Genesis 43

1 Now the famine was still severe in the land.

1 那地的饑荒甚大。

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 他們從埃及帶來的糧食吃盡了，他們的父親就對他們說：「你們再去給我糴些糧來。」

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

3 猶大對他說：「那人諄諄地告誡我們說：『你們的兄弟若不與你們同來，你們就不得見我的面。』

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

4 你若打發我們的兄弟與我們同去，我們就下去給你糴糧；

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 你若不打發他去，我們就不下去，因為那人對我們說：『你們的兄弟若不與你們同來，你們就不得見我的面。』」

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

6 以色列說：「你們為甚麼這樣害我，告訴那人你們還有兄弟呢？」

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 他們回答說：「那人詳細問到我們和我們的親屬，說：『你們的父親還在嗎？你們還有兄弟嗎？』我們就按着他所問的告訴他，焉能知道他要說『必須把你們的兄弟帶下來』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 猶大又對他父親以色列說：「你打發童子與我同去，我們就起身下去，好叫我們和你，並我們的婦人孩子，都得存活，不至於死。

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 我為他作保；你可以從我手中追討，我若不帶他回來交在你面前，我情願永遠擔罪。

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

10 我們若沒有耽擱，如今第二次都回來了。」

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 他們的父親以色列說：「若必須如此，你們就當這樣行：可以將這地土產中最好的乳香、蜂蜜、香料、沒藥、榧子、杏仁都取一點，收在器具裏，帶下去送給那人作禮物，

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 又要手裏加倍地帶銀子，並將歸還在你們口袋內的銀子仍帶在手裏；那或者是錯了。

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

13 也帶着你們的兄弟，起身去見那人。

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 但願全能的上帝使你們在那人面前蒙憐憫，釋放你們的那弟兄和便雅憫回來。我若喪了兒子，就喪了吧！」

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 於是，他們拿着那禮物，又手裏加倍地帶銀子，並且帶着便雅憫，起身下到埃及，站在約瑟面前。

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 約瑟見便雅憫和他們同來，就對家宰說：「將這些人領到屋裏。要宰殺牲畜，預備筵席，因為晌午這些人同我吃飯。」

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

17 家宰就遵着約瑟的命去行，領他們進約瑟的屋裏。

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 他們因為被領到約瑟的屋裏，就害怕，說：「領我們到這裏來，必是因為頭次歸還在我們口袋裏的銀子，找我們的錯縫，下手害我們，強取我們為奴僕，搶奪我們的驢。」

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

19 他們就挨近約瑟的家宰，在屋門口和他說話，

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

20 說：「我主啊，我們頭次下來實在是要糴糧。

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 後來到了住宿的地方，我們打開口袋，不料，各人的銀子，分量足數，仍在各人的口袋內，現在我們手裏又帶回來了。

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

22 另外又帶下銀子來糴糧。不知道先前誰把銀子放在我們的口袋裏。」

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 家宰說：「你們可以放心，不要害怕，是你們的上帝和你們父親的上帝賜給你們財寶在你們的口袋裏；你們的銀子，我早已收了。」他就把西緬帶出來，交給他們。

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 家宰就領他們進約瑟的屋裏，給他們水洗腳，又給他們草料餵驢。

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 他們就預備那禮物，等候約瑟晌午來，因為他們聽見要在那裏吃飯。

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

26 約瑟來到家裏，他們就把手中的禮物拿進屋去給他，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 約瑟問他們好，又問：「你們的父親－就是你們所說的那老人家平安嗎？他還在嗎？」

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

28 他們回答說：「你僕人－我們的父親平安；他還在。」於是他們低頭下拜。

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 約瑟舉目看見他同母的兄弟便雅憫，就說：「你們向我所說那頂小的兄弟就是這位嗎？」又說：「小兒啊，願上帝賜恩給你！」

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

30 約瑟愛弟之情發動，就急忙尋找可哭之地，進入自己的屋裏，哭了一場。

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

31 他洗了臉出來，勉強隱忍，吩咐人擺飯。

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 他們就為約瑟單擺了一席，為那些人又擺了一席，也為和約瑟同吃飯的埃及人另擺了一席，因為埃及人不可和希伯來人一同吃飯；那原是埃及人所厭惡的。

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 約瑟使眾弟兄在他面前排列坐席，都按着長幼的次序，眾弟兄就彼此詫異。

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 約瑟把他面前的食物分出來，送給他們；但便雅憫所得的比別人多五倍。他們就飲酒，和約瑟一同宴樂。