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 约瑟吩咐家宰说：「把粮食装满这些人的口袋，尽着他们的驴所能驮的，又把各人的银子放在各人的口袋里，

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 并将我的银杯和那少年人籴粮的银子一同装在他的口袋里。」家宰就照约瑟所说的话行了；

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

3 天一亮就打发那些人带着驴走了。

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 他们出城走了不远，约瑟对家宰说：「起来，追那些人去，追上了就对他们说：『你们为什么以恶报善呢？

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

5 这不是我主人饮酒的杯吗？岂不是他占卜用的吗？你们这样行是作恶了。』」

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

6 家宰追上他们，将这些话对他们说了。

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：「我主为什么说这样的话呢？你仆人断不能做这样的事。

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，我们从前在口袋里所见的银子，尚且从迦南地带来还你，我们怎能从你主人家里偷窃金银呢？

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

9 你仆人中无论在谁那里搜出来，就叫他死，我们也作我主的奴仆。」

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 家宰说：「现在就照你们的话行吧！在谁那里搜出来，谁就作我的奴仆；其余的都没有罪。」

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

11 于是他们各人急忙把口袋卸在地上，各人打开口袋。

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

12 家宰就搜查，从年长的起到年幼的为止，那杯竟在便雅悯的口袋里搜出来。

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

13 他们就撕裂衣服，各人把驮子抬在驴上，回城去了。

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

14 犹大和他弟兄们来到约瑟的屋中，约瑟还在那里，他们就在他面前俯伏于地。

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：「你们做的是什么事呢？你们岂不知像我这样的人必能占卜吗？」

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：「我们对我主说什么呢？还有什么话可说呢？我们怎能自己表白出来呢？ 神已经查出仆人的罪孽了。我们与那在他手中搜出杯来的都是我主的奴仆。」

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 约瑟说：「我断不能这样行！在谁的手中搜出杯来，谁就作我的奴仆；至于你们，可以平平安安地上你们父亲那里去。」

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 犹大挨近他，说：「我主啊，求你容仆人说一句话给我主听，不要向仆人发烈怒，因为你如同法老一样。

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

19 我主曾问仆人们说：『你们有父亲有兄弟没有？』

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：『我们有父亲，已经年老，还有他老年所生的一个小孩子。他哥哥死了，他母亲只撇下他一人，他父亲疼爱他。』

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

21 你对仆人说：『把他带到我这里来，叫我亲眼看看他。』

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：『童子不能离开他父亲，若是离开，他父亲必死。』

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

23 你对仆人说：『你们的小兄弟若不与你们一同下来，你们就不得再见我的面。』

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

24 我们上到你仆人—我们父亲那里，就把我主的话告诉了他。

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

25 我们的父亲说：『你们再去给我籴些粮来。』

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 我们就说：『我们不能下去。我们的小兄弟若和我们同往，我们就可以下去。因为，小兄弟若不与我们同往，我们必不得见那人的面。』

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

27 你仆人—我父亲对我们说：『你们知道我的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 一个离开我出去了；我说他必是被撕碎了，直到如今我也没有见他。

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 现在你们又要把这个带去离开我，倘若他遭害，那便是你们使我白发苍苍、悲悲惨惨地下阴间去了。』

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 我父亲的命与这童子的命相连。如今我回到你仆人—我父亲那里，若没有童子与我们同在，

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 我们的父亲见没有童子，他就必死。这便是我们使你仆人—我们的父亲白发苍苍、悲悲惨惨地下阴间去了。

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 因为仆人曾向我父亲为这童子作保，说：『我若不带他回来交给父亲，我便在父亲面前永远担罪。』

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 现在求你容仆人住下，替这童子作我主的奴仆，叫童子和他哥哥们一同上去。

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 若童子不和我同去，我怎能上去见我父亲呢？恐怕我看见灾祸临到我父亲身上。」