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 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 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.

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

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

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?

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 that in which my lord drinketh, and whereby, he himself, doth divine? Ye have done evil in what ye have done.

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

And he caught up with them and spoke 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!

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 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?

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 can be found, he shall die, —and, we also, will become my lord’s servants.

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

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

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

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

13 And they rent their mantles, —and laded each man his ass, and 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 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 fell to the ground 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 to them, "What is this deed that you have done? Didn't you know that a man like me can indeed practice divination?"

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.

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, 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.

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 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 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 It was, my lord, who 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 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 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 So then thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, —that I may set mine eyes 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, —as surely as he leaveth his father, so surely will he, 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 do come down with you, ye shall not again behold my face.

But you said to your servants, 'Unless your youngest brother comes down 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 it happened when we came up to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.

25 Then said our father, —Go again 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 face of the man if, our youngest brother, is not 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 Then said thy servant my father, unto us, —Ye yourselves, know, that, two, did my wife bear to me,

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

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

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 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 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,

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 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)

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, 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 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 remain instead of the lad, as servant to my lord, —but as for the lad, let him go up with his brethren.

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 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 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."