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，各带家眷，和雅各一同来到埃及。他们的名字记在下面。

2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah;

2 有吕便、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 凡从雅各而生的，共有七十人。约瑟已经在埃及。

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

6 约瑟和他的弟兄，并那一代的人，都死了。

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，并且繁茂，极其强盛，满了那地。

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

8 有不认识约瑟的新王起来，治理埃及，

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：「看哪，这以色列民比我们还多，又比我们强盛。

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，我们不如用巧计待他们，恐怕他们多起来，日后若遇什么争战的事，就连合我们的仇敌攻击我们，离开这地去了。」

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 于是埃及人派督工的辖制他们，加重担苦害他们。他们为法老建造两座积货城，就是比东和兰塞。

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

12 只是越发苦害他们，他们越发多起来，越发蔓延；埃及人就因以色列人愁烦。

13 They worked the Israelites ruthlessly

13 埃及人严严地使以色列人做工，

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 使他们因做苦工觉得命苦；无论是和泥，是做砖，是做田间各样的工，在一切的工上都严严地待他们。

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

15 有希伯来的两个收生婆，一名施弗拉，一名普阿；埃及王对她们说：

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 「你们为希伯来妇人收生，看她们临盆的时候，若是男孩，就把他杀了；若是女孩，就留她存活。」

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

17 但是收生婆敬畏 神，不照埃及王的吩咐行，竟存留男孩的性命。

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 埃及王召了收生婆来，说：「你们为什么做这事，存留男孩的性命呢？」

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 收生婆对法老说：「因为希伯来妇人与埃及妇人不同；希伯来妇人本是健壮的 ，收生婆还没有到，她们已经生产了。」

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

20 神厚待收生婆。以色列人多起来，极其强盛。

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

21 收生婆因为敬畏 神， 神便叫她们成立家室。

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 法老吩咐他的众民说：「以色列人所生的男孩，你们都要丢在河里；一切的女孩，你们要存留她的性命。」