Genesis 43

1 And the famine was sore in the land.

The famine was severe in the land.

2 And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, that their father said unto them: 'Go again, buy us a little food.'

When they had eaten up the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again, buy us a little more food.”

3 And Judah spoke unto him, saying: 'The man did earnestly forewarn us, saying: Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.

Judah spoke to him, saying, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’

4 If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food;

If you’ll send our brother with us, we’ll go down and buy you food;

5 but if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down, for the man said unto us: Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.'

but if you don’t send him, we won’t go down, for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’”

6 And Israel said: 'Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?'

Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly, telling the man that you had another brother?”

7 And they said: 'The man asked straitly concerning ourselves, and concerning our kindred, saying: Is your father yet alive? have ye another brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words; could we in any wise know that he would say: Bring your brother down?'

They said, “The man asked directly concerning ourselves, and concerning our relatives, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ We just answered his questions. Is there any way we could know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?”

8 And Judah said unto Israel his father: 'Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones.

Judah said to Israel, his father, “Send the boy with me, and we’ll get up and go, so that we may live, and not die, both we, and you, and also our little ones.

9 I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him; if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever.

I’ll be collateral for him. From my hand will you require him. If I don’t bring him to you, and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever;

10 For except we had lingered, surely we had now returned a second time.'

for if we hadn’t delayed, surely we would have returned a second time by now.”

11 And their father Israel said unto them: 'If it be so now, do this: take of the choice fruits of the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spicery and ladanum, nuts, and almonds;

Their father, Israel, said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Take from the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry down a present for the man, a little balm, a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts, and almonds;

12 and take double money in your hand; and the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks carry back in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight;

and take double money in your hand, and take back the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight.

13 take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man;

Take your brother also, get up, and return to the man.

14 and God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release unto you your other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, if I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.'

May God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.”

15 And the men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

The men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and got up, went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

16 And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house: 'Bring the men into the house, and kill the beasts, and prepare the meat; for the men shall dine with me at noon.'

When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Bring the men into the house, and butcher an animal, and prepare; for the men will dine with me at noon.”

17 And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men into Joseph's house.

The man did as Joseph commanded, and the man brought the men to Joseph’s house.

18 And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph's house; and they said: 'Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses.'

The men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph’s house; and they said, “Because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time, we’re brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, attack us, and seize us as slaves, along with our donkeys.”

19 And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and they spoke unto him at the door of the house,

They came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they spoke to him at the door of the house,

20 and said: 'Oh my lord, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food.

and said, “Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food.

21 And it came to pass, when we came to the lodging-place, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight; and we have brought it back in our hand.

When we came to the lodging place, we opened our sacks, and behold, each man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. We have brought it back in our hand.

22 And other money have we brought down in our hand to buy food. We know not who put our money in our sacks.'

We have brought down other money in our hand to buy food. We don’t know who put our money in our sacks.”

23 And he said: 'Peace be to you, fear not; your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks; I had your money.' And he brought Simeon out unto them.

He said, “Peace be to you. Don’t be afraid. Your God, and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks. I received your money.” He brought Simeon out to them.

24 And the man brought the men into Joseph's house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their asses provender.

The man brought the men into Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet. He gave their donkeys fodder.

25 And they made ready the present against Joseph's coming at noon; for they heard that they should eat bread there.

They prepared the present for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there.

26 And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed down to him to the earth.

When Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves down to the earth before him.

27 And he asked them of their welfare, and said: 'Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spoke? Is he yet alive?'

He asked them of their welfare, and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he yet alive?”

28 And they said: 'Thy servant our father is well, he is yet alive.' And they bowed the head, and made obeisance.

They said, “Your servant, our father, is well. He is still alive.” They bowed down humbly.

29 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin his brother, his mother's son, and said: 'Is this your youngest brother of whom ye spoke unto me?' And he said: 'God be gracious unto thee, my son.'

He lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin, his brother, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?” He said, “God be gracious to you, my son.”

30 And Joseph made haste; for his heart yearned toward his brother; and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there.

Joseph hurried, for his heart yearned over his brother; and he sought a place to weep. He entered into his room, and wept there.

31 And he washed his face, and came out; and he refrained himself, and said: 'Set on bread.'

He washed his face, and came out. He controlled himself, and said, “Serve the meal.”

32 And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, that did eat with him, by themselves; because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians.

They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians don’t eat with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.

33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth; and the men marvelled one with another.

They sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth, and the men marveled with one another.

34 And portions were taken unto them from before him; but Benjamin's portion was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.

He sent portions to them from before him, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. They drank, and were merry with him.