Genesis 43

1 Interim fames omnem terram vehementer premebat.

But the famine, was severe in the land.

2 Consumptisque cibis quos ex Ægypto detulerant, dixit Iacob ad filios suos: Revertimini, et emite nobis pauxillum escarum.

So it came to pass when they had made an end of eating the corn which they had brought in out of Egypt, that their father said unto them, —Return buy for us a little food.

3 Respondit Iudas: Denuntiavit nobis vir ille sub attestatione iurisiurandi, dicens: Non videbitis faciem meam, nisi fratrem vestrum minimum adduxeritis vobiscum.

Then spake Judah unto him saying, —The man, did protest, to us saying—Ye shall not see my face, except, your brother, is with you.

4 Si ergo vis eum mittere nobiscum, pergemus pariter, et ememus tibi necessaria:

If thou art sending our brother with us, we will certainly go down, and buy for thee food;

5 sin autem non vis, non ibimus: vir enim, ut sæpe diximus, denunciavit nobis, dicens: Non videbitis faciem meam absque fratre vestro minimo.

but, if thou art not sending him, we will not go down, for the man, said unto us Ye shall not see my face, except, your brother, is with you.

6 Dixit eis Israel: In meam hoc fecistis miseriam, ut indicaretis ei et alium habere vos fratrem.

And Israel said, Wherefore did ye ill to me, —to tell the man, there yet remained to you a brother?

7 At illi responderunt: Interrogavit nos homo per ordinem nostram progeniem: si pater viveret: si haberemus fratrem: et nos respondimus ei consequenter iuxta id quod fuerat sciscitatus: numquid scire poteramus quod dicturus esset: Adducite fratrem vestrum vobiscum?

And they said, The man, did ask, concerning ourselves and concerning our kindred saying—Is your father yet alive? Have ye a brother? So we told him according to the tenor of these words. Could we, at all know, that he would say, Bring down your brother?

8 Iudas quoque dixit patri suo: Mitte puerum mecum, ut proficiscamur, et possimus vivere: ne moriamur nos et parvuli nostri.

Then said Judah unto Israel his father—Come! send thou down the young man with me that we may arise and go our way, —and live and not die, both we and thou and our little ones.

9 Ego suscipio puerum: de manu mea require illum. Nisi reduxero, et reddidero eum tibi, ero peccati reus in te omni tempore.

I, will be surety for him, at my hand, shalt thou require him, —as surely as I bring him not in unto thee, and set him down before thee, so surely will I be counted a sinner against thee all the days,

10 Si non intercessisset dilatio, iam vice alter venissemus.

For, if we had not lingered, surely now, had we come back here a second time.

11 Igitur Israel pater eorum dixit ad eos: Si sic necesse est, facite quod vultis: sumite de optimis terræ fructibus in vasis vestris, et deferte viro munera, modicum resinæ, et mellis, et storacis, stactes, et terebinthi, et amygdalarum.

Then Israel their father said unto them—If so, then do this, —Take of the song of the land in your vessels, and carry down to the man a present, —A little balsam and a little honey, tragacanth gum and cistus gum, pistachio nuts, and almonds.

12 Pecuniam quoque duplicem ferte vobiscum: et illam, quam invenistis in sacculis, reportate, ne forte errore factum sit:

And double silver, take in your hand, —also the silver that was put back in the mouth of your sacks, carry ye back in your hand, peradventure it was an error,

13 sed et fratrem vestrum tollite, et ite ad virum.

Your brother also, take ye, —and arise go again unto the man.

14 Deus autem meus omnipotens faciat vobis eum placabilem: et remittat vobiscum fratrem vestrum quem tenet, et hunc Beniamin: ego autem quasi orbatus absque liberis ero.

And, God Almighty, give you compassion before the man, so shall he send with you, your other brother, and Benjamin. But, as for me, when I am bereaved, I am bereaved!

15 Tulerunt ergo viri munera, et pecuniam duplicem, et Beniamin: descenderuntque in Ægyptum, et steterunt coram Ioseph.

So the men took this present, double silver also, took they in their hand and Benjamin, —and arose and went down into Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

16 Quos cum ille vidisset, et Beniamin simul, præcepit dispensatori domus suæ, dicens: Introduc viros domum, et occide victimas, et instrue convivium: quoniam mecum sunt comesturi meridie.

And Joseph saw—with them—Benjamin, so he said to him that was over his house Bring the men into the house, —and slay meat and make ready, for with me, shall the men eat at noon.

17 Fecit ille quod sibi fuerat imperatum, et introduxit viros domum.

So the men did as Joseph had said, and the man brought the men into Joseph’s house,

18 Ibique exterriti, dixerunt mutuo: Propter pecuniam, quam retulimus prius in saccis nostris, introducti sumus: ut devolvat in nos calumniam, et violenter subiiciat servituti et nos, et asinos nostros.

Then were the men afraid because they had been brought into the house of Joseph, and they said—For the matter of the silver that came back in our sacks at the beginning, have, we, been brought in, —that he may turn round upon us and fall upon us, and take us for servants and our asses.

19 Quam ob rem in ipsis foribus accedentes ad dispensatorem domus

So they drew near unto the man that was over Joseph’s house, —and spake unto him at the entrance of the house;

20 locuti sunt: Oramus domine ut audias nos. Iam ante descendimus ut emeremus escas:

and said, May it please my lord! We, did indeed come down, at the beginning to buy food.

21 quibus emptis, cum venissemus ad diversorium, aperuimus saccos nostros, et invenimus pecuniam in ore saccorum: quam nunc eodem pondere reportavimus.

And it came to pass when we had entered into the inn, that we opened our sacks, and lo! the silver of each man, in the mouth of his sack, —our silver in its full weight, —so we have bought it back in our hand!

22 Sed et aliud attulimus argentum, ut emamus quæ nobis necessaria sunt: non est in nostra conscientia quis posuerit eam in marsupiis nostris.

And, more silver, have we brought down in our hand, to buy food, —we know not who put our silver in our sacks.

23 At ille respondit: Pax vobiscum, nolite timere: Deus vester, et Deus patris vestri dedit vobis thesauros in saccis vestris. Nam pecuniam, quam dedistis mihi, probatam ego habeo. Eduxitque ad eos Simeon.

And he said—Peace to you do not fear! Your God, and the God of your father, hath given you secret treasure, in your sacks, as for your silver, it came in unto me. And he brought forth unto them Simeon.

24 Et introductis domum, attulit aquam, et laverunt pedes suos, deditque pabulum asinis eorum.

So the man brought the men into Joseph’s house, —and gave them water and they bathed their feet, and he gave them provender for their asses.

25 Illi vero parabant munera, donec ingrederetur Ioseph meridie: audierant enim quod ibi comesturi essent panem.

And they made ready the present, against the coming in of Joseph at noon, —for they heard that it was there they should eat bread.

26 Igitur ingressus est Ioseph domum suam, obtuleruntque ei munera, tenentes in manibus suis: et adoraverunt proni in terram.

So when Joseph came into the house, they brought in to him the present which was in their hand into the house, —and bowed themselves down to him to the earth.

27 At ille, clementer resalutatis eis, interrogavit eos, dicens: Salvusne est pater vester senex, de quo dixeratis mihi? Adhuc vivit?

Then asked he after their welfare, and said—Is it well with your aged father, of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive?

28 Qui responderunt: Sospes est servus tuus pater noster, adhuc vivit. Et incurvati, adoraverunt eum.

And they said—It is well with thy servant our father, he is yet alive. And they bent their heads and bowed them-selves down.

29 Attollens autem Ioseph oculos, vidit Beniamin fratrem suum uterinum, et ait: Iste est frater vester parvulus, de quo dixeratis mihi? Et rursum: Deus, inquit, misereatur tui, fili mi.

Then lifted he up his eyes, and saw Benjamin his brother son of his mother, and said—Is, this, your youngest brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God, grant thee favour my son!

30 Festinavitque quia commota fuerant viscera eius super fratre suo, et erumpebant lacrymæ: et introiens cubiculum flevit.

And Joseph made haste for his compassions towards his brother were pent up, and he sought to weep, —so he went into the inner chamber and wept there,

31 Rursumque lota facie egressus, continuit se, et ait: Ponite panes.

Then bathed he his face and came forth, —and restrained himself, and said Set on bread!

32 Quibus appositis, seorsum Ioseph, et seorsum fratribus, Ægyptiis quoque qui vescebantur simul, seorsum (illicitum est enim Ægyptiis comedere cum Hebræis, et profanum putant huiuscemodi convivium)

So they set on for him—by himself, and for them—by themselves, —and for the Egyptians that were eating with him—by themselves, for the Egyptians might not eat, bread, with the Hebrews for an abomination, had that been to Egyptians.

33 sederunt coram eo, primogenitus iuxta primogenita sua, et minimus iuxta ætatem suam. Et mirabantur nimis,

So they took their seats before him, the firstborn, according to his birthright and the youngest, according to his youth, —and the men looked with amazement, each one at his companion.

34 sumptis partibus quas ab eo acceperant: maiorque pars venit Beniamin, ita ut quinque partibus excederet. Biberuntque et inebriati sunt cum eo.

And he sent portions from before him unto them, and the portion of Benjamin exceeded the portions of them all, five-fold. And they drank and made merry with him.