< Genesis 44 >
1 And Joseph commanded the steward of his house, saying: Fill their sacks with corn, as much as they can hold: and put the money of every one in the top of his sack.
約瑟吩咐家宰說:「把糧食裝滿這些人的口袋,儘着他們的驢所能馱的,又把各人的銀子放在各人的口袋裏,
2 And in the mouth of the younger’s sack put my silver cup, and the price which he gave for the wheat. And it was so done.
並將我的銀杯和那少年人糴糧的銀子一同裝在他的口袋裏。」家宰就照約瑟所說的話行了;
3 And when the morning arose, they were sent away with their asses.
天一亮就打發那些人帶着驢走了。
4 And when they were now departed out of the city, and had gone forward a little way; Joseph sending for the steward of his house, said: Arise, and pursue after the men: and when thou hast overtaken them, say to them: Why have you returned evil for good?
他們出城走了不遠,約瑟對家宰說:「起來,追那些人去,追上了就對他們說:『你們為甚麼以惡報善呢?
5 The cup which you have stolen is that in which my lord drinketh, and in which he is wont to divine: you have done a very evil thing.
這不是我主人飲酒的杯嗎?豈不是他占卜用的嗎?你們這樣行是作惡了。』」
6 He did as he had commanded him. And having overtaken them, he spoke to them the same words.
家宰追上他們,將這些話對他們說了。
7 And they answered: Why doth our lord speak so, as though thy servants had committed so heinous a fact?
他們回答說:「我主為甚麼說這樣的話呢?你僕人斷不能做這樣的事。
8 The money, that we found in the top of our sacks, we brought back to thee from the land of Chanaan: how then should it be that we should steal out of thy lord’s house, gold or silver?
你看,我們從前在口袋裏所見的銀子,尚且從迦南地帶來還你,我們怎能從你主人家裏偷竊金銀呢?
9 With whomsoever of thy servants shall be found that which thou seekest, let him die, and we will be the bondmen of my lord.
你僕人中無論在誰那裏搜出來,就叫他死,我們也作我主的奴僕。」
10 And he said to them: Let it be according to your sentence: with whomsoever it shall be found, let him be my servant, and you shall be blameless.
家宰說:「現在就照你們的話行吧!在誰那裏搜出來,誰就作我的奴僕;其餘的都沒有罪。」
11 Then they speedily took down their sacks to the ground, and every man opened his sack.
於是他們各人急忙把口袋卸在地下,各人打開口袋。
12 Which when he had searched, beginning at the eldest and ending at the youngest, he found the cup in Benjamin’s sack.
家宰就搜查,從年長的起到年幼的為止,那杯竟在便雅憫的口袋裏搜出來。
13 Then they rent their garments, and loading their asses again, returned into the town.
他們就撕裂衣服,各人把馱子抬在驢上,回城去了。
14 And Juda at the head of his brethren went in to Joseph, (for he was not yet gone out of the place), and they altogether fell down before him on the ground.
猶大和他弟兄們來到約瑟的屋中,約瑟還在那裏,他們就在他面前俯伏於地。
15 And he said to them: Why would you do so? know you not that there is no one like me in the science of divining.
約瑟對他們說:「你們做的是甚麼事呢?你們豈不知像我這樣的人必能占卜嗎?」
16 And Juda said to him: What shall we answer my lord? or what shall we say, or be able justly to allege? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are all bondmen to my lord, both we, and he with whom the cup was found.
猶大說:「我們對我主說甚麼呢?還有甚麼話可說呢?我們怎能自己表白出來呢?上帝已經查出僕人的罪孽了。我們與那在他手中搜出杯來的都是我主的奴僕。」
17 Joseph answered: God forbid that I should do so: he that stole the cup, he shall be my bondman: and go you away free to your father.
約瑟說:「我斷不能這樣行!在誰的手中搜出杯來,誰就作我的奴僕;至於你們,可以平平安安地上你們父親那裏去。」
18 Then Juda coming nearer, said boldly: I beseech thee, my lord, let thy servant speak a word in thy ears, and be not angry with thy servant: for after Pharao thou art,
猶大挨近他,說:「我主啊,求你容僕人說一句話給我主聽,不要向僕人發烈怒,因為你如同法老一樣。
19 My lord. Thou didst ask thy servants the first time: Have you a father or a brother?
我主曾問僕人們說:『你們有父親有兄弟沒有?』
20 And we answered thee, my lord: We have a father an old man, and a young boy, that was born in his old age; whose brother by the mother is dead: and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him tenderly.
我們對我主說:『我們有父親,已經年老,還有他老年所生的一個小孩子。他哥哥死了,他母親只撇下他一人,他父親疼愛他。』
21 And thou saidst to thy servants: Bring him hither to me, and I will set my eyes on him.
你對僕人說:『把他帶到我這裏來,叫我親眼看看他。』
22 We suggested to my lord: The boy cannot leave his father: for if he leave him, he will die.
我們對我主說:『童子不能離開他父親,若是離開,他父親必死。』
23 And thou saidst to thy servants: Except your youngest brother come with you, you shall see my face no more.
你對僕人說:『你們的小兄弟若不與你們一同下來,你們就不得再見我的面。』
24 Therefore when we were gone up to thy servant our father, we told him all that my lord had said.
我們上到你僕人-我們父親那裏,就把我主的話告訴了他。
25 And our father said: Go again, and buy us a little wheat.
我們的父親說:『你們再去給我糴些糧來。』
26 And we said to him: We cannot go: if our youngest brother go down with us, we will set out together: otherwise, without him we dare not see the man’s face.
我們就說:『我們不能下去。我們的小兄弟若和我們同往,我們就可以下去。因為,小兄弟若不與我們同往,我們必不得見那人的面。』
27 Whereunto he answered: You know that my wife bore me two.
你僕人-我父親對我們說:『你們知道我的妻子給我生了兩個兒子。
28 One went out, and you said: A beast devoured him: and hitherto he appeareth not.
一個離開我出去了;我說他必是被撕碎了,直到如今我也沒有見他。
29 If you take this also, and any thing befall him in the way you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow unto hell. (Sheol )
現在你們又要把這個帶去離開我,倘若他遭害,那便是你們使我白髮蒼蒼、悲悲慘慘地下陰間去了。』 (Sheol )
30 Therefore if I shall go to thy servant our father, and the boy be wanting, (whereas his life dependeth upon the life of him, )
我父親的命與這童子的命相連。如今我回到你僕人-我父親那裏,若沒有童子與我們同在,
31 And he shall see that he is not with us, he will die, and thy servants shall bring down his gray hairs with sorrow unto hell. (Sheol )
我們的父親見沒有童子,他就必死。這便是我們使你僕人-我們的父親白髮蒼蒼、悲悲慘慘地下陰間去了。 (Sheol )
32 Let me be thy proper servant, who took him into my trust, and promised, saying: If I bring him not again, I will be guilty of sin against my father for ever.
因為僕人曾向我父親為這童子作保,說:『我若不帶他回來交給父親,我便在父親面前永遠擔罪。』
33 Therefore I thy servant will stay instead of the boy in the service of my lord, and let the boy go up with his brethren.
現在求你容僕人住下,替這童子作我主的奴僕,叫童子和他哥哥們一同上去。
34 For I cannot return to my father without the boy, lest I be a witness of the calamity that will oppress my father.
若童子不和我同去,我怎能上去見我父親呢?恐怕我看見災禍臨到我父親身上。」