UGenesisi 45
1 UJosefa wehluleka ukuzibamba phambi kwazo zonke izinceku zakhe, wasememeza wathi, “Sukani lonke lapha kimi!” Ngakho kakho owayekhona loJosefa lapho eziveza kubafowabo.
Joseph was not able to control his feelings any longer. He did not want to cry in front of his servants, so he said to them loudly, “All of you go outside!” After they went outside, there was no one else there with Joseph when he told his brothers who he was.
2 Wakhala kakhulu ephumisela amaGibhithe amuzwa, labendlu kaFaro bezwa ngalokho.
He cried so loudly that the people of Egypt who were outside heard it, and even the people in the king’s palace heard it.
3 UJosefa wathi kubafowabo, “Mina nginguJosefa! Kambe ubaba usaphila na?” Kodwa abafowabo behluleka ukumphendula ngoba besaba kakhulu bephambi kwakhe.
Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is our father still alive?” But his brothers were not able to reply, because they were frightened because of what he said.
4 UJosefa wasesithi kubafowabo, “Sondelani kimi.” Bathi sebekwenzile lokho wathi, “Ngingumfowenu uJosefa, yena lowo elamthengisela eGibhithe!
Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me!” When they came closer, he said, “I am your brother Joseph! I am the one you sold to traders who brought me here to Egypt!
5 Kodwa manje lingakhathazeki njalo lingaze lazisola ngenxa yokungithengisa lapha, ngoba kwakuyikusiza imiphefumulo ukuba uNkulunkulu angithume phambi kwenu.
But now, do not be distressed, and do not be angry with yourselves for having sold me to people who brought me here, because it was to save you from dying [because of the famine] that God sent me here ahead of you.
6 Sekube yiminyaka emibili manje indlala ikhona elizweni, njalo okweminyaka emihlanu ezayo kakuyikulinywa loba ukuvuna.
There has been a famine in this country for two years, and it will continue for five more years, so that no one will plow ground, and there will be no crops to harvest.
7 Kodwa uNkulunkulu wangithuma phambi kwenu ukuba alilondolozele insalela emhlabeni njalo aphephise impilo zenu ngokukhulula okukhulu.
But God sent me here ahead of you, to keep you from starving, and to make sure that your descendants will survive.
8 Ngakho-ke, kwakungayisini elangithuma lapha, kodwa nguNkulunkulu. Wangenza ngaba ngubaba kuFaro, lenkosi yomuzi wakhe wonke kanye lombusi weGibhithe lonke.
Therefore, it was not you who sent me here; it was God who sent me here! He has caused me to become like a father to the king. I am in charge of everything in his palace and the governor of everyone in Egypt!
9 Manje, phangisani liye kubaba lithi kuye, ‘Nanku indodana yakho uJosefa akutshoyo: UNkulunkulu usengenze ngaba yinkosi yalo lonke elaseGibhithe. Yehla uze kimi; ungaphuzi.
Now return to my father quickly, and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: “God has caused me to become the governor over the whole land of Egypt. Come down to me immediately!
10 Uzahlala esigodini saseGosheni ube seduze lami, wena labantwabakho, labazukulu bakho; lemihlambi yakho yezimvu leyenkomo lakho konke olakho.
You can live in the Goshen region. You and your children and your grandchildren, your sheep and goats and cattle, and everything that you own, will be near me.
11 Ngizakunakekela ukhonapho ngoba kuseza eminye iminyaka emihlanu yendlala. Kungenjalo wena lomuzi wakho, labo bonke abangabakho lizahawukelwa.’
Since there will be five more years of famine, I will make sure that you have food. If you do not come here, you and your family and all of your servants will starve. [EUP]”’
12 Liyazibonela ngokwenu, njengoba lomnawami uBhenjamini ebona, ukuthi yimi mina ngeqiniso engikhuluma lani.
“Look closely, and all of you can see, including my brother Benjamin, that it is really I, Joseph, who am speaking to you.
13 Limtshele ubaba ngalo lonke udumo engiluphiwayo eGibhithe langakho konke elikubonileyo. Ubaba limlethe ngokuphangisa lapha.”
Go and tell my father about how greatly I am honored here in Egypt. And tell him about everything else that you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly!”
14 Wasegona umnawakhe uBhenjamini, wakhala, loBhenjamini wamanga ekhala.
Then he threw his arms around his [younger] brother Benjamin’s neck and cried. And Benjamin hugged him and cried.
15 Njalo wabanga bonke abafowabo ekhala kulowo lalowo. Ngemva kwalokho abafowabo baxoxa laye.
And then as he kissed his older brothers [on their cheeks], he cried. After that, his brothers started to talk with him.
16 Kwathi ukuba izindaba zifike esigodlweni sikaFaro ukuthi abafowabo bakaJosefa babefikile, uFaro lezikhulu zakhe bathokoza.
Someone went to the palace and told the news that Joseph’s brothers had come. The king and all his officials were pleased.
17 UFaro wathi, kuJosefa, “Tshela abafowenu uthi, ‘Yenzani lokhu: Thwalisani izinyamazana zenu libuyele elizweni laseKhenani,
The king said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers this: ‘Put loads of grain on your animals and return to the Canaan region.
18 beselibuya loyihlo kanye lemizi yenu kimi. Ngizalipha umhlaba omuhle kakhulu lapha eGibhithe, likholise amanono elizwe.’
Then bring your father and your families back here. I will give you the best land in Egypt, and you will have the best food in the land to eat.’
19 Uyalaywa njalo ukuthi ubatshele uthi, ‘Yenzani lokhu: Thathani izinqola ezithile lapha eGibhithe lisenzela abantwabenu, labomkenu, lithathe uyihlo lize laye.
“Also tell this to your brothers: ‘Take some carts from Egypt to carry your children and your wives, and get them and your father and come back here quickly.
20 Lingazihluphi ngempahla zenu ngoba okuhle konke kwaseGibhithe kuzakuba ngokwenu.’”
Do not worry about bringing your possessions, because the best things in Egypt will be yours. Because of that, you will not need to bring any of your things from Canaan.’”
21 Ngakho amadodana ka-Israyeli akwenza lokhu. UJosefa wabapha izinqola, njengokulaya kukaFaro, wabuye wabapha umphako wendlela.
Jacob’s sons did what the king suggested. Joseph gave them carts and food to eat along the way, as the king had ordered.
22 Ngulowo lalowo wamupha izigqoko ezintsha, kodwa uBhenjamini wamupha amashekeli esiliva angamakhulu amathathu kanye lezigqoko ezinhlanu.
To each of them he gave new clothes, but he gave 300 pieces of silver and five sets of new clothes to Benjamin!
23 Njalo nanku akuphathisela uyise: obabhemi abalitshumi bethwele konke okuhle kwaseGibhithe, labobabhemi abasikazi abalitshumi bebhensiswa ngamabele lesinkwa lokunye okomphako wakhe wendlela.
And this is what he sent to his father: Ten male donkeys, loaded with some of the best goods that come from Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and other food for his father’s trip to Egypt.
24 Wasevalelisa abafowabo, bathi sebesuka wathi kubo, “Lingaxabani endleleni!”
Then he sent his brothers on their way, saying to them “Do not quarrel along the way!”
25 Ngakho basuka baphuma eGibhithe bayafika kuyise uJakhobe elizweni laseKhenani.
So they left Egypt and came to their father Jacob in Canaan.
26 Bamtshela bathi, “UJosefa ulokhu ephila! Isibili ungumbusi walo lonke elaseGibhithe.” UJakhobe waphela amandla; kazange abakholwe.
One of them told him, “Joseph is still alive! In fact, he is the governor over all of Egypt!” Jacob was extremely astonished; he could not believe that it was true.
27 Kodwa kwathi lapho sebemtshelile konke uJosefa ayekutshilo kubo, njalo esebone izinqola uJosefa ayethe zizomthwala zimlethe, umoya kayise, uJakhobe wavuseleleka.
But they told him everything that Joseph had said to them, and Jacob saw the carts that Joseph had sent to carry him and his family and possessions to Egypt. Then their father Jacob’s shock ended.
28 U-Israyeli wathi, “Sengisuthisekile! Indodana yami uJosefa isaphila. Ngizahamba ngiyeyibona ngingakafi.”
He said, “What you have said is enough to convince me! My son Joseph is still alive, and I will go and see him before I die!”
