1 Mosebog 44

1 Derefter befalede han sin Hushovmester: »Fyld Mændenes Sække med Korn, saa meget de kan have med sig, og læg hvers Pengesum oven i hans Sæk

Then 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.

2 og læg mit eget Sølvbæger oven i den yngstes Sæk sammen med Pengene for hans Korn!« Og han gjorde, som Josef bød.

But 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.

3 Da Morgenen gryede, fik Mændene Lov at drage bort med deres Æsler.

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

4 Men før de var kommet ret langt fra Byen, bød Josef sin Hushovmester: »Sæt efter Mændene, og naar du indhenter dem, sig saa til dem: Hvorfor har I gengældt godt med ondt?

And 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?

5 Hvorfor har I stjaalet mit Sølvbæger? Det er jo min Herres Mundbæger, som han bruger til at tage Varsler af! Ilde har I handlet ved at gøre saaledes!«

The 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.’”

6 Og da han havde indhentet dem, sagde han det til dem.

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

7 Men de svarede: »Hvor kan min Herre tale saaledes? Det være langt fra dine Trælle at gøre sligt!

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

8 Se, de Penge, vi fandt oven i vore Sække, bragte vi tilbage til dig fra Kana'ans Land — hvorfor skulde vi da stjæle Guld eller Sølv fra din Herres Hus!

The 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?

9 Den af dine Trælle, det findes hos, skal dø, og desuden vil vi andre være din Herres Trælle!«

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

10 Han svarede: »Vel, lad det blive, som I siger: Den, Bægeret findes hos, skal være min Træl, men I andre skal være sagesløse!«

And 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.”

11 Saa skyndte de sig at løfte hver sin Sæk ned paa Jorden og aabne den,

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

12 og han undersøgte dem fra den ældstes til den yngstes, og Bægeret blev fundet i Benjamins Sæk.

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

13 Da sønderrev de deres Klæder, og efter at have læsset Sækkene hver paa sit Æsel vendte de tilbage til Byen.

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

14 Da Juda og hans Brødre kom ind i Josefs Hus, hvor han endnu var, kastede de sig til Jorden for ham;

And 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.

15 men Josef sagde til dem: »Hvad har I gjort! Ved I ikke, at en Mand som jeg forstaar sig paa hemmelige Kunster?«

And 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?”

16 Da sagde Juda: »Hvad skal vi svare min Herre, hvad skal vi sige, og hvorledes skal vi retfærdiggøre os? Gud har fundet dine Trælles Brøde! Se, vi er min Herres Trælle, baade vi andre og han, Bægeret fandtes hos!«

And 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.”

17 Men han svarede: »Det være langt fra mig at handle saaledes; den, Bægeret fandtes hos, skal være min Træl, men I andre kan i Fred drage hjem til eders Fader.«

Joseph 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.”

18 Da traadte Juda hen til ham og sagde: »Hør mig, min Herre, lad din Træl tale et Ord for min Herres Øren og lad ikke Vreden blusse op i dig mod din Træl, thi du er jo som Farao!

Then 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.

19 Min Herre spurgte sine Trælle Har I Fader eller Broder?

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

20 Og vi svarede min Herre: Ja, vi har en gammel Fader, og der er en Dreng, som blev født i hans Alderdom; en Broder til ham er død, og selv er han den eneste, hans Moder efterlod sig, og hans Fader elsker ham.

And 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.’

21 Saa sagde du til dine Trælle: Bring ham med herned til mig, at jeg kan se ham med egne Øjne!

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

22 Men vi svarede min Herre: Drengen kan ikke forlade sin Fader, thi hans Fader dør, hvis han forlader ham!

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

23 Saa sagde du til dine Trælle: Kommer eders yngste Broder ikke med herned, saa bliver I ikke mere stedt for mit Aasyn!

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

24 Vi rejste saa op til din Træl, min Fader, og fortalte ham, hvad min Herre havde sagt.

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

25 Da vor Fader siden sagde: Rejs atter hen og køb os lidt Føde!

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

26 svarede vi: Vi kan ikke rejse derned, hvis ikke vor yngste Broder følger med, thi vi bliver ikke stedt for Mandens Aasyn, medmindre vor yngste Broder er med!

And 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.’

27 Saa sagde din Træl, min Fader, til os: I ved jo, at min Hustru fødte mig to Sønner;

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

28 den ene gik bort fra mig, og jeg sagde: Han er sikkerlig revet ihjel! Og jeg har ikke set ham siden;

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

29 hvis I nu ogsaa tager denne fra mig, og der tilstøder ham en Ulykke, bringer I mine graa Haar i Dødsriget med Smerte! (Sheol h7585)

If 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.’ (Sheol h7585)

30 Kommer jeg derfor hjem til din Træl, min Fader, uden at Drengen, ved hvem han hænger med hele sin Sjæl, er med,

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

31 saa bliver det hans Død, naar han ser, at Drengen ikke er med, og dine Trælle vil bringe din Træl vor Faders graa Haar i Dødsriget med Sorg. (Sheol h7585)

and 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. (Sheol h7585)

32 Men din Træl skal svare sin Fader for Drengen, og jeg har forpligtet mig til at være hans Skyldner for bestandig, hvis jeg ikke bringer ham til ham;

Let 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.’

33 lad derfor din Træl blive tilbage i Drengens Sted som min Herres Træl, men lad Drengen drage hjem med sine Brødre!

And 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.

34 Thi hvorledes skulde jeg kunne drage hjem til min Fader, naar jeg ikke har Drengen med? Jeg vil ikke kunne være Vidne til den Ulykke, der rammer min Fader!«

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