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Genesis 44

The Brothers Are Brought Back

The Steward's Secret Orders

Genesis 44 illustration: The Steward's Secret Orders

44 Then he commanded his house steward, saying, "Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man's money in the opening of his sack. 2 And put my cup, the silver cup, in the opening of the sack of the youngest, and his money for the grain." And he did as Joseph had told him. 3 As soon as it was light, the men were sent away, they with their donkeys. 4 They had just left the city, and were not far away, when Joseph said to his house steward, "Up, follow the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, 'Why have you repaid evil for good? 5 Is this not that from which my lord drinks, and which he indeed uses for divination? You have done wrong in doing this!'"

1 約瑟吩咐家宰說,把糧食裝滿這些人的口袋,儘著他們的驢所能馱的,又把各人的銀子放在各人的口袋裡。2 並將我的銀杯,和那少年人糴糧的銀子,一同裝在他的口袋裡,家宰就照約瑟所說的話行了。3 天一亮就打發那些人帶著驢走了。4 他們出城走了不遠,約瑟對家宰說,起來追那些人去,追上了就對他們說,你們為甚麼以惡報善呢。5 這不是我主人飲酒的杯麼,豈不是他占卜用的麼,你們這樣行是作惡了。

Overtaken on the Road

Genesis 44 illustration: Overtaken on the Road

6 So he overtook them and spoke these words to them. 7 And they said to him, "Why does my lord say such words as these? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing! 8 Behold, the money which we found in the opening of our sacks we have brought back to you from the land of Canaan. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord's house? 9 With whomever of your servants it is found, he shall die, and we also shall be my lord's slaves."

6 家宰追上他們,將這些話對他們說了。7 他們回答說,我主為甚麼說這樣的話呢,你僕人斷不能作這樣的事。8 你看,我們從前在口袋裡所見的銀子,尚且從迦南地帶來還你,我們怎能從你主人家裡偷竊金銀呢。9 你僕人中,無論在誰那裡搜出來,就叫他死,我們也作我主的奴僕。

The Cup Found in Benjamin's Sack

Genesis 44 illustration: The Cup Found in Benjamin's Sack

10 So he said, "Now let it indeed be according to your words; he with whom it is found shall be my slave, but the rest of you shall be considered innocent." 11 Then they hurried, each man lowered his sack to the ground, and each man opened his sack. 12 And he searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest; and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack. 13 Then they tore their clothes in grief, and when each man had loaded his donkey, they returned to the city.

10 家宰說,現在就照你們的話行罷,在誰那裡搜出來,誰就作我的奴僕,其餘的都沒有罪。11 於是他們各人急忙把口袋卸在地下,各人打開口袋。12 家宰就搜查,從年長的起,到年幼的為止,那杯竟在便雅憫的口袋裡搜出來。13 他們就撕裂衣服,各人把馱子抬在驢上,回城去了。

Brought Back to Joseph's House

Genesis 44 illustration: Brought Back to Joseph's House

14 When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph's house, he was still there, and they fell down to the ground before him. 15 Joseph said to them, "What is this thing that you have done? Do you not know that a man who is like me can indeed practice divination?" 16 So Judah said, "What can we say to my lord? What words can we speak? And how can we justify ourselves? God has found out the guilt of your servants; behold, we are my lord's slaves, both we and the one in whose possession the cup has been found." 17 But he said, "Far be it from me to do this. The man in whose possession the cup has been found, he shall be my slave; but as for you, go up in peace to your father."

14 猶大和他弟兄們來到約瑟的屋中,約瑟還在那裡,他們就在他面前俯伏於地。15 約瑟對他們說,你們作的是甚麼事呢,你們豈不知像我這樣的人必能占卜嗎。16 猶大說,我們對我主說甚麼呢,還有甚麼話可說呢,我們怎能自己表白出來呢,神已經查出僕人的罪孽了,我們與那在他手中搜出杯來的都是我主的奴僕。17 約瑟說,我斷不能這樣行,在誰的手中搜出杯來,誰就作我的奴僕,至於你們可以平平安安的上你們父親那裡去。

Judah's Plea Begins

Genesis 44 illustration: Judah's Plea Begins

18 Then Judah approached him and said, "Oh my lord, may your servant please speak a word in my lord's ears, and do not be angry with your servant; for you are equal to Pharaoh. 19 My lord asked his servants, saying, 'Have you a father or a brother?' 20 And we said to my lord, 'We have an old father and a little boy born in our father's old age. Now his brother is dead, so he alone is left of his mother, and his father loves him.' 21 Then you said to your servants, 'Bring him down to me so that I may set my eyes on him.'

18 猶大挨近他說,我主阿,求你容僕人說一句話給我主聽,不要向僕人發烈怒,因為你如同法老一樣。19 我主曾問僕人們說,你們有父親有兄弟沒有。20 我們對我主說,我們有父親,已經年老,還有他老年所生的一個小孩子,他哥哥死了,他母親只撇下他一人,他父親疼愛他。21 你對僕人說,把他帶到我這裡來,叫我親眼看看他。

The Youngest Brother Cannot Leave

Genesis 44 illustration: The Youngest Brother Cannot Leave

22 But we said to my lord, 'The boy cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.' 23 You said to your servants, however, 'Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.' 24 So it came about when we went up to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord. 25 And our father said, 'Go back, buy us a little food.' 26 But we said, 'We cannot go down. If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down; for we cannot see the man's face unless our youngest brother is with us.'

22 我們對我主說,童子不能離開他父親,若是離開,他父親必死。23 你對僕人說,你們的小兄弟若不與你們一同下來,你們就不得再見我的面。24 我們上到你僕人我們父親那裡,就把我主的話告訴了他。25 我們的父親說,你們再去給我糴些糧來。26 我們就說,我們不能下去,我們的小兄弟若和我們同往,我們就可以下去,因為小兄弟若不與我們同往,我們必不得見那人的面。

Judah Remembers His Father's Sorrow

Genesis 44 illustration: Judah Remembers His Father's Sorrow

27 Then your servant my father said to us, 'You know that my wife bore me two sons; 28 and the one left me, and I said, "Surely he is torn to pieces," and I have not seen him since. 29 If you also take this one from me, and harm happens to him, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.' 30 So now, when I come to your servant, my father, and the boy is not with us, since our father's life is so attached to the boy's life,

27 你僕人我父親對我們說,你們知道我的妻子給我生了兩個兒子。28 一個離開我出去了,我說,他必是被撕碎了,直到如今我也沒有見他,29 現在你們又要把這個帶去離開我,倘若他遭害,那便是你們使我白髮蒼蒼、悲悲慘慘的下陰間去了。30 我父親的命與這童子的命相連,如今我回到你僕人我父親那裡,若沒有童子與我們同在,

Judah Offers Himself in Benjamin's Place

Genesis 44 illustration: Judah Offers Himself in Benjamin's Place

31 when he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die. So your servants will bring the gray hair of your servant, our father, down to Sheol in sorrow. 32 For your servant accepted responsibility for the boy from my father, saying, 'If I do not bring him back to you, then my father can let me take the blame forever.' 33 So now, please let your servant remain as a slave to my lord instead of the boy, and let the boy go up with his brothers. 34 For how shall I go up to my father if the boy is not with me? I fear that I may see the evil that would overtake my father."

31 我們的父親見沒有童子,他就必死,這便是我們使你僕人我們的父親白髮蒼蒼、悲悲慘慘的下陰間去了。32 因為僕人曾向我父親為這童子作保,說,我若不帶他回來交給父親,我便在父親面前永遠擔罪。33 現在求你容僕人住下,替這童子作我主的奴僕,叫童子和他哥哥們一同上去。34 若童子不和我同去,我怎能上去見我父親呢,恐怕我看見災禍臨到我父親身上。

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