Genesis 44

1 And he commanded the superintendent of his house, saying, Fill the sacks of these men with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's money in the mouth of his sack.

Then he instructed the manager of his house, saying, "Fill the men's sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each man's silver in the mouth of his sack.

2 And my cup, the silver cup, thou shalt put in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and the money for his corn. And he did according to the word of Joseph which he had spoken.

Put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, along with the silver for his grain." So he did according to the word that Joseph had told him.

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

As soon as the morning dawned, the men were sent off along with their donkeys.

4 They were gone out of the city, not yet far off, when Joseph said unto the superintendent of his house, Up, follow after the men; and when thou hast overtaken them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye returned evil for good?

When they were far from the city, Joseph said to his manager, "Up, go after the men, and when you overtake them, ask them, 'Why have you repaid evil for good?

5 Is not this out of which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.

Why have you stolen my silver cup? Isn't it from this that my lord drinks and by which he indeed uses for divination? You have done evil in doing this.'"

6 And he overtook them, and he spoke unto them these same words.

And he caught up with them and spoke these words to them.

7 And they said unto him, Wherefore will my lord speak such words as these? God forbid that thy servants should do any thing like this.

But they said to him, "Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants that they should do such a thing.

8 Behold the money, which we found in the mouth of our sacks, we brought back unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold?

Look, the money that we found in the mouths of our sacks we brought back to you from the land of Canaan. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord's house?

9 With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, let him die; and we also will be bondmen unto thy lord.

With whomever of your servants it is found, he must die, and we also will be my lord's slaves."

10 And he said, Now also let it be according to your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; but ye shall be blameless.

And he said, "Very well, then, it will be as you say. The one with whom it is found will be my slave, but you will be blameless."

11 And they made haste, and every one of them took down his sack to the ground, and every one opened his sack.

Then they hurried, and each man lowered his sack to the ground, and each man opened his sack.

12 And he searched, at the eldest he began, and at the youngest he left off; and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.

And he searched, beginning with the oldest, and ending at the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.

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

Then they tore their clothes, and each man loaded his donkey and returned to the city.

14 And Judah and his brothers came into Joseph's house, and he was yet there; and they fell down before him on the ground.

So Judah and his brothers came to Joseph's house, and he was still there, and they fell to the ground before him.

15 And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? knew ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?

And Joseph said to them, "What is this deed that you have done? Didn't you know that a man like me can indeed practice divination?"

16 And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we justify ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold we are servants unto my lord, both we, as also he in whose hand the cup was found.

Then Judah said, "What can we say to my lord? What can we speak? And how can we clear ourselves? God has uncovered the guilt of your servants. Look, we are my lord's slaves, both we, and the one in whose possession the cup was found."

17 And he said, God forbid that I should do this: the man in whose hand the cup was found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, go you up in peace unto your father.

But he said, "Far be it from me that I should do so. The man in whose possession the cup was found, he will be my slave. But as for you, go up to your father in peace."

18 Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Pardon, 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.

Then Judah approached him, and said, "My lord, please allow your servant to speak a word in the ears of my lord, and do not become angry with your servant, for you are like Pharaoh himself.

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

My lord asked his servants, saying, 'Do you have a father or a brother?'

20 And we said unto my lord, We have an old father, and a little child born in his old age; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him.

And we said to my lord, 'We have a father, an old man, and a child born when he was old, a little one, and his brother is dead, and he is his mother's only child, and his father loves him.'

21 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set my eye upon him.

Then you said to your servants, 'Bring him down to me, so that I can see him myself.'

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

And we said to my lord, 'The boy can't leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die.'

23 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall not see my face any more.

But you said to your servants, 'Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.'

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

And it happened when we came up to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.

25 And our father said, Go back and buy us a little food.

But our father said, 'Go again, buy us a little food.'

26 And we said, We cannot go down: if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down; for we cannot see the man's face, except our youngest brother be with us.

We said, 'We can't go down. If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down, for we cannot see the man's face unless our youngest brother is with us.'

27 And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bore me two sons;

Then your servant my father said to us, 'You know that my wife bore me two sons.

28 And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he hath been torn to pieces; and I have not seen him up to this time.

And the one disappeared from me, and I said, "Surely he is torn in pieces." And I haven't seen him since.

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

If you take this one also from me, and harm happens to him, you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol. (Sheol h7585)

30 And now, when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life;

So now, when I come to your servant my father and the boy is not with us, since his life is bound up in the boy's life,

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

it will happen, when he sees that the boy is not with us, that he will die. Your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to Sheol. (Sheol h7585)

32 For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then shall I have sinned against my father all the days.

For your servant became collateral for the boy to my father, saying, 'If I do not bring him to you, then I will bear the blame to my father forever.'

33 Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad as bond-man to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brothers.

So now, please let your servant remain instead of the boy, a slave to my lord, and let the boy go up with his brothers.

34 For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? I should perhaps be compelled to witness the evil which would come on my father.

For how will I go up to my father if the boy isn't with me? I could not bear to see the misery that would come on my father."