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.

Then commanded he him who was over his house saying—Fill the sacks of the men, with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s silver in the mouth 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.

and my cup—the cup of silver, shalt thou put in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, with his corn-silver. So he did, according to the word of Joseph, which he had spoken.

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

By the time, the morning, was light, the men, had been sent away, they, and their asses.

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 themselves, had gone out of the city—they had not gone far, when Joseph said to him who was over his house, Rise chase after the men, —so shalt thou overtake them and shalt say unto them, Wherefore have ye requited evil for good?

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.

Is not this that in which my lord drinketh, and whereby, he himself, doth divine? Ye have done evil in what ye have done.

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

So he overtook them, —and spake unto them these words.

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

And they said unto him, Wherefore should my lord speak such words as these? Far be thy servants, from doing such a thing as this!

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?

Lo! the silver that we found in the mouth of our sacks, we brought back unto thee out of the land of Canaan, —how then could we steal out of the house of thy lord, silver or gold?

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.

With whomsoever of thy servants it can be found, he shall die, —and, we also, will become my lord’s servants.

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.

And he said, Yea, now, according to your words, so, let it be, —he with whom it is found, shall be my servant, Ye, however, shall be clear.

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

So they hastened and took down each man his sack to the ground, —and opened each man his sack.

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

Then made he thorough search, with the eldest, he began, and with the youngest, he ended, —and the cup was found in the sack of Benjamin!

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

And they rent their mantles, —and laded each man his ass, and returned 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.

And Judah and his brethren came into the house of Joseph, he, yet being there, —and fell down before him to the earth.

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.

And Joseph said to them, What is this deed which ye have done? Know ye not that such a man as I, can even divine?

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.

Then said Judah—What shall we say to my lord, how shall we speak and how shall we justify ourselves, —when, God himself, hath found out the iniquity of thy servants? Behold us! my lord’s servants, both we, and he in whose hand the cup hath been found.

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.

And he said, Far be it from me to do this thing! The man in whose hand the cup hath been found, he, shall be my servant, but as for you, go ye up in peace unto 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,

Then Judah drew near unto him, and said—Pardon my lord! Pray let thy servant speak a word in the ears of my lord, and do not let thine anger be kindled against thy servant, —for, thus, art, thou as Pharaoh!

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

It was, my lord, who asked his servants, saying, —Have ye 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.

So we said unto my lord, We have an aged father, and the child of his old age a youth, —his brother, being dead, he alone, is left of his mother and, his father, loveth him.

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

So then thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, —that I may set mine eyes upon him.

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

And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father, —as surely as he leaveth his father, so surely will he, die.

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

And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother do come down with you, ye shall not again behold my face.

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

So it came to pass when we had gone up unto thy servant, my father, that we told him the words of my lord.

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

Then said our father, —Go again buy us a little 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.

And we said, We cannot go down, —If our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down, for we cannot see the face of the man if, our youngest brother, is not with us.

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

Then said thy servant my father, unto us, —Ye yourselves, know, that, two, did my wife bear to me,

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

and the one went forth from me, and I said—Certainly he hath been, torn in pieces, —And I have 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)

As surely as ye take, this one also, away from before my face and there befall him any mischief, so surely shall ye bring down my grey hairs, with misfortune to hades. (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, )

Now, therefore, as surely as I go in unto thy servant my father, and, the lad, is not with us, —seeing that his soul is bound up with the lad’s soul,

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)

so surely shall it come to pass that when he seeth that the lad is not with us, then will he die. So shall thy servants bring down the grey hairs of thy servant our father, with sorrow to hades. (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.

For thy servant, became surety for the lad, while away from my father saying, —If I bring him not unto thee, then will I count myself a sinner against my father all the days.

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.

Now, therefore, I pray thee let thy servant remain instead of the lad, as servant to my lord, —but as for the lad, let him go up with his brethren.

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 can I go up unto my father, should the lad, not be with me? lest I look on the calamity, that shall find out my father,