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.

1. Now Joseph gave this order to his steward, "Fill the men's sacks with as much food as they can carry and put back each man's silver in the mouth of his sack,

2. And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.

2. and put my cup, the silver cup with the money for the grain in the sack of the youngest." The steward did as Joseph had directed.

3. As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses.

3. As soon as it was light next morning the men were sent away with their donkeys.

4. [And] when they were gone out of the city, [and] 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?

4. When they had gone but were still not far from the city, Joseph said to his steward, "Go quickly after those men and when you have caught up with them, say this: Why have you repaid good with evil?

5. [Is] not this [it] in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.

5. Isn't this the cup my master drinks from and uses for divination? You have done a wicked thing."

6. And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these same words.

6. When he caught up with them he repeated these words.

7. And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing:

7. They said to him, "Why does my lord speak like that? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing.

8. Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks' mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold?

8. The money we found in the mouths of our sacks, we brought back to you from the land of Canaan! How then could we have stolen silver or gold from your lord's house?

9. With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen.

9. If one of your servants is found with the object, he will die and we too will become my lord's slaves."

10. And he said, Now also [let] it [be] according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless.

10. "Very well then," he said, "it will be as you say. The one who is found to have the cup will become my master's slave; the rest of you will go free."

11. Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack.

11. Then each one quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it.

12. And he searched, [and] began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.

12. And he searched, beginning with the eldest and ending with the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.

13. Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.

13. Then they tore their clothes and, reloading their donkeys, they returned to the city.

14. And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house; for he [was] yet there: and they fell before him on the ground.

14. Joseph was still in the house when Judah and his brothers returned and they threw themselves on the ground before him.

15. And Joseph said unto them, What deed [is] this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?

15. Joseph said to them, "What have you done? Didn't you know that a man such as I am is able to divine?"

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 servants, both we, and [he] also with whom the cup is found.

16. Then Judah said, "What shall we say to my lord? How can we prove our innocence? God has uncovered your servant's guilt; we are my lord's slaves, we and the one who has been found with the cup."

17. And he said, God forbid that I should do so: [but] the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father.

17. But Joseph said, "Far be it from me to do that. Only the man found to have the cup will be my slave. As for the rest, go back in peace to your 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.

18. Judah then went forward and said, "My lord, allow your servant to speak. Do not be angry with your servant, although you are equal to Pharaoh himself.

19. My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother?

19. The last time you questioned your servants saying: 'Have you 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.

20. We said to my lord: 'We have an aged father who had a child in his old age. His brother is dead and he is the only one left of his mother's children. And his father loves him.'

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

21. Then you said to us: 'Bring him down so that I can see him for myself.'

22. And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for [if] he should leave his father, [his father] would die.

22. We told my lord that the boy could not leave his father, for if he did, his father would die.

23. And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more.

23. You then told us that if our youngest brother did not come with us, we would not be admitted to your presence.

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

24. All this we said to our father on returning there.

25. And our father said, Go again, [and] buy us a little food.

25. So when he told us to come back and buy 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 may not see the man's face, except our youngest brother [be] with us.

26. we said: 'We cannot go down again unless our youngest brother is with us. We shall not be admitted to the lord's presence unless our brother is with us.'

27. And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bare me two [sons]:

27. Then my father said: 'You know that my wife had two children.

28. And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since:

28. One went away from me and has surely been torn to pieces since I have not seen him anymore.

29. And if ye take this also from me, and mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.

29. If you take this one from me and something happens to him you will bring my gray hair in sorrow to the grave.'

30. Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad [be] not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life;

30. Now I can't return to my father without the boy, for my father loves him very much. If he sees that the boy is not there,

31. It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad [is] not [with us], that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave.

31. he will die and we will have sent the gray hairs of our father in sorrow to the grave.

32. For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever.

32. Now I, your servant, guaranteed the boy's safety and said to my father: 'If I do not bring him back, I will bear the blame before you all my life.'

33. Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren.

33. So now let me take the place of the boy and stay here as slave and let the boy go with his brothers,

34. For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad [be] not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father.

34. for I can't return to my father without the boy. Do not let me see the misery that would be too much for my father."