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.

And he commaunded the rueler of his house saynge: fyll the mens sackes with food as moch as they can carie

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

And in ye mornynge as soone as it was lighte the me were let goo with 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?

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 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 that not the cuppe of which my lorde drynketh ad doth he not prophesie therin? ye haue euell done that ye haue done.

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

And he ouertoke them and sayde the same wordes vnto them.

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

And they answered him: wherfore sayth my lorde soch wordes? God forbydd that thy servauntes shulde doo so.

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?

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

with whosoeuer of thy seruauntes it be founde let him dye and let vs also be my lordes bondmen.

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 sayde: Now therfore acordynge vnto youre woordes he with whom it is found shalbe my seruaunte: but ye shalbe harmelesse.

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

And attonce euery man toke downe his sacke to the grounde ad every man opened his sacke.

12 Which when he had searched, beginning at the eldest and ending at the youngest, 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 Then they rent their garments, and loading their asses again, returned into the town.

Then they rent their clothes and laded euery man his asse and went agayne vnto the cytie.

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 Iuda and his brethre came to Iosephs house for he was yet there ad they fell before him on the grounde.

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

My lorde axed his seruaunte sainge: haue 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.

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

Then sayde my lorde vnto his seruauntes brynge him vnto me that I maye sett myne eyes apon him.

22 We suggested to my lord: The boy cannot leave his father: for if he leave him, 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 And thou saidst to thy servants: Except your youngest brother come with you, you shall see my face no more.

Than saydest thou vnto thy servauntes: excepte youre yongest brother come with you loke that ye se my face no moare.

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

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 wheat.

And when oure father sayde vnto vs goo agayne and bye vs a litle fode:

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.

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

Then sayde thy servaunt oure father vnto vs. Ye knowe that my wyfe bare me. ij. sonnes.

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

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 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)

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 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 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 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)

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 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 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 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 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 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 goo vnto my father and the lad not wyth me: lest I shulde see the wretchednes that shall come on my father.