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.
When they had eaten up the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again, buy us a little more food.”
3 Respondit Judas: Denuntiavit nobis vir ille sub attestatione jurisjurandi, dicens: Non videbitis faciem meam, nisi fratrem vestrum minimum adduxeritis vobiscum.
Judah spoke to him, saying, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall 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’ll send our brother with us, we’ll 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 don’t send him, we won’t go down, for the man said to us, ‘You shall 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, 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 directly concerning ourselves, and concerning our relatives, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ We just answered his questions. Is there any way we could know 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, and we’ll get up and go, so that we may live, and not die, both we, and you, and also our little ones.
9 Ego suscipio puerum: de manu mea require illum: nisi reduxero, et reddidero eum tibi, ero peccati reus in te omni tempore.
I’ll be collateral for him. From my hand will you require him. If I don’t bring him 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 hadn’t delayed, surely we would have returned a second time by now.”
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 must be so, then do this: Take from the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry down a present for the man, a little balm, a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts, and almonds;
12 Pecuniam quoque duplicem ferte vobiscum: et illam, quam invenistis in sacculis, reportate, ne forte errore factum sit:
and take double money in your hand, and take back the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight.
13 sed et fratrem vestrum tollite, et ite ad virum.
Take your brother also, get up, and return 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, 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 that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and got up, 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, and butcher an animal, and prepare; for the men will dine with me at noon.”
17 Fecit ille quod sibi fuerat imperatum, et introduxit viros domum.
The man did as Joseph commanded, and the man 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; and they said, “Because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time, we’re brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, attack us, and seize us as slaves, along with our donkeys.”
19 Quam ob rem in ipsis foribus accedentes ad dispensatorem domus,
They came near to 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:
and said, “Oh, my lord, we indeed 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.
When we came to the lodging place, we opened our sacks, and behold, each man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. We have brought it back in our hand.
22 Sed et aliud attulimus argentum, ut emamus quæ nobis necessaria sunt: non est in nostra conscientia quis posuerit eam in marsupiis nostris.
We have brought down other money in our hand to buy food. We don’t 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.
He said, “Peace be to you. Don’t be afraid. Your God, and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks. I received your money.” He brought Simeon out to them.
24 Et introductis domum, attulit aquam, et laverunt pedes suos, deditque pabulum asinis eorum.
The man brought the men into Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet. He gave their donkeys fodder.
25 Illi vero parabant munera, donec ingrederetur Joseph meridie: audierant enim quod ibi comesturi essent panem.
They prepared the present for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread 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 him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves down to the earth before him.
27 At ille, clementer resalutatis eis, interrogavit eos, dicens: Salvusne est pater vester senex, de quo dixeratis mihi? adhuc vivit?
He asked them of their welfare, and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he yet 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 bowed down humbly.
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.
He lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin, his brother, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?” He said, “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, for his heart yearned over his brother; and he sought a place to weep. He entered into 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, and said, “Serve the meal.”
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)
They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians don’t eat with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.
33 sederunt coram eo, primogenitus juxta primogenita sua, et minimus juxta ætatem suam. Et mirabantur nimis,
They sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth, and the men marvelled with one another.
34 sumptis partibus quas ab eo acceperant: majorque pars venit Benjamin, ita ut quinque partibus excederet. Biberuntque et inebriati sunt cum eo.
He sent portions to them from before him, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. They drank, and were merry with him.
