< 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 ɔsomfoɔ panin no sɛ, “Fa aduane dodoɔ biara a mmarima no bɛtumi asoa no hyɛ wɔn nkotokuo no ma ma, na fa obiara sika nso hyɛ ne kotokuo 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.
Afei, fa me dwetɛ kuruwa no ka akumaa no aduane no sika ho, na fa hyɛ ne kotokuo no mu.” Na ɔsomafoɔ panin no yɛɛ sɛdeɛ Yosef kaeɛ no pɛpɛɛpɛ.
3 At daybreak, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys.
Adeɛ kyee anɔpa no, ɔgyaa anuanom no ne wɔn mfunumu 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?
Wɔannuru akyiri baabiara, na Yosef ka kyerɛɛ ne ɔsomfoɔ panin no sɛ, “Ti nkurɔfoɔ no ntɛm so, na sɛ woto wɔn a, bisa wɔn sɛ, ‘Adɛn enti na mode bɔne tua papa so ka? Adɛn enti 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 nhunumusɛm no nie? Yei yɛ bɔne kɛseɛ a moayɛ.’”
6 When the steward overtook them, he relayed these words to them.
Ɔkɔtoo wɔn no, ɔtii saa asɛm korɔ 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 sɛ, “Adɛn enti na yɛn wura keka saa nsɛm yi? Ɛmpare wo nkoa sɛ wɔbɛyɛ adeɛ 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 yɛhunuu wɔ yɛn nkotokuo mu no, yɛansane amfa amfiri Kanaan ammrɛ mo anaa? Adɛn enti na ɛsɛ sɛ yɛwia dwetɛ anaa sikakɔkɔɔ firi wo wura fie?
9 If any of your servants is found to have it, he must die, and the rest will become slaves of my lord.”
Sɛ wohunu saa kuruwa no wɔ wo nkoa no biara nkyɛn a, okum na ɛsɛ sɛ wokum saa onipa no. Na sɛ ɛba saa nso a, yɛn nyinaa bɛyɛ wo wura nkoa afebɔɔ.”
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.”
Ɔsomfoɔ no buaa sɛ, “Ɛyɛ, na deɛ ɔwiaeɛ 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 firii mfunumu no so, guu fam, sane sanee wɔn nkotokuo no ano.
12 The steward searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest—and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.
Afei, ɔsomfoɔ panin no firii aseɛ, hwehwɛɛ wɔn nkotokuo no mu firi ɔpanin no so kɔsii akumaa no so. Wɔhunuu kuruwa no wɔ Benyamin kotokuo no mu.
13 Then they all tore their clothes, loaded their donkeys, and returned to the city.
Ɛbaa saa no, anuanom no sunsuanee wɔn ntadeɛ mu. Afei, wɔn nyinaa sane hyehyɛɛ wɔn nnesoa no wɔ wɔn mfunumu no so, sanee wɔn akyiri, kɔɔ kuro no mu bio.
14 When Judah and his brothers arrived at Joseph’s house, he was still there, and they fell to the ground before him.
Ɛberɛ a Yuda ne ne nuanom no kɔduruu kuro no mu hɔ no, na Yosef da so wɔ ne fie hɔ. Enti, wɔn nyinaa totoo 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 sɛ, “Ɛdeɛn adeɛ na moayɛ yi? Monnim sɛ onipa a ɔte sɛ me nam nhunumusɛm so bɛtumi ahunu biribiara mu?”
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 buaa sɛ, “Anoyie bɛn na yɛbɛtumi ayi wɔ me wura anim? Asɛm bɛn na yɛwɔ ka? Yɛbɛyɛ dɛn na yɛatumi ama woahunu sɛ yɛnni saa asɛm yi ho fɔ? Onyame ada yɛn wʼasomfoɔ afɔdie yi adi. Yɛne deɛ wɔhunuu 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 kaa sɛ, “Ɛmpare me sɛ mɛyɛ adeɛ a ɛte saa. Onipa a wɔhunuu kuruwa no wɔ ne nkyɛn no nko ara na ɔbɛyɛ mʼakoa. Mo a moaka no deɛ, monsane nkɔ mo agya nkyɛn asomdwoeɛ 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 sɛ, “Ma me a meyɛ wʼakoa no ɛkwan na me ne wo, me wura, nkasa. Ɛwom sɛ, wo ne Farao yɛ pɛ deɛ, nanso mesrɛ wo, nya aboterɛ ma wo ɔsomfoɔ.
19 My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’
Me wura bisaa nʼasomfoɔ no sɛ, ‘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 yɛbuaa sɛ, ‘Yɛwɔ agya a wabɔ akɔkoraa ne yɛn kaakyire a ɔwoo no ne nkɔkoraaberɛ mu. Ne nuabarima a ɔka ne ho no awu. Na ɔno nko ara ne ne maame ba a waka. Nʼagya pɛ nʼasɛm yie.’
21 Then you told your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so that I can see him for myself.’
“Na ɔka kyerɛɛ wʼasomfoɔ sɛ, ‘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 sɛ, ‘Abarimaa no rentumi nte ne ho mfiri nʼagya ho. Na sɛ ɛba sɛ ɔte ne ho firi nʼagya ho a, nʼagya no bɛwu.’
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 wʼasomfoɔ sɛ. ‘Sɛ moamfa mo nua kumaa no anka mo ho amma a, monnsi mʼanim bio.’
24 Now when we returned to your servant my father, we relayed your words to him.
Yɛsane 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.’
“Ɛnna yɛn agya kaa sɛ, ‘Monsane nkɔ bio nkɔtɔ aduane 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 sɛ, ‘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.
“Afei, wo ɔsomfoɔ, yɛn agya ka kyerɛɛ yɛn sɛ, ‘Monim sɛ me ne me yere woo mmammarima 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 firii me nkyɛn kɔeɛ a, manhunu no bio, ma mekaa sɛ, “Aboa bi atete no pasaa.” Ɛfiri saa ɛberɛ no, menhunuu 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 )
Sɛ mofa yei firi me nkyɛn, na asiane bi kɔsiane no wɔ ɛkwan so a, me nso, mede awerɛhoɔ bɛwu bi.’ (Sheol )
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 ɛberɛ yi, sɛ yɛkɔpue firi wʼakoa, yɛn agya, anim na abɔfra yi nka yɛn ho a, ɛnneɛ, sɛdeɛ nʼakoma da abɔfra no ho 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 )
sɛ ɔhunu sɛ abɔfra no nka yɛn ho a, ɔbɛwu. Wo nkoa bɛma wɔn agya adi awerɛhoɔ, de ne tiri so dwono akɔ asaman. (Sheol )
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 abɔfra no agyinamu sɛ ɔde no bɛba kaa sɛ, ‘Sɛ mamfa no ansane ammrɛ wo a, ɛho asodie 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 abɔfra no ananmu wɔ ha, na ma abɔfra no ne ne nuammarima no nsane 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 abɔfra no anka me ho ankɔ a, mɛyɛ dɛn makɔpue mʼagya anim. Dabi! Merentumi nnyina ahohiahia a ɛbɛto mʼagya wɔ saa asɛm yi ho no ano.”