Genesis
Chapter18
1TheLORDappearedtoAbrahambytheterebinthofMamre,ashesatintheentranceofhistent,whilethedaywasgrowinghot.
天正热的时候，亚巴郎坐在帐幕门口，上主在玛默勒橡树林那里，给他显现出来。
2Lookingup,hesawthreemenstandingnearby.Whenhesawthem,heranfromtheentranceofthetenttogreetthem;andbowingtotheground,
他举目一望，见有三人站在对面。他一见就由帐幕门口跑去迎接他们，俯伏在地，
31hesaid:＂Sir,ifImayaskyouthisfavor,pleasedonotgoonpastyourservant.
说：＂我主如果我蒙你垂爱，请你不要由你仆人这里走过去，
4Letsomewaterbebrought,thatyoumaybatheyourfeet,andthenrestyourselvesunderthetree.
我叫人拿点水来，洗洗你们的脚，然后在树下休息休息。
5Nowthatyouhavecomethisclosetoyourservant,letmebringyoualittlefood,thatyoumayrefreshyourselves;andafterwardyoumaygoonyourway.＂＂Verywell,＂theyreplied,＂doasyouhavesaid.＂
你们既然路过你仆人这里，等我拿点饼来，吃点点心，然后再走。＂他们答说：＂就照你所说的做罢！＂
62AbrahamhastenedintothetentandtoldSarah,＂Quick,threeseahsoffineflour!Kneaditandmakerolls.＂
亚巴郎赶快进入帐幕，到撒辣前说：＂你快拿三斗细面，和一和，作些饼。＂
7Herantotheherd,pickedoutatender,choicesteer,andgaveittoaservant,whoquicklypreparedit.
遂又跑到牛群中，选了一头又嫩又肥的牛犊，交给仆人，要他赶快煮好。
83Thenhegotsomecurdsandmilk,aswellasthesteerthathadbeenprepared,andsetthesebeforethem;andhewaitedonthemunderthetreewhiletheyate.
亚巴郎遂拿了凝乳和牛奶，及预备好了的牛犊，摆在他们面前；他们吃的时候，自己在树下侍候。
9＂WhereisyourwifeSarah?＂theyaskedhim.＂Thereinthetent,＂hereplied.
他们对他说：＂你的妻子撒辣在那里？＂他答说：＂在帐幕里。＂
104Oneofthemsaid,＂Iwillsurelyreturntoyouaboutthistimenextyear,andSarahwillthenhaveason.＂Sarahwaslisteningattheentranceofthetent,justbehindhim.
其中一位说：＂明年此时我必回到你这里，那时，你的妻子撒辣要有一个儿子。＂辣其时正在那人背后的帐幕门口窃听。
11NowAbrahamandSarahwereold,advancedinyears,andSarahhadstoppedhavingherwomanlyperiods.
亚巴郎和撒辣都已年老，年纪很大，而且撒辣的月经早已停止。
125SoSarahlaughedtoherselfandsaid,＂NowthatIamsowitheredandmyhusbandissoold,amIstilltohavesexualpleasure?＂
撒辣遂心里窃笑说：＂现在，我已衰老，同我年老的丈夫，还有这喜事吗？＂
13ButtheLORDsaidtoAbraham:＂WhydidSarahlaughandsay,‘ShallIreallybearachild,oldasIam?'
上主对亚巴郎说：＂撒辣为什么笑？且说：像我这样老，真的还能生育？
14IsanythingtoomarvelousfortheLORDtodo?Attheappointedtime,aboutthistimenextyear,Iwillreturntoyou,andSarahwillhaveason.＂
为上主岂有难事？明年这时，我必要回到你这里，那时撒辣必有一个儿子。＂
15Becauseshewasafraid,Sarahdissembled,saying,＂Ididn'tlaugh.＂Buthesaid,＂Yesyoudid.＂
撒辣害怕了，否认说：＂我没有笑。＂但是那位说：＂不，你实在笑了。＂
16ThemensetoutfromthereandlookeddowntowardSodom;Abrahamwaswalkingwiththem,toseethemontheirway.
后来那三人由那里起身，望着索多玛前行；亚巴郎送他们，也一同前行。
17TheLORDreflected:＂ShallIhidefromAbrahamwhatIamabouttodo,
上主说：＂我要作的事，岂能瞒着亚巴郎？
18nowthatheistobecomeagreatandpopulousnation,andallthenationsoftheeartharetofindblessinginhim?
因为他要成为一强大而又兴盛的民族，地上所有的民族，都要因他蒙受降福；
19Indeed,IhavesingledhimoutthathemaydirecthissonsandhisposteritytokeepthewayoftheLORDbydoingwhatisrightandjust,sothattheLORDmaycarryintoeffectforAbrahamthepromiseshemadeabouthim.＂
何况我拣选了他，是要他训令自己的子孙和未来的家族，保持上主的正道，实行公义正道，好使上主能实现他对亚巴郎所许的事。＂
206ThentheLORDsaid:＂TheoutcryagainstSodomandGomorrahissogreat,andtheirsinsograve,
上主于是说：＂控告索多玛和哈摩辣的声音实在很大，他们的罪恶实在深重！
21thatImustgodownandseewhetherornottheiractionsfullycorrespondtothecryagainstthemthatcomestome.Imeantofindout.＂
我要下去看看，愿意知道：是否他们所行的全如达到我前的呼声一样。＂
22WhilethetwomenwalkedonfarthertowardSodom,theLORDremainedstandingbeforeAbraham.
三人中有二人转身向索多玛走去；亚巴郎却仍立在上主面前。
23ThenAbrahamdrewnearertohimandsaid:＂Willyousweepawaytheinnocentwiththeguilty?
亚巴郎近前来说：＂你真要将义人同恶人一起消灭吗？
24Supposetherewerefiftyinnocentpeopleinthecity;wouldyouwipeouttheplace,ratherthanspareitforthesakeofthefiftyinnocentpeoplewithinit?
假如城中有五十个义人，你还要消灭吗？不为其中的那五十个义人，赦免那地方吗？
25Farbeitfromyoutodosuchathing,tomaketheinnocentdiewiththeguilty,sothattheinnocentandtheguiltywouldbetreatedalike!Shouldnotthejudgeofalltheworldactwithjustice?＂
你决不能如此行事，将义人同恶人一并诛灭；将义人如恶人一样看待，你决不能！审判全地的主，岂能不行公义？＂
26TheLORDreplied,＂IfIfindfiftyinnocentpeopleinthecityofSodom,Iwillsparethewholeplacefortheirsake.＂
上主答说：＂假如我在索多玛城中找出了五十个义人，为了他们我要赦免整个地方。＂
27Abrahamspokeupagain:＂SeehowIampresumingtospeaktomyLord,thoughIambutdustandashes!
亚巴郎接着说：＂我虽只是尘埃灰土，却敢再对我主说：
28Whatiftherearefivelessthanfiftyinnocentpeople?Willyoudestroythewholecitybecauseofthosefive?＂＂Iwillnotdestroyit,＂heanswered,＂ifIfindforty-fivethere.＂
假如五十个义人中少了五个怎样？你就为了少五个而毁灭全城吗？＂他答说：＂假如我在那里找到四十五个，我不毁灭。＂
29ButAbrahampersisted,saying,＂Whatifonlyfortyarefoundthere?＂Hereplied,＂Iwillforebeardoingitforthesakeoftheforty.＂
亚巴郎再向他进言说：＂假如在那里找到四十个怎样？＂他答说：＂为了这四十个我也不做这事。＂
30Thenhesaid,＂LetnotmyLordgrowimpatientifIgoon.Whatifonlythirtyarefoundthere?＂Hereplied,＂IwillforebeardoingitifIcanfindbutthirtythere.＂
亚巴郎说：＂求我主且勿动怒，容我再进一言：假如在那里找到三十个怎样？＂他答说：＂假如在那里我找到三十个，我也不做这事。＂
31Stillhewenton,＂SinceIhavethusdaredtospeaktomyLord,whatiftherearenomorethantwenty?＂＂Iwillnotdestroyit,＂heanswered,＂forthesakeofthetwenty.＂
亚巴郎说：＂我再放胆对我主进一言：假如在那里找到二十个怎样？＂他答说：＂为了这二十个，我也不毁灭。＂
32Buthestillpersisted:＂Please,letnotmyLordgrowangryifIspeakupthislasttime.Whatifthereareatleasttenthere?＂＂Forthesakeofthoseten,＂hereplied,＂Iwillnotdestroyit.＂
亚巴郎求：＂求我主且勿动怒，容我最后一次进言：假如在那里找到十个怎样？＂他答说：＂为了这十个我也不毁灭。＂
33TheLORDdepartedassoonashehadfinishedspeakingwithAbraham,andAbrahamreturnedhome.
上主向亚巴郎说完话就走了；亚巴郎也回家去了。
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Footnotes(注解)
1[3]Abrahamaddressestheleaderofthegroup,whomhedoesnotyetrecognizeasYahweh;inthenexttwoverseshespeakstoallthreemen.Theothertwoarelater(Genesis19:1)identifiedasmessengers.
2[6]Threeseahs:oneephah,abouthalfabushel.
3[8]Curds:atypeofsoftcheeseoryoghurt.
4[10]Oneofthem:i.e.,theLord.Abrahamnowrealizesthisforthefirsttimewhenhehearsthepredictionofamiraculousbirth.Aboutthistimenextyear:literally＂whenthetimebecomesalive,＂i.e.,atthetimewhenbirthisdueaftertheperiodofgestation;theconceptionisunderstoodastakingplacesoonaftertheprediction.
5[12]Sarahlaughed:seenoteonGenesis17:17.
6[20]IsraelitetraditionwasunanimousinascribingthedestructionofSodomandGomorrahtothewickednessofthesecities,buttraditionvariedinregardtothenatureofthiswickedness.AccordingtothepresentaccountoftheYahwist,thesinofSodomwashomosexuality(Genesis19:4-5),whichisthereforealsoknownassodomy;butaccordingtoIsaiah(Isaiah1:9-10;3:9),itwasalackofsocialjustice;Ezekiel(Ezekiel16:46-51)describeditasadisregardforthepoor,whereasJeremiah(Jeremiah23:14)sawitasgeneralimmorality.