創世記 43
1 ききんはその地に激しかった。
But the famine prevailed in the land.
2 彼らがエジプトから携えてきた穀物を食い尽した時、父は彼らに言った、「また行って、われわれのために少しの食糧を買ってきなさい」。
And it came to pass, when they had finished eating the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, that their father said to them, Go again; buy us a little food.
3 ユダは父に答えて言った、「あの人はわれわれをきびしく戒めて、弟が一緒でなければ、わたしの顔を見てはならないと言いました。
And Judas spoke to him, saying, The man, the lord of the country, positively testified to us, saying, You shall not see my face, unless your younger brother be with you.
4 もしあなたが弟をわれわれと一緒にやってくださるなら、われわれは下って行って、あなたのために食糧を買ってきましょう。
If, then, you send our brother with us, we will go down, and buy you food;
5 しかし、もし彼をやられないなら、われわれは下って行きません。あの人がわれわれに、弟が一緒でなければわたしの顔を見てはならないと言ったのですから」。
but if you send not our brother with us, we will not go: for the man spoke to us, saying, You shall not see my face, unless your younger brother be with you.
6 イスラエルは言った、「なぜ、もうひとりの弟があるとあの人に言って、わたしを苦しめるのか」。
And Israel said, Why did you harm me, inasmuch as you told the man that you had a brother?
7 彼らは言った、「あの人がわれわれと一族とのことを問いただして、父はまだ生きているか、もうひとりの弟があるかと言ったので、問われるままに答えましたが、その人が、弟を連れてこいと言おうとは、どうして知ることができたでしょう」。
And they said, The man closely questioned us about our family also, saying, Does your father yet live, and have you a brother? and we answered him according to this question: did we know that he would say to us, Bring your brother?
8 ユダは父イスラエルに言った、「あの子をわたしと一緒にやってくだされば、われわれは立って行きましょう。そしてわれわれもあなたも、われわれの子供らも生きながらえ、死を免れましょう。
And Judas said to his father Israel, Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you, and our store.
9 わたしが彼の身を請け合います。わたしの手から彼を求めなさい。もしわたしが彼をあなたのもとに連れ帰って、あなたの前に置かなかったら、わたしはあなたに対して永久に罪を負いましょう。
And I engage for him; at my hand do you require him; if I bring him not to you, and place him before you, I shall be guilty towards you for ever.
10 もしわれわれがこんなにためらわなかったら、今ごろは二度も行ってきたでしょう」。
For if we had not tarried, we should now have returned twice.
11 父イスラエルは彼らに言った、「それではこうしなさい。この国の名産を器に入れ、携え下ってその人に贈り物にしなさい。すなわち少しの乳香、少しの蜜、香料、もつやく、ふすだしう、あめんどう。
And Israel, their father, said to them, If it be so, do this; take of the fruits of the earth in your vessels, and carry down to the man presents of gum and honey, and frankincense, and stacte, and turpentine, and walnuts.
12 そしてその上に、倍額の銀を手に持って行きなさい。また袋の口に返してあった銀は持って行って返しなさい。たぶんそれは誤りであったのでしょう。
And take double money in your hands, and the money that was returned in your sacks, carry back with you, lest perhaps it is a mistake.
13 弟も連れ、立って、またその人の所へ行きなさい。
And take your brother; and arise, go down to the man.
14 どうか全能の神がその人の前であなたがたをあわれみ、もうひとりの兄弟とベニヤミンとを、返させてくださるように。もしわたしが子を失わなければならないのなら、失ってもよい」。
And my God give you favour in the sight of the man, and send away your other brother, and Benjamin, for I accordingly as I have been bereaved, am bereaved.
15 そこでその人々は贈り物を取り、また倍額の銀を携え、ベニヤミンを連れ、立ってエジプトへ下り、ヨセフの前に立った。
And the men having taken these presents, and the double money, took in their hands also Benjamin; and they rose up and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
16 ヨセフはベニヤミンが彼らと共にいるのを見て、家づかさに言った、「この人々を家に連れて行き、獣をほふって、したくするように。この人々は昼、わたしと一緒に食事をします」。
And Joseph saw them and his brother Benjamin, born of the same mother; and he said to the steward of his household, Bring the men into the house, and kill beasts and make ready, for the men are to eat bread with me at noon.
17 その人はヨセフの言ったようにして、この人々をヨセフの家へ連れて行った。
And the man did as Joseph said; and he brought the men into the house of Joseph.
18 ところがこの人々はヨセフの家へ連れて行かれたので恐れて言った、「初めの時に袋に返してあったあの銀のゆえに、われわれを引き入れたのです。そしてわれわれを襲い、攻め、捕えて奴隷とし、われわれのろばをも奪うのです」。
And the men, when they perceived that they were brought into the house of Joseph, said, We are brought in because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first; even in order to inform against us, and lay it to our charge; to take us for servants, and our asses.
19 彼らはヨセフの家づかさに近づいて、家の入口で、言った、
And having approached the man who was over the house of Joseph, they spoke to him in the porch of the house,
20 「ああ、わが主よ、われわれは最初、食糧を買うために下ってきたのです。
saying, We pray [you], Sir; we came down at first to buy food.
21 ところが宿に行って袋をあけて見ると、めいめいの銀は袋の口にあって、銀の重さは元のままでした。それでわれわれはそれを持って参りました。
And it came to pass, when we came to unlade, and opened our sacks, [there was] also this money of each in his sack; we have now brought back our money by weight in our hands.
22 そして食糧を買うために、ほかの銀をも持って下ってきました。われわれの銀を袋に入れた者が、だれであるかは分りません」。
And we have brought other money with us to buy food; we know not who put the money into our sacks.
23 彼は言った、「安心しなさい。恐れてはいけません。その宝はあなたがたの神、あなたがたの父の神が、あなたがたの袋に入れてあなたがたに賜わったのです。あなたがたの銀はわたしが受け取りました」。そして彼はシメオンを彼らの所へ連れてきた。
And he said to them, [God deal] mercifully with you; be not afraid; your God, and the God of your fathers, has given you treasures in your sacks, and I have enough of your good money. And he brought Symeon out to them.
24 こうしてその人はこの人々をヨセフの家へ導き、水を与えて足を洗わせ、また、ろばに飼葉を与えた。
And he brought water to wash their feet; and gave provender to their asses.
25 彼らはその所で食事をするのだと聞き、贈り物を整えて、昼にヨセフの来るのを待った。
And they prepared their gifts, until Joseph came at noon, for they heard that he was going to dine there.
26 さてヨセフが家に帰ってきたので、彼らはその家に携えてきた贈り物をヨセフにささげ、地に伏して、彼を拝した。
And Joseph entered into the house, and they brought him the gifts which they had in their hands, into the house; and they did him reverence with their face to the ground.
27 ヨセフは彼らの安否を問うて言った、「あなたがたの父、あなたがたがさきに話していたその老人は無事ですか。なお生きながらえておられますか」。
And he asked them, How are you? and he said to them, Is your father, the old man of whom you spoke, well? Does he yet live?
28 彼らは答えた、「あなたのしもべ、われわれの父は無事で、なお生きながらえています」。そして彼らは、頭をさげて拝した。
And they said, Your servant our father is well; he is yet alive. And he said, Blessed be that man by God; —and they bowed, and did him reverence.
29 ヨセフは目をあげて同じ母の子である弟ベニヤミンを見て言った、「これはあなたがたが前にわたしに話した末の弟ですか」。また言った、「わが子よ、どうか神があなたを恵まれるように」。
And Joseph lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, born of the same mother; and he said, Is this your younger brother, whom you spoke of bringing to me? and he said, God have mercy on you, my son.
30 ヨセフは弟なつかしさに心がせまり、急いで泣く場所をたずね、へやにはいって泣いた。
And Joseph was troubled, for his bowels yearned over his brother, and he sought to weep; and he went into his chamber, and wept there.
31 やがて彼は顔を洗って出てきた。そして自分を制して言った、「食事にしよう」。
And he washed his face and came out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.
32 そこでヨセフはヨセフ、彼らは彼ら、陪食のエジプトびとはエジプトびと、と別々に席に着いた。エジプトびとはヘブルびとと共に食事することができなかった。それはエジプトびとの忌むところであったからである。
And they set on [bread] for him alone, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians feasting with him by themselves, for the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews, for it is an abomination to the Egyptians.
33 こうして彼らはヨセフの前に、長子は長子として、弟は弟としてすわらせられたので、その人々は互に驚いた。
And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his seniority, and the younger according to his youth; and the men looked with amazement every one at his brother.
34 またヨセフの前から、めいめいの分が運ばれたが、ベニヤミンの分は他のいずれの者の分よりも五倍多かった。こうして彼らは飲み、ヨセフと共に楽しんだ。
And they took their portions from him to themselves; but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as the portions of [the others]. And they drank and were filled with drink with him.
