Exodus 1

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

1 以色列的眾子，各帶家眷，和雅各一同來到埃及。他們的名字記在下面。

2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah;

2 有呂便、西緬、利未、猶大、

3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin;

3 以薩迦、西布倫、便雅憫、

4 Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher.

4 但、拿弗他利、迦得、亞設。

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

5 凡從雅各而生的，共有七十人。約瑟已經在埃及。

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

6 約瑟和他的弟兄，並那一代的人，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 以色列人生養眾多，並且繁茂，極其強盛，滿了那地。

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

8 有不認識約瑟的新王起來，治理埃及，

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

9 對他的百姓說：「看哪，這以色列民比我們還多，又比我們強盛。

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 來吧，我們不如用巧計待他們，恐怕他們多起來，日後若遇甚麼爭戰的事，就連合我們的仇敵攻擊我們，離開這地去了。」

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 於是埃及人派督工的轄制他們，加重擔苦害他們。他們為法老建造兩座積貨城，就是比東和蘭塞。

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

12 只是越發苦害他們，他們越發多起來，越發蔓延；埃及人就因以色列人愁煩。

13 They worked the Israelites ruthlessly

13 埃及人嚴嚴地使以色列人做工，

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 使他們因做苦工覺得命苦；無論是和泥，是做磚，是做田間各樣的工，在一切的工上都嚴嚴地待他們。

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

15 有希伯來的兩個收生婆，一名施弗拉，一名普阿；埃及王對她們說：

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 「你們為希伯來婦人收生，看她們臨盆的時候，若是男孩，就把他殺了；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 但是收生婆敬畏上帝，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 埃及王召了收生婆來，說：「你們為甚麼做這事，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 收生婆對法老說：「因為希伯來婦人與埃及婦人不同；希伯來婦人本是健壯的 ，收生婆還沒有到，她們已經生產了。」

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

20 上帝厚待收生婆。以色列人多起來，極其強盛。

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

21 收生婆因為敬畏上帝，上帝便叫她們成立家室。

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 法老吩咐他的眾民說：「以色列人所生的男孩，你們都要丟在河裏；一切的女孩，你們要存留她的性命。」