Genesis 43

1 Now the famine was still severe in the land.

1 那地的饥荒甚大。

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 他们从埃及带来的粮食吃尽了，他们的父亲就对他们说：「你们再去给我籴些粮来。」

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

3 犹大对他说：「那人谆谆地告诫我们说：『你们的兄弟若不与你们同来，你们就不得见我的面。』

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

4 你若打发我们的兄弟与我们同去，我们就下去给你籴粮；

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 你若不打发他去，我们就不下去，因为那人对我们说：『你们的兄弟若不与你们同来，你们就不得见我的面。』」

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，告诉那人你们还有兄弟呢？」

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：「那人详细问到我们和我们的亲属，说：『你们的父亲还在吗？你们还有兄弟吗？』我们就按着他所问的告诉他，焉能知道他要说『必须把你们的兄弟带下来』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 犹大又对他父亲以色列说：「你打发童子与我同去，我们就起身下去，好叫我们和你，并我们的妇人孩子，都得存活，不至于死。

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 我为他作保；你可以从我手中追讨，我若不带他回来交在你面前，我情愿永远担罪。

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

10 我们若没有耽搁，如今第二次都回来了。」

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：「若必须如此，你们就当这样行：可以将这地土产中最好的乳香、蜂蜜、香料、没药、榧子、杏仁都取一点，收在器具里，带下去送给那人作礼物，

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 又要手里加倍地带银子，并将归还在你们口袋内的银子仍带在手里；那或者是错了。

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

13 也带着你们的兄弟，起身去见那人。

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 但愿全能的 神使你们在那人面前蒙怜悯，释放你们的那弟兄和便雅悯回来。我若丧了儿子，就丧了吧！」

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，他们拿着那礼物，又手里加倍地带银子，并且带着便雅悯，起身下到埃及，站在约瑟面前。

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 约瑟见便雅悯和他们同来，就对家宰说：「将这些人领到屋里。要宰杀牲畜，预备筵席，因为晌午这些人同我吃饭。」

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

17 家宰就遵着约瑟的命去行，领他们进约瑟的屋里。

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 他们因为被领到约瑟的屋里，就害怕，说：「领我们到这里来，必是因为头次归还在我们口袋里的银子，找我们的错缝，下手害我们，强取我们为奴仆，抢夺我们的驴。」

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

19 他们就挨近约瑟的家宰，在屋门口和他说话，

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

20 说：「我主啊，我们头次下来实在是要籴粮。

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 后来到了住宿的地方，我们打开口袋，不料，各人的银子，分量足数，仍在各人的口袋内，现在我们手里又带回来了。

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

22 另外又带下银子来籴粮。不知道先前谁把银子放在我们的口袋里。」

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 家宰说：「你们可以放心，不要害怕，是你们的 神和你们父亲的 神赐给你们财宝在你们的口袋里；你们的银子，我早已收了。」他就把西缅带出来，交给他们。

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 家宰就领他们进约瑟的屋里，给他们水洗脚，又给他们草料喂驴。

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 他们就预备那礼物，等候约瑟晌午来，因为他们听见要在那里吃饭。

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

26 约瑟来到家里，他们就把手中的礼物拿进屋去给他，又俯伏在地，向他下拜。

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 约瑟问他们好，又问：「你们的父亲—就是你们所说的那老人家平安吗？他还在吗？」

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—我们的父亲平安；他还在。」于是他们低头下拜。

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 约瑟举目看见他同母的兄弟便雅悯，就说：「你们向我所说那顶小的兄弟就是这位吗？」又说：「小儿啊，愿 神赐恩给你！」

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

30 约瑟爱弟之情发动，就急忙寻找可哭之地，进入自己的屋里，哭了一场。

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

31 他洗了脸出来，勉强隐忍，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 他们就为约瑟单摆了一席，为那些人又摆了一席，也为和约瑟同吃饭的埃及人另摆了一席，因为埃及人不可和希伯来人一同吃饭；那原是埃及人所厌恶的。

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 约瑟使众弟兄在他面前排列坐席，都按着长幼的次序，众弟兄就彼此诧异。

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 约瑟把他面前的食物分出来，送给他们；但便雅悯所得的比别人多五倍。他们就饮酒，和约瑟一同宴乐。