Genesis 44

1 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;

And Joseph charged the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put the money of each in the mouth of his sack.

2 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.

And put my silver cup into the sack of the youngest, and the price of his corn. And it was done according to the word of Joseph, as he said.

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

The morning dawned, and the men were sent away, they and their asses.

4 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?

And when they had gone out of the city, [and] were not far off, then Joseph said to his steward, Arise, and pursue after the men; and you shall overtake them, and say to them, Why have you returned evil for good?

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

Why have you stolen my silver cup? is it not this out of which my lord drinks? and he divines augury with it; you have accomplished evil in that which you have done.

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

And he found them, and spoke to them according to these words.

7 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!

And they said to him, Why does our lord speak according to these words? far be it from your servants to do according to this word.

8 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?

If we brought back to you out of the land of Chanaan the money which we found in our sacks, how should we steal silver or gold out of the house of your lord?

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

With whoever of your servants you shall find the cup, let him die; and, moreover, we will be servants to our lord.

10 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.

And he said, Now then it shall be as you say; with whoever the cup shall be found, he shall be my servant, and you shall be clear.

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

And they hasted, and took down every man his sack on the ground, and they opened every man his sack.

12 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!

And he searched, beginning from the oldest, until he came to the youngest; and he found the cup in Benjamin's sack.

13 And they rent their mantles, —and laded each man his ass, and returned to the city.

And they tore their garments, and laid each man his sack on his ass, and returned to the city.

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

And Judas and his brethren came in to Joseph, while he was yet there, and fell on the ground before him.

15 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?

And Joseph said to them, What is this thing that you have done? know you not that a man such as I can surely divine?

16 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.

And Judas said, What shall we answer to our lord, or what shall we say, or wherein should we be justified? whereas God has discovered the unrighteousness of your servants; behold, we are slaves to our lord, both we and he with whom the cup has been found.

17 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.

And Joseph said, Far be it from me to do this thing; the man with whom the cup has been found, he shall be my servant; but do you go up with safety to your father.

18 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!

And Judas drew near him, and said, I pray, Sir, let your servant speak a word before you, and be not angry with your servant, for you are next to Pharao.

19 It was, my lord, who asked his servants, saying, —Have ye a father, or a brother?

Sir, you asked your servants, saying, Have you a father or a brother?

20 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.

And we said to [my] lord, We have a father, an old man, and he has a son of his old age, a young one, and his brother is dead, and he alone has been left behind to his mother, and his father loves him.

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

And you said to they servants, Bring him down to me, and I will take care of him.

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

And we said to [my] lord, The child will not be able to leave his father; but if he should leave his father, he will die.

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

But you said to they servants, Except your younger brother come down with you, you shall not see my face again.

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

And it came to pass, when we went up to your servant our father, we reported to him the words of our lord.

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

And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little food.

26 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.

And we said, We shall not be able to go down; but if our younger brother go down with us, we will go down; for we shall not be able to see the man's face, our younger brother not being with us.

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

And your servant our father said to us, You know that my wife bore me two [sons];

28 and the one went forth from me, and I said—Certainly he hath been, torn in pieces, —And I have never seen him since.

and one is departed from me; and you said that he was devoured of wild beasts, and I have not seen him until now.

29 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)

If then you take this one also from my presence, and an affliction happen to him by the way, then shall you bring down my old age with sorrow to the grave. (Sheol h7585)

30 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,

Now then, if I should go in to they servant, and our father, and the boy should not be with us, (and his life depends on this [lad's] life)

31 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)

—it shall even come to pass, when he sees the boy is not with us, [that] he will die, and your servants will bring down the old age of your servant, and our father, with sorrow to the grave. (Sheol h7585)

32 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.

For your servant has received the boy [in charge] from his father, saying, If I bring him not to you, and place him before you, I shall be guilty towards my father for ever.

33 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.

Now then I will remain a servant with you instead of the lad, a domestic of my lord; but let the lad go up with his brethren.

34 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,

For how shall I go up to my father, the lad not being with us? lest I behold the evils which will befall my father.