< Exodus 1 >

1 Now, these, are the names of the Sons of Israel, who came into Egypt, with Jacob, did each man and his household come in: —
以色列的眾子,各帶家眷,和雅各一同來到埃及。他們的名字記在下面。
2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah;
有呂便、西緬、利未、猶大、
3 Issachar, Zebulon, and Benjamin;
以薩迦、西布倫、便雅憫、
4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.
但、拿弗他利、迦得、亞設。
5 And it came to pass that all the persons who were descended from Jacob were seventy souls, —but, Joseph, was already in Egypt.
凡從雅各而生的,共有七十人。約瑟已經在埃及。
6 So then Joseph died and all his brethren, and all that generation.
約瑟和他的弟兄,並那一代的人,都死了。
7 But the sons of Israel, were fruitful and swarmed and multiplied and waxed mighty, with exceeding vigour, —so that the land was filled with them.
以色列人生養眾多,並且繁茂,極其強盛,滿了那地。
8 Then arose a new king over Egypt, —who had not known Joseph.
有不認識約瑟的新王起來,治理埃及,
9 So he said, unto his people, Lo! the people of the sons of Israel are too many and mighty for us!
對他的百姓說:「看哪,這以色列民比我們還多,又比我們強盛。
10 Come on! let us shew ourselves wise with regard to them, lest they so multiply that it shall come to pass when war befalleth us, that they also, shall join themselves unto them who hate us, and shall make war upon us. and then go up out of the land.
來吧,我們不如用巧計待他們,恐怕他們多起來,日後若遇甚麼爭戰的事,就連合我們的仇敵攻擊我們,離開這地去了。」
11 So they set over them chiefs of tribute, to the end they might humiliate them with their burdens, —and they built store-cities for Pharaoh, even Pithom and Raamses.
於是埃及人派督工的轄制他們,加重擔苦害他們。他們為法老建造兩座積貨城,就是比東和蘭塞。
12 But the more they were humiliating them, the more, were they multiplying, and, the more, were they breaking forth, so they were filled with alarm because of the sons of Israel.
只是越發苦害他們,他們越發多起來,越發蔓延;埃及人就因以色列人愁煩。
13 And the Egyptians rigorously made the sons of Israel serve;
埃及人嚴嚴地使以色列人做工,
14 and embittered their lives with harsh service, in clay and in bricks, and in all manner of service in the field, —all their service, wherein they rigorously made them serve.
使他們因做苦工覺得命苦;無論是和泥,是做磚,是做田間各樣的工,在一切的工上都嚴嚴地待他們。
15 Then said the king of Egypt to the Hebrew midwives, —of whom, the name of the one was, Shiphrah, and, the name of the other Puah; —
有希伯來的兩個收生婆,一名施弗拉,一名普阿;埃及王對她們說:
16 then he said—When ye act as midwives unto the Hebrew women, then shall ye look out for the sex, —If it is, a son, then shall ye kill it, But, if it is, a daughter, then shall it live.
「你們為希伯來婦人收生,看她們臨盆的時候,若是男孩,就把他殺了;若是女孩,就留她存活。」
17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt spake unto them, —but suffered the male children to live.
但是收生婆敬畏上帝,不照埃及王的吩咐行,竟存留男孩的性命。
18 Then called the king of Egypt for the midwives, and said to them—Wherefore have ye done this thing, that ye should let the male children live?
埃及王召了收生婆來,說:「你們為甚麼做這事,存留男孩的性命呢?」
19 And the midwives said unto Pharaoh. Because not like the Egyptian women, are the Hebrew women, for they are full of life, ere yet the midwife can come in unto them, they have given birth,
收生婆對法老說:「因為希伯來婦人與埃及婦人不同;希伯來婦人本是健壯的,收生婆還沒有到,她們已經生產了。」
20 So then God dealt well with the midwives, —and the people multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty.
上帝厚待收生婆。以色列人多起來,極其強盛。
21 And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made for them households.
收生婆因為敬畏上帝,上帝便叫她們成立家室。
22 Then gave Pharaoh command to all his people saying—Every son that is born to the Hebrews, into the river, shall ye cast him; But every daughter, shall ye suffer to live.
法老吩咐他的眾民說:「以色列人所生的男孩,你們都要丟在河裏;一切的女孩,你們要存留她的性命。」

< Exodus 1 >