Genesis 44

1 Then Joseph instructed his steward: “Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each one’s silver in the mouth of his sack.

1 约瑟吩咐管家说：“给他们的口袋装满粮食，他们能带多少就装多少，把各人的钱放回他们的口袋中，

2 Put my cup, the silver one, in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the silver for his grain.” So the steward did as Joseph had instructed.

2 再把我的银杯和买粮的钱一起放在最小的兄弟的口袋中。”管家遵命而行。

3 At daybreak, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys.

3 清早，他们就牵着驴被送走了。

4 They had not gone far from the city when Joseph told his steward, “Pursue the men at once, and when you overtake them, ask, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil?

4 他们出城不久，约瑟对管家说：“你快去追他们，追上了就对他们说，‘你们为什么以恶报善？

5 Is this not the cup my master drinks from and uses for divination? What you have done is wicked!’”

5 为什么偷我主人用来喝酒和占卜的银杯？你们这是作恶！’”

6 When the steward overtook them, he relayed these words to them.

6 于是，管家追上他们，按约瑟的话问他们。

7 “Why does my lord say these things?” they asked. “Your servants could not possibly do such a thing.

7 他们回答说：“我主为什么这样说？我们绝不会做这种事。

8 We even brought back to you from the land of Canaan the silver we found in the mouths of our sacks. Why would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house?

8 你看，我们把上次在口袋里发现的钱都从迦南带回来还你了，又怎么会偷你主人家的金银呢？

9 If any of your servants is found to have it, he must die, and the rest will become slaves of my lord.”

9 你若在仆人中任何人身上搜到银杯，他就要死！我们也要做我主的奴仆。”

10 “As you say,” replied the steward. “But only the one who is found with the cup will be my slave, and the rest of you shall be free of blame.”

10 管家说：“好，就照你们的话做吧！银杯从谁那里搜出来，谁就做我的奴仆，其他人都没有罪。”

11 So each one quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it.

11 于是，他们急忙把各自的口袋卸到地上打开。

12 The steward searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest—and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.

12 管家就从最年长的开始搜查，结果在最年幼的便雅悯口袋里搜出了银杯。

13 Then they all tore their clothes, loaded their donkeys, and returned to the city.

13 他们伤心地撕裂衣服，把东西放回驴背上，返回城里。

14 When Judah and his brothers arrived at Joseph’s house, he was still there, and they fell to the ground before him.

14 犹大和他兄弟们回到约瑟家时，约瑟还在那里，他们就俯伏在他面前。

15 “What is this deed you have done?” Joseph declared. “Do you not know that a man like me can surely divine the truth?”

15 约瑟对他们说：“你们做的是什么事？难道你们不知道像我这样的人是懂得占卜的吗？”

16 “What can we say to my lord?” Judah replied. “How can we plead? How can we justify ourselves? God has exposed the iniquity of your servants. We are now my lord’s slaves—both we and the one who was found with the cup.”

16 犹大说：“我们能对我主说什么呢？我们还有什么话可说呢？我们如何洗脱罪名呢？上帝既然查出你仆人们的罪，我们跟那个手上被发现有银杯的一起做我主的奴仆吧！”

17 But Joseph replied, “Far be it from me to do this. The man who was found with the cup will be my slave. The rest of you may return to your father in peace.”

17 约瑟回答说：“不！我决不会这样做。从谁那里搜出了银杯，谁就做我的奴仆，其他人平安地回去见你们的父亲吧。”

18 Then Judah approached Joseph and said, “Sir, please let your servant speak personally to my lord. Do not be angry with your servant, for you are equal to Pharaoh himself.

18 犹大近前来对他说：“我主啊，你就像法老一样，求你容仆人说一句话，不要向仆人发怒。

19 My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’

19 我主曾经问仆人们是否有父亲和弟兄，

20 And we answered, ‘We have an elderly father and a younger brother, the child of his old age. The boy’s brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother’s sons left, and his father loves him.’

20 我们对我主说，‘我们有年迈的老父，他在晚年得了一个儿子，这孩子的哥哥已经死了，他母亲只剩下他这一个儿子，他父亲很疼爱他。’

21 Then you told your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so that I can see him for myself.’

21 你吩咐仆人们把弟弟带来给你亲眼看看，

22 So we said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father. If he were to leave, his father would die.’

22 我们对我主说，‘这孩子不能离开他父亲，他若离开，他父亲一定会死。’

23 But you said to your servants, ‘Unless your younger brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.’

23 可是，你说如果仆人们不把最小的弟弟带来，就不得再见你的面。

24 Now when we returned to your servant my father, we relayed your words to him.

24 我们回到你仆人——我们的父亲那里，把我主的话告诉了他。

25 Then our father said, ‘Go back and buy us some food.’

25 “后来，他又吩咐仆人们回来买些粮，

26 But we answered, ‘We cannot go down there unless our younger brother goes with us. So if our younger brother is not with us, we cannot see the man.’

26 我们告诉他，我们不能来，只有我们最小的弟弟同来，我们才能来。否则，我们不能见你的面。

27 And your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons.

27 你仆人——我的父亲就对我们说，‘你们知道，我妻子给我生了两个儿子。

28 When one of them was gone, I said: “Surely he has been torn to pieces.” And I have not seen him since.

28 其中一个离我而去，我想他一定被野兽撕碎了，我再没有见过他。

29 Now if you also take this one from me and harm comes to him, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.’

29 要是你们把这个也带走，遇上什么意外的话，你们会使我这白发苍苍的老人凄凄惨惨地下阴间。’

30 So if the boy is not with us when I return to your servant, and if my father, whose life is wrapped up in the boy’s life,

30 “我们父亲的命与这孩子的命紧密相连，倘若我没有把这孩子带回到你仆人——我的父亲身边，

31 sees that the boy is not with us, he will die. Then your servants will have brought the gray hair of your servant our father down to Sheol in sorrow.

31 他一看这孩子不在，一定会死。仆人们会使自己白发苍苍的父亲凄凄惨惨地下阴间。

32 Indeed, your servant guaranteed the boy’s safety to my father, saying, ‘If I do not return him to you, I will bear the guilt before you, my father, all my life.’

32 仆人曾经向父亲担保这孩子的安全，说我若不把这孩子带回他身边，情愿一生担罪。

33 Now please let your servant stay here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy. Let him return with his brothers.

33 现在请准许仆人代替这孩子做我主的奴仆，让他跟他哥哥们回去吧。

34 For how can I go back to my father without the boy? I could not bear to see the misery that would overwhelm him.”

34 这孩子若不和我一同回去，我如何见我父亲呢？我不愿看到灾难临到我父亲。”