創世記 43
1 那地的饑荒甚大。
And the famine was sore in the land.
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。」
And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food.
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。』
And Judah spoke unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, All of you shall not see my face, except your brother be with 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；
If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food:
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。』」
But if you will not send him, we will not go down: for the man said unto us, All of you shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.
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？」
And Israel said, Wherefore dealt all of you so ill with me, as to tell the man whether all of you had yet a brother?
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？」
And they said, The man asked us strictly of our state, and of our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have all of you another brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we certainly know that he would say, Bring your brother down?
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。
And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and you, and also our little ones.
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。
I will be guarantor for him; of my hand shall you require him: if I bring him not unto you, and set him before you, then let me bear the blame for ever:
10 我們若沒有耽擱，如今第二次都回來了。」
For except we had lingered, surely now we had returned this second time.
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，
And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:
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。
And take double money in your hand; and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again in your hand; possibly it was an oversight:
13 也帶着你們的兄弟，起身去見那人。
Take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man:
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！」
And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.
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。
And the men took that present, and they took double money in their hand and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
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。」
And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house, Bring these men home, and slay, and make ready; for these men shall dine with me at noon.
17 家宰就遵着約瑟的命去行，領他們進約瑟的屋裏。
And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men into Joseph's house.
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。」
And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph's house; and they said, Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses.
19 他們就挨近約瑟的家宰，在屋門口和他說話，
And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and they communed with him at the door of the house,
20 說：「我主啊，我們頭次下來實在是要糴糧。
And said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:
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。
And it came to pass, when we came to the inn, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight: and we have brought it again in our hand.
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。」
And other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food: we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks.
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。
And he said, Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money. And he brought Simeon out unto them.
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。
And the man brought the men into Joseph's house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their asses animal food.
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。
And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there.
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。
And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth.
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？」
And he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom all of you spoke? Is he yet alive?
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。
And they answered, Your servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made reverence.
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！」
And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, Is this your younger brother, of whom all of you spoke unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto you, my son.
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。
And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there.
31 他洗了臉出來，勉強隱忍，吩咐人擺飯。
And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.
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。
And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians.
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。
And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled one at another.
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。
And he took and sent portions unto them from before him: but Benjamin's portion was five times so much as any of their's. And they drank, and were merry with him.
