Numbers 17
1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
上主訓示梅瑟說：
2 Speak to the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod by their kindreds, of all the princes of the tribes, twelve rods, and write the name of every man upon his rod.
「你吩咐以色列子民，叫他們每一家族拿一根棍杖，就是每一個領袖為自己家族拿一根，共十二根棍杖，把各人的名字寫在自己的棍杖上；
3 And the name of Aaron shall be for the tribe of Levi, and one rod shall contain all their families:
但在肋未的棍杖上，要寫亞郎的名字，因為為肋未的族長亦應有一根棍杖。
4 And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the covenant before the testimony, where I will speak to thee.
你將這些棍放在會幕內，放在約證前，即在我與你常相會的地方。
5 Whomsoever of these I shall choose, his rod shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, wherewith they murmur against you.
誰約證開花，誰就是我所選擇的人；這樣，我就平息了以色列子民在我面前抱怨你們的怨言」。
6 And Moses spoke to the children of Israel: and all the princes gave him rods one for every tribe: and there were twelve rods besides the rod of Aaron.
梅瑟於是告訴了以色列子民；他們所有的領袖都交給了他一根棍杖，每一家族中，每個領袖一根，共十二根棍杖；在他們的棍杖中，也有亞郎的棍杖。
7 And when Moses had laid them up before the Lord in the tabernacle of the testimony:
梅瑟就將棍杖放在約幕內，放在上主面前。
8 He returned on the following day, and found that the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi, was budded: and that the buds swelling it had bloomed blossoms, which spreading the leaves, were formed into almonds.
次日，梅瑟進入約幕內，看，肋未家族的亞郎的棍杖發了芽；不但發了芽，並且也開了花，結了成熟的杏。
9 Moses therefore brought out all the rods from before the Lord to all the children of Israel: and they saw, and every one received their rods.
梅瑟就由上主面前取出所有的棍杖，給以色列子民觀看；以後各人取回了自己的棍杖。
10 And the Lord said to Moses: Carry back the rod of Aaron into the tabernacle of the testimony, that it may be kept there for a token of the rebellious children of Israel, and that their complaints may cease from me lest they die.
上主對梅瑟說：「收回亞郎的棍杖來，放在約證前；給叛逆之徒當作鑑戒，為平息他們對我發的怨言，免得他們死亡」。
11 And Moses did as the Lord had commanded.
梅瑟就這樣做了。
12 And the children of Israel said to Moses: Behold we are consumed, we all perish.
以色列子民對梅瑟申訴說：「看，我們要死了，我們完了! 我們全完了!
13 Whosoever approacheth to the tabernacle of the Lord, he dieth. Are we all to a man to be utterly destroyed?
凡接近上主會幕的都該死；我們豈不都該死﹖」
