Genesis 44

1 Then commanded he him who was over his house saying—Fill the sacks of the men, with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s silver in the mouth of his sack;

Then he gave orders to the servant who was over his house, saying, Put as much food into the men's bags as will go into them, and put every man's money in the mouth of his bag;

2 and my cup—the cup of silver, shalt thou put in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, with his corn-silver. So he did, according to the word of Joseph, which he had spoken.

And put my cup, my silver cup, in the youngest one's bag, with his money. So he did as Joseph said.

3 By the time, the morning, was light, the men, had been sent away, they, and their asses.

And at dawn the men, with their asses, were sent away.

4 They themselves, had gone out of the city—they had not gone far, when Joseph said to him who was over his house, Rise chase after the men, —so shalt thou overtake them and shalt say unto them, Wherefore have ye requited evil for good?

And when they had gone only a little way out of the town, Joseph said to the servant who was over his house, Go after them; and when you overtake them, say to them, Why have you done evil in reward for good?

5 Is not this that in which my lord drinketh, and whereby, he himself, doth divine? Ye have done evil in what ye have done.

Is not this the cup from which my lord takes wine and by which he gets knowledge of the future? Truly, you have done evil.

6 So he overtook them, —and spake unto them these words.

So he overtook them and said these words to them.

7 And they said unto him, Wherefore should my lord speak such words as these? Far be thy servants, from doing such a thing as this!

And they said to him, Why does my lord say such words as these? far be it from your servants to do such a thing:

8 Lo! the silver that we found in the mouth of our sacks, we brought back unto thee out of the land of Canaan, —how then could we steal out of the house of thy lord, silver or gold?

See, the money which was in the mouth of our bags we gave back to you when we came again from Canaan: how then might we take silver or gold from your lord's house?

9 With whomsoever of thy servants it can be found, he shall die, —and, we also, will become my lord’s servants.

If it comes to light that any of your servants has done this, let him be put to death, and we will be your lord's servants.

10 And he said, Yea, now, according to your words, so, let it be, —he with whom it is found, shall be my servant, Ye, however, shall be clear.

And he said, Let it be as you say: he in whose bag it is seen will become my servant; and you will not be responsible.

11 So they hastened and took down each man his sack to the ground, —and opened each man his sack.

Then every man quickly got his bag down and undid it.

12 Then made he thorough search, with the eldest, he began, and with the youngest, he ended, —and the cup was found in the sack of Benjamin!

And he made a search, starting with the oldest and ending with the youngest; and the cup was in Benjamin's bag.

13 And they rent their mantles, —and laded each man his ass, and returned to the city.

Then in bitter grief they put the bags on the asses again and went back to the town.

14 And Judah and his brethren came into the house of Joseph, he, yet being there, —and fell down before him to the earth.

So Judah and his brothers came to Joseph's house; and he was still there: and they went down on their faces before him.

15 And Joseph said to them, What is this deed which ye have done? Know ye not that such a man as I, can even divine?

And Joseph said, What is this thing which you have done? had you no thought that such a man as I would have power to see what is secret?

16 Then said Judah—What shall we say to my lord, how shall we speak and how shall we justify ourselves, —when, God himself, hath found out the iniquity of thy servants? Behold us! my lord’s servants, both we, and he in whose hand the cup hath been found.

And Judah said, What are we to say to my lord? how may we put ourselves right in his eyes? God has made clear the sin of your servants: now we are in your hands, we and the man in whose bag your cup was seen.

17 And he said, Far be it from me to do this thing! The man in whose hand the cup hath been found, he, shall be my servant, but as for you, go ye up in peace unto your father.

Then he said, Far be it from me to do so: but the man who had my cup will be my servant; and you may go back to your father in peace.

18 Then Judah drew near unto him, and said—Pardon my lord! Pray let thy servant speak a word in the ears of my lord, and do not let thine anger be kindled against thy servant, —for, thus, art, thou as Pharaoh!

Then Judah came near him, and said, Let your servant say a word in my lord's ears, and let not your wrath be burning against your servant: for you are in the place of Pharaoh to us.

19 It was, my lord, who asked his servants, saying, —Have ye a father, or a brother?

My lord said to his servants, Have you a father or a brother?

20 So we said unto my lord, We have an aged father, and the child of his old age a youth, —his brother, being dead, he alone, is left of his mother and, his father, loveth him.

And we said to my lord, We have an old father and a young child, whom he had when he was old; his brother is dead and he is the only son of his mother, and is very dear to his father.

21 So then thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, —that I may set mine eyes upon him.

And you said to your servants, Let him come down to me with you, so that I may see him.

22 And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father, —as surely as he leaveth his father, so surely will he, die.

And we said to my lord, His father will not let him go; for if he went away his father would come to his death.

23 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother do come down with you, ye shall not again behold my face.

But you said to your servants, If your youngest brother does not come with you, you will not see my face again.

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

And when we went back to your servant, our father, we gave him an account of my lord's words.

25 Then said our father, —Go again buy us a little food,

And our father said, Go again and get 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 face of the man if, our youngest brother, is not with us.

And we said, Only if our youngest brother goes with us will we go down; for we may not see the man's face again if our youngest brother is not with us.

27 Then said thy servant my father, unto us, —Ye yourselves, know, that, two, did my wife bear to me,

And our father said to us, You have knowledge that my wife gave me two sons;

28 and the one went forth from me, and I said—Certainly he hath been, torn in pieces, —And I have never seen him since.

The one went away from me, and I said, Truly he has come to a violent death; and from that time I have not seen him,

29 As surely as ye take, this one also, away from before my face and there befall him any mischief, so surely shall ye bring down my grey hairs, with misfortune to hades. (Sheol h7585)

If now you take this one from me, and some evil comes to him, you will make my grey head go down in sorrow to the underworld. (Sheol h7585)

30 Now, therefore, as surely as I go in unto thy servant my father, and, the lad, is not with us, —seeing that his soul is bound up with the lad’s soul,

If then I go back to your servant, my father, without the boy, because his life and the boy's life are one,

31 so surely shall it come to pass that when he seeth that the lad is not with us, then will he die. So shall thy servants bring down the grey hairs of thy servant our father, with sorrow to hades. (Sheol h7585)

When he sees that the boy is not with us, he will come to his death, and our father's grey head will go down in sorrow to the underworld. (Sheol h7585)

32 For thy servant, became surety for the lad, while away from my father saying, —If I bring him not unto thee, then will I count myself a sinner against my father all the days.

For I made myself responsible for the boy to my father, saying, If I do not give him safely back to you, let mine be the sin for ever.

33 Now, therefore, I pray thee let thy servant remain instead of the lad, as servant to my lord, —but as for the lad, let him go up with his brethren.

So now let me be my lord's servant here in place of the boy, and let him go back with his brothers.

34 For how can I go up unto my father, should the lad, not be with me? lest I look on the calamity, that shall find out my father,

For how may I go back to my father without the boy, and see the evil which will come on my father?