Genesis 44

1And Joseph commanded the steward of his house, saying: Fill their sacks with corn, as much as they can hold: and put the money of every one in the top of his sack.

2And in the mouth of the younger’s sack put my silver cup, and the price which he gave for the wheat. And it was so done.

3And when the morning arose, they were sent away with their asses.

4And when they were now departed out of the city, and had gone forward a little way; Joseph sending for the steward of his house, said: Arise, and pursue after the men: and when thou hast overtaken them, say to them: Why have you returned evil for good?

5The cup which you have stolen is that in which my lord drinketh, and in which he is wont to divine: you have done a very evil thing.

6He did as he had commanded him. And having overtaken them, he spoke to them the same words.

7And they answered: Why doth our lord speak so, as though thy servants had committed so heinous a fact?

8The money, that we found in the top of our sacks, we brought back to thee from the land of Chanaan: how then should it be that we should steal out of thy lord’s house, gold or silver?

9With whomsoever of thy servants shall be found that which thou seekest, let him die, and we will be the bondmen of my lord.

10And he said to them: Let it be according to your sentence: with whomsoever it shall be found, let him be my servant, and you shall be blameless.

11Then they speedily took down their sacks to the ground, and every man opened his sack.

12Which when he had searched, beginning at the eldest and ending at the youngest, he found the cup in Benjamin’s sack.

13Then they rent their garments, and loading their asses again, returned into the town.

14And Juda at the head of his brethren went in to Joseph, (for he was not yet gone out of the place), and they altogether fell down before him on the ground.

15And he said to them: Why would you do so? know you not that there is no one like me in the science of divining.

16And Juda said to him: What shall we answer my lord? or what shall we say, or be able justly to allege? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are all bondmen to my lord, both we, and he with whom the cup was found.

17Joseph answered: God forbid that I should do so: he that stole the cup, he shall be my bondman: and go you away free to your father.

18Then Juda coming nearer, said boldly: I beseech thee, my lord, let thy servant speak a word in thy ears, and be not angry with thy servant: for after Pharao thou art,

19My lord. Thou didst ask thy servants the first time: Have you a father or a brother?

20And we answered thee, my lord: We have a father an old man, and a young boy, that was born in his old age; whose brother by the mother is dead: and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him tenderly.

21And thou saidst to thy servants: Bring him hither to me, and I will set my eyes on him.

22We suggested to my lord: The boy cannot leave his father: for if he leave him, he will die.

23And thou saidst to thy servants: Except your youngest brother come with you, you shall see my face no more.

24Therefore when we were gone up to thy servant our father, we told him all that my lord had said.

25And our father said: Go again, and buy us a little wheat.

26And we said to him: We cannot go: if our youngest brother go down with us, we will set out together: otherwise, without him we dare not see the man’s face.

27Whereunto he answered: You know that my wife bore me two.

28One went out, and you said: A beast devoured him: and hitherto he appeareth not.

29If you take this also, and any thing befall him in the way you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow unto hell.

30Therefore if I shall go to thy servant our father, and the boy be wanting, (whereas his life dependeth upon the life of him,)

31And he shall see that he is not with us, he will die, and thy servants shall bring down his gray hairs with sorrow unto hell.

32Let me be thy proper servant, who took him into my trust, and promised, saying: If I bring him not again, I will be guilty of sin against my father for ever.

33Therefore I thy servant will stay instead of the boy in the service of my lord, and let the boy go up with his brethren.

34For I cannot return to my father without the boy, lest I be a witness of the calamity that will oppress my father.

1Præcepit autem Joseph dispensatori domus suæ, dicens: Imple saccos eorum frumento, quantum possunt capere: et pone pecuniam singulorum in summitate sacci.

2Scyphum autem meum argenteum, et pretium quod dedit tritici, pone in ore sacci junioris. Factumque est ita.

3Et orto mane, dimissi sunt cum asinis suis.

4Jamque urbem exierant, et processerant paululum: tunc Joseph accersito dispensatore domus, Surge, inquit, et persequere viros: et apprehensis dicito: Quare reddidistis malum pro bono?

5scyphus, quem furati estis, ipse est in quo bibit dominus meus, et in quo augurari solet: pessimam rem fecistis.

6Fecit ille ut jusserat: et apprehensis per ordinem locutus est.

7Qui responderunt: Quare sic loquitur dominus noster, ut servi tui tantum flagitii commiserint?

8pecuniam, quam invenimus in summitate saccorum, reportavimus ad te de terra Chanaan: et quomodo consequens est ut furati simus de domo domini tui aurum vel argentum?

9apud quemcumque fuerit inventum servorum tuorum quod quæris, moriatur, et nos erimus servi domini nostri.

10Qui dixit eis: Fiat juxta vestram sententiam: apud quemcumque fuerit inventus, ipse sit servus meus, vos autem eritis innoxii.

11Itaque festinato deponentes in terram saccos, aperuerunt singuli.

12Quos scrutatus, incipiens a majore usque ad minimum, invenit scyphum in sacco Benjamin.

13At illi, scissis vestibus, oneratisque rursum asinis, reversi sunt in oppidum.

14Primusque Judas cum fratribus ingressus est ad Joseph (necdum enim de loco abierat) omnesque ante eum pariter in terram corruerunt.

15Quibus ille ait: Cur sic agere voluistis? an ignoratis quod non sit similis mei in augurandi scientia?

16Cui Judas: Quid respondebimus, inquit, domino meo? vel quid loquemur, aut juste poterimus obtendere? Deus invenit iniquitatem servorum tuorum: en omnes servi sumus domini mei, et nos, et apud quem inventus est scyphus.

17Respondit Joseph: Absit a me ut sic agam: qui furatus est scyphum, ipse sit servus meus: vos autem abite liberi ad patrem vestrum.

18Accedens autem propius Judas, confidenter ait: Oro, domini mi, loquatur servus tuus verbum in auribus tuis, et ne irascaris famulo tuo: tu es enim post Pharaonem

19dominus meus. Interrogasti prius servos tuos: Habetis patrem aut fratrem?

20et nos respondimus tibi domino meo: Est nobis pater senex, et puer parvulus, qui in senectute illius natus est: cujus uterinus frater mortuus est: et ipsum solum habet mater sua, pater vero tenere diliget eum.

21Dixistique servis tuis: Adducite eum ad me, et ponam oculos meos super illum.

22Suggessimus domino meo: Non potest puer relinquere patrem suum: si enim illum dimiserit, morietur.

23Et dixisti servis tuis: Nisi venerit frater vester minimus vobiscum, non videbitis amplius faciem meam.

24Cum ergo ascendissemus ad famulum tuum patrem nostrum, narravimus ei omnia quæ locutus est dominus meus.

25Et dixit pater noster: Revertimini, et emite nobis parum tritici.

26Cui diximus: Ire non possumus: si frater noster minimus descenderit nobiscum, proficiscemur simul: alioquin illo absente, non audemus videre faciem viri.

27Ad quæ ille respondit: Vos scitis quod duos genuerit mihi uxor mea.

28Egressus est unus, et dixistis: Bestia devoravit eum: et hucusque non comparet.

29Si tuleritis et istum, et aliquid ei in via contigerit, deducetis canos meos cum mœrore ad inferos.

30Igitur si intravero ad servum tuum patrem nostrum, et puer defuerit (cum anima illius ex hujus anima pendeat),

31videritque eum non esse nobiscum, morietur, et deducent famuli tui canos ejus cum dolore ad inferos.

32Ego proprie servus tuus sim qui in meam hunc recepi fidem, et spopondi dicens: Nisi reduxero eum, peccati reus ero in patrem meum omni tempore.

33Manebo itaque servus tuus pro puero in ministerio domini mei, et puer ascendat cum fratribus suis.

34Non enim possum redire ad patrem meum, absente puero: ne calamitatis, quæ oppressura est patrem meum, testis assistam.

1Then Joseph instructed the steward of his house, saying: “Fill their sacks with grain, as much as they are able to hold. And place each one’s money at the top of the sack.

2But place my silver bowl, and the price that he gave for the wheat, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest.” And so it was done.

3And when morning arose, they were sent away with their donkeys.

4And now they had departed from the city and had set out a short distance. Then Joseph, sending for the steward of his house, said: “Rise up and pursue the men. And when you have overtaken them, say: ‘Why have you returned evil for good?

5The cup that you have stolen, it is that from which my lord drinks, and in which he is accustomed to discern signs. You have done a very sinful thing.’ ”

6He did as he had been ordered. And having overtaken them, he spoke to them according to the order.

7And they responded: “Why does our lord speak in this way, as though your servants had committed such a shameful act?

8The money, which we found at the top of our sacks, we carried back to you from the land of Canaan. So in what way does it follow that we would steal, from the house of your lord, gold or silver?

9Whichever of your servants will be found to have what you seek, may he die, and we shall be the servants of my lord.”

10And he said to them: “Let it be according to your verdict. With whomever it will be found, let him be my servant, but you will be unharmed.”

11And so, they quickly placed their sacks down to the ground, and each one was opened.

12And when he had searched, beginning with the oldest, all the way to the youngest, he found the cup in Benjamin’s sack.

13But they, tearing their garments and burdening their donkeys again, returned to the town.

14And Judah, first among his brothers, entered to Joseph (for he had not yet departed from the place) and together they all fell down before him to the ground.

15And he said to them: “Why would you choose to act in this way? Could you be ignorant that there is no one like me in the knowledge of discerning signs?”

16And Judah said to him, “What could we answer to my lord? And what would we be able to say, or to justly claim? God has discovered the iniquity of your servants. See, we have all become servants to my lord, both we, and he with whom the cup was found.”

17Joseph responded: “Far be it from me that I should act in this way. He who stole the cup, he will be my servant. But you may go away free to your father.”

18Then Judah, approaching closer, said confidently: “I beg you, my lord, let your servant speak a word in your ears, and do not be angry with your servant. For you are next to Pharaoh.

19My lord, you questioned your servants before: ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’

20And we answered you, my lord: ‘There is our father, an old man, and a young boy, who was born in his old age. His brother of the same womb has died, and he alone is left to his mother and father, who truly love him tenderly.’

21And you said to your servants, ‘Bring him to me, and I will set my eyes on him.’

22We suggested to my lord: ‘The boy is not able to leave his father. For if he sends him away, he will die.’

23And you said to your servants: ‘Unless your youngest brother arrives with you, you will not see my face any more.’

24Therefore, when we had gone up to your servant our father, we explained to him all that my lord had spoken.

25And our father said: ‘Return and buy us a little wheat.’

26And we said to him: ‘We cannot go. If our youngest brother descends with us, we will set out together. Otherwise, in his absence, we do not dare to see the face of the man.’

27To which he responded: ‘You know that my wife conceived twice by me.

28One went out, and you said, “A beast devoured him.” And since then, he has not appeared.

29If you take this one also, and anything happens to him on the way, you will lead my grey hairs down with grief to the grave.’

30Therefore, if I would have gone to your servant, our father, with the boy not present, (though his life depends upon the life of him)

31and if he were to see that he is not with us, he would die, and your servants will lead his grey hairs down with sorrow to the grave.

32Let me be your very own servant, for I accepted this one into my trust, and I promised, saying: ‘Unless I lead him back, I will be guilty of a sin against my father for all time.’

33And so I, your servant, will remain in place of the boy, in ministry to my lord, and then let the boy go up with his brothers.

34For I cannot return to my father without the boy, lest I appear as a witness to the calamity that will oppress my father.”