Exodus
Chapter4
1＂But,＂objectedMoses,＂supposetheywillnotbelieveme,norlistentomyplea?Fortheymaysay,'TheLORDdidnotappeartoyou.'＂
梅瑟回答说：＂他们必然不肯相信我，也不肯听我的话，而对我说：上主没有显示给你。＂
2TheLORDthereforeaskedhim,＂Whatisthatinyourhand?＂＂Astaff,＂heanswered.
上主问他说：＂你手里拿的是什么？＂他回答说：＂一根棍杖。＂
3TheLORDthensaid,＂Throwitontheground.＂Whenhethrewitonthegrounditwaschangedintoaserpent,andMosesshiedawayfromit.
上主说：＂将棍杖扔在地上！＂他便将棍杖扔在地上，棍杖即刻变成了一条蛇；梅瑟一见，就逃避了。
4＂Now,putoutyourhand,＂theLORDsaidtohim,＂andtakeholdofitstail.＂Soheputouthishandandlaidholdofit,anditbecameastaffinhishand.
上主向梅瑟说：＂伸手捉着蛇的尾巴！──他便伸手捉住，那条蛇在他手里又变成一根棍杖。
5＂Thiswilltakeplacesothattheymaybelieve,＂hecontinued,＂thattheLORD,theGodoftheirfathers,theGodofAbraham,theGodofIsaac,theGodofJacob,didappeartoyou.＂
好叫他们相信上主，他们祖先的天主，亚巴郎的天主，依撒格的天主和雅各伯的天主曾显示给你。＂
6AgaintheLORDsaidtohim,＂Putyourhandinyourbosom.＂Heputitinhisbosom,andwhenhewithdrewit,tohissurprisehishandwasleprous,likesnow.
上主又对他说：＂将你的手插在怀里！＂他就将手插在怀里；及至抽出手来，见手上患了癞疮，像雪那样白。
7TheLORDthensaid,＂Now,putyourhandbackinyourbosom.＂Mosesputhishandbackinhisbosom,andwhenhewithdrewit,tohissurpriseitwasagainliketherestofhisbody.
天主又说：＂将你的手再插进怀里！──他就把手再插进怀里；及至从怀里抽出时，见手已经恢复原状，像别的肌肉一样。
8＂Iftheywillnotbelieveyou,norheedthemessageofthefirstsign,theyshouldbelievethemessageofthesecond.
如果他们不肯信你，也不信服第一个奇迹，必定信服第二个奇迹。
9Andiftheywillnotbelieveeventhesetwosigns,norheedyourplea,takesomewaterfromtheriverandpouritonthedryland.Thewateryoutakefromtheriverwillbecomebloodonthedryland.＂
如果连这两个奇迹也不信，也不听你的话，你就从尼罗河里取些水，倒在旱地上；你从河里取的水必在旱地上变成血。＂
10Moses,however,saidtotheLORD,＂Ifyouplease,LORD,Ihaveneverbeeneloquent,neitherinthepast,norrecently,nornowthatyouhavespokentoyourservant;butIamslowofspeechandtongue.＂
梅瑟对上主说：＂吾主，请原谅！我不是个有口才的人，以前不是，你向你的仆人说话以后，也不是；我原是笨口结舌的人。＂
11TheLORDsaidtohim,＂Whogivesonemanspeechandmakesanotherdeafanddumb?Orwhogivessighttooneandmakesanotherblind?IsitnotI,theLORD?
上主回答他说：＂是谁给人一个嘴？是谁使人口哑耳聋，眼明眼瞎呢？不是我上主吗？
12Go,then!ItisIwhowillassistyouinspeakingandwillteachyouwhatyouaretosay.＂
现在你去，我要帮助你说话，指教你该说什么。＂
131Yetheinsisted,＂Ifyouplease,Lord,sendsomeoneelse!＂
梅瑟回答说：＂吾主，请原谅！你要打发谁，就打发谁去吧！＂
14ThentheLORDbecameangrywithMosesandsaid,＂Haveyounotyourbrother,AarontheLevite?Iknowthatheisaneloquentspeaker.Besides,heisnowonhiswaytomeetyou.
上主向梅瑟发怒说：＂不是有你的哥哥肋未人亚郎吗？我知道他是有口才的，他现在正前来迎接你；他见了你，心中必要快乐。
15Whenheseesyou,hisheartwillbeglad.Youaretospeaktohim,then,andputthewordsinhismouth.Iwillassistbothyouandhiminspeakingandwillteachthetwoofyouwhatyouaretodo.
你可向他说话，将你应该说的话放在他口中。我要帮助你，也帮助他说话，指教你们应做什么。
162Heshallspeaktothepeopleforyou:heshallbeyourspokesman,andyoushallbeasGodtohim.
他要代替你向百姓说话，作你的口舌；你对他是代替天主。
173Takethisstaffinyourhand;withityouaretoperformthesigns.＂
你手中要拿着这根棍杖，用来行奇迹。＂
184AfterthisMosesreturnedtohisfather-in-lawJethroandsaidtohim,＂Letmegoback,please,tomykinsmeninEgypt,toseewhethertheyarestillliving.＂Jethroreplied,＂Goinpeace.＂
于是梅瑟起来回到他岳父耶特洛那里，对他说：＂请让我回到埃及我弟兄们那里，看看他们还健在吗？＂耶特洛对梅瑟说：＂你平安去罢！＂
19InMidiantheLORDsaidtoMoses,＂GobacktoEgypt,forallthemenwhosoughtyourlifearedead.＂
上主在米德杨对梅瑟说：＂起身回埃及去！因为那些想杀害你的人都死了。＂
20SoMosestookhiswifeandhissons,andstartedbacktothelandofEgypt,withthemridingtheass.ThestaffofGodhecarriedwithhim.
梅瑟遂带着妻子孩子，叫他们骑在驴上，起身回埃及国去了；梅瑟手中拿着天主的棍杖。
215TheLORDsaidtohim,＂OnyourreturntoEgypt,seethatyouperformbeforePharaohallthewondersIhaveputinyourpower.Iwillmakehimobstinate,however,sothathewillnotletthepeoplego.
上主对梅瑟说：＂你回到埃及要将我交于你行的一切奇迹，行于法朗面前；但我要使他心硬，不肯放百姓走。
22SoyoushallsaytoPharaoh:ThussaystheLORD:Israelismyson,myfirst-born.
你要对法朗说：上主这样说：以色列是我的长子。
23HenceItellyou:Letmysongo,thathemayserveme.Ifyourefusetolethimgo,Iwarnyou,Iwillkillyourson,yourfirst-born.＂
我命你，让我的儿子去崇拜我。你若拒绝放他们走，我必要杀你的长子。＂
246Onthejourney,ataplacewheretheyspentthenight,theLordcameuponMosesandwouldhavekilledhim.
梅瑟在路上住宿的时候，上主遇着他，要想杀他。
25ButZipporahtookapieceofflintandcutoffherson'sforeskinand,touchinghisperson,shesaid,＂Youareaspouseofbloodtome.＂
漆颇辣急忙拿了一块石刀，将他儿子的包皮割下，拿包皮接触他的脚说：＂你真是我的血郎。＂
26ThenGodletMosesgo.Atthattimeshesaid,＂Aspouseofblood,＂inregardtothecircumcision.
这样上主就放了他。当时漆颇辣说：＂血郎。＂是因了割损的原故。
27TheLORDsaidtoAaron,＂GointothedeserttomeetMoses.＂Sohewent,andwhentheymetatthemountainofGod,Aaronkissedhim.
其时上主向亚郎说：＂你往旷野去迎接梅瑟！＂他就去了。在天主的山旁预见了梅瑟，口亲了他。
28MosesinformedhimofalltheLORDhadsaidinsendinghim,andofthevarioussignshehadenjoineduponhim.
梅瑟把上主打发他所说的一切话和命他行的奇迹，都告诉了亚郎。
29ThenMosesandAaronwentandassembledalltheeldersoftheIsraelites.
梅瑟和亚郎遂去召集以色列子民所有的长老。
30AarontoldthemeverythingtheLORDhadsaidtoMoses,andheperformedthesignsbeforethepeople.
亚郎讲述了上主向梅瑟所说的一切话，也当着百姓行了那些奇迹；
31Thepeoplebelieved,andwhentheyheardthattheLORDwasconcernedaboutthemandhadseentheiraffliction,theyboweddowninworship.
百姓就都信了，也都高兴，因为上主眷顾了以色列子民，也垂念了他们的痛苦。他们遂都俯伏叩拜。
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Footnotes(注解)
1[13]Sendsomeoneelse:literally,＂Sendbymeansofhimwhomyouwillsend,＂thatis,＂Sendwhomyouwill.＂
2[16]Spokesman:literally,＂mouth＂;AaronwastoserveasamouthpieceforMoses,asaprophetdoesforGod;hencetherelationbetweenMosesandAaroniscomparedtothatbetweenGodandhisprophet.CfExodus7:1.
3[17]Thisstaff:probablythesameasthatofExodus4:2-4;butsomeunderstandithereofanewstaffnowgivenbyGodtoMoses.
4[18]Mosesdidnottellhisfather-in-lawhismainreasonforreturningtoEgypt,butthissecondarymotivewhichheofferedwasalsotrue.
5[21]Makehimobstinate:literally,＂hardenhisheart.＂GodpermittedPharaohtobestubborninhisoppositiontothedepartureoftheIsraelites.CfRomans9:17,18.
6[24-26]ApparentlyGodwasangrywithMosesforhavingfailedtokeepthedivinecommandgiventoAbrahaminGenesis17:10-12.Moses'lifeissparedwhenhiswifecircumcisestheirson.