Jenesis 43
1 Ma ụnwụ a siri oke ike nʼala ahụ nʼoge a.
The famine continued to be really bad in Canaan,
2 O ruo, mgbe ha richara nri ha zụtara nʼIjipt, nna ha gwara ha sị, “Jeghachinụ, zụtara anyị ntakịrị nri.”
so once they had finished the grain they'd brought from Egypt, their father told them, “You have to go back and buy some more grain for us.”
3 Juda gwara nna ya bụ Jekọb sị, “Nwoke ahụ dọsiri anyị aka na ntị ike sị, ‘Unu agaghị ahụ ihu m ma ọ bụrụ na nwanne unu esoghị unu bịa.’
But Judah responded, “The man was adamant when he warned us, ‘I won't even see you unless your brother is with you.’
4 Ọ bụrụ na ị ga-edunyere anyị nwanne anyị, anyị ga-agbada gaa zụtara gị nri.
If you send our brother Benjamin with us then we'll go and buy food for you.
5 Ma ọ bụrụ na ị gaghị edunyere anyị ya, anyị agaghị agbada, nʼihi na nwoke a sịrị anyị, ‘Unu agaghị ahụ ihu m ma ọ bụrụ na nwanna unu esoghị unu.’”
But if you won't send him, then we won't go, because the man was very clear, ‘I won't even see you unless your brother is with you.’”
6 Mgbe ahụ Izrel sịrị, “Gịnị mere unu ji wetara m nsogbu dị otu a, site nʼịgwa nwoke ahụ na unu nwere nwanne ọzọ.”
“Why have you made things so bad for me by telling the man you had another brother?” Israel asked.
7 Ha zara sị, “Nwoke a jụrụ anyị ajụjụ dị iche iche banyere onwe anyị, na ndị ezinaụlọ anyị. Ọ sị, ‘Nna unu, ọ dị ndụ ugbu a? Unu nwere nwanne ọzọ?’ Ya mere, anyị zara ajụjụ niile. O nweghị otu anyị siri mara na ọ ga-asị anyị kpọta nwanne anyị.”
“The man kept on asking direct questions about us and our family like ‘Is your father still alive?’ and ‘Do you have another brother?’” they replied. “We just answered his questions. How were we to know he'd say, ‘Bring your brother here!’?”
8 Mgbe ahụ, Juda sịrị nna ya Izrel, “Dunye m nwantakịrị a ka anyị bilie gawa, ka anyị dị ndụ ghara ịnwụ, ma anyị onwe anyị, ma gị, ma ụmụntakịrị anyị.
Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy in my care, and we'll leave immediately, so that we can stay alive and not die—and that includes you and us and our children!
9 Aga m eji onwe m gbaa ebe nʼihi ya. I nwere ike itife ya nʼaka m. Ọ bụrụ na m akpọtaghachighị ya, kpọbata ya nʼihu gị, mgbe ahụ, ịta ụta bụrụ nke m nʼihu gị, nʼụbọchị ndụ m niile.
I promise to take care of him—I'll be personally responsible for bringing him back to you. If I don't, then I will always carry the blame!
10 A sị nnọọ na anyị egbughị oge niile a, anyị gaara aga ma lọtakwarị ugboro abụọ.”
Now let's go, because if we hadn't hesitated, we could have gone there and come back twice by now.”
11 Mgbe ahụ nna ha Izrel gwara ha sị, “Ọ bụrụ na ọ ga-adịrịrị otu a, gịnị ọzọ ka anyị ga-eme. Kama mgbe unu na-aga, werenụ nʼakpa unu onyinye ịnata ihuọma nke bụ ihe niile kachasị mma nke si nʼala a welaara nwoke a. Werenụ nwantịntị mmanụ otite, na nwantịntị mmanụ aṅụ, ha na ụda dị iche iche, na eso osisi máá, na akụ, na alụmọnd.
“If it has to be, then this is what you'll do,” Israel replied. “Take with you the best our country produces. Pack your bags with gifts for the man—balm, a little honey, spices, myrrh, pistachios, and almonds.
12 Werekwanụ ego okpukpu abụọ nʼaka unu. Weghachirinụ ya ego ahụ e tinyere nʼọnụ akpa unu, eleghị anya ọ bụ nʼohihie anya ka ha ji tinye ya.
Take double the money that was returned to you in your sacks—maybe it was a mistake.
13 Ngwa, kpọrọnụ nwanne unu nwoke bilienụ laghachikwurunụ nwoke ahụ.
Take your brother and go back to the man right away.
14 Ka Chineke Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile, mee ka nwoke ahụ nwee obi ebere nʼebe unu nọ. Ya meekwa ka o nwee ike ịhapụrụ unu nwanne unu Simiọn na Benjamin ka ha soro unu lọta. Ọ bụrụkwanụ uche Chineke na m ga-agbara aka ụmụ, ya mee dịka o si chọọ.”
May God Almighty make the man treat you kindly so when you come before him he'll release your other brother and send Benjamin back. As for me, if I am to lose all my children, then so be it.”
15 Ya mere, ndị ikom ahụ weere onyinye ndị a, na okpukpu ego abụọ nʼaka, ma kpọrọkwa Benjamin. Ha biliri ije. Garuo Ijipt, ma guzo nʼihu Josef.
So they packed the gifts, took double the money, and set off, accompanied by Benjamin. They arrived in Egypt and went to have an audience with Joseph.
16 Mgbe Josef lepụrụ anya hụ Benjamin nʼetiti ha, ọ gwara onye na-elekọta ụlọ ya sị, “Duru ndị ikom ndị a gaa nʼụlọ. Gbuo anụ, kwadoo nri, nʼihi na ndị a ga-eso m rie nri ehihie.”
When Joseph saw Benjamin was with them, he told his household supervisor, “Take these men to my house. Slaughter an animal and make a meal, for they are going to eat with me at noon.”
17 Odibo a mere dịka Josef ziri ya. O duuru ndị ikom ndị ahụ gaa nʼụlọ Josef.
The man did as Joseph ordered and took them to Joseph's house.
18 Nʼoge a, mgbe a kpọbatara ha nʼụlọ, ndị ikom ndị ahụ tụrụ ụjọ, nʼihi na a kpọbatara ha nʼime ụlọ Josef. Ha sịrị, “Ọ bụ nʼihi ego ahụ e tighachiri nʼakpa anyị nʼoge mbụ ka e ji kpọbata anyị, ka o nwee ike ịchọta ụzọ ọ ga-esi megide anyị, mesie anyị ike, si otu a were anyị na ịnyịnya ibu anyị dịka ndị ohu ya.”
They were really worried that they were being taken to Joseph's house. “It's because of the money that was put in our sacks the first time we came,” they said to each other. “That's why we're being brought in—so he can accuse us and attack us! He'll make us his slaves and take our donkeys!”
19 Ha bịaruru odibo Josef ahụ nso gwa ya okwu nʼọnụ ụzọ ụlọ ahụ.
So they went and spoke to Joseph's household supervisor at the entrance to the house.
20 Ha sịrị ya, “Nna anyị ukwu, anyị bịara ebe a nʼoge mbụ ịzụ ihe oriri.
“Please excuse us, my lord,” they said. “We came down the first time to buy food,
21 Ma, mgbe anyị rutere ebe anyị nọrọ ọnọdụ abalị, anyị meghere akpa anyị, chọpụta ego anyị kwụrụ nʼihi nri ahụ anyị zụrụ ka ọ dị nʼọnụ akpa anyị nʼotu na otu. E sepụkwaghị ya ihe ọ bụla. Ya mere, anyị weghachiri ya nʼoge a.
and when we stopped for the night, we opened our sacks and each of us found our money—the exact amount—at the top of our sacks. So we've brought it back with us.
22 Anyị jikwa ego ọzọ anyị ga-eji zụọ ihe oriri. Ma anyị amaghị onye tinyere ego ahụ nʼime akpa anyị.”
We've also brought more money to buy food. We've no idea who put our money in our sacks!”
23 Odibo ahụ zara sị ha, “Udo dịrị unu, unu atụla egwu, nʼihi na Chineke unu, na Chineke nna unu enyela unu akụ zoro ezo nʼime akpa unu. Ego unu kwụrụ ruru m aka.” Mgbe ahụ, ọ hapụrụ ha gaa kpọpụta Simiọn.
“Everything's fine!” he told them. “Don't worry! Your God, the God of your father, must have given you the treasure hidden in your sacks. I got your money.” Then he brought Simeon out to meet them.
24 Nʼoge ahụ, odibo ahụ duuru ndị ikom ndị ahụ bata nʼụlọ Josef, nye ha mmiri ha ji saa ụkwụ ha. O nyekwara ịnyịnya ibu ha nri.
The steward took them inside Joseph's house, gave them water to wash their feet, and supplied food for their donkeys.
25 Mgbe ahụ, ụmụ Jekọb kwadoro onyinye ịnata ihuọma ha ji bịa, nke ha ga-enye Josef ma ọ bata nʼetiti ehihie, nʼihi na ha anụla na ha ga-eri nri nʼebe ahụ.
They got their gifts ready for when Joseph would come at noon, because they had found out that they were going to eat there.
26 Mgbe Josef lọtara ụlọ, ha wetaara ya onyinye dị nʼaka ha, daa nʼala, kpọọ isiala nye ya.
When Joseph arrived at the house they gave him the gifts they had brought for him, and bowed low to the ground before him.
27 Josef jụrụ ha ajụjụ banyere ọdịmma ha, jụọkwa ha sị, “Agadi nna unu, nke unu gwara m ihe banyere ya, ahụ ọ dịkwa ya? Ọ ka dịkwa ndụ.”
He asked how they were, and then he asked, “How is your elderly father doing that you spoke of? Is he still alive?”
28 Ha zaghachiri sị ya, “Ahụ dị ohu gị bụ nna anyị. Ọ ka nọ ndụ.” Ha hulatara isi ha, kpọọ isiala nye ya.
“Yes, your servant our father is still alive, and is well,” they replied and bowed low in respect.
29 Mgbe Josef welitere anya ya elu hụ nwanne ya Benjamin, onye bụ nwanne afọ ya, ọ jụrụ ha ajụjụ sị, “Onye a ọ bụ nwanne unu nke nta ahụ unu gwara m ihe banyere ya?” Tupu ha asaa ya ihe ọbụla, o lere Benjamin anya sị ya, “Ka amara Chineke dịrị gị, nwa m nwoke.”
Then Joseph looked over at his brother Benjamin, the son of his own mother. “Is this your youngest brother that you told me about?” he asked. “God be gracious to you, my son,” he said.
30 Mgbe ahụ kwa Josef mere ọsịịsọ pụọ nʼezi ịchọ ebe ọ ga-akwa akwa nʼihi na ọhụhụ ọ hụrụ nwanne ya anya ọzọ metụrụ ya nnọọ nʼobi. Ọ pụrụ banye nʼime ụlọ ya kwaa akwa.
Joseph had to run out quickly because he was becoming so emotional at seeing his brother. He looked for a place to cry, and went to his room to weep there.
31 Emesịa, ọ sara ihu ya, pụta, jisie onwe ya ike nye odibo ya iwu ka o bute nri ahụ.
Then he washed his face, got his emotions under control, and went back out. “Serve the food,” he ordered.
32 Ha doziiri ya nri nke ya iche, doziekwara ụmụnne ya nri nke ha iche. Otu a kwa, ha dozikwaara ndị Ijipt ya na ha na-erikọ nri, nri nke ha iche. Nʼihi na ọ bụ ihe arụ nʼanya ndị Ijipt na ha na ndị Hibru ga-erikọta nri ọnụ.
Joseph was served at a table by himself, and his brothers were served at a separate table. The Egyptians were also served at another table, because Egyptians cannot eat with Hebrews because they find this repulsive.
33 Ma mgbe e nyere ha ọnọdụ nʼihu Josef, e mere ka ha nọdụ dịka ha si tọọ ibe ha. Nke ọkpara buru ụzọ nọdụ, onye na-eso ya anọdụkwa. Otu a ka ha niile siri nọdụ ruo nʼonye ikpeazụ nʼime ha. Ha lerịtara onwe ha anya nʼihi na o juru ha anya.
The brothers had been seated in front of him in order by age, from the firstborn, the oldest, down to the youngest, and they looked at each other in complete surprise.
34 O sitekwara na nri e doziri ya nyebinye ha nri. Nri e nyere Benjamin dị ukwuu okpukpu ise karịa nri nke e nyere ha niile. Ha na ya riri, ṅụọkwa nʼuju.
The food was served to them from Joseph's table, and Benjamin received five times as much as anyone else. So they ate and drank plenty with him.
