1 Mosebog 43

1 Men Hungersnøden var hård i Landet;

The famine continued to be really bad in Canaan,

2 og da de havde fortæret det Korn, de havde hentet i Ægypten, sagde deres Fader til dem: "Køb os igen lidt Føde!"

so once they had finished the grain they'd brought from Egypt, their father told them, “You have to go back and buy some more grain for us.”

3 Men Juda svarede ham: "Manden sagde os ganske afgjort: I bliver ikke stedt for mit Åsyn, medmindre eders Broder er med!

But Judah responded, “The man was adamant when he warned us, ‘I won't even see you unless your brother is with you.’

4 Hvis du derfor vil sende vor Broder med os, vil vi rejse ned og købe dig Føde;

If you send our brother Benjamin with us then we'll go and buy food for you.

5 men sender du ham ikke med, så rejser vi ikke derned, thi Manden sagde til os: I bliver ikke stedt for mit Åsyn, medmindre eders Broder er med!"

But if you won't send him, then we won't go, because the man was very clear, ‘I won't even see you unless your brother is with you.’”

6 Så sagde Israel: "Hvorfor handlede I ilde imod mig og fortalte Manden, at I havde en Broder til?"

“Why have you made things so bad for me by telling the man you had another brother?” Israel asked.

7 De svarede: "Manden spurgte os nøje ud om os og vor Slægt og sagde: Lever eders Fader endnu? Har I en Broder til? Og vi svarede ham på hans Spørgsmål; kunde vi vide, at han vilde sige: Bring eders Broder herned!"

“The man kept on asking direct questions about us and our family like ‘Is your father still alive?’ and ‘Do you have another brother?’” they replied. “We just answered his questions. How were we to know he'd say, ‘Bring your brother here!’?”

8 Men Juda sagde til sin Fader Israel: "Send dog Drengen med mig, så vi kan komme af Sted og blive i Live og undgå Døden, både vi og du og vore Børn!

Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy in my care, and we'll leave immediately, so that we can stay alive and not die—and that includes you and us and our children!

9 Jeg svarer for ham, af min Hånd må du kræve ham: bringer jeg ham ikke til dig og stiller ham for dit Åsyn, vil jeg være din Skyldner for bestandig;

I promise to take care of him—I'll be personally responsible for bringing him back to you. If I don't, then I will always carry the blame!

10 havde vi nu ikke spildt Tiden, kunde vi have været tilbage to Gange!"

Now let's go, because if we hadn't hesitated, we could have gone there and come back twice by now.”

11 Så sagde deres Fader Israel til dem: "Kan det ikke være anderledes, gør da i alt Fald således: Tag noget af det bedste, Landet frembringer, med i eders Sække og bring Manden en Gave, lidt Mastiksbalsam, lidt Honning, Tragakantgummi, Cistusharpiks, Pistacienødder og Mandler;

“If it has to be, then this is what you'll do,” Israel replied. “Take with you the best our country produces. Pack your bags with gifts for the man—balm, a little honey, spices, myrrh, pistachios, and almonds.

12 og tag dobbelt så mange Penge med, så I bringer de Penge tilbage, som var lagt oven i eders Sække; måske var det en Fejltagelse;

Take double the money that was returned to you in your sacks—maybe it was a mistake.

13 og tag så eders Broder og drag atter til Manden!

Take your brother and go back to the man right away.

14 Gud den Almægtige lade eder finde Barmhjertighed hos Manden, så han lader eders anden Broder og Benjamin fare - men skal jeg være barnløs, så lad mig da blive det!"

May God Almighty make the man treat you kindly so when you come before him he'll release your other brother and send Benjamin back. As for me, if I am to lose all my children, then so be it.”

15 Så tog Mændene deres Gave og dobbelt så mange Penge med; også Benjamin tog de med, brød op og drog ned til Ægypten, hvor de fremstillede sig for Josef.

So they packed the gifts, took double the money, and set off, accompanied by Benjamin. They arrived in Egypt and went to have an audience with Joseph.

16 Da Josef så Benjamin iblandt dem, sagde han til sin Hushovmester: "Bring de Mænd ind i mit Hus, lad slagte og lave til, thi de skal spise til Middag hos mig."

When Joseph saw Benjamin was with them, he told his household supervisor, “Take these men to my house. Slaughter an animal and make a meal, for they are going to eat with me at noon.”

17 Manden gjorde, som Josef bød, og førte Mændene ind i Josefs Hus.

The man did as Joseph ordered and took them to Joseph's house.

18 Men Mændene blev bange, da de førtes ind i Josefs Hus, og sagde: "Det er for de Penges Skyld, der forrige Gang kom tilbage i vore Sække, at vi føres herind, for at de kan vælte sig ind på os og kaste sig over os, gøre os til Trælle og tage vore Æsler."

They were really worried that they were being taken to Joseph's house. “It's because of the money that was put in our sacks the first time we came,” they said to each other. “That's why we're being brought in—so he can accuse us and attack us! He'll make us his slaves and take our donkeys!”

19 Derfor trådte de hen til Josefs Hushovmester ved Døren til Huset

So they went and spoke to Joseph's household supervisor at the entrance to the house.

20 og sagde: "Hør os, Herre! Vi drog en Gang før herned for at købe Føde,

“Please excuse us, my lord,” they said. “We came down the first time to buy food,

21 og da vi kom til vort Natteherberge og åbnede vore Sække, se. da lå vore Penge oven i hver enkelts Sæk, vore Penge til sidste Hvid. Men nu har vi bragt dem med tilbage

and when we stopped for the night, we opened our sacks and each of us found our money—the exact amount—at the top of our sacks. So we've brought it back with us.

22 og desuden andre Penge for at købe Føde. Vi ved ikke, hvem der har lagt Pengene i vore Sække!"

We've also brought more money to buy food. We've no idea who put our money in our sacks!”

23 Men han svarede: "Vær ved godt Mod, frygt ikke! Eders Gud og eders Faders Gud har lagt en Skat i eders Sække - eders Penge har jeg modtaget!" Og han førte Simeon ud til dem.

“Everything's fine!” he told them. “Don't worry! Your God, the God of your father, must have given you the treasure hidden in your sacks. I got your money.” Then he brought Simeon out to meet them.

24 Så førte Manden dem ind i Josefs Hus og gav dem Vand til at tvætte deres Fødder og Foder til Æslerne.

The steward took them inside Joseph's house, gave them water to wash their feet, and supplied food for their donkeys.

25 Og de fremtog deres Gave, før Josef kom hjem ved Middagstid, thi de hørte, at de skulde spise der.

They got their gifts ready for when Joseph would come at noon, because they had found out that they were going to eat there.

26 Da Josef trådte ind i Huset, bragte de ham den Gave, de havde med, og kastede sig til Jorden for ham.

When Joseph arrived at the house they gave him the gifts they had brought for him, and bowed low to the ground before him.

27 Han hilste på dem og spurgte: "Går det eders gamle Fader vel, ham, I talte om? Lever han endnu?"

He asked how they were, and then he asked, “How is your elderly father doing that you spoke of? Is he still alive?”

28 De svarede: "Det går din Træl, vor Fader, vel; han lever endnu!" Og de bøjede sig og kastede sig til Jorden.

“Yes, your servant our father is still alive, and is well,” they replied and bowed low in respect.

29 Da han så fik Øje på sin kødelige Broder Benjamin, sagde han: "Er det så eders yngste Broder, som I talte til mig om?" Og han sagde: "Gud være dig nådig, min Søn!"

Then Joseph looked over at his brother Benjamin, the son of his own mother. “Is this your youngest brother that you told me about?” he asked. “God be gracious to you, my son,” he said.

30 Men Josef brød hurtigt af, thi Kærligheden til Broderen blussede op i ham, og han kæmpede med Gråden; derfor gik han ind i sit Kammer og græd der.

Joseph had to run out quickly because he was becoming so emotional at seeing his brother. He looked for a place to cry, and went to his room to weep there.

31 Men da han havde badet sit Ansigt, kom han ud, og han beherskede sig og sagde: "Sæt Maden frem!"

Then he washed his face, got his emotions under control, and went back out. “Serve the food,” he ordered.

32 Så blev Maden sat frem særskilt for ham og for dem og for de Ægyptere, der spiste hos ham; thi Ægypterne kan ikke spise sammen med Hebræere, det er dem en Vederstyggelighed.

Joseph was served at a table by himself, and his brothers were served at a separate table. The Egyptians were also served at another table, because Egyptians cannot eat with Hebrews because they find this repulsive.

33 De blev bænket foran ham efter Alder, den førstefødte øverst og den yngste nederst, og Mændene undrede sig og så på hverandre;

The brothers had been seated in front of him in order by age, from the firstborn, the oldest, down to the youngest, and they looked at each other in complete surprise.

34 og han lod dem bringe Mad fra sit eget Bord, og Benjamin fik fem Gange så meget som hver af de andre. Og de drak og blev lystige sammen med ham.

The food was served to them from Joseph's table, and Benjamin received five times as much as anyone else. So they ate and drank plenty with him.