Genesis 24
1 Abraham was now a very old man. Yahweh had blessed Abraham in many ways.
亞巴郎年紀已老，上主在一切事上常祝福他。
2 One day Abraham said to the chief servant of his household, the man who was in charge of everything Abraham owned, “Put your hand between my thighs to solemnly promise you will do what I tell you.
亞巴郎對管理他所有家產的老僕人說：「請你將手放在我的胯下，
3 Knowing that Yahweh God [who created] the heavens and the earth is listening, promise that you will not get a wife for my son, Isaac, from the women here in Canaan.
要你指著上主、天地的天主起誓：你決不要為我的兒子，由我現住的客納罕人中，娶一個女子為妻；
4 Instead, go back to my country and to my relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac from among them.”
卻要到我的故鄉，我的親族中去，為我的兒子依撒格娶妻。」
5 The servant asked him, “If I find a woman among your relatives, what if she is not willing to come back with me to this land? Shall I take your son back there to the country you came from, [so he can find a wife and live there]?”
僕人對他說：「假使那女子不願跟我到此地來，我能否帶你的兒子回到你的本鄉﹖」
6 Abraham replied to him, “No! Be certain that you don’t take my son there!
亞巴郎答覆他說：「你切不可帶我的兒子回到那裏去。
7 Yahweh God, who created the heavens, brought me here. He brought me from my father’s household, and from the land where my relatives lived. He spoke to me and made a solemn promise to me, saying, ‘I will give this land [of Canaan] to your descendants.’ He will send an angel who will go there ahead of you, and enable you to get a wife for my son [there and bring her to live here].
那引我出離父家和我生身地，同我談過話，對我起誓說「我必將這地賜給你後裔」的上主，上天的天主，必派遣自己的使者作你的前導，領你由那裏給我兒子娶個妻子。
8 But if the woman you find will not come back with you, you are free to disregard the promise you are making. The only thing that you must not do is to take my son to live there!”
假若那女子不願跟你來，你對我起的誓，就與你無涉；無論如何，你不能帶我的兒子回到那裏去。」
9 So the servant put his hand between Abraham’s thighs and made a solemn promise about the matter.
僕人遂將手放在主人亞巴郎的胯下，為這事向他起了誓。
10 Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and loaded them with all kinds of goods that his master gave him to take along. Then he left to go to Aram-Naharaim, [which is in (northern Mesopotamia/Syria)]. He arrived in Nahor city.
僕人由他主人的駱駝中，牽了十匹駱駝，帶著主人的各樣寶物，起身往美索不達米亞的納曷爾城去了。
11 It was late in the afternoon, at the time when the women go to the well to get water, when he arrived there. He made the camels kneel down near the well, which was outside the city.
傍晚，女人們出來打水的時候，他叫駱駝臥在城外的水井旁，
12 The servant prayed, “Yahweh God whom my master Abraham worships, enable me to be successful today! Act kindly to my master, Abraham!
然後說：「上主、我主人亞巴郎的天主! 求你對我主人亞巴郎施行仁慈，今日使我幸運。
13 Listen to me. I am standing near a well of water, and the young women of the city are coming to get water.
看我站在水泉旁，此時城中的女子正出來打水。
14 I am asking you this: ‘I will say to some girl, “Please lower your jar so that I may drink some water.” If she says, “Drink some, and I will draw some water [from the well] for your camels, too,” I will know that she is the woman whom you chose to be a wife for your servant, Isaac, and I will know that you have been kind to my master.’”
我對那個少女說：請你放下水罐，讓我喝點水。如果她答說：請喝! 並且我還要打水給你的駱駝喝，她即是你為你的僕人依撒格預定的少女；由此我知道，你對我主人施行了仁慈。」
15 Before he finished praying, [amazingly], Rebekah arrived there, carrying a jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel, who was the son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham’s younger brother Nahor.
話還沒有說完，黎貝加就肩著水罐出來了。她是亞巴郎的兄弟納曷爾的妻子米耳加的兒子貝突耳的女兒。
16 She was very beautiful and still a virgin. She went down to the edge of the well, filled her jar with water, and then came back up.
這少女容貌很美，是個還沒有人認識的處女。她下到水泉，灌滿了水罐，就上來了。
17 Abraham’s servant immediately ran to meet her, and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.”
僕人就跑上前去迎著她說：「請讓我喝點你水罐裏的水，好嗎! 」
18 She replied, “Drink some, sir!” She lowered her jar from her shoulder to her hands and gave him a drink.
她回答說：「先生! 請喝! 」她急忙將水罐放低，托在手上讓他喝。
19 After she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will also get some water for your camels, until they have had enough to drink.”
他喝足了以後，少女說：「我再為你的駱駝打水，叫牠們也喝足。」
20 She quickly emptied the water in her jar into the trough [for giving water to animals], and then ran back to the well, and kept getting water for all the camels.
遂急忙將罐裏的水倒在槽裏，再跑到那井裏去打水，打給他的駱駝喝。
21 The servant just watched her, without saying anything. He wanted to know if Yahweh had caused his trip to be successful or not.
僕人在旁靜靜地注視她，急願知道，是否上主已使他此行成功。
22 Finally, after the camels finished drinking, the servant took out a gold nose ring that weighed (two ounces/6 grams), and two large gold bracelets for her arms, and gave them to Rebekah [and told her to put them on].
駱駝喝完了水以後，老人就拿出一個半「協刻耳」重的金鼻環，和一對重十「協刻耳」的金手鐲，給她戴上，
23 Then he said, “Tell me whose daughter you are. Also, tell me, is there room in your father’s house for me and my men to sleep there tonight?”
然後說：「請你告訴我你是誰的女兒﹖你父親家裏，有沒有地方可讓我們過宿﹖」
24 She replied, “My father’s name is Bethuel. He is the son of Nahor and his wife Milcah.
她回答說：「我是米耳加給納曷爾所生之子貝突耳的女兒。」
25 Yes, we have room where you all can sleep tonight, and we also have plenty of straw and grain to feed the camels.”
她又繼續說：「我們家裏有很多草料和飼糧，而且還有地方可供過宿。」
26 The servant bowed and worshiped Yahweh.
老人就俯身朝拜了上主，說：「
27 He said, “I thank you, Yahweh God, whom my master Abraham worships. You have continued to be kind and faithful to my master. You led me on this journey straight/directly to the house of my master’s relatives!”
上主，我主人亞巴郎的天主應受讚美! 因為他不斷以仁慈和忠信善待了我的主人。上主也一路引我來到了我主人的老家。」
28 The girl ran and told everyone in her mother’s household about what had happened.
那少女跑回去，將這一切事告訴了她母親家中的人。
29 Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban. Laban went quickly to Abraham’s servant, who was still by the well.
黎貝加有個哥哥名叫拉班，他一看見他妹妹鼻上的金環，和手腕上的金鐲，聽見他妹妹黎貝加說：「那人如此如此對我說。」
30 He was surprised to have seen the bracelets on his sister’s arms and the nose ring and to have heard Rebekah tell what the man had said to her. So he went out and saw the man standing near the camels, close to the well.
拉班就跑去見那在郊外水泉旁的人，迨他來到那人那裏，見他仍站在靠近水泉的駱駝旁，
31 He said to the man, “You who have been blessed by Yahweh, come with me! (Why are standing out here?/You should not keep standing out here!) [RHQ] I have prepared a room for you in the house, and a place for the camels to stay.”
就對他說：「你這受上主祝福的人，請來我已預備好了房屋和餵駱駝的地方；你為什麼還站在郊外﹖」
32 So the servant went to the house, and Laban’s servants unloaded the camels, and brought straw and grain for the camels, and water for him and the men with him to wash their feet.
拉班便將那人領進家去，卸了駱駝，餵上草料和飼糧；又拿水給他和與他同來的人洗腳，
33 They set food in front of him for him to eat, but he said, “I will not eat until I tell you (what I need to tell you/why I have come).” So Laban said, “Tell us!”
然後在他面前擺上飯，但僕人卻說：「在我未說明我的來意之前，我不吃飯。」拉班說：「你說罷! 」
34 So the servant said, “I am Abraham’s servant.
他說：「我是亞巴郎的僕人，
35 Yahweh has greatly blessed my master so that he has become very rich. Yahweh has given him many sheep and cattle, a lot of gold and silver, male and female servants, camels and donkeys.
上主厚厚地祝福了我的主人，使他十分富有，賜了他羊群、牛群、金銀、僕婢、駱駝和驢子。
36 My master’s wife, Sarah, bore a son for him when she was very old, and my master has given to his son everything he owns.
我主人的妻子撒辣，在老年給我主人生了一個兒子，主人遂將所有的財產都給了他。
37 My master made me solemnly promise, saying, ‘Do not get a wife for my son from the women here in Canaan.
我主人叫我起誓說：你決不要給我的兒子，由我現居地的客納罕人中，娶一個女子為妻。
38 Instead, go back to my father’s family, to my own clan, and get from them a wife for my son.’
你該到我的父家和我的同族中，為我兒子娶妻。
39 Then I asked my master, ‘What shall I do if the woman you show me will not come back with me?’
我對我主人說：假使女兒不願跟我來怎麼辦﹖
40 He replied, ‘Yahweh, whom I have always obeyed [MTY], will send his angel with you, and he will cause your journey to be successful, with the result that you can get a wife for my son from my clan, from my father’s family.
他回答我說：我一向在上主面前行走，他必派遣自己的使者與你同行，使你此行必成功，能由我的同族，我的父家，為我兒子娶妻。
41 But if my clan refuses to allow her to return with you, you will be freed from being cursed because of not obeying me.’
只要你去了我同族那裏，你就履行了對我起的誓；若是他們不給你，你對我起的誓，就與你無涉。
42 “When I came today to the well, I prayed, ‘Yahweh God whom my master, Abraham worships, if you are willing, please allow this journey of mine to be successful.
今天我到了水泉那裏就說：上主，我主人亞巴郎的天主! 惟願你使我此行成功。
43 Listen to me. I am standing beside a well. A young woman may come to draw water. I will say to her, “Please, give me a little water to drink from your jar.”
看我現在站在泉旁，我對那個出來打水的少女說：請你讓我喝點你水罐裏的水罷!
44 If she says to me, “Certainly, drink some! And I will also draw some water for your camels,” that will be the woman whom you have chosen for my master’s son!’
如果她對我說：請喝，並且我還要打水給你的駱駝喝，她即是上主為我主人的兒子預定的妻子。
45 Before I finished praying, [amazingly], Rebekah approached with her water jar on her shoulder. She went down to the well and got some water. I said to her, ‘Please give me a drink!’
我心裏尚未說完這話，看，黎貝加肩著水罐來了，下到水泉那裏打水，我就對她說：請給我一點水喝!
46 She quickly lowered her jar and said, ‘Drink some! And I will draw water [from the well] for your camels, too.’ So I drank some water, and she also got water for the camels.
她急忙從肩上放下水罐說：你喝，並且我還要打水給你的駱駝喝。我喝了，同時她也給了駱駝水喝。
47 Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She said, ‘The daughter of Bethuel, the son of Nahor and his wife, Milcah.’ I had [a ring and bracelets with me, and] I put the ring in her nose and put the bracelets on her arms.
我於是問她說：你是誰的女兒﹖她答說：我是米耳加給納曷爾生的兒子貝突耳的女兒。我就將鼻環戴在她鼻上，將手鐲帶在她手腕上。
48 Then I bowed and worshiped Yahweh, and I thanked Yahweh God, the one my master Abraham worships, the one who led me on the right road to get the granddaughter of my master’s brother to be a wife for my master’s son.
然後我俯身朝拜了上主，讚頌了上主、我主人亞巴郎的天主，因為他引我走了正路，為我主人的兒子娶了我主人兄弟的孫女。
49 Now, if you are kind and faithful to my master, tell me that you will do what I am asking. If you will not do that, tell me that also, so I may know what to do [MTY].”
現在，如果你們願意以仁慈和忠信善待我主人，請告訴我；如果不肯，也請告訴我；我好決定行事。」
50 Laban and Bethuel answered, “It is clear that Yahweh has caused this to happen. So we two cannot say anything more.
拉班和貝突耳答說：「這件事既是出於上主，我們不能對你說好說壞。
51 Rebekah is here in front of you. Take her and go, and let her be a wife for your master’s son, just as Yahweh has indicated.”
看黎貝加在你面前，你可帶她去做你主人兒子的妻子，如上主所說的。」
52 When Abraham’s servant heard these words, he bowed down to the ground to [thank] Yahweh.
亞巴郎的僕人一聽見他們說出這話，就俯伏在地朝拜了上主；
53 Then the servant brought out silver and gold jewelry and clothes, and gave them to Rebekah. And he gave gifts to her brother Laban and to her mother.
然後拿出金銀的珍飾和衣服來，送給了黎貝加，又送給了她的哥哥和她的母親一些寶貴禮品。
54 Then they ate a meal together. The men who were with Abraham’s servant also slept there that night. The next morning, the servant said, “Allow me now to return to my master.”
這以後，他和同他前來的人才吃喝，並住了一宿。清早起來，他就說：「請讓我回到我主人那裏去! 」
55 But her brother and her mother replied, “Let the girl remain with us for about ten days. After that, you may take her and go.”
黎貝加的哥哥和母親說：「讓少女同我們再住上幾天或十天，然後走罷! 」
56 But he replied to them, “Yahweh has made my journey successful, so do not detain me. Let me take her back to my master now!”
他回答他們說：「你們不要挽留我，上主既使我此行成功，請你們讓我走，回到我主人那裏去。」
57 They said, “Let’s call Rebekah and ask her what she wants to do.” [MTY]
他們說：「我們可叫少女來，問問她的意思。」
58 So they summoned Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man now?” She replied, “Yes, I will go.”
他們就將黎貝加叫來問她說：「你願意跟這人去嗎﹖」她答說：「願意。」
59 So they allowed Rebekah, a woman who had taken care of her when she was very young, Abraham’s servant, and the men who had come with him. to go.
於是他們打發自己的姊妹黎貝加和她的乳母，同亞巴郎的僕人和與他同來的人一起走了。
60 Before they all left, they [asked God to] bless Rebekah, and said to her, “Our sister, we ask that Yahweh will cause you to have millions of descendants, and allow them to completely defeat [MET] all those that hate them.”
他們祝福黎貝加說：「我們的姊妹，願你子孫無數! 願你的後裔，佔領仇敵的城門! 」
61 Then Rebekah and her maid servants got ready and got on their camels and went with Abraham’s servant.
黎貝加便和自己的婢女們起來，上了駱駝，跟那人去了。僕人便帶著黎貝加起了程。
62 At that time, Isaac was living in the Negev desert. He had gone there from Beer-Lahai-Roi.
那時依撒格剛來到拉海洛依井旁附近，他原住在乃革布地方。
63 One evening he went out into the field to meditate as he walked. He looked up and [was surprised to] see some camels coming.
傍晚時，依撒格出來在田間來回沉思，舉目一望，看見了一隊駱駝。
64 Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got off the camel,
黎貝加舉目看見了依撒格，便由駱駝上下來，
65 and asked the servant, “Who is that man who is approaching?” The servant replied, “That is Isaac, my master, [the man you will be marrying].” So she took her veil and covered her face, which was the custom for a woman who was about to be married.
問僕人說：「田間前來迎接我們的那人是誰﹖」僕人答說：「是我的主人。」黎貝加遂拿面紗蒙在臉上。
66 The servant told Isaac everything that had happened.
僕人就將自己所作的一切事，告訴了依撒格。
67 Then Isaac took Rebekah into the tent that belonged to his mother, Sarah, and she became his wife. And he loved her. So Isaac was comforted about his mother’s death.
依撒格便領黎貝加進入自己母親撒辣的帳幕，娶了她為妻，很是愛她。依撒格自從母親死後，這才有了安慰。
