盧德傳:Chapter 1

盧德傳:Chapter 1

盧德傳	Ruth
¹當民長執政時代，國內發生了饑荒。有個人帶了他的妻子和兩個兒子，從猶大白冷到摩阿布鄉間去僑居。	¹ Once in the time of the judges there was a famine in the land; so a man from Bethlehem of Judah departed with his wife and two sons to reside on the plateau of Moab.
²這人名叫厄里默肋客，他的妻子名叫納敖米，他的兩個兒子：一個名叫瑪赫隆，一個名叫基肋雍，是猶大白冷厄弗辣大人。他們到了摩阿布鄉間，就住在那裏。	²The man was named Elimelech, his wife Naomi, and his sons Mahlon and Chilion; they were Ephrathites from Bethlehem of Judah. Some time after their arrival on the Moabite plateau,
³後來納敖米的丈夫厄里默肋客死了，留下了她和她的兩個兒子。	³Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons,
⁴他們都娶了摩阿布女子為妻：一個名叫敖爾帕，一個名叫盧德；他們在那裏大約住了十年。	⁴who married Moabite women, one named Orpah, the other Ruth. When they had lived there about ten years,
⁵瑪赫隆和基肋雍二人也相繼去世，只剩下了那婦人，沒有兒子，也沒有丈夫。	⁵both Mahlon and Chilion died also, and the woman was left with neither her two sons nor her husband.
⁶於是她便與她的兩個兒媳打算從摩阿布鄉間起程回家，因為她在摩阿布鄉間聽說天主垂顧了他的百姓，賜給了他們食糧。	⁶She then made ready to go back from the plateau of Moab because word reached her there that the LORD had visited his people and given them food.
⁷當她和她的兩個兒媳，要從寄居的地方出發，取道回猶大故鄉的時候，	⁷She and her two daughters-in-law left the place where they had been living. Then as they were on the road back to the land of Judah,
⁸納敖米就對她的兩個兒媳說：「你們去罷！各自回娘家去！願上主恩待你們，如同你們待了死者和我一樣。	⁸ Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go back, each of you, to your mother's house! May the LORD be kind to you as you were to the departed and to me!
⁹願上主賜你們在新夫家裏，各得安身！」於是就吻了她們；她們便放聲大哭，	⁹May the LORD grant each of you a husband and a home in which you will find rest." She kissed them good-bye, but they wept with loud sobs,
¹⁰向她說：「我們要同你回到你的民族中去。」	¹⁰and told her they would return with her to her people.
¹¹納敖米回答說：「我的女兒，你們回去罷！為什麼要跟我去呢？難道我還能懷妊生子給你們做丈夫嗎？	¹¹ "Go back, my daughters!" said Naomi. "Why should you come with me? Have I other sons in my womb who may become your husbands?
¹²我的女兒啊，你們回去罷！你們走罷！我已老了，不能再嫁人了；如說我尚有希望，今夜能嫁人，也懷妊生子，	¹²Go back, my daughters! Go, for I am too old to marry again. And even if I could offer any hopes, or if tonight I had a husband or had borne sons,
¹³你們又豈能等待他們長大，持身不嫁人？我的女兒啊！不要這樣，有了你們我反而更苦，因為上主已伸出手來與我作對。」	¹³would you then wait and deprive yourselves of husbands until those sons grew up? No, my daughters! my lot is too bitter for you, because the LORD has extended his hand against me."
¹⁴她們於是又放聲大哭。敖爾帕吻了自己的婆婆，便回自己的家鄉去了；盧德對婆母仍依依不捨。	¹⁴Again they sobbed aloud and wept; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye, but Ruth stayed with her.
¹⁵納敖米向她說：「看，你的嫂子已回她民族和她的神那裏去了，你也跟你的嫂子回去罷！」	¹⁵"See now!" she said, "your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her god. Go back after your sister-in-law!"
¹⁶盧德答說：「請你別逼我離開你，而不跟你去。你到那裏去，我也到那裏去；你住在那裏，我也住在那裏；你的民族，就是我的民族；你的天主，就是我的天主；	¹⁶ But Ruth said, "Do not ask me to abandon or forsake you! for wherever you go I will go, wherever you lodge I will lodge, your people shall be my people, and your God my God.
¹⁷你死在那裏，我也死在那裏，埋在那裏；若不是死使我與你分離，願上主罰我，重重罰我！」	¹⁷Wherever you die I will die, and there be buried. May the LORD do so and so to me, and more besides, if aught but death separates me from you!"
¹⁸納敖米見她執意要與自己同去，就不再勸阻她了。	¹⁸Naomi then ceased to urge her, for she saw she was determined to go with her.
¹⁹於是二人同行，來到了白冷。她們一到了白冷，全城的人都為她們所驚動。婦女們驚問說：「這不是納敖米嗎？」	¹⁹So they went on together till they reached Bethlehem. On their arrival there, the whole city was astir over them, and the women asked, "Can this be Naomi?"
²⁰她向她們說：「你們不要叫我納敖米，應叫我瑪辣，因為全能者待我好苦！	²⁰ But she said to them, "Do not call me Naomi. Call me Mara, for the Almighty has made it very bitter for me.
²¹我去時富足，如今上主卻使我空空而回。上主責罰了我，全能者降禍於我，你們為什麼還叫我納敖米呢？」	²¹I went away with an abundance, but the LORD has brought me back destitute. Why should you call me Naomi, since the LORD has pronounced against me and the Almighty has brought evil upon me?"
²²納敖米同她的兒媳摩阿布女子盧德回來了，是從摩阿布鄉間回來的。她們來到白冷，正是開始收大麥的時候。	²² Thus it was that Naomi returned with the Moabite daughter-in-law, Ruth, who accompanied her back from the plateau of Moab. They arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.