馮象譯本

民數記16:41-50. (17:6-15)

小說家的文筆詞藻, 繁花似錦, 短促的句子營造緊張的氣氛. (牛津版馮象譯本) :

第二天，以色列會眾一片哀怨，摩西與亞倫成了眾矢之的：「你們倆殺了上主的子民！」正當會眾聚攏來圍攻時，摩西、亞倫朝會幕望去，只見祥雲籠罩，帳幕上升起了上主的榮耀！他們趕到會幕門前，上主命令摩西：「你們走開，離這會眾遠點，我現在就滅了他們！」

兩人慌忙匍匐在地。摩西催促亞倫：「快，快拿香爐到祭壇取火，擱上香，去會眾那裡為他們行贖罪禮。上主發怒了，要降瘟疫！」

亞倫得令，拿起香爐衝到會眾當中：「不好，瘟疫已經蔓延開了！」急急點起乳香，為民眾行贖罪之禮。他站在死者與生者之間，直至瘟疫離去。這場災禍，共攫走一萬四千七百人，那些追隨寇臘〔即可拉〕喪命的不算。

災禍停息，亞倫才回到會幕門口和摩西一起。

說書人的技藝卻有另一種風格, 這是所謂口傳傳統. 口傳傳統的東西要讀, 要聽的, 不能單靠看. 透過樸素簡單的句式, 不斷重覆的字句, 把畫面的重點突顯出來, 打進聽者的心目中. 地點,人物關係,動作交代得很清楚, 而且面目分明. 全文無催促二字, 卻可聽出急促的氣氛. 許多意思都是弦外之音. 讀出聲來一聽, 就能聽出來. (Robert Alter's translation):

And all the community of Israelites
murmured on the next day
against Moses and against Aaron, saying
`You, you have put to death the LORD's people.'
And it happened when the community assembled
against Moses and against Aaron,
that they turned to the Tent of Meeting, (按:誰turned?)
and, look, the cloud had covered it
and the LORD's glory appeared.
And Mose, and Aaron with him,
came before the Tent of Meeting.
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
`Lift yourselves up from the midst of this community
and I will put an end to them in an instant.'
And they fell on their faces. (按:誰是they?)
And Moses said to Aaron,
`Take the firepan and place fire upon it from the altar
and put in incense and carry it
quickly to the community and atone for them,
for the fury has gone out from before the LORD,
the scourge has begun.'
And Aaron took as Moses had spoken,
and he ran into the midst of the assembly,
and, look, the scourge had begun against the people,
and he put in incense and atoned for the people.
And he stood between the dead and the living,
and the scourge was held back.
And those who died by the scourge
came to fourteen thousand and seven hundred,
besides those who died because of Korah.
And Aaron returned to Moses
at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting,
and the scourge was held back.