Genesis 43
1 The famine was severe in the land.
Indlala yayilokhu inkulu kakhulu elizweni.
2 When they had eaten up the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again, buy us a little more food.”
Ngakho kwathi sebekuqedile konke ukudla ababekuthenge eGibhithe, uyise wathi kubo, “Buyelani liyesithengela njalo okunye ukudla okunenganyana.”
3 Judah spoke to him, saying, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’
Kodwa uJuda wathi kuye, “Indoda leyo yasiqonqosela yathi, ‘Ngeke liphinde libubone ubuso bami ngaphandle kokuba lilomnawenu.’
4 If you’ll send our brother with us, we’ll go down and buy you food;
Nxa uzamvumela umnawethu ukuthi sihambe laye, sizahamba siyekuthengela ukudla.
5 but if you don’t send him, we won’t go down, for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’”
Kodwa nxa ungezukuvuma, ngeke sibuyele, ngoba phela indoda leyo yathi kithi, ‘Ngeke liphinde libubone ubuso bami nxa umnawenu lingelaye.’”
6 Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly, telling the man that you had another brother?”
U-Israyeli wabuza wathi, “Likwenzeleni lina ukungehlisela uhlupho lolu ngokuyitshela indoda leyo ukuthi lilomnawenu na?”
7 They said, “The man asked directly concerning ourselves, and concerning our relatives, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ We just answered his questions. Is there any way we could know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?”
Baphendula bathi, “Leyondoda isibuzisisile ngathi langendlu yangakithi yathi, ‘Uyihlo usaphila na? Lilaye na omunye umfowenu?’ Thina besiphendula imibuzo yayo kuphela. Sasingazi kanjani ukuthi yayizakuthi, ‘Mletheni umnawenu lapha’?”
8 Judah said to Israel, his father, “Send the boy with me, and we’ll get up and go, so that we may live, and not die, both we, and you, and also our little ones.
UJuda wasesithi ku-Israyeli uyise, “Wothi umfana ahambe lami, sizahle sisuke nje masinyane, ukwenzela ukuthi thina lawe kanye labantwabethu siphile, singafi.
9 I’ll be collateral for him. From my hand will you require him. If I don’t bring him to you, and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever;
Mina ngokwami ngizazinikela ngokuphepha kwakhe; umlandu wonke ngaye awubekwe phezu kwami. Nxa ngingambuyisi kuwe ngimbeke phambi kwakho, ngizakuba lecala kuwe impilo yami yonke.
10 for if we hadn’t delayed, surely we would have returned a second time by now.”
Njengoba kunje nje, aluba asizilingananga ngabe sesihambe saphenduka kwaze kwaba kabili.”
11 Their father, Israel, said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Take from the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry down a present for the man, a little balm, a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts, and almonds;
Ngakho uyise u-Israyeli wasesithi kubo, “Nxa kumele kube njalo, yenzani lokhu: Fakani emasakeni enu ezinye izinto ezinhle kakhulu eziphuma kulelilizwe lihambe lazo kulowomuntu zibe yisipho, amagcobo okuthambisa loluju, iziyoliso ezithile lemure, izilimo ezicacadwayo zephistakhiyo le-alimondi.
12 and take double money in your hand, and take back the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight.
Thathani isiliva esiphindwe kabili, ngoba kufanele libuyisele lesosiliva esasibuyiselwe emasakeni enu. Mhlawumbe kwaba yisiphosiso.
13 Take your brother also, get up, and return to the man.
Mthatheni umnawenu laye libuyele kuleyondoda ngokuphangisa.
14 May God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.”
Sengathi uNkulunkulu uSomandla angalenzela umusa kuleyondoda ukuze ivumele omunye umfowenu kanye loBhenjamini baphenduke lani. Mina ngokwami ngithi, kambe okungayisikufa yikuphi!”
15 The men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and got up, went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
Ngakho amadoda athatha izipho lesiliva esiphindwe kabili kanye loBhenjamini. Batshitsha baya eGibhithe bayazibika kuJosefa.
16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Bring the men into the house, and butcher an animal, and prepare; for the men will dine with me at noon.”
Kwathi uJosefa ebona uBhenjamini ekanye labo, wathi encekwini yendlu yakhe, “Hamba lamadoda la endlini yami, uwahlabele isifuyo ulungise ukudla; bazakudla lami emini.”
17 The man did as Joseph commanded, and the man brought the men to Joseph’s house.
Indoda yenza njengokutshelwa kwayo nguJosefa, yawathatha amadoda yahamba lawo endlini kaJosefa.
18 The men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph’s house; and they said, “Because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time, we’re brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, attack us, and seize us as slaves, along with our donkeys.”
Amadoda ethuka ebona elethwa endlini kaJosefa. Bacabanga ukuthi, “Silethwe lapha ngenxa yesiliva esabuyiselwa emasakeni ethu ekufikeni kwethu kwakuqala. Ufuna ukusihlasela asehlule, abesesithumba sibe yizigqili athathe obabhemi bethu.”
19 They came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they spoke to him at the door of the house,
Ngakho baya encekwini kaJosefa bayakhuluma laye entubeni eya endlini.
20 and said, “Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food.
Bathi, “Ake usizwe, nkosi yethu: Safika lapha kuqala sizothenga ukudla.
21 When we came to the lodging place, we opened our sacks, and behold, each man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. We have brought it back in our hand.
Kodwa lapho esaphumula khona ebusuku savula amasaka ethu, kwaba ngulowo wethu wafumana isiliva sakhe, siphelele ubunzima baso, sisemlonyeni wesaka lakhe. Ngakho size laso.
22 We have brought down other money in our hand to buy food. We don’t know who put our money in our sacks.”
Size lesinye isiliva phezu kwaleso ukuthi sithenge ukudla. Kasikwazi ukuthi ngubani owabuyisela isiliva emasakeni ethu.”
23 He said, “Peace be to you. Don’t be afraid. Your God, and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks. I received your money.” He brought Simeon out to them.
Wathi, “Kulungile. Lingesabi. UNkulunkulu wenu, uNkulunkulu kayihlo, uliphile inotho emasakeni enu; mina ngasiphiwa isiliva senu.” Emva kwalokho waseletha uSimiyoni kubo.
24 The man brought the men into Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet. He gave their donkeys fodder.
Inceku yasiwangenisa amadoda endlini kaJosefa, yawapha amanzi okugeza inyawo zawo, yaletha lotshani babobabhemi bawo.
25 They prepared the present for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there.
Balungisa izipho zabo balindela ukufika kukaJosefa emini ngoba basebezwile ukuthi babezakudla khonapho.
26 When Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves down to the earth before him.
UJosefa esefikile bethula izipho ababengene lazo endlini, njalo bakhothama kuye phansi.
27 He asked them of their welfare, and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he yet alive?”
Wababuza ukuphila, wasesithi, “Linjani ixhegu elinguyihlo elangitshela ngalo? Lilokhu lisaphila na?”
28 They said, “Your servant, our father, is well. He is still alive.” They bowed down humbly.
Baphendula bathi, “Inceku yakho, ubaba, ulokhu esaphila njalo usaqinile.” Bakhothama njalo betshengisa inhlonipho.
29 He lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin, his brother, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?” He said, “God be gracious to you, my son.”
Wathi elokhu ebakhangela wabona umnawakhe uBhenjamini, umntakanina sibili, wabuza wathi, “Nguye lo umnawenu olicinathunjana na, lowo elangitshela ngaye?” Wasesithi kuye, “UNkulunkulu kabe lomusa kuwe, ndodana yami.”
30 Joseph hurried, for his heart yearned over his brother; and he sought a place to weep. He entered into his room, and wept there.
Wathinteka kakhulu ngokubona umnawakhe, uJosefa waphangisa waphuma wayafuna indawo yokukhala. Waya ekamelweni lakhe wayakhalela khona.
31 He washed his face, and came out. He controlled himself, and said, “Serve the meal.”
Wathi esegezile amehlo waphuma, wazibamba, wasesithi, “Phakululani ukudla.”
32 They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians don’t eat with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.
Yena bamupha yedwa, abafowabo labo bodwa, kwathi lamaGibhithe ayesidla laye lawo aba wodwa, ngoba amaGibhithe ayengeke adla lamaHebheru, ngoba lokho kwakunengeka kumaGibhithe.
33 They sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth, and the men marveled with one another.
Amadoda la ayehlezi ngobudala bawo kuqala ngezibulo kusiyacina ngecinathunjana; bakhangelana bemangele.
34 He sent portions to them from before him, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. They drank, and were merry with him.
Kwakusithi nxa bephakelwa kusuka etafuleni likaJosefa, isabelo sikaBhenjamini sasisedluliswa kahlanu kwesabanye. Ngakho bazitika banatha laye bekhululekile.
