< Genesis 42 >

1 When Jacob found out grain was available in Egypt, he asked his sons, “Why do you keep on looking at each other to do something?
Ɛberɛ a Yakob tee sɛ aburoo wɔ Misraim no, ɔka kyerɛɛ ne mmammarima no sɛ, “Adɛn enti na moatete agyinagyina rehwehwɛhwehwɛ mo ho mo ho anim yi?”
2 I've heard there's grain in Egypt. Go there and buy some for us so we can stay alive—if not, we're going to die!”
Yakob toaa so sɛ, “Mate sɛ aburoo wɔ Misraim. Monkɔ hɔ, na monkɔtɔ bi mmra na ɛkɔm ankum yɛn.”
3 So ten of Joseph's brothers went to Egypt to buy grain.
Enti, Yosef nuammarima mpanimfoɔ edu no kɔɔ Misraim sɛ wɔrekɔtɔ aburoo no bi.
4 But Jacob did not send Joseph's brother Benjamin with his other brothers, for he said, “I'm afraid something bad might happen to him.”
Nanso, Yakob amma Benyamin a ɔyɛ Yosef nua kumaa no ankɔ bi, ɛfiri sɛ, na ɔsuro sɛ biribi bɛyɛ no.
5 So Israel's sons went to buy grain along with everyone else, because there was famine in Canaan too.
Enti, Israel mmammarima no de wɔn ho bɔɔ atɔfoɔ a wɔfifiri aman ahodoɔ so kɔtɔ aburoo wɔ Misraim no ho, ɛfiri sɛ, na ɛkɔm no atrɛ akɔduru Kanaan asase so mmaa nyinaa.
6 Joseph was the governor of the country and he sold grain to all the people there. So Joseph's brothers went to him, and bowed low before him with their faces to the ground.
Na Yosef yɛ amrado wɔ Misraim asase so. Ɔno na ɔtɔn aburoo ma nnipa nyinaa wɔ ɔman no mu. Yosef nuammarima no kɔduruu nʼanim no, wɔbuu no nkotodwe, de wɔn anim nso butubutuu fam.
7 Joseph recognized them as soon as he saw them, but he acted like a stranger towards them and spoke to them in a severe way, saying, “Where are you from?” “From the country of Canaan,” they replied. “We've come to buy food.”
Ɛberɛ a Yosef ani bɔɔ anuanom no so ara pɛ, ɔhunuu sɛ wɔyɛ ne nuanom, nanso ɔyɛɛ ne ho sɛdeɛ ɔnnim wɔn, kasaa anihanehane so kyerɛɛ wɔn. Ɔpoopoo nʼani, bisaa wɔn sɛ, “Mofiri he?” Anuanom no buaa no sɛ, “Yɛfiri Kanaan asase so, na yɛaba sɛ yɛrebɛtɔ aduane.”
8 Even though Joseph recognized his brothers, they didn't recognize him.
Ɛwom sɛ na Yosef ahunu wɔn sɛ ne nuanom, nanso ne nuanom no deɛ, na wɔnhunuu sɛ, ɔno ne Yosef.
9 Joseph thought back to the dreams he'd had about them, and told them, “No! You're spies! You've come to discover our country's weaknesses!”
Yosef kaee daeɛ a mmerɛ bi ɔso faa wɔn ho no. Ɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Moyɛ akwansrafoɔ! Morebɛhwɛ sɛdeɛ ɛkɔm yi ama yɛn asase yi agyigya.”
10 “That's not true, my lord!” they responded. “We, your servants, have just come to buy food.
Anuanom no teaam sɛ, “Dabi yɛn wura, ɛnte saa. Yɛbaeɛ sɛ yɛrebɛtɔ aduane.
11 We're all the sons of one man and we're honest. We're not spies!”
Yɛn nyinaa firi agya baako. Yɛyɛ nnipa pa, na yɛnyɛ akwansrafoɔ saa.”
12 “No! You've come to find our country's weaknesses!” he insisted.
Nanso, Yosef ka tii mu sɛ, “Dabi, morebɛhwɛ sɛdeɛ asase no asi agyigya afa.”
13 “Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man living in the country of Canaan,” they explained. “The youngest is right now with our father, and one has passed away.”
Anuanom no buaa sɛ, “Yɛn, wʼasomfoɔ, yɛyɛ anuanom dumienu. Yɛyɛ ɔpanin bi a ɔte Kanaan asase so mma. Seesei, yɛn kaakyire no wɔ yɛn agya nkyɛn, ɛnna ɔbaako nso afiri mu.”
14 “As I said before, you're spies!” Joseph declared.
Nanso, Yosef ka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Asɛm a meka kyerɛɛ mo sɛ moyɛ akwansrafoɔ no, ɛno ara ne no.
15 “This is how your story will be checked. I swear on Pharaoh's life that you'll never leave this country unless your younger brother comes here.
Ɛkwan a mepɛ sɛ mefa so de sɔ mo hwɛ nie: mmerɛ dodoɔ a Farao te ase yi, meremma mo mfiri Misraim asase so ha nkɔ da, kɔsi sɛ mode mo kaakyire no bɛba.
16 One of you go back and bring your other brother here. The others of you will be kept here in prison until it's clear that you're telling the truth. If not, then I swear on Pharaoh's life it proves you're spies!”
Monsoma mo mu baako, na ɔnkɔfa mo kaakyire no mmra. Mede mo a moaka no nyinaa bɛgu afiase. Ɛno na ɛbɛma yɛahunu sɛ, mo asɛm a moreka no yɛ nokorɛ anaa ɛnyɛ nokorɛ. Sɛ ɛkɔba sɛ monni nuabarima kumaa a ɔyɛ mo kaakyire a, mmerɛ dodoɔ a Farao te ase yi, na ɛkyerɛ sɛ moyɛ akwansrafoɔ ampa!”
17 So Joseph put all of them in prison for three days.
Enti, ɔde wɔn guu afiase hɔ nnansa.
18 On the third day he told them, “Since I'm someone who respects God, do as I tell you and you'll live.
Ne nnansa so no, Yosef ka kyerɛɛ ne nuanom no sɛ, “Meyɛ onyamesuroni. Ɛno enti, merebɛma mo ɛkwan ama moasane mo ho sɛ monyɛ akwansrafoɔ.
19 If you're truly honest, choose one of your brothers to stay here in prison. The rest of you can go back home with grain for your hungry families.
Sɛ moyɛ nokwafoɔ ampa ara a, momma mo nua baako nna afiase ha. Mo a moaka no nso, monkɔtɔ aburoo no bi nkɔma mo fiefoɔ a ɛkɔm rekum wɔn no.
20 But you must bring your youngest brother here to me to prove what you're saying is true. If not, you will all die.” They agreed to do this.
Nanso, ɛkwan biara so no, momfa mo nua kumaa no mmɛkyerɛ me. Ɛno na ɛbɛma mahunu sɛ, asɛm a moreka no yɛ nokorɛ anaasɛ ɛnyɛ nokorɛ. Na sɛ nokorɛ na moreka deɛ a, mɛgyaa mo.” Wɔpenee abisadeɛ a Yosef de too wɔn anim no so.
21 “Clearly we're being punished for what we did to our brother,” they said to each other. “We watched him in agony pleading with us for mercy, but we refused to listen to him. That's why we're in all this trouble.”
Afei, wɔkeka kyerɛkyerɛɛ wɔn ho wɔn ho sɛ, “Nokorɛm, yɛn nuabarima yi enti na wɔretwe yɛn aso. Yɛhunuu sɛdeɛ wabɔ huboa ne sɛdeɛ ɔsrɛɛ ne nkwa no, nanso yɛantie. Ɛno enti na saa amanehunu yi a aba yɛn so ɛnnɛ yi.”
22 Reuben said to them, “Didn't I tell you, ‘Don't harm the boy!’ But you didn't listen to me. Now we're paying the price for what we did to him.”
Afei, anuanom no mu panin a wɔfrɛ no Ruben no kaa sɛ, “Manka mankyerɛ mo sɛ monnyɛ bɔne biara ntia abarimaa no? Nanso moantie! Afei na ɛsɛ sɛ yɛbu ne mogya ho akonta”
23 They didn't realize that Joseph understood what they were saying because they were talking to him through an interpreter.
Esiane sɛ na obi kyerɛ nsɛm a Yosef ka no ase kyerɛ wɔn no enti, na wɔnnim sɛ Yosef te wɔn kasa.
24 Joseph stepped away from them because he started crying. He came back when he was able to speak to them again. He chose Simeon and had him tied up as they watched.
Yosef sɔre firii wɔn nkyɛn kɔsuiɛ. Ɔsane baeɛ ne wɔn bɛkasaa bio. Ɔyii Simeon firii wɔn mu, ma wɔkyekyeree no wɔ wɔn anim.
25 Joseph gave the order to fill up their sacks with grain, and also to return the money they had paid by placing it in the sacks as well. He also ordered that they should be provided with food for their journey home. All this was done.
Yosef hyɛɛ sɛ, wɔnhyɛ wɔn nkotokuo no aburoo ma ma, na wɔnsane mfa obiara sika a anka ɔde rebɛtɔ aburoo nhyɛ ne kotokuo mu, na wɔmma wɔn akwansoduane nso nka ho. Wɔyɛɛ yei maa wɔn.
26 The brothers loaded the grain onto their donkeys and then set off.
Wɔhyehyɛɛ wɔn aburoo nkotokuo no wɔ mfunumu no so, siim sɛ wɔrekɔ wɔn kurom.
27 On their way they stopped for the night, and one of them opened up his sack to give his donkey something to eat and saw his money there at the top of the sack.
Wɔrekɔ no ara, wɔgyinaa ɛkwan so anadwo homeeɛ. Ɛhɔ na wɔn mu baako sanee ne kotokuo ano sɛ ɔrema nʼafunumu aduane adi. Ɔsanee ne kotokuo no ano no, ɔhunuu sɛ ne sika a anka ɔde rekɔtɔ aburoo no hyɛ kotokuo no fa baabi.
28 He told his brothers, “My money's been returned to me. It's right here at the top of my sack!” They were horrified! Trembling with fear they asked each other, “What is this that God's done to us?”
Ɔka kyerɛɛ ne nuanom no sɛ, “Wɔde me sika no asane ahyɛ me kotokuo no mu. Monhwɛ. Ɛno nie!” Saa asɛm yi maa wɔn akoma tutuiɛ. Enti, wɔhwehwɛɛ wɔn ho wɔn ho anim kaa sɛ, “Ɛdeɛn anwanwadeɛ na Onyankopɔn ayɛ yɛn yi?”
29 When they arrived home in Canaan, they told their father Jacob everything that had happened.
Wɔduruu wɔn agya Yakob nkyɛn wɔ Kanaan no, wɔbɔɔ no nsɛm a asisi no nyinaa ho amaneɛ. Wɔkaa sɛ,
30 “The man who is the country's governor spoke to us in a severe way, and accused us of spying on the land,” they explained.
“Yɛduruu Misraim asase so no, ɔbarima a ɔhwɛ asase no so no a ɔyɛ asase no so ɔhene ɔboafoɔ no poopoo nʼani, kasaa anihanehane so kyerɛɛ yɛn sɛ, yɛyɛ akwansrafoɔ.
31 “We told him, ‘We are honest men. We're not spies!
Nanso, yɛbuaa no sɛ, ‘Yɛyɛ nnipa pa, na yɛnyɛ akwansrafoɔ.
32 We are twelve brothers, the sons of one father. One has passed away and the youngest is right now with our father in the country of Canaan.’
Yɛyɛ anuanom dumienu a yɛfiri agya baako. Ɔbaako afiri mu. Seesei, yɛn kaakyire no wɔ yɛn agya nkyɛn wɔ Kanaan.’
33 Then the man who is the country's governor said to us, ‘This is how I'll find out if you're telling the truth: you are to leave one of your brothers here with me while the rest take grain home for your hungry families.
“Afei, ɔbarima a ɔhwɛ asase no so ka kyerɛɛ yɛn sɛ, ‘Ɛkwan a mepɛ sɛ mefa so de sɔ mo hwɛ nie: Monnya mo nuanom baako wɔ me nkyɛn ha, na monkɔtɔ aburoo no bi nkɔma mo fiefoɔ a ɛkɔm rekum wɔn no.
34 Then bring your youngest brother to me. That way I'll know you're not spies but you're telling the truth. I'll release your brother to you, and you can stay in the country and trade.’”
Nanso, momfa mo nua kumaa no mmɛkyerɛ me. Ɛno na ɛbɛma mahunu sɛ monyɛ akwansrafoɔ na moyɛ nnipa pa. Na mede mo nua no bɛma mo, na mobɛtumi abɛtɔ aburoo no bi wɔ asase yi so mpɛn dodoɔ biara a mopɛ.’”
35 As they emptied their sacks, each one's money bag was there in his sack! When they and their father saw the money bags, they were horrified.
Ɛberɛ a wɔrehwiehwie wɔn aburoo no afiri wɔn nkotokuo no mu no, obiara hunuu ne sika a anka ɔde rekɔtua aburoo no ka wɔ ne kotokuo no ano. Wɔne wɔn agya hunuu sika no, wɔn akoma tutuiɛ.
36 Jacob their father accused them, “You have taken Joseph from me—he's gone! Simeon is gone too! Now you want to take Benjamin away! I'm the one who's suffering from all of this!”
Ɛyɛɛ saa maa wɔn agya Yakob ka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Moama mahwere me mma. Yosef nni hɔ; Simeon nso nni hɔ; afei mopɛ sɛ mofa Benyamin nso ka ho! Biribiara ko tia me.”
37 “You can kill my two sons if I don't bring him back to you,” Reuben assured him. “Trust me with him, and I will bring him home to you myself.”
Ruben ka kyerɛɛ nʼagya sɛ, “Sɛ mamfa Benyamin ansane amma a, wowɔ ho kwan sɛ wokum me mmammarima baanu no si anan. Fa no hyɛ me nsa, na mɛsane mede no abrɛ wo.”
38 “My son won't go there with you!” Jacob declared. “His brother is dead, and he's the only one I have left. If anything bad happens to him on the journey you're planning, you'll send this old man to his grave in grief.” (Sheol h7585)
Nanso, Yakob buaa sɛ, “Me babarima no ne monnkɔ hɔ, ɛfiri sɛ, ne nuabarima awu ama aka ɔno nko. Sɛ saa akwantuo a morebɛtu yi, asiane bi kɔsiane no a, mɛwu.” (Sheol h7585)

< Genesis 42 >