Genesis 43
1 Interim fames omnem terram vehementer premebat.
The famine was severe in the land.
2 Consumptisque cibis quos ex Ægypto detulerant, dixit Jacob ad filios suos: Revertimini, et emite nobis pauxillum escarum.
It came about when they had eaten the grain that they had brought out of Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again; buy us some food.”
3 Respondit Judas: Denuntiavit nobis vir ille sub attestatione jurisjurandi, dicens: Non videbitis faciem meam, nisi fratrem vestrum minimum adduxeritis vobiscum.
Judah told him, “The man solemnly warned us, 'You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.'
4 Si ergo vis eum mittere nobiscum, pergemus pariter, et ememus tibi necessaria:
If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food.
5 sin autem non vis, non ibimus: vir enim, ut sæpe diximus, denuntiavit nobis, dicens: Non videbitis faciem meam absque fratre vestro minimo.
But if you do not send him, we will not go down. For the man said to us, 'You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.'”
6 Dixit eis Israël: In meam hoc fecistis miseriam, ut indicaretis ei et alium habere vos fratrem.
Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly by telling the man that you had another brother?”
7 At illi responderunt: Interrogavit nos homo per ordinem nostram progeniem: si pater viveret: si haberemus fratrem: et nos respondimus ei consequenter juxta id quod fuerat sciscitatus: numquid scire poteramus quod dicturus esset: Adducite fratrem vestrum vobiscum?
They said, “The man asked details about us and our family. He said, 'Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?' We answered him according to these questions. How could we have known that he would say, 'Bring your brother down?'”
8 Judas quoque dixit patri suo: Mitte puerum mecum, ut proficiscamur, et possimus vivere: ne moriamur nos et parvuli nostri.
Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the boy with me. We will rise and go that we may live and not die, both we, you, and also our children.
9 Ego suscipio puerum: de manu mea require illum: nisi reduxero, et reddidero eum tibi, ero peccati reus in te omni tempore.
I will be a guarantee for him. You will hold me responsible. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever.
10 Si non intercessisset dilatio, jam vice alter venissemus.
For if we had not delayed, surely by now we would have come back here a second time.”
11 Igitur Israël pater eorum dixit ad eos: Si sic necesse est, facite quod vultis: sumite de optimis terræ fructibus in vasis vestris, et deferte viro munera, modicum resinæ, et mellis, et storacis, stactes, et terebinthi, et amygdalarum.
Their father Israel said to them, “If it be so, now do this. Take some of the best products of the land in your bags. Carry down to the man a gift—some balm and honey, spices and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds.
12 Pecuniam quoque duplicem ferte vobiscum: et illam, quam invenistis in sacculis, reportate, ne forte errore factum sit:
Take double money in your hand. The money that was returned in the opening of your sacks, carry again in your hand. Perhaps it was a mistake.
13 sed et fratrem vestrum tollite, et ite ad virum.
Take also your brother. Rise and go again to the man.
14 Deus autem meus omnipotens faciat vobis eum placabilem: et remittat vobiscum fratrem vestrum quem tenet, et hunc Benjamin: ego autem quasi orbatus absque liberis ero.
May God Almighty give you mercy before the man, so that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.”
15 Tulerunt ergo viri munera, et pecuniam duplicem, et Benjamin: descenderuntque in Ægyptum, et steterunt coram Joseph.
The men took this gift, and in their hand they took double the amount of money, along with Benjamin. They got up and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.
16 Quos cum ille vidisset et Benjamin simul, præcepit dispensatori domus suæ, dicens: Introduc viros domum, et occide victimas, et instrue convivium: quoniam mecum sunt comesturi meridie.
When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Bring the men into the house, slaughter an animal and prepare it, for the men will eat with me at noon.”
17 Fecit ille quod sibi fuerat imperatum, et introduxit viros domum.
The steward did as Joseph said. He brought the men to Joseph's house.
18 Ibique exterriti, dixerunt mutuo: Propter pecuniam, quam retulimus prius in saccis nostris, introducti sumus: ut devolvat in nos calumniam, et violenter subjiciat servituti et nos, et asinos nostros.
The men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph's house. They said, “It is because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time we were brought in, that he may seek an opportunity against us. He might arrest us and take us as slaves, and take our donkeys.”
19 Quam ob rem in ipsis foribus accedentes ad dispensatorem domus,
They approached the steward of Joseph's house, and they spoke to him at the door of the house,
20 locuti sunt: Oramus, domine, ut audias nos. Jam ante descendimus ut emeremus escas:
saying, “My master, we came down the first time to buy food.
21 quibus emptis, cum venissemus ad diversorium, aperuimus saccos nostros, et invenimus pecuniam in ore saccorum: quam nunc eodem pondere reportavimus.
It came about, when we reached the lodging place, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man's money was in the opening of his sack, our money in full weight. We have brought it back in our hands.
22 Sed et aliud attulimus argentum, ut emamus quæ nobis necessaria sunt: non est in nostra conscientia quis posuerit eam in marsupiis nostris.
Other money we have also brought down in our hand to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks.”
23 At ille respondit: Pax vobiscum, nolite timere: Deus vester, et Deus patris vestri, dedit vobis thesauros in saccis vestris: nam pecuniam, quam dedistis mihi, probatam ego habeo. Eduxitque ad eos Simeon.
The steward said, “Peace be to you, do not fear. Your God and the God of your father must have put your money in your sacks. I received your money.” The steward then brought Simeon out to them.
24 Et introductis domum, attulit aquam, et laverunt pedes suos, deditque pabulum asinis eorum.
The steward took the men into Joseph's house. He gave them water, and they washed their feet. He gave feed to their donkeys.
25 Illi vero parabant munera, donec ingrederetur Joseph meridie: audierant enim quod ibi comesturi essent panem.
They prepared the gifts for Joseph's coming at noon, for they had heard that they would eat there.
26 Igitur ingressus est Joseph domum suam, obtuleruntque ei munera, tenentes in manibus suis: et adoraverunt proni in terram.
When Joseph came home, they brought the gifts which were in their hand into the house, and bowed down before him to the ground.
27 At ille, clementer resalutatis eis, interrogavit eos, dicens: Salvusne est pater vester senex, de quo dixeratis mihi? adhuc vivit?
He asked them about their welfare and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?”
28 Qui responderunt: Sospes est servus tuus pater noster, adhuc vivit. Et incurvati, adoraverunt eum.
They said, “Your servant our father is well. He is still alive.” They prostrated themselves and bowed down.
29 Attollens autem Joseph oculos, vidit Benjamin fratrem suum uterinum, et ait: Iste est frater vester parvulus, de quo dixeratis mihi? Et rursum: Deus, inquit, misereatur tui, fili mi.
When he lifted up his eyes he saw Benjamin his brother, his mother's son, and he said, “Is this your youngest brother of whom you spoke to me?” Then he said, “May God be gracious to you, my son.”
30 Festinavitque, quia commota fuerant viscera ejus super fratre suo, et erumpebant lacrimæ: et introiens cubiculum flevit.
Joseph hurried to go out of the room, for he was deeply moved about his brother. He sought somewhere to weep. He went to his room and wept there.
31 Rursumque lota facie egressus, continuit se, et ait: Ponite panes.
He washed his face and came out. He controlled himself, saying, “Serve the food.”
32 Quibus appositis, seorsum Joseph, et seorsum fratribus, Ægyptiis quoque qui vescebantur simul, seorsum (illicitum est enim Ægyptiis comedere cum Hebræis, et profanum putant hujuscemodi convivium)
The servants served Joseph by himself and the brothers by themselves. The Egyptians there ate with him by themselves because the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is detestable to the Egyptians.
33 sederunt coram eo, primogenitus juxta primogenita sua, et minimus juxta ætatem suam. Et mirabantur nimis,
The brothers sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth. The men were astonished together.
34 sumptis partibus quas ab eo acceperant: majorque pars venit Benjamin, ita ut quinque partibus excederet. Biberuntque et inebriati sunt cum eo.
Joseph sent portions to them from the food in front of him. But Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of his brothers. They drank and were merry with him.
