< 1 Mose 42 >
1 Ɛberɛ a Yakob tee sɛ aburoo wɔ Misraim no, ɔka kyerɛɛ ne mmammarima no sɛ, “Adɛn enti na moatete agyinagyina rehwehwɛhwehwɛ mo ho mo ho anim yi?”
Then Jacob, hearing that food was being sold in Egypt, said to his sons: “Why are you negligent?
2 Yakob toaa so sɛ, “Mate sɛ aburoo wɔ Misraim. Monkɔ hɔ, na monkɔtɔ bi mmra na ɛkɔm ankum yɛn.”
I have heard that wheat is being sold in Egypt. Go down and buy necessities for us, so that we may be able to live, and not be consumed by destitution.”
3 Enti, Yosef nuammarima mpanimfoɔ edu no kɔɔ Misraim sɛ wɔrekɔtɔ aburoo no bi.
And so, when ten brothers of Joseph went down to buy grain in Egypt,
4 Nanso, Yakob amma Benyamin a ɔyɛ Yosef nua kumaa no ankɔ bi, ɛfiri sɛ, na ɔsuro sɛ biribi bɛyɛ no.
Benjamin was kept at home by Jacob, who said to his brothers, “Lest perhaps he may suffer harm on the journey.”
5 Enti, Israel mmammarima no de wɔn ho bɔɔ atɔfoɔ a wɔfifiri aman ahodoɔ so kɔtɔ aburoo wɔ Misraim no ho, ɛfiri sɛ, na ɛkɔm no atrɛ akɔduru Kanaan asase so mmaa nyinaa.
And they entered into the land of Egypt with the others who traveled to buy. For the famine was in the land of Canaan.
6 Na Yosef yɛ amrado wɔ Misraim asase so. Ɔno na ɔtɔn aburoo ma nnipa nyinaa wɔ ɔman no mu. Yosef nuammarima no kɔduruu nʼanim no, wɔbuu no nkotodwe, de wɔn anim nso butubutuu fam.
And Joseph was governor in the land of Egypt, and grain was sold under his direction to the people. And when his brothers had reverenced him
7 Ɛberɛ a Yosef ani bɔɔ anuanom no so ara pɛ, ɔhunuu sɛ wɔyɛ ne nuanom, nanso ɔyɛɛ ne ho sɛdeɛ ɔnnim wɔn, kasaa anihanehane so kyerɛɛ wɔn. Ɔpoopoo nʼani, bisaa wɔn sɛ, “Mofiri he?” Anuanom no buaa no sɛ, “Yɛfiri Kanaan asase so, na yɛaba sɛ yɛrebɛtɔ aduane.”
and he had recognized them, he spoke harshly, as if to foreigners, questioning them: “Where did you come from?” And they responded, “From the land of Canaan, to buy necessary provisions.”
8 Ɛwom sɛ na Yosef ahunu wɔn sɛ ne nuanom, nanso ne nuanom no deɛ, na wɔnhunuu sɛ, ɔno ne Yosef.
And although he knew his brothers, he was not known by them.
9 Yosef kaee daeɛ a mmerɛ bi ɔso faa wɔn ho no. Ɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Moyɛ akwansrafoɔ! Morebɛhwɛ sɛdeɛ ɛkɔm yi ama yɛn asase yi agyigya.”
And remembering the dreams, which he had seen in another time, he said to them: “You are scouts. You have come in order to see which parts of the land are weaker.”
10 Anuanom no teaam sɛ, “Dabi yɛn wura, ɛnte saa. Yɛbaeɛ sɛ yɛrebɛtɔ aduane.
And they said: “It is not so, my lord. But your servants have arrived in order to buy food.
11 Yɛn nyinaa firi agya baako. Yɛyɛ nnipa pa, na yɛnyɛ akwansrafoɔ saa.”
We are all sons of one man. We have come in peace, nor do any of your subjects devise evil.”
12 Nanso, Yosef ka tii mu sɛ, “Dabi, morebɛhwɛ sɛdeɛ asase no asi agyigya afa.”
And he answered them: “It is otherwise. You have come to examine the unguarded parts of this land.”
13 Anuanom no buaa sɛ, “Yɛn, wʼasomfoɔ, yɛyɛ anuanom dumienu. Yɛyɛ ɔpanin bi a ɔte Kanaan asase so mma. Seesei, yɛn kaakyire no wɔ yɛn agya nkyɛn, ɛnna ɔbaako nso afiri mu.”
But they said: “We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is with our father; the other is not living.”
14 Nanso, Yosef ka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Asɛm a meka kyerɛɛ mo sɛ moyɛ akwansrafoɔ no, ɛno ara ne no.
He said: “This is just as I have said. You are scouts.
15 Ɛkwan a mepɛ sɛ mefa so de sɔ mo hwɛ nie: mmerɛ dodoɔ a Farao te ase yi, meremma mo mfiri Misraim asase so ha nkɔ da, kɔsi sɛ mode mo kaakyire no bɛba.
I will now continue to put you to the test. By the health of Pharaoh, you will not depart from here, until your youngest brother arrives.
16 Monsoma mo mu baako, na ɔnkɔfa mo kaakyire no mmra. Mede mo a moaka no nyinaa bɛgu afiase. Ɛno na ɛbɛma yɛahunu sɛ, mo asɛm a moreka no yɛ nokorɛ anaa ɛnyɛ nokorɛ. Sɛ ɛkɔba sɛ monni nuabarima kumaa a ɔyɛ mo kaakyire a, mmerɛ dodoɔ a Farao te ase yi, na ɛkyerɛ sɛ moyɛ akwansrafoɔ ampa!”
Send one of you and bring him. But you will be in chains, until what you have said is proven to be either true or false. Otherwise, by the health of Pharaoh, you are scouts.”
17 Enti, ɔde wɔn guu afiase hɔ nnansa.
Therefore, he delivered them into custody for three days.
18 Ne nnansa so no, Yosef ka kyerɛɛ ne nuanom no sɛ, “Meyɛ onyamesuroni. Ɛno enti, merebɛma mo ɛkwan ama moasane mo ho sɛ monyɛ akwansrafoɔ.
Then, on the third day, he brought them out of prison, and he said: “Do as I have said, and you will live. For I fear God.
19 Sɛ moyɛ nokwafoɔ ampa ara a, momma mo nua baako nna afiase ha. Mo a moaka no nso, monkɔtɔ aburoo no bi nkɔma mo fiefoɔ a ɛkɔm rekum wɔn no.
If you are peaceful, let one of your brothers be bound in prison. Then you may go away and carry the grain that you have bought to your houses.
20 Nanso, ɛkwan biara so no, momfa mo nua kumaa no mmɛkyerɛ me. Ɛno na ɛbɛma mahunu sɛ, asɛm a moreka no yɛ nokorɛ anaasɛ ɛnyɛ nokorɛ. Na sɛ nokorɛ na moreka deɛ a, mɛgyaa mo.” Wɔpenee abisadeɛ a Yosef de too wɔn anim no so.
And bring your youngest brother to me, so that I may be able to test your words, and you may not die.” They did as he had said,
21 Afei, wɔkeka kyerɛkyerɛɛ wɔn ho wɔn ho sɛ, “Nokorɛm, yɛn nuabarima yi enti na wɔretwe yɛn aso. Yɛhunuu sɛdeɛ wabɔ huboa ne sɛdeɛ ɔsrɛɛ ne nkwa no, nanso yɛantie. Ɛno enti na saa amanehunu yi a aba yɛn so ɛnnɛ yi.”
and they spoke to one another: “We deserve to suffer these things, because we have sinned against our brother, seeing the anguish of his soul, when he begged us and we would not listen. For that reason, this tribulation has come upon us.”
22 Afei, anuanom no mu panin a wɔfrɛ no Ruben no kaa sɛ, “Manka mankyerɛ mo sɛ monnyɛ bɔne biara ntia abarimaa no? Nanso moantie! Afei na ɛsɛ sɛ yɛbu ne mogya ho akonta”
And Reuben, one of them, said: “Did not I say to you, ‘Do not sin against the boy,’ and you would not listen to me? See, his blood is exacted.”
23 Esiane sɛ na obi kyerɛ nsɛm a Yosef ka no ase kyerɛ wɔn no enti, na wɔnnim sɛ Yosef te wɔn kasa.
But they did not know that Joseph understood, because he was speaking to them through an interpreter.
24 Yosef sɔre firii wɔn nkyɛn kɔsuiɛ. Ɔsane baeɛ ne wɔn bɛkasaa bio. Ɔyii Simeon firii wɔn mu, ma wɔkyekyeree no wɔ wɔn anim.
And he turned himself away briefly and wept. And returning, he spoke to them.
25 Yosef hyɛɛ sɛ, wɔnhyɛ wɔn nkotokuo no aburoo ma ma, na wɔnsane mfa obiara sika a anka ɔde rebɛtɔ aburoo nhyɛ ne kotokuo mu, na wɔmma wɔn akwansoduane nso nka ho. Wɔyɛɛ yei maa wɔn.
And taking Simeon, and binding him in their presence, he ordered his ministers to fill their sacks with wheat, and to replace each one’s money in their sacks, and to give them, in addition, provisions for the way. And they did so.
26 Wɔhyehyɛɛ wɔn aburoo nkotokuo no wɔ mfunumu no so, siim sɛ wɔrekɔ wɔn kurom.
Then, having loaded their donkeys with the grain, they set out.
27 Wɔrekɔ no ara, wɔgyinaa ɛkwan so anadwo homeeɛ. Ɛhɔ na wɔn mu baako sanee ne kotokuo ano sɛ ɔrema nʼafunumu aduane adi. Ɔsanee ne kotokuo no ano no, ɔhunuu sɛ ne sika a anka ɔde rekɔtɔ aburoo no hyɛ kotokuo no fa baabi.
And one of them, opening a sack to give his beast of burden fodder at the inn, looked upon the money at the sack’s mouth,
28 Ɔka kyerɛɛ ne nuanom no sɛ, “Wɔde me sika no asane ahyɛ me kotokuo no mu. Monhwɛ. Ɛno nie!” Saa asɛm yi maa wɔn akoma tutuiɛ. Enti, wɔhwehwɛɛ wɔn ho wɔn ho anim kaa sɛ, “Ɛdeɛn anwanwadeɛ na Onyankopɔn ayɛ yɛn yi?”
and he said to his brothers: “My money has returned to me. See, it is held in the sack.” And they were astonished and troubled, and they said to one another, “What is this that God has done to us?”
29 Wɔduruu wɔn agya Yakob nkyɛn wɔ Kanaan no, wɔbɔɔ no nsɛm a asisi no nyinaa ho amaneɛ. Wɔkaa sɛ,
And they went to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, and they explained to him all the things that had befallen them, saying:
30 “Yɛduruu Misraim asase so no, ɔbarima a ɔhwɛ asase no so no a ɔyɛ asase no so ɔhene ɔboafoɔ no poopoo nʼani, kasaa anihanehane so kyerɛɛ yɛn sɛ, yɛyɛ akwansrafoɔ.
“The lord of the land spoke harshly to us, and he considered us to be scouts of the province.
31 Nanso, yɛbuaa no sɛ, ‘Yɛyɛ nnipa pa, na yɛnyɛ akwansrafoɔ.
And we answered him: ‘We are peaceful, and we do not intend any treachery.
32 Yɛyɛ anuanom dumienu a yɛfiri agya baako. Ɔbaako afiri mu. Seesei, yɛn kaakyire no wɔ yɛn agya nkyɛn wɔ Kanaan.’
We are twelve brothers conceived of one father. One is not living; the youngest is with our father in the land of Canaan.’
33 “Afei, ɔbarima a ɔhwɛ asase no so ka kyerɛɛ yɛn sɛ, ‘Ɛkwan a mepɛ sɛ mefa so de sɔ mo hwɛ nie: Monnya mo nuanom baako wɔ me nkyɛn ha, na monkɔtɔ aburoo no bi nkɔma mo fiefoɔ a ɛkɔm rekum wɔn no.
And he said to us: ‘Thus will I prove that you are peaceful. Release one of your brothers to me, and take necessary provisions for your houses, and go away,
34 Nanso, momfa mo nua kumaa no mmɛkyerɛ me. Ɛno na ɛbɛma mahunu sɛ monyɛ akwansrafoɔ na moyɛ nnipa pa. Na mede mo nua no bɛma mo, na mobɛtumi abɛtɔ aburoo no bi wɔ asase yi so mpɛn dodoɔ biara a mopɛ.’”
and bring your youngest brother to me, so that I may know that you are not scouts. And this one, who is held in chains, you may be able to receive again. And thereafter, you shall have permission to buy what you want.’”
35 Ɛberɛ a wɔrehwiehwie wɔn aburoo no afiri wɔn nkotokuo no mu no, obiara hunuu ne sika a anka ɔde rekɔtua aburoo no ka wɔ ne kotokuo no ano. Wɔne wɔn agya hunuu sika no, wɔn akoma tutuiɛ.
Having said this, when they poured out their grain, each found his money tied to the mouth of his sack. And all were terrified together.
36 Ɛyɛɛ saa maa wɔn agya Yakob ka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Moama mahwere me mma. Yosef nni hɔ; Simeon nso nni hɔ; afei mopɛ sɛ mofa Benyamin nso ka ho! Biribiara ko tia me.”
Their father Jacob said, “You have caused me to be without children. Joseph is not living, Simeon is held in chains, and Benjamin you would carry away. All these evils have fallen back upon me.”
37 Ruben ka kyerɛɛ nʼagya sɛ, “Sɛ mamfa Benyamin ansane amma a, wowɔ ho kwan sɛ wokum me mmammarima baanu no si anan. Fa no hyɛ me nsa, na mɛsane mede no abrɛ wo.”
And Reuben answered him, “Put my two sons to death, if I do not lead him back to you. Deliver him into my hand, and I will restore him to you.”
38 Nanso, Yakob buaa sɛ, “Me babarima no ne monnkɔ hɔ, ɛfiri sɛ, ne nuabarima awu ama aka ɔno nko. Sɛ saa akwantuo a morebɛtu yi, asiane bi kɔsiane no a, mɛwu.” (Sheol )
But he said: “My son will not go down with you. His brother is dead, and he is left alone. If any adversity will befall him in the land to which you travel, you would lead my grey hairs down with sorrow to the grave.” (Sheol )