| 創世紀 | Genesis |
|---|
| 1地上的饑荒仍然嚴重。 | 1 Now the famine in the land grew more severe. |
| 2他們吃完了由埃及帶來的糧食，父親對他們說：「你們再去給我們買點糧食來吃！」 | 2So when they had used up all the rations they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, "Go back and procure us a little more food." |
| 3猶大立即回答父親說：「那人明明告訴我們說：你們若不帶弟弟一起來，你們休想見我的面。 | 3But Judah replied: "The man strictly warned us, 'You shall not appear in my presence unless your brother is with you.' |
| 4你若讓我們的弟弟與我們一同去，我們就下去給你買些糧食來； | 4If you are willing to let our brother go with us, we will go down to procure food for you. |
| 5你若不讓他去，我們也不下去；因為那人對我們說過：你們若不帶弟弟與你們一同來，你們休想見我的面。」 | 5But if you are not willing, we will not go down, because the man told us, 'You shall not appear in my presence unless your brother is with you.'" |
| 6以色列說：「你們為什麼這樣害我，告訴那人你們還有個弟弟？」 | 6Israel demanded, "Why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man that you had another brother?" |
| 7他們回答說：「那人再三再四問我們和我們的家庭說：你們的父親是否還活著？你們是否另有個兄弟？我們只得照這些話答覆他。那裡會知道他要說：帶你們的兄弟一同下來？」 | 7They answered: "The man kept asking about ourselves and our family: 'Is your father still living? Do you have another brother?' We had to answer his questions. How could we know that he would say, 'Bring your brother down here'?" |
| 8猶大又對他父親以色列說：「你叫孩童與我同去，我們就起身前去；這樣，我們和你並我們的幼兒，可以生活，不致餓死。 | 8Then Judah urged his father Israel: "Let the boy go with me, that we may be off and on our way if you and we and our children are to keep from starving to death. |
| 9我為他擔保，你可由我手中要人；如果我不將他帶回，交在你面前，我在你前終生負罪。 | 9I myself will stand surety for him. You can hold me responsible for him. If I fail to bring him back, to set him in your presence, you can hold it against me forever. |
| 10假使我們沒有遲延，現在第二次也回來了！」 | 10Had we not dilly-dallied, we could have been there and back twice by now!" |
| 11他們的父親以色列對他們說：「如果必須如此，你們就這樣做：在行李內帶些本地最好的出產，一些香液、蜂蜜、樹膠、香料、榧子和杏仁，下去送給那人當作禮物。 | 11Their father Israel then told them: "If it must be so, then do this: Put some of the land's best products in your baggage and take them down to the man as gifts: some balm and honey, gum and resin, and pistachios and almonds. |
| 12手中多帶一倍銀錢，將那放在你們糧袋口的銀錢，也一併帶上，這或者是出於一時的錯誤。 | 12Also take extra money along, for you must return the amount that was put back in the mouths of your bags; it may have been a mistake. |
| 13並且帶著你們的弟弟起身往那人那裡去。 | 13Take your brother, too, and be off on your way back to the man. |
| 14願全能的天主使你們在那人面前蒙恩，放回你們那個兄弟和本雅明；至於我，如要喪子，就喪子罷！」 | 14May God Almighty dispose the man to be merciful toward you, so that he may let your other brother go, as well as Benjamin. As for me, if I am to suffer bereavement, I shall suffer it." |
| 15這一夥人於是帶了那些禮物，手中帶上雙倍銀錢，帶本雅明起身下到埃及去，到了若瑟面前。 | 15So the men got the gifts, took double the amount of money with them, and, accompanied by Benjamin, were off on their way down to Egypt to present themselves to Joseph. |
| 16若瑟一看見他們和本雅明，就對自己的管家說：「帶這些人到家裡去，宰牲設宴，中午這些人要與我一起吃飯。」 | 16When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he told his head steward, "Take these men into the house, and have an animal slaughtered and prepared, for they are to dine with me at noon." |
| 17管家就依照若瑟吩咐的做了，將這些人帶到若瑟家中。 | 17Doing as Joseph had ordered, the steward conducted the men to Joseph's house. |
| 18這些人一進入了若瑟的家，就害怕起來，心裡想：「他帶我們到這裡來，定是為了上次放回我們袋裡銀錢的事，想找我們的錯處，加害我們，拿住我們當奴隸，奪取我們的驢。」 | 18But on being led to his house, they became apprehensive. "It must be," they thought, "on account of the money put back in our bags the first time, that we are taken inside; they want to use it as a pretext to attack us and take our donkeys and seize us as slaves." |
| 19他們於是走到若瑟的管家前，在房門口同他談起這事， | 19So they went up to Joseph's head steward and talked to him at the entrance of the house. |
| 20說：「我主，請原諒：我們上次下到這裡來購買糧食， | 20"If you please, sir," they said, "we came down here once before to procure food. |
| 21當我們到了客棧，打開我們的布袋時，發見各人的銀錢仍在各人的布袋口，我們的銀錢一分不少；現在我們又親手帶回來了。 | 21But when we arrived at a night's encampment and opened our bags, there was each man's money in the mouth of his bag--our money in the full amount! We have now brought it back. |
| 22此外我們手中又帶了些銀錢，來購買糧食；我們不知道是誰將我們的銀錢放在我們的布袋內。」 | 22We have brought other money to procure food with. We do not know who put the first money in our bags." |
| 23管家答說：「請你們放心，不必害怕！是你們的天主，你們祖先的天主，在你們的布袋裡給你們放上了財寶；你們的銀錢我已經收了。」以後給他們領出西默盎來。 | 23"Be at ease," he replied; "you have no need to fear. Your God and the God of your father must have put treasures in your bags for you. As for your money, I received it." With that, he led Simeon out to them. |
| 24管家領這些人到了若瑟家裡，先給他們拿水洗了腳，然後拿草料餵了驢。 | 24The steward then brought the men inside Joseph's house. He gave them water to bathe their feet, and got fodder for their donkeys. |
| 25他們遂將禮物預備好，等候若瑟中午回來；因為聽說，他們要在那裡吃午飯。 | 25Then they set out their gifts to await Joseph's arrival at noon, for they had heard that they were to dine there. |
| 26若瑟回到家裡，他們就將手中的禮物獻給他，俯首至地向他下拜。 | 26When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought inside, while they bowed down before him to the ground. |
| 27若瑟先向他們問安，然後說：「你們以前所說的老父好麼？還健在麼？」 | 27After inquiring how they were, he asked them, "And how is your aged father, of whom you spoke? Is he still in good health?" |
| 28他們答說：「你的僕人，我們的父親還好，還健在。」遂又鞠躬下拜。 | 28"Your servant our father is thriving and still in good health," they said, as they bowed respectfully. |
| 29若瑟舉目，見了他母親親生的弟弟本雅明，就問說：「這就是你們對我說的那小弟弟嗎？」繼而說：「孩子，願天主保佑你！」 | 29When Joseph's eye fell on his full brother Benjamin, he asked, "Is this your youngest brother, of whom you told me?" Then he said to him, "May God be gracious to you, my boy!" |
| 30若瑟愛弟情切想要流淚，趕快進了自己的內室，在那裡哭了一場； | 30With that, Joseph had to hurry out, for he was so overcome with affection for his brother that he was on the verge of tears. He went into a private room and wept there. |
| 31然後洗臉出來，勉強抑制自己，吩咐說：「擺飯罷！」 | 31After washing his face, he reappeared and, now in control of himself, gave the order, "Serve the meal." |
| 32人就給若瑟擺了一席，為他們擺了一席，為與若瑟一起吃飯的埃及人另擺了一席；因為埃及人不能同希伯來人一起吃飯，這為他們是個恥辱。 | 32 It was served separately to him, to the brothers, and to the Egyptians who partook of his board. (Egyptians may not eat with Hebrews; that is abhorrent to them.) |
| 33他們便在若瑟前，安排就坐，全按長幼的次序，長者在上，幼者在下；眾兄弟彼此相看，驚奇不已。 | 33When they were seated by his directions according to their age, from the oldest to the youngest, they looked at one another in amazement; |
| 34若瑟將自己面前的食物分開，分給他們；但本雅明的一分，比其餘的人多五倍。他們遂與若瑟飲酒宴樂。 | 34 and as portions were brought to them from Joseph's table, Benjamin's portion was five times as large as anyone else's. So they drank freely and made merry with him. |
