Genesis 44

1 Præcepit autem Joseph dispensatori domus suæ, dicens: Imple saccos eorum frumento, quantum possunt capere: et pone pecuniam singulorum in summitate sacci.

And he commanded the steward of his house, saying: 'Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's money in his sack's mouth.

2 Scyphum autem meum argenteum, et pretium quod dedit tritici, pone in ore sacci junioris. Factumque est ita.

And put my goblet, the silver goblet, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, and his corn money.' And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.

3 Et orto mane, dimissi sunt cum asinis suis.

As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses.

4 Jamque urbem exierant, et processerant paululum: tunc Joseph accersito dispensatore domus, Surge, inquit, et persequere viros: et apprehensis dicito: Quare reddidistis malum pro bono?

And when they were gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward: 'Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them: Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good?

5 scyphus, quem furati estis, ipse est in quo bibit dominus meus, et in quo augurari solet: pessimam rem fecistis.

Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby he indeed divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.'

6 Fecit ille ut jusserat: et apprehensis per ordinem locutus est.

And he overtook them, and he spoke unto them these words.

7 Qui responderunt: Quare sic loquitur dominus noster, ut servi tui tantum flagitii commiserint?

And they said unto him: 'Wherefore speaketh my lord such words as these? Far be it from thy servants that they should do such a thing.

8 pecuniam, quam invenimus in summitate saccorum, reportavimus ad te de terra Chanaan: et quomodo consequens est ut furati simus de domo domini tui aurum vel argentum?

Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks' mouths, we brought back unto thee out of the land of Canaan; how then should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold?

9 apud quemcumque fuerit inventum servorum tuorum quod quæris, moriatur, et nos erimus servi domini nostri.

With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen.'

10 Qui dixit eis: Fiat juxta vestram sententiam: apud quemcumque fuerit inventus, ipse sit servus meus, vos autem eritis innoxii.

And he said: 'Now also let it be according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my bondman; and ye shall be blameless.'

11 Itaque festinato deponentes in terram saccos, aperuerunt singuli.

Then they hastened, and took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack.

12 Quos scrutatus, incipiens a majore usque ad minimum, invenit scyphum in sacco Benjamin.

And he searched, beginning at the eldest, and leaving off at the youngest; and the goblet was found in Benjamin's sack.

13 At illi, scissis vestibus, oneratisque rursum asinis, reversi sunt in oppidum.

And they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.

14 Primusque Judas cum fratribus ingressus est ad Joseph (necdum enim de loco abierat) omnesque ante eum pariter in terram corruerunt.

And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house, and he was yet there; and they fell before him on the ground.

15 Quibus ille ait: Cur sic agere voluistis? an ignoratis quod non sit similis mei in augurandi scientia?

And Joseph said unto them: 'What deed is this that ye have done? know ye not that such a man as I will indeed divine?'

16 Cui Judas: Quid respondebimus, inquit, domino meo? vel quid loquemur, aut juste poterimus obtendere? Deus invenit iniquitatem servorum tuorum: en omnes servi sumus domini mei, et nos, et apud quem inventus est scyphus.

And Judah said: 'What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants; behold, we are my lord's bondmen, both we, and he also in whose hand the cup is found.'

17 Respondit Joseph: Absit a me ut sic agam: qui furatus est scyphum, ipse sit servus meus: vos autem abite liberi ad patrem vestrum.

And he said: 'Far be it from me that I should do so; the man in whose hand the goblet is found, he shall be my bondman; but as for you, get you up in peace unto your father.'

18 Accedens autem propius Judas, confidenter ait: Oro, domini mi, loquatur servus tuus verbum in auribus tuis, et ne irascaris famulo tuo: tu es enim post Pharaonem

Then Judah came near unto him, and said: 'Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant; for thou art even as Pharaoh.

19 dominus meus. Interrogasti prius servos tuos: Habetis patrem aut fratrem?

My lord asked his servants, saying: Have ye a father, or a brother?

20 et nos respondimus tibi domino meo: Est nobis pater senex, et puer parvulus, qui in senectute illius natus est: cujus uterinus frater mortuus est: et ipsum solum habet mater sua, pater vero tenere diliget eum.

And we said unto my lord: We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him.

21 Dixistique servis tuis: Adducite eum ad me, et ponam oculos meos super illum.

And thou saidst unto thy servants: Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him.

22 Suggessimus domino meo: Non potest puer relinquere patrem suum: si enim illum dimiserit, morietur.

And we said unto my lord: The lad cannot leave his father; for if he should leave his father, his father would die.

23 Et dixisti servis tuis: Nisi venerit frater vester minimus vobiscum, non videbitis amplius faciem meam.

And thou saidst unto thy servants: Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more.

24 Cum ergo ascendissemus ad famulum tuum patrem nostrum, narravimus ei omnia quæ locutus est dominus meus.

And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.

25 Et dixit pater noster: Revertimini, et emite nobis parum tritici.

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

26 Cui diximus: Ire non possumus: si frater noster minimus descenderit nobiscum, proficiscemur simul: alioquin illo absente, non audemus videre faciem viri.

And we said: We cannot go down; if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down; for we may not see the man's face, except our youngest brother be with us.

27 Ad quæ ille respondit: Vos scitis quod duos genuerit mihi uxor mea.

And thy servant my father said unto us: Ye know that my wife bore me two sons;

28 Egressus est unus, et dixistis: Bestia devoravit eum: et hucusque non comparet.

and the one went out from me, and I said: Surely he is torn in pieces; and I have not seen him since;

29 Si tuleritis et istum, et aliquid ei in via contigerit, deducetis canos meos cum mœrore ad inferos. (Sheol h7585)

and if ye take this one also from me, and harm befall him, ye will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave. (Sheol h7585)

30 Igitur si intravero ad servum tuum patrem nostrum, et puer defuerit (cum anima illius ex hujus anima pendeat),

Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad is not with us; seeing that his soul is bound up with the lad's soul;

31 videritque eum non esse nobiscum, morietur, et deducent famuli tui canos ejus cum dolore ad inferos. (Sheol h7585)

it will come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die; and thy servants will bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave. (Sheol h7585)

32 Ego proprie servus tuus sim qui in meam hunc recepi fidem, et spopondi dicens: Nisi reduxero eum, peccati reus ero in patrem meum omni tempore.

For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying: If I bring him not unto thee, then shall I bear the blame to my father for ever.

33 Manebo itaque servus tuus pro puero in ministerio domini mei, et puer ascendat cum fratribus suis.

Now therefore, let thy servant, I pray thee, abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren.

34 Non enim possum redire ad patrem meum, absente puero: ne calamitatis, quæ oppressura est patrem meum, testis assistam.

For how shall I go up to my father, if the lad be not with me? lest I look upon the evil that shall come on my father.'