Genesis 43

1In the mean time the famine was heavy upon all the land.

2And when they had eaten up all the corn, which they had brought out of Egypt, Jacob said to his sons: Go again and buy us a little food.

3Juda answered: The man declared unto us with the attestation of an oath, saying: You shall not see my face, unless you bring your youngest brother with you.

4If therefore thou wilt send him with us, we will set out together, and will buy necessaries for thee.

5But if thou wilt not, we will not go: for the man, as we have often said, declared unto us, saying: You shall not see my face without your youngest brother.

6Israel said to them: You have done this for my misery in that you told him you had also another brother.

7But they answered: The man asked us in order concerning our kindred: if our father lived: if we had a brother: and we answered him regularly, according to what he demanded: could we know that he would say: Bring hither your brother with you?

8And Juda said to his father: Send the boy with me, that we may set forward, and may live: lest both we and our children perish.

9I take the boy upon me, require him at my hand: unless I bring him again, and restore him to thee, I will be guilty of sin against thee for ever.

10If delay had not been made, we had been here again the second time.

11Then Israel said to them: If it must needs be so, do what you will: take of the best fruits of the land in your vessels, and carry down presents to the man, a little balm, and honey, and storax, myrrh, turpentine, and almonds.

12And take with you double money, and carry back what you found in your sacks, lest perhaps it was done by mistake.

13And take also your brother, and go to the man.

14And may my almighty God make him favourable to you; and send back with you your brother, whom he keepeth, and this Benjamin: and as for me I shall be desolate without children.

15So the men took the presents, and double money, and Benjamin: and went down into Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

16And when he had seen them, and Benjamin with them, he commanded the steward of his house, saying: Bring in the men into the house, and kill victims, and prepare a feast: because they shall eat with me at noon.

17He did as he was commanded, and brought the men into the house.

18And they being much afraid, said there one to another: Because of the money, which we carried back the first time in our sacks, we are brought in: that he may bring upon us a false accusation, and by violence make slaves of us and our asses.

19Wherefore going up to the steward of the house, at the door,

20They said: Sir, we desire thee to hear us: We came down once before to buy food:

21And when we had bought, and come to the inn, we opened our sacks, and found our money in the mouths of the sacks: which we have now brought again in the same weight.

22And we have brought other money besides, to buy what we want: we cannot tell who put it in our bags.

23But he answered: Peace be with you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father hath given you treasure in your sacks. For the money, which you gave me, I have for good. And he brought Simeon out to them.

24And having brought them into the house, he fetched water, and they washed their feet, and he gave provender to their asses.

25But they made ready the presents, against Joseph came at noon: for they had heard that they should eat bread there.

26Then Joseph came into his house, and they offered him the presents holding them in their hands, and they bowed down with their face to the ground.

27But he, courteously saluting them again, asked them, saying: Is the old man your father in health, of whom you told me? Is he yet living?

28And they answered: Thy servant our father is in health, he is yet living. And bowing themselves they made obeisance to him.

29And Joseph lifting up his eyes, saw Benjamin his brother, by the same mother, and said: Is this your young brother, of whom you told me? And he said: God be gracious to thee, my son.

30And he made haste because his heart was moved upon his brother, and tears gushed out: and going into his chamber he wept.

31And when he had washed his face, coming out again, he refrained himself, and said: Set bread on the table.

32And when it was set on, for Joseph apart, and for his brethren apart, for the Egyptians also that ate with him, apart, (for it is unlawful for the Egyptians to eat with the Hebrews, and they think such a feast profane):

33They sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his age. And they wondered very much:

34Taking the messes which they received of him: and the greater mess came to Benjamin, so that it exceeded by five parts. And they drank, and were merry with him.

1Interim fames omnem terram vehementer premebat.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10Si non intercessisset dilatio, jam vice alter venissemus.

11Igitur Israël 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

23At 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1Meanwhile, the famine pressed heavily on all the land.

2And having consumed the provisions that they had brought out of Egypt, Jacob said to his sons, “Return and buy us a little food.”

3Judah answered: “The man himself declared to us, under the attestation of an oath, saying: ‘You will not see my face, unless you bring your youngest brother with you.’

4If therefore you are willing to send him with us, we will travel together, and we will buy necessities for you.

5But if you are not willing, we will not go. For the man, as we have often said, declared to us, saying: ‘You will not see my face without your youngest brother.’ ”

6Israel said to them, “You have done this for my misery, in that you revealed to him that you also had another brother.”

7But they responded: “The man questioned us in order, concerning our family: whether our father lived, if we had a brother. And we answered him respectively, according to what he demanded. How could we know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother with you?’ ”

8Likewise, Judah said to his father: “Send the boy with me, so that we may set out and be able to live, lest we and our little ones should die.

9I accept the boy; require him at my hand. Unless I lead him back and restore him to you, I will be guilty of a sin against you for all time.

10If a delay had not intervened, by now we would have returned here a second time.”

11Therefore, their father Israel said to them: “If it is necessary to do so, then do what you will. Take, in your vessels, from the best fruits of the land, and carry down gifts to the man: a little resin, and honey, and storax ointment, oil of myrrh, turpentine, and almonds.

12Also, take with you double the money, and carry back what you found in your sacks, lest perhaps it was done in error.

13But also take your brother, and go to the man.

14Then may my Almighty God cause him to be pleased by you. And send your brother, whom he holds, back with you, along with this one, Benjamin. But as for me, without my children, I will be like one who is bereaved.”

15Therefore, the men took the gifts, and double the money, and Benjamin. And they went down into Egypt, and they stood in the presence of Joseph.

16And when he had seen them and Benjamin together, he instructed the steward of his house, saying: “Lead the men into the house, and kill victims, and prepare a feast, because they will be eating with me at midday.”

17He did what he had been ordered to do, and he brought the men into the house.

18And there, being terrified, they said one to another: “Because of the money, which we carried back the first time in our sacks, we have been brought in, so that he may unleash a false accusation against us, and by violence subjugate both us and our donkeys into servitude.”

19For this reason, approaching the steward of the house at his door,

20they said: “We beg you, lord, to hear us. We came down once before to buy food.

21And having bought it, when we arrived at the inn, we opened our sacks and found the money in the mouths of the sacks, which we now have carried back in the same amount.

22But we have also brought other silver, so that we may buy those things that are necessary for us. It is not on our conscience who had placed it in our bags.”

23But he responded: “Peace be with you. Do not be afraid. Your God, and the God of your father, has given you the treasure in your sacks. As for the money that you gave to me, I held it as a test.” And he led Simeon out to them.

24And having led them into the house, he brought water, and they washed their feet, and he gave fodder to their donkeys.

25But they also prepared the gifts, until Joseph entered at midday. For they had heard that they would eat bread there.

26And so Joseph entered his house, and they offered him the gifts, holding them in their hands. And they reverenced prone on the ground.

27But he, gently greeting them again, questioned them, saying: “Is your father, the old man about whom you spoke to me, in good health? Is he still alive?”

28And they answered: “Your servant, our father, is safe; he is still alive.” And bowing, they reverenced him.

29Then Joseph, lifting up his eyes, saw Benjamin, his brother of the same womb, and he said, “Is this your little brother, about whom you spoke to me?” And again, he said, “May God be compassionate to you, my son.”

30And he hurried out, because his heart had been moved over his brother, and tears gushed out. And going into his chamber, he wept.

31And when he had washed his face, coming out again, he composed himself, and he said, “Set out bread.”

32And when it was set out, separately for Joseph, and separately for his brothers, likewise separately for the Egyptians, who ate at the same time, (for it is unlawful for Egyptians to eat with Hebrews, and they consider feasting in this way to be profane)

33they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his state of life. And they wondered exceedingly,

34taking the portions that they received from him. And the greater portion went to Benjamin, so much so that it exceeded five parts. And they drank and became inebriated along with him.