Genesis 44

1 And Joseph commanded the steward of his house, saying: Fill their sacks with corn, as much as they can hold: and put the money of every one in the top of his sack.

Joseph ordered his household supervisor, “Fill the men's sacks with as much grain as they can hold and put each man's money at the top of his sack.

2 And in the mouth of the younger’s sack put my silver cup, and the price which he gave for the wheat. And it was so done.

Then put my special silver cup at the top of the sack of the youngest, along with the money for his grain.” He did as Joseph told him.

3 And when the morning arose, they were sent away with their asses.

At sunrise they were sent on their way with their donkeys.

4 And when they were now departed out of the city, and had gone forward a little way; Joseph sending for the steward of his house, said: Arise, and pursue after the men: and when thou hast overtaken them, say to them: Why have you returned evil for good?

They had hardly left the city when Joseph told his household supervisor, “Go after those men, and when you catch up with them, ask them, ‘Why have you paid back good with evil by stealing my master's silver cup?

5 The cup which you have stolen is that in which my lord drinketh, and in which he is wont to divine: you have done a very evil thing.

This is the cup he personally drinks from, and which he uses for divination. What you've done is really evil!’”

6 He did as he had commanded him. And having overtaken them, he spoke to them the same words.

When he caught up with them, he told them what Joseph had said.

7 And they answered: Why doth our lord speak so, as though thy servants had committed so heinous a fact?

“My lord, what are you saying?” they replied. “We your servants wouldn't do anything like that!

8 The money, that we found in the top of our sacks, we brought back to thee from the land of Chanaan: how then should it be that we should steal out of thy lord’s house, gold or silver?

Remember that we brought back the money we found at the top of our sacks when we returned from Canaan. Why would we steal silver or gold from your master's house?

9 With whomsoever of thy servants shall be found that which thou seekest, let him die, and we will be the bondmen of my lord.

If any one of us is found with it, he shall die, and all of us will become your slaves.”

10 And he said to them: Let it be according to your sentence: with whomsoever it shall be found, let him be my servant, and you shall be blameless.

“Whatever you say,” the man replied, “but only the one found with it will become my slave since the rest of you will be free of any blame.”

11 Then they speedily took down their sacks to the ground, and every man opened his sack.

They all unloaded their sacks and put them on the ground. They each opened their own sacks.

12 Which when he had searched, beginning at the eldest and ending at the youngest, he found the cup in Benjamin’s sack.

The household supervisor searched the sacks, beginning with the oldest and working his way down to the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin's sack.

13 Then they rent their garments, and loading their asses again, returned into the town.

The brothers tore their clothes in grief. Then they loaded their sacks back on their donkeys and headed back to the city.

14 And Juda at the head of his brethren went in to Joseph, (for he was not yet gone out of the place), and they altogether fell down before him on the ground.

Joseph was still at home when Judah and his brothers arrived, and they fell to the ground before him.

15 And he said to them: Why would you do so? know you not that there is no one like me in the science of divining.

“Why did you do this?” Joseph asked. “Don't you know a man like me can find out things through divination?”

16 And Juda said to him: What shall we answer my lord? or what shall we say, or be able justly to allege? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are all bondmen to my lord, both we, and he with whom the cup was found.

“My lord, what can we say?” Judah replied. “How can we explain this to you? In what way can we prove our innocence? God has exposed the guilt of your servants. My lord, we are your slaves—all of us, including the one who was found with the cup.”

17 Joseph answered: God forbid that I should do so: he that stole the cup, he shall be my bondman: and go you away free to your father.

“I wouldn't do anything like that!” Joseph replied. “Only the man who was found with the cup will become my slave. The rest of you are free to return to your father.”

18 Then Juda coming nearer, said boldly: I beseech thee, my lord, let thy servant speak a word in thy ears, and be not angry with thy servant: for after Pharao thou art,

Judah came closer and said to him, “If you please, my lord, let your servant just say a word. Please don't become angry with your servant, even though you are as powerful as Pharaoh himself.

19 My lord. Thou didst ask thy servants the first time: Have you a father or a brother?

My lord, previously you asked us, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’

20 And we answered thee, my lord: We have a father an old man, and a young boy, that was born in his old age; whose brother by the mother is dead: and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him tenderly.

We told you, my lord, ‘We have an elderly father, and a younger brother, born when our father was already old. The boy's brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother's children left, and his father loves him dearly.’

21 And thou saidst to thy servants: Bring him hither to me, and I will set my eyes on him.

Then you ordered us, ‘Bring him here to me so I can see him.’

22 We suggested to my lord: The boy cannot leave his father: for if he leave him, he will die.

We told you, ‘The boy can't leave his father; if he did, his father would die.’

23 And thou saidst to thy servants: Except your youngest brother come with you, you shall see my face no more.

But you told us, ‘If your youngest brother doesn't come with you, you won't see me again.’

24 Therefore when we were gone up to thy servant our father, we told him all that my lord had said.

So when we went back to your servant, our father, we explained to him everything you had told us.

25 And our father said: Go again, and buy us a little wheat.

However, later on, our father told us, ‘Go back and buy some more food.’

26 And we said to him: We cannot go: if our youngest brother go down with us, we will set out together: otherwise, without him we dare not see the man’s face.

But we said, ‘There's no way we can go back unless Benjamin our youngest brother goes with us, because we won't be able to see the man if Benjamin isn't with us.’

27 Whereunto he answered: You know that my wife bore me two.

Then my father said to us, ‘You realize that my wife had two sons for me.

28 One went out, and you said: A beast devoured him: and hitherto he appeareth not.

One is no more, ripped to pieces no doubt, for I've never seen him since.

29 If you take this also, and any thing befall him in the way you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow unto hell. (Sheol h7585)

If you take this one away from me too, and something bad happens to him, you'll send this old man to his grave in grief.’ (Sheol h7585)

30 Therefore if I shall go to thy servant our father, and the boy be wanting, (whereas his life dependeth upon the life of him, )

So if the boy isn't with us when I go back to my father, whose life depends on the life of the boy,

31 And he shall see that he is not with us, he will die, and thy servants shall bring down his gray hairs with sorrow unto hell. (Sheol h7585)

as soon as he sees the boy isn't there he'll die, and we will really send this old man, our father, to his grave in grief. (Sheol h7585)

32 Let me be thy proper servant, who took him into my trust, and promised, saying: If I bring him not again, I will be guilty of sin against my father for ever.

In fact I gave myself as the guarantee for the boy to my father. I told him, ‘If I don't bring him back to you, then I will always carry the blame!’

33 Therefore I thy servant will stay instead of the boy in the service of my lord, and let the boy go up with his brethren.

So please let me stay here as my lord's slave instead of the boy. Let him go back home with his brothers.

34 For I cannot return to my father without the boy, lest I be a witness of the calamity that will oppress my father.

For how could I ever go back to my father if the boy wasn't with me? I couldn't stand seeing the anguish that would cause my father.”