Kenehi 44

1 Na ka whakahau ia ki te kaitohutohu o tona whare, ka mea, Whakakiia nga peke a aua tangata ki nga kai e taea te whawhao ki roto, me maka ano te moni a tenei, a tenei, ki te waha o tana peke.

Then Joseph instructed his steward: “Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each one’s silver in the mouth of his sack.

2 Whaowhina hoki taku kapu, te kapu hiriwa, ki te waha o te peke a te whakaotinga, me te moni ano mo tana witi. Na rite tonu tana i mea ai ki ta Hohepa kupu i ki ai.

Put my cup, the silver one, in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the silver for his grain.” So the steward did as Joseph had instructed.

3 A, ka marama te ata, ka tonoa atu aua tangata, ratou me a ratou kaihe.

At daybreak, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys.

4 A, no to ratou haerenga atu i te pa, kihai i matara, ka mea a Hohepa ki te kaitohutohu o tona whare, Whakatika, whaia aua tangata; a, ka mau ratou i a koe, ka mea ki a ratou, He aha i utua ai e koutou te pai ki te kino?

They had not gone far from the city when Joseph told his steward, “Pursue the men at once, and when you overtake them, ask, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil?

5 Ehara ianei tenei i te mea e inu ai toku ariki, i tana hoki e kite tohu ai ia? ka kino ta koutou mahi.

Is this not the cup my master drinks from and uses for divination? What you have done is wicked!’”

6 Na ka mau ratou i a ia, a korerotia ana e ia aua kupu ki a ratou.

When the steward overtook them, he relayed these words to them.

7 A ka mea ratou ki a ia, He aha enei kupu i korerotia ai e toku ariki? Aue, kia meatia tenei mea e au pononga.

“Why does my lord say these things?” they asked. “Your servants could not possibly do such a thing.

8 Nana, ko te moni i kitea e matou i te waha o a matou peke, i whakahokia mai e matou ki a koe i te whenua o Kanaana: a kia tahae matou hei aha i te hiriwa, i te koura ranei, i roto i te whare o tou ariki?

We even brought back to you from the land of Canaan the silver we found in the mouths of our sacks. Why would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house?

9 Ki te mea ka kitea taua mea ki tetahi o au pononga, kia mate ia, kia waiho ano matou hei pononga ma toku ariki.

If any of your servants is found to have it, he must die, and the rest will become slaves of my lord.”

10 A ka mea ia, Kia rite ano hoki aianei ki ta koutou i mea ai: e kitea taua mea ki tetahi, hei pononga ia maku; a kahore he whakahe mo koutou.

“As you say,” replied the steward. “But only the one who is found with the cup will be my slave, and the rest of you shall be free of blame.”

11 Na hohoro tonu ta ratou tuku iho i tana peke, i tana peke, ki te whenua, a whakatuwheratia ana e ratou tana peke, tana peke.

So each one quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it.

12 Na ka rapu ia, timata i te matamua a whakamutu ki te whakaotinga: a ka kitea te kapu i roto i te peke a Pineamine.

The steward searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest—and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.

13 Na ka haehae ratou i o ratou kakahu, a whakawaha ana e ratou tana kaihe, tana kaihe, hoki ana ki te pa.

Then they all tore their clothes, loaded their donkeys, and returned to the city.

14 Na ka haere a Hura ratou ko ona tuakana, ko ona teina, ki te whare o Hohepa; a i reira tonu ia: a tapapa ana ki te whenua i tona aroaro.

When Judah and his brothers arrived at Joseph’s house, he was still there, and they fell to the ground before him.

15 Na ka mea a Hohepa ki a ratou, He aha tenei mea i meatia nei e koutou? kihai ranei koutou i mahara he tangata matakite te penei me ahau nei?

“What is this deed you have done?” Joseph declared. “Do you not know that a man like me can surely divine the truth?”

16 Na ka mea a Hura, He aha ta matou e mea ai ki toku ariki? he aha ta matou e korero ai? me aha ranei hei whakatika i a matou? kua kitea e te Atua te hara o au pononga; na, tenei matou hei pononga ma toku ariki, matou tahi hoki ko te tangata i kit ea nei te kapu ki a ia.

“What can we say to my lord?” Judah replied. “How can we plead? How can we justify ourselves? God has exposed the iniquity of your servants. We are now my lord’s slaves—both we and the one who was found with the cup.”

17 Ano ra ko ia, Engari, kia meatia tenei e ahau! Ko te tangata i kitea nei te kapu ki a ia, ko ia hei pononga maku; ko koutou ia, haere marie koutou ki runga, ki to koutou papa.

But Joseph replied, “Far be it from me to do this. The man who was found with the cup will be my slave. The rest of you may return to your father in peace.”

18 Katahi ka whakatata a Hura ki a ia, ka mea, Tukua tau pononga, e toku ariki, kia korero i tetahi kupu ki nga taringa o toku ariki, kei mura hoki tou riri ki tau pononga: ko korua hoki ko Parao rite tahi.

Then Judah approached Joseph and said, “Sir, please let your servant speak personally to my lord. Do not be angry with your servant, for you are equal to Pharaoh himself.

19 I ui mai toku ariki ki ana pononga, i mea, He papa ranei to koutou, he teina ranei?

My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’

20 A ka mea matou ki toku ariki, He papa ano to matou, he koroheke, me tetahi tama o tona koroheketanga, he mea iti; kua mate hoki tona tuakana, a ko ia anake i mahue o nga tamariki a tona whaea, e aroha ana hoki tona papa ki a ia.

And we answered, ‘We have an elderly father and a younger brother, the child of his old age. The boy’s brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother’s sons left, and his father loves him.’

21 Na ka mea mai koe ki au pononga, Kawea mai ia ki raro nei, ki ahau, kia tau atu ai oku kanohi ki a ia.

Then you told your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so that I can see him for myself.’

22 Katahi matou ka mea ki toku ariki, E kore e ahei kia whakarerea tona papa e taua tamaiti: no te mea ka mate tona papa ki te mahue i a ia.

So we said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father. If he were to leave, his father would die.’

23 Na ka mea koe ki au pononga, Ki te kahore to koutou teina, te whakaotinga, e haere tahi mai i a koutou ki raro nei, e kore koutou e kite i toku kanohi a muri ake nei.

But you said to your servants, ‘Unless your younger brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.’

24 A, i to matou haerenga ki runga, ki tau pononga, ki toku papa, na, ka korerotia e matou nga kupu a toku ariki ki a ia.

Now when we returned to your servant my father, we relayed your words to him.

25 A ka mea mai to matou papa, Hoki atu ki te hoko i tetahi wahi kai ma tatou.

Then our father said, ‘Go back and buy us some food.’

26 Na ka mea matou, E kore e ahei ki a matou te haere ki raro: ki te mea kei a matou to matou teina, te whakaotinga, na, ka haere matou ki raro: no te mea hoki e kore e taea e matou te titiro ki te kanohi o taua tangata, ki te kahore to matou teina, te whakaotinga, i a matou.

But we answered, ‘We cannot go down there unless our younger brother goes with us. So if our younger brother is not with us, we cannot see the man.’

27 Na ka mea tau pononga, toku papa, ki a matou, E mohio ana koutou, tokorua nga tama a maua ko taku wahine:

And your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons.

28 A i haere atu tetahi i toku taha, i mea hoki ahau, He pono kua haea putia ia; a kahore ahau i kite i a ia a mohoa noa nei:

When one of them was gone, I said: “Surely he has been torn to pieces.” And I have not seen him since.

29 Ki te tangohia ano hoki tenei e koutou i toku aroaro, a ka pono he aitua ki a ia, katahi ka meinga e koutou kia heke tangi atu toku koroheketanga ki te po. (Sheol h7585)

Now if you also take this one from me and harm comes to him, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.’ (Sheol h7585)

30 Heoi, ki te haere atu ahau ki tau pononga, ki toku papa, a kahore taua tamaiti i a matou; kei roto nei hoki i tona wairua tona wairua e paihere ana;

So if the boy is not with us when I return to your servant, and if my father, whose life is wrapped up in the boy’s life,

31 Na, kei tona kitenga kua kore tenei tama, ka mate ia: a ka meinga e matou, e au pononga, te koroheketanga o tau pononga, o to matou papa, kia heke tangi atu ki te po. (Sheol h7585)

sees that the boy is not with us, he will die. Then your servants will have brought the gray hair of your servant our father down to Sheol in sorrow. (Sheol h7585)

32 I waiho hoki tau pononga hei utu mo tenei tama ki toku papa, i mea ahau, Ki te kahore ia e kawea mai e ahau ki a koe, na, hei whakahenga ahau ma toku papa i nga ra katoa.

Indeed, your servant guaranteed the boy’s safety to my father, saying, ‘If I do not return him to you, I will bear the guilt before you, my father, all my life.’

33 Heoi kia noho ra tau pononga aianei hei utu mo tenei tama, hei pononga ma toku ariki; a kia haere tahi te tama i ona tuakana ki runga.

Now please let your servant stay here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy. Let him return with his brothers.

34 Me pehea hoki ahau e haere ai ki runga, ki toku papa, ki te kahore te tama i ahau? kei kite ahau i te kino e pa ana ki toku papa.

For how can I go back to my father without the boy? I could not bear to see the misery that would overwhelm him.”