与失散兄弟相遇 岁月流逝，但这章经文略去了其间发生的事。它没有提及丰收之年，也没有提及人们如何在农业上尽力利用那些好年景。它也没有提及约瑟如何管理这一体系，以及他如何储存未用完的粮食。这些似乎都隐含在约瑟请求委任时所说的话中：“我能够明智地管理它们。”（第55节）经文也没有提及歉收的荒年何时来临，人们如何迎接它们，以及他们在其间如何实际上失去了生计。这一切似乎都隐含在对国王之梦的解释中，约瑟谈到这些年景时说：“此后将有七个荒年来临，它们将吞噬你们为那些年所储存的一切，只留下你们所保存的少许。”（第48节）

An Encounter with Lost Brothers Years went by, but the sūrah leaves out what happened during them. It does not speak about the years of rich harvest, and how the people went about making the best use of them in their agriculture. Nor does it speak about how Joseph managed the system, and how he stocked the unused harvest. All these seem to be implied in Joseph’s own statement when he requested his appointment: “I am able to look after them with wisdom.” (Verse 55) Nor does the sūrah mention the arrival of the hard years with poor harvest, or how the people received them, or how they practically lost their livelihood during them. It all seems to be implied in the interpretation of the King’s dream, when Joseph said of these years: “Then after that there will come seven hard years which will devour all that you have laid up for them, except a little of what you have kept in store.” (Verse 48)

该章并未提及国王或其任何大臣、顾问在之后的任何事件中出现。因此它给人的印象是，所有重要事务都交到了约瑟夫手中。是他处理了整个危机。约瑟夫成为众人瞩目的焦点，而该章巧妙地运用了这一历史事实。

The sūrah does not mention the King or any of his ministers or advisors at any future event. It thus gives us the impression that all matters of importance were left in Joseph’s hands. It was he who managed the whole crisis. Joseph is the one given all the limelight, and the sūrah makes effective use of this historical fact.

关于荒年所带来的影响，本章通过提及约瑟的兄弟们从沙漠中、从遥远的地方来到埃及寻找食物，提醒我们注意这一点。由此我们可以想见这场饥荒的范围之广。

As for the effects of the years of scarcity, the sūrah draws attention to this by referring to Joseph’s brothers as those that came from the desert, in a faraway land, to look for food in Egypt. This gives us an idea of how widespread the famine was.

我们可以看出约瑟在埃及所采取的那种政策。显然，周边地区都向埃及求助，因为埃及成为了整个地区的粮仓。与此同时，约瑟的故事以及他与兄弟们的交往，其发展方式也服务于一个宗教目的。

We realize the sort of policy Egypt adopted under Joseph’s direction. It is clear that neighbouring lands looked to Egypt for help, as it became the storehouse for the whole region. At the same time, Joseph’s story and his dealings with his brothers move along in a way that fulfils a religious purpose.

歉收导致迦南地及其周边地区发生饥荒。

Poor harvests caused famine in the Kanaanite land and its surrounding areas.

约瑟的兄弟们，和其他许多人一样，在得知埃及储存了大量余粮并且管理得当之后，便前往埃及。我们在这里看到他们在约瑟面前陈述自己的来意，却不认得他就是自己的兄弟。约瑟立刻认出了他们，因为他们的模样没有太大变化。他们做梦也想不到他竟是自己的兄弟。二十多年前他们丢进井里的那个希伯来少年，与如今站在他们面前的人相去甚远：此人是埃及的宰相，身处宫廷之中，周围环绕着他的侍从和卫兵。

该章直接把我们带到迦南之地，兄弟们正在与父亲交谈。该章对归途只字未提，也没有说明途中是否发生了任何重要的事情。此处，兄弟们向父亲讲述了他们在此行结束时所得知的最重要的一点："当他们回到父亲那里时，他们说：'父亲啊，今后粮食将不再供应给我们。"

The sūrah takes us immediately to the land of Kanaan, where the brothers are talking to their father. The sūrah says nothing whatsoever about the return journey, and whether anything of importance happened. Here the brothers are telling their father the most important point that they learnt at the end of their trip: “When they returned to their father, they said: ‘Father, any [further] grain is henceforth denied us.

“于是，请让我们的兄弟与我们同去，好让我们得到完整的一份粮食。我们必定会好好照顾他。”（第63节）他们急于让父亲知道这件事，因为他们甚至在打开行李之前就这样说了。他们告诉父亲，埃及的宰相已决定，除非他们把小弟弟一同带去，否则不会再给他们任何粮食。因此，他们请求父亲让他与他们同去，以便购买这些粮食。他们承诺会好好照顾他。

Therefore, send our brother with us so that we may obtain our full measure [of grain]. We will take good care of him.’“ (Verse 63) They wanted their father to know this urgently, because they say this even before they open their luggage. They tell him that the Chief Minister of Egypt has decided not to give them any further provisions unless they take their younger brother with them. Hence they request their father to let him go with them so that they can buy such provisions. They promise to take good care of him.

这个承诺一定唤起了雅各伯心中的旧日记忆。它与他们当初承诺好好照顾约瑟的话几乎一模一样。因此,他提到这新承诺所勾起的悲伤:"他说:'我对于他,岂能像从前对于他的哥哥那样信托你们呢?'"(第64节)他实际上是在告诉他们,他不会再相信他们的承诺。他不需要他们对小儿子的照顾。如果他需要为他寻求监护,他会到别处去寻找:"但真主是最好的保护者,祂是最慈悯的慈悯者。"(第64节)

This promise must have awakened old memories in Jacob’s mind. It is an exact repeat of their promise to take good care of Joseph. Hence, he speaks of his sorrows that the new promise has revived: “He replied: ‘Am I to trust you with him in the same way as I trusted you with his brother in the past?”‘ (Verse 64) He is in effect telling them he will have nothing to do with their promises. He has no need of the care they may take of his younger son. Should he need any guardianship for him, he will seek it elsewhere: “But God is the best of guardians; and of all those who show mercy He is the Most Merciful.” (Verse 64)

待他们长途跋涉之后稍作休息,便打开驮袋,准备存放所买的粮食,结果却发现里面是他们带去用来交换粮食的货物。约瑟没有给他们小麦或类似的粮食,而是把他们的货物退还给了他们。因此,他们最初的报告是:他们被阻止购买粮食;然而打开驮袋后,他们却发现了自己的货物。这一切都是有意安排的,因为约瑟希望他们带着他们的兄弟尽快返回。这也是他想让他们学到的一课的一部分。

Once they had rested after their long journey, they opened their camel-packs in order to store the crops they had bought, but they find instead the merchandise they had taken with them to exchange for crops. Joseph has not given them any wheat or such like, but instead returned their merchandise. So, their first report was that they have been prevented from buying crops, then on opening their camel-packs they found their merchandise. All this was intentional, as Joseph wanted them to return quickly with their brother. That was part of the lesson he wanted them to learn.

队伍继续前行，雅各布的儿子们遵照父亲的吩咐行事：

The party moves along and Jacob’s children carry out their father’s instructions:

“当他们按照父亲的吩咐进入城门时，那对抗真主毫无益处，那只是雅各伯心中的一个愿望，他借此实现了它。他拥有我所赐予他的知识，但大多数人并不知道这一点。”（第68节）雅各伯的嘱咐目的是什么？他为什么要他们从不同的城门进入这座城？

“And when they entered as their father had bidden them, it did not profit them in the least against God. It was but a wish in Jacob’s soul which he had thus fulfilled. He was endowed with knowledge which We had given him. But most people do not know it.” (Verse 68) What was the purpose of Jacob’s instruction? Why does he want them to enter the city from different gates?

传述和注释提供了各种不同的解释，而这些解释其实并无必要。事实上，这些解释与《古兰经》经文想要传达的意旨相违背。

Reports and commentaries provide different explanations for which there is no need. In fact these explanations are against what the Qur’ānic text wants to impart.

《古兰经》若想让我们了解这些训示的原因,它本会明说;但它除了说“那只是叶尔孤白灵魂中的一个愿望,他已实现了它”(第68节)之外,并未提及其他。注释者同样应当止步于此,以保留《古兰经》所欲传达的氛围。这种氛围表明,叶尔孤白担心儿子们会遭遇某种不测,他认为让他们从不同的城门进入,或许可以避免这种危险。同时,他也意识到,若违背真主的旨意,他无法为他们提供任何帮助。

Had the Qur’ān wanted to enlighten us about the reason for these instructions, it would have stated it, but it does not mention anything other than saying, “It was but a wish in Jacob’s soul which he had thus fulfilled.” (Verse 68) Commentators should likewise stop at this juncture in order to retain the atmosphere the Qur’ān wants to impart. That atmosphere suggests that Jacob feared something for his children, which he felt could be prevented by their entering the city from different gates. At the same time he realizes that he could not avail them anything against God’s will.

所有的审判都属于真主，所有的信任都应当托付于祂。他嘱咐儿子们这些话，只是出于一种直觉。真主曾教导他，他也领悟到，真主的旨意必定会实现："但是大多数人不知道。"（第68节）

All judgement belongs to God, and all trust must be placed in Him. It was only in an intuitive sense he gave his children this instruction. God had taught him, and he had learnt, that God’s will is certain to be done: “But most people do not know it.” (Verse 68)

雅各布对他的儿子们所担心的，可能是邪目之害，也可能是国王见到他们人数众多、力量强大而生出的嫉妒，或者他担心的是拦路的强盗。我们所要担心的东西，并不能为这个章节的主题增添任何实质内容。它只为注释者提供了偏离《古兰经》对这一主题极其有效的处理方式的途径。就我们而言，我们将略去雅各布嘱咐的原因，以及整个旅程中可能发生的一切事件，因为这一章并未提及其中任何一件。我们将考察约瑟夫的兄弟们抵达埃及之后的下一个场景。

What Jacob feared for his children might have been an evil eye, or the King’s jealousy, should he see their number and strength, or perhaps he feared highwaymen. Knowledge of that which he feared does not give us anything of substance to add to the subject of the sūrah. It only provides a way for commentators to deviate from the highly effective treatment of the subject in the Qur’ān. On our part, we will leave out the reason for Jacob’s instructions and the whole trip with whatever events it might have witnessed, because the sūrah does not mention any of these. We will look at the next scene when Joseph’s brothers have arrived in Egypt.

“当他们来见约瑟夫时，他把弟弟拉到自己身边，说：‘我是你的兄弟。不要为他们过去的所作所为而忧伤。’”（第69节）我们注意到，这部章节并没有让我们悬念重重，而是很快告诉我们，约瑟夫把弟弟拉到一旁私下交谈，告诉他自己就是他的亲兄弟，并叫他不要为兄长们对自己所做的事而烦恼。经文直接讲述了此事，尽管显然这必定发生在他们到来之后的某个时候，那时约瑟夫才有机会与弟弟私下交谈。

“And when they presented themselves before Joseph, he drew his brother to himself and said: ‘I am your brother. Do not grieve over their past deeds.’“ (Verse 69) We note how the sūrah does not keep us in suspense but tells us very quickly that Joseph took his brother aside for a private talk telling him that he was his own brother. He also tells him not to bother himself with what his brothers did to him. The sūrah tells us straightaway about that, although naturally it must have happened sometime after their arrival, when Joseph has had a chance to speak to his brother in private.

然而，当约瑟夫的兄弟们进入他的住所，他又见到阔别已久的同母胞弟时，这正是约瑟夫心中最先浮现的念头。因此，这一章经文把它列为第一个行动，因为它是第一个念头。这正是这部卓越经典文体中精妙之处的一种体现。

Nevertheless, this was the first thought in Joseph’s mind when his brothers entered his place and when he saw his full brother after such a long time. Hence, the sūrah mentions it as the first action because it is the first thought. This is one of the finer aspects of the style of this remarkable book.

该章经文随后略去了约瑟可能为兄弟们准备的任何款待细节,直接转入兄弟们即将启程的最后一幕。我们得知约瑟的计划:留下他的同父异母弟弟在身边,使其他兄弟学到必要的教训,而这些教训对所有人、所有世代也都有益:"当他为他们备好粮食之后,便把[国王的]酒杯放在他弟弟的驮袋里。然后有一位宣告者喊道:'商队的人们啊!你们确是窃贼。'他们转身问道:'你们丢失了什么?'他们回答说:'我们丢失了国王的酒杯。谁把它找回来,就可得到一驮骆驼的粮食作为赏赐,我保证如此。'他们说:'奉真主之名起誓,你们知道我们来此地并非为了作恶,我们也不是窃贼。'[埃及人]说:'如果你们被证明是说谎的,那么这件事的惩罚应当是什么?'他们回答说:'在谁的驮袋里找到它,谁就要被罚为奴隶,这就是我们对不义者的惩罚。'于是,[约瑟]先搜查他们的口袋,然后才搜他弟弟的口袋,从弟弟的口袋里取出了酒杯。我们就这样为约瑟作了安排。依照国王的法律,若非真主意欲,他本无权扣留他的弟弟。我们使我们所意欲的人提升知识的品级,而在一切有知识的人之上,还有全知者。[约瑟的兄弟们]说:'如果他偷了东西,那么他的一个哥哥以前也偷过。'约瑟把这件事藏在心里,没有向他们透露,他心里想:'你们的处境更坏,真主最知道你们所说的。'他们说:'大臣啊,这少年有一位年迈的父亲,请你扣留我们中的一人代替他。我们看出你确是一位宽厚的人。'" 他回答说："天啊，我们拿别人的东西，绝不能拿别人，否则我们就是不义的人。"（第70-79节）

The sūrah then leaves out any details of the hospitality Joseph may have offered his brothers. It simply moves straight to the last scene when the brothers are about to depart. We are made aware of Joseph’s plan to keep his brother with him so that his half brothers learn some necessary lessons, which are also useful to all people and all generations: “And when he had given them their provisions, he placed the [King’s] drinking- cup in his brother’s camel pack. Then an announcer called out: ‘You people of the caravan! You are surely thieves.’ Turning back towards them, they said: ‘What is it that you have lost?’ ‘We have lost the King’s goblet,’ they answered. ‘Whoever brings it shall have a camel- load [of grain as a reward]. I pledge my word for it.’ They said: By God, you know that we have not come to commit any evil deed in this land, and that we are no thieves.’ [The Egyptians] said: But what shall be the punishment for this deed, if you are proved to be lying?’ They replied: ‘He in whose camel pack it is found shall be enslaved in punishment for it. Thus do we punish the wrongdoers.’ Thereupon, [Joseph] began to search their bags before the bag of his brother, and then took out the drinking-cup from his brother’s bag. Thus did We contrive for Joseph. He had no right under the King’s law to detain his brother, had God not so willed. We do exalt [in knowledge] whom We will, but above everyone who is endowed with knowledge there is One who knows all. [Joseph’s brothers] said: If he has stolen — well, a brother of his had stolen previously.’ Joseph kept his secret to himself and revealed nothing to them, saying [within himself’: ‘You are in a far worse position, and God knows best what you are speaking of’ They said: ‘Chief Minister, this lad has a father who is very old. Take one of us instead of him. We see that you are indeed a generous man.’ He answered: ‘God forbid that we should take any other than the man with whom we found our property; for then we would be wrongdoers.” (Verses 70-79)

“在这一点上，卫兵或工作人员向他们提出了一个问题：‘如果你们被证明是在说谎，那么这种行为的惩罚应当是什么？’”（第74节）

At this point, a challenge was put to them by the guards or staff: “But what shall be the punishment for this deed, if you are proved to be lying?” (Verse 74)

在此揭示了约瑟借真主启示所设计的部分安排。按照雅各伯信仰中的习俗，窃贼将被扣为人质或俘虏，或因其所窃之物而被奴役以作补偿。约瑟的兄弟们确信自己是清白的，因此同意依照他们自己的律法，对被证实偷了那只金杯的人执行处罚。他们的回答规定了他们法律体系中的刑罚："谁的口袋里搜出了那东西，谁就要被扣留作为赔偿。我们就是这样惩治不义者的。"（第75节）窃贼是不义者，而不义者必须依法处置。

Here a part of the design which God has inspired Joseph to employ is revealed. It was customary in Jacob’s faith that a thief be taken as a hostage or captive or that he be enslaved in compensation for what he had stolen. Since Joseph’s brothers were certain of their innocence, they accepted that their law should be enforced against the one who might be proved to have stolen the goblet. Their reply defined the punishment in their own legal system: “He in whose camel pack it is found shall be enslaved in punishment for it. Thus do we punish the wrongdoers.” (Verse 75) A thief is a wrongdoer and wrongdoers must be treated according to the law.

这段对话是在约瑟夫面前进行的,随后约瑟夫下令搜查他们的驮袋。他很有智慧,先搜查同父异母兄长的驮袋,然后才搜查弟弟的,以免引起任何怀疑:"于是,他在兄弟的袋子之前先搜查,然后从他弟弟的袋子里取出了那只饮杯。"(第76节)叙述没有直接描述雅各布的儿子们在确信自己清白、齐声发誓时所经历的巨大震惊,而是留给我们去想象和体会。

This conversation took place in front of Joseph who then ordered that their camel- packs be searched. Wise as he was, he started by searching the camel-packs of his half brothers before that of his younger brother’s, so that he did not raise any doubt about the matter: “Thereupon, [Joseph] began to search their bags before the bag of his brother, and then took out the drinking-cup from his brother’s bag.” (Verse 76) The narrative leaves us to imagine the great shock Jacob’s sons experienced when they were absolutely certain of their innocence, swearing to it in one voice. It mentions nothing of all this, leaving us instead to contemplate it.

与此同时,这段经文在讲述这个故事时点明了其中的某些目的,而此时雅各布的众子和旁观者也都醒悟过来:"我这样为优素福设计。"(第76节)

Meanwhile it comments on certain objectives behind the story while Jacob’s sons and the onlookers come to themselves: “Thus did We contrive for Joseph.” (Verse 76)

这意味着，正是真主为约瑟设计了这个周密的计划。"按照国王的法律，他无权扣留他的兄弟。"（第76节）如果他按照国王的法律行事，他就无法扣留自己的兄弟；他只能因为偷窃而惩罚窃贼。他之所以能扣留兄弟，是因为他的兄弟们表示愿意按照他们自己的信仰来执行判决。这就是真主为约瑟所定的谋略，真主启示他如何运作，或者说这是真主为他"设计"的。"设计"一词，即阿拉伯语中所用的 kidnā，指为达到某种目的而精心策划的巧妙安排，目的可善可恶，但该词more often用于指向恶的目的。从表面看，整个计划似乎很恶毒，因为它使他年幼的弟弟遭遇不幸，也使其他兄弟陷入尴尬境地，他们回到父亲身边时将不得不面对这一局面。此外，这对他们的父亲而言也是一件令人悲伤的事，尽管只是暂时的。

This means that it was God who devised this careful plan for Joseph. “He had no right under the King’s law to detain his brother.” (Verse 76) Had he applied the King’s law, he would not have been able to detain his brother; he would have only been able to punish the thief for his theft. He only could detain his brother by the fact that his brothers declared their willingness to implement their own faith. This is the scheme God made for Joseph, inspiring him with its working, or it is what God ‘contrived’ for him. ‘Contrivance’, or the Arabic word used for it, kidnā, refers to a subtle design intended for certain ends, good or bad as may be the case, but it is more often used with bad ends in mind. On the surface, this whole design seemed wicked, as it involved a misfortune happening to his young brother, and an embarrassing situation for his other brothers which they would have to face when they returned to their father. Moreover, it would be a sad event for his father, albeit temporarily.

回到约瑟的兄弟们身上，他们对约瑟及其胞弟怀有的怨恨被再次激起。我们看到，他们竭力否认与盗窃有任何牵连，同时把罪名推给父亲的另一支子女：“他们说：‘如果他偷了东西，那么他哥哥以前也偷过。’”（第77节）有大量的传闻试图为他们的说法作证，引述各种借口和传说，却忘记了这些人自己曾经对父亲撒谎，陷害约瑟。这些说法也忽视了一点：他们同样可能再次对埃及的宰相撒谎，以此推卸一件令人难堪之事的责任。因此，他们试图撇清与约瑟及其幼弟的一切关系。他们的这一行为表明，他们对约瑟和他的弟弟仍然怀恨在心。

Turning back to Joseph’s brothers whose grudge against Joseph and his brother has been aroused, we find them trying their best to deny having anything to do with theft, while they attach it to the other branch of their father’s children: “They said: ‘If he has stolen — well, a brother of his had stolen previously.’“ (Verse 77) There are countless reports which try to endorse their statement, quoting various excuses and legends, forgetting that these people had themselves previously lied to their father about Joseph. These attempts forget that they could lie again to Egypt’s Chief Minister in order to deny their responsibility for an embarrassing act. They thus try to absolve themselves of anything to do with Joseph and his younger brother. Their action shows that they still harboured a grudge against both Joseph and his brother.

因此,他们把责任全都归咎于这两者。

Hence they put the blame squarely on these two.

“约瑟把这秘密藏在心里，没有向他们透露什么。”（第77节）他只是默默承受了他们的指控，没有表现出受到影响的样子，因为他知道自己和弟弟都是完全清白的。他只对他们说：“你们的处境更糟。”（第77节）这是说，他们的虚假指控使他们在真主面前的处境，远比被指控者更糟。这是一句陈述事实的话，而不是侮辱。“真主最知道你们所说的事。”（第77节）他这样说，是为了不与他们就这项指控展开任何争辩，而这项指控大概与他毫无关系。

“Joseph kept his secret to himself revealed nothing to them.” (Verse 77) He simply bore their accusation without showing that he was affected by it, knowing that both he and his brother were totally innocent. He only said to them: “You are in a far worse position.” (Verse 77) What this means is that their false accusation put them in a far worse position in God’s sight than that of the accused. His is a statement of fact, not an insult. “God knows best what you are speaking of” (Verse 77) This he says so as not to enter into any argument about their accusation, which he presumably had nothing to do with.

然而，他们如今开始感受到自己所处的窘迫境地。他们想起了当初对父亲许下的庄严誓言：父亲允许让他们带上弟弟同行的条件，就是他们必定“把他带回来交给我”，除非他们遭遇了不测。因此，他们恳求约瑟让弟弟与他们一同回去，并陈述扣留弟弟将给年迈父亲带来的痛苦。他们表示，如果约瑟为了年迈的父亲也不愿放人，那么可以扣留他们中的一人来替代。他们还诉诸约瑟的仁慈与怜悯，对他说：“大臣啊，这孩子有一位非常年迈的父亲，请你扣留我们中的一个代替他吧。我们看出你确是一位宽厚的人。”（第78节）

They, however, now start to feel the embarrassing situation they are in. They remembered the solemn pledge they gave to their father when he made it a condition of his consent to send their brother with them that they would “indeed bring him back to me”, unless the worst befell them. Hence they appeal to Joseph to let their younger brother return with them, pleading the suffering that his detention would cause to his old father. They offer one of themselves in his place, if he would not free him for the sake of his aged father. They further appeal to his kindness and compassion, saying to him: “Chief Minister, this lad has a father who is very old. Take one of us instead of him. We see that you are indeed a generous man.” (Verse 78)