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. 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. 3 As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses. 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? 5 Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.

6 And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these same words. 7 And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this 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? 9 With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord’s bondmen. 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. 11 Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack. 12 And he searched, and began at the eldest, and left at 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.

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

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. 19 My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye 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. 21 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him. 22 And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, 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. 24 And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my father, we told him the words of my lord. 25 And our father said, Go again, and buy us 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. 27 And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bare me two sons: 28 And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since: 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. 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; 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. 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. 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. 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.

1 Siis ta käskis oma kojaülemat, öeldes: „Täida meeste kotid viljaga, nii palju kui nad jaksavad kanda, ja pane igamehe raha ta koti suhu.

2 Ja minu karikas, see hõbekarikas, pane noorima koti suhu ühes ta viljarahaga!" Ja ta tegi, nagu Joosep käskis.

3 Hommikul, kui läks valgeks, lasti minema mehed ja nende eeslid.

4 Kui nad olid linnast väljunud ega olnud veel kaugele jõudnud, ütles Joosep oma kojaülemale: „Võta kätte, aja mehi taga, ja kui oled nad tabanud, siis ütle neile: miks tasute head kurjaga?

5 Eks see ole see, millest mu isand joob ja millest ta endeid otsib? Olete käitunud halvasti, et tegite nõnda!"

6 Ja kui ta nad tabas, siis ta rääkis neile needsamad sõnad.

7 Aga nad vastasid temale: „Miks räägib mu isand nõndaviisi? Su sulasele oleks teotuseks nõnda teha.

8 Vaata, raha, mis me leidsime oma kottide suust, tõime sulle tagasi Kaananimaalt. Kuidas võiksime siis varastada su isanda kojast hõbedat või kulda?

9 Kelle juurest su sulaste hulgast see leitakse, surgu, ja me teised jääme su isandale orjadeks!"

10 Siis ta ütles: „Olgu see nüüd ka nõnda teie sõnade järgi. Kelle juurest see leitakse, jäägu mulle sulaseks, ja te teised olete süüta!"

11 Ja nad tõttasid ning tõstsid igaüks oma koti maha ja iga mees tegi oma koti lahti.

12 Ja ta otsis nad läbi, alates vanemast ja lõpetades nooremaga — ja karikas leiti Benjamini kotist!

13 Siis nad käristasid oma riided lõhki, iga mees pani oma eeslile koorma selga ja nad läksid tagasi linna.

14 Ja Juuda läks ühes oma vendadega Joosepi kotta, kes oli alles seal, ja nad heitsid maha tema ette.

15 Ja Joosep ütles neile: „Mis tegu see on, mis te olete teinud? Eks te tea, et niisugune mees nagu mina, oskab endeid seletada?"

16 Siis vastas Juuda: „Mida me oma isandale ütleme? Kuidas peame rääkima ja kuidas endid õigustama? Jumal on avastanud su sulaste süü! Vaata, me jääme oma isandale sulaseiks, niihästi meie kui see, kelle käest karikas leiti!"

17 Aga ta ütles: „Ei tule mulle mõttessegi seda teha! Mees, kelle käest karikas leiti, peab jääma mulle sulaseks, te teised aga minge rahuga oma isa juurde!"

18 Siis astus Juuda tema juurde ja ütles: „Mu isand, luba ometi oma sulast rääkida üks sõna mu isanda kõrva ees ja su viha ärgu süttigu põlema oma sulase vastu, sest sina oled nagu vaarao ise!

19 Mu isand küsis oma sulaseilt, öeldes: ons teil isa või mõni vend?

20 Ja meie vastasime oma isandale: meil on vana isa ja üks nooruk, ta vanas eas sündinud, alles noor; aga selle vend on surnud ja ta on üksi oma emast järele jäänud, ja ta isa armastab teda.

21 Ja sa ütlesid oma sulaseile: tooge ta minu juurde, et ma näeksin teda oma silmaga.

22 Ja me vastasime oma isandale: nooruk ei või isast lahkuda. Kui ta lahkuks oma isast, siis see sureks.

23 Ja sa ütlesid oma sulaseile: kui teie noorim vend ei tule ühes teiega, siis te ei saa enam näha mu nägu.

24 Ja kui me läksime su sulase, meie isa juurde ja andsime temale teada oma isanda sõnad,

25 siis ütles meie isa: minge jälle tagasi, ostke meile pisut leiba.

26 Aga me vastasime: me ei või minna. Kui meie noorim vend on ühes meiega, siis me läheme, sest me ei saa näha selle mehe nägu, kui meie noorim vend ei ole ühes meiega.

27 Ja su sulane, minu isa, ütles meile: te teate, et mu naine on mulle kaks poega ilmale toonud.

28 Aga üks läks mu juurest ära ja ma ütlesin: ta on tõesti maha murtud! Ja ma pole teda tänini enam näinud.

29 Kui te nüüd võtate ka selle mu silma alt ja temaga juhtub õnnetus, siis saadate mu hallid juuksed kurvastusega hauda.

30 Ja kui ma nüüd tuleksin su sulase, oma isa juurde ja ühes meiega ei oleks poiss, kelle hingesse tema hing on kiindunud,

31 ja kui ta siis näeb, et poissi ei ole, ta sureb ja su sulased on sinu sulase, meie isa hallid juuksed saatnud murega hauda,

32 sest su sulane on poisile käemeheks mu isa juures, kuna ma olen öelnud: kui ma ei too teda sinu juurde, siis ma jään oma isa ees alatiseks süüdlaseks.

33 Ja nüüd siis jäägu su sulane poisi asemel sulaseks mu isandale ja poiss mingu ühes oma vendadega.

34 Sest kuidas võiksin minna oma isa juurde, kui poiss ei oleks ühes minuga? Et ma ei näeks seda õnnetust, mis juhtub mu isaga!"