创世纪 Genesis Chapter 18
    Genesis

    Chapter18

    1TheLORDappearedtoAbrahambytheterebinthofMamre,ashesatintheentranceofhistent,whilethedaywasgrowinghot.

    天正热的时候,亚巴郎坐在帐幕门口,上主在玛默勒橡树林那里,给他显现出来。

    2Lookingup,hesawthreemenstandingnearby.Whenhesawthem,heranfromtheentranceofthetenttogreetthem;andbowingtotheground,

    他举目一望,见有三人站在对面。他一见就由帐幕门口跑去迎接他们,俯伏在地,

    31hesaid:"Sir,ifImayaskyouthisfavor,pleasedonotgoonpastyourservant.

    说:"我主如果我蒙你垂爱,请你不要由你仆人这里走过去,

    4Letsomewaterbebrought,thatyoumaybatheyourfeet,andthenrestyourselvesunderthetree.

    我叫人拿点水来,洗洗你们的脚,然后在树下休息休息。

    5Nowthatyouhavecomethisclosetoyourservant,letmebringyoualittlefood,thatyoumayrefreshyourselves;andafterwardyoumaygoonyourway.""Verywell,"theyreplied,"doasyouhavesaid."

    你们既然路过你仆人这里,等我拿点饼来,吃点点心,然后再走。"他们答说:"就照你所说的做罢!"

    62AbrahamhastenedintothetentandtoldSarah,"Quick,threeseahsoffineflour!Kneaditandmakerolls."

    亚巴郎赶快进入帐幕,到撒辣前说:"你快拿三斗细面,和一和,作些饼。"

    7Herantotheherd,pickedoutatender,choicesteer,andgaveittoaservant,whoquicklypreparedit.

    遂又跑到牛群中,选了一头又嫩又肥的牛犊,交给仆人,要他赶快煮好。

    83Thenhegotsomecurdsandmilk,aswellasthesteerthathadbeenprepared,andsetthesebeforethem;andhewaitedonthemunderthetreewhiletheyate.

    亚巴郎遂拿了凝乳和牛奶,及预备好了的牛犊,摆在他们面前;他们吃的时候,自己在树下侍候。

    9"WhereisyourwifeSarah?"theyaskedhim."Thereinthetent,"hereplied.

    他们对他说:"你的妻子撒辣在那里?"他答说:"在帐幕里。"

    104Oneofthemsaid,"Iwillsurelyreturntoyouaboutthistimenextyear,andSarahwillthenhaveason."Sarahwaslisteningattheentranceofthetent,justbehindhim.

    其中一位说:"明年此时我必回到你这里,那时,你的妻子撒辣要有一个儿子。"辣其时正在那人背后的帐幕门口窃听。

    11NowAbrahamandSarahwereold,advancedinyears,andSarahhadstoppedhavingherwomanlyperiods.

    亚巴郎和撒辣都已年老,年纪很大,而且撒辣的月经早已停止。

    125SoSarahlaughedtoherselfandsaid,"NowthatIamsowitheredandmyhusbandissoold,amIstilltohavesexualpleasure?"

    撒辣遂心里窃笑说:"现在,我已衰老,同我年老的丈夫,还有这喜事吗?"

    13ButtheLORDsaidtoAbraham:"WhydidSarahlaughandsay,‘ShallIreallybearachild,oldasIam?'

    上主对亚巴郎说:"撒辣为什么笑?且说:像我这样老,真的还能生育?

    14IsanythingtoomarvelousfortheLORDtodo?Attheappointedtime,aboutthistimenextyear,Iwillreturntoyou,andSarahwillhaveason."

    为上主岂有难事?明年这时,我必要回到你这里,那时撒辣必有一个儿子。"

    15Becauseshewasafraid,Sarahdissembled,saying,"Ididn'tlaugh."Buthesaid,"Yesyoudid."

    撒辣害怕了,否认说:"我没有笑。"但是那位说:"不,你实在笑了。"

    16ThemensetoutfromthereandlookeddowntowardSodom;Abrahamwaswalkingwiththem,toseethemontheirway.

    后来那三人由那里起身,望着索多玛前行;亚巴郎送他们,也一同前行。

    17TheLORDreflected:"ShallIhidefromAbrahamwhatIamabouttodo,

    上主说:"我要作的事,岂能瞒着亚巴郎?

    18nowthatheistobecomeagreatandpopulousnation,andallthenationsoftheeartharetofindblessinginhim?

    因为他要成为一强大而又兴盛的民族,地上所有的民族,都要因他蒙受降福;

    19Indeed,IhavesingledhimoutthathemaydirecthissonsandhisposteritytokeepthewayoftheLORDbydoingwhatisrightandjust,sothattheLORDmaycarryintoeffectforAbrahamthepromiseshemadeabouthim."

    何况我拣选了他,是要他训令自己的子孙和未来的家族,保持上主的正道,实行公义正道,好使上主能实现他对亚巴郎所许的事。"

    206ThentheLORDsaid:"TheoutcryagainstSodomandGomorrahissogreat,andtheirsinsograve,

    上主于是说:"控告索多玛和哈摩辣的声音实在很大,他们的罪恶实在深重!

    21thatImustgodownandseewhetherornottheiractionsfullycorrespondtothecryagainstthemthatcomestome.Imeantofindout."

    我要下去看看,愿意知道:是否他们所行的全如达到我前的呼声一样。"

    22WhilethetwomenwalkedonfarthertowardSodom,theLORDremainedstandingbeforeAbraham.

    三人中有二人转身向索多玛走去;亚巴郎却仍立在上主面前。

    23ThenAbrahamdrewnearertohimandsaid:"Willyousweepawaytheinnocentwiththeguilty?

    亚巴郎近前来说:"你真要将义人同恶人一起消灭吗?

    24Supposetherewerefiftyinnocentpeopleinthecity;wouldyouwipeouttheplace,ratherthanspareitforthesakeofthefiftyinnocentpeoplewithinit?

    假如城中有五十个义人,你还要消灭吗?不为其中的那五十个义人,赦免那地方吗?

    25Farbeitfromyoutodosuchathing,tomaketheinnocentdiewiththeguilty,sothattheinnocentandtheguiltywouldbetreatedalike!Shouldnotthejudgeofalltheworldactwithjustice?"

    你决不能如此行事,将义人同恶人一并诛灭;将义人如恶人一样看待,你决不能!审判全地的主,岂能不行公义?"

    26TheLORDreplied,"IfIfindfiftyinnocentpeopleinthecityofSodom,Iwillsparethewholeplacefortheirsake."

    上主答说:"假如我在索多玛城中找出了五十个义人,为了他们我要赦免整个地方。"

    27Abrahamspokeupagain:"SeehowIampresumingtospeaktomyLord,thoughIambutdustandashes!

    亚巴郎接着说:"我虽只是尘埃灰土,却敢再对我主说:

    28Whatiftherearefivelessthanfiftyinnocentpeople?Willyoudestroythewholecitybecauseofthosefive?""Iwillnotdestroyit,"heanswered,"ifIfindforty-fivethere."

    假如五十个义人中少了五个怎样?你就为了少五个而毁灭全城吗?"他答说:"假如我在那里找到四十五个,我不毁灭。"

    29ButAbrahampersisted,saying,"Whatifonlyfortyarefoundthere?"Hereplied,"Iwillforebeardoingitforthesakeoftheforty."

    亚巴郎再向他进言说:"假如在那里找到四十个怎样?"他答说:"为了这四十个我也不做这事。"

    30Thenhesaid,"LetnotmyLordgrowimpatientifIgoon.Whatifonlythirtyarefoundthere?"Hereplied,"IwillforebeardoingitifIcanfindbutthirtythere."

    亚巴郎说:"求我主且勿动怒,容我再进一言:假如在那里找到三十个怎样?"他答说:"假如在那里我找到三十个,我也不做这事。"

    31Stillhewenton,"SinceIhavethusdaredtospeaktomyLord,whatiftherearenomorethantwenty?""Iwillnotdestroyit,"heanswered,"forthesakeofthetwenty."

    亚巴郎说:"我再放胆对我主进一言:假如在那里找到二十个怎样?"他答说:"为了这二十个,我也不毁灭。"

    32Buthestillpersisted:"Please,letnotmyLordgrowangryifIspeakupthislasttime.Whatifthereareatleasttenthere?""Forthesakeofthoseten,"hereplied,"Iwillnotdestroyit."

    亚巴郎求:"求我主且勿动怒,容我最后一次进言:假如在那里找到十个怎样?"他答说:"为了这十个我也不毁灭。"

    33TheLORDdepartedassoonashehadfinishedspeakingwithAbraham,andAbrahamreturnedhome.

    上主向亚巴郎说完话就走了;亚巴郎也回家去了。

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    Footnotes(注解)

    1[3]Abrahamaddressestheleaderofthegroup,whomhedoesnotyetrecognizeasYahweh;inthenexttwoverseshespeakstoallthreemen.Theothertwoarelater(Genesis19:1)identifiedasmessengers.

    2[6]Threeseahs:oneephah,abouthalfabushel.

    3[8]Curds:atypeofsoftcheeseoryoghurt.

    4[10]Oneofthem:i.e.,theLord.Abrahamnowrealizesthisforthefirsttimewhenhehearsthepredictionofamiraculousbirth.Aboutthistimenextyear:literally"whenthetimebecomesalive,"i.e.,atthetimewhenbirthisdueaftertheperiodofgestation;theconceptionisunderstoodastakingplacesoonaftertheprediction.

    5[12]Sarahlaughed:seenoteonGenesis17:17.

    6[20]IsraelitetraditionwasunanimousinascribingthedestructionofSodomandGomorrahtothewickednessofthesecities,buttraditionvariedinregardtothenatureofthiswickedness.AccordingtothepresentaccountoftheYahwist,thesinofSodomwashomosexuality(Genesis19:4-5),whichisthereforealsoknownassodomy;butaccordingtoIsaiah(Isaiah1:9-10;3:9),itwasalackofsocialjustice;Ezekiel(Ezekiel16:46-51)describeditasadisregardforthepoor,whereasJeremiah(Jeremiah23:14)sawitasgeneralimmorality.