Genesis
Chapter43
11Nowthefamineinthelandgrewmoresevere.
地上的饥荒仍然严重。
2SowhentheyhadusedupalltherationstheyhadbroughtfromEgypt,theirfathersaidtothem,＂Gobackandprocureusalittlemorefood.＂
他们吃完了由埃及带来的粮食，父亲对他们说：＂你们再去给我们买点粮食来吃！＂
3ButJudahreplied:＂Themanstrictlywarnedus,'Youshallnotappearinmypresenceunlessyourbrotheriswithyou.'
犹大立即回答父亲说：＂那人明明告诉我们说：你们若不带弟弟一起来，你们休想见我的面。
4Ifyouarewillingtoletourbrothergowithus,wewillgodowntoprocurefoodforyou.
你若让我们的弟弟与我们一同去，我们就下去给你买些粮食来；
5Butifyouarenotwilling,wewillnotgodown,becausethemantoldus,'Youshallnotappearinmypresenceunlessyourbrotheriswithyou.'＂
你若不让他去，我们也不下去；因为那人对我们说过：＂你们若不带弟弟与你们一同来，你们休想见我的面。＂
6Israeldemanded,＂Whydidyoubringthistroubleonmebytellingthemanthatyouhadanotherbrother?＂
以色列说：＂你们为什么这样害我，告诉那人你们还有个弟弟？＂
7Theyanswered:＂Themankeptaskingaboutourselvesandourfamily:‘Isyourfatherstillliving?Doyouhaveanotherbrother?'Wehadtoanswerhisquestions.Howcouldweknowthathewouldsay,'Bringyourbrotherdownhere'?＂
他们回答说：＂那人再三再四问我们和我们的家庭说：＂你们的父亲是否还活着？你们是否另有个兄弟？我们只得照这些话答复他。那里会知道他要说：带你们的兄弟一同下来？＂
8ThenJudahurgedhisfatherIsrael:＂Lettheboygowithme,thatwemaybeoffandonourwayifyouandweandourchildrenaretokeepfromstarvingtodeath.
犹大又对他父亲以色列说：＂你叫孩童与我同去，我们就起身前去；这样，我们和你并我们的幼儿，可以生活，不致饿死。
9Imyselfwillstandsuretyforhim.Youcanholdmeresponsibleforhim.IfIfailtobringhimback,tosethiminyourpresence,youcanholditagainstmeforever.
我为他担保，你可由我手中要人；如果我不将他带回，交在你面前，我在你前终生负罪。
10Hadwenotdilly-dallied,wecouldhavebeenthereandbacktwicebynow!＂
假使我们没有迟延，现在第二次也回来了！＂
11TheirfatherIsraelthentoldthem:＂Ifitmustbeso,thendothis:Putsomeoftheland'sbestproductsinyourbaggageandtakethemdowntothemanasgifts:somebalmandhoney,gumandresin,andpistachiosandalmonds.
他们的父亲以色列对他们说：＂如果必须如此，你们就这样做：在行李内带些本地最好的出产，一些香液、蜂蜜、树胶、香料、榧子和杏仁，下去送给那人当作礼物。
12Alsotakeextramoneyalong,foryoumustreturntheamountthatwasputbackinthemouthsofyourbags;itmayhavebeenamistake.
手中多带一倍银钱，将那放在你们粮袋口的银钱，也一并带上，这或者是出于一时的错误。
13Takeyourbrother,too,andbeoffonyourwaybacktotheman.
并且带着你们的弟弟起身往那人那里去。
14MayGodAlmightydisposethemantobemercifultowardyou,sothathemayletyourotherbrothergo,aswellasBenjamin.Asforme,ifIamtosufferbereavement,Ishallsufferit.＂
愿全能的天主使你们在那人面前蒙恩，放回你们那个兄弟和本雅明；至于我，如要丧子，就丧子罢！＂
15Sothemengotthegifts,tookdoubletheamountofmoneywiththem,and,accompaniedbyBenjamin,wereoffontheirwaydowntoEgypttopresentthemselvestoJoseph.
这一伙人于是带了那些礼物，手中带上双倍银钱，带本雅明起身下到埃及去，到了若瑟面前。
16WhenJosephsawBenjaminwiththem,hetoldhisheadsteward,＂Takethesemenintothehouse,andhaveananimalslaughteredandprepared,fortheyaretodinewithmeatnoon.＂
若瑟一看见他们和本雅明，就对自己的管家说：＂带这些人到家里去，宰牲设宴，中午这些人要与我一起吃饭。＂
17DoingasJosephhadordered,thestewardconductedthementoJoseph'shouse.
管家就依照若瑟吩咐的做了，将这些人带到若瑟家中。
18Butonbeingledtohishouse,theybecameapprehensive.＂Itmustbe,＂theythought,＂onaccountofthemoneyputbackinourbagsthefirsttime,thatwearetakeninside;theywanttouseitasapretexttoattackusandtakeourdonkeysandseizeusasslaves.＂
这些人一进入了若瑟的家，就害怕起来，心里想：＂他带我们到这里来，定是为了上次放回我们袋里银钱的事，想找我们的错处，加害我们，拿住我们当奴隶，夺取我们的驴。＂
19SotheywentuptoJoseph'sheadstewardandtalkedtohimattheentranceofthehouse.
他们于是走到若瑟的管家前，在房门口同他谈起这事，
20＂Ifyouplease,sir,＂theysaid,＂wecamedownhereoncebeforetoprocurefood.
说：＂我主，请原谅：我们上次下到这里来购买粮食，
21Butwhenwearrivedatanight'sencampmentandopenedourbags,therewaseachman'smoneyinthemouthofhisbag——ourmoneyinthefullamount!Wehavenowbroughtitback.
当我们到了客栈，打开我们的布袋时，发见各人的银钱仍在各人的布袋口，我们的银钱一分不少；现在我们又亲手带回来了。
22Wehavebroughtothermoneytoprocurefoodwith.Wedonotknowwhoputthefirstmoneyinourbags.＂
此外我们手中又带了些银钱，来购买粮食；我们不知道是谁将我们的银钱放在我们的布袋内。＂
23＂Beatease,＂hereplied;＂youhavenoneedtofear.YourGodandtheGodofyourfathermusthaveputtreasuresinyourbagsforyou.Asforyourmoney,Ireceivedit.＂Withthat,heledSimeonouttothem.
管家答说：＂请你们放心，不必害怕！是你们的天主，你们祖先的天主，在你们的布袋里给你们放上了财宝；你们的银钱我已经收了。＂以后给他们领出西默盎来。
24ThestewardthenbroughtthemeninsideJoseph'shouse.Hegavethemwatertobathetheirfeet,andgotfodderfortheirdonkeys.
管家领这些人到了若瑟家里，先给他们拿水洗了脚，然后拿草料喂了驴。
25ThentheysetouttheirgiftstoawaitJoseph'sarrivalatnoon,fortheyhadheardthattheyweretodinethere.
他们遂将礼物预备好，等候若瑟中午回来；因为听说，他们要在那里吃午饭。
26WhenJosephcamehome,theypresentedhimwiththegiftstheyhadbroughtinside,whiletheyboweddownbeforehimtotheground.
若瑟回到家里，他们就将手中的礼物献给他，俯首至地向他下拜。
27Afterinquiringhowtheywere,heaskedthem,＂Andhowisyouragedfather,ofwhomyouspoke?Ishestillingoodhealth?＂
若瑟先向他们问安，然后说：＂你们以前所说的老父好么？还健在么？＂
28＂Yourservantourfatheristhrivingandstillingoodhealth,＂theysaid,astheybowedrespectfully.
他们答说：＂你的仆人，我们的父亲还好，还健在。＂遂又鞠躬下拜。
29WhenJoseph'seyefellonhisfullbrotherBenjamin,heasked,＂Isthisyouryoungestbrother,ofwhomyoutoldme?＂Thenhesaidtohim,＂MayGodbegracioustoyou,myboy!＂
若瑟举目，见了他母亲亲生的弟弟本雅明，就问说：＂这就是你们对我说的那小弟弟吗？＂继而说：＂孩子，愿天主保佑你！＂
30Withthat,Josephhadtohurryout,forhewassoovercomewithaffectionforhisbrotherthathewasonthevergeoftears.Hewentintoaprivateroomandweptthere.
若瑟爱弟情切，想要流泪，赶快进了自己的内室，在那里哭了一场；
31Afterwashinghisface,hereappearedand,nowincontrolofhimself,gavetheorder,＂Servethemeal.＂
然后洗脸出来，勉强抑制自己，吩咐说：＂摆饭罢！＂
322Itwasservedseparatelytohim,tothebrothers,andtotheEgyptianswhopartookofhisboard.(EgyptiansmaynoteatwithHebrews;thatisabhorrenttothem.)
人就给若瑟摆了一席，为他们摆了一席，为与若瑟一起吃饭的埃及人另摆了一席；因为埃及人不能同希伯来人一起吃饭，这为他们是个耻辱。
33Whentheywereseatedbyhisdirectionsaccordingtotheirage,fromtheoldesttotheyoungest,theylookedatoneanotherinamazement;
他们便在若瑟前，安排就坐，全按长幼的次序，长者在上，幼者在下；众兄弟彼此相看，惊奇不已。
343andasportionswerebroughttothemfromJoseph'stable,Benjamin'sportionwasfivetimesaslargeasanyoneelse's.Sotheydrankfreelyandmademerrywithhim.
若瑟将自己面前的食物分开，分给他们；但本雅明的一分，比其余的人多五倍。他们遂与若瑟饮酒宴乐。
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Footnotes(注解)
1[1-34]ThischapterandthefollowingonearefromtheYahwistsource,inwhichJudah,notReubenasintheElohistsource,volunteerstogosuretyforBenjamin.
2[32]Separatelytohim:thatJosephdidnoteatwiththeotherEgyptianswasapparentlyamatterofrank.
3[34]Fivetimesaslargeas:probablyanidiomaticexpressionfor＂muchlargerthan.＂