UGenesisi 43
1 Indlala yayilokhu inkulu kakhulu elizweni.
Now the famine was severe in the land.
2 Ngakho kwathi sebekuqedile konke ukudla ababekuthenge eGibhithe, uyise wathi kubo, “Buyelani liyesithengela njalo okunye ukudla okunenganyana.”
So it came about when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, that their father said to them, "Go again, buy us a little more food."
3 Kodwa uJuda wathi kuye, “Indoda leyo yasiqonqosela yathi, ‘Ngeke liphinde libubone ubuso bami ngaphandle kokuba lilomnawenu.’
But Judah spoke to him, saying, "The man strictly warned us, saying, 'You may not see my face unless your brother is with you.'
4 Nxa uzamvumela umnawethu ukuthi sihambe laye, sizahamba siyekuthengela ukudla.
If you'll send our brother with us, we'll go down and buy you food,
5 Kodwa nxa ungezukuvuma, ngeke sibuyele, ngoba phela indoda leyo yathi kithi, ‘Ngeke liphinde libubone ubuso bami nxa umnawenu lingelaye.’”
but if you will not send him, we will not go down, for the man said to us, 'You may not see my face unless your brother is with you.'"
6 U-Israyeli wabuza wathi, “Likwenzeleni lina ukungehlisela uhlupho lolu ngokuyitshela indoda leyo ukuthi lilomnawenu na?”
Then Israel said, "Why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man that you had 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’?”
They said, "The man kept asking about ourselves, and concerning our relatives, saying, 'Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?' So we just answered his questions. How were we to know that he would say, 'Bring your brother down?'"
8 UJuda wasesithi ku-Israyeli uyise, “Wothi umfana ahambe lami, sizahle sisuke nje masinyane, ukwenzela ukuthi thina lawe kanye labantwabethu siphile, singafi.
Then Judah said to his father Israel, "Send the boy with me and we'll get up and go, so that we may live and not die, both we and you, and also our little ones.
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 will be collateral for him. You can hold me responsible for him. If I fail to bring him to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever,
10 Njengoba kunje nje, aluba asizilingananga ngabe sesihambe saphenduka kwaze kwaba kabili.”
for if we hadn't delayed, surely we would have returned a second time by now."
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 their father Israel said to them, "If it must be so, then do this: Take some of the best fruits of the land in your bags and bring a gift for the man, a little balm, a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds.
12 Thathani isiliva esiphindwe kabili, ngoba kufanele libuyisele lesosiliva esasibuyiselwe emasakeni enu. Mhlawumbe kwaba yisiphosiso.
Take twice as much silver in your hand, and take back the silver that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight.
13 Mthatheni umnawenu laye libuyele kuleyondoda ngokuphangisa.
Take your brother also, and get up, go back 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 El Shaddai grant you mercy before the man, that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. If I am deprived of my children, then I am deprived."
15 Ngakho amadoda athatha izipho lesiliva esiphindwe kabili kanye loBhenjamini. Batshitsha baya eGibhithe bayazibika kuJosefa.
The men took this gift, and they took twice as much silver with them, and Benjamin. Then they got up and went down to Egypt, and presented themselves 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.”
When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the servant of his house, "Bring the men into the house, and slaughter an animal and prepare it; for the men will eat with me at noon."
17 Indoda yenza njengokutshelwa kwayo nguJosefa, yawathatha amadoda yahamba lawo endlini kaJosefa.
The man did as Joseph had said, and the man brought the men to Joseph's 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.”
But the men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph's house, and they said, "It is because of the silver that was returned in our sacks the first time that we are brought here; so that he may capture us, and make us slaves, and take our donkeys."
19 Ngakho baya encekwini kaJosefa bayakhuluma laye entubeni eya endlini.
So they came near to the man of Joseph's house and they spoke to him at the entrance of the house,
20 Bathi, “Ake usizwe, nkosi yethu: Safika lapha kuqala sizothenga ukudla.
and said, "My lord, we indeed came down the first time 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.
But when we came to the lodging place, we opened our sacks, and look, every man's silver was in the mouth of his sack, our silver in full weight. So we have brought it back in our hand.
22 Size lesinye isiliva phezu kwaleso ukuthi sithenge ukudla. Kasikwazi ukuthi ngubani owabuyisela isiliva emasakeni ethu.”
We have brought down additional silver with us to buy food. We do not know who put our silver in our sacks."
23 Wathi, “Kulungile. Lingesabi. UNkulunkulu wenu, uNkulunkulu kayihlo, uliphile inotho emasakeni enu; mina ngasiphiwa isiliva senu.” Emva kwalokho waseletha uSimiyoni kubo.
He said, "Peace to you. Do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks. I received your silver." Then he brought Simeon out to them.
24 Inceku yasiwangenisa amadoda endlini kaJosefa, yawapha amanzi okugeza inyawo zawo, yaletha lotshani babobabhemi bawo.
The man brought the men into Joseph's house and gave them water, and they washed their feet. Then he gave their donkeys food.
25 Balungisa izipho zabo balindela ukufika kukaJosefa emini ngoba basebezwile ukuthi babezakudla khonapho.
They prepared the gift for Joseph's arrival at noon, for they heard that they would eat a meal there.
26 UJosefa esefikile bethula izipho ababengene lazo endlini, njalo bakhothama kuye phansi.
When Joseph came home, they prepared the gift they had brought with them into the house, and bowed themselves down to him with their face to the ground.
27 Wababuza ukuphila, wasesithi, “Linjani ixhegu elinguyihlo elangitshela ngalo? Lilokhu lisaphila na?”
Then he asked them of their welfare, and said, "Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?"
28 Baphendula bathi, “Inceku yakho, ubaba, ulokhu esaphila njalo usaqinile.” Bakhothama njalo betshengisa inhlonipho.
And they answered, "Your servant, our father, is well. He is still alive." Then he said, "Blessed be that man by God." And they bowed and prostrated themselves.
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 he looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, "Is this your youngest brother, of whom you told me about?" Then he said, "God be gracious to you, my son."
30 Wathinteka kakhulu ngokubona umnawakhe, uJosefa waphangisa waphuma wayafuna indawo yokukhala. Waya ekamelweni lakhe wayakhalela khona.
Then Joseph hurried out, for he was overcome with emotion because of his brother, and he was at the point of tears. So he entered into his chamber and wept there.
31 Wathi esegezile amehlo waphuma, wazibamba, wasesithi, “Phakululani ukudla.”
Then he washed his face and came out. And he controlled himself and said, "Serve the food."
32 Yena bamupha yedwa, abafowabo labo bodwa, kwathi lamaGibhithe ayesidla laye lawo aba wodwa, ngoba amaGibhithe ayengeke adla lamaHebheru, ngoba lokho kwakunengeka kumaGibhithe.
They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat food with the Hebrews, for that is disgraceful to the Egyptians.
33 Amadoda la ayehlezi ngobudala bawo kuqala ngezibulo kusiyacina ngecinathunjana; bakhangelana bemangele.
And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth, and the men looked at each other with amazement.
34 Kwakusithi nxa bephakelwa kusuka etafuleni likaJosefa, isabelo sikaBhenjamini sasisedluliswa kahlanu kwesabanye. Ngakho bazitika banatha laye bekhululekile.
Then he gave portions to them in front of him, but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of theirs. So they drank until they all became drunk.
