lord in her old age, and he has given him all that he had.
我主人的妻子撒辣，在老年給我主人生了一個兒子，主人遂將所有的財產都給了他。
37 And my lord made me swear, saying: ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell.
我主人叫我起誓說：你決不要給我的兒子，由我現居地的客納罕人中，娶一個女子為妻。
38 But you shall travel to my father’s house, and you shall take a wife of my own kindred for my son.’
你該到我的父家和我的同族中，為我兒子娶妻。
39 But truly, I answered my lord, ‘What if the woman is not willing to come with me?’
我對我主人說：假使女兒不願跟我來怎麼辦﹖
40 ‘The Lord,’ he said, ‘in whose sight I walk, will send his Angel with you, and he will direct your way. And you shall take a wife for my son from my own kindred and from my father’s house.
他回答我說：我一向在上主面前行走，他必派遣自己的使者與你同行，使你此行必成功，能由我的同族，我的父家，為我兒子娶妻。
41 But you will be innocent of my curse, if, when you will arrive at my close relatives, they will not grant this to you.’
只要你去了我同族那裏，你就履行了對我起的誓；若是他們不給你，你對我起的誓，就與你無涉。
42 And so, today I arrived at the well of water, and I said: ‘O Lord, the God of my lord Abraham, if you have directed my way, in which I now walk,
今天我到了水泉那裏就說：上主，我主人亞巴郎的天主! 惟願你使我此行成功。
43 behold, I stand next to the well of water, and the virgin, who will go forth to draw water, will hear from me, “Give me a little water to drink from your pitcher.”
看我現在站在泉旁，我對那個出來打水的少女說：請你讓我喝點你水罐裏的水罷!
44 And she will say to me, “You drink, and I will also draw for your camels.” Let the same be the woman, whom the Lord has prepared for the son of my lord.’
如果她對我說：請喝，並且我還要打水給你的駱駝喝，她即是上主為我主人的兒子預定的妻子。
45 And while I thought over these things silently within myself, Rebekah appeared, arriving with a pitcher, which she carried on her shoulder. And she descended to the spring and drew water. And I said to her, ‘Give me a little to drink.’
我心裏尚未說完這話，看，黎貝加肩著水罐來了，下到水泉那裏打水，我就對她說：請給我一點水喝!
46 And she quickly let down the pitcher from her arm, and said to me, ‘You drink, and to your camels I will also distribute drinking water.’ I drank, and she watered the camels.
她急忙從肩上放下水罐說：你喝，並且我還要打水給你的駱駝喝。我喝了，同時她也給了駱駝水喝。
47 And I questioned her, saying, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ And she responded, ‘I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to him.’ And so, I hung the earrings on her, to adorn her face, and I put the bracelets on her hands.
我於是問她說：你是誰的女兒﹖她答說：我是米耳加給納曷爾生的兒子貝突耳的女兒。我就將鼻環戴在她鼻上，將手鐲帶在她手腕上。
48 And falling prostrate, I adored the Lord, blessing the Lord, the God of my lord Abraham, who has led me along the straight path so as to take the daughter of my lord’s brother to his son.
然後我俯身朝拜了上主，讚頌了上主、我主人亞巴郎的天主，因為他引我走了正路，為我主人的兒子娶了我主人兄弟的孫女。
49 For this reason, if you would act according to mercy and truth with my lord, tell me so. But if it pleases you otherwise, say that to me also, so that I may go either to the right, or to the left.”
現在，如果你們願意以仁慈和忠信善待我主人，請告訴我；如果不肯，也請告訴我；我好決定行事。」
50 And Laban and Bethuel responded: “A word has proceeded from the Lord. We are not able to speak anything else to you, beyond what pleases him.
拉班和貝突耳答說：「這件事既是出於上主，我們不能對你說好說壞。
51 Lo, Rebekah is in your sight. Take her and continue on, and let her be the wife of the son of your lord, just as the Lord has spoken.”
看黎貝加在你面前，你可帶她去做你主人兒子的妻子，如上主所說的。」
52 When Abraham’s servant had heard this, falling down to the ground, he adored the Lord.
亞巴郎的僕人一聽見他們說出這話，就俯伏在地朝拜了上主；
53 And bringing forth vessels of silver and gold, as well as garments, he gave them to Rebekah as a tribute. Likewise, he offered gifts to her brothers and her mother.
然後拿出金銀的珍飾和衣服來，送給了黎貝加，又送給了她的哥哥和她的母親一些寶貴禮品。
54 And a banquet began, and they feasted and drank together, and they lodged there. And rising up in the morning, the servant said, “Release me, so that I may go to my lord.”
這以後，他和同他前來的人才吃喝，並住了一宿。清早起來，他就說：「請讓我回到我主人那裏去! 」
55 And her brothers and mother responded, “Let the girl remain for at least ten days with us, and after that, she will continue on.”
黎貝加的哥哥和母親說：「讓少女同我們再住上幾天或十天，然後走罷! 」
56 “Do not be willing,” he said, “to delay me, for the Lord has directed my way. Release me, so that I may journey to my lord.”
他回答他們說：「你們不要挽留我，上主既使我此行成功，請你們讓我走，回到我主人那裏去。」
57 And they said, “Let us call the girl, and ask her will.”
他們說：「我們可叫少女來，問問她的意思。」
58 And when, having been called, she arrived, they wanted to know, “Will you go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.”
他們就將黎貝加叫來問她說：「你願意跟這人去嗎﹖」她答說：「願意。」
59 Therefore, they released her and her nurse, and the servant of Abraham and his companions,
於是他們打發自己的姊妹黎貝加和她的乳母，同亞巴郎的僕人和與他同來的人一起走了。
60 wishing prosperity for their sister, by saying: “You are our sister. May you increase to thousands of thousands. And may your offspring possess the gates of their enemies.”
他們祝福黎貝加說：「我們的姊妹，願你子孫無數! 願你的後裔，佔領仇敵的城門! 」
61 And so, Rebekah and her maids, riding upon camels, followed the man, who quickly returned to his lord.
黎貝加便和自己的婢女們起來，上了駱駝，跟那人去了。僕人便帶著黎貝加起了程。
62 Then, at the same time, Isaac was walking along the way that leads to the well, whose name is: ‘of the One who lives and who sees.’ For he dwelt in the southern land.
那時依撒格剛來到拉海洛依井旁附近，他原住在乃革布地方。
63 And he had gone out to meditate in the field, as daylight was now declining. And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw camels advancing from afar.
傍晚時，依撒格出來在田間來回沉思，舉目一望，看見了一隊駱駝。
64 Likewise, Rebekah, having seen Isaac, descended from the camel.
黎貝加舉目看見了依撒格，便由駱駝上下來，
65 And she said to the servant, “Who is that man who advances to meet us through the field?” And he said to her, “That is my lord.” And so, quickly taking up her cloak, she covered herself.
問僕人說：「田間前來迎接我們的那人是誰﹖」僕人答說：「是我的主人。」黎貝加遂拿面紗蒙在臉上。
66 Then the servant explained to Isaac all that he had done.
僕人就將自己所作的一切事，告訴了依撒格。
67 And he led her into the tent of Sarah his mother, and he accepted her as wife. And he loved her so very much, that it tempered the sorrow which befell him at his mother’s death.
依撒格便領黎貝加進入自己母親撒辣的帳幕，娶了她為妻，很是愛她。依撒格自從母親死後，這才有了安慰。
