Genesis 44

1 And Joseph commanded the steward of his house, saying: Fill their sacks with corn, as much as they can hold: and put the money of every one in the top of his sack.

Afterward he commanded his steward, saying, Fill the mens sackes with foode, as much as they can carry, and put euery mans money in his sackes mouth.

2 And in the mouth of the younger’s sack put my silver cup, and the price which he gave for the wheat. And it was so done.

And put my cup, I meane the siluer cup, in the sackes mouth of the yongest, and his corne money. And he did according to the commandement that Ioseph gaue him.

3 And when the morning arose, they were sent away with their asses.

And in the morning the men were sent away, they, and their asses.

4 And when they were now departed out of the city, and had gone forward a little way; Joseph sending for the steward of his house, said: Arise, and pursue after the men: and when thou hast overtaken them, say to them: Why have you returned evil for good?

And when they went out of the citie not farre off, Ioseph sayd to his stewarde, Vp, follow after the men: and when thou doest ouertake them, say vnto them, Wherefore haue ye rewarded euill for good?

5 The cup which you have stolen is that in which my lord drinketh, and in which he is wont to divine: you have done a very evil thing.

Is that not the cuppe, wherein my Lord drinketh? and in the which he doeth deuine and prophecie? ye haue done euill in so doing.

6 He did as he had commanded him. And having overtaken them, he spoke to them the same words.

And when he ouertooke them, he sayde those wordes vnto them.

7 And they answered: Why doth our lord speak so, as though thy servants had committed so heinous a fact?

And they answered him, Wherefore sayeth my lorde such wordes? God forbid that thy seruants should do such a thing.

8 The money, that we found in the top of our sacks, we brought back to thee from the land of Chanaan: how then should it be that we should steal out of thy lord’s house, gold or silver?

Behold, the money which we found in our sackes mouthes, wee brought againe to thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steale out of thy lordes house siluer or golde?

9 With whomsoever of thy servants shall be found that which thou seekest, let him die, and we will be the bondmen of my lord.

With whomesoeuer of thy seruants it bee found, let him dye, and we also will be my lordes bondmen.

10 And he said to them: Let it be according to your sentence: with whomsoever it shall be found, let him be my servant, and you shall be blameless.

And he said, Now then let it be according vnto your wordes: he with whome it is found, shall be my seruant, and ye shalbe blamelesse.

11 Then they speedily took down their sacks to the ground, and every man opened his sack.

Then at once euery man tooke downe his sacke to the grounde, and euery one opened his sacke.

12 Which when he had searched, beginning at the eldest and ending at the youngest, he found the cup in Benjamin’s sack.

And he searched, and began at the eldest and left at the yongest: and the cuppe was found in Beniamins sacke.

13 Then they rent their garments, and loading their asses again, returned into the town.

Then they rent their clothes, and laded euery man his asse, and went againe into the citie.

14 And Juda at the head of his brethren went in to Joseph, (for he was not yet gone out of the place), and they altogether fell down before him on the ground.

So Iudah and his brethren came to Iosephs house (for he was yet there) and they fel before him on the ground.

15 And he said to them: Why would you do so? know you not that there is no one like me in the science of divining.

Then Ioseph sayd vnto them, What acte is this, which ye haue done? know ye not that such a man as I, can deuine and prophecie?

16 And Juda said to him: What shall we answer my lord? or what shall we say, or be able justly to allege? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are all bondmen to my lord, both we, and he with whom the cup was found.

Then sayd Iudah, What shall we say vnto my lord? what shall we speake? and howe can we iustifie our selues? God hath found out the wickednesse of thy seruants: beholde, we are seruants to my Lord, both wee, and he, with whome the cuppe is founde.

17 Joseph answered: God forbid that I should do so: he that stole the cup, he shall be my bondman: and go you away free to your father.

But he answered, God forbid, that I should doe so, but the man, with whome the cuppe is founde, he shalbe my seruant, and go ye in peace vnto your father.

18 Then Juda coming nearer, said boldly: I beseech thee, my lord, let thy servant speak a word in thy ears, and be not angry with thy servant: for after Pharao thou art,

Then Iudah drewe neere vnto him, and sayde, O my Lord, let thy seruant nowe speake a worde in my lordes eares, and let not thy wrath be kindled against thy seruant: for thou art euen as Pharaoh.

19 My lord. Thou didst ask thy servants the first time: Have you a father or a brother?

My Lord asked his seruants, saying, Haue ye a father, or a brother?

20 And we answered thee, my lord: We have a father an old man, and a young boy, that was born in his old age; whose brother by the mother is dead: and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him tenderly.

And we answered my Lord, We haue a father that is olde, and a young childe, which he begate in his age: and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loueth him.

21 And thou saidst to thy servants: Bring him hither to me, and I will set my eyes on him.

Now thou saidest vnto thy seruants, Bring him vnto me, that I may set mine eye vpon him.

22 We suggested to my lord: The boy cannot leave his father: for if he leave him, he will die.

And we answered my lord, The childe can not depart from his father: for if he leaue his father, his father would die.

23 And thou saidst to thy servants: Except your youngest brother come with you, you shall see my face no more.

Then saydest thou vnto thy seruants, Except your yonger brother come downe with you, looke in my face no more.

24 Therefore when we were gone up to thy servant our father, we told him all that my lord had said.

So when we came vnto thy seruant our father, and shewed him what my lord had sayd,

25 And our father said: Go again, and buy us a little wheat.

And our father sayde vnto vs, Goe againe, bye vs a litle foode,

26 And we said to him: We cannot go: if our youngest brother go down with us, we will set out together: otherwise, without him we dare not see the man’s face.

Then we answered, We can not go downe: but if our yongest brother go with vs, then will we go downe: for we may not see the mans face, except our yongest brother be with vs.

27 Whereunto he answered: You know that my wife bore me two.

Then thy seruant my father sayde vnto vs, Ye knowe that my wife bare me two sonnes,

28 One went out, and you said: A beast devoured him: and hitherto he appeareth not.

And the one went out from me, and I said, Of a suretie he is torne in pieces, and I sawe him not since.

29 If you take this also, and any thing befall him in the way you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow unto hell. (Sheol h7585)

Nowe yee take this also away from me: if death take him, then yee shall bring my graye head in sorowe to the graue. (Sheol h7585)

30 Therefore if I shall go to thy servant our father, and the boy be wanting, (whereas his life dependeth upon the life of him, )

Nowe therefore, when I come to thy seruant my father, and the childe be not with vs (seeing that his life dependeth on the childes life)

31 And he shall see that he is not with us, he will die, and thy servants shall bring down his gray hairs with sorrow unto hell. (Sheol h7585)

Then when hee shall see that the childe is not come, he will die: so shall thy seruants bring the graye head of thy seruant our father with sorowe to the graue. (Sheol h7585)

32 Let me be thy proper servant, who took him into my trust, and promised, saying: If I bring him not again, I will be guilty of sin against my father for ever.

Doubtlesse thy seruant became suertie for the childe to my father, and said, If I bring him not vnto thee againe, then I will beare the blame vnto my father for euer.

33 Therefore I thy servant will stay instead of the boy in the service of my lord, and let the boy go up with his brethren.

Nowe therefore, I pray thee, let me thy seruant bide for the childe, as a seruant to my Lord, and let the childe go vp with his brethren.

34 For I cannot return to my father without the boy, lest I be a witness of the calamity that will oppress my father.

For how can I go vp to my father, if the childe be not with me, vnlesse I woulde see the euil that shall come on my father?