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 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 iunioris factumque est ita

And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, and his grain 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 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

And when they had gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, Arise, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say to them, Why have ye rewarded evil for good?

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

Is not this the cup in which my lord drinketh, and by which indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.

6 fecit ille ut iusserat et adprehensis per ordinem locutus est

And he overtook them, and he spoke to them these same words.

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

And they said to him, Why saith my lord these words? Far be it from us that thy servants should do according to this 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 again to thee from the land of Canaan: how then should we steal from thy lord’s house silver or gold?

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

With whomever of thy servants it shall be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.

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

And he said, Now also let it be according to your words: he with whom it shall be found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless.

11 itaque festinato deponentes in terram saccos aperuerunt singuli

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

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

And he searched, and began at the eldest, and stopped at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.

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

Then they tore their clothes, and loaded every man his donkey, and returned 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 brethren came to Joseph’s house; for 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 to them, What deed is this that ye have done? knew ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?

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 said, What shall we say to 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 servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is 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 said, Far be it from me that I should do so: the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, go 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

Then Judah came near to him, and said, O my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not thy 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 senecta illius natus est cuius uterinus frater est mortuus et ipsum solum habet mater sua pater vero tenere diligit eum

And we said to 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 to thy servants, Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes upon him.

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

And we said to 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 to thy servants, Except your youngest brother shall come down with you, ye shall see my face no more.

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

And it came to pass when we came to 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 descendet nobiscum proficiscemur simul alioquin illo absente non audemus videre faciem viri

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

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

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

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

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 maerore ad inferos (Sheol h7585)

And if ye take this also from me, and harm shall befall him, ye shall 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 huius anima pendeat

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

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

It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave. (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 thy servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, If I bring him not to thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever.

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

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

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

For how shall I return to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest perhaps I see the evil that shall come on my father.