UGenesisi 44

1 UJosefa waselaya inceku yendlu yakhe wathi: “Gcwalisa silikici amasaka amadoda la ngokudla konke abangakuthwala, ubusubuyisela isiliva salowo lalowo emlonyeni wesaka lakhe.

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 Ubusufaka inkomitsho yami, leyana eyesiliva, emlonyeni wesaka lalowo omncinyane wabo ndawonye lesiliva sakhe samabele.” Yenza njengalokho uJosefa ayekutshilo.

And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, and his corn money: and he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.

3 Kwathi emadabukakusa bawavalelisa amadoda asuka kanye labobabhemi bawo.

As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they, and their asses.

4 Ayengakahambi okuya ngaphi ukusuka edolobheni lapho uJosefa athi encekwini yakhe, “Axhume ngokuphangisa amadoda lawana, ungawafica uthi kuwo, ‘Lenzeleni ukuphindisela okuhle ngokubi na?

[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 Le kakusinkomitsho enatha ngenkosi yami njalo ehlahlula ngayo na? Le yinto embi kakhulu eseliyenzile!’”

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

6 Wathi esebaficile wawatsho amazwi la kubo.

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

7 Kodwa bathi kuye, “Kungani inkosi yethu isitsho izinto ezinjalo? Kakube kude lezinceku zakho ukwenza ulutho olunjalo!

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 Phela siyibuyisile kuwe isiliva sisuka laso elizweni laseKhenani, lesiyana esasifumana phakathi emilonyeni yamasaka ethu. Pho besingakwenza njani ukweba isiliva loba igolide endlini yenkosi yakho na?

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 Nxa omunye wezinceku zakho efunyanwa elayo, uzabulawa; kuthi thina abanye sibe yizigqili zenkosi yethu.”

With whom [soever] of thy servants it shall be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord's bond-men.

10 Wathi, “Kulungile, kakube njengokutsho kwenu. Lowo ozafunyanwa elayo uzakuba yisigqili sami, lina abanye lonke kalizukuba lecala.”

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 Ngulowo lalowo wabo wethula isaka lakhe walivula.

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

12 Inceku yasihamba ihlola, yaqala ngomdala yayacina ngomcinyane. Inkomitsho yayafunyanwa esakeni likaBhenjamini.

And he searched, [and] began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.

13 Bekubona lokhu badabula izigqoko zabo. Emva kwalokho bonke betshatisa obabhemi babo amasaka baphindela edolobheni.

Then they rent their clothes, and loaded every man his ass, and returned to the city.

14 UJosefa wayelokhu esendlini lapho uJuda labafowabo abafika khona bazilahla phansi phambi kwakhe.

And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house, (for he [was] yet there: ) and they fell before him on the ground.

15 UJosefa wathi kubo, “Kuyini lokhu elikwenzileyo? Kalazi na ukuthi umuntu onjengami ubona izinto ngokuhlahlula?”

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 UJuda waphendula wathi, “Kambe singabe sisathini? Singakuveza kanjani ukuba msulwa kwethu? UNkulunkulu usembule icala lezinceku zakho. Manje sesiyizichaka zenkosi yami, thina ngokwethu lalowo ofunyenwe elayo inkomitsho.”

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 Kodwa uJosefa wathi. “Kakube kude lami ukwenza into enjalo! Yileyo indoda kuphela efunyanwe ilayo inkomitsho ezakuba yisichaka sami. Abanye lonke buyelani kuyihlo ngokuthula.”

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 UJuda wasesondela kuye wathi, “Oh, nkosi yami, akuvumele inceku yakho itsho ilizwi enkosini yami. Ungayizondeli inceku yakho, loba wena ulingana loFaro ngokwakhe.

Then Judah came near to him, and said, Oh 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 Inkosi yami yabuza izinceku zayo yathi, ‘Lilaye na uyihlo kumbe umfowenu?’

My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother?

20 Thina saphendula sathi, ‘Silaye ubaba oseluphele, njalo ikhona indodana ayizala eseluphele. Umnewabo wafa, njalo yiyo yodwa eseleyo emadodaneni kanina, ngakho uyise uyayithanda.’

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 Wena wasusithi ezincekwini zakho, ‘Mletheni kimi ukuze ngimbone mina ngokwami.’

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

22 Thina sathi enkosini yami, ‘Umfana ngeke asuka kuyise; nxa esuka kuye, uyise uzakufa.’

And we said to my lord, The lad cannot leave his father; for [if] he should leave his father, [his father] would die.

23 Kodwa izinceku zakho wazitshela wathi, ‘Ngaphandle kokuba umnawenu omncane lize laye, ngeke liphinde libubone njalo ubuso bami.’

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

24 Sathi ukubuyela encekwini yakho ubaba, samtshela lokho okwakutshiwo yinkosi yami.

And it came to pass, when we came to thy servant, my father, we told him the words of my lord.

25 Ubaba wasesithi, ‘Buyelani liyethenga okunye njalo ukudla.’

And our father said, Go again; buy us a little food.

26 Kodwa thina sathi, ‘Ngeke siye khona. Kuphela nxa umnawethu omncane elathi, singahamba. Ngeke sibubone ubuso bendoda leyo ngaphandle kokuba umnawethu omncane silaye.’

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 Inceku yakho ubaba yathi kithi, ‘Liyakwazi ukuthi umkami wangizalela amadodana amabili.

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

28 Omunye wabo wasuka kimi, ngathi, “Ngempela udlithiziwe waba yizicucu.” Ngakho kangisaphindanga ngambona kusukela khonapho.

And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I have not seen him since:

29 Manje lingangithathela lalo futhi abesesehlelwa ngokubi, lizakwehlisela ikhanda lami eliyimpunga engcwabeni ngidabukile kakhulu.’ (Sheol h7585)

And if ye take this also from me, and mischief shall befall him, ye will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave. (Sheol h7585)

30 Ngakho-ke, nxa umfana singelaye lapho sengibuyela encekwini yakho ubaba, yena ompilo yakhe isondelelene kakhulu leyomfana lo,

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 uzakuthi angabona umfana engekho, ahle afe. Thina zinceku zakho sizakusa ikhanda likababa eliyimpunga engcwabeni lihlulukelwe. (Sheol h7585)

It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad [is] not [with us], that he will die: and thy servants will bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father, with sorrow to the grave. (Sheol h7585)

32 Inceku yakho yanikela ukuphila kwayo ngokuphepha komfana kubaba. Ngathi, ‘Nxa ngingambuyisi kuwe, ngizawuthwala lowomlandu kuwe, baba, impilo yami yonke!’

For thy servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, If I bring him not to thee, then I will bear the blame to my father for ever.

33 Ngakho-ke ngiyacela ukuthi uvumele inceku yakho isale lapha njengesichaka senkosi yami esikhundleni somfana, yena umfana akhululwe ahambe labanewabo.

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

34 Ngingabuyela ngithini kubaba umfana ngingelaye? Hatshi! Ungangenzi ngibone usizi olungamehlela ubaba.”

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.