< Genesis 47 >

1 Then Joseph went in and told Pharaoh, “My father and my brothers, their flocks, their herds, and all that they own, have arrived from the land of Canaan. See, they are in the land of Goshen.”
約瑟進去告訴法老說:「我的父親和我的弟兄帶着羊群牛群,並一切所有的,從迦南地來了,如今在歌珊地。」
2 He took five of his brothers and introduced them to Pharaoh.
約瑟從他弟兄中挑出五個人來,引他們去見法老。
3 Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?” They said to Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds, as our ancestors.”
法老問約瑟的弟兄說:「你們以何事為業?」他們對法老說:「你僕人是牧羊的,連我們的祖宗也是牧羊的。」
4 Then they said to Pharaoh, “We come as temporary residents in the land. There is no pasture for your servants' flocks, because the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. So now, please let your servants live in the land of Goshen.”
他們又對法老說:「迦南地的饑荒甚大,僕人的羊群沒有草吃,所以我們來到這地寄居。現在求你容僕人住在歌珊地。」
5 Then Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, saying, “Your father and your brothers have come to you.
法老對約瑟說:「你父親和你弟兄到你這裏來了,
6 The land of Egypt is before you. Settle your father and your brothers in the best region, the land of Goshen. If you know any capable men among them, put them in charge of my livestock.”
埃及地都在你面前,只管叫你父親和你弟兄住在國中最好的地;他們可以住在歌珊地。你若知道他們中間有甚麼能人,就派他們看管我的牲畜。」
7 Then Joseph brought in Jacob his father and presented him to Pharaoh. Jacob blessed Pharaoh.
約瑟領他父親雅各進到法老面前,雅各就給法老祝福。
8 Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How long have you lived?”
法老問雅各說:「你平生的年日是多少呢?」
9 Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The years of my travels are a hundred and thirty. The years of my life have been few and painful. They have not been as long as those of my ancestors.”
雅各對法老說:「我寄居在世的年日是一百三十歲,我平生的年日又少又苦,不及我列祖在世寄居的年日。」
10 Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from his presence.
雅各又給法老祝福,就從法老面前出去了。
11 Then Joseph settled his father and his brothers. He gave them a territory in the land of Egypt, the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded.
約瑟遵着法老的命,把埃及國最好的地,就是蘭塞境內的地,給他父親和弟兄居住,作為產業。
12 Joseph provided food for his father, his brothers, and all his father's household, according the number of their dependents.
約瑟用糧食奉養他父親和他弟兄,並他父親全家的眷屬,都是照各家的人口奉養他們。
13 Now there was no food in all the land; for the famine was severe. The land of Egypt and the land of Canaan wasted away because of the famine.
饑荒甚大,全地都絕了糧,甚至埃及地和迦南地的人因那饑荒的緣故都餓昏了。
14 Joseph gathered all the money that was in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, by selling grain to the inhabitants. Then Joseph brought the money to Pharaoh's palace.
約瑟收聚了埃及地和迦南地所有的銀子,就是眾人糴糧的銀子,約瑟就把那銀子帶到法老的宮裏。
15 When all the money of the lands of Egypt and Canaan was spent, all the Egyptians came to Joseph saying, “Give us food! Why should we die in your presence because our money is gone?”
埃及地和迦南地的銀子都花盡了,埃及眾人都來見約瑟,說:「我們的銀子都用盡了,求你給我們糧食,我們為甚麼死在你面前呢?」
16 Joseph said, “If your money is gone, bring your livestock and I will give you food in exchange for your livestock.”
約瑟說:「若是銀子用盡了,可以把你們的牲畜給我,我就為你們的牲畜給你們糧食。」
17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph. Joseph gave them food in exchange for the horses, for the flocks, for the herds, and for the donkeys. He fed them with bread in exchange for all their livestock that year.
於是他們把牲畜趕到約瑟那裏,約瑟就拿糧食換了他們的牛、羊、驢、馬;那一年因換他們一切的牲畜,就用糧食養活他們。
18 When that year was ended, they came to him the next year and said to him, “We will not hide from my master that our money is all gone, and the herds of cattle are my master's. There is nothing left in the sight of my master, except our bodies and our land.
那一年過去,第二年他們又來見約瑟,說:「我們不瞞我主,我們的銀子都花盡了,牲畜也都歸了我主。我們在我主眼前,除了我們的身體和田地之外,一無所剩。
19 Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we and our land will be servants to Pharaoh. Give us seed that we may live and not die, and that the land may not become desolate.”
你何忍見我們人死地荒呢?求你用糧食買我們和我們的地,我們和我們的地就要給法老效力。又求你給我們種子,使我們得以存活,不致死亡,地土也不致荒涼。」
20 So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh. For every Egyptian sold his field, because the famine was very severe. In this way, the land became Pharaoh's.
於是,約瑟為法老買了埃及所有的地,埃及人因被饑荒所迫,各都賣了自己的田地;那地就都歸了法老。
21 As for the people, he made them slaves from one end of Egypt's border to the other end.
至於百姓,約瑟叫他們,從埃及這邊直到埃及那邊,都各歸各城。
22 It was only the land of the priests that Joseph did not buy, because the priests were given an allowance. They ate from the allotment which Pharaoh gave them. Therefore they did not sell their land.
惟有祭司的地,約瑟沒有買,因為祭司有從法老所得的常俸。他們吃法老所給的常俸,所以他們不賣自己的地。
23 Then Joseph said to the people, “See, I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh. Now here is seed for you, and you will plant the land.
約瑟對百姓說:「我今日為法老買了你們和你們的地,看哪,這裏有種子給你們,你們可以種地。
24 At the harvest, you must give a fifth to Pharaoh, and four parts will be your own, for seed of the field and for food for your households and your children.”
後來打糧食的時候,你們要把五分之一納給法老,四分可以歸你們做地裏的種子,也做你們和你們家口孩童的食物。」
25 They said, “You have saved our lives. May we find favor in your eyes. We will be Pharaoh's servants.”
他們說:「你救了我們的性命。但願我們在我主眼前蒙恩,我們就作法老的僕人。」
26 So Joseph made it a statute which is in effect in the land of Egypt to this day, that one-fifth belongs to Pharaoh. Only the land of the priests did not become Pharaoh's.
於是約瑟為埃及地定下常例,直到今日:法老必得五分之一,惟獨祭司的地不歸法老。
27 So Israel lived in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen. His people gained possessions there. They were fruitful and multiplied greatly.
以色列人住在埃及的歌珊地。他們在那裏置了產業,並且生育甚多。
28 Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years, so the years of Jacob's life were one hundred forty-seven years.
雅各住在埃及地十七年,雅各平生的年日是一百四十七歲。
29 When the time approached for Israel to die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, put your hand under my thigh, and show me faithfulness and trustworthiness. Please do not bury me in Egypt.
以色列的死期臨近了,他就叫了他兒子約瑟來,說:「我若在你眼前蒙恩,請你把手放在我大腿底下,用慈愛和誠實待我,請你不要將我葬在埃及。
30 When I sleep with my fathers, you will carry me out of Egypt and bury me in my forefathers' burial place.” Joseph said, “I will do as you have said.”
我與我祖我父同睡的時候,你要將我帶出埃及,葬在他們所葬的地方。」約瑟說:「我必遵着你的命而行。」
31 Israel said, “Swear to me,” and Joseph swore to him. Then Israel bowed down at the head of his bed.
雅各說:「你要向我起誓。」約瑟就向他起了誓,於是以色列在床頭上敬拜上帝。

< Genesis 47 >