Liber Genesis, 43

1. Interim fames omnem terram vehementer premebat;

1. Now the famine was severe in the land.

2. consumptisque cibis, quos ex Aegypto detulerant, dixit Iacob ad filios suos: “Revertimini et emite nobis pauxillum escarum”.

2. And when they had eaten the grain which they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, "Go again, buy 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".

3. But Judah said to him, "The man solemnly warned us, saying, `You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.'

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

4. If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food;

5. sin autem non vis, non ibimus. Vir enim, ut saepe diximus, denuntiavit nobis dicens: "Non videbitis faciem meam absque fratre vestro minimo"”.

5. but if you will not send him, we will not go down, for the man said to us, `You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.'"

6. Dixit eis Israel: “Cur in meam hoc fecistis miseriam, ut indicaretis ei et alium habere vos fratrem?”.

6. Israel said, "Why did you treat me so ill as to tell the man that you had another 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?"”.

7. They replied, "The man questioned us carefully about ourselves and our kindred, saying, `Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?' What we told him was in answer to these questions; could we in any way know that he would say, `Bring your brother down'?"

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

8. And Judah said to Israel his father, "Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones.

9. Ego spondeo pro puero; de manu mea require illum. Nisi reduxero et reddidero eum tibi, ero peccati reus in te omni tempore.

9. I will be surety for him; of my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame for ever;

10. Si non intercessisset dilatio, iam vice altera venissemus”.

10. for if we had not delayed, we would now have returned twice."

11. Igitur Israel pater eorum dixit ad eos: “Si sic necesse est, facite, quod vultis; sumite de optimis terrae fructibus in vasis vestris et deferte viro munera: modicum resinae et mellis et tragacanthum et ladanum, pistacias terebinthi et amygdalas.

11. Then their father Israel said to them, "If it must be so, then do this: take some of the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry down to the man a present, a little balm and a little honey, gum, myrrh, pistachio nuts, and almonds.

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

12. Take double the money with you; carry back with you the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks; perhaps it was an oversight.

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

13. Take also your brother, and arise, go again to 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”.

14. may God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, that he may send back your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved."

15. Tulerunt ergo viri munera et pecuniam duplicem et Beniamin descenderuntque in Aegyptum; et steterunt coram Ioseph.

15. So the men took the present, and they took double the money with them, and Benjamin; and they arose and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

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

16. When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, "Bring the men into the house, and slaughter an animal and make ready, for the men are to dine with me at noon."

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

17. The man did as Joseph bade him, and brought the men to Joseph's house.

18. Ibique exterriti dixerunt mutuo: “Propter pecuniam, quam rettulimus prius in saccis nostris, introducti sumus, ut irruant in nos et violenter subiciant servituti et nos et asinos nostros”.

18. And the men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph's house, and they said, "It is because of the money, which was replaced in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may seek occasion against us and fall upon us, to make slaves of us and seize our asses."

19. Quam ob rem in ipsis foribus accedentes ad dispensatorem domus

19. So they went up to the steward of Joseph's house, and spoke with him at the door of the house,

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

20. and said, "Oh, my lord, we came down the first time to buy food;

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

21. and when we came to the lodging place we opened our sacks, and there was every man's money in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight; so we have brought it again with us,

22. Sed et aliud attulimus argentum, ut emamus, quae nobis necessaria sunt. Non est in nostra conscientia, quis posuerit argentum in marsupiis nostris”.

22. and we have brought other money down in our hand to buy food. We do not know who put our money 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.

23. He replied, "Rest assured, do not be afraid; your God and the God of your father must have put treasure in your sacks for you; I received your money." Then he brought Simeon out to them.

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

24. And when the man had brought the men into Joseph's house, and given them water, and they had washed their feet, and when he had given their asses provender,

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

25. they made ready the present for Joseph's coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there.

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

26. When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present which they had with them, and bowed down to him to the ground.

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

27. And he inquired about their welfare, and said, "Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?"

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

28. They said, "Your servant our father is well, he is still alive." And they bowed their heads and made obeisance.

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”.

29. And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, "Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me? God be gracious to you, my son!"

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

30. Then Joseph made haste, for his heart yearned for his brother, and he sought a place to weep. And he entered his chamber and wept there.

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

31. Then he washed his face and came out; and controlling himself he said, "Let food be served."

32. Quibus appositis, seorsum Ioseph et seorsum fratribus, Aegyptiis quoque, qui vescebantur simul, seorsum ­ illicitum est enim Aegyptiis comedere cum Hebraeis, et profanum putant huiuscemodi convivium ­

32. They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.

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

33. And they sat before him, the first-born according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth; and the men looked at one another in amazement.

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

34. Portions were taken to them from Joseph's table, but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of theirs. So they drank and were merry with him.