What kind of man do you think a good ruler should be? 你认为一个好的统治者应该是什么样的人？

As you read this story, you will find out why Joseph was chosen to be a ruler. 读这则故事的时候，你会发现约瑟是为什么会被选为统治者。

Joseph and His Brothers 约瑟和他的哥哥们

Little Joseph lived many years ago in the land of Canaan. 许多年以前，小约瑟住在迦南地。

His father was a rich man who had large flocks of sheep, and every day his sons led these flocks to pasture. 他的父亲是个富翁，拥有大群的羊，每天，这位父亲的孩子们都会去草地放羊。

As Joseph grew older, his father sometimes let him go out into the pastures with his ten big brothers. 约瑟长大以后，他的父亲有时候会让他和他的十个哥哥进入牧场放牧。

At first the brothers were very happy together, 刚开始，兄弟们都很高兴地在一起，

but after a while some of the older boys began to think that their father loved Joseph more than he loved them. 但过了一段时间，一些年长的男孩开始觉得他们的父亲爱约瑟远胜于爱他们。

One day Joseph went out into the fields, dressed in a beautiful new coat of many colors. 一天，约瑟穿了一件五颜六色十分漂亮的新衣服去了地里。

His brothers looked at him in surprise, for they had only sheepskin coats, without sleeves. 他的兄弟们惊奇地看着他，因为他们只有无袖的羊皮外套。

"See the new coat that father gave me!" said Joseph. "Is it not beautiful?" “看父亲给我的新外套！”约瑟说道，“漂亮吗？”

"Yes, indeed!" said his brother Reuben, pleased because the young boy was happy. “是的，很漂亮！”他的哥哥鲁本说。看到这个年幼的男孩高兴，他也高兴。

But the others were very angry. 但是其他的兄弟却很是恼火。

"Why should Father give you such a coat as that?" asked one of them. “为什么父亲给你这样一件外衣？”一个兄弟问道。

"Go home!" said another brother. “回家去吧！”另一个兄弟说。

"No, he will not go home!" said Reuben, putting his arm around Joseph. "He shall stay with me." “不，他不回家！”鲁本说着用胳膊搂着约瑟，“他要跟我待在一起。”