< Genesis 24 >
1 And Abraham [is] old, he has entered into days, and YHWH has blessed Abraham in all [things];
亞伯拉罕年紀老邁,向來在一切事上耶和華都賜福給他。
2 and Abraham says to his servant, the eldest of his house, who is ruling over all that he has, “Please put your hand under my thigh,
亞伯拉罕對管理他全業最老的僕人說:「請你把手放在我大腿底下。
3 and I cause you to swear by YHWH, God of the heavens and God of the earth, that you do not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanite, in the midst of whom I am dwelling;
我要叫你指着耶和華-天地的主起誓,不要為我兒子娶這迦南地中的女子為妻。
4 but to my land and to my family you go, and have taken a wife for my son, for Isaac.”
你要往我本地本族去,為我的兒子以撒娶一個妻子。」
5 And the servant says to him, “It may be the woman is not willing to come after me to this land; do I at all cause your son to return to the land from where you came out?”
僕人對他說:「倘若女子不肯跟我到這地方來,我必須將你的兒子帶回你原出之地嗎?」
6 And Abraham says to him, “Take heed to yourself lest you cause my son to return there;
亞伯拉罕對他說:「你要謹慎,不要帶我的兒子回那裏去。
7 YHWH, God of the heavens, who has taken me from the house of my father, and from the land of my birth, and who has spoken to me, and who has sworn to me, saying, To your seed I give this land, He sends His messenger before you, and you have taken a wife for my son from there;
耶和華-天上的主曾帶領我離開父家和本族的地,對我說話,向我起誓說:『我要將這地賜給你的後裔。』他必差遣使者在你面前,你就可以從那裏為我兒子娶一個妻子。
8 and if the woman is not willing to come after you, then you have been acquitted from this my oath: only you do not cause my son to return there.”
倘若女子不肯跟你來,我使你起的誓就與你無干了,只是不可帶我的兒子回那裏去。」
9 And the servant puts his hand under the thigh of Abraham his lord, and swears to him concerning this matter.
僕人就把手放在他主人亞伯拉罕的大腿底下,為這事向他起誓。
10 And the servant takes ten camels of the camels of his lord and goes, also of all the goods of his lord in his hand, and he rises, and goes to Aram-Naharaim, to the city of Nahor;
那僕人從他主人的駱駝裏取了十匹駱駝,並帶些他主人各樣的財物,起身往美索不達米亞去,到了拿鶴的城。
11 and he causes the camels to kneel at the outside of the city, at the well of water, at evening, at the time of the coming out of the women who draw water.
天將晚,眾女子出來打水的時候,他便叫駱駝跪在城外的水井那裏。
12 And he says, “YHWH, God of my lord Abraham, please cause to meet before me this day—(and do kindness with my lord Abraham;
他說:「耶和華-我主人亞伯拉罕的上帝啊,求你施恩給我主人亞伯拉罕,使我今日遇見好機會。
13 behold, I am standing by the fountain of water, and daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water;
我現今站在井旁,城內居民的女子們正出來打水。
14 and it has been, the young person to whom I say, Please incline your pitcher and I drink, and she has said, Drink, and I also water your camels)—her [whom] You have decided for Your servant, for Isaac; and by it I know that You have done kindness with my lord.”
我向那一個女子說:『請你拿下水瓶來,給我水喝。』她若說:『請喝!我也給你的駱駝喝。』願那女子就作你所預定給你僕人以撒的妻。這樣,我便知道你施恩給我主人了。」
15 And it comes to pass, before he has finished speaking, that behold, Rebekah (who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, wife of Nahor, brother of Abraham) is coming out, and her pitcher on her shoulder,
話還沒有說完,不料,利百加肩頭上扛着水瓶出來。利百加是彼土利所生的;彼土利是亞伯拉罕兄弟拿鶴妻子密迦的兒子。
16 and the young person [is] of very good appearance, a virgin, and a man has not known her; and she goes down to the fountain, and fills her pitcher, and comes up.
那女子容貌極其俊美,還是處女,也未曾有人親近她。她下到井旁,打滿了瓶,又上來。
17 And the servant runs to meet her and says, “Please let me swallow a little water from your pitcher”;
僕人跑上前去迎着她,說:「求你將瓶裏的水給我一點喝。」
18 and she says, “Drink, my lord”; and she hurries, and lets down her pitcher on her hand, and gives him drink.
女子說:「我主請喝!」就急忙拿下瓶來,托在手上給他喝。
19 And she finishes giving him drink and says, “Also for your camels I draw until they have finished drinking”;
女子給他喝了,就說:「我再為你的駱駝打水,叫駱駝也喝足。」
20 and she hurries, and empties her pitcher into the drinking-trough, and runs again to the well to draw, and draws for all his camels.
她就急忙把瓶裏的水倒在槽裏,又跑到井旁打水,就為所有的駱駝打上水來。
21 And the man, wondering at her, remains silent, to know whether YHWH has made his way prosperous or not.
那人定睛看她,一句話也不說,要曉得耶和華賜他通達的道路沒有。
22 And it comes to pass, when the camels have finished drinking, that the man takes a golden ring (whose weight [is] a bekah), and two bracelets for her hands (whose weight [is] ten [bekahs] of gold),
駱駝喝足了,那人就拿一個金環,重半舍客勒,兩個金鐲,重十舍客勒,給了那女子,
23 and says, “Whose daughter [are] you? Please declare to me, is the house of your father a place for us to lodge in?”
說:「請告訴我,你是誰的女兒?你父親家裏有我們住宿的地方沒有?」
24 And she says to him, “I [am] daughter of Bethuel, son of Milcah, whom she has borne to Nahor.”
女子說:「我是密迦與拿鶴之子彼土利的女兒」;
25 She also says to him, “Both straw and provender [are] abundant with us, also a place to lodge in.”
又說:「我們家裏足有糧草,也有住宿的地方。」
26 And the man bows, and pays respect to YHWH,
那人就低頭向耶和華下拜,
27 and says, “Blessed [is] YHWH, God of my lord Abraham, who has not left off His kindness and His truth with my lord—I [being] in the way, YHWH has led me to the house of my lord’s brothers.”
說:「耶和華-我主人亞伯拉罕的上帝是應當稱頌的,因他不斷地以慈愛誠實待我主人。至於我,耶和華在路上引領我,直走到我主人的兄弟家裏。」
28 And the young person runs, and declares to the house of her mother according to these words.
女子跑回去,照着這些話告訴她母親和她家裏的人。
29 And Rebekah has a brother, and his name [is] Laban, and Laban runs to the man who [is] outside, to the fountain;
利百加有一個哥哥,名叫拉班,看見金環,又看見金鐲在他妹子的手上,並聽見他妹子利百加的話,說那人對我如此如此說。拉班就跑出來往井旁去,到那人跟前,見他仍站在駱駝旁邊的井旁那裏,
30 indeed, it comes to pass, when he sees the ring, and the bracelets on the hands of his sister, and when he hears the words of his sister Rebekah, saying, “Thus has the man spoken to me,” that he comes to the man, and behold, he is standing by the camels by the fountain.
31 And he says, “Come in, O blessed one of YHWH! Why do you stand outside—and I have prepared the house and place for the camels?”
便對他說:「你這蒙耶和華賜福的,請進來,為甚麼站在外邊?我已經收拾了房屋,也為駱駝預備了地方。」
32 And he brings in the man into the house, and looses the camels, and gives straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the feet of the men who [are] with him:
那人就進了拉班的家。拉班卸了駱駝,用草料餵上,拿水給那人和跟隨的人洗腳;
33 and sets before him to eat; but he says, “I do not eat until I have spoken my word”; and he says, “Speak.”
把飯擺在他面前,叫他吃,他卻說:「我不吃,等我說明白我的事情再吃。」拉班說:「請說。」
34 And he says, “I [am] Abraham’s servant;
他說:「我是亞伯拉罕的僕人。
35 and YHWH has blessed my lord exceedingly, and he is great; and He gives to him flock, and herd, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and donkeys;
耶和華大大地賜福給我主人,使他昌大,又賜給他羊群、牛群、金銀、僕婢、駱駝,和驢。
36 and Sarah, my lord’s wife, bears a son to my lord, after she has been aged, and he gives to him all that he has.
我主人的妻子撒拉年老的時候給我主人生了一個兒子;我主人也將一切所有的都給了這個兒子。
37 And my lord causes me to swear, saying, You do not take a wife to my son from the daughters of the Canaanite, in whose land I am dwelling.
我主人叫我起誓說:『你不要為我兒子娶迦南地的女子為妻。
38 If not—to the house of my father you go, and to my family, and you have taken a wife for my son.
你要往我父家、我本族那裏去,為我的兒子娶一個妻子。』
39 And I say to my lord, It may be the woman does not come after me;
我對我主人說:『恐怕女子不肯跟我來。』
40 and he says to me, YHWH, before whom I have habitually walked, sends His messenger with you, and has prospered your way, and you have taken a wife for my son from my family, and from the house of my father;
他就說:『我所事奉的耶和華必要差遣他的使者與你同去,叫你的道路通達,你就得以在我父家、我本族那裏,給我的兒子娶一個妻子。
41 then you are acquitted from my oath, when you come to my family; and if they do not give [one] to you, then you have been acquitted from my oath.
只要你到了我本族那裏,我使你起的誓就與你無干。他們若不把女子交給你,我使你起的誓也與你無干。』
42 And I come to the fountain today, and I say, YHWH, God of my lord Abraham, now if You are making prosperous my way in which I am going—
「我今日到了井旁,便說:『耶和華-我主人亞伯拉罕的上帝啊,願你叫我所行的道路通達。
43 (behold, I am standing by the fountain of water), then the virgin is coming out to draw, and I have said to her, Please let me drink a little water from your pitcher,
我如今站在井旁,對哪一個出來打水的女子說:請你把你瓶裏的水給我一點喝;
44 and she has said to me, Both drink, and I also draw for your camels—she is the woman whom YHWH has decided for my lord’s son.
她若說:你只管喝,我也為你的駱駝打水;願那女子就作耶和華給我主人兒子所預定的妻。』
45 Before I finish speaking to my heart, then behold, Rebekah is coming out, and her pitcher [is] on her shoulder, and she goes down to the fountain and draws; and I say to her, Please let me drink,
我心裏的話還沒有說完,利百加就出來,肩頭上扛着水瓶,下到井旁打水。我便對她說:『請你給我水喝。』
46 and she hurries and lets down her pitcher from off her and says, Drink, and I also water your camels; and I drink, and she has also watered the camels.
她就急忙從肩頭上拿下瓶來,說:『請喝!我也給你的駱駝喝。』我便喝了;她又給我的駱駝喝了。
47 And I ask her, and say, Whose daughter [are] you? And she says, Daughter of Bethuel, son of Nahor, whom Milcah has borne to him, and I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her hands,
我問她說:『你是誰的女兒?』她說:『我是密迦與拿鶴之子彼土利的女兒。』我就把環子戴在她鼻子上,把鐲子戴在她兩手上。
48 and I bow, and pay respect before YHWH, and I bless YHWH, God of my lord Abraham, who has led me in the true way to receive the daughter of my lord’s brother for his son.
隨後我低頭向耶和華下拜,稱頌耶和華-我主人亞伯拉罕的上帝;因為他引導我走合式的道路,使我得着我主人兄弟的孫女,給我主人的兒子為妻。
49 And now, if you are dealing kindly and truly with my lord, declare to me; and if not, declare to me; and I turn to the right or to the left.”
現在你們若願以慈愛誠實待我主人,就告訴我;若不然,也告訴我,使我可以或向左,或向右。」
50 And Laban answers—Bethuel also—and they say, “The thing has gone out from YHWH; we are not able to speak to you bad or good;
拉班和彼土利回答說:「這事乃出於耶和華,我們不能向你說好說歹。
51 behold, Rebekah [is] before you, take and go, and she is a wife to your lord’s son, as YHWH has spoken.”
看哪,利百加在你面前,可以將她帶去,照着耶和華所說的,給你主人的兒子為妻。」
52 And it comes to pass, when the servant of Abraham has heard their words, that he bows himself toward the earth before YHWH;
亞伯拉罕的僕人聽見他們這話,就向耶和華俯伏在地。
53 and the servant takes out vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and gives to Rebekah; precious things also he has given to her brother and to her mother.
當下僕人拿出金器、銀器,和衣服送給利百加,又將寶物送給她哥哥和她母親。
54 And they eat and drink, he and the men who [are] with him, and lodge all night; and they rise in the morning, and he says, “Send me to my lord”;
僕人和跟從他的人吃了喝了,住了一夜。早晨起來,僕人就說:「請打發我回我主人那裏去吧。」
55 and her brother says—her mother also, “Let the young person abide with us a week or ten days, afterward she goes.”
利百加的哥哥和她母親說:「讓女子同我們再住幾天,至少十天,然後她可以去。」
56 And he says to them, “Do not delay me, seeing YHWH has prospered my way; send me away, and I go to my lord”;
僕人說:「耶和華既賜給我通達的道路,你們不要耽誤我,請打發我走,回我主人那裏去吧。」
57 and they say, “Let us call for the young person, and inquire of her mouth”;
他們說:「我們把女子叫來問問她」,
58 and they call for Rebekah, and say to her, “Do you go with this man?” And she says, “I go.”
就叫了利百加來,問她說:「你和這人同去嗎?」利百加說:「我去。」
59 And they send away their sister Rebekah, and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant, and his men;
於是他們打發妹子利百加和她的乳母,同亞伯拉罕的僕人,並跟從僕人的,都走了。
60 and they bless Rebekah, and say to her, “You [are] our sister; become thousands of myriads, and your seed possesses the gate of those hating it.”
他們就給利百加祝福說: 我們的妹子啊,願你作千萬人的母! 願你的後裔得着仇敵的城門!
61 And Rebekah and her young women arise, and ride on the camels, and go after the man; and the servant takes Rebekah and goes.
利百加和她的使女們起來,騎上駱駝,跟着那僕人,僕人就帶着利百加走了。
62 And Isaac has come in from the entrance of the Well of the Living One, my Beholder; and he is dwelling in the land of the south,
那時,以撒住在南地,剛從庇耳‧拉海‧萊回來。
63 and Isaac goes out to meditate in the field, at the turning of the evening, and he lifts up his eyes, and looks, and behold, camels are coming.
天將晚,以撒出來在田間默想,舉目一看,見來了些駱駝。
64 And Rebekah lifts up her eyes, and sees Isaac, and comes down off the camel;
利百加舉目看見以撒,就急忙下了駱駝,
65 and she says to the servant, “Who [is] this man who is walking in the field to meet us?” And the servant says, “It [is] my lord”; and she takes the veil, and covers herself.
問那僕人說:「這田間走來迎接我們的是誰?」僕人說:「是我的主人。」利百加就拿帕子蒙上臉。
66 And the servant recounts to Isaac all the things that he has done,
僕人就將所辦的一切事都告訴以撒。
67 and Isaac brings her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he takes Rebekah, and she becomes his wife, and he loves her, and Isaac is comforted after [the death of] his mother.
以撒便領利百加進了他母親撒拉的帳棚,娶了她為妻,並且愛她。以撒自從他母親不在了,這才得了安慰。