< Ruth 4 >

1 But Bo'az went up to the gate, and sat down there; and, behold, the kinsman of whom Bo'az had spoken came passing by; and he said unto him, Turn aside hither, sit down here, such a one. And he turned aside, and sat down.
波阿次走上城門口,坐在那裏。可巧,波阿次所說的那位至親,正從那裏經過,他就對他說:「某兄,請過來,坐一坐! 」他就過去坐下了。
2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye down here. And they sat down.
波阿次又由城內的長老中,邀請了十位,對他們說:「請你們在這裏坐一坐! 」他們就都坐下。
3 And he said unto the kinsman, Na'omi, that is returned out of the field of Moab, hath to sell a parcel of land, which was our brother Elimelech's.
波阿次便對那位至親說:「從摩阿布鄉間回來的納敖米要賣我們兄弟厄里默肋客的一塊田。
4 And I thought to inform thee of it, saying, Buy it before those sitting here, and before the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem it; but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may know; for there is none beside thee to redeem it, and I am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it.
我認為我應在你面前說明這事,並請你當著在坐的諸位及民眾的長老前,購買這塊地。若你願意盡你至親的義務,就盡;若你不願意盡,起告訴我知道;因為除你應盡這義務之外,沒有別人了;你以後就是我。」那人答說:「我盡。」
5 Then said Bo'az, On the day that thou buyest the field out of the hand of Na'omi, thou buyest it also from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.
波阿次接著說:「你從納敖米手中購得田地的那一天,也應娶亡者之妻,即摩阿布女子盧德,好給死者在嗣業上留名。」
6 And the kinsman said, I am not able to redeem it for myself, lest I injure my own inheritance: redeem thou what I should redeem for thyself; for I am not able to redeem it.
那位至親答說:「那麼我就不能盡這義務了,免得我的產業受害,你盡我應盡的義務罷! 我不能盡了。」
7 Now this was formerly the custom in Israel at a redeeming and at an exchanging, to confirm any thing, that a man pulled off his shoe, and gave it to the other; and this was the manner of testimony in Israel.
從前在以色列中間,無論對於買賣或交易,為確定一事,有這樣的一個風俗:就是一方應脫下自己的鞋,交與另一方:這在以色列就算為證據。
8 Thereupon said the kinsman unto Bo'az, Buy it for thee. And he pulled off his shoe.
那為至親對波阿次說:「你購買罷! 」遂就脫下了自己的鞋。
9 And Bo'az said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that belonged to Elimelech, and all that belonged to Kilyon and Machlon, out of the hand of Na'omi.
於是波阿次對長老以及所有在坐的民眾說:「今天你們作證,我從納敖米手中購得了屬於厄里默肋客及基肋雍與瑪赫隆的一切產業;
10 And also Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Machlon, have I obtained for myself as my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.
同時我也取得了瑪赫隆的妻,摩阿布的女子盧德為我的妻室,好給死者在嗣業上留名,不叫死者的名字,在自己的兄弟和故鄉的門戶中失傳;今日你們為此作證! 」
11 And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, [We are] witnesses. The Lord grant that the woman that is coming into thy house be like Rachel and like Leah, who did both build up the house of Israel: and acquire thou wealth in Ephrathah, and let thy name become famous in Beth-lechem;
在城門旁的民眾和長老都回答說:「我們作證。願上主使這走進你家中的婦女,像似那兩位曾建立了以色列家的辣黑耳和肋阿! 願你在厄弗辣大昌盛,願你在白冷得享盛名!
12 And may thy house be like the house of Perez, whom Thamar bore unto Judah, through the seed which the Lord will give thee of this young woman.
願你的家藉上主使這少婦給你所生的後裔,相似塔瑪爾給猶大所生的培勒茲的家。」波阿次娶盧德
13 And Bo'az took Ruth, and she became his wife, and he went in unto her: and the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son.
波阿次遂娶了盧德,她就成了他的妻子。他走近了他,上主賜她懷孕,生了一個兒子。
14 And the women said unto Na'omi, Blessed be the Lord, who hath not allowed to be wanting unto thee a kinsman this day: and may his name become famous in Israel.
婦女們就對納敖米說:「願上主受頌揚! 因為他沒有使你今日缺乏承繼者。願他在以色列中得享盛名!
15 And may he be unto thee one who refresheth thy soul, and who nourisheth thy old age; for thy daughter-in-law, who loveth thee, hath born him, she who is better to thee than seven sons.
他是你心靈的安慰,是你老年的依靠,因為他是愛你的兒媳所生的;像這樣的兒媳,對你實勝過七個兒子。」
16 And Na'omi took the child, and laid it in her lap, and she became a nurse unto it.
納敖米接過嬰兒來,抱在懷中,做了他的保母。
17 And the neighboring women gave him a name, saying, There hath been a son born unto Na'omi: and they called his name 'Obed, who is the father of Jesse, the father of David.
鄰近的婦女喊著說:「納敖米得了個兒子! 」他們就給他起名叫敖貝得;他就是達味的父親葉瑟的父親。達味族譜
18 And these are the generations of Perez: Perez begat Chezron;
以下是培肋茲的族譜:培勒茲生赫茲龍,
19 And Chezron begat Ram; and Ram begat 'Amminadab;
赫茲龍生蘭,蘭生阿米納達布,
20 And 'Amminadab begat Nachshon; and Nachshon begat Salmah;
阿米納達布生納赫雄,納赫雄生撒耳孟,
21 And Salmon begat Bo'az; and Bo'az begat 'Obed;
撒耳孟生波阿次,波阿次生敖貝得,
22 And 'Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.
敖貝得生葉瑟,葉瑟生達味。

< Ruth 4 >