1 A fome persistia gravíssima na terra. 2 Tendo eles acabado de consumir o cereal que trouxeram do Egito, disse-lhes seu pai: Voltai, comprai-nos um pouco de mantimento. 3 Mas Judá lhe respondeu: Fortemente nos protestou o homem, dizendo: Não me vereis o rosto, se o vosso irmão não vier convosco. 4 Se resolveres enviar conosco o nosso irmão, desceremos e te compraremos mantimento; 5 se, porém, não o enviares, não desceremos; pois o homem nos disse: Não me vereis o rosto, se o vosso irmão não vier convosco. 6 Disse-lhes Israel: Por que me fizestes esse mal, dando a saber àquele homem que tínheis outro irmão? 7 Responderam eles: O homem nos perguntou particularmente por nós e pela nossa parentela, dizendo: Vive ainda vosso pai? Tendes outro irmão? Respondemos-lhe segundo as suas palavras. Acaso, poderíamos adivinhar que haveria de dizer: Trazei vosso irmão? 8 Com isto disse Judá a Israel, seu pai: Envia o jovem comigo, e nos levantaremos e iremos; para que vivamos e não morramos, nem nós, nem tu, nem os nossos filhinhos. 9 Eu serei responsável por ele, da minha mão o requererás; se eu to não trouxer e não to puser à presença, serei culpado para contigo para sempre. 10 Se não nos tivéssemos demorado já estaríamos, com certeza, de volta segunda vez.

11 Respondeu-lhes Israel, seu pai: Se é tal, fazei, pois, isto: tomai do mais precioso desta terra nos sacos para o mantimento e levai de presente a esse homem: um pouco de bálsamo e um pouco de mel, arômatas e mirra, nozes de pistácia e amêndoas; 12 levai também dinheiro em dobro; e o dinheiro restituído na boca dos sacos de cereal, tornai a levá-lo convosco; pode bem ser que fosse engano. 13 Levai também vosso irmão, levantai-vos e voltai àquele homem. 14 Deus Todo-Poderoso vos dê misericórdia perante o homem, para que vos restitua o vosso outro irmão e deixe vir Benjamim. Quanto a mim, se eu perder os filhos, sem filhos ficarei.

15 Tomaram, pois, os homens os presentes, o dinheiro em dobro e a Benjamim; levantaram-se, desceram ao Egito e se apresentaram perante José. 16 Vendo José a Benjamim com eles, disse ao despenseiro de sua casa: Leva estes homens para casa, mata reses e prepara tudo; pois estes homens comerão comigo ao meio-dia. 17 Fez ele como José lhe ordenara e levou os homens para a casa de José. 18 Os homens tiveram medo, porque foram levados à casa de José; e diziam: É por causa do dinheiro que da outra vez voltou nos sacos de cereal, para nos acusar e arremeter contra nós, escravizar-nos e tomar nossos jumentos. 19 E se chegaram ao mordomo da casa de José, e lhe falaram à porta, 20 e disseram: Ai! Senhor meu, já uma vez descemos a comprar mantimento; 21 quando chegamos à estalagem, abrindo os sacos de cereal, eis que o dinheiro de cada um estava na boca do saco de cereal, nosso dinheiro intacto; tornamos a trazê-lo conosco. 22 Trouxemos também outro dinheiro conosco, para comprar mantimento; não sabemos quem tenha posto o nosso dinheiro nos sacos de cereal. 23 Ele disse: Paz seja convosco, não temais; o vosso Deus, e o Deus de vosso pai, vos deu tesouro nos sacos de cereal; o vosso dinheiro me chegou a mim. E lhes trouxe fora a Simeão. 24 Depois, levou o mordomo aqueles homens à casa de José e lhes deu água, e eles lavaram os pés; também deu ração aos seus jumentos. 25 Então, prepararam o presente, para quando José viesse ao meio-dia; pois ouviram que ali haviam de comer.

26 Chegando José a casa, trouxeram-lhe para dentro o presente que tinham em mãos; e prostraram-se perante ele até à terra. 27 Ele lhes perguntou pelo seu bem-estar e disse: Vosso pai, o ancião de quem me falastes, vai bem? Ainda vive? 28 Responderam: Vai bem o teu servo, nosso pai vive ainda; e abaixaram a cabeça e prostraram-se. 29 Levantando José os olhos, viu a Benjamim, seu irmão, filho de sua mãe, e disse: É este o vosso irmão mais novo, de quem me falastes? E acrescentou: Deus te conceda graça, meu filho. 30 José se apressou e procurou onde chorar, porque se movera no seu íntimo, para com seu irmão; entrou na câmara e chorou ali. 31 Depois, lavou o rosto e saiu; conteve-se e disse: Servi a refeição. 32 Serviram-lhe a ele à parte, e a eles também à parte, e à parte aos egípcios que comiam com ele; porque aos egípcios não lhes era lícito comer pão com os hebreus, porquanto é isso abominação para os egípcios. 33 E assentaram-se diante dele, o primogênito segundo a sua primogenitura e o mais novo segundo a sua menoridade; disto os homens se maravilhavam entre si. 34 Então, lhes apresentou as porções que estavam diante dele; a porção de Benjamim era cinco vezes mais do que a de qualquer deles. E eles beberam e se regalaram com ele.

1 And the famine was sore in the land.

2 And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said to them, Go again, buy us a little food.

3 And Judah spoke to him, saying, The man did solemnly protest to us, saying, You shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.

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

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, except your brother be with you.

6 And Israel said, Why dealt you so ill with me, as to tell the man whether you had yet a brother?

7 And they said, The man asked us straightly of our state, and of our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have you another brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we certainly know that he would say, Bring your brother down?

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 I will be surety for him; of my hand shall you require him: if I bring him not to you, and set him before you, then let me bear the blame for ever:

10 For except we had lingered, surely now we had returned this second time.

11 And their father Israel said to them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:

12 And take double money in your hand; and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight:

13 Take also your brother, and arise, go again to the man:

14 And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.

15 And the men took that present, and they took double money in their hand and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

16 And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house, Bring these men home, and slay, and make ready; for these men shall dine with me at noon.

17 And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men into Joseph' house.

18 And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph' house; and they said, Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall on us, and take us for slaves, and our asses.

19 And they came near to the steward of Joseph' house, and they communed with him at the door of the house,

20 And said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:

21 And it came to pass, when we came to the inn, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man' money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight: and we have brought it again in our hand.

22 And other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food: we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks.

23 And he said, Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money. And he brought Simeon out to them.

24 And the man brought the men into Joseph' house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their asses provender.

25 And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there.

26 And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth.

27 And he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he yet alive?

28 And they answered, Your servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance.

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

30 And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn on his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there.

31 And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.

32 And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.

33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marveled one at another.

34 And he took and sent messes to them from before him: but Benjamin' mess was five times so much as any of their'. And they drank, and were merry with him.