24:1 亚巴郎年纪已老，上主在一切事上常降福他。
Abraham had now reached a ripe old age, and the LORD had blessed him in every way. 24:2 亚巴郎对管理他所有家产的老仆人说：「请你将手放在我的胯下，
Abraham said to the senior servant of his household, who had charge of all his possessions: "Put your hand under my thigh, 24:3 要你指着上主、天地的天主起誓：你决不要为我的儿子，由我现住的客纳罕人中，娶一个女子为妻；
and I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not procure a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I live, 24:4 却要到我的故乡，我的亲族中去，为我的儿子依撒格娶妻。」
but that you will go to my own land and to my kindred to get a wife for my son Isaac." 24:5 仆人对他说：「假使那女子不愿跟我到此地来，我能否带你的儿子回到你的本乡？」
The servant asked him: "What if the woman is unwilling to follow me to this land? Should I then take your son back to the land from which you migrated?" 24:6 亚巴郎答复他说：「你切不可带我的儿子回到那里去。
"Never take my son back there for any reason," Abraham told him. 24:7 那引我出离父家和我生身地，同我谈过话，对我起誓说「我必将这地赐给你后裔」的上主，上天的天主，必派遣自己的使者作你的前导，领你由那里给我儿子娶个妻子。
"The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and the land of my kin, and who confirmed by oath the promise he then made to me, 'I will give this land to your descendants' ?he will send his messenger before you, and you will obtain a wife for my son there. 24:8 假若那女子不愿跟你来，你对我起的誓，就与你无涉；无论如何，你不能带我的儿子回到那里去。」
If the woman is unwilling to follow you, you will be released from this oath. But never take my son back there!" 24:9 仆人遂将手放在主人亚巴郎的胯下，为这事向他起了誓。
So the servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and swore to him in this undertaking. 24:10 仆人就由他主人的骆驼中，牵了十匹骆驼，带着主人的各样宝物，起身往美索不达米亚的纳曷尔城去了。
The servant then took ten of his master’s camels, and bearing all kinds of gifts from his master, he made his way to the city of Nahor in Aram Naharaim. 24:11 傍晚，女人们出来打水的时候，他叫骆驼卧在城外的水井旁，
Near evening, at the time when women go out to draw water, he made the camels kneel by the well outside the city. 24:12 然后说：「上主、我主人亚巴郎的天主!求你对我主人亚巴郎施行仁慈，今日使我幸运。
Then he prayed: "LORD, God of my master Abraham, let it turn out favorably for me today and thus deal graciously with my master Abraham. 24:13 看我站在水泉旁，此时城中的女子正出来打水。
While I stand here at the spring and the daughters of the townsmen are coming out to draw water, 24:14 我对那个少女说：请你放下水罐，让我喝点水。如果她答说：请喝!并且我还要打水给你的骆驼喝，她即是你为你的仆人依撒格预定的少女；由此我知道，你对我主人施行了仁慈。」
if I say to a girl, 'Please lower your jug, that I may drink,' and she answers, ’take a drink, and let me give water to your camels, too,' let her be the one whom you have decided upon for your servant Isaac. In this way I shall know that you have dealt graciously with my master." 24:15 话还没有说完，黎贝加就肩着水罐出来了。她是亚巴郎的兄弟纳曷尔的妻子米耳加的儿子贝突耳的女儿。
He had scarcely finished these words when Rebekah (who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor) came out with a jug on her shoulder. 24:16 这少女容貌很美，是个还没有人认识的处女。她下到水泉，灌满了水罐，就上来了。
The girl was very beautiful, a virgin, untouched by man. She went down to the spring and filled her jug. As she came up, 24:17 仆人就跑上前去迎着她说：「请让我喝点你水罐里的水，好吗!」
the servant ran toward her and said, "Please give me a sip of water from your jug." 24:18 她回答说：「先生!请喝!」她急忙将水罐放低，托在手上让他喝。
"Take a drink, sir," she replied, and quickly lowering the jug onto her hand, she gave him a drink. 24:19 他喝足了以后，少女说：「我再为你的骆驼打水，叫它们也喝足。」
When she had let him drink his fill, she said, "I will draw water for your camels, too, until they have drunk their fill." 24:20 遂急忙将罐里的水倒在槽里，再跑到那井里去打水，打给他的骆驼喝。
With that, she quickly emptied her jug into the drinking trough and ran back to the well to draw more water, until she had drawn enough for all the camels. 24:21 仆人在旁静静地注视她，急愿知道，是否上主已使他此行成功。
The man watched her the whole time, silently waiting to learn whether or not the LORD had made his errand successful. 24:22 骆驼喝完了水以后，老人就拿出一个半「协刻耳」重的金鼻环，和一对重十「协刻耳」的金手镯，给她戴上，
When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold ring weighing half a shekel, which he fastened on her nose, and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels, which he put on her wrists. 24:23 然后说：「请你告诉我你是谁的女儿？你父亲家里，有没有地方可让我们过宿？」
Then he asked her: "Whose daughter are you? Tell me, please. And is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?" 24:24 她回答说：「我是米耳加给纳曷尔所生之子贝突耳的女儿。」
She answered: "I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor. 24:25 她又继续说：「我们家里有很多草料和饲粮，而且还有地方可供过宿。」
There is plenty of straw and fodder at our place," she added, "and room to spend the night." 24:26 老人就俯身朝拜了上主，说：「
The man then bowed down in worship to the LORD, 24:27 上主，我主人亚巴郎的天主应受赞美!因为他不断以仁慈和忠信善待了我的主人。上主也一路引我来到了我主人的老家。」
saying: "Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not let his constant kindness toward my master fail. As for myself also, the LORD has led me straight to the house of my master’s brother." 24:28 那少女跑回去，将这一切事告诉了她母亲家中的人。
Then the girl ran off and told her mother’s household about it. 24:29 黎贝加有个哥哥名叫拉班，他一看见他妹妹鼻上的金环，和手腕上的金镯，听见他妹妹黎贝加说：「那人如此如此对我说。」
Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban. 24:30 拉班就跑去见那在郊外水泉旁的人，迨他来到那人那里，见他仍站在靠近水泉的骆驼旁，
As soon as he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister Rebekah and heard her words about what the man had said to her, Laban rushed outside to the man at the spring. When he reached him, he was still standing by the camels at the spring. 24:31 就对他说：「你这受上主降福的人，请来我已预备好了房屋和喂骆驼的地方；你为什么还站在郊外？」
So he said to him: "Come, blessed of the LORD! Why are you staying outside when I have made the house ready for you, as well as a place for the camels?" 24:32 拉班便将那人领进家去，卸了骆驼，喂上草料和饲粮；又拿水给他和与他同来的人洗脚，
The man then went inside; and while the camels were being unloaded and provided with straw and fodder, water was brought to bathe his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. 24:33 然后在他面前摆上饭，但仆人却说：「在我未说明我的来意之前，我不吃饭。」拉班说：「你说罢!」
But when the table was set for him, he said, "I will not eat until I have told my tale." "Do so," they replied. 24:34 他说：「我是亚巴郎的仆人，
"I am Abraham’s servant," he began. 24:35 上主厚厚地降福了我的主人，使他十分富有，赐了他羊群、牛群、金银、仆婢、骆驼和驴子。
"The LORD has blessed my master so abundantly that he has become a wealthy man; he has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female slaves, and camels and asses. 24:36 我主人的妻子撒辣，在老年给我主人生了一个儿子，主人遂将所有的财产都给了他。
My master’s wife Sarah bore a son to my master in her old age, and he has given him everything he owns. 24:37 我主人叫我起誓说：你决不要给我的儿子，由我现居地的客纳罕人中，娶一个女子为妻。
My master put me under oath, saying: 'You shall not procure a wife for my son among the daughters of the Canaanites in whose land I live; 24:38 你该到我的父家和我的同族中，为我儿子娶妻。
instead, you shall go to my father’s house, to my own relatives, to get a wife for my son.' 24:39 我对我主人说：假使女儿不愿跟我来怎麽办？
When I asked my master, 'What if the woman will not follow me?,' 24:40 他回答我说：我一向在上主面前行走，他必派遣自己的使者与你同行，使你此行必成功，能由我的同族，我的父家，为我儿子娶妻。
he replied: ’the LORD, in whose presence I have always walked, will send his messenger with you and make your errand successful, and so you will get a wife for my son from my own kindred of my father’s house. 24:41 只要你去了我同族那里，你就履行了对我起的誓；若是他们不给你，你对我起的誓，就与你无涉。
Then you shall be released from my ban. If you visit my kindred and they refuse you, then, too, you shall be released from my ban.' 24:42 今天我到了水泉那里就说：上主，我主人亚巴郎的天主!惟愿你使我此行成功。
"When I came to the spring today, I prayed: ’lORD, God of my master Abraham, may it be your will to make successful the errand I am engaged on! 24:43 看我现在站在泉旁，我对那个出来打水的少女说：请你让我喝点你水罐里的水罢!
While I stand here at the spring, if I say to a young woman who comes out to draw water, Please give me a little water from your jug, 24:44 如果她对我说：请喝，并且我还要打水给你的骆驼喝，她即是上主为我主人的儿子预定的妻子。
and she answers, Not only may you have a drink, but I will give water to your camels, too ?let her be the woman whom the LORD has decided upon for my master’s son.' 24:45 我心里尚未说完这话，看，黎贝加肩着水罐来了，下到水泉那里打水，我就对她说：请给我一点水喝!
"I had scarcely finished saying this prayer to myself when Rebekah came out with a jug on her shoulder. After she went down to the spring and drew water, I said to her, 'Please let me have a drink.' 24:46 她急忙从肩上放下水罐说：你喝，并且我还要打水给你的骆驼喝。我喝了，同时她也给了骆驼水喝。
She quickly lowered the jug she was carrying and said, ’take a drink, and let me bring water for your camels, too.' So I drank, and she watered the camels also. 24:47 我于是问她说：你是谁的女儿？她答说：我是米耳加给纳曷尔生的儿子贝突耳的女儿。我就将鼻环戴在她鼻上，将手镯带在她手腕上。
When I asked her, 'Whose daughter are you?' she answered, ’the daughter of Bethuel, son of Nahor, borne to Nahor by Milcah.' So I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on her wrists. 24:48 然后我俯身朝拜了上主，赞颂了上主、我主人亚巴郎的天主，因为他引我走了正路，为我主人的儿子娶了我主人兄弟的孙女。
Then I bowed down in worship to the LORD, blessing the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me on the right road to obtain the daughter of my master’s kinsman for his son. 24:49 现在，如果你们愿意以仁慈和忠信善待我主人，请告诉我；如果不肯，也请告诉我；我好决定行事。」
If, therefore, you have in mind to show true loyalty to my master, let me know; but if not, let me know that, too. I can then proceed accordingly." 24:50 拉班和贝突耳答说：「这件事既是出于上主，我们不能对你说好说坏。
Laban and his household said in reply: "This thing comes from the LORD; we can say nothing to you either for or against it. 24:51 看黎贝加在你面前，你可带她去做你主人儿子的妻子，如上主所说的。」
Here is Rebekah, ready for you; take her with you, that she may become the wife of your master’s son, as the LORD has said." 24:52 亚巴郎的仆人一听见他们说出这话，就俯伏在地朝拜了上主；
When Abraham’s servant heard their answer, he bowed to the ground before the LORD. 24:53 然后拿出金银的珍饰和衣服来，送给了黎贝加，又送给了她的哥哥和她的母亲一些宝贵礼品。
Then he brought out objects of silver and gold and articles of clothing and presented them to Rebekah; he also gave costly presents to her brother and mother. 24:54 这以后，他和同他前来的人才吃喝，并住了一宿。清早起来，他就说：「请让我回到我主人那里去!」
After he and the men with him had eaten and drunk, they spent the night there. When they were up the next morning, he said, "Give me leave to return to my master." 24:55 黎贝加的哥哥和母亲说：「让少女同我们再住上几天或十天，然后走罢!」
Her brother and mother replied, "Let the girl stay with us a short while, say ten days; after that she may go." 24:56 他回答他们说：「你们不要挽留我，上主既使我此行成功，请你们让我走，回到我主人那里去。」
But he said to them, "Do not detain me, now that the LORD has made my errand successful; let me go back to my master." 24:57 他们说：「我们可叫少女来，问问她的意思。」
They answered, "Let us call the girl and see what she herself has to say about it." 24:58 他们就将黎贝加叫来问她说：「你愿意跟这人去吗？」她答说：「愿意。」
So they called Rebekah and asked her, "Do you wish to go with this man?" She answered, "I do." 24:59 于是他们打发自己的姊妹黎贝加和她的乳母，同亚巴郎的仆人和与他同来的人一起走了。
At this they allowed their sister Rebekah and her nurse to take leave, along with Abraham’s servant and his men. 24:60 他们降福黎贝加说：「我们的姊妹，愿你子孙无数!愿你的后裔，占领仇敌的城门!」
Invoking a blessing on Rebekah, they said: "Sister, may you grow into thousands of myriads; And may your descendants gain possession of the gates of their enemies!" 24:61 黎贝加便和自己的婢女们起来，上了骆驼，跟那人去了。仆人便带着黎贝加起了程。
Then Rebekah and her maids started out; they mounted their camels and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and went on his way. 24:62 那时依撒格刚来到拉海洛依井旁附近，他原住在乃革布地方。
Meanwhile Isaac had gone from Beer-lahai-roi and was living in the region of the Negeb. 24:63 傍晚时，依撒格出来在田间来回沉思，举目一望，看见了一队骆驼。
One day toward evening he went out. . . in the field, and as he looked around, he noticed that camels were approaching. 24:64 黎贝加举目看见了依撒格，便由骆驼上下来，
Rebekah, too, was looking about, and when she saw him, she alighted from her camel 24:65 问仆人说：「田间前来迎接我们的那人是谁？」仆人答说：「是我的主人。」黎贝加遂拿面纱蒙在脸上。
and asked the servant, "Who is the man out there, walking through the fields toward us?" "That is my master," replied the servant. Then she covered herself with her veil. 24:66 仆人就将自己所作的一切事，告诉了依撒格。
The servant recounted to Isaac all the things he had done. 24:67 依撒格便领黎贝加进入自己母亲撒辣的帐幕，娶了她为妻，很是爱她。依撒格自从母亲死后，这才有了安慰。
Then Isaac took Rebekah into his tent; he married her, and thus she became his wife. In his love for her Isaac found solace after the death of his mother Sarah.