Genesis 44

1 Afterward he commanded his steward, saying, Fill the mens sackes with foode, as much as they can carry, and put euery mans money in his sackes mouth.

And he commands him who [is] over his house, saying, “Fill the bags of the men [with] food, as they are able to carry, and put the money of each in the mouth of his bag;

2 And put my cup, I meane the siluer cup, in the sackes mouth of the yongest, and his corne money. And he did according to the commandement that Ioseph gaue him.

and my cup, the silver cup, you put in the mouth of the bag of the young one, and his grain-money”; and he does according to the word of Joseph which he has spoken.

3 And in the morning the men were sent away, they, and their asses.

The morning is bright, and the men have been sent away, they and their donkeys—

4 And when they went out of the citie not farre off, Ioseph sayd to his stewarde, Vp, follow after the men: and when thou doest ouertake them, say vnto them, Wherefore haue ye rewarded euill for good?

they have gone out of the city—they have not gone far off—and Joseph has said to him who [is] over his house, “Rise, pursue after the men; and you have overtaken them, and you have said to them: Why have you repaid evil for good?

5 Is that not the cuppe, wherein my Lord drinketh? and in the which he doeth deuine and prophecie? ye haue done euill in so doing.

Is this not that with which my lord drinks? And he observes diligently with it; you have done evil [in] that which you have done.”

6 And when he ouertooke them, he sayde those wordes vnto them.

And he overtakes them, and speaks to them these words,

7 And they answered him, Wherefore sayeth my lorde such wordes? God forbid that thy seruants should do such a thing.

and they say to him, “Why does my lord speak according to these words? Far be it from your servants to do according to this word;

8 Behold, the money which we found in our sackes mouthes, wee brought againe to thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steale out of thy lordes house siluer or golde?

behold, the money which we found in the mouth of our bags we brought back to you from the land of Canaan, and how do we steal from the house of your lord silver or gold?

9 With whomesoeuer of thy seruants it bee found, let him dye, and we also will be my lordes bondmen.

With whomsoever of your servants it is found, he has died, and we also are to my lord for servants.”

10 And he said, Now then let it be according vnto your wordes: he with whome it is found, shall be my seruant, and ye shalbe blamelesse.

And he says, “Now also, according to your words, so it [is]; he with whom it is found becomes my servant, and you are acquitted”;

11 Then at once euery man tooke downe his sacke to the grounde, and euery one opened his sacke.

and they hurry and take down each his bag to the earth, and each opens his bag;

12 And he searched, and began at the eldest and left at the yongest: and the cuppe was found in Beniamins sacke.

and he searches—at the eldest he has begun, and at the youngest he has completed—and the cup is found in the bag of Benjamin;

13 Then they rent their clothes, and laded euery man his asse, and went againe into the citie.

and they tear their garments, and each loads his donkey, and they return to the city.

14 So Iudah and his brethren came to Iosephs house (for he was yet there) and they fel before him on the ground.

And Judah and his brothers come to the house of Joseph, and he is yet there, and they fall to the earth before him;

15 Then Ioseph sayd vnto them, What acte is this, which ye haue done? know ye not that such a man as I, can deuine and prophecie?

and Joseph says to them, “What [is] this deed that you have done? Have you not known that a man like me diligently observes?”

16 Then sayd Iudah, What shall we say vnto my lord? what shall we speake? and howe can we iustifie our selues? God hath found out the wickednesse of thy seruants: beholde, we are seruants to my Lord, both wee, and he, with whome the cuppe is founde.

And Judah says, “What do we say to my lord? What do we speak? And how do we justify ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants; behold, we [are] servants to my lord, both we, and he in whose hand the cup has been found”;

17 But he answered, God forbid, that I should doe so, but the man, with whome the cuppe is founde, he shalbe my seruant, and go ye in peace vnto your father.

and he says, “Far be it from me to do this; the man in whose hand the cup has been found, he becomes my servant; and you, go up in peace to your father.”

18 Then Iudah drewe neere vnto him, and sayde, O my Lord, let thy seruant nowe speake a worde in my lordes eares, and let not thy wrath be kindled against thy seruant: for thou art euen as Pharaoh.

And Judah comes near to him and says, “O my lord, please let your servant speak a word in the ears of my lord, and do not let your anger burn against your servant—for you are as Pharaoh.

19 My Lord asked his seruants, saying, Haue ye a father, or a brother?

My lord has asked his servants, saying, Do you have a father or brother?

20 And we answered my Lord, We haue a father that is olde, and a young childe, which he begate in his age: and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loueth him.

And we say to my lord, We have a father, an aged one, and a child of old age, a little one; and his brother died, and he is left alone of his mother, and his father has loved him.

21 Now thou saidest vnto thy seruants, Bring him vnto me, that I may set mine eye vpon him.

And you say to your servants, Bring him down to me, and I set my eye on him;

22 And we answered my lord, The childe can not depart from his father: for if he leaue his father, his father would die.

and we say to my lord, The youth is not able to leave his father, when he has left his father, then he has died;

23 Then saydest thou vnto thy seruants, Except your yonger brother come downe with you, looke in my face no more.

and you say to your servants, If your young brother does not come down with you, you do not add to see my face.

24 So when we came vnto thy seruant our father, and shewed him what my lord had sayd,

And it comes to pass, that we have come up to your servant my father, that we declare to him the words of my lord;

25 And our father sayde vnto vs, Goe againe, bye vs a litle foode,

and our father says, Return, buy for us a little food,

26 Then we answered, We can not go downe: but if our yongest brother go with vs, then will we go downe: for we may not see the mans face, except our yongest brother be with vs.

and we say, We are not able to go down; if our young brother is with us, then we have gone down; for we are not able to see the man’s face, and our young brother not with us.

27 Then thy seruant my father sayde vnto vs, Ye knowe that my wife bare me two sonnes,

And your servant my father says to us, You have known that my wife bore two to me,

28 And the one went out from me, and I said, Of a suretie he is torne in pieces, and I sawe him not since.

and one goes out from me, and I say, Surely he is torn—torn! And I have not seen him since;

29 Nowe yee take this also away from me: if death take him, then yee shall bring my graye head in sorowe to the graue. (Sheol h7585)

when you have taken also this from my presence, and harm has met him, then you have brought down my grey hairs with evil to Sheol. (Sheol h7585)

30 Nowe therefore, when I come to thy seruant my father, and the childe be not with vs (seeing that his life dependeth on the childes life)

And now, at my coming to your servant my father, and the youth not with us (and his soul is bound up in his soul),

31 Then when hee shall see that the childe is not come, he will die: so shall thy seruants bring the graye head of thy seruant our father with sorowe to the graue. (Sheol h7585)

then it has come to pass, when he sees that the youth is not, that he has died, and your servants have brought down the grey hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to Sheol; (Sheol h7585)

32 Doubtlesse thy seruant became suertie for the childe to my father, and said, If I bring him not vnto thee againe, then I will beare the blame vnto my father for euer.

for your servant obtained the youth by guarantee to my father, saying, If I do not bring him to you—then I have sinned against my father all the days.

33 Nowe therefore, I pray thee, let me thy seruant bide for the childe, as a seruant to my Lord, and let the childe go vp with his brethren.

And now, please let your servant abide instead of the youth [as] a servant to my lord, and the youth goes up with his brothers,

34 For how can I go vp to my father, if the childe be not with me, vnlesse I woulde see the euil that shall come on my father?

for how do I go up to my father, and the youth not with me? Lest I look on the evil which finds my father.”