1 Jacó habitou na região onde seu pai havia morado, na terra de Canaã.2 Eis a história da descendência de Jacó: José, ainda jovem, com a idade de dezessete anos, apascentava o rebanho com seus irmãos, os filhos de Bala e os filhos de Zelfa, mulheres de seu pai; e ele contou ao seu pai as más conversas dos irmãos.3 Israel amava José mais do que todos os outros filhos, porque ele era o filho de sua velhice; e mandara-lhe fazer uma túnica de várias cores.4 Seus irmãos, vendo que seu pai o preferia a eles, conceberam ódio contra ele e não podiam mais tratá-lo com bons modos.5 Ora, José teve um sonho, e o contou aos seus irmãos, que o detestaram ainda mais:6 "Ouvi, disse-lhes ele, o sonho que tive:7 estávamos ligando feixes no campo, e eis que o meu feixe se levantou e se pôs de pé, enquanto os vossos o cercavam e se prostravam diante dele."8 Seus irmãos disseram-lhe: "Quererias, porventura, reinar sobre nós e tornar-te nosso senhor?" E odiaram-no ainda mais por causa de seus sonhos e de suas palavras.9 José teve ainda outro sonho, que contou aos seus irmãos. "Tive, disse ele, ainda um sonho: o sol, a lua e onze estrelas prostravam-se diante de mim."10 Ele contou isso ao seu pai e aos seus irmãos, mas foi repreendido por seu pai: "Que significa, disse-lhe ele, este sonho que tiveste? Viremos, porventura, eu, tua mãe e teus irmãos, a nos prostrar por terra diante de ti?"11 Seus irmãos ficaram, pois, com inveja dele, mas seu pai guardou a lembrança desse acontecimento.12 Os irmãos de José foram apascentar os rebanhos de seu pai em Siquém.13 Israel disse a José: "Teus irmãos guardam os rebanhos em Siquém. Vem: vou mandar-te a eles." "Eis-me aqui", respondeu José.14 "Vai, pois, ver se tudo corre bem a teus irmãos e ao rebanho, e traze-me notícias deles." Enviou-o do vale de Hebron, e José foi a Siquém.15 Um homem encontrou-o errando pelo campo: "Que buscas?" perguntou ele.16 "Busco meus irmãos, respondeu ele. Dize-me onde apascentam os rebanhos."17 E o homem respondeu: "Partiram daqui e ouvi-os dizer: Vamos a Dotain." Partiu então José em busca dos seus irmãos e encontrou-os em Dotain.18 Eles o viram de longe. Antes que José se aproximasse, combinaram entre si como o haveriam de matar;19 e disseram: "Eis o sonhador que chega.20 Vamos, matemo-lo e atiremo-lo numa cisterna; diremos depois que uma fera o devorou; e então veremos de que lhe aproveitaram os seus sonhos."21 Ouvindo-o, porém, Rubem, quis livra-lo de suas mãos: "Não lhe tiremos a vida, disse ele.22 Não derrameis sangue. Jogai-o naquela cisterna, no deserto, mas não levanteis vossa mão contra ele." Pois Rubem pensava livrá-lo de suas mãos para o reconduzir ao pai.23 Quando José se aproximou de seus irmãos, eles o despojaram de sua túnica, daquela bela túnica de várias cores que trazia,24 e jogaram-no numa cisterna velha, que não tinha água.25 E, sentando-se para comer, eis que, levantando os olhos, viram surgir no horizonte uma caravana de ismaelitas vinda de Galaad. Seus camelos estavam carregados de resina, de bálsamo e de ládano, que transportavam para o Egito.26 Então Judá disse aos seus irmãos: "Que nos aproveita matar nosso irmão e ocultar o seu sangue?27 Vinde e vendamo-lo aos ismaelitas. Não levantemos nossas mãos contra ele, pois, afinal, é nosso irmão, nossa carne." Seus irmãos concordaram.28 E, quando passaram os negociantes madianitas, tiraram José da cisterna e venderam-no por vinte moedas de prata aos ismaelitas, que o levaram para o Egito.29 Rubem voltou à cisterna, e eis que José já não estava ali.30 Rasgou então suas vestes e voltou para junto dos seus irmãos: "O menino desapareceu, disse ele. E eu, para onde irei?"31 Tomaram então a túnica de José, mataram um cabrito e a mergulharam no seu sangue.32 E mandaram-na levar ao seu pai com esta mensagem: "Eis o que encontramos: vê se não é, porventura, a túnica do teu filho."33 Jacó reconheceu-a e exclamou: "É a túnica de meu filho! Uma fera o devorou! José foi estraçalhado!"34 E, rasgando as vestes, cobriu-se de um saco, e chorou o seu filho por muito tempo.35 Todos os seus filhos e filhas vieram consolá-lo, mas ele não aceitou nenhuma condolência: "É chorando, disse ele, que descerei para junto de meu filho na habitação dos mortos." Foi assim que o seu pai o chorou.36 Os madianitas venderam-no a Putifar, no Egito, eunuco do faraó e chefe da guarda.

1 And Jacob dwelt in the land of his father’s sojourning, in the land of Canaan.2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers; and he was as a lad with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought evil reports of them unto his father.3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a coat of many colors.4 And when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.5 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brothers: and they hated him yet the more.6 And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed.7 And, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also remained standing upright; and, behold, your sheaves placed themselves round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.8 And his brothers said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it to his brothers; and he said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars made obeisance to me.10 And he told it to his father, and to his brothers; and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall we indeed come, I and thy mother, and thy brothers, to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth.11 And his brothers envied him; but his father noted the matter in his mind.12 And his brothers went to feed their father’s flocks in Shechem.13 And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brothers feed the flocks in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I.14 And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brothers, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him from the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.15 And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering astray in the field; and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou?16 And he said, I seek my brothers; tell me, I pray thee, where they are feeding their flocks?17 And the man said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brothers, and found them in Dothan.18 And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.19 And they said one to another, Behold, here comes this man of dreams.20 And now, come and let us slay him, and cast him into one of the pits, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.21 And when Reuben heard it, he delivered him out of their hand; and he said, Let us not put him to death.22 And Reuben said unto them, Do not shed blood; but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but do not lay hand upon him; ––in order that he might deliver him out of their hand, to bring him back again to his father.23 And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brothers, that they stript Joseph of his coat, the coat of many colors that was on him;24 And they took him, and cast him into the pit; and the pit was empty; there was no water in it.25 And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead; and their camels were bearing spicery, and balm, and lotus, going to carry it down to Egypt.26 And Judah said unto his brothers, What profit will it be if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?27 Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, but let our hand not be upon him; for he is our brother, our flesh. And his brothers hearkened to him.28 And when the Midianitish men, merchants, passed by, they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.29 And when Reuben returned unto the pit, and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit, he rent his clothes.30 And he returned unto his brothers, and said, The child is not there; and I, whither shall I go?31 And they took Joseph’s coat, and killed a he–goat, and dipped the coat in the blood;32 And they sent the coat of many colors, and they brought it to their father, and said, This have we found: acknowledge, we pray thee, whether it be thy son’s coat or not.33 And he recognized it, and said, it is my son’s coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is surely torn in pieces.34 And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.35 And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I must go down unto my son, mourning, into the grave; thus his father wept for him.36 And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, the captain of the guards.