UGenesisi 43
1 Indlala yayilokhu inkulu kakhulu elizweni.
In the mean time the famine was heavy upon all the land.
2 Ngakho kwathi sebekuqedile konke ukudla ababekuthenge eGibhithe, uyise wathi kubo, “Buyelani liyesithengela njalo okunye ukudla okunenganyana.”
And when they had eaten up all the corn, which they had brought out of Egypt, Jacob said to his sons: Go again and buy us a little food.
3 Kodwa uJuda wathi kuye, “Indoda leyo yasiqonqosela yathi, ‘Ngeke liphinde libubone ubuso bami ngaphandle kokuba lilomnawenu.’
Juda answered: The man declared unto us with the attestation of an oath, saying: You shall not see my face, unless you bring your youngest brother with you.
4 Nxa uzamvumela umnawethu ukuthi sihambe laye, sizahamba siyekuthengela ukudla.
If therefore thou wilt send him with us, we will set out together, and will buy necessaries for thee.
5 Kodwa nxa ungezukuvuma, ngeke sibuyele, ngoba phela indoda leyo yathi kithi, ‘Ngeke liphinde libubone ubuso bami nxa umnawenu lingelaye.’”
But if thou wilt not, we will not go: for the man, as we have often said, declared unto us, saying: You shall not see my face without your youngest brother.
6 U-Israyeli wabuza wathi, “Likwenzeleni lina ukungehlisela uhlupho lolu ngokuyitshela indoda leyo ukuthi lilomnawenu na?”
Israel said to them: You have done this for my misery in that you told him you had also another brother.
7 Baphendula bathi, “Leyondoda isibuzisisile ngathi langendlu yangakithi yathi, ‘Uyihlo usaphila na? Lilaye na omunye umfowenu?’ Thina besiphendula imibuzo yayo kuphela. Sasingazi kanjani ukuthi yayizakuthi, ‘Mletheni umnawenu lapha’?”
But they answered: The man asked us in order concerning our kindred: if our father lived: if we had a brother: and we answered him regularly, according to what he demanded: could we know that he would say: Bring hither your brother with you?
8 UJuda wasesithi ku-Israyeli uyise, “Wothi umfana ahambe lami, sizahle sisuke nje masinyane, ukwenzela ukuthi thina lawe kanye labantwabethu siphile, singafi.
And Juda said to his father: Send the boy with me, that we may set forward, and may live: lest both we and our children perish.
9 Mina ngokwami ngizazinikela ngokuphepha kwakhe; umlandu wonke ngaye awubekwe phezu kwami. Nxa ngingambuyisi kuwe ngimbeke phambi kwakho, ngizakuba lecala kuwe impilo yami yonke.
I take the boy upon me, require him at my hand: unless I bring him again, and restore him to thee, I will be guilty of sin against thee for ever.
10 Njengoba kunje nje, aluba asizilingananga ngabe sesihambe saphenduka kwaze kwaba kabili.”
If delay had not been made, we had been here again the second time.
11 Ngakho uyise u-Israyeli wasesithi kubo, “Nxa kumele kube njalo, yenzani lokhu: Fakani emasakeni enu ezinye izinto ezinhle kakhulu eziphuma kulelilizwe lihambe lazo kulowomuntu zibe yisipho, amagcobo okuthambisa loluju, iziyoliso ezithile lemure, izilimo ezicacadwayo zephistakhiyo le-alimondi.
Then Israel said to them: If it must needs be so, do what you will: take of the best fruits of the land in your vessels, and carry down presents to the man, a little balm, and honey, and storax, myrrh, turpentine, and almonds.
12 Thathani isiliva esiphindwe kabili, ngoba kufanele libuyisele lesosiliva esasibuyiselwe emasakeni enu. Mhlawumbe kwaba yisiphosiso.
And take with you double money, and carry back what you found in your sacks, lest perhaps it was done by mistake.
13 Mthatheni umnawenu laye libuyele kuleyondoda ngokuphangisa.
And take also your brother, and go to the man.
14 Sengathi uNkulunkulu uSomandla angalenzela umusa kuleyondoda ukuze ivumele omunye umfowenu kanye loBhenjamini baphenduke lani. Mina ngokwami ngithi, kambe okungayisikufa yikuphi!”
And may my almighty God make him favourable to you; and send back with you your brother, whom he keepeth, and this Benjamin: and as for me I shall be desolate without children.
15 Ngakho amadoda athatha izipho lesiliva esiphindwe kabili kanye loBhenjamini. Batshitsha baya eGibhithe bayazibika kuJosefa.
So the men took the presents, and double money, and Benjamin: and went down into Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
16 Kwathi uJosefa ebona uBhenjamini ekanye labo, wathi encekwini yendlu yakhe, “Hamba lamadoda la endlini yami, uwahlabele isifuyo ulungise ukudla; bazakudla lami emini.”
And when he had seen them, and Benjamin with them, he commanded the steward of his house, saying: Bring in the men into the house, and kill victims, and prepare a feast: because they shall eat with me at noon.
17 Indoda yenza njengokutshelwa kwayo nguJosefa, yawathatha amadoda yahamba lawo endlini kaJosefa.
He did as he was commanded, and brought the men into the house.
18 Amadoda ethuka ebona elethwa endlini kaJosefa. Bacabanga ukuthi, “Silethwe lapha ngenxa yesiliva esabuyiselwa emasakeni ethu ekufikeni kwethu kwakuqala. Ufuna ukusihlasela asehlule, abesesithumba sibe yizigqili athathe obabhemi bethu.”
And they being much afraid, said there one to another: Because of the money, which we carried back the first time in our sacks, we are brought in: that he may bring upon us a false accusation, and by violence make slaves of us and our asses.
19 Ngakho baya encekwini kaJosefa bayakhuluma laye entubeni eya endlini.
Wherefore going up to the steward of the house, at the door,
20 Bathi, “Ake usizwe, nkosi yethu: Safika lapha kuqala sizothenga ukudla.
They said: Sir, we desire thee to hear us: We came down once before to buy food:
21 Kodwa lapho esaphumula khona ebusuku savula amasaka ethu, kwaba ngulowo wethu wafumana isiliva sakhe, siphelele ubunzima baso, sisemlonyeni wesaka lakhe. Ngakho size laso.
And when we had bought, and come to the inn, we opened our sacks, and found our money in the mouths of the sacks: which we have now brought again in the same weight.
22 Size lesinye isiliva phezu kwaleso ukuthi sithenge ukudla. Kasikwazi ukuthi ngubani owabuyisela isiliva emasakeni ethu.”
And we have brought other money besides, to buy what we want: we cannot tell who put it in our bags.
23 Wathi, “Kulungile. Lingesabi. UNkulunkulu wenu, uNkulunkulu kayihlo, uliphile inotho emasakeni enu; mina ngasiphiwa isiliva senu.” Emva kwalokho waseletha uSimiyoni kubo.
But he answered: Peace be with you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father hath given you treasure in your sacks. For the money, which you gave me, I have for good. And he brought Simeon out to them.
24 Inceku yasiwangenisa amadoda endlini kaJosefa, yawapha amanzi okugeza inyawo zawo, yaletha lotshani babobabhemi bawo.
And having brought them into the house, he fetched water, and they washed their feet, and he gave provender to their asses.
25 Balungisa izipho zabo balindela ukufika kukaJosefa emini ngoba basebezwile ukuthi babezakudla khonapho.
But they made ready the presents, against Joseph came at noon: for they had heard that they should eat bread there.
26 UJosefa esefikile bethula izipho ababengene lazo endlini, njalo bakhothama kuye phansi.
Then Joseph came into his house, and they offered him the presents holding them in their hands, and they bowed down with their face to the ground.
27 Wababuza ukuphila, wasesithi, “Linjani ixhegu elinguyihlo elangitshela ngalo? Lilokhu lisaphila na?”
But he, courteously saluting them again, asked them, saying: Is the old man your father in health, of whom you told me? Is he yet living?
28 Baphendula bathi, “Inceku yakho, ubaba, ulokhu esaphila njalo usaqinile.” Bakhothama njalo betshengisa inhlonipho.
And they answered: Thy servant our father is in health, he is yet living. And bowing themselves they made obeisance to him.
29 Wathi elokhu ebakhangela wabona umnawakhe uBhenjamini, umntakanina sibili, wabuza wathi, “Nguye lo umnawenu olicinathunjana na, lowo elangitshela ngaye?” Wasesithi kuye, “UNkulunkulu kabe lomusa kuwe, ndodana yami.”
And Joseph lifting up his eyes, saw Benjamin his brother, by the same mother, and said: Is this your young brother, of whom you told me? And he said: God be gracious to thee, my son.
30 Wathinteka kakhulu ngokubona umnawakhe, uJosefa waphangisa waphuma wayafuna indawo yokukhala. Waya ekamelweni lakhe wayakhalela khona.
And he made haste because his heart was moved upon his brother, and tears gushed out: and going into his chamber he wept.
31 Wathi esegezile amehlo waphuma, wazibamba, wasesithi, “Phakululani ukudla.”
And when he had washed his face, coming out again, he refrained himself, and said: Set bread on the table.
32 Yena bamupha yedwa, abafowabo labo bodwa, kwathi lamaGibhithe ayesidla laye lawo aba wodwa, ngoba amaGibhithe ayengeke adla lamaHebheru, ngoba lokho kwakunengeka kumaGibhithe.
And when it was set on, for Joseph apart, and for his brethren apart, for the Egyptians also that ate with him, apart, (for it is unlawful for the Egyptians to eat with the Hebrews, and they think such a feast profane):
33 Amadoda la ayehlezi ngobudala bawo kuqala ngezibulo kusiyacina ngecinathunjana; bakhangelana bemangele.
They sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his age. And they wondered very much:
34 Kwakusithi nxa bephakelwa kusuka etafuleni likaJosefa, isabelo sikaBhenjamini sasisedluliswa kahlanu kwesabanye. Ngakho bazitika banatha laye bekhululekile.
Taking the messes which they received of him: and the greater mess came to Benjamin, so that it exceeded by five parts. And they drank, and were merry with him.
