Genesis 44
1 Then Joseph instructed his steward: “Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each one’s silver in the mouth of his sack.
Afei, Yosef hyɛɛ ne somfo panyin no se, “Fa aduan dodow biara a mmarima no betumi asoa no hyɛ wɔn nkotoku no amaama, na fa obiara sika nso hyɛ ne kotoku mu ma no.
2 Put my cup, the silver one, in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the silver for his grain.” So the steward did as Joseph had instructed.
Na fa me dwetɛ kuruwa no ka akumaa no aduan no sika ho, na fa hyɛ ne kotoku no mu.” Na ɔyɛɛ sɛnea Yosef kaa no pɛpɛɛpɛ.
3 At daybreak, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys.
Ade kyee anɔpa no, ogyaa anuanom no ne wɔn mfurum no kwan.
4 They had not gone far from the city when Joseph told his steward, “Pursue the men at once, and when you overtake them, ask, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil?
Wɔannu akyiri baabiara, na Yosef ka kyerɛɛ ne somfo panyin no se, “Tiw nkurɔfo no ntɛm, na sɛ woto wɔn a, bisa wɔn se, ‘Adɛn nti na mode bɔne tua papa ka? Adɛn nti na moawia me dwetɛ kuruwa?
5 Is this not the cup my master drinks from and uses for divination? What you have done is wicked!’”
Ɛnyɛ saa kuruwa yi a me wura nom ano na ɔhwɛ mu ka nhumusɛm no ni? Eyi yɛ bɔne kɛse a moayɛ.’”
6 When the steward overtook them, he relayed these words to them.
Ɔkɔtoo wɔn no, otii saa asɛm koro yi ara mu kyerɛɛ wɔn.
7 “Why does my lord say these things?” they asked. “Your servants could not possibly do such a thing.
Nanso anuanom no buaa no se, “Adɛn nti na yɛn wura keka saa nsɛm yi? Ɛmpare wo nkoa sɛ wɔbɛyɛ ade a ɛte saa!
8 We even brought back to you from the land of Canaan the silver we found in the mouths of our sacks. Why would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house?
Sika a yehuu wɔ yɛn nkotoku mu no, yɛansan amfa amfi Kanaan ammrɛ mo ana? Adɛn nti na ɛsɛ sɛ yewia dwetɛ anaa sikakɔkɔɔ fi wo wura fi?
9 If any of your servants is found to have it, he must die, and the rest will become slaves of my lord.”
Sɛ wuhu saa kuruwa no wɔ wo nkoa no biara nkyɛn a, okum na ɛsɛ sɛ wukum saa onipa no. Na sɛ ɛba saa nso a, yɛn nyinaa bɛyɛ wo wura nkoa.”
10 “As you say,” replied the steward. “But only the one who is found with the cup will be my slave, and the rest of you shall be free of blame.”
Ɔsomfo no buae se, “Eye, na nea owiae no nko na ɔbɛyɛ mʼakoa; na mo a moaka no bɛfa mo ho adi.”
11 So each one quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it.
Anuanom no nyinaa yiyii wɔn nnesoa no fii mfurum no so guu fam, sansan wɔn nkotoku no ano.
12 The steward searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest—and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.
Na ɔsomfo no fii ase, hwehwɛɛ wɔn nkotoku no mu fi ɔpanyin no so kosii akumaa no so. Wohuu kuruwa no wɔ Benyamin kotoku no mu.
13 Then they all tore their clothes, loaded their donkeys, and returned to the city.
Ɛbaa saa no, anuanom no sunsuan wɔn ntade mu. Afei, wɔn nyinaa san hyehyɛɛ wɔn nnesoa no wɔ wɔn mfurum no so, san kɔɔ kurow no mu.
14 When Judah and his brothers arrived at Joseph’s house, he was still there, and they fell to the ground before him.
Bere a Yuda ne ne nuanom no koduu kurow no mu hɔ no, na Yosef da so wɔ ne fi hɔ. Enti wɔn nyinaa totow wɔn ho guu fam wɔ nʼanim.
15 “What is this deed you have done?” Joseph declared. “Do you not know that a man like me can surely divine the truth?”
Yosef bisaa wɔn se, “Dɛn ade na moayɛ yi? Munnim sɛ onipa a ɔte sɛ me nam nhumusɛm so betumi ahu biribiara mu ana?”
16 “What can we say to my lord?” Judah replied. “How can we plead? How can we justify ourselves? God has exposed the iniquity of your servants. We are now my lord’s slaves—both we and the one who was found with the cup.”
Yuda buae se, “Anoyi bɛn na yebetumi ayi wɔ me wura anim? Asɛm bɛn na yɛwɔ ka? Yɛbɛyɛ dɛn na yɛatumi ama woahu sɛ yenni saa asɛm yi ho fɔ? Onyame ada yɛn wʼasomfo afɔdi yi adi. Yɛne nea wohuu kuruwa no wɔ no nkyɛn no nyinaa yɛ yɛn wura nkoa.”
17 But Joseph replied, “Far be it from me to do this. The man who was found with the cup will be my slave. The rest of you may return to your father in peace.”
Nanso Yosef kae se, “Ɛmpare me sɛ mɛyɛ ade a ɛte saa. Onipa a wohuu kuruwa no wɔ ne nkyɛn no nko ara na ɔbɛyɛ mʼakoa. Mo a moaka no de, monsan nkɔ mo agya nkyɛn asomdwoe mu.”
18 Then Judah approached Joseph and said, “Sir, please let your servant speak personally to my lord. Do not be angry with your servant, for you are equal to Pharaoh himself.
Yuda sɔre kɔɔ Yosef anim, ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Ma me a meyɛ wʼakoa no kwan na me ne wo, me wura, nkasa. Ɛwɔ mu sɛ wo ne Farao yɛ pɛ de, nanso mesrɛ wo, nya ntoboase ma wʼakoa.
19 My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’
Me wura bisaa nʼasomfo no se, ‘Mowɔ agya anaa onuabarima bi?’
20 And we answered, ‘We have an elderly father and a younger brother, the child of his old age. The boy’s brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother’s sons left, and his father loves him.’
Na yebuae se, ‘Yɛwɔ agya a wabɔ akwakoraa ne yɛn kaakyiri a ɔwoo no ne nkwakoraabere mu. Ne nuabarima a ɔka ne ho no awu. Na ɔno nko ara ne ne na ba a waka. Nʼagya pɛ nʼasɛm yiye.’
21 Then you told your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so that I can see him for myself.’
“Na ɔka kyerɛɛ wʼasomfo se, ‘Momfa no mmra, na menhwɛ no.’
22 So we said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father. If he were to leave, his father would die.’
Yɛka kyerɛɛ me wura se, ‘Abarimaa no rentumi ntew ne ho mfi nʼagya ho. Na sɛ ɛba sɛ ɔtew ne ho fi nʼagya ho a, nʼagya no bewu.’
23 But you said to your servants, ‘Unless your younger brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.’
Ɛnna woka kyerɛɛ wʼasomfo se. ‘Sɛ moamfa mo nua kumaa no anka mo ho amma a, munnsi mʼanim bio.’
24 Now when we returned to your servant my father, we relayed your words to him.
Yɛsan kɔɔ wʼakoa, yɛn agya nkyɛn no, yɛkaa wo a woyɛ yɛn wura no nsɛm a woka kyerɛɛ yɛn no nyinaa kyerɛɛ no.
25 Then our father said, ‘Go back and buy us some food.’
“Na yɛn agya kae se, ‘Monsan nkɔ bio nkɔtɔ aduan kakra mmra.’
26 But we answered, ‘We cannot go down there unless our younger brother goes with us. So if our younger brother is not with us, we cannot see the man.’
Nanso yɛka kyerɛɛ yɛn agya se, ‘Yɛrentumi nkɔ, gye sɛ yɛn nua kumaa no ka yɛn ho. Sɛ yɛamfa yɛn nua kumaa no anka yɛn ho ankɔ a, yɛrentumi nkɔ owura no anim.’
27 And your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons.
“Wʼakoa, yɛn agya, ka kyerɛɛ yɛn se, ‘Munim sɛ me ne me yere woo mmabarima baanu.
28 When one of them was gone, I said: “Surely he has been torn to pieces.” And I have not seen him since.
Wɔn mu baako fii me nkyɛn kɔe a manhu no bio ma mekae se, “Aboa bi atetew no pasaa.” Efi saa bere no, minhuu no bio.
29 Now if you also take this one from me and harm comes to him, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.’ (Sheol h7585)
Sɛ mofa oyi fi me nkyɛn, na asiane bi kosiane no wɔ kwan so a, me nso, mede awerɛhow bewu bi.’ (Sheol h7585)
30 So if the boy is not with us when I return to your servant, and if my father, whose life is wrapped up in the boy’s life,
“Enti saa bere yi, sɛ yekopue fi wʼakoa, yɛn agya, anim na abofra yi nka yɛn ho, ne sɛnea ne koma da abofra no so fa no,
31 sees that the boy is not with us, he will die. Then your servants will have brought the gray hair of your servant our father down to Sheol in sorrow. (Sheol h7585)
sɛ ohu sɛ abofra no nka yɛn ho a, obewu. Wo nkoa bɛma wɔn agya de ne ti so dwen akɔ asaman awerɛhow mu. (Sheol h7585)
32 Indeed, your servant guaranteed the boy’s safety to my father, saying, ‘If I do not return him to you, I will bear the guilt before you, my father, all my life.’
Wʼakoa a ɔde ne ho dii abofra no akagyinamu sɛ ɔde no bɛba no kae se, ‘Sɛ mamfa no ansan ammrɛ wo a, ɛho asodi no mmɛda me so, me nkwanna nyinaa.’
33 Now please let your servant stay here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy. Let him return with his brothers.
“Afei, mesrɛ wo, ma wʼakoa nsi abofra no anan mu wɔ ha, na ma abofra no ne ne nuabarimanom no nsan nkɔ.
34 For how can I go back to my father without the boy? I could not bear to see the misery that would overwhelm him.”
Na sɛ abofra no anka me ho ankɔ a, mɛyɛ dɛn na makopue wɔ mʼagya anim? Dabi! Merentumi nnyina ahohia a ɛbɛto mʼagya wɔ saa asɛm yi ho no ano.”
