Tobit
Chapter 5
1 Then Tobiah replied to his father Tobit: ＂Everything that you have commanded me, father, I will do.
那时多俾亚回答他父亲托彼特说：＂父亲！凡你命我的，我必遵行；
2 But how shall I be able to obtain the money from him, since he does not know me nor do I know him? What can I show him to make him recognize me and trust me, so that he will give me the money? I do not even know which roads to take for the journey into Media!＂
但是他不认识我，我也不认识他，我怎能向他索回这项银子呢？我拿什么凭据给他，使他认识我，相信我，而把银子交给我呢？再一说，我也不认识往玛待去的路。＂
3 1 Tobit answered his son Tobiah: ＂We exchanged signatures on a document written in duplicate; I divided it into two parts, and each of us kept one; his copy I put with the money. Think of it, twenty years have already passed since I deposited that money! So now, my son, find yourself a trustworthy man who will make the journey with you. We will, of course, give him a salary when you return; but get back that money from Gabael.＂
那时，托彼特回答他的儿子多俾亚说：＂他给我写了契据，我也给他写了契据，且分成了两分，我们各执一分。我把那分与银子放在一起，请想这钱存在他那里，至今已有二十年了。孩子！现在你去找一个忠实的人与你同去，你回来时，我们要给他报酬。趁我还活着，你去从他那里取回这项银子。＂
4 2 Tobiah went to look for someone acquainted with the roads who would travel with him to Media. As soon as he went out, he found the angel Raphael standing before him, though he did not know that this was an angel of God.
多俾亚便出去寻找一个能与他同去玛待，并且熟识路途的人。他一出门，遇见辣法耳天使站在他面前；但是他不知道他是天主的使者，
5 Tobiah said to him, ＂Who are you, young man?＂ He replied ＂I am an Israelite, one of your kinsmen. I have come here to work.＂ Tobiah said, ＂Do you know the way to Media?＂
便向他说：＂朋友！你是那里的？天使对他说：＂我是你的同胞以色列的子民，我到这里来找工作。＂多俾亚对他说：＂你认识往玛待去的路吗？＂
6 3 The other replied: ＂Yes, I have been there many times. I know the place well and I know all the routes. I have often traveled to Media; I used to stay with our kinsman Gabael, who lives at Rages in Media. It is a good two days' travel from Ecbatana to Rages, for Rages is situated at the mountains, Ecbatana out on the plateau.＂
天使对他说：＂是，我多次到过那里，全条路程我都很熟悉，并且许多次我到玛待去的时候，在我们的同胞加贝罗那里借宿，他住在玛侍的辣杰斯厄克巴塔纳与辣杰斯相隔两天的路程；辣杰斯在山区，厄克巴塔纳在平原。＂
7 Tobiah said to him, ＂Wait for me, young man, till I go back and tell my father; for I need you to make the journey with me. I will, of course, pay you.＂
多俾亚对他说：＂朋友！请你等我进去报告我父亲，因为我正需要你与我同去，我要给你报酬。＂
8 Raphael replied, ＂Very well, I will wait for you; but do not be long.＂
天使对他说：＂好！我等你但不可太久。＂
9 Tobiah went back to tell his father Tobit what had happened. He said to him, ＂I have just found a man who is one of our own Israelite kinsmen!＂ Tobit said, ＂Call the man, so that I may find out what family and tribe he comes from, and whether he is trustworthy enough to travel with you, son.＂ Tobiah went out to summon the man, saying, ＂Young man, my father would like to see you.＂
多俾亚便进去，告诉他父亲托彼特说：＂我从我的同胞以色列子民中找到了一个人。＂托彼特对他说：＂孩子！你叫那个人到我这里来，我好知道他是那一家族，那一支派的人，与你同去是否可靠。＂
10 4 When Raphael entered the house, Tobit greeted him first. Raphael said, ＂Hearty greetings to you!＂ Tobit replied: ＂What joy is left for me any more? Here I am, a blind man who cannot see God's sunlight, but must remain in darkness, like the dead who no longer see the light! Though alive, I am among the dead. I can hear a man's voice, but I cannot see him.＂ Raphael said, ＂Take courage! God has healing in store for you; so take courage!＂ Tobit then said: ＂My son Tobiah wants to go to Media. Can you go with him to show him the way? I will of course pay you, brother.＂ Raphael answered: ＂Yes, I can go with him, for I know all the routes. I have often traveled to Media and crossed all its plains and mountains; so I know every road well.＂
多俾亚出去叫他说：＂朋友！我父亲叫你。＂他便进去，托彼特先向他请安；天使对他说：＂祝你快乐！＂托彼特回答说：＂我这个眼睛失明，看不见天日的人，常躺在黑暗之中，象永远看不见光明的死人一样，还有什么快乐呢？我象是生活在死人中，只能听见人讲话，却看不见他们。＂天使对他说：＂放心！天主快要医好你。放心罢！＂托彼特对他说＂我的儿子多俾亚要到玛待去，你能领导他，与他同去吗？老兄我要给你报酬。＂夭使回答说：＂我可以与他同去，全条路程我都熟悉，我多次到过玛待，那里的平原山地我都去过，那里的一切道路，我都熟悉。＂
11 Tobit asked, ＂Brother, tell me, please, what family and tribe are you from?＂
托彼特对他说：＂老兄！你是那一家族，那一支派的？老兄！请你告诉我！＂
12 Raphael said: ＂Why? Do you need a tribe and a family? Or are you looking for a hired man to travel with your son?＂ Tobit replied, ＂I wish to know truthfully whose son you are, brother, and what your name is.＂
他说：＂你为什么需要知道我是那一支派的呢？＂托彼特对他说：＂我愿意知道清楚一切。老兄你是谁家的儿子？你叫什么名子？＂
13 5 Raphael answered, ＂I am Azariah, son of Hananiah the elder, one of your own kinsmen.＂
天使对他说：我是你同胞中的大阿纳尼雅的儿子阿匝黎雅。
14 Tobit exclaimed: ＂Welcome! God save you, brother! Do not be provoked with me, brother, for wanting to learn the truth about your family. So it turns out that you are a kinsman, and from a noble and good line! I knew Hananiah and Nathaniah, the two sons of Shemaiah the elder; with me they used to make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem, where we would worship together. No, they did not stray from the right path; your kinsmen are good men. You are certainly of good lineage, and welcome!＂
托彼特对他说：老兄！欢迎，欢迎！老兄！你不要因我想知道清楚你的家族而见怪！很幸运你是我的同胞，又是出自良善尊贵的家庭，我认识大舍默雅的两个儿子，阿纳尼雅和纳堂，他们曾与我一同去过耶路撒冷，在那里一同朝拜过上主；虽然我们的同胞已走人歧途，他们却没有失去正道；你的兄弟们都是好人，你又是出自良好的家族，你来的正巧。＂
15 6 Then he added: ＂For each day you are away I will give you the normal wages, plus expenses for you and for my son. If you go with my son,
又说：＂每天我要给你一＂达玛＂作报酬，又给你一切所需，完全和我的儿子一样。
16 I will even add a bonus to your wages!＂ Raphael replied: ＂I will go with him; have no fear. In good health we shall leave you, and in good health we shall return to you, for the way is safe.＂
你同我儿一同去罢！若你们平安回来，我还要多给你报酬。
17 Tobit said, ＂God bless you, brother.＂ Then he called his son and said to him: ＂My son, prepare whatever you need for the journey, and set out with your kinsman. May God in heaven protect you on the way and bring you back to me safe and sound; and may his angel accompany you for safety, my son.＂ Before setting out on his journey, Tobiah kissed his father and mother. Tobit said to him, ＂Have a safe journey.＂
他们就如此接洽好了。天使对他说：＂我与他一同去，你不要害怕。我们平安去，也要平安回到你这里来，因为道上很太平。托彼特对他说：＂老兄！祝你一路平安！＂他便唤他的儿子说：＂孩子！你去预备路上所需的一切，与你的兄弟一同去罢！孩子！愿天上的天主使你们一路平安，保护你们在那里平安，也领你们平安回到我跟前来！愿他的天使与你们同行，救助你们！＂多俾亚便预备路上所需要的一切；临动身时，口亲了他。
18 But his mother began to weep. She said to Tobit: ＂Why have you decided to send my child away? Is he not the staff to which we cling, ever there with us in all that we do?
他的母亲亚纳哭着对托彼特说：＂你为什么打发孩子出外呢？他不是我们的扶手杖，常在我们面前出入吗？
19 I hope more money is not your chief concern! Rather let it be a ransom for our son!
钱又加不上钱，宁愿失去那笔钱，而使我们的儿子安全。
20 What the Lord has given us to live on is certainly enough for us.＂
其实，上主赐予我们的生活，为我们己足够。
21 Tobit reassured her: ＂Have no such thought. Our son will leave in good health and come back to us in good health. Your own eyes will see the day when he returns to you safe and sound.
他对她说：＂妹妹！你不要挂心！我们的儿子平安去，也必平安回到我们跟前来。在他平安回到你跟前的那一天，你要亲眼看见他。
22 7 So, no such thought; do not worry about them, my love. For a good angel will go with him, his journey will be successful, and he will return unharmed.＂
妹妹！你不要挂虑，也不要为他们担心，因为良善的天使陪伴着他，他的旅途必定顺利，也必会平安回来。＂
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Footnotes（注解）
1 [3] Document: in Greek cheirographon. In the Middle Ages, notably in England, a deed and its duplicate were written on one piece of parchment, with the Latin word chirographum inscribed across the top of the sheet or between the two copies of the text. The document was then cut in two in either a straight or a wavy line, the parts being given to the persons concerned. Perhaps this procedure derived from the present verse of Tobit. Duplicate documents, usually one open and the other sealed, are well known from the ancient Near East.
2 [4] He did not know: the theme of an angel in disguise occurs frequently in folklore as well as in the Old Testament (Genesis 18; cf Hebrews 13:2).
3 [6] It is a good two days' travel from Ecbatana to Rages: Alexander's army took eleven days in forced marches to cover this distance, about 180 miles. The author is merely using popular impressions about faraway places; he is not teaching geography. (See notes on Tobit 1:15; 3:7 and Introduction.)
4 [10] Hearty greetings and what joy form a wordplay on the Greek verb chairein, ＂to greet＂ and ＂to be joyful.＂
5 [13] (13-14) Azariah, ＂Yahweh helps＂; Hananiah, ＂Yahweh is merciful＂; Nathaniah, ＂Yahweh gives＂; Shemaiah, ＂Yahweh hears.＂
6 [15] The normal wages: literally, ＂a drachma,＂ about seventeen cents, a day's wage for a workingman.
7 [22] My love: literally, ＂sister,＂ a term of endearment applied to one's wife; cf Tobit 7:11, 15; 8:4, 21; 10:6, 13; Song 4:9, 10, 12; 5:1, 2. A good angel: a reference to the guardian angel, though Tobit does not know, of course, that Raphael himself, disguised as Azariah, is the good angel in this case.