تكوين 44

١ 1 وَأَمَرَ يُوسُفُ مَدَبِّرَ بَيْتِهِ قَائِلاً: «امْلأْ أَكْيَاسَ الرِّجَالِ بِالطَّعَامِ بِقَدْرِ وُسْعِهَا، وَرُدَّ فِضَّةَ كُلِّ رَجُلٍ إِلَى فَمِ كِيسِهِ.

When his brothers were ready to return home, Joseph said to the man who was in charge of things in his house, “Fill the sacks of those men with as much grain as they can carry [on their donkeys]. And put in the top of each man’s sack the silver that he paid for the grain.

٢ 2 وَضَعْ فِي فَمِ كِيسِ الصَّغِيرِ كَأْسِيَ الْفِضِّيَّةَ وَثَمَنَ قَمْحِهِ». فَنَفَّذَ أَمْرَ يُوسُفَ.

Then put my silver cup in the top of the youngest brother’s sack, along with the silver that he paid for the grain.” So the servant did what Joseph told him to do.

٣ 3 وَمَا إِنْ أَشْرَقَ الصَّبَاحُ حَتَّى انْطَلَقَ الرِّجَالُ، هُمْ وَحَمِيرُهُمْ.

The next morning at dawn the men started on the way home with their donkeys.

٤ 4 وَمَا كَادُوا يَبْتَعِدُونَ عَنِ الْمَدِينَةِ قَلِيلاً حَتَّى قَالَ يُوسُفُ لِمُدَبِّرِ بَيْتِهِ: «اسْعَ خَلْفَ الرِّجَالِ، وَمَا إِنْ تُدْرِكُهُمْ حَتَّى تَقُولَ لَهُمْ: لِمَاذَا تُكَافِئُونَ الْخَيْرَ بِالشَّرِّ؟

When they had not gone far from the city, Joseph said to the servant in charge of things in his house, “Pursue those men immediately. When you catch up to them, say to them, ‘We did good things for you! Why have you paid us back by doing something bad to us?

٥ 5 أَلَيْسَتْ هَذِهِ هِيَ الكَأْسُ الَّتِي يَشْرَبُ فِيهَا سَيِّدِي وَيَتَفَاءَلُ بِالْغَيْبِ؟ لَشَدَّ مَا أَسَأْتُمْ فِي مَا صَنَعْتُمْ».

[You have stolen the cup] that my master drinks from [RHQ]! It is the cup that he uses to find out things that nobody knows! What you did was very wicked!’”

٦ 6 فَلَمَّا أَدْرَكَهُمْ خَاطَبَهُمْ بِهَذَا الْقَوْلِ، فَأَجَابُوهُ:

The servant [left immediately and] when he caught up with them, he told them what Joseph had told him to say.

٧ 7 «لِمَاذَا يَتَكَلَّمُ سَيِّدِي بِمِثْلِ هَذَا الْكَلامِ؟ حَاشَا لِعَبِيدِكَ أَنْ يَرْتَكِبُوا هَذَا الأَمْرَ.

But one of them replied to him, “Sir, why do you say such things? We are your servants, and we would never do anything like that!

٨ 8 هُوَذَا الْفِضَّةُ الَّتِي عَثَرْنَا عَلَيْهَا فِي أَفْوَاهِ أَكْيَاسِنَا رَدَدْنَاهَا لَكَ مَعَنَا مِنْ أَرْضِ كَنْعَانَ، فَكَيْفَ نَسْرِقُ فِضَّةً أَوْ ذَهَباً مِنْ بَيْتِ سَيِّدِكَ؟

We even brought back to you from Canaan land the silver that we found inside the tops of our sacks! So (we certainly would not steal silver or gold from your master’s house!/Why would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house?) [RHQ]

٩ 9 مَنْ تَجِدْ مَعَهُ الْكَأْسَ مِنْ عَبِيدِكَ يَمُتْ، وَنَكُنْ نَحْنُ أَيْضاً عَبِيداً لِسَيِّدِي».

If you discover that any of us has that cup, you can execute him, and the rest of us will become your slaves.”

١٠ 10 فَقَالَ: «فَلْيَكُنْ كَمَا تَقُولُونَ. فَالَّذِي أَجِدُهَا مَعَهُ يُصْبِحُ عَبْداً لِي، وَالْبَاقُونَ يَكُونُونَ أَبْرِيَاءَ».

The man replied, “Okay, I will do what you say. But the one who has the cup will not be executed. Instead, he will become my slave, and the rest of you may return home.”

١١ 11 فَبَادَرَ كُلٌّ مِنْهُمْ إِلَى كِيسِهِ وَحَطَّهُ عَلَى الأَرْضِ وَفَتَحَهُ،

Each of the men quickly lowered his sack down from the donkey to the ground and opened it.

١٢ 12 فَفَتَّشَ مُبْتَدِئاً مِنْ كِيسِ الْكَبِيرِ حَتَّى انْتَهَى إِلَى كِيسِ الصَّغِيرِ، فَعَثَرَ عَلَى الْكَأْسِ فِي كِيسِ بِنْيَامِينَ.

Then the servant started to search for the cup in each sack. He started with the oldest brother’s sack and ended with the youngest one’s sack. And he found the cup in Benjamin’s sack and showed it to them.

١٣ 13 فَمَزَّقُوا ثِيَابَهُمْ وَحَمَلَ كُلٌّ مِنْهُمْ كِيسَهُ عَلَى حِمَارِهِ وَرَجَعُوا إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ.

The brothers tore their clothes [because they were so dismayed]. They loaded the sacks on the donkeys again and returned to the city.

١٤ 14 وَدَخَلَ يَهُوذَا وَإخْوَتُهُ إِلَى بَيْتِ يُوسُفَ إِذْ كَانَ مَا بَرِحَ هُنَاكَ، فَارْتَمَوا أَمَامَهُ إِلَى الأَرْضِ.

When Judah and his [older and younger] brothers entered Joseph’s house, Joseph was still there. The servant told Joseph what had happened. Then the brothers threw themselves down on the ground in front of Joseph.

١٥ 15 فَقَالَ لَهُمْ يُوسُفُ: «أَيُّ جِنَايَةٍ اقْتَرَفْتُمْ؟ أَمَا عَلِمْتُمْ أَنَّ رَجُلاً مِثْلِي يَسْتَخْدِمُ كَأْسَهُ فِي مَعْرِفَةِ الْغَيْبِ؟»

He said to them, “Why did you do this? Do you not know that a man like me can find out things that nobody knows?” [RHQ]

١٦ 16 فَقَالَ يَهُوذَا: «مَاذَا نَقُولُ لِسَيِّدِي، وَبِمَاذَا نُخَاطِبُهُ، وَكَيْفَ نُبْرِئُ أَنْفُسَنَا؟ إِنَّ اللهَ قَدْ فَضَحَ إِثْمَ عَبِيدِكَ. فَنَحْنُ وَمَنْ عُثِرَ مَعَهُ عَلَى الْكَأْسِ عَبِيدٌ لِسَيِّدِي».

Judah replied, “Sir, what can we say? How can we prove that we (are innocent/did not steal the cup)? God has (paid us back/punished us) for the sins [we committed many years ago]. So now we will become your slaves—both we and the one in whose sack the cup was found.”

١٧ 17 فَقَالَ: «حَاشَا لِي أَنْ أَفْعَلَ هَذَا؛ إِنَّمَا الرَّجُلُ الَّذِي عُثِرَ مَعَهُ عَلَى الْكَأْسِ هُوَ يَكُونُ لِي عَبْداً، أَمَّا أَنْتُمْ فَامْضُوا إِلَى أَبِيكُمْ بِأَمَانٍ».

But Joseph replied, “No, I could never do anything like that. Only the man in whose sack the cup was found will become my slave. The rest of you can return to your father peacefully.”

١٨ 18 فَتَقَدَّمَ مِنْهُ يَهُوذَا وَقَالَ: «يَا سَيِّدِي، دَعْ عَبْدَكَ يَنْطِقُ بِكَلِمَةٍ فِي مَسْمَعِ سَيِّدِي، وَلا يَحْتَدِمْ غَضَبُكَ عَلَى عَبْدِكَ، لأَنَّ سُلْطَتَكَ مُمَاثِلَةٌ لِسُلْطَةِ فِرْعَوْنَ.

Then Judah came near to Joseph and said, “Sir, please let me say something to you. You are equal to the king himself, so you could command that I be executed; but do not be angry with me for speaking to you.

١٩ 19 لَقَدْ سَأَلَ سَيِّدِي عَبِيدَهُ: أَلَكُمْ أَبٌ أَوْ أَخٌ؟

You asked us, ‘Is your father still living, and do you have another brother?’

٢٠ 20 فَأَجَبْنَا سَيِّدِي: لَنَا أَبٌ شَيْخٌ، وَابْنُ شَيْخُوخَةٍ صَغِيرٌ مَاتَ أَخُوهُ الشَّقِيقُ وَبَقِيَ هُوَ وَحْدَهُ مِنْ أُمِّهِ، وَأَبُوهُ يُحِبُّهُ.

We answered, ‘Our father is alive, but he is an old man. He has a young son who was born after our father became an old man. That son had an [older] brother, who is now dead. So the youngest son is the only one of his mother’s sons who is still alive, and his father loves him very much.’

٢١ 21 فَقُلْتَ لِعَبِيدِكَ: أَحْضِرُوهُ إِلَيَّ لأَرَاهُ بِعَيْنَيَّ.

Then you said to us, ‘The next time you come here, bring your younger brother down to me, so that I can see him.’

٢٢ 22 فَقُلْنَا لِسَيِّدِي: لَا يَقْدِرُ الْغُلامُ أَنْ يَتْرُكَ أَبَاهُ لِئَلّا يَمُوتَ أَبُوهُ إِذَا فَارَقَهُ.

We said to you, ‘No, we cannot do that, because the boy cannot leave his father. If he leaves his father, his father will die from sorrow.’

٢٣ 23 فَقُلْتَ لِعَبِيدِكَ: مَا لَمْ تُحْضِرُوا أَخَاكُمْ إِلَيَّ لَا تَرَوْنَ وَجْهِي بَعْدُ.

But you told us, ‘If your youngest brother does not come back with you, I will not let you see me again!’

٢٤ 24 فَعِنْدَمَا قَدِمْنَا عَلَى عَبْدِكَ أَبِي، أَخْبَرْنَاهُ بِحَدِيثِ سَيِّدِي.

When we returned to our father, we told him what you said.

٢٥ 25 فَقَالَ أَبُونَا: ارْجِعُوا وَاشْتَرُوا لَنَا بَعْضَ الطَّعَامِ.

[Months later] our father said, ‘Go back to Egypt and buy some more grain!’

٢٦ 26 فَأَجَبْنَا: لَا يُمْكِنُنَا أَنْ نَذْهَبَ إِلَى هُنَاكَ مَا لَمْ نَأْخُذْ أَخَانَا مَعَنَا، لأَنَّنَا لَا نَقْدِرُ أَنْ نُقَابِلَ الرَّجُلَ مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ أَخُونَا الصَّغِيرُ مَعَنَا.

But we said, ‘We cannot go back by ourselves. We will go only if our youngest brother is with us. We will not be able to see the man who sells grain if our youngest brother is not with us.’

٢٧ 27 فَقَالَ لَنَا عَبْدُكَ أَبُونَا: أَنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ زَوْجَتِي قَدْ أَنْجَبَتْ لِيَ ابْنَيْنِ،

Our father replied, ‘You know that my wife [Rachel] gave birth to two sons for me.

٢٨ 28 فَقَدْتُ أَحَدَهُمَا وَقُلْتُ: إِنَّمَا هُوَ قَدِ افْتُرِسَ افْتِرَاساً. وَلَمْ أَرَهُ إِلَى الآنَ.

One of them disappeared, and I said, “A wild animal has surely torn him to pieces.” And I have not seen him since then.

٢٩ 29 فَإِنْ أَخَذْتُمْ هَذَا مِنِّي، وَلَحِقَهُ مَكْرُوهٌ، تُنْزِلُونَنِي إِلَى الْقَبْرِ بِشَيْبَةٍ شَقِيَّةٍ. (Sheol h7585)

I am an old gray-haired man. If you take this other one from me, too, and something harms him, you would cause me to die because of my sorrow.’ (Sheol h7585)

٣٠ 30 فَإِذَا عُدْتُ إِلَى عَبْدِكَ أَبِي الَّذِي تَعَلَّقَتْ نَفْسُهُ بِنَفْسِ الْغُلامِ، وَلَمْ يَكُنِ الْغُلامُ مَعَنَا،

“So please listen. My father will remain alive only if his youngest son remains alive.

٣١ 31 وَرَأَى أَنَّ الْغُلامَ مَفْقُودٌ، فَإِنَّهُ يَمُوتُ، وَيُوَارِي عَبِيدُكَ شَيْبَةَ عَبْدِكَ أَبِيهِمْ بِشَقَاءٍ فِي الْقَبْرِ. (Sheol h7585)

If he sees that the boy is not with us when we return to him, he will die. We will cause our gray-haired father to die because of his sorrow. (Sheol h7585)

٣٢ 32 لأَنَّ عَبْدَكَ ضَمِنَ الْغُلامَ لأَبِي، وَقُلْتُ: إِنْ لَمْ أُرْجِعْهُ إِلَيْكَ أَكُنْ مُذْنِباً إِلَيْكَ مَدَى الْحَيَاةِ.

I guaranteed/promised to my father that the boy would return safely. I told him, ‘You can require me to do what I am promising. If I do not bring him back to you, you can say forever that (I am to blame/it is my fault) [for not bringing him back to you].’

٣٣ 33 فَأَرْجُو مِنْ سَيِّدِي أَنْ يَتَّخِذَنِي عَبْداً لَهُ بَدَلاً مِنْ الْغُلامِ، وَدَعِ الْغُلامَ يَمْضِي مَعَ بَقِيَّةِ إِخْوَتِهِ،

“So, please let me remain here as your slave instead of my youngest brother, and let the boy return home with his other older brothers.

٣٤ 34 إِذْ كَيْفَ يُمْكِنُنِي أَنْ أَرْجِعَ إِلَى أَبِي وَالْغُلامُ لَيْسَ مَعِي وَأَشْهَدَ مَا يَحِلُّ بِهِ مِنَ الشَّرِّ؟».

(I cannot return to my father if the boy is not with me!/How can I return to my father if the boy is not with me?) [RHQ] I do not want to see how miserable/sad my father would become!”