Genesis 24
1 Now Abraham was old and of many days. And the Lord had blessed him in all things.
亞伯拉罕年紀老邁，向來在一切事上耶和華都賜福給他。
2 And he said to the elder servant of his house, who was in charge of all that he had: “Place your hand under my thigh,
亞伯拉罕對管理他全業最老的僕人說：「請你把手放在我大腿底下。
3 so that I may make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live.
我要叫你指着耶和華－天地的主起誓，不要為我兒子娶這迦南地中的女子為妻。
4 But that you will proceed to my land and kindred, and from there take a wife for my son Isaac.”
你要往我本地本族去，為我的兒子以撒娶一個妻子。」
5 The servant responded, “If the woman is not willing to come with me into this land, must I lead your son back to the place from which you departed?”
僕人對他說：「倘若女子不肯跟我到這地方來，我必須將你的兒子帶回你原出之地嗎？」
6 And Abraham said: “Beware that you never lead my son back to that place.
亞伯拉罕對他說：「你要謹慎，不要帶我的兒子回那裏去。
7 The Lord God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my nativity, who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give this land,’ himself will send his Angel before you, and you will take from there a wife for my son.
耶和華－天上的主曾帶領我離開父家和本族的地，對我說話，向我起誓說：『我要將這地賜給你的後裔。』他必差遣使者在你面前，你就可以從那裏為我兒子娶一個妻子。
8 But if the woman is not willing to follow you, you will not be held by the oath. Only do not lead my son back to that place.”
倘若女子不肯跟你來，我使你起的誓就與你無干了，只是不可帶我的兒子回那裏去。」
9 Therefore, the servant placed his hand under the thigh of Abraham, his lord, and he swore to him on his word.
僕人就把手放在他主人亞伯拉罕的大腿底下，為這事向他起誓。
10 And he took ten camels from his lord’s herd, and he went forth, carrying with him things from all of his goods. And he set out, and continued on, to the city of Nahor, in Mesopotamia.
那僕人從他主人的駱駝裏取了十匹駱駝，並帶些他主人各樣的財物，起身往美索不達米亞去，到了拿鶴的城。
11 And when he had made the camels lie down outside of the town, near a well of water, in the evening, at the time when women are accustomed to go out to draw water, he said:
天將晚，眾女子出來打水的時候，他便叫駱駝跪在城外的水井那裏。
12 “O Lord, the God of my lord Abraham, meet with me today, I beg you, and show mercy to my lord Abraham.
他說：「耶和華－我主人亞伯拉罕的上帝啊，求你施恩給我主人亞伯拉罕，使我今日遇見好機會。
13 Behold, I stand near the fountain of water, and the daughters of the inhabitants of this city will go forth to draw water.
我現今站在井旁，城內居民的女子們正出來打水。
14 Therefore, the girl to whom I will say, ‘Tip your pitcher, so that I may drink,’ and she will respond, ‘Drink. In fact, I will give your camels a drink also,’ the same one is she whom you have prepared for your servant Isaac. And by this, I will understand that you have shown mercy to my lord.”
我向那一個女子說：『請你拿下水瓶來，給我水喝。』她若說：『請喝！我也給你的駱駝喝。』願那女子就作你所預定給你僕人以撒的妻。這樣，我便知道你施恩給我主人了。」
15 But he had not yet completed these words within himself, when, behold, Rebekah went out, the daughter of Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, the brother of Abraham, having a pitcher on her shoulder.
話還沒有說完，不料，利百加肩頭上扛着水瓶出來。利百加是彼土利所生的；彼土利是亞伯拉罕兄弟拿鶴妻子密迦的兒子。
16 She was an exceedingly elegant girl, and a most beautiful virgin, and unknown by man. And she descended to the spring, and she filled her pitcher, and then was returning.
那女子容貌極其俊美，還是處女，也未曾有人親近她。她下到井旁，打滿了瓶，又上來。
17 And the servant ran to meet her, and he said, “Provide me with a little water to drink from your pitcher.”
僕人跑上前去迎着她，說：「求你將瓶裏的水給我一點喝。」
18 And she responded, “Drink, my lord.” And she quickly brought down the pitcher on her arm, and she gave him a drink.
女子說：「我主請喝！」就急忙拿下瓶來，托在手上給他喝。
19 And after he drank, she added, “In fact, I will draw water for your camels also, until they all drink.”
女子給他喝了，就說：「我再為你的駱駝打水，叫駱駝也喝足。」
20 And pouring out the pitcher into the troughs, she ran back to the well to draw water; and having drawn, she gave it to all the camels.
她就急忙把瓶裏的水倒在槽裏，又跑到井旁打水，就為所有的駱駝打上水來。
21 But he was contemplating her silently, wanting to know whether the Lord had caused his journey to prosper or not
那人定睛看她，一句話也不說，要曉得耶和華賜他通達的道路沒有。
22 Then, after the camels drank, the man took out gold earrings, weighing two shekels, and the same number of bracelets, ten shekels in weight.
駱駝喝足了，那人就拿一個金環，重半舍客勒，兩個金鐲，重十舍客勒，給了那女子，
23 And he said to her: “Whose daughter are you? Tell me, is there any place in your father’s house to lodge?”
說：「請告訴我，你是誰的女兒？你父親家裏有我們住宿的地方沒有？」
24 She responded, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, to whom she gave birth for Nahor.”
女子說：「我是密迦與拿鶴之子彼土利的女兒」；
25 And she continued, saying, “There is very much straw and hay with us, and a spacious place to stay.”
又說：「我們家裏足有糧草，也有住宿的地方。」
26 The man bowed himself down, and he adored the Lord,
那人就低頭向耶和華下拜，
27 saying, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of my lord Abraham, who has not taken away his mercy and truth from my lord, and who has led me on a direct journey to the house of the brother of my lord.”
說：「耶和華－我主人亞伯拉罕的上帝是應當稱頌的，因他不斷地以慈愛誠實待我主人。至於我，耶和華在路上引領我，直走到我主人的兄弟家裏。」
28 And so the girl ran, and she reported all that she had heard in the house of her mother.
女子跑回去，照着這些話告訴她母親和她家裏的人。
29 Now Rebekah had a brother, named Laban, who went out quickly to the man, where the spring was.
利百加有一個哥哥，名叫拉班，看見金環，又看見金鐲在他妹子的手上，並聽見他妹子利百加的話，說那人對我如此如此說。拉班就跑出來往井旁去，到那人跟前，見他仍站在駱駝旁邊的井旁那裏，
30 And when he had seen the earrings and bracelets in his sister’s hands, and he had heard all the words being repeated, “This is what the man spoke to me,” he came to the man who stood by the camels and near the spring of water,
31 and he said to him: “Enter, O blessed of the Lord. Why do you stand outside? I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels.”
便對他說：「你這蒙耶和華賜福的，請進來，為甚麼站在外邊？我已經收拾了房屋，也為駱駝預備了地方。」
32 And he brought him into his guest quarters. And he unharnessed the camels, and he distributed straw and hay, and water to wash his feet and that of the men who arrived with him.
那人就進了拉班的家。拉班卸了駱駝，用草料餵上，拿水給那人和跟隨的人洗腳；
33 And bread was set out in his sight. But he said, “I will not eat, until I have spoken my words.” He answered him, “Speak.”
把飯擺在他面前，叫他吃，他卻說：「我不吃，等我說明白我的事情再吃。」拉班說：「請說。」
34 Then he said: “I am the servant of Abraham.
他說：「我是亞伯拉罕的僕人。
35 And the Lord has blessed my lord greatly, and he has become great. And he has given him sheep and oxen, silver and gold, men servants and women servants, camels and donkeys.
耶和華大大地賜福給我主人，使他昌大，又賜給他羊群、牛群、金銀、僕婢、駱駝，和驢。
36 And Sarah, the wife of my lord, has given birth to a son for my lord in her old age, and he has given him all that he had.
我主人的妻子撒拉年老的時候給我主人生了一個兒子；我主人也將一切所有的都給了這個兒子。
37 And my lord made me swear, saying: ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell.
我主人叫我起誓說：『你不要為我兒子娶迦南地的女子為妻。
38 But you shall travel to my father’s house, and you shall take a wife of my own kindred for my son.’
你要往我父家、我本族那裏去，為我的兒子娶一個妻子。』
39 But truly, I answered my lord, ‘What if the woman is not willing to come with me?’
我對我主人說：『恐怕女子不肯跟我來。』
40 ‘The Lord,’ he said, ‘in whose sight I walk, will send his Angel with you, and he will direct your way. And you shall take a wife for my son from my own kindred and from my father’s house.
他就說：『我所事奉的耶和華必要差遣他的使者與你同去，叫你的道路通達，你就得以在我父家、我本族那裏，給我的兒子娶一個妻子。
41 But you will be innocent of my curse, if, when you will arrive at my close relatives, they will not grant this to you.’
只要你到了我本族那裏，我使你起的誓就與你無干。他們若不把女子交給你，我使你起的誓也與你無干。』
42 And so, today I arrived at the well of water, and I said: ‘O Lord, the God of my lord Abraham, if you have directed my way, in which I now walk,
「我今日到了井旁，便說：『耶和華－我主人亞伯拉罕的上帝啊，願你叫我所行的道路通達。
43 behold, I stand next to the well of water, and the virgin, who will go forth to draw water, will hear from me, “Give me a little water to drink from your pitcher.”
我如今站在井旁，對哪一個出來打水的女子說：請你把你瓶裏的水給我一點喝；
44 And she will say to me, “You drink, and I will also draw for your camels.” Let the same be the woman, whom the Lord has prepared for the son of my lord.’
她若說：你只管喝，我也為你的駱駝打水；願那女子就作耶和華給我主人兒子所預定的妻。』
45 And while I thought over these things silently within myself, Rebekah appeared, arriving with a pitcher, which she carried on her shoulder. And she descended to the spring and drew water. And I said to her, ‘Give me a little to drink.’
我心裏的話還沒有說完，利百加就出來，肩頭上扛着水瓶，下到井旁打水。我便對她說：『請你給我水喝。』
46 And she quickly let down the pitcher from her arm, and said to me, ‘You drink, and to your camels I will also distribute drinking water.’ I drank, and she watered the camels.
她就急忙從肩頭上拿下瓶來，說：『請喝！我也給你的駱駝喝。』我便喝了；她又給我的駱駝喝了。
47 And I questioned her, saying, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ And she responded, ‘I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to him.’ And so, I hung the earrings on her, to adorn her face, and I put the bracelets on her hands.
我問她說：『你是誰的女兒？』她說：『我是密迦與拿鶴之子彼土利的女兒。』我就把環子戴在她鼻子上，把鐲子戴在她兩手上。
48 And falling prostrate, I adored the Lord, blessing the Lord, the God of my lord Abraham, who has led me along the straight path so as to take the daughter of my lord’s brother to his son.
隨後我低頭向耶和華下拜，稱頌耶和華－我主人亞伯拉罕的上帝；因為他引導我走合式的道路，使我得着我主人兄弟的孫女，給我主人的兒子為妻。
49 For this reason, if you would act according to mercy and truth with my lord, tell me so. But if it pleases you otherwise, say that to me also, so that I may go either to the right, or to the left.”
現在你們若願以慈愛誠實待我主人，就告訴我；若不然，也告訴我，使我可以或向左，或向右。」
50 And Laban and Bethuel responded: “A word has proceeded from the Lord. We are not able to speak anything else to you, beyond what pleases him.
拉班和彼土利回答說：「這事乃出於耶和華，我們不能向你說好說歹。
51 Lo, Rebekah is in your sight. Take her and continue on, and let her be the wife of the son of your lord, just as the Lord has spoken.”
看哪，利百加在你面前，可以將她帶去，照着耶和華所說的，給你主人的兒子為妻。」
52 When Abraham’s servant had heard this, falling down to the ground, he adored the Lord.
亞伯拉罕的僕人聽見他們這話，就向耶和華俯伏在地。
53 And bringing forth vessels of silver and gold, as well as garments, he gave them to Rebekah as a tribute. Likewise, he offered gifts to her brothers and her mother.
當下僕人拿出金器、銀器，和衣服送給利百加，又將寶物送給她哥哥和她母親。
54 And a banquet began, and they feasted and drank together, and they lodged there. And rising up in the morning, the servant said, “Release me, so that I may go to my lord.”
僕人和跟從他的人吃了喝了，住了一夜。早晨起來，僕人就說：「請打發我回我主人那裏去吧。」
55 And her brothers and mother responded, “Let the girl remain for at least ten days with us, and after that, she will continue on.”
利百加的哥哥和她母親說：「讓女子同我們再住幾天，至少十天，然後她可以去。」
56 “Do not be willing,” he said, “to delay me, for the Lord has directed my way. Release me, so that I may journey to my lord.”
僕人說：「耶和華既賜給我通達的道路，你們不要耽誤我，請打發我走，回我主人那裏去吧。」
57 And they said, “Let us call the girl, and ask her will.”
他們說：「我們把女子叫來問問她」，
58 And when, having been called, she arrived, they wanted to know, “Will you go with this man?” And she said, “I will go.”
就叫了利百加來，問她說：「你和這人同去嗎？」利百加說：「我去。」
59 Therefore, they released her and her nurse, and the servant of Abraham and his companions,
於是他們打發妹子利百加和她的乳母，同亞伯拉罕的僕人，並跟從僕人的，都走了。
60 wishing prosperity for their sister, by saying: “You are our sister. May you increase to thousands of thousands. And may your offspring possess the gates of their enemies.”
他們就給利百加祝福說： 我們的妹子啊，願你作千萬人的母！ 願你的後裔得着仇敵的城門！
61 And so, Rebekah and her maids, riding upon camels, followed the man, who quickly returned to his lord.
利百加和她的使女們起來，騎上駱駝，跟着那僕人，僕人就帶着利百加走了。
62 Then, at the same time, Isaac was walking along the way that leads to the well, whose name is: ‘of the One who lives and who sees.’ For he dwelt in the southern land.
那時，以撒住在南地，剛從庇耳‧拉海‧萊回來。
63 And he had gone out to meditate in the field, as daylight was now declining. And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw camels advancing from afar.
天將晚，以撒出來在田間默想，舉目一看，見來了些駱駝。
64 Likewise, Rebekah, having seen Isaac, descended from the camel.
利百加舉目看見以撒，就急忙下了駱駝，
65 And she said to the servant, “Who is that man who advances to meet us through the field?” And he said to her, “That is my lord.” And so, quickly taking up her cloak, she covered herself.
問那僕人說：「這田間走來迎接我們的是誰？」僕人說：「是我的主人。」利百加就拿帕子蒙上臉。
66 Then the servant explained to Isaac all that he had done.
僕人就將所辦的一切事都告訴以撒。
67 And he led her into the tent of Sarah his mother, and he accepted her as wife. And he loved her so very much, that it tempered the sorrow which befell him at his mother’s death.
以撒便領利百加進了他母親撒拉的帳棚，娶了她為妻，並且愛她。以撒自從他母親不在了，這才得了安慰。
