Genesis 39
1 Igitur Ioseph ductus est in Ægyptum, emitque eum Putiphar eunuchus Pharaonis, princeps exercitus, vir Ægyptius, de manu Ismaelitarum, a quibus perductus erat.
Joseph had been taken to Egypt by the Ishmaelites, who had sold him to Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh's officers, the commander of the royal guard.
2 Fuitque Dominus cum eo, et erat vir in cunctis prospere agens: habitavitque in domo domini sui,
The Lord was with Joseph and made him successful. He lived in his Egyptian master's house.
3 qui optime noverat Dominum esse cum eo, et omnia, quæ gerebat, ab eo dirigi in manu illius.
His master noticed that the Lord was with him and made him successful in everything he did.
4 Invenitque Ioseph gratiam coram domino suo, et ministrabat ei, a quo præpositus omnibus gubernabat creditam sibi domum, et universa quæ ei tradita fuerant:
Potiphar appreciated Joseph and his service, and put him in charge of his household and made him responsible for everything he owned.
5 benedixitque Dominus domui Ægyptii propter Ioseph, et multiplicavit tam in ædibus quam in agris cunctam eius substantiam:
From the time he put Joseph in charge and trusted him with all he had, the Lord blessed Potiphar's household because of Joseph. The Lord blessed everything he had, whether in his house or in his fields.
6 nec quidquam aliud noverat, nisi panem quo vescebatur. Erat autem Ioseph pulchra facie, et decorus aspectu.
So Potiphar left Joseph to care for everything he owned. He didn't bother with anything except to decide what food he was going to eat. Now Joseph was handsome, having a good physique,
7 Post multos itaque dies iniecit domina sua oculos suos in Ioseph, et ait: Dormi mecum.
so some time later he caught the eye of his master's wife. She propositioned him, saying, “Come here! Sleep with me!”
8 Qui nequaquam acquiescens operi nefario, dixit ad eam: Ecce dominus meus, omnibus mihi traditis, ignorat quid habeat in domo sua:
But he turned her down, telling his master's wife, “Look, my master trusts me so much he doesn't even bother to find out how his household is running. He's put me in charge of everything he owns—
9 nec quidquam est quod non in mea sit potestate, vel non tradiderit mihi, præter te, quæ uxor eius es: quo modo ergo possum hoc malum facere, et peccare in Deum meum?
no one in this house has more authority than me! He hasn't held back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do such an evil thing as this, and sin against God?”
10 Huiuscemodi verbis per singulos dies et mulier molesta erat adolescenti: et ille recusabat stuprum.
Day after day she persisted in asking him, but he refused to sleep with her and tried to avoid her.
11 Accidit autem quadam die ut intraret Ioseph domum, et operis quippiam absque arbitris faceret:
But one day he went into the house to do his work and none of the other servants were there.
12 et illa, apprehensa lacinia vestimenti eius, diceret: Dormi mecum. Qui relicto in manu eius pallio fugit, et egressus est foras.
She grabbed him by his clothing, and demanded, “Sleep with me!” But leaving his clothing in her hand, he ran out of the house.
13 Cumque vidisset mulier vestem in manibus suis, et se esse contemptam,
Seeing that he'd left his clothing in her hand, and had ran out of the house,
14 vocavit ad se homines domus suæ, et ait ad eos: En introduxit virum Hebræum, ut illuderet nobis: ingressus est ad me, ut coiret mecum: cumque ego succlamassem,
she shouted out to her servants, “Look at this! He brought this Hebrew slave here to dishonor us! This man came to try and rape me, but I screamed at the top of my voice.
15 et audisset vocem meam, reliquit pallium quod tenebam, et fugit foras.
When he heard me scream for help, he left his clothing beside me and ran outside.”
16 In argumentum ergo fidei retentum pallium ostendit marito revertenti domum,
She kept his clothing with her until her husband came home.
17 et ait: Ingressus est ad me servus Hebræus quem adduxisti ut illuderet mihi:
Then she told him her story. It went like this: “That Hebrew slave you brought here tried to come and dishonor me.
18 cumque audisset me clamare, reliquit pallium quod tenebam, et fugit foras.
But as soon as I screamed and called for help, he left his clothing beside me and ran outside.”
19 His auditis dominus, et nimium credulus verbis coniugis, iratus est valde:
When Potiphar heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is what your servant did to me,” he became angry.
20 tradiditque Ioseph in carcerem, ubi vincti regis custodiebantur, et erat ibi clausus.
He took Joseph and put him in the prison where the king's prisoners were kept, and there he stayed.
21 Fuit autem Dominus cum Ioseph, et misertus illius dedit ei gratiam in conspectu principis carceris.
But the Lord was with Joseph, showing him trustworthy love, and made the chief jailer pleased with him.
22 Qui tradidit in manu illius universos vinctos qui in custodia tenebantur: et quidquid fiebat, sub ipso erat.
So the chief jailer put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners there and gave him the responsibility for running the prison.
23 Nec noverat aliquid, cunctis ei creditis: Dominus enim erat cum illo, et omnia opera eius dirigebat.
The chief jailer didn't bother with anything for Joseph took care of it all for the Lord was with him and made him successful.
