Genesis, 45

1. Then Joseph could not control his feelings in front of all his retainers, and he exclaimed, 'Let everyone leave me.' No one therefore was present with him while Joseph made himself known to his brothers,

1. Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him; and he cried, "Make every one go out from me." So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers.

2. but he wept so loudly that all the Egyptians heard, and the news reached Pharaoh's palace.

2. And he wept aloud, so that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it.

3. Joseph said to his brothers, 'I am Joseph. Is my father really still alive?' His brothers could not answer him, they were so dumbfounded at seeing him.

3. And Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph; is my father still alive?" But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence.

4. Then Joseph said to his brothers, 'Come closer to me.' When they had come closer to him he said, 'I am your brother Joseph whom you sold into Egypt.

4. So Joseph said to his brothers, "Come near to me, I pray you." And they came near. And he said, "I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt.

5. But now, do not grieve, do not reproach yourselves for having sold me here, since God sent me before you to preserve your lives.

5. And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.

6. For this is the second year there has been famine in the country, and there are still five years to come without ploughing or harvest.

6. For the famine has been in the land these two years; and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest.

7. God sent me before you to assure the survival of your race on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

7. And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors.

8. So it was not you who sent me here but God, and he has set me up as a father to Pharaoh, as lord of all his household and governor of the whole of Egypt.

8. So it was not you who sent me here, but God; and he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

9. 'Return quickly to your father and tell him, "Your son Joseph says this: 'God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me without delay.

9. Make haste and go up to my father and say to him, `Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not tarry;

10. You will live in the region of Goshen where you will be near me, you, your children and your grandchildren, your flocks, your cattle and all your possessions.

10. you shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children's children, and your flocks, your herds, and all that you have;

11. There I shall provide for you -- for there are five years of famine still to come -- so that you, your household and all yours are not reduced to penury.' "

11. and there I will provide for you, for there are yet five years of famine to come; lest you and your household, and all that you have, come to poverty.'

12. You can see with your own eyes, and my brother Benjamin can see too, that I am who I say I am.

12. And now your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth that speaks to you.

13. Give my father a full report of all the honour I enjoy in Egypt, and of all you have seen; and quickly bring my father down here.'

13. You must tell my father of all my splendor in Egypt, and of all that you have seen. Make haste and bring my father down here."

14. Then throwing his arms round the neck of his brother Benjamin he wept; and Benjamin wept on his shoulder.

14. Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck.

15. He kissed all his brothers, weeping on each one. Only then were his brothers able to talk to him.

15. And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them; and after that his brothers talked with him.

16. News reached Pharaoh's palace that Joseph's brothers had come, and Pharaoh was pleased to hear it, as were his servants.

16. When the report was heard in Pharaoh's house, "Joseph's brothers have come," it pleased Pharaoh and his servants well.

17. Pharaoh told Joseph, 'Say to your brothers, "Do this: load your beasts and hurry away to Canaan.

17. And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Say to your brothers, `Do this: load your beasts and go back to the land of Canaan;

18. Fetch your father and your families, and come back to me. I will give you the best territory in Egypt, where you will live off the fat of the land."

18. and take your father and your households, and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you shall eat the fat of the land.'

19. And you, for your part, give them this order: "Do this: take waggons from Egypt, for your little ones and your wives. Get your father and come.

19. Command them also, `Do this: take wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father, and come.

20. Never mind about your property, for the best of all Egypt will be yours." '

20. Give no thought to your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.'"

21. Israel's sons did as they were told. Joseph gave them waggons as Pharaoh had ordered, and he gave them provisions for the journey.

21. The sons of Israel did so; and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the command of Pharaoh, and gave them provisions for the journey.

22. To each and every one he gave new clothes, and to Benjamin three hundred shekels of silver and five changes of clothes.

22. To each and all of them he gave festal garments; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver and five festal garments.

23. And to his father he sent ten donkeys laden with the best that Egypt offered, and ten she-donkeys laden with grain, bread and food for his father's journey.

23. To his father he sent as follows: ten asses loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten she-asses loaded with grain, bread, and provision for his father on the journey.

24. And so he sent his brothers on their way. His final words to them were, 'And let there be no upsets on the way!'

24. Then he sent his brothers away, and as they departed, he said to them, "Do not quarrel on the way."

25. And so they left Egypt. When they reached their father Jacob in Canaan,

25. So they went up out of Egypt, and came to the land of Canaan to their father Jacob.

26. they gave him this report, 'Joseph is still alive. He is at this moment governor of all Egypt!' But he was as one stunned, for he did not believe them.

26. And they told him, "Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt." And his heart fainted, for he did not believe them.

27. However, when they told him all Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the waggons that Joseph had sent to fetch him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived,

27. But when they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said to them, and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived;

28. and Israel said, 'That is enough! My son Joseph is still alive. I must go and see him before I die.'

28. and Israel said, "It is enough; Joseph my son is still alive; I will go and see him before I die."