Genesis 42
1 Then Jacob, hearing that food was being sold in Egypt, said to his sons: “Why are you negligent?
雅各伯見埃及有糧食出售，便對自己的兒子們說：「你們為什麼彼此觀望﹖」
2 I have heard that wheat is being sold in Egypt. Go down and buy necessities for us, so that we may be able to live, and not be consumed by destitution.”
繼而說：「我聽說在埃及有糧食出售，你們下到那裏，給我們購買些糧食，叫我們好活下去，不致餓死。」
3 And so, when ten brothers of Joseph went down to buy grain in Egypt,
於是若瑟的十個哥哥下到埃及買糧食去了。
4 Benjamin was kept at home by Jacob, who said to his brothers, “Lest perhaps he may suffer harm on the journey.”
至於若瑟的弟弟本雅明，雅各伯沒有叫他與哥哥們同去，因為他想：怕他遇害。
5 And they entered into the land of Egypt with the others who traveled to buy. For the famine was in the land of Canaan.
這樣以色列的兒子們也夾在前來購糧的人中，前來購糧，因為客納罕地也發生了飢荒。
6 And Joseph was governor in the land of Egypt, and grain was sold under his direction to the people. And when his brothers had reverenced him
當時在地方上執政的人是若瑟，給地方上所有人民配售糧食的也是他。若瑟的哥哥們來了，就俯首至地，向他下拜。
7 and he had recognized them, he spoke harshly, as if to foreigners, questioning them: “Where did you come from?” And they responded, “From the land of Canaan, to buy necessary provisions.”
若瑟一見他的哥哥們，就認出他們來，卻裝做生人，向他們說了一切嚴厲的話，問他們說：「你們是從那裏來的﹖」他們答說：「我們是從客納罕地來購買糧食的。」
8 And although he knew his brothers, he was not known by them.
若瑟認出哥哥們來，他們卻沒有認出他來。
9 And remembering the dreams, which he had seen in another time, he said to them: “You are scouts. You have come in order to see which parts of the land are weaker.”
於是若瑟想起了他昔日關於他們所作的夢，便對他們說：「你們是探子，前來刺探本地的虛實。」
10 And they said: “It is not so, my lord. But your servants have arrived in order to buy food.
他們回答說：「我主! 絕對不是：你的僕人們是來購買糧食的。
11 We are all sons of one man. We have come in peace, nor do any of your subjects devise evil.”
我們全是一個人的兒子，我們是誠實人；你的僕人們從未做過探子。」
12 And he answered them: “It is otherwise. You have come to examine the unguarded parts of this land.”
若瑟對他們說：「不，你們前來必是為刺探此地的虛實。」
13 But they said: “We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is with our father; the other is not living.”
他們答說：「你的僕人們原是兄弟十二人，同是客納罕地一個人的兒子；最小的現今在父親那裏，另一個已不在了。」
14 He said: “This is just as I have said. You are scouts.
若瑟對他們說：「我才說你們是探子；這話實在不錯。
15 I will now continue to put you to the test. By the health of Pharaoh, you will not depart from here, until your youngest brother arrives.
為此我要考驗你們：我指著法郎的生命起誓：如果你們最小的弟弟不到這裏來，你們莫想離開此地。
16 Send one of you and bring him. But you will be in chains, until what you have said is proven to be either true or false. Otherwise, by the health of Pharaoh, you are scouts.”
你們可由你們中派一個人回去，帶你們的弟弟來，其他的人暫且拘留，以待證明你們的話是否誠實；如果不是真的，我只著法郎的生命起誓：你們必是探子。」
17 Therefore, he delivered them into custody for three days.
於是在拘留所內拘禁了他們三天。
18 Then, on the third day, he brought them out of prison, and he said: “Do as I have said, and you will live. For I fear God.
第三天，若瑟對他們說：「我原是個敬畏天主的人，你們願意保全性命，應這樣做：
19 If you are peaceful, let one of your brothers be bound in prison. Then you may go away and carry the grain that you have bought to your houses.
如果你們是誠實人，叫你們兄弟中一個人留在拘留所內，其餘的人可帶糧食回去，解救家中的飢荒。
20 And bring your youngest brother to me, so that I may be able to test your words, and you may not die.” They did as he had said,
然後給我帶你們的小弟弟來，好證實你們的話，你們也不致於死。」他們就這樣作了。
21 and they spoke to one another: “We deserve to suffer these things, because we have sinned against our brother, seeing the anguish of his soul, when he begged us and we would not listen. For that reason, this tribulation has come upon us.”
他們彼此說：「我們實在該賠補加害我們兄弟的罪，因為他向我們哀求時，我們見了他心靈痛苦，竟不肯聽；為此這場苦難才落到我們身上! 」
22 And Reuben, one of them, said: “Did not I say to you, ‘Do not sin against the boy,’ and you would not listen to me? See, his blood is exacted.”
勒烏本就對他們說：「我豈不是對你們說過：不要傷害那孩子嗎﹖你們卻不肯聽；看，現在要追討他的血了。」
23 But they did not know that Joseph understood, because he was speaking to them through an interpreter.
他們原不知道若瑟都聽得懂，因為在他們中有一翻譯員。
24 And he turned himself away briefly and wept. And returning, he spoke to them.
若瑟就由他們前退出去哭了。然後又回來與他們交談，由他們中提出西默盎在他們眼前將他捆綁起來。
25 And taking Simeon, and binding him in their presence, he ordered his ministers to fill their sacks with wheat, and to replace each one’s money in their sacks, and to give them, in addition, provisions for the way. And they did so.
若瑟遂吩咐人將他們的布袋裝滿了糧食，將各人的銀錢仍放在各人的布袋內，並且還給了他們途中所需要的食物；人就對他們這樣做了。
26 Then, having loaded their donkeys with the grain, they set out.
他們將購得的糧食馱在驢上，就從那裏起身走了。
27 And one of them, opening a sack to give his beast of burden fodder at the inn, looked upon the money at the sack’s mouth,
到了客棧，他們中一人打開了布袋拿料餵驢，看見自己的銀錢仍在布袋口，
28 and he said to his brothers: “My money has returned to me. See, it is held in the sack.” And they were astonished and troubled, and they said to one another, “What is this that God has done to us?”
遂對兄弟們說：「我的銀錢退回來了；看，仍在我的袋裏。」他們心驚起來，彼此戰慄地說：「天主對我們所作的，是怎麼一回事。」
29 And they went to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, and they explained to him all the things that had befallen them, saying:
他們回到客納罕地，他們的父親雅各伯那裏，將所遇見的事全告訴他說：「
30 “The lord of the land spoke harshly to us, and he considered us to be scouts of the province.
那地方的主人對我們說了一些嚴厲的話，將我們視作刺探那地方的人。
31 And we answered him: ‘We are peaceful, and we do not intend any treachery.
我們對他說：「我們是誠實人，決不是探子；
32 We are twelve brothers conceived of one father. One is not living; the youngest is with our father in the land of Canaan.’
我們原是兄弟十二人，同一父親的兒子，一個已不在了，最小的現在同我們的父親在客納罕地。
33 And he said to us: ‘Thus will I prove that you are peaceful. Release one of your brothers to me, and take necessary provisions for your houses, and go away,
那地方的主人對我們說：為叫我知道你們是誠實人，你們兄弟中一人留在我這裏，其餘的人帶糧食回去解救家中的飢荒；
34 and bring your youngest brother to me, so that I may know that you are not scouts. And this one, who is held in chains, you may be able to receive again. And thereafter, you shall have permission to buy what you want.’”
然後將你們的弟弟給我帶來，那時我才能知道你們不是探子，確是誠實人，我將你們的兄弟還給你們，你們可在這地方自由行動。」
35 Having said this, when they poured out their grain, each found his money tied to the mouth of his sack. And all were terrified together.
當他們倒自己的糧袋時，不料各人的錢囊仍在各人的袋內。他們和他們的父親，一見錢囊，都害怕起來。
36 Their father Jacob said, “You have caused me to be without children. Joseph is not living, Simeon is held in chains, and Benjamin you would carry away. All these evils have fallen back upon me.”
他們的父親雅各伯對他們說：「你們總是使我喪失兒子：若瑟不在了，西默盎不在了，你們還要帶走本雅明! 這一切都落在我身上! 」
37 And Reuben answered him, “Put my two sons to death, if I do not lead him back to you. Deliver him into my hand, and I will restore him to you.”
勒烏本對他父親說：「如果我不將他給你帶回來，你可殺死我的兩個兒子；只管將他交在我手裏，我必再還給你。」
38 But he said: “My son will not go down with you. His brother is dead, and he is left alone. If any adversity will befall him in the land to which you travel, you would lead my grey hairs down with sorrow to the grave.” (Sheol h7585)
雅各伯答說：「我兒子不能和你們一同下去，因為他哥哥死了，只剩下了他獨自一個；如果他在你們行的路上遇到什麼不幸，那你們就要使我這白髮老人在憂苦中降入陰府了。」 (Sheol h7585)
