Genesis 43
1 interim fames omnem terram vehementer premebat
Now the famine was still severe in the land.
2 consumptisque cibis quos ex Aegypto detulerant dixit Iacob ad filios suos revertimini et emite pauxillum escarum
So when Jacob’s sons had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little more food.”
3 respondit Iudas denuntiavit nobis vir ille sub testificatione iurandi dicens non videbitis faciem meam nisi fratrem vestrum minimum adduxeritis vobiscum
But Judah replied, “The man solemnly warned us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’
4 si ergo vis mittere eum nobiscum pergemus pariter et ememus tibi necessaria
If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for you.
5 si autem non vis non ibimus vir enim ut saepe diximus denuntiavit nobis dicens non videbitis faciem meam absque fratre vestro minimo
But if you will not send him, we will not go; for the man told us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’”
6 dixit eis Israhel in meam hoc fecistis miseriam ut indicaretis ei et alium habere vos fratrem
“Why did you bring this trouble upon me?” Israel asked. “Why did you tell the man 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 iuxta id quod fuerat sciscitatus numquid scire poteramus quod dicturus esset adducite vobiscum fratrem vestrum
They replied, “The man questioned us in detail about ourselves and our family: ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ And we answered him accordingly. How could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother here’?”
8 Iudas quoque dixit patri suo mitte puerum mecum ut proficiscamur et possimus vivere ne moriamur nos et parvuli nostri
And Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me, and we will go at once, so that we may live and not die—neither we, nor you, nor our children.
9 ego suscipio puerum de manu mea require illum nisi reduxero et tradidero eum tibi ero peccati in te reus omni tempore
I will guarantee his safety. You may hold me personally responsible. If I do not bring him back and set him before you, then may I bear the guilt before you all my life.
10 si non intercessisset dilatio iam vice altera venissemus
If we had not delayed, we could have come and gone twice by now.”
11 igitur Israhel pater eorum dixit ad eos si sic necesse est facite quod vultis sumite de optimis terrae fructibus in vasis vestris et deferte viro munera modicum resinae et mellis et styracis et stactes et terebinthi et amigdalarum
Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your packs and carry them down as a gift for the man—a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachios and almonds.
12 pecuniamque duplicem ferte vobiscum et illam quam invenistis in sacculis reportate ne forte errore factum sit
Take double the silver with you so that you may return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake.
13 sed et fratrem vestrum tollite et ite ad virum
Take your brother as well, and return to the man at once.
14 Deus autem meus omnipotens faciat vobis eum placabilem et remittat vobiscum fratrem vestrum quem tenet et hunc Beniamin ego autem quasi orbatus absque liberis ero
May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother along with Benjamin. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”
15 tulerunt ergo viri munera et pecuniam duplicem et Beniamin descenderuntque in Aegyptum et steterunt coram Ioseph
So the men took these gifts, along with double the amount of silver, and Benjamin as well. Then they hurried down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.
16 quos cum ille vidisset et Beniamin simul praecepit dispensatori domus suae dicens introduc viros domum et occide victimas et instrue convivium quoniam mecum sunt comesuri meridie
When Joseph saw Benjamin with his brothers, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for they shall dine with me at noon.”
17 fecit ille sicut fuerat imperatum et introduxit viros domum
The man did as Joseph had commanded and took the brothers to Joseph’s house.
18 ibique exterriti dixerunt mutuo propter pecuniam quam rettulimus prius in saccis nostris introducti sumus ut devolvat in nos calumniam et violenter subiciat servituti et nos et asinos nostros
But the brothers were frightened that they had been taken to Joseph’s house. “We have been brought here because of the silver that was returned in our bags the first time,” they said. “They intend to overpower us and take us as slaves, along with our donkeys.”
19 quam ob rem in ipsis foribus accedentes ad dispensatorem
So they approached Joseph’s steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house.
20 locuti sunt oramus domine ut audias iam ante descendimus ut emeremus escas
“Please, sir,” they said, “we really did come down here the first time to buy food.
21 quibus emptis cum venissemus ad diversorium aperuimus sacculos nostros et invenimus pecuniam in ore saccorum quam nunc eodem pondere reportamus
But when we came to the place we lodged for the night, we opened our sacks and, behold, each of us found his silver in the mouth of his sack! It was the full amount of our silver, and we have brought it back with us.
22 sed et aliud adtulimus argentum ut emamus quae necessaria sunt non est in nostra conscientia quis eam posuerit in marsuppiis nostris
We have brought additional silver with us to buy food. We do not know who put our silver in our sacks.”
23 at ille respondit pax vobiscum nolite timere Deus vester et Deus patris vestri dedit vobis thesauros in sacculis vestris nam pecuniam quam dedistis mihi probatam ego habeo eduxitque ad eos Symeon
“It is fine,” said the steward. “Do not be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, gave you the treasure that was in your sacks. I received your silver.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.
24 et introductis domum adtulit aquam et laverunt pedes suos deditque pabula asinis eorum
And the steward took the men into Joseph’s house, gave them water to wash their feet, and provided food for their donkeys.
25 illi vero parabant munera donec ingrederetur Ioseph meridie audierant enim quod ibi comesuri essent panem
Since the brothers had been told that they were going to eat a meal there, they prepared their gift for Joseph’s arrival at noon.
26 igitur ingressus est Ioseph domum suam obtuleruntque ei munera tenentes in manibus et adoraverunt proni in terram
When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought, and they bowed to the ground before him.
27 at ille clementer resalutatis eis interrogavit dicens salvusne est pater vester senex de quo dixeratis mihi adhuc vivit
He asked if they were well, and then he asked, “How is your elderly father you told me about? Is he still alive?”
28 qui responderunt sospes est servus tuus pater noster adhuc vivit et incurvati adoraverunt eum
“Your servant our father is well,” they answered. “He is still alive.” And they bowed down to honor him.
29 adtollens autem oculos Ioseph vidit Beniamin fratrem suum uterinum et ait iste est frater vester parvulus de quo dixeratis mihi et rursum Deus inquit misereatur tui fili mi
When Joseph looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son, he asked, “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” Then he declared, “May God be gracious to you, my son.”
30 festinavitque quia commota fuerant viscera eius super fratre suo et erumpebant lacrimae et introiens cubiculum flevit
Joseph hurried out because he was moved to tears for his brother, and he went to a private room to weep.
31 rursusque lota facie egressus continuit se et ait ponite panes
Then he washed his face and came back out. Regaining his composure, he said, “Serve the meal.”
32 quibus adpositis seorsum Ioseph et seorsum fratribus Aegyptiis quoque qui vescebantur simul seorsum inlicitum est enim Aegyptiis comedere cum Hebraeis et profanum putant huiuscemodi convivium
They separately served Joseph, his brothers, and the Egyptians. They ate separately because the Egyptians would not eat with the Hebrews, since that was detestable to them.
33 sederunt coram eo primogenitus iuxta primogenita sua et minimus iuxta aetatem suam et mirabantur nimis
They were seated before Joseph in order by age, from the firstborn to the youngest, and the men looked at one another in astonishment.
34 sumptis partibus quas ab eo acceperant maiorque pars venit Beniamin ita ut quinque partibus excederet biberuntque et inebriati sunt cum eo
When the portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, Benjamin’s portion was five times larger than any of the others. So they feasted and drank freely with Joseph.
