Jenesis 42
1 Ugbu a, Jekọb nụrụ na ọka dị nʼIjipt. Ọ sịrị ụmụ ya, “Kedụ ihe anyị jiri nọrọ na-elerịta onwe anyị anya”
When someone told Jacob that there was grain in Egypt that people could buy, he said to his sons, “(Why do you just sit there looking at each other?/Do not just sit there looking at each other!) [RHQ] We need some grain!”
2 Ọ sịrị, “Lee anụrụ m na ọka dị nʼIjipt. Gbadatanụ nʼebe ahụ zụtara anyị ọka ka anyị dị ndụ ghara ịnwụ.”
He said to them, “Someone told me that there is grain for sale in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, in order that we will not die!”
3 Ụmụnne Josef iri ndị ahụ gbadara Ijipt ịzụta ọka.
So Joseph’s ten [older] brothers went down to Egypt to buy some grain.
4 Ma Jekọb ekweghị ka Benjamin nwanne nta Josef soro ha gaa, nʼihi na ọ tụrụ egwu na ihe ndaba ọjọọ nwere ike ịbịakwasị ya.
But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph’s [younger] brother, to go with the others, because he was afraid/worried that something terrible might happen to him like what happened to Joseph.
5 Otu a, ụmụ Izrel so nʼọtụtụ ndị ọzọ ndị jekwara ịzụrụ nri nʼIjipt, nʼihi na ụnwụ ahụ dị njọ nʼala Kenan.
So Jacob’s other sons went down from Canaan to Egypt to buy grain, and others from there went too, because there was a famine in Canaan also.
6 Nʼoge a, Josef na-achị ala Ijipt, bụrụkwa onye iresi ndị obodo ọka dị nʼaka. Ya mere, mgbe ụmụnne Josef rutere, ha bịara hulata kpọọ isiala nye Josef.
At that time Joseph was the governor of Egypt. He was the one who sold grain to people who came from all over Egypt and from many other countries [HYP] to buy grain. So when Joseph’s brothers arrived, [they were told that it was necessary for them to talk with Joseph. So they went to him and] prostrated themselves before him with their faces to the ground.
7 Mgbe Josef hụrụ ụmụnne ya, ọ matara ndị ha bụ. Ma ọ kpara agwa dịka onye na-amaghị ha, gwa ha okwu nʼolu ike, sị ha, “Ebee ka unu si bịa?” Ha zara, “Anyị si ala Kenan bịa. Anyị bịara ịzụrụ nri.”
As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them. But he pretended that he did not know them. He spoke harshly to them, saying, “Where do you come from?” One of them replied, “We have come from Canaan, to buy some grain.”
8 Josef matara ụmụnne ya, ma ha onwe ha amataghị onye ọ bụ.
Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.
9 Josef chetakwara nrọ ndị ahụ ọ rọrọ banyere ha. Ọ gwara ha okwu sị ha, “Unu bụ ndị nnyocha. Ịchọpụta adịghị ike ala anyị mere unu ji bịa.”
And then Joseph remembered what he had dreamed about them many years previously. [But he decided not to tell them yet that he was their younger brother]. He said to them, “You are spies! You have come to find out whether we will be able to defend ourselves [if you attack us]!”
10 Ha zara sị, “Nna anyị ukwu, anyị bụ ndị ohu gị bịara ịzụrụ nri.
One of them replied, “No, sir! We have come to buy grain.
11 Anyị niile bụ ụmụ otu nna. Ndị ohu gị bụ ndị kwesiri ntụkwasị obi. Anyị abụghị ndị nnyopụta.”
We are all sons of one man. We are honest men, not spies.”
12 Ma Josef gwara ha sị, “Mba! Unu bịara ịchọpụta akụkụ obodo anyị nke a na-echezighị nke ọma.”
He said to them, “[I do not believe you]. You have come just to see whether we would be able to defend ourselves if we were attacked!”
13 Ha zara sị ya, “Ndị ohu gị dị ụmụnne iri na abụọ. Ọ bụkwa otu nna mụrụ anyị niile. Nna anyị na nwanne anyị nta, onye ikpeazụ ọ mụrụ nọ na Kenan ugbu a. Ma otu onye nʼime anyị anwụọla.”
But one of them replied, “No, that is not true! Originally there were twelve of us who were brothers, the sons of one man. Our younger brother is with our father. One [younger] brother has died. [EUP]”
14 Josef sịrị, “Ihe unu na-akọ na-egosi na unu bụ ndị nnyopụta, dịka m gwara unu.
Joseph replied, “[You are lying! I think] it is just as I told you. You are spies!
15 Nke a ka a ga-eji anwale unu. Nʼaha Fero dị ndụ, unu agaghị esi nʼebe a laa tutu nwanne unu nke nta ahụ abịa nʼebe a.
But this is how I will determine whether what you are saying is true. I think that as surely as the king lives, you are spies. And you will not leave this place until your youngest brother comes here!
16 Zipụnụ otu onye nʼime unu ka ọ gaa kpọta nwanne unu nwoke. Ma aga m etinye ndị fọdụrụ nʼụlọ mkpọrọ, tutu m chọpụta ma ihe unu kwuru ọ bụ eziokwu maọbụ ụgha. Ọ bụrụ ụgha nʼezie, dịka Fero na-adị ndụ, unu bụ ndị nnyopụta.”
Send one of your group to go and get your younger brother and bring him here. I will put the rest of you in prison, in order that I may test what you have said to find out whether what you are telling me is true. If the one who goes does not bring your younger brother here, then, just as surely as the king lives, it will be clear that you are lying and that you are spies.”
17 O tinyere ha niile nʼụlọ mkpọrọ, hapụ ha nʼebe ahụ abalị atọ.
Then Joseph put them all in prison for three days.
18 Josef gwara ha, nʼụbọchị nke atọ, “Nke a bụ ihe unu ga-eme ma dị ndụ, nʼihi na abụ m onye na-atụ egwu Chineke.
On the third day, Joseph went to the prison and said to them, “I am a man who fears that God [will punish me if I do not do what I promise]. So do what I tell you, and I will spare your lives.
19 Ọ bụrụ na unu bụ ndị ezi mmadụ, ka otu onye nʼime unu nọdụ nʼebe a, nʼụlọ mkpọrọ, ka ndị fọdụrụ buru ọka bulaara ndị ezinaụlọ unu nọ nʼagụụ.
If you are honest men, let one of your brothers stay here in prison, and the rest of you can take some grain back to your families who are very hungry because of the famine.
20 Ma kpọtaranụ m nwanne unu nke nta nʼebe a, nke a ga-egosi na okwu unu bụ eziokwu, na unu agaghịkwa anwụ.” Ha mere otu a.
But if you come back here again, you must bring your youngest brother to me, so that you can prove that what you told me is true, and as a result I will not have you executed.” So they agreed to do that.
21 Ha gwarịtara onwe ha okwu sị, “Nʼezie, ọ bụ nʼihi nwanne anyị nwoke ka ahụhụ ndị a ji abịakwasị anyị. Anyị hụrụ obi mgbawa ya, mgbe ọ na-arịọ ka anyị chebe ndụ ya, ma anyị egeghị ya ntị. Ọ bụ nke a mere mmekpa ahụ ndị a ji bịakwasị anyị ugbu a.”
They said to each other, “It is surely because of what we did to our [younger] brother that (we are being punished/God is punishing us)! We saw that he [SYN] was very distressed when he pleaded with us not to harm him. But we did not pay any attention to him, and that is why we are having this trouble!”
22 Ruben zara sị ha, “Ọ bụ na mụ agwaghị unu sị unu hapụ imejọ nwantakịrị ahụ, ma unu egeghị ntị? Ugbu a, anyị na-asa ajụjụ banyere ọbara ya.”
Reuben said to them, “I told you not to harm the boy [RHQ], but you did not pay attention to what I said! Now we are being (paid back/punished) for killing him [MTY]!”
23 Ha amataghị na Josef na-anụ ihe ha na-ekwu, nʼihi na onye nsụgharị okwu nọ nʼetiti ha.
While they were talking with Joseph, they were speaking through (an interpreter/someone who knew their language and the Egyptian language), but when they said these things among themselves, they were speaking in their own language, and they did not know that Joseph could understand their language, and that he could understand what they were saying.
24 O sitere nʼebe ha nọ tụgharịa gaa kwaa akwa. Ọ lọghachikwutere ha ọzọ gwakwa ha okwu. O si nʼetiti ha kpọpụta Simiọn kee ya agbụ ka ha na-ele ya anya.
[Because of what they said, Joseph realized that they admitted that what they had done to him many years previously was wrong]. He could not keep from crying, [and he did not want them to see him crying], so he left them and went outside the room and began to cry. But then he returned to them and talked to them again. Then he took Simeon, and while they were watching, he told his servants to tie him up. He left Simeon in the prison and told the others that they could go.
25 Josef nyere iwu ka e kpojuo ọka nʼakpa ha, tinyekwara onye ọbụla ego ọ kwụrụ nʼakpa ya. Ọ nyere iwu ka e nye ha ihe ha ga-eri nʼụzọ. Mgbe e mesịrị ihe ndị a,
Joseph told his servants to fill the men’s sacks with grain, but he also told them to put the money that each one had paid for the grain in the top of his sack. He also told them to give them food to eat along the way. After the servants did those things for Joseph’s older brothers,
26 ha bokwasịrị ịnyịnya ibu akpa ọka ha nʼotu nʼotu. Ha hapụrụ Ijipt lawa.
his older brothers loaded the sacks of grain on their donkeys and left.
27 Mgbe ha ruru ebe ha nọrọ ọnọdụ abalị, otu nʼime ha meghere akpa ya ka o nye ịnyịnya ibu ya ọka, ọ hụrụ ego ya nʼọnụ akpa ya.
At the place where they stopped to sleep that night, one of them opened his sack to get some grain for his donkey. He was amazed to see his money in the top of the sack.
28 Ọ gwara ụmụnne ya sị, “Lee, e tighachiri ego m kwụrụ. Lee ya nʼakpa ọka m.” Ike gwụrụ onye ọbụla nʼime ha. Site nʼahụ ịma jijiji ha lerịtara onwe ha anya sị, “Gịnị bụ ihe a Chineke mere anyị?”
He exclaimed to his brothers, “Someone has returned my money! Here it is in my sack!” They started shaking with fear, and said to each other, “What is this that God has done to us?”
29 Mgbe ha lakwutere nna ha Jekọb nʼala Kenan, ha kọọrọ ya ihe niile dakwasịrị ha. Ha gwara ya sị,
When they returned to their father in Canaan land, they told him all that had happened to them. One of them said,
30 “Nwoke na-achị ala ahụ gwara anyị okwu nʼolu ike. O mesoro anyị mmeso dịka anyị bụ ndị bịara inyochapụta obodo ha.
“The man who governs the whole land of Egypt talked very harshly to us. He acted toward us as though we were spying on his country.
31 Ma anyị gwara ya sị, ‘Anyị bụ ndị kwesiri ntụkwasị obi, ndị na-abụghị ndị nnyopụta obodo.
But we told him, ‘We are honest men! We are not spies.
32 Anyị dị ụmụnne iri na abụọ ndị nwere otu nna. Otu nʼime anyị anọkwaghị, ma nke ntakịrị na nna anyị nọ na nʼala Kenan taa.’
Originally there were twelve of us who were brothers, the sons of one father. One has died [EUP], and our youngest brother is with our father in Canaan.’
33 “Mgbe ahụ, nwoke a, onye na-achị ala ahụ, sịrị anyị, ‘Nke a ka m ga-eji mata ma unu bụ ndị ezi mmadụ. Hapụrụnụ m otu nwanne unu. Burunu ọka, bulaara ndị ezinaụlọ unu agụụ na-agụgbu.
The man who is the governor of the land [did not believe us], so he said to us, ‘This is how I will know if you are truly honest men: Leave one of your brothers here with me. Then the rest of you can take some grain for your families that are starving from hunger and go.
34 Ma kpọtara m nwanne unu nke nta. Mgbe ahụ ka m ga-ama ihe unu bụ. Ma unu bụ ndị nnyopụta maọbụ ndị ezi mmadụ. Mgbe ahụ, aga m ahapụrụ unu nwanne unu. Unu ga na-azụkwa ahịa nʼala a.’”
But when you return, bring your youngest brother to me, in order that I will know that you are not spies, but instead, that you are honest men. Then I will release your brother for you. And then you can buy whatever you want in this country.’”
35 Mgbe ha bidoro ịwụpụtasị ọka dị nʼakpa ha, lee, nʼime akpa ọka onye ọbụla, a chọtara ego ọ kwụrụ nʼakpa ya. Mgbe ha na nna ha hụrụ ego ndị a, ha tụrụ egwu.
As they were emptying their sacks, they were surprised that in each man’s sack was his pouch of money! When they and their father saw all the pouches of money, they were frightened.
36 Ya mere, nna ha Jekọb gwara ha sị, “Unu agbawala m aka ụmụ. Josef anọghị, Simiọn anọkwaghị. Ma unu na-achọ iwezuga Benjamin. Naanị m ka ihe niile ndị a na-emegide!”
Their father Jacob said to them, “You have caused two of my children to be taken from me! Joseph is dead, and Simeon is gone! And now you want to take Benjamin from me! It is I who am suffering because of all these things that are happening!”
37 Mgbe ahụ, Ruben gwara nna ya sị, “I nwere ike gbuo ụmụ m ndị ikom abụọ ma ọ bụrụ na m akpọghachighị Benjamin. Tifee ya nʼaka m, aga m akpọghachikwara gị ya.”
Reuben said to his father, “I will be responsible for Benjamin. [I will take him to Egypt and] bring him back to you. Let me take care of him. If I do not bring Benjamin back to you, you may kill both of my sons.”
38 Ma Jekọb sịrị, “Nwa m agaghị eso unu gaa. Nʼihi na nwanne ya anwụọla, ọ bụkwa naanị ya ka ọ fọdụrụ. Ọ bụrụ na nsogbu ezute ya nʼụzọ nʼije a, unu ga-eme ka m jiri isi awọ m laa nʼili nʼọnọdụ mwute.” (Sheol h7585)
But Jacob said, “No, I will not let my son go down there with you. His [older] brother is dead, and he is the only [one of my wife Rachel’s] sons who is left! If something harms him while you are traveling, you would cause me, a gray-haired old man, to die because of sorrow.” (Sheol h7585)
