1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？」 1And Jacob hearing that food was sold in Egypt, said to his sons: Why are ye careless?
2繼而說：「我聽說在埃及有糧食出售，你們下到那裡，給我們購買些糧食，叫我們好活下去，不致餓死。」 2I have heard that wheat is sold in Egypt: go ye down, and buy us necessaries, that we may live, and not be consumed with want.
3於是若瑟的十個哥哥下到埃及買糧食去了。 3So the ten brethren of Joseph went down, to buy corn in Egypt:
4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。 4Whilst Benjamin was kept at home by Jacob, who said to his brethren: Lest perhaps he take any harm in the journey.
5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饑荒。 5And they entered into the land of Egypt with others that went to buy. For the famine was in the land of Chanaan.
6當時在地方上執政的是若瑟，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。 6And Joseph was governor in the land of Egypt, and corn was sold by his direction to the people. And when his brethren had bowed down to him,
7若瑟一見他的哥哥們，就認出他們來，卻裝做生人，向他們說了一些嚴厲的話，問他們說：「你們是從那裡來的？」他們答說：「我們是從客納罕地來購買糧食的。」 7And he knew them, he spoke as it were to strangers somewhat roughly, asking them: Whence came you? They answered: From the land of Chanaan, to buy necessaries of life.
8若瑟認出哥哥們來，他們卻沒有認出他來。 8And though he knew his brethren, he was not known by them.
9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。」 9And remembering the dreams, which formerly he had dreamed, he said to them: You are spies. You are come to view the weaker parts of the land.
10他們回答說：「我主！絕對不是；你的僕人們是來購買糧食的。 10But they said: It is not so, my lord, but thy servants are come to buy food.
11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。」 11We are all the sons of one man: we are come as peaceable men, neither do thy servants go about any evil.
12若瑟對他們說：「不，你們前來必是為刺探此地的虛實。」 12And he answered them: It is otherwise: you are come to consider the unfenced parts of this land.
13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裡，另一個已不在了。」 13But they said: We thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Chanaan: the youngest is with our father, the other is not living.
14若瑟對他們說：「我才說你們是探子；這話實在不錯。 14He saith: This is it that I said: You are spies.
15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裡來，你們莫想離開此地。 15I shall now presently try what you are: by the health of Pharao you shall not depart hence, until your youngest brother come.
16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，我指著法郎的生命起誓：你們必是探子。」 16Send one of you to fetch him: and you shall be in prison, till what you have said be proved, whether it be true or false: or else by the health of Pharao you are spies.
17於是在拘留所內拘禁了他們三天。 17So he put them in prison three days.
18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： 18And the third day he brought them out of prison, and said: Do as I have said, and you shall live: for I fear God.
19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，解救家中的饑荒。 19If you be peaceable men, let one of your brethren be bound in prison: and go ye your ways and carry the corn that you have bought, unto your houses.
20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。 20And bring your youngest brother to me, that I may find your words to be true, and you may not die. They did as he had said.
21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！」 21And they talked one to another: We deserve to suffer these things, because we have sinned against our brother, seeing the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear: therefore is this affliction come upon us.
22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。」 22And Ruben one of them, said: Did not I say to you: Do not sin against the boy: and you would not hear me? Behold his blood is required.
23他們原不知道若瑟都聽得懂，因為在他們中有一翻譯員。 23And they knew not that Joseph understood, because he spoke to them by an interpreter.
24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。 24And he turned himself away a little while, and wept: and returning he spoke to them.
25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。 25And taking Simeon, and binding him in their presence, he commanded his servants to fill their sacks with wheat, and to put every man's money again in their sacks, and to give them besides provisions for the way: and they did so.
26他們將購得的糧食馱在驢上，就從那裡起身走了。 26But they having loaded their asses with the corn, went their way.
27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， 27And one of them opening his sack, to give his beast provender in the inn, saw the money in the sack's mouth;
28遂對兄弟們說：「我的銀錢退回來了；看，仍在我的袋裡。」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。」 28And said to his brethren: My money is given me again, behold it is in the sack. And they were astonished, and troubled, and said to one another: What is this that God hath done unto us?
29他們回到客納罕地，他們的父親雅各伯那裡，將所遇見的事全告訴他說： 29And they came to Jacob their father in the land of Chanaan, and they told him all things that had befallen them, saying:
30「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。 30The lord of the land spoke roughly to us, and took us to be spies of the country.
31我們對他說：「我們是誠實人，決不是探子； 31And we answered him: We are peaceable men, and we mean no plot.
32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。 32We are twelve brethren born of one father: one is not living, the youngest is with our father in the land of Chanaan.
33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裡，其餘的人帶糧食回去解救家中的饑荒； 33And he said to us: Hereby shall I know that you are peaceable men: Leave one of your brethren with me, and take ye necessary provision for your houses, and go your ways.
34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。」 34And bring your youngest brother to me, that I may know you are not spies: and you may receive this man again, that is kept in prison: and afterwards may have leave to buy what you will.
35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。 35When they had told this, they poured out their corn and every man found his money tied in the mouth of his sack: and all being astonished together,
36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！」 36Their father Jacob said: You have made me to be without children: Joseph is not living, Simeon is kept in bonds, and Benjamin you will take away: all these evils are fallen upon me.
37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；只管將他交在我手裡，我必再還給你。」 37And Ruben answered him: Kill my two sons if I bring him not again to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will restore him to thee.
38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。」 38But he said: My son shall not go down with you: his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if any mischief befall him in the land to which you go, you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to hell.
注释
42:8-38
若瑟对哥哥们外表这样严厉：一是叫他们後悔以前对他所犯的罪过；二是要探知父亲和小弟本雅明的情形。雅各伯说：「只剩下了他独自一个」。是指爱妻辣黑耳所生的两个儿子，只剩下了本雅明；他想若瑟早已不在人世了。