Genesis 43
1 The famine was severe in the land.
那地的饑荒甚大。
2 It came about when they had eaten the grain that they had brought out of Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again; buy us some food.”
他們從埃及帶來的糧食吃盡了，他們的父親就對他們說：「你們再去給我糴些糧來。」
3 Judah told him, “The man solemnly warned us, 'You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.'
猶大對他說：「那人諄諄地告誡我們說：『你們的兄弟若不與你們同來，你們就不得見我的面。』
4 If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food.
你若打發我們的兄弟與我們同去，我們就下去給你糴糧；
5 But if you do not send him, we will not go down. For the man said to us, 'You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.'”
你若不打發他去，我們就不下去，因為那人對我們說：『你們的兄弟若不與你們同來，你們就不得見我的面。』」
6 Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly by telling the man that you had another brother?”
以色列說：「你們為甚麼這樣害我，告訴那人你們還有兄弟呢？」
7 They said, “The man asked details about us and our family. He said, 'Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?' We answered him according to these questions. How could we have known that he would say, 'Bring your brother down?'”
他們回答說：「那人詳細問到我們和我們的親屬，說：『你們的父親還在嗎？你們還有兄弟嗎？』我們就按着他所問的告訴他，焉能知道他要說『必須把你們的兄弟帶下來』呢？」
8 Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the boy with me. We will rise and go that we may live and not die, both we, you, and also our children.
猶大又對他父親以色列說：「你打發童子與我同去，我們就起身下去，好叫我們和你，並我們的婦人孩子，都得存活，不至於死。
9 I will be a guarantee for him. You will hold me responsible. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever.
我為他作保；你可以從我手中追討，我若不帶他回來交在你面前，我情願永遠擔罪。
10 For if we had not delayed, surely by now we would have come back here a second time.”
我們若沒有耽擱，如今第二次都回來了。」
11 Their father Israel said to them, “If it be so, now do this. Take some of the best products of the land in your bags. Carry down to the man a gift—some balm and honey, spices and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds.
他們的父親以色列說：「若必須如此，你們就當這樣行：可以將這地土產中最好的乳香、蜂蜜、香料、沒藥、榧子、杏仁都取一點，收在器具裏，帶下去送給那人作禮物，
12 Take double money in your hand. The money that was returned in the opening of your sacks, carry again in your hand. Perhaps it was a mistake.
又要手裏加倍地帶銀子，並將歸還在你們口袋內的銀子仍帶在手裏；那或者是錯了。
13 Take also your brother. Rise and go again to the man.
也帶着你們的兄弟，起身去見那人。
14 May God Almighty give you mercy before the man, so that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.”
但願全能的上帝使你們在那人面前蒙憐憫，釋放你們的那弟兄和便雅憫回來。我若喪了兒子，就喪了吧！」
15 The men took this gift, and in their hand they took double the amount of money, along with Benjamin. They got up and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.
於是，他們拿着那禮物，又手裏加倍地帶銀子，並且帶着便雅憫，起身下到埃及，站在約瑟面前。
16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Bring the men into the house, slaughter an animal and prepare it, for the men will eat with me at noon.”
約瑟見便雅憫和他們同來，就對家宰說：「將這些人領到屋裏。要宰殺牲畜，預備筵席，因為晌午這些人同我吃飯。」
17 The steward did as Joseph said. He brought the men to Joseph's house.
家宰就遵着約瑟的命去行，領他們進約瑟的屋裏。
18 The men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph's house. They said, “It is because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time we were brought in, that he may seek an opportunity against us. He might arrest us and take us as slaves, and take our donkeys.”
他們因為被領到約瑟的屋裏，就害怕，說：「領我們到這裏來，必是因為頭次歸還在我們口袋裏的銀子，找我們的錯縫，下手害我們，強取我們為奴僕，搶奪我們的驢。」
19 They approached the steward of Joseph's house, and they spoke to him at the door of the house,
他們就挨近約瑟的家宰，在屋門口和他說話，
20 saying, “My master, we came down the first time to buy food.
說：「我主啊，我們頭次下來實在是要糴糧。
21 It came about, when we reached the lodging place, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man's money was in the opening of his sack, our money in full weight. We have brought it back in our hands.
後來到了住宿的地方，我們打開口袋，不料，各人的銀子，分量足數，仍在各人的口袋內，現在我們手裏又帶回來了。
22 Other money we have also brought down in our hand to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks.”
另外又帶下銀子來糴糧。不知道先前誰把銀子放在我們的口袋裏。」
23 The steward said, “Peace be to you, do not fear. Your God and the God of your father must have put your money in your sacks. I received your money.” The steward then brought Simeon out to them.
家宰說：「你們可以放心，不要害怕，是你們的上帝和你們父親的上帝賜給你們財寶在你們的口袋裏；你們的銀子，我早已收了。」他就把西緬帶出來，交給他們。
24 The steward took the men into Joseph's house. He gave them water, and they washed their feet. He gave feed to their donkeys.
家宰就領他們進約瑟的屋裏，給他們水洗腳，又給他們草料餵驢。
25 They prepared the gifts for Joseph's coming at noon, for they had heard that they would eat there.
他們就預備那禮物，等候約瑟晌午來，因為他們聽見要在那裏吃飯。
26 When Joseph came home, they brought the gifts which were in their hand into the house, and bowed down before him to the ground.
約瑟來到家裏，他們就把手中的禮物拿進屋去給他，又俯伏在地，向他下拜。
27 He asked them about their welfare and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?”
約瑟問他們好，又問：「你們的父親－就是你們所說的那老人家平安嗎？他還在嗎？」
28 They said, “Your servant our father is well. He is still alive.” They prostrated themselves and bowed down.
他們回答說：「你僕人－我們的父親平安；他還在。」於是他們低頭下拜。
29 When he lifted up his eyes he saw Benjamin his brother, his mother's son, and he said, “Is this your youngest brother of whom you spoke to me?” Then he said, “May God be gracious to you, my son.”
約瑟舉目看見他同母的兄弟便雅憫，就說：「你們向我所說那頂小的兄弟就是這位嗎？」又說：「小兒啊，願上帝賜恩給你！」
30 Joseph hurried to go out of the room, for he was deeply moved about his brother. He sought somewhere to weep. He went to his room and wept there.
約瑟愛弟之情發動，就急忙尋找可哭之地，進入自己的屋裏，哭了一場。
31 He washed his face and came out. He controlled himself, saying, “Serve the food.”
他洗了臉出來，勉強隱忍，吩咐人擺飯。
32 The servants served Joseph by himself and the brothers by themselves. The Egyptians there ate with him by themselves because the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is detestable to the Egyptians.
他們就為約瑟單擺了一席，為那些人又擺了一席，也為和約瑟同吃飯的埃及人另擺了一席，因為埃及人不可和希伯來人一同吃飯；那原是埃及人所厭惡的。
33 The brothers sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth. The men were astonished together.
約瑟使眾弟兄在他面前排列坐席，都按着長幼的次序，眾弟兄就彼此詫異。
34 Joseph sent portions to them from the food in front of him. But Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of his brothers. They drank and were merry with him.
約瑟把他面前的食物分出來，送給他們；但便雅憫所得的比別人多五倍。他們就飲酒，和約瑟一同宴樂。
