< Senesi 44 >

1 Pea fekau ʻe ia ki he tauhi ʻo hono fale ʻo pehē, “Fakapito ʻaki ʻae meʻakai ʻae ngaahi tangai ʻae kau tangata ni, ʻo fakatatau mo ia te nau faʻa fua, pea ai ʻae paʻanga ʻae tangata taki taha ki he ngutu ʻo ʻene tangai.
Then Joseph instructed his steward: “Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each one’s silver in the mouth of his sack.
2 Pea ai ʻeku ipu, ʻae ipu siliva ki he ngutuʻi tangai ʻae kimui, pea mo e paʻanga totongi ʻo ʻene koane.” Pea ne fai ʻe ia ʻo hangē ko e fekau ʻa Siosefa.
Put my cup, the silver one, in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the silver for his grain.” So the steward did as Joseph had instructed.
3 Pea pongipongi hake ʻi he maʻa ʻae ʻaho, naʻe tuku ʻae kau tangata ke ʻalu, ʻakinautolu mo e nau fanga ʻasi.
At daybreak, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys.
4 Pea kuo nau ʻalu mei he kolo, pea naʻe teʻeki ai mamaʻo fau, pea pehē ʻe Siosefa ki heʻene tauhi, “Tuʻu, ʻo tuli ʻae kau tangata; pea ʻoka ke ka maʻu ʻakinautolu, pea ke lea pehē kiate kinautolu, ‘Ko e hā kuo mou totongi kovi ai ki he lelei?’
They had not gone far from the city when Joseph told his steward, “Pursue the men at once, and when you overtake them, ask, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil?
5 ‌ʻIkai ko ia ia ʻoku inu mei ai ʻa ʻeku ʻeiki, mo ia ʻoku ne fai ai ʻene ʻilo meʻa? Kuo mou fai kovi ʻi he meʻa ni.”
Is this not the cup my master drinks from and uses for divination? What you have done is wicked!’”
6 Pea naʻa ne maʻu ʻakinautolu, ʻo ne lea ʻaki kiate kinautolu ʻae ngaahi lea ko ia.
When the steward overtook them, he relayed these words to them.
7 Pea nau pehēange kiate ia, “Ko e hā ʻoku lea pehē ai homauʻeiki? Ke mamaʻo ʻaupito mei hoʻo kau tamaioʻeiki ʻae fai ha meʻa pehē.
“Why does my lord say these things?” they asked. “Your servants could not possibly do such a thing.
8 Vakai, ko e ngaahi paʻanga naʻa mau ʻilo ʻi he ngutu ʻoe mau tangai, kuo mau toe ʻomi ia kiate koe, mei he fonua ko Kēnani: pea ʻe fēfeeʻi ʻemau kaihaʻa ha siliva pe ha koula mei he fale ʻo homauʻeiki?
We even brought back to you from the land of Canaan the silver we found in the mouths of our sacks. Why would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house?
9 Ko ia te ke ʻilo ia ki ai ʻi hoʻo kau tamaioʻeiki, tuku ke mate ia, pea te mau nofo ko e kau pōpula ki heʻemau ʻeiki foki.”
If any of your servants is found to have it, he must die, and the rest will become slaves of my lord.”
10 Pea pehē ʻe ia, “Ko eni, ke hoko ʻo tatau mo hoʻomou lea: ko ia ʻe ʻilo ai ia, ko ʻeku tamaioʻeiki ia, pea ʻe taʻehalaia ʻakinautolu.”
“As you say,” replied the steward. “But only the one who is found with the cup will be my slave, and the rest of you shall be free of blame.”
11 Pea naʻa nau fakatoʻotoʻo ʻo tuku hifo, taki taha ʻae tangata ʻa ʻene tangai ki he kelekele, pea toʻo taki taha ʻa ʻene tangai.
So each one quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it.
12 Pea ne kumi ia, ʻo kamata ʻi he ʻuluaki, ʻo aʻu ki he kimui; pea naʻe ʻilo ʻae ipu ʻi he tangai ʻa Penisimani.
The steward searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest—and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.
13 Pea naʻa nau haehae honau kofu, ʻo toe ʻai ʻae kavenga taki taha ʻae tangata ki he ʻasi, ʻo nau foki ki he kolo.
Then they all tore their clothes, loaded their donkeys, and returned to the city.
14 Pea naʻe haʻu ʻa Siuta mo hono ngaahi tokoua ki he fale ʻo Siosefa; he naʻe kei ʻi ai ia; pea nau foʻohifo ʻi hono ʻao ki he kelekele.
When Judah and his brothers arrived at Joseph’s house, he was still there, and they fell to the ground before him.
15 Pea pehē ʻe Siosefa kiate kinautolu, “Ko e hā ʻae meʻa ni kuo mou fai? He naʻe ʻikai te mou mahalo, ko e tangata hangē ko au, te u faʻa ʻiloʻi.”
“What is this deed you have done?” Joseph declared. “Do you not know that a man like me can surely divine the truth?”
16 Pea pehēange ʻe Siuta, “Ko e hā te mau lea ʻaki ki homauʻeiki? Pea te mau pehē ko e hā? Pea ʻe fēfē ʻemau fakatonuhia ʻakimautolu? Kuo ʻafioʻi ʻe he ʻOtua ʻae halaia ʻo hoʻo kau tamaioʻeiki; vakai, ko e kau tamaioʻeiki ʻakimautolu ʻa homauʻeiki, ʻakimautolu mo ia foki kuo ʻilo ki ai ʻae ipu ni.”
“What can we say to my lord?” Judah replied. “How can we plead? How can we justify ourselves? God has exposed the iniquity of your servants. We are now my lord’s slaves—both we and the one who was found with the cup.”
17 Pea pehē ʻe ia, “Tapu mo e ʻOtua ʻa ʻeku fai pehē: ka ko e tangata kuo ʻilo ʻi hono nima ʻae ipu ni, ko ʻeku tamaioʻeiki ia; ka ko kimoutolu, mou ʻalu fiemālie pe ki hoʻomou tamai.”
But Joseph replied, “Far be it from me to do this. The man who was found with the cup will be my slave. The rest of you may return to your father in peace.”
18 Pea naʻe ʻunuʻunu mai ʻa Siuta kiate ia, ʻo ne pehē, “Ko ʻeku ʻeiki, ʻoku ou kole kiate koe, ke ke tuku ke lea siʻi pe ʻa hoʻo tamaioʻeiki ki he fofonga ʻo hoku ʻeiki, pea ʻoua naʻa ke tuputāmaki mai ki hoʻo tamaioʻeiki: he ʻoku ke tatau mo Felo.
Then Judah approached Joseph and said, “Sir, please let your servant speak personally to my lord. Do not be angry with your servant, for you are equal to Pharaoh himself.
19 Naʻe fehuʻi ʻa homauʻeiki ki heʻene kau tamaioʻeiki, ʻo pehē, ‘ʻOku ai hoʻomou tamai, pe ha tehina?’
My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’
20 Pea naʻa mau tala ki homauʻeiki, ‘ʻOku ai ʻemau tamai ko e tangata motuʻa, pea mo e tama ʻo ʻene motuʻa, ko e tamasiʻi siʻi; pea kuo pekia hono tokoua, pea ko ia tokotaha pe kuo toe ʻi heʻene fale, pea ʻoku ʻofa ʻene tamai kiate ia.’
And we answered, ‘We have an elderly father and a younger brother, the child of his old age. The boy’s brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother’s sons left, and his father loves him.’
21 Pea naʻa ke pehē ki hoʻo kau tamaioʻeiki, ‘Omi ia ki heni kiate au, koeʻuhi ke u sio fakapapau kiate ia.’
Then you told your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so that I can see him for myself.’
22 Pea naʻa mau tala ki heʻemau ʻeiki, ‘ʻE ʻikai faʻa māvae ʻae tama mo ʻene tamai: he kapau te ne tuku ʻene tamai, ʻe pekia ai ʻene tamai:’
So we said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father. If he were to leave, his father would die.’
23 Pea naʻa ke pehē ki hoʻo kau tamaioʻeiki, ‘Kapau ʻe ʻikai ʻiate kimoutolu homou tehina, ʻe ʻikai te mou toe mamata ki hoku mata.’
But you said to your servants, ‘Unless your younger brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.’
24 Pea ʻi heʻemau hoko ki hoʻo tamaioʻeiki ko ʻemau tamai, naʻa mau fakahā kiate ia ʻae ngaahi lea ʻa homauʻeiki.
Now when we returned to your servant my father, we relayed your words to him.
25 Pea pehē ʻe heʻemau tamai, ‘Toe ʻalu ʻo fakatau ʻetau meʻakai siʻi.’
Then our father said, ‘Go back and buy us some food.’
26 “Pea naʻa mau pehē, ‘ʻE ʻikai te mau faʻa ʻalu: kapau ʻe ʻiate kimautolu homau tehina, te mau ʻalu hifo: koeʻuhi ʻe ʻikai te mau mamata ki he mata ʻoe tangata, ʻo kapau ʻe ʻikai ʻiate kimautolu homau tehina.’
But we answered, ‘We cannot go down there unless our younger brother goes with us. So if our younger brother is not with us, we cannot see the man.’
27 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe hoʻo tamaioʻeiki ko ʻemau tamai, kiate kimautolu, ‘ʻOku mou ʻilo naʻe fanauʻi kiate au ʻe hoku uaifi ʻae tama ʻe toko ua:’
And your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons.
28 Pea naʻe ʻalu ʻae tokotaha ʻiate au, pea naʻaku pehē, ‘Ko e moʻoni kuo haehae ke iikiiki ia; pea talu mei ai naʻe ʻikai te u toe mamata kiate ia:’
When one of them was gone, I said: “Surely he has been torn to pieces.” And I have not seen him since.
29 Pea kapau te mou ʻave eni ʻiate au foki, pea hoko ha kovi kiate ia, te mou ō hifo hoku ʻuluhinā ʻi he mamahi ki he faʻitoka. (Sheol h7585)
Now if you also take this one from me and harm comes to him, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.’ (Sheol h7585)
30 Pea ko eni, ʻoka hoko ʻa hoʻo tamaioʻeiki ko au ki heʻeku tamai, pea ʻikai ʻiate kimautolu ʻae tama; ko e meʻa ʻi he feohi fakataha ʻene moʻui mo e moʻui ʻae tama;
So if the boy is not with us when I return to your servant, and if my father, whose life is wrapped up in the boy’s life,
31 ‌ʻE hoko ʻo pehē, ʻoka mamata ia ʻoku ʻikai ʻiate kimautolu ʻae tama, ʻe pekia ia; pea ko hoʻo kau tamaioʻeiki te mau fakahifo ʻae ʻuluhinā ʻo hoʻo tamaioʻeiki ko ʻemau tamai ʻi he mamahi, ki he faʻitoka. (Sheol h7585)
sees that the boy is not with us, he will die. Then your servants will have brought the gray hair of your servant our father down to Sheol in sorrow. (Sheol h7585)
32 He naʻe hoko ʻa hoʻo tamaioʻeiki, ko e fetongi ʻoe tama ki heʻene tamai, ʻo pehē, Kapau ʻe ʻikai te u toe ʻomi ia kiate koe, pea ke ʻiate au hono kovi ki heʻeku tamai ʻo taʻengata.
Indeed, your servant guaranteed the boy’s safety to my father, saying, ‘If I do not return him to you, I will bear the guilt before you, my father, all my life.’
33 Pea ko eni, ʻoku ou kole kiate koe, tuku ke nofo ʻa hoʻo tamaioʻeiki ko e pōpula ki heʻeku ʻeiki, ko e fetongi ʻoe tama; kae tuku ke ʻalu ʻae tama mo hono ngaahi taʻokete.
Now please let your servant stay here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy. Let him return with his brothers.
34 He koeʻuhi, ʻe fēfeeʻi ʻeku faʻa ʻalu ki heʻeku tamai, kae ʻikai ʻiate au ʻae tama? Telia naʻaku mamata ki he kovi ʻe hoko ki heʻeku tamai.”
For how can I go back to my father without the boy? I could not bear to see the misery that would overwhelm him.”

< Senesi 44 >