Genesis 43

1 Now the famine was still severe in the land.

1 那地方的饥荒仍然非常严重，

2 So when Jacob’s sons had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little more food.”

2 他们从埃及带回来的粮食吃完了，他们的父亲对他们说：“你们再去买些粮食吧。”

3 But Judah replied, “The man solemnly warned us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’

3 犹大说：“那人严厉地警告我们，‘不把你们的弟弟带来，你们就不要再来见我。’

4 If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for you.

4 你若让弟弟跟我们同去，我们就去给你买粮。

5 But if you will not send him, we will not go; for the man told us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’”

5 你若不让他跟我们同去，我们就不去给你买粮。因为那人说，‘你们不把弟弟带来，就不要再来见我。’”

6 “Why did you bring this trouble upon me?” Israel asked. “Why did you tell the man you had another brother?”

6 以色列说：“你们为什么这样害我，告诉他你们还有一个弟弟呢？”

7 They replied, “The man questioned us in detail about ourselves and our family: ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ And we answered him accordingly. How could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother here’?”

7 他们回答说：“那人详细询问我们和我们家人的情况，问我们的父亲是否在世，还有没有弟兄。我们如实回答，怎会想到他非要我们把弟弟带去呢？”

8 And Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me, and we will go at once, so that we may live and not die—neither we, nor you, nor our children.

8 犹大对父亲以色列说：“你就让这孩子跟我同去吧，我们好立刻动身，这样我们一家老小才能保住性命，不致饿死。

9 I will guarantee his safety. You may hold me personally responsible. If I do not bring him back and set him before you, then may I bear the guilt before you all my life.

9 我亲自担保他的安全，你可以向我要人。我若不把他带回来见你，情愿一生担罪。

10 If we had not delayed, we could have come and gone twice by now.”

10 我们若是没有耽搁的话，现在已经往返两趟了。”

11 Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your packs and carry them down as a gift for the man—a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachios and almonds.

11 他们的父亲以色列说：“事到如今，只好这样了。你们袋子里带一些上好的乳香、蜂蜜、香料、没药、榧子和杏仁等土产，去送给那人作礼物吧。

12 Take double the silver with you so that you may return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake.

12 你们还要带双倍的钱，好归还上次留在你们口袋中的钱，那次可能是弄错了。

13 Take your brother as well, and return to the man at once.

13 带你们的弟弟去见那人吧！

14 May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother along with Benjamin. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”

14 愿全能的上帝叫那人怜悯你们，让西缅和便雅悯回来。我若丧子就丧子吧！”

15 So the men took these gifts, along with double the amount of silver, and Benjamin as well. Then they hurried down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.

15 于是，他们就带着便雅悯、礼物和双倍的钱去埃及见约瑟。

16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with his brothers, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for they shall dine with me at noon.”

16 约瑟看见便雅悯和他们同来，就对管家说：“你带他们到我家里去，宰杀牲畜，预备宴席，中午他们要跟我一起吃饭。”

17 The man did as Joseph had commanded and took the brothers to Joseph’s house.

17 管家照约瑟的吩咐，带他们到约瑟家里。

18 But the brothers were frightened that they had been taken to Joseph’s house. “We have been brought here because of the silver that was returned in our bags the first time,” they said. “They intend to overpower us and take us as slaves, along with our donkeys.”

18 他们被带到约瑟家后非常害怕，说：“他把我们带到这里来，是因为上次放回我们口袋的钱。他想害我们，强迫我们做他的奴仆，抢我们的驴。”

19 So they approached Joseph’s steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house.

19 他们走到约瑟的管家跟前，在房门口对他说：

20 “Please, sir,” they said, “we really did come down here the first time to buy food.

20 “主啊，我们上次曾来这里买粮。

21 But when we came to the place we lodged for the night, we opened our sacks and, behold, each of us found his silver in the mouth of his sack! It was the full amount of our silver, and we have brought it back with us.

21 但在回家的途中住宿时，我们打开口袋，发现我们带来买粮的钱分毫不少地放在那里。我们把这些钱带回来了，

22 We have brought additional silver with us to buy food. We do not know who put our silver in our sacks.”

22 又另外带了一些钱来买粮。我们不知道谁把买粮的钱放进了我们的口袋。”

23 “It is fine,” said the steward. “Do not be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, gave you the treasure that was in your sacks. I received your silver.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.

23 管家说：“你们放心，不要害怕，你们口袋里的钱财是你们的上帝，你们父亲的上帝赐给你们的。我已经收了你们买粮的钱。”他就把西缅带出来见他们，

24 And the steward took the men into Joseph’s house, gave them water to wash their feet, and provided food for their donkeys.

24 接着带他们进约瑟的家，给他们水洗脚，给他们的驴喂草料。

25 Since the brothers had been told that they were going to eat a meal there, they prepared their gift for Joseph’s arrival at noon.

25 他们知道要在那里吃午餐，就预备好礼物，等约瑟中午回来。

26 When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought, and they bowed to the ground before him.

26 约瑟回到家里后，他们就把带来的礼物献给他，向他俯伏下拜。

27 He asked if they were well, and then he asked, “How is your elderly father you told me about? Is he still alive?”

27 约瑟向他们问好，然后说：“你们提起过你们的老父亲，他安康吗？还健在吗？”

28 “Your servant our father is well,” they answered. “He is still alive.” And they bowed down to honor him.

28 他们回答说：“你仆人——我们的父亲仍然健在，安康。”说完了，又向他下拜。

29 When Joseph looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son, he asked, “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” Then he declared, “May God be gracious to you, my son.”

29 约瑟抬眼看见了自己的同胞弟弟便雅悯，就问道：“这就是你们所说那位最小的弟弟吗？”他又对便雅悯说：“孩子，愿上帝施恩给你。”

30 Joseph hurried out because he was moved to tears for his brother, and he went to a private room to weep.

30 约瑟爱弟之心油然而生，急忙出去找哭的地方。他到自己的房间里哭了一场。

31 Then he washed his face and came back out. Regaining his composure, he said, “Serve the meal.”

31 他洗过脸出来，控制着自己的感情，吩咐人摆饭。

32 They separately served Joseph, his brothers, and the Egyptians. They ate separately because the Egyptians would not eat with the Hebrews, since that was detestable to them.

32 约瑟自己一桌，他的弟兄们一桌，那些和他们一起吃饭的埃及人一桌，因为埃及人厌恶希伯来人，不与他们同席。

33 They were seated before Joseph in order by age, from the firstborn to the youngest, and the men looked at one another in astonishment.

33 约瑟让他的弟兄们按照长幼次序在他对面坐，他们面面相觑，非常惊讶。

34 When the portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, Benjamin’s portion was five times larger than any of the others. So they feasted and drank freely with Joseph.

34 约瑟吩咐人把自己面前的菜肴分给他们，便雅悯得的那份比其他弟兄多五倍。他们尽情地和约瑟一同吃喝。