Genesis 18
1 One day during that year when it was hot, Yahweh appeared to Abraham again near the big trees that belonged to Mamre, while Abraham was sitting in the entrance to his tent.
天正熱的時候，亞巴郎坐在帳幕門口，上主在瑪默勒橡樹林那裏，給他顯現出來。
2 Abraham looked up [MTY] and was surprised to see three men standing near him. [Actually, one was Yahweh, and the other two were angels]. When he saw them, he ran to meet them. He prostrated himself with his face on the ground to show respect,
他舉目一望，見有三人站在對面。他一見就由帳幕門口跑去迎接他們，俯伏在地，
3 and said [to one of them], “Sir, if you are pleased with me, stay here for a little while [LIT].
說：「我主如果我蒙你垂愛，請不要由你僕人這裏走過去，
4 Allow my servants to bring a little water and wash your feet, and rest under this tree.
我叫人拿點水來，洗洗你們的腳，然後在樹下休息休息。
5 Since you have come here to me, allow me to bring you some food [SYN] so that you can feel refreshed before you leave.” Yahweh replied, “All right, do as you have said.”
你們既然路過你僕人這裏，等我拿點餅來，吃點點心，然後再走。」他們答說：「就照你所說的做罷! 」
6 So Abraham quickly went into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick, get some of our best flour and make some loaves of bread!”
亞巴郎趕快進入帳幕，到撒辣前說：「你快拿三斗細麵，和一和，作些餅。」
7 Then he ran to the herd of cattle and selected a calf whose meat would be tender and tasty. He gave it to one of his servants [and told him to] quickly kill it and cook it.
遂又跑到牛群中，選了一頭又嫩又肥的牛犢，交給僕人，要他趕快煮好。
8 When the meat was cooked, Abraham brought some curds and milk and the meat that had been prepared, and set them in front of his visitors. Then he stood near them, under a tree, while they ate.
亞巴郎遂拿了凝乳和牛奶，及預備好了的牛犢，擺在他們面前；他們吃的時候，自己在樹下侍候。
9 [One of] them asked him, “Where is Sarah, your wife?” He replied, “She is in the tent.”
他們對他說：「你的妻子撒辣在那裏﹖」他答說：「在帳幕裏。」
10 Then the leader of the group said, “I will return to you (about this time/in the springtime) next year, and to your amazement, your wife Sarah will have an infant son.” It happened that Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent, which was behind the one who was speaking.
其中一位說：「明年此時我必回到你這裏，那時，你的妻子撒辣要有一個兒子。」辣其時正在那人背後的帳幕門口竊聽。
11 Abraham and Sarah were very old, and Sarah was far past the time of when she could bear children.
亞巴郎和撒辣都已年老，年紀很大，而且撒辣的月經早已停止。
12 So Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, “My body is worn out, and my husband is old. So how can I have the pleasure [of having a child]?” [RHQ]
撒辣遂心裏竊笑說：「現在，我已衰老，同我年老的丈夫，還有這喜事嗎﹖」
13 Yahweh said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why was she thinking, ‘I am too old, so how can I bear a child?’
上主對亞巴郎說：「撒辣為什麼笑﹖且說：像我這樣老，真的還能生育﹖
14 I am Yahweh! (Is there anything too difficult for me?/There is nothing too difficult for me!) [RHQ] I will return about this time next year in the springtime, and Sarah will have an infant son.”
為上主豈有難事﹖明年這時，我必要回到你這裏，那時撒辣必有一個兒子。」
15 Then Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.” But Yahweh said, “Don’t deny it! You did laugh.”
撒辣害怕了，否認說：「我沒有笑。」但是那位說：「不，你實在笑了。」
16 When the three men got up to leave, they looked down into the valley toward Sodom [city]. Abraham was walking with them to say “goodbye” to them.
後來那三人由那裏起身，望著索多瑪前行；亞巴郎送他們，也一同前行。
17 Yahweh thought to himself, “It is not right for me to prevent Abraham from knowing what I plan to do [RHQ].
上主說：「我要作的事，豈能瞞著亞巴郎﹖
18 Abraham’s descendants [MTY] will become a great and powerful nation. And people of [MTY] all nations will be blessed because of what I do for him.
因為他要成為一強大而又興盛的民族，地上所有的民族，都要因他蒙受祝福；
19 I have chosen him in order that he will teach his children and their families to obey me and do what is right and fair, and then I will do for Abraham what I promised.”
何況我揀選了他，是要他訓令自己的子孫和未來的家族，保持上主的正道，實行公義正道，好使上主能實現他對亞巴郎所許的事。」
20 So Yahweh said to Abraham, “I have heard the terrible things that have been said about the people of [MTY] Sodom and Gomorrah. Their sins are very great.
上主於是說：「控告索多瑪和哈摩辣的聲音實在很大，他們的罪惡實在深重!
21 So I will go down now, and I will see if all the terrible things that I have heard are true or not true.”
我要下去看看，願意知道：是否他們所行的全如達到我前的呼聲一樣。」
22 Then the two men turned and started walking toward Sodom. But Yahweh remained, standing in front of Abraham.
三人中有二人轉身向索多瑪走去；亞巴郎卻仍立在上主面前。
23 Abraham came closer to him and said, “Will you really destroy righteous people along with wicked ones?
亞巴郎近前來說：「你真要將義人同惡人一起消滅嗎﹖
24 What will you do if there are only 50 righteous people in the city? Will you really get rid of them all, and not spare the place/city for the sake of the 50 righteous people who are in the city?
假如城中有五十個義人，你還要消滅嗎﹖不為其中的那五十個義人，赦免那地方嗎﹖
25 It would certainly not be right for you to do such a thing, to kill righteous people along with wicked ones, and treat righteous people and wicked people the same way. You could not do that, because you, who are the judge of everyone on the earth, will certainly do what is right [regarding the people of Sodom]!” [RHQ]
你決不能如此行事，將義人同惡人一併誅滅；將義人如惡人一樣看待，你決不能! 審判全地的主，豈能不行公義﹖」
26 Yahweh replied, “If I find 50 righteous people in Sodom, I will spare the whole place/city for their sake.”
上主答說：「假如我在索多瑪城中找出了五十個義人，為了他們我要赦免整個地方。」
27 Abraham replied, “I should not be bold like this and speak to you, God, because I am as worthless as dust and ashes [MET].
亞巴郎接著說：「
28 But what will you do if there are only 45 righteous people? Will you destroy everyone in the whole city because there are only 45 and not 50 righteous people?” Yahweh replied, “I will not destroy it if I find that there are 45 righteous people.”
我雖只是塵埃灰土，膽敢再對我主說：假如五十個義人中少了五個怎樣﹖你就為了少五個而毀滅全城嗎﹖」他答說：「假如我在那裏找到四十五個，我不毀滅。」
29 Abraham continued to speak to him [like this], saying, “What will you do if you find that there are only 40 righteous people there?” Yahweh replied, “I will not destroy them all, for the sake of the 40.”
亞巴郎再向他進言說：「假如在那裏找到四十個怎樣﹖」他答說：「為了這四十個我也不做這事。」
30 Abraham said, “God, please don’t be angry now. Let me speak again. What will you do if there are only 30 righteous people?” He replied, “I will not do it if I find that there are 30 there.”
亞巴郎說：「求我主且勿動怒，容我再進一言：假如在那裏找到三十個怎樣﹖」他答說：「假如在那裏我找到三十個，我也不做這事。」
31 Abraham said, “I should not be bold and speak to you like this, God. But what will you do if you find that there are only 20 righteous people there?” He replied, “I will not destroy the whole city, for the sake of those 20.”
亞巴郎說：「我再放膽對我主進一言：假如在那裏找到二十個怎樣﹖」他答說：「為了這二十個，我也不毀滅。」
32 Abraham said, “God, don’t be angry now. Just let me speak one time more. What will you do if you find that there are only ten righteous people there?” Yahweh answered, “I will not destroy the city for the sake of those ten.”
亞巴郎求：「求我主且勿動怒，容我最後一次進言：假如在那裏找到十個怎樣﹖」他答說：「為了這十個我也不毀滅。」
33 Abraham said no more, and as soon as Yahweh finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home.
上主向亞巴郎說完話就走了；亞巴郎也回家去了。
