< Genesis 44 >

1 And Joseph charged the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put the money of each in the mouth of his sack.
And he commaunded the rueler of his house saynge: fyll the mens sackes with food as moch as they can carie
2 And put my silver cup into the sack of the youngest, and the price of his corn. And it was done according to the word of Joseph, as he said.
and put euery mans money in his bagge mouth and put my syluer cuppe in the sackes mouth of the yongest and his corne money also. And he dyd as Ioseph had sayde.
3 The morning dawned, and the men were sent away, they and their asses.
And in ye mornynge as soone as it was lighte the me were let goo with their asses.
4 And when they had gone out of the city, [and] were not far off, then Joseph said to his steward, Arise, and pursue after the men; and you shall overtake them, and say to them, Why have you returned evil for good?
And when they were out of the cytie and not yet ferre awaye Ioseph sayde vnto the ruelar of his house: vp and folowe after the men and ouertake them and saye vnto them: wherefore haue ye rewarded euell for good?
5 Why have you stolen my silver cup? is it not this out of which my lord drinks? and he divines augury with it; you have accomplished evil in that which you have done.
is that not the cuppe of which my lorde drynketh ad doth he not prophesie therin? ye haue euell done that ye haue done.
6 And he found them, and spoke to them according to these words.
And he ouertoke them and sayde the same wordes vnto them.
7 And they said to him, Why does our lord speak according to these words? far be it from your servants to do according to this word.
And they answered him: wherfore sayth my lorde soch wordes? God forbydd that thy servauntes shulde doo so.
8 If we brought back to you out of the land of Chanaan the money which we found in our sacks, how should we steal silver or gold out of the house of your lord?
Beholde the money which we founde in oure sackes mouthes we brought agayne vnto the out of the lande of Canaa: how then shulde we steale out of my lordes house ether syluer or golde?
9 With whoever of your servants you shall find the cup, let him die; and, moreover, we will be servants to our lord.
with whosoeuer of thy seruauntes it be founde let him dye and let vs also be my lordes bondmen.
10 And he said, Now then it shall be as you say; with whoever the cup shall be found, he shall be my servant, and you shall be clear.
And he sayde: Now therfore acordynge vnto youre woordes he with whom it is found shalbe my seruaunte: but ye shalbe harmelesse.
11 And they hasted, and took down every man his sack on the ground, and they opened every man his sack.
And attonce euery man toke downe his sacke to the grounde ad every man opened his sacke.
12 And he searched, beginning from the oldest, until he came to the youngest; and he found the cup in Benjamin's sack.
And he serched and began at the eldest and left at the yongest. And the cuppe was founde in Ben Iamins sacke.
13 And they tore their garments, and laid each man his sack on his ass, and returned to the city.
Then they rent their clothes and laded euery man his asse and went agayne vnto the cytie.
14 And Judas and his brethren came in to Joseph, while he was yet there, and fell on the ground before him.
And Iuda and his brethre came to Iosephs house for he was yet there ad they fell before him on the grounde.
15 And Joseph said to them, What is this thing that you have done? know you not that a man such as I can surely divine?
And Ioseph sayde vnto the: what dede is this which ye haue done? wist ye not that soch a man as I can prophesie?
16 And Judas said, What shall we answer to our lord, or what shall we say, or wherein should we be justified? whereas God has discovered the unrighteousness of your servants; behold, we are slaves to our lord, both we and he with whom the cup has been found.
Then sayde Iuda: what shall we saye vnto my lorde what shall we speake or what excuse can we make? God hath founde out ye wekednesse of thy seruauntes. Beholde both we and he with whom the cuppe is founde are thy seruauntes.
17 And Joseph said, Far be it from me to do this thing; the man with whom the cup has been found, he shall be my servant; but do you go up with safety to your father.
And he answered: God forbyd ye I shulde do so the man with whom the cuppe is founde he shalbe my seruaunte: but goo ye in peace vn to youre father.
18 And Judas drew near him, and said, I pray, Sir, let your servant speak a word before you, and be not angry with your servant, for you are next to Pharao.
Then Iuda went vnto him and sayde: oh my lorde let thy servaunte speake a worde in my lordes audyence and be not wrooth with thi servaunte: for thou art euen as Pharao.
19 Sir, you asked your servants, saying, Have you a father or a brother?
My lorde axed his seruaunte sainge: haue ye a father or a brother?
20 And we said to [my] lord, We have a father, an old man, and he has a son of his old age, a young one, and his brother is dead, and he alone has been left behind to his mother, and his father loves him.
And we answered my lord we haue a father that is old and a yonge lad which he begat in his age: ad the brother of the sayde lad is dead and he is all that is left of that mother. And his father loueth him.
21 And you said to they servants, Bring him down to me, and I will take care of him.
Then sayde my lorde vnto his seruauntes brynge him vnto me that I maye sett myne eyes apon him.
22 And we said to [my] lord, The child will not be able to leave his father; but if he should leave his father, he will die.
And we answered my lorde that the lad coude not goo from his father for if he shulde leaue his father he were but a deed man.
23 But you said to they servants, Except your younger brother come down with you, you shall not see my face again.
Than saydest thou vnto thy servauntes: excepte youre yongest brother come with you loke that ye se my face no moare.
24 And it came to pass, when we went up to your servant our father, we reported to him the words of our lord.
And when we came vnto thy servaunt oure father we shewed him what my lorde had sayde.
25 And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little food.
And when oure father sayde vnto vs goo agayne and bye vs a litle fode:
26 And we said, We shall not be able to go down; but if our younger brother go down with us, we will go down; for we shall not be able to see the man's face, our younger brother not being with us.
we sayd yt we coude not goo. Neverthelesse if oure youngeste brother go with vs then will we goo for we maye not see the mannes face excepte oure yongest brother be with vs.
27 And your servant our father said to us, You know that my wife bore me two [sons];
Then sayde thy servaunt oure father vnto vs. Ye knowe that my wyfe bare me. ij. sonnes.
28 and one is departed from me; and you said that he was devoured of wild beasts, and I have not seen him until now.
And the one went out from me and it is sayde of a suertie that he is torne in peaces of wyld beastes and I sawe him not sence.
29 If then you take this one also from my presence, and an affliction happen to him by the way, then shall you bring down my old age with sorrow to the grave. (Sheol h7585)
Yf ye shall take this also awaye fro me and some mysfortune happen apon him then shall ye brynge my gray heed with sorow vnto the grave. (Sheol h7585)
30 Now then, if I should go in to they servant, and our father, and the boy should not be with us, (and his life depends on this [lad's] life)
Now therfore whe I come to thy servaunt my father yf the lad be not with me: seinge that his lyfe hageth by the laddes lyfe
31 —it shall even come to pass, when he sees the boy is not with us, [that] he will die, and your servants will bring down the old age of your servant, and our father, with sorrow to the grave. (Sheol h7585)
then as soone as he seeth that the lad is not come he will dye. So shall we thy servautes brynge the gray hedde of thy servaunt oure father with sorow vnto the grave. (Sheol h7585)
32 For your servant has received the boy [in charge] from his father, saying, If I bring him not to you, and place him before you, I shall be guilty towards my father for ever.
For I thy servaunt became suertie for the lad vnto my father and sayde: yf I bringe him not vnto the agayne. I will bere the blame all my life loge.
33 Now then I will remain a servant with you instead of the lad, a domestic of my lord; but let the lad go up with his brethren.
Now therfore let me thy servaunt byde here for ye lad and be my lordes bondman: and let the lad goo home with his brethern.
34 For how shall I go up to my father, the lad not being with us? lest I behold the evils which will befall my father.
For how can I goo vnto my father and the lad not wyth me: lest I shulde see the wretchednes that shall come on my father.

< Genesis 44 >