Exodus 1

1 These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family:

1 以色列的众子带着家眷跟雅各 一起去了埃及，以下是他们的名字：

2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah;

2 吕便、西缅、利未、犹大、

3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin;

3 以萨迦、西布伦、便雅悯、

4 Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher.

4 但、拿弗他利、迦得、亚设。

5 The descendants of Jacob numbered seventy in all, including Joseph, who was already in Egypt.

5 雅各的子孙总共有七十人。那时，约瑟已经住在埃及。

6 Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died,

6 后来，约瑟和他的弟兄以及同辈的人都相继去世。

7 but the Israelites were fruitful and increased rapidly; they multiplied and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them.

7 以色列人生养众多，人口大增，很快就遍布埃及，成为一个强大的民族。

8 Then a new king, who did not know Joseph, came to power in Egypt.

8 后来，埃及有一位不认识约瑟的新王登基，

9 “Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become too numerous and too powerful for us.

9 对他的百姓说：“你们看，以色列人比我们多，又比我们强。

10 Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase even more; and if a war breaks out, they may join our enemies, fight against us, and leave the country.”

10 来吧！我们要设法阻止他们人口增多，否则一遇到战争，他们便会加入我们敌人的阵营来攻打我们，然后一走了之。”

11 So the Egyptians appointed taskmasters over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labor. As a result, they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh.

11 于是，埃及人派监工强迫以色列人服劳役，在比东和兰塞两地为法老兴建储货城。

12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and flourished; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites.

12 以色列人越受奴役，人口增长得越快，散居的范围也越广，令埃及人感到恐惧。

13 They worked the Israelites ruthlessly

13 于是，埃及人残酷地奴役他们，

14 and made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar, and with all kinds of work in the fields. Every service they imposed was harsh.

14 强迫他们和泥造砖，并做田间一切的苦工，使他们痛苦不堪。埃及人残酷地奴役他们做苦工。

15 Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah,

15 埃及王又命令两个希伯来的接生婆施弗拉和普阿：

16 “When you help the Hebrew women give birth, observe them on the birthstools. If the child is a son, kill him; but if it is a daughter, let her live.”

16 “你们在替希伯来妇女接生的时候，如果看到生下的是男婴，就把他杀掉；如果是女婴，就让她活下来。”

17 The midwives, however, feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had instructed; they let the boys live.

17 但这两个接生婆敬畏上帝，没有执行埃及王的命令，而是保留了男婴的性命。

18 So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?”

18 埃及王召见那两个接生婆，质问她们：“你们为什么这样做？为什么让男婴活着？”

19 The midwives answered Pharaoh, “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before a midwife arrives.”

19 她们回答说：“因为希伯来妇女跟埃及妇女不同。她们身体强壮，我们还没有赶到，婴儿就生下来了。”

20 So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied and became even more numerous.

20–21 因此，以色列人口继续增加，更加繁盛。因为这两个接生婆敬畏上帝，上帝便赐福给她们，使她们生儿育女。

21 And because the midwives feared God, He gave them families of their own.

22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people: “Every son born to the Hebrews you must throw into the Nile, but every daughter you may allow to live.”

22 后来，法老命令全埃及的人把以色列人生的所有男婴都抛进尼罗河里，只让女婴活着。