Exodus 3

1 Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the back of the wilderness, and came to God’s mountain, to Horeb.

那時梅瑟為他的岳父，米德楊的司祭耶特洛放羊；一次他趕羊往曠野裏去，到了天主的山曷勒布。

2 Yahweh’s angel appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the middle of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.

上主的使者叢荊棘叢火焰中顯現給他；他遠遠看見那荊棘為火焚燒，而荊棘卻沒有燒毀。

3 Moses said, “I will go now, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.”

梅瑟心裏說：「我要到那邊看看這個奇異的現象，為什麼荊棘燒不毀﹖」

4 When Yahweh saw that he came over to see, God called to him out of the middle of the bush, and said, “Moses! Moses!” He said, “Here I am.”

上主見他走來觀看，天主便由荊棘叢中叫他說：「梅瑟! 梅瑟! 」他答說：「我在這裏。」

5 He said, “Don’t come close. Take off your sandals, for the place you are standing on is holy ground.”

天主說：「不可到這邊來! 將你腳上的鞋脫下，因為你所站的地方是聖地。」

6 Moreover he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God.

又說：「我是你父親的天主，亞巴郎的天主，依撒格的天主，雅各伯的天主。」梅瑟因為怕看見天主，就把臉遮起來。

7 Yahweh said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows.

上主說：「我看見我的百姓在埃及所受的痛苦，聽見她們因工頭的壓迫而發出的哀號；我以注意到他們的痛苦。

8 I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey; to the place of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.

所以我要下去整救百姓脫離埃及人的手，領他們離開那地方，到一個美麗寬闊的地方，流奶流蜜的地方，就是客納罕人、赫特人、阿摩黎人、培黎齊人、希威人和耶步斯人的地方。

9 Now, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to me. Moreover I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them.

現在以色列子民的哀號已達於我前，我也親自看見埃及人加於他們的壓迫。

10 Come now therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh, that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”

所以你來，我要派你到法朗那裏，率領我的百姓以色列出離埃及。」

11 Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”

梅瑟對天主說：「我是誰，竟敢去見法朗，率領以色列子民出離埃及﹖」

12 He said, “Certainly I will be with you. This will be the token to you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”

上主回答說：「我必與你同在；幾時你將我的百姓由埃及領出來，你們要在這座山上崇拜天主，你要以此作為我派你的憑據。」啟示上主的名字

13 Moses said to God, “Behold, when I come to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what should I tell them?”

梅瑟對天主說：「當我到以色列子民那裏，向他們說：你們主先的天主打﹖我到你們這裏來時，他們必要問我：他叫什麼名字﹖我要回答他們什麼呢﹖」

14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM,” and he said, “You shall tell the children of Israel this: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

天主向梅瑟說：「我是自有者。」又說：「你要這樣對以色列子民說：那「自有者」打發我到你們這裏來。」

15 God said moreover to Moses, “You shall tell the children of Israel this, ‘Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and this is my memorial to all generations.

天主又對梅瑟說：「你要這樣對以色列子民說：上主，你們祖先的天主，亞巴郎的天主，依撒格的天主和雅各伯的天主，打發我到你們這裏來，這是我的名字，直到永遠；這是我的稱號，直到萬世。

16 Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and tell them, ‘Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, “I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt.

你去召集以色列的長老，對他們說：上主，你們祖先的天主，亞巴郎的天主，依撒格的天主和雅各伯的天主顯現給我說：我實在注意到你們和你們在埃及所遭遇到的一切。

17 I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, to a land flowing with milk and honey.”’

因此我決意領你們擺脫埃及人的壓迫，到客納罕人，赫特人，阿摩黎人，培黎齊人，希威人和耶步斯人的地方，即流奶流蜜的地方。

18 They will listen to your voice. You shall come, you and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt, and you shall tell him, ‘Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Now please let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to Yahweh, our God.’

他們必會聽你的話。你要同以色列的長老去見埃及王，對他說：上主，希伯來人的天主遇見了我們；現今請讓我們走三天的路程，到曠野裏向上主我們的天主舉行祭獻。

19 I know that the king of Egypt won’t give you permission to go, no, not by a mighty hand.

但是我知道，若不用強硬的手段，埃及王決不會讓你們走。

20 I will reach out my hand and strike Egypt with all my wonders which I will do among them, and after that he will let you go.

因此，我要在埃及顯各種奇蹟，打擊那地；以後他才放你們走。

21 I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, and it will happen that when you go, you shall not go empty-handed.

我必要使這百姓在埃及人眼中蒙恩，因此，你們離去時不致空手而走。

22 But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, and of her who visits her house, jewels of silver, jewels of gold, and clothing. You shall put them on your sons, and on your daughters. You shall plunder the Egyptians.”

各個婦人應向鄰舍的婦女，向住在自己家中的女人索取金鉓、銀飾和 衣服，穿戴在你們子女身上：這樣你們就剝奪人埃及人。」