< Genesis 42 >

1 When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why are you staring at one another?”
Ɛberɛ a Yakob tee sɛ aburoo wɔ Misraim no, ɔka kyerɛɛ ne mmammarima no sɛ, “Adɛn enti na moatete agyinagyina rehwehwɛhwehwɛ mo ho mo ho anim yi?”
2 “Look,” he added, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die.”
Yakob toaa so sɛ, “Mate sɛ aburoo wɔ Misraim. Monkɔ hɔ, na monkɔtɔ bi mmra na ɛkɔm ankum yɛn.”
3 So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.
Enti, Yosef nuammarima mpanimfoɔ edu no kɔɔ Misraim sɛ wɔrekɔtɔ aburoo no bi.
4 But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, “I am afraid that harm might befall him.”
Nanso, Yakob amma Benyamin a ɔyɛ Yosef nua kumaa no ankɔ bi, ɛfiri sɛ, na ɔsuro sɛ biribi bɛyɛ no.
5 So the sons of Israel were among those who came to buy grain, since the famine had also spread to the land of Canaan.
Enti, Israel mmammarima no de wɔn ho bɔɔ atɔfoɔ a wɔfifiri aman ahodoɔ so kɔtɔ aburoo wɔ Misraim no ho, ɛfiri sɛ, na ɛkɔm no atrɛ akɔduru Kanaan asase so mmaa nyinaa.
6 Now Joseph was the ruler of the land; he was the one who sold grain to all its people. So when his brothers arrived, they bowed down before him with their faces to the ground.
Na Yosef yɛ amrado wɔ Misraim asase so. Ɔno na ɔtɔn aburoo ma nnipa nyinaa wɔ ɔman no mu. Yosef nuammarima no kɔduruu nʼanim no, wɔbuu no nkotodwe, de wɔn anim nso butubutuu fam.
7 And when Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he treated them as strangers and spoke harshly to them. “Where have you come from?” he asked. “From the land of Canaan,” they replied. “We are here to buy food.”
Ɛberɛ a Yosef ani bɔɔ anuanom no so ara pɛ, ɔhunuu sɛ wɔyɛ ne nuanom, nanso ɔyɛɛ ne ho sɛdeɛ ɔnnim wɔn, kasaa anihanehane so kyerɛɛ wɔn. Ɔpoopoo nʼani, bisaa wɔn sɛ, “Mofiri he?” Anuanom no buaa no sɛ, “Yɛfiri Kanaan asase so, na yɛaba sɛ yɛrebɛtɔ aduane.”
8 Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.
Ɛwom sɛ na Yosef ahunu wɔn sɛ ne nuanom, nanso ne nuanom no deɛ, na wɔnhunuu sɛ, ɔno ne Yosef.
9 Joseph remembered his dreams about them and said, “You are spies! You have come to see if our land is vulnerable.”
Yosef kaee daeɛ a mmerɛ bi ɔso faa wɔn ho no. Ɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Moyɛ akwansrafoɔ! Morebɛhwɛ sɛdeɛ ɛkɔm yi ama yɛn asase yi agyigya.”
10 “Not so, my lord,” they replied. “Your servants have come to buy food.
Anuanom no teaam sɛ, “Dabi yɛn wura, ɛnte saa. Yɛbaeɛ sɛ yɛrebɛtɔ aduane.
11 We are all sons of one man. Your servants are honest men, not spies.”
Yɛn nyinaa firi agya baako. Yɛyɛ nnipa pa, na yɛnyɛ akwansrafoɔ saa.”
12 “No,” he told them. “You have come to see if our land is vulnerable.”
Nanso, Yosef ka tii mu sɛ, “Dabi, morebɛhwɛ sɛdeɛ asase no asi agyigya afa.”
13 But they answered, “Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more.”
Anuanom no buaa sɛ, “Yɛn, wʼasomfoɔ, yɛyɛ anuanom dumienu. Yɛyɛ ɔpanin bi a ɔte Kanaan asase so mma. Seesei, yɛn kaakyire no wɔ yɛn agya nkyɛn, ɛnna ɔbaako nso afiri mu.”
14 Then Joseph declared, “Just as I said, you are spies!
Nanso, Yosef ka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Asɛm a meka kyerɛɛ mo sɛ moyɛ akwansrafoɔ no, ɛno ara ne no.
15 And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here.
Ɛkwan a mepɛ sɛ mefa so de sɔ mo hwɛ nie: mmerɛ dodoɔ a Farao te ase yi, meremma mo mfiri Misraim asase so ha nkɔ da, kɔsi sɛ mode mo kaakyire no bɛba.
16 Send one of your number to get your brother; the rest of you will be confined so that the truth of your words may be tested. If they are untrue, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!”
Monsoma mo mu baako, na ɔnkɔfa mo kaakyire no mmra. Mede mo a moaka no nyinaa bɛgu afiase. Ɛno na ɛbɛma yɛahunu sɛ, mo asɛm a moreka no yɛ nokorɛ anaa ɛnyɛ nokorɛ. Sɛ ɛkɔba sɛ monni nuabarima kumaa a ɔyɛ mo kaakyire a, mmerɛ dodoɔ a Farao te ase yi, na ɛkyerɛ sɛ moyɛ akwansrafoɔ ampa!”
17 So Joseph imprisoned them for three days,
Enti, ɔde wɔn guu afiase hɔ nnansa.
18 and on the third day he said to them, “I fear God. So do this and you will live:
Ne nnansa so no, Yosef ka kyerɛɛ ne nuanom no sɛ, “Meyɛ onyamesuroni. Ɛno enti, merebɛma mo ɛkwan ama moasane mo ho sɛ monyɛ akwansrafoɔ.
19 If you are honest, leave one of your brothers in custody while the rest of you go and take back grain to relieve the hunger of your households.
Sɛ moyɛ nokwafoɔ ampa ara a, momma mo nua baako nna afiase ha. Mo a moaka no nso, monkɔtɔ aburoo no bi nkɔma mo fiefoɔ a ɛkɔm rekum wɔn no.
20 Then bring your youngest brother to me so that your words can be verified, that you may not die.” And to this they consented.
Nanso, ɛkwan biara so no, momfa mo nua kumaa no mmɛkyerɛ me. Ɛno na ɛbɛma mahunu sɛ, asɛm a moreka no yɛ nokorɛ anaasɛ ɛnyɛ nokorɛ. Na sɛ nokorɛ na moreka deɛ a, mɛgyaa mo.” Wɔpenee abisadeɛ a Yosef de too wɔn anim no so.
21 Then they said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw his anguish when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.”
Afei, wɔkeka kyerɛkyerɛɛ wɔn ho wɔn ho sɛ, “Nokorɛm, yɛn nuabarima yi enti na wɔretwe yɛn aso. Yɛhunuu sɛdeɛ wabɔ huboa ne sɛdeɛ ɔsrɛɛ ne nkwa no, nanso yɛantie. Ɛno enti na saa amanehunu yi a aba yɛn so ɛnnɛ yi.”
22 And Reuben responded, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you would not listen. Now we must account for his blood!”
Afei, anuanom no mu panin a wɔfrɛ no Ruben no kaa sɛ, “Manka mankyerɛ mo sɛ monnyɛ bɔne biara ntia abarimaa no? Nanso moantie! Afei na ɛsɛ sɛ yɛbu ne mogya ho akonta”
23 They did not realize that Joseph understood them, since there was an interpreter between them.
Esiane sɛ na obi kyerɛ nsɛm a Yosef ka no ase kyerɛ wɔn no enti, na wɔnnim sɛ Yosef te wɔn kasa.
24 And he turned away from them and wept. When he turned back and spoke to them, he took Simeon from them and had him bound before their eyes.
Yosef sɔre firii wɔn nkyɛn kɔsuiɛ. Ɔsane baeɛ ne wɔn bɛkasaa bio. Ɔyii Simeon firii wɔn mu, ma wɔkyekyeree no wɔ wɔn anim.
25 Then Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to return each man’s silver to his sack, and to give them provisions for their journey. This order was carried out,
Yosef hyɛɛ sɛ, wɔnhyɛ wɔn nkotokuo no aburoo ma ma, na wɔnsane mfa obiara sika a anka ɔde rebɛtɔ aburoo nhyɛ ne kotokuo mu, na wɔmma wɔn akwansoduane nso nka ho. Wɔyɛɛ yei maa wɔn.
26 and they loaded the grain on their donkeys and departed.
Wɔhyehyɛɛ wɔn aburoo nkotokuo no wɔ mfunumu no so, siim sɛ wɔrekɔ wɔn kurom.
27 At the place where they lodged for the night, one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his silver in the mouth of the sack.
Wɔrekɔ no ara, wɔgyinaa ɛkwan so anadwo homeeɛ. Ɛhɔ na wɔn mu baako sanee ne kotokuo ano sɛ ɔrema nʼafunumu aduane adi. Ɔsanee ne kotokuo no ano no, ɔhunuu sɛ ne sika a anka ɔde rekɔtɔ aburoo no hyɛ kotokuo no fa baabi.
28 “My silver has been returned!” he said to his brothers. “It is here in my sack.” Their hearts sank, and trembling, they turned to one another and said, “What is this that God has done to us?”
Ɔka kyerɛɛ ne nuanom no sɛ, “Wɔde me sika no asane ahyɛ me kotokuo no mu. Monhwɛ. Ɛno nie!” Saa asɛm yi maa wɔn akoma tutuiɛ. Enti, wɔhwehwɛɛ wɔn ho wɔn ho anim kaa sɛ, “Ɛdeɛn anwanwadeɛ na Onyankopɔn ayɛ yɛn yi?”
29 When they reached their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they described to him all that had happened to them:
Wɔduruu wɔn agya Yakob nkyɛn wɔ Kanaan no, wɔbɔɔ no nsɛm a asisi no nyinaa ho amaneɛ. Wɔkaa sɛ,
30 “The man who is lord of the land spoke harshly to us and accused us of spying on the country.
“Yɛduruu Misraim asase so no, ɔbarima a ɔhwɛ asase no so no a ɔyɛ asase no so ɔhene ɔboafoɔ no poopoo nʼani, kasaa anihanehane so kyerɛɛ yɛn sɛ, yɛyɛ akwansrafoɔ.
31 But we told him, ‘We are honest men, not spies.
Nanso, yɛbuaa no sɛ, ‘Yɛyɛ nnipa pa, na yɛnyɛ akwansrafoɔ.
32 We are twelve brothers, sons of one father. One is no more, and the youngest is now with our father in the land of Canaan.’
Yɛyɛ anuanom dumienu a yɛfiri agya baako. Ɔbaako afiri mu. Seesei, yɛn kaakyire no wɔ yɛn agya nkyɛn wɔ Kanaan.’
33 Then the man who is lord of the land said to us, ‘This is how I will know whether you are honest: Leave one brother with me, take food to relieve the hunger of your households, and go.
“Afei, ɔbarima a ɔhwɛ asase no so ka kyerɛɛ yɛn sɛ, ‘Ɛkwan a mepɛ sɛ mefa so de sɔ mo hwɛ nie: Monnya mo nuanom baako wɔ me nkyɛn ha, na monkɔtɔ aburoo no bi nkɔma mo fiefoɔ a ɛkɔm rekum wɔn no.
34 But bring your youngest brother back to me so I will know that you are not spies but honest men. Then I will give your brother back to you, and you can trade in the land.’”
Nanso, momfa mo nua kumaa no mmɛkyerɛ me. Ɛno na ɛbɛma mahunu sɛ monyɛ akwansrafoɔ na moyɛ nnipa pa. Na mede mo nua no bɛma mo, na mobɛtumi abɛtɔ aburoo no bi wɔ asase yi so mpɛn dodoɔ biara a mopɛ.’”
35 As they began emptying their sacks, there in each man’s sack was his bag of silver! And when they and their father saw the bags of silver, they were dismayed.
Ɛberɛ a wɔrehwiehwie wɔn aburoo no afiri wɔn nkotokuo no mu no, obiara hunuu ne sika a anka ɔde rekɔtua aburoo no ka wɔ ne kotokuo no ano. Wɔne wɔn agya hunuu sika no, wɔn akoma tutuiɛ.
36 Their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my sons. Joseph is gone and Simeon is no more. Now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is going against me!”
Ɛyɛɛ saa maa wɔn agya Yakob ka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Moama mahwere me mma. Yosef nni hɔ; Simeon nso nni hɔ; afei mopɛ sɛ mofa Benyamin nso ka ho! Biribiara ko tia me.”
37 Then Reuben said to his father, “You may kill my two sons if I fail to bring him back to you. Put him in my care, and I will return him.”
Ruben ka kyerɛɛ nʼagya sɛ, “Sɛ mamfa Benyamin ansane amma a, wowɔ ho kwan sɛ wokum me mmammarima baanu no si anan. Fa no hyɛ me nsa, na mɛsane mede no abrɛ wo.”
38 But Jacob replied, “My son will not go down there with you, for his brother is dead, and he alone is left. If any harm comes to him on your journey, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.” (Sheol h7585)
Nanso, Yakob buaa sɛ, “Me babarima no ne monnkɔ hɔ, ɛfiri sɛ, ne nuabarima awu ama aka ɔno nko. Sɛ saa akwantuo a morebɛtu yi, asiane bi kɔsiane no a, mɛwu.” (Sheol h7585)

< Genesis 42 >