< UGenesisi 37 >
1 UJakobe wasehlala elizweni uyise ayehlala kilo njengowezizwe, ilizwe leKhanani.
2 Lezi zindaba zezizukulwana zikaJakobe. UJosefa, eleminyaka elitshumi lesikhombisa, wayeselusa umhlambi labafowabo, wayengumfana, elamadodana kaBiliha, lamadodana kaZilipa, omkayise; uJosefa waseletha kuyise imibiko emibi ngabo.
3 Njalo uIsrayeli wayemthanda uJosefa kulawo wonke amadodana akhe, ngoba wayeyindodana yobudala bakhe; wamenzela isigqoko esilemibalabala.
4 Kwathi abafowabo sebebonile ukuthi uyise uyamthanda kulabo bonke abafowabo, bamzonda, babengelakukhuluma kuye ngokuthula.
5 UJosefa wasephupha iphupho, walazisa abafowabo; ngakho baqhubeka bemzonda kakhulu.
6 Wasesithi kibo: Ake lizwe leliphupho engiliphuphileyo.
7 Khangelani-ke, besibopha izithungo phakathi kwensimu, njalo khangelani, isithungo sami sema saqonda futhi, khangelani-ke, izithungo zenu zazingelezela, zasikhothamela isithungo sami.
8 Abafowabo basebesithi kuye: Kanti ukubusa uzasibusa, ukulawula uzasilawula yini? Ngakho baqhubeka bemzonda kakhulu, ngenxa yamaphupho akhe langenxa yamazwi akhe.
9 Wasebuya futhi waphupha elinye iphupho, walilandisela abafowabo, wathi: Khangelani, ngiphuphe futhi iphupho; khangelani-ke, ilanga lenyanga lenkanyezi ezilitshumi lanye zingikhothamela.
10 Waselandisela uyise labafowabo. Uyise wasemsola wathi kuye: Liyini leliphupho oliphuphileyo? Ukuza sizakuza, mina lonyoko labafowenu, sikhothamele emhlabathini phambi kwakho yini?
11 Abafowabo-ke baba lomona ngaye, kodwa uyise waligcina lelilizwi.
12 Abafowabo basebesiyalagisa umhlambi kayise eShekema.
13 UIsrayeli wasesithi kuJosefa: Abafowenu kabalagisi eShekema yini? Woza, ngikuthume kibo. Wasesithi kuye: Khangela ngilapha.
14 Wasesithi kuye: Hamba-ke, ubone ukuthi baphila kuhle yini abafowenu, lokuthi uyaphila umhlambi, ungibuyisele ilizwi. Wasemthuma esuka esigodini iHebroni wasefika eShekema.
15 Indoda yamfica, ngoba khangela wayezula egangeni; indoda yasimbuza yathi: Udingani?
16 Wasesithi: Ngidinga abafowethu; ake ungazise ukuthi balagise ngaphi.
17 Indoda yasisithi: Basukile lapha, ngoba ngibezwile besithi: Asiye eDothani. UJosefa wasebalandela abafowabo, wabathola eDothani.
18 Basebembona esekhatshana. Njalo engakasondeli kubo, bamenzela ugobe lokuthi bambulale.
19 Bakhulumisana besithi: Khangela, lo umphuphi uyeza;
20 khathesi-ke, wozani simbulale, simphosele komunye wemigodi, besesisithi: Isilo esibi simdlile. Khona sizabona ukuthi amaphupho akhe azakuba yini.
21 URubeni wasekuzwa, wamophula esandleni sabo, wathi: Asingatshayi impilo.
22 URubeni wasesithi kubo: Lingachithi igazi, mphoseleni kulumgodi osenkangala, lingeluleli isandla kuye; ukuze amkhulule esandleni sabo, ukuze ambuyisele kuyise.
23 Kwasekusithi uJosefa esefikile kubafowabo, bamhlubula uJosefa isigqoko sakhe, isigqoko esilemibalabala, ayesigqokile;
24 basebemthatha, bamphosela emgodini; kodwa umgodi wawungelalutho, kungelamanzi kuwo.
25 Basebehlala phansi ukudla isinkwa. Baphakamisa amehlo abo babona, khangela-ke, udwendwe lwamaIshmayeli luvela eGileyadi, lamakamela awo ethwele isinongo lenhlaka lemure, ehamba ukukwehlisela eGibhithe.
26 UJuda wasesithi kubafowabo: Yinzuzo bani uba simbulala umfowethu, sifihle igazi lakhe?
27 Wozani, simthengise kumaIshmayeli, lesandla sethu kasingabi phezu kwakhe, ngoba umgumfowethu, inyama yethu. Abafowabo basebelalela.
28 Kwasekudlula amaMidiyani angabathengiselani; basebemdonsa bamphakamisa uJosefa emgodini, bathengisa uJosefa kumaIshmayeli ngenhlamvu zesiliva ezingamatshumi amabili. Amusa-ke eGibhithe.
29 Kwathi uRubeni ebuyela emgodini, khangela-ke, uJosefa wayengekho emgodini, wadabula izembatho zakhe.
30 Wasebuyela kubafowabo wathi: Umfana kakho; mina-ke, ngizakuya ngaphi?
31 Basebethatha isigqoko sikaJosefa, bahlaba izinyane lembuzi, bagxamuza isigqoko egazini.
32 Basebethumela isigqoko esilemibalabala, basisa kuyise, bathi: Lokhu sikuficile; akunanzelele ukuthi lesi yisigqoko sendodana yakho yini, loba hatshi.
33 Wasinanzelela wathi: Yisigqoko sendodana yami! Isilo esibi simdlile, isibili udatshulwe uJosefa.
34 UJakobe wasedabula izembatho zakhe, wafaka isaka ekhalweni lwakhe, wayililela indodana yakhe insuku ezinengi.
35 Njalo wonke amadodana akhe lamadodakazi akhe asukuma ukumduduza, kodwa wala ukududuzwa, wathi: Ngoba ngizakwehlela engcwabeni endodaneni yami ngilila. Uyise wamlilela njalo. (Sheol )
36 AmaMidiyani asemthengisa eGibhithe kuPotifa, umphathi kaFaro, induna yabalindi.
