Genesis 44

1 praecepit autem Ioseph dispensatori domus suae dicens imple saccos eorum frumento quantum possunt capere et pone pecuniam singulorum in summitate sacci

And he commands him who [is] over his house, saying, “Fill the bags of the men [with] food, as they are able to carry, and put the money of each in the mouth of his bag;

2 scyphum autem meum argenteum et pretium quod dedit tritici pone in ore sacci iunioris factumque est ita

and my cup, the silver cup, you put in the mouth of the bag of the young one, and his grain-money”; and he does according to the word of Joseph which he has spoken.

3 et orto mane dimissi sunt cum asinis suis

The morning is bright, and the men have been sent away, they and their donkeys—

4 iamque urbem exierant et processerant paululum tum Ioseph arcessito dispensatore domus surge inquit persequere viros et adprehensis dicito quare reddidistis malum pro bono

they have gone out of the city—they have not gone far off—and Joseph has said to him who [is] over his house, “Rise, pursue after the men; and you have overtaken them, and you have said to them: Why have you repaid evil for good?

5 scyphum quem furati estis ipse est in quo bibit dominus meus et in quo augurari solet pessimam rem fecistis

Is this not that with which my lord drinks? And he observes diligently with it; you have done evil [in] that which you have done.”

6 fecit ille ut iusserat et adprehensis per ordinem locutus est

And he overtakes them, and speaks to them these words,

7 qui responderunt quare sic loquitur dominus noster ut servi tui tantum flagitii commiserint

and they say to him, “Why does my lord speak according to these words? Far be it from your servants to do according to this word;

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 the mouth of our bags we brought back to you from the land of Canaan, and how do we steal from the house of your lord silver or gold?

9 apud quemcumque fuerit inventum servorum tuorum quod quaeris moriatur et nos servi erimus domini nostri

With whomsoever of your servants it is found, he has died, and we also are to my lord for servants.”

10 qui dixit fiat iuxta vestram sententiam apud quem fuerit inventum ipse sit servus meus vos autem eritis innoxii

And he says, “Now also, according to your words, so it [is]; he with whom it is found becomes my servant, and you are acquitted”;

11 itaque festinato deponentes in terram saccos aperuerunt singuli

and they hurry and take down each his bag to the earth, and each opens his bag;

12 quos scrutatus incipiens a maiore usque ad minimum invenit scyphum in sacco Beniamin

and he searches—at the eldest he has begun, and at the youngest he has completed—and the cup is found in the bag of Benjamin;

13 at illi scissis vestibus oneratisque rursum asinis reversi sunt in oppidum

and they tear their garments, and each loads his donkey, and they return to the city.

14 primusque Iudas cum fratribus ingressus est ad Ioseph necdum enim de loco abierat omnesque ante eum in terra pariter corruerunt

And Judah and his brothers come to the house of Joseph, and he is yet there, and they fall to the earth before him;

15 quibus ille ait cur sic agere voluistis an ignoratis quod non sit similis mei in augurandi scientia

and Joseph says to them, “What [is] this deed that you have done? Have you not known that a man like me diligently observes?”

16 cui Iudas quid respondebimus inquit domino meo vel quid loquemur aut iusti poterimus obtendere Deus invenit iniquitatem servorum tuorum en omnes servi sumus domini mei et nos et apud quem inventus est scyphus

And Judah says, “What do we say to my lord? What do we speak? And how do we justify ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants; behold, we [are] servants to my lord, both we, and he in whose hand the cup has been found”;

17 respondit Ioseph absit a me ut sic agam qui furatus est scyphum ipse sit servus meus vos autem abite liberi ad patrem vestrum

and he says, “Far be it from me to do this; the man in whose hand the cup has been found, he becomes my servant; and you, go up in peace to your father.”

18 accedens propius Iudas confidenter ait oro domine mi loquatur servus tuus verbum in auribus tuis et ne irascaris famulo tuo tu es enim post Pharaonem

And Judah comes near to him and says, “O my lord, please let your servant speak a word in the ears of my lord, and do not let your anger burn against your servant—for you are as Pharaoh.

19 dominus meus interrogasti prius servos tuos habetis patrem aut fratrem

My lord has asked his servants, saying, Do you have a father or brother?

20 et nos respondimus tibi domino meo est nobis pater senex et puer parvulus qui in senecta illius natus est cuius uterinus frater est mortuus et ipsum solum habet mater sua pater vero tenere diligit eum

And we say to my lord, We have a father, an aged one, and a child of old age, a little one; and his brother died, and he is left alone of his mother, and his father has loved him.

21 dixistique servis tuis adducite eum ad me et ponam oculos meos super illum

And you say to your servants, Bring him down to me, and I set my eye on him;

22 suggessimus domino meo non potest puer relinquere patrem suum si enim illum dimiserit morietur

and we say to my lord, The youth is not able to leave his father, when he has left his father, then he has died;

23 et dixisti servis tuis nisi venerit frater vester minimus vobiscum non videbitis amplius faciem meam

and you say to your servants, If your young brother does not come down with you, you do not add to see my face.

24 cum ergo ascendissemus ad famulum tuum patrem nostrum narravimus ei omnia quae locutus est dominus meus

And it comes to pass, that we have come up to your servant my father, that we declare to him the words of my lord;

25 et dixit pater noster revertimini et emite nobis parum tritici

and our father says, Return, buy for us a little food,

26 cui diximus ire non possumus si frater noster minimus descendet nobiscum proficiscemur simul alioquin illo absente non audemus videre faciem viri

and we say, We are not able to go down; if our young brother is with us, then we have gone down; for we are not able to see the man’s face, and our young brother not with us.

27 atque ille respondit vos scitis quod duos genuerit mihi uxor mea

And your servant my father says to us, You have known that my wife bore two to me,

28 egressus est unus et dixistis bestia devoravit eum et hucusque non conparet

and one goes out from me, and I say, Surely he is torn—torn! And I have not seen him since;

29 si tuleritis et istum et aliquid ei in via contigerit deducetis canos meos cum maerore ad inferos (Sheol h7585)

when you have taken also this from my presence, and harm has met him, then you have brought down my grey hairs with evil to Sheol. (Sheol h7585)

30 igitur si intravero ad servum tuum patrem nostrum et puer defuerit cum anima illius ex huius anima pendeat

And now, at my coming to your servant my father, and the youth not with us (and his soul is bound up in his soul),

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

then it has come to pass, when he sees that the youth is not, that he has died, and your servants have brought down the grey hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to Sheol; (Sheol h7585)

32 ego proprie servus tuus qui in meam hunc recepi fidem et spopondi dicens nisi reduxero eum peccati reus ero in patrem meum omni tempore

for your servant obtained the youth by guarantee to my father, saying, If I do not bring him to you—then I have sinned against my father all the days.

33 manebo itaque servus tuus pro puero in ministerium domini mei et puer ascendat cum fratribus suis

And now, please let your servant abide instead of the youth [as] a servant to my lord, and the youth goes up with his brothers,

34 non enim possum redire ad patrem absente puero ne calamitatis quae oppressura est patrem meum testis adsistam

for how do I go up to my father, and the youth not with me? Lest I look on the evil which finds my father.”