< Genesis 18 >
1 And Jehovah appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre. And he sat at the tent-door in the heat of the day.
天正熱的時候,亞巴郎坐在帳幕門口,上主在瑪默勒橡樹林那裏,給他顯現出來。
2 And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, three men standing near him. And when he saw [them], he ran to meet them from the tent-door, and bowed himself to the earth,
他舉目一望,見有三人站在對面。他一見就由帳幕門口跑去迎接他們,俯伏在地,
3 and said, Lord, if now I have found favour in thine eyes, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant.
說:「我主如果我蒙你垂愛,請不要由你僕人這裏走過去,
4 Let now a little water be fetched, that ye may wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
我叫人拿點水來,洗洗你們的腳,然後在樹下休息休息。
5 And I will fetch a morsel of bread; and refresh yourselves; after that ye shall pass on; for therefore have ye passed on towards your servant. And they said, So do as thou hast said.
你們既然路過你僕人這裏,等我拿點餅來,吃點點心,然後再走。」他們答說:「就照你所說的做罷! 」
6 And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, Knead quickly three seahs of wheaten flour, and make cakes.
亞巴郎趕快進入帳幕,到撒辣前說:「你快拿三斗細麵,和一和,作些餅。」
7 And Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf tender and good, and gave [it] to the attendant; and he hasted to dress it.
遂又跑到牛群中,選了一頭又嫩又肥的牛犢,交給僕人,要他趕快煮好。
8 And he took thick and sweet milk, and the calf that he had dressed, and set [it] before them; and he stood before them under the tree, and they ate.
亞巴郎遂拿了凝乳和牛奶,及預備好了的牛犢,擺在他們面前;他們吃的時候,自己在樹下侍候。
9 And they said to him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.
他們對他說:「你的妻子撒辣在那裏﹖」他答說:「在帳幕裏。」
10 And he said, I will certainly return to thee at [this] time of the year, and behold, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah was listening at the tent-door, which was behind him.
其中一位說:「明年此時我必回到你這裏,那時,你的妻子撒辣要有一個兒子。」辣其時正在那人背後的帳幕門口竊聽。
11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old [and] advanced in age: it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
亞巴郎和撒辣都已年老,年紀很大,而且撒辣的月經早已停止。
12 And Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am become old, shall I have pleasure, and my lord old?
撒辣遂心裏竊笑說:「現在,我已衰老,同我年老的丈夫,還有這喜事嗎﹖」
13 And Jehovah said to Abraham, Why is this, that Sarah laughs, saying, Shall I indeed bear, when I am become old?
上主對亞巴郎說:「撒辣為什麼笑﹖且說:像我這樣老,真的還能生育﹖
14 Is [any] matter too wonderful for Jehovah? At the time appointed I will return to thee, at [this] time of the year, and Sarah shall have a son.
為上主豈有難事﹖明年這時,我必要回到你這裏,那時撒辣必有一個兒子。」
15 And Sarah denied, saying, I did not laugh; for she was afraid. And he said, No; but thou didst laugh.
撒辣害怕了,否認說:「我沒有笑。」但是那位說:「不,你實在笑了。」
16 And the men rose up thence, and looked toward Sodom; and Abraham went with them to conduct them.
後來那三人由那裏起身,望著索多瑪前行;亞巴郎送他們,也一同前行。
17 And Jehovah said, Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing?
上主說:「我要作的事,豈能瞞著亞巴郎﹖
18 Since Abraham shall indeed become a great and mighty nation; and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him.
因為他要成為一強大而又興盛的民族,地上所有的民族,都要因他蒙受祝福;
19 For I know him that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of Jehovah, to do righteousness and justice, in order that Jehovah may bring upon Abraham what he hath spoken of him.
何況我揀選了他,是要他訓令自己的子孫和未來的家族,保持上主的正道,實行公義正道,好使上主能實現他對亞巴郎所許的事。」
20 And Jehovah said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grievous,
上主於是說:「控告索多瑪和哈摩辣的聲音實在很大,他們的罪惡實在深重!
21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come to me; and if not, I will know [it].
我要下去看看,願意知道:是否他們所行的全如達到我前的呼聲一樣。」
22 And the men turned thence, and went towards Sodom; and Abraham remained yet standing before Jehovah.
三人中有二人轉身向索多瑪走去;亞巴郎卻仍立在上主面前。
23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also cause the righteous to perish with the wicked?
亞巴郎近前來說:「你真要將義人同惡人一起消滅嗎﹖
24 There are perhaps fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not forgive the place for the sake of the fifty righteous that are therein?
假如城中有五十個義人,你還要消滅嗎﹖不為其中的那五十個義人,赦免那地方嗎﹖
25 Far be it from thee to do so, to slay the righteous with the wicked, that the righteous should be as the wicked — far be it from thee! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?
你決不能如此行事,將義人同惡人一併誅滅;將義人如惡人一樣看待,你決不能! 審判全地的主,豈能不行公義﹖」
26 And Jehovah said, If I find at Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will forgive all the place for their sakes.
上主答說:「假如我在索多瑪城中找出了五十個義人,為了他們我要赦免整個地方。」
27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have ventured to speak unto the Lord; I, who am dust and ashes.
亞巴郎接著說:「
28 Perhaps there may want five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city on account of the five? And he said, If I shall find forty-five there, I will not destroy [it].
我雖只是塵埃灰土,膽敢再對我主說:假如五十個義人中少了五個怎樣﹖你就為了少五個而毀滅全城嗎﹖」他答說:「假如我在那裏找到四十五個,我不毀滅。」
29 And he continued yet to speak with him, and said, Perhaps there may be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for the forty's sake.
亞巴郎再向他進言說:「假如在那裏找到四十個怎樣﹖」他答說:「為了這四十個我也不做這事。」
30 And he said, Oh, let not the Lord be angry that I speak! Perhaps there may be thirty found there. And he said, I will not do it if I find thirty there.
亞巴郎說:「求我主且勿動怒,容我再進一言:假如在那裏找到三十個怎樣﹖」他答說:「假如在那裏我找到三十個,我也不做這事。」
31 And he said, Behold now, I have ventured to speak with the Lord. Perhaps there may be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy [it] for the twenty's sake.
亞巴郎說:「我再放膽對我主進一言:假如在那裏找到二十個怎樣﹖」他答說:「為了這二十個,我也不毀滅。」
32 And he said, Oh, let not the Lord be angry, that I speak yet but this time! Perhaps there may be ten found there. And he said, I will not destroy [it] for the ten's sake.
亞巴郎求:「求我主且勿動怒,容我最後一次進言:假如在那裏找到十個怎樣﹖」他答說:「為了這十個我也不毀滅。」
33 And Jehovah went away when he had ended speaking to Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.
上主向亞巴郎說完話就走了;亞巴郎也回家去了。