< Genesis 44 >

1 And he commanded the steward of his house, saying: 'Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's money in his sack's mouth.
And he commaunded the rueler of his house saynge: fyll the mens sackes with food as moch as they can carie
2 And put my goblet, the silver goblet, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, and his corn money.' And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.
and put euery mans money in his bagge mouth and put my syluer cuppe in the sackes mouth of the yongest and his corne money also. And he dyd as Ioseph had sayde.
3 As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses.
And in ye mornynge as soone as it was lighte the me were let goo with their asses.
4 And when they were gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward: 'Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them: Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good?
And when they were out of the cytie and not yet ferre awaye Ioseph sayde vnto the ruelar of his house: vp and folowe after the men and ouertake them and saye vnto them: wherefore haue ye rewarded euell for good?
5 Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby he indeed divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.'
is that not the cuppe of which my lorde drynketh ad doth he not prophesie therin? ye haue euell done that ye haue done.
6 And he overtook them, and he spoke unto them these words.
And he ouertoke them and sayde the same wordes vnto them.
7 And they said unto him: 'Wherefore speaketh my lord such words as these? Far be it from thy servants that they should do such a thing.
And they answered him: wherfore sayth my lorde soch wordes? God forbydd that thy servauntes shulde doo so.
8 Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks' mouths, 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?
Beholde the money which we founde in oure sackes mouthes we brought agayne vnto the out of the lande of Canaa: how then shulde we steale out of my lordes house ether syluer or golde?
9 With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen.'
with whosoeuer of thy seruauntes it be founde let him dye and let vs also be my lordes bondmen.
10 And he said: 'Now also let it be according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my bondman; and ye shall be blameless.'
And he sayde: Now therfore acordynge vnto youre woordes he with whom it is found shalbe my seruaunte: but ye shalbe harmelesse.
11 Then they hastened, and took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack.
And attonce euery man toke downe his sacke to the grounde ad every man opened his sacke.
12 And he searched, beginning at the eldest, and leaving off at the youngest; and the goblet was found in Benjamin's sack.
And he serched and began at the eldest and left at the yongest. And the cuppe was founde in Ben Iamins sacke.
13 And they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.
Then they rent their clothes and laded euery man his asse and went agayne vnto the cytie.
14 And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house, and he was yet there; and they fell before him on the ground.
And Iuda and his brethre came to Iosephs house for he was yet there ad they fell before him on the grounde.
15 And Joseph said unto them: 'What deed is this that ye have done? know ye not that such a man as I will indeed divine?'
And Ioseph sayde vnto the: what dede is this which ye haue done? wist ye not that soch a man as I can prophesie?
16 And Judah said: 'What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants; behold, we are my lord's bondmen, both we, and he also in whose hand the cup is found.'
Then sayde Iuda: what shall we saye vnto my lorde what shall we speake or what excuse can we make? God hath founde out ye wekednesse of thy seruauntes. Beholde both we and he with whom the cuppe is founde are thy seruauntes.
17 And he said: 'Far be it from me that I should do so; the man in whose hand the goblet is found, he shall be my bondman; but as for you, get you up in peace unto your father.'
And he answered: God forbyd ye I shulde do so the man with whom the cuppe is founde he shalbe my seruaunte: but goo ye in peace vn to youre father.
18 Then Judah came near unto him, and said: 'Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant; for thou art even as Pharaoh.
Then Iuda went vnto him and sayde: oh my lorde let thy servaunte speake a worde in my lordes audyence and be not wrooth with thi servaunte: for thou art euen as Pharao.
19 My lord asked his servants, saying: Have ye a father, or a brother?
My lorde axed his seruaunte sainge: haue ye a father or a brother?
20 And we said unto my lord: We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him.
And we answered my lord we haue a father that is old and a yonge lad which he begat in his age: ad the brother of the sayde lad is dead and he is all that is left of that mother. And his father loueth him.
21 And thou saidst unto thy servants: Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him.
Then sayde my lorde vnto his seruauntes brynge him vnto me that I maye sett myne eyes apon him.
22 And we said unto my lord: The lad cannot leave his father; for if he should leave his father, his father would die.
And we answered my lorde that the lad coude not goo from his father for if he shulde leaue his father he were but a deed man.
23 And thou saidst unto thy servants: Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more.
Than saydest thou vnto thy servauntes: excepte youre yongest brother come with you loke that ye se my face no moare.
24 And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.
And when we came vnto thy servaunt oure father we shewed him what my lorde had sayde.
25 And our father said: Go again, buy us a little food.
And when oure father sayde vnto vs goo agayne and bye vs a litle fode:
26 And we said: We cannot go down; if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down; for we may not see the man's face, except our youngest brother be with us.
we sayd yt we coude not goo. Neverthelesse if oure youngeste brother go with vs then will we goo for we maye not see the mannes face excepte oure yongest brother be with vs.
27 And thy servant my father said unto us: Ye know that my wife bore me two sons;
Then sayde thy servaunt oure father vnto vs. Ye knowe that my wyfe bare me. ij. sonnes.
28 and the one went out from me, and I said: Surely he is torn in pieces; and I have not seen him since;
And the one went out from me and it is sayde of a suertie that he is torne in peaces of wyld beastes and I sawe him not sence.
29 and if ye take this one also from me, and harm befall him, ye will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave. (Sheol h7585)
Yf ye shall take this also awaye fro me and some mysfortune happen apon him then shall ye brynge my gray heed with sorow vnto the grave. (Sheol h7585)
30 Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad is not with us; seeing that his soul is bound up with the lad's soul;
Now therfore whe I come to thy servaunt my father yf the lad be not with me: seinge that his lyfe hageth by the laddes lyfe
31 it will come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die; and thy servants will bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave. (Sheol h7585)
then as soone as he seeth that the lad is not come he will dye. So shall we thy servautes brynge the gray hedde of thy servaunt oure father with sorow vnto the grave. (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 bear the blame to my father for ever.
For I thy servaunt became suertie for the lad vnto my father and sayde: yf I bringe him not vnto the agayne. I will bere the blame all my life loge.
33 Now therefore, let thy servant, I pray thee, abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren.
Now therfore let me thy servaunt byde here for ye lad and be my lordes bondman: and let the lad goo home with his brethern.
34 For how shall I go up to my father, if the lad be not with me? lest I look upon the evil that shall come on my father.'
For how can I goo vnto my father and the lad not wyth me: lest I shulde see the wretchednes that shall come on my father.

< Genesis 44 >