< Genesis 39 >

1 Therfor Joseph was led in to Egipt, and Putifar, `chast and onest seruaunt of Farao, prince of the oost, a man of Egipt, bouyte hym of the hondis of Ismaelitis, of which he was brouyt.
Now Joseph was brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there.
2 And the Lord was with hym, and he was a man doynge with prosperite in alle thingis. And Joseph dwellide in `the hows of his lord,
And the LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man. And he was in the household of his master the Egyptian.
3 which knew best that the Lord was with Joseph, and that alle thingis whiche he dide, weren dressid of the Lord in `the hond of hym.
And his master saw that God was with him, and that God made everything that he did to succeed in his hands.
4 And Joseph foond grace bifor his lord, and `mynystride to hym, of whom Joseph was maad souereyn of alle thingis, and gouernede the hows bitaken to hym, and alle thingis that weren bitakun to hym.
So Joseph found favor in the sight of his master, and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority.
5 And the Lord blesside the `hows of Egipcian for Joseph, and multipliede al his catel, as wel in howsis as in feeldis;
And it came about that from the time that he made him overseer of his household and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house because of Joseph; and the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had, in the house and in the field.
6 nether he knew ony other thing no but `breed which he eet. Forsothe Joseph was fair in face, and schapli in siyt.
So he left everything that he had in Joseph's care. He did not concern himself with anything, except for the food which he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.
7 And so aftir many daies the ladi castide hir iyen in to Joseph, and seide, Slepe thou with me;
And it came to pass after these things that his master's wife took notice of Joseph and she said, "Sleep with me."
8 which assentide not to the vnleueful werk, and seide to hir, Lo! while alle thingis ben bitakun to me, my lord woot not what he hath in his hows,
But he refused, and said to his master's wife, "Look, my master does not concern himself with anything in his house, and he has put all that he has into my care.
9 nether ony thing is, which is not in my power, ether which `he hath not bitake to me, outakun thee, which art his wijf; how therfor may Y do this yuel, and do synne ayens my lord?
There is no one greater in this household than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, since you are his wife. How then can I do such a great evil, and sin against God?"
10 Thei spaken siche wordis `bi alle daies, and the womman was diseseful to the yong waxynge man, and he forsook auoutrie.
And although she spoke to Joseph day after day, he did not listen to her to sleep with her or to be with her.
11 Forsothe it bifelde in a dai, that Joseph entride in to the hows, and dide sum werk with out witnessis.
Now it happened about this time that he went into the house to do his work, and there were none of the men of the house inside.
12 And sche took `the hem of his clooth, and sche seide, Slepe thou with me; and he lefte the mentil in hir hoond, and he fledde, and yede out.
She grabbed him by his garment, saying, "Sleep with me." And he left his garment in her hand and ran outside.
13 And whanne the womman hadde seyn the clooth in hir hondis, and that sche was dispisid,
When she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had run outside,
14 sche clepide to hir the men of hir hows, and seide to hem, Lo! my lord hath brouyt in an Ebrew man, that he schulde scorn vs; he entride to me to do leccherie with me, and whanne Y criede, and he herde my vois,
she called to the men of her house, and spoke to them, saying, "Look, he has brought in a Hebrew to us to mock us. He came in to me to sleep with me, and I cried with a loud voice.
15 he lefte the mentil which Y helde, and he fledde out.
It happened, when he heard that I raised my voice and cried out, that he left his garment by me and ran outside."
16 Therfor in to the preuyng of trouthe, sche schewide the mantil, holdun to the hosebonde turnynge ayen hoom.
She left his garment by her, until his master came home.
17 And she seide, The Ebrew seruaunt, whom thou brouytist, entride to me to scorne me; and whanne he siy me crye,
And she told him the same story, saying, "The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought to us, came in to me to mock me, and said to me, 'Let me sleep with you.'
18 he lefte the mentil which Y helde, and he fledde out.
But when I raised my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me and ran outside."
19 And whanne these thingis weren herd, the lord bileuyde ouer myche to the wordis of the wijf, and was ful wrooth;
And it happened when his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, saying, "This is what your servant did to me," that he became furious.
20 and he bitook Joseph in to prisoun, where the bounden men of the kyng weren kept, and he was closid there.
Then Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were bound, and he was there in prison.
21 Forsothe the Lord was with Joseph, and hadde mercy on hym, and yaf grace to hym in the siyt of the prince of the prisoun,
But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him kindness and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
22 which bitook in the hond of Joseph alle prisoneris that weren holdun in kepyng, and what euer thing was doon, it was vndur Joseph, nethir the prince knewe ony thing,
The keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison; he was made responsible for everything that was done there.
23 for alle thingis weren bitakun to Joseph; for the Lord was with hym, and dresside alle his werkis.
The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was under his supervision, because God was with him, and made everything he did successful.

< Genesis 39 >