Genesis 43
1 The famine continued to be really bad in Canaan,
ききんはその地に激しかった。
2 so once they had finished the grain they'd brought from Egypt, their father told them, “You have to go back and buy some more grain for us.”
彼らがエジプトから携えてきた穀物を食い尽した時、父は彼らに言った、「また行って、われわれのために少しの食糧を買ってきなさい」。
3 But Judah responded, “The man was adamant when he warned us, ‘I won't even see you unless your brother is with you.’
ユダは父に答えて言った、「あの人はわれわれをきびしく戒めて、弟が一緒でなければ、わたしの顔を見てはならないと言いました。
4 If you send our brother Benjamin with us then we'll go and buy food for you.
もしあなたが弟をわれわれと一緒にやってくださるなら、われわれは下って行って、あなたのために食糧を買ってきましょう。
5 But if you won't send him, then we won't go, because the man was very clear, ‘I won't even see you unless your brother is with you.’”
しかし、もし彼をやられないなら、われわれは下って行きません。あの人がわれわれに、弟が一緒でなければわたしの顔を見てはならないと言ったのですから」。
6 “Why have you made things so bad for me by telling the man you had another brother?” Israel asked.
イスラエルは言った、「なぜ、もうひとりの弟があるとあの人に言って、わたしを苦しめるのか」。
7 “The man kept on asking direct questions about us and our family like ‘Is your father still alive?’ and ‘Do you have another brother?’” they replied. “We just answered his questions. How were we to know he'd say, ‘Bring your brother here!’?”
彼らは言った、「あの人がわれわれと一族とのことを問いただして、父はまだ生きているか、もうひとりの弟があるかと言ったので、問われるままに答えましたが、その人が、弟を連れてこいと言おうとは、どうして知ることができたでしょう」。
8 Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy in my care, and we'll leave immediately, so that we can stay alive and not die—and that includes you and us and our children!
ユダは父イスラエルに言った、「あの子をわたしと一緒にやってくだされば、われわれは立って行きましょう。そしてわれわれもあなたも、われわれの子供らも生きながらえ、死を免れましょう。
9 I promise to take care of him—I'll be personally responsible for bringing him back to you. If I don't, then I will always carry the blame!
わたしが彼の身を請け合います。わたしの手から彼を求めなさい。もしわたしが彼をあなたのもとに連れ帰って、あなたの前に置かなかったら、わたしはあなたに対して永久に罪を負いましょう。
10 Now let's go, because if we hadn't hesitated, we could have gone there and come back twice by now.”
もしわれわれがこんなにためらわなかったら、今ごろは二度も行ってきたでしょう」。
11 “If it has to be, then this is what you'll do,” Israel replied. “Take with you the best our country produces. Pack your bags with gifts for the man—balm, a little honey, spices, myrrh, pistachios, and almonds.
父イスラエルは彼らに言った、「それではこうしなさい。この国の名産を器に入れ、携え下ってその人に贈り物にしなさい。すなわち少しの乳香、少しの蜜、香料、もつやく、ふすだしう、あめんどう。
12 Take double the money that was returned to you in your sacks—maybe it was a mistake.
そしてその上に、倍額の銀を手に持って行きなさい。また袋の口に返してあった銀は持って行って返しなさい。たぶんそれは誤りであったのでしょう。
13 Take your brother and go back to the man right away.
弟も連れ、立って、またその人の所へ行きなさい。
14 May God Almighty make the man treat you kindly so when you come before him he'll release your other brother and send Benjamin back. As for me, if I am to lose all my children, then so be it.”
どうか全能の神がその人の前であなたがたをあわれみ、もうひとりの兄弟とベニヤミンとを、返させてくださるように。もしわたしが子を失わなければならないのなら、失ってもよい」。
15 So they packed the gifts, took double the money, and set off, accompanied by Benjamin. They arrived in Egypt and went to have an audience with Joseph.
そこでその人々は贈り物を取り、また倍額の銀を携え、ベニヤミンを連れ、立ってエジプトへ下り、ヨセフの前に立った。
16 When Joseph saw Benjamin was with them, he told his household supervisor, “Take these men to my house. Slaughter an animal and make a meal, for they are going to eat with me at noon.”
ヨセフはベニヤミンが彼らと共にいるのを見て、家づかさに言った、「この人々を家に連れて行き、獣をほふって、したくするように。この人々は昼、わたしと一緒に食事をします」。
17 The man did as Joseph ordered and took them to Joseph's house.
その人はヨセフの言ったようにして、この人々をヨセフの家へ連れて行った。
18 They were really worried that they were being taken to Joseph's house. “It's because of the money that was put in our sacks the first time we came,” they said to each other. “That's why we're being brought in—so he can accuse us and attack us! He'll make us his slaves and take our donkeys!”
ところがこの人々はヨセフの家へ連れて行かれたので恐れて言った、「初めの時に袋に返してあったあの銀のゆえに、われわれを引き入れたのです。そしてわれわれを襲い、攻め、捕えて奴隷とし、われわれのろばをも奪うのです」。
19 So they went and spoke to Joseph's household supervisor at the entrance to the house.
彼らはヨセフの家づかさに近づいて、家の入口で、言った、
20 “Please excuse us, my lord,” they said. “We came down the first time to buy food,
「ああ、わが主よ、われわれは最初、食糧を買うために下ってきたのです。
21 and when we stopped for the night, we opened our sacks and each of us found our money—the exact amount—at the top of our sacks. So we've brought it back with us.
ところが宿に行って袋をあけて見ると、めいめいの銀は袋の口にあって、銀の重さは元のままでした。それでわれわれはそれを持って参りました。
22 We've also brought more money to buy food. We've no idea who put our money in our sacks!”
そして食糧を買うために、ほかの銀をも持って下ってきました。われわれの銀を袋に入れた者が、だれであるかは分りません」。
23 “Everything's fine!” he told them. “Don't worry! Your God, the God of your father, must have given you the treasure hidden in your sacks. I got your money.” Then he brought Simeon out to meet them.
彼は言った、「安心しなさい。恐れてはいけません。その宝はあなたがたの神、あなたがたの父の神が、あなたがたの袋に入れてあなたがたに賜わったのです。あなたがたの銀はわたしが受け取りました」。そして彼はシメオンを彼らの所へ連れてきた。
24 The steward took them inside Joseph's house, gave them water to wash their feet, and supplied food for their donkeys.
こうしてその人はこの人々をヨセフの家へ導き、水を与えて足を洗わせ、また、ろばに飼葉を与えた。
25 They got their gifts ready for when Joseph would come at noon, because they had found out that they were going to eat there.
彼らはその所で食事をするのだと聞き、贈り物を整えて、昼にヨセフの来るのを待った。
26 When Joseph arrived at the house they gave him the gifts they had brought for him, and bowed low to the ground before him.
さてヨセフが家に帰ってきたので、彼らはその家に携えてきた贈り物をヨセフにささげ、地に伏して、彼を拝した。
27 He asked how they were, and then he asked, “How is your elderly father doing that you spoke of? Is he still alive?”
ヨセフは彼らの安否を問うて言った、「あなたがたの父、あなたがたがさきに話していたその老人は無事ですか。なお生きながらえておられますか」。
28 “Yes, your servant our father is still alive, and is well,” they replied and bowed low in respect.
彼らは答えた、「あなたのしもべ、われわれの父は無事で、なお生きながらえています」。そして彼らは、頭をさげて拝した。
29 Then Joseph looked over at his brother Benjamin, the son of his own mother. “Is this your youngest brother that you told me about?” he asked. “God be gracious to you, my son,” he said.
ヨセフは目をあげて同じ母の子である弟ベニヤミンを見て言った、「これはあなたがたが前にわたしに話した末の弟ですか」。また言った、「わが子よ、どうか神があなたを恵まれるように」。
30 Joseph had to run out quickly because he was becoming so emotional at seeing his brother. He looked for a place to cry, and went to his room to weep there.
ヨセフは弟なつかしさに心がせまり、急いで泣く場所をたずね、へやにはいって泣いた。
31 Then he washed his face, got his emotions under control, and went back out. “Serve the food,” he ordered.
やがて彼は顔を洗って出てきた。そして自分を制して言った、「食事にしよう」。
32 Joseph was served at a table by himself, and his brothers were served at a separate table. The Egyptians were also served at another table, because Egyptians cannot eat with Hebrews because they find this repulsive.
そこでヨセフはヨセフ、彼らは彼ら、陪食のエジプトびとはエジプトびと、と別々に席に着いた。エジプトびとはヘブルびとと共に食事することができなかった。それはエジプトびとの忌むところであったからである。
33 The brothers had been seated in front of him in order by age, from the firstborn, the oldest, down to the youngest, and they looked at each other in complete surprise.
こうして彼らはヨセフの前に、長子は長子として、弟は弟としてすわらせられたので、その人々は互に驚いた。
34 The food was served to them from Joseph's table, and Benjamin received five times as much as anyone else. So they ate and drank plenty with him.
またヨセフの前から、めいめいの分が運ばれたが、ベニヤミンの分は他のいずれの者の分よりも五倍多かった。こうして彼らは飲み、ヨセフと共に楽しんだ。
