Genesis 39

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 When Joseph was taken down to Egypt, a certain Egyptian (Potiphar, a courtier of Pharaoh and his chief steward) bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him there.	1 Meanwhile, Joseph was led into Egypt. And Putiphar, a eunuch of Pharaoh, a leader of the army, an Egyptian man, purchased him from the hand of the Ishmaelites, by whom he was brought.
2 But since the LORD was with him, Joseph got on very well and was assigned to the household of his Egyptian master.	2 And the Lord was with him, and he was a man who prospered in everything that he did. And he lived in the house of his lord,
3 When his master saw that the LORD was with him and brought him success in whatever he did,	3 who knew very well that the Lord was with him, and that all the things that were done by him were directed by his hand.
4 he took a liking to Joseph and made him his personal attendant; he put him in charge of his household and entrusted to him all his possessions.	4 And Joseph found favor in the sight of his lord, and he ministered to him. And, having been placed in charge of everything by him, he governed the house that was entrusted to him and all the things that had been delivered to him.
5 From the moment that he put him in charge of his household and all his possessions, the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; in fact, the LORD'S blessing was on everything he owned, both inside the house and out.	5 And the Lord blessed the house of the Egyptian, because of Joseph, and he multiplied all his substance, as much in the buildings, as in the fields.
6 Having left everything he owned in Joseph's charge, he gave no thought, with Joseph there, to anything but the food he ate. Now Joseph was strikingly handsome in countenance and body.	6 Neither did he know anything other than the bread that he ate. Now Joseph was beautiful in form, and stately in appearance.
7 After a time, his master's wife began to look fondly at him and said, "Lie with me."	7 And so, after many days, his mistress cast her eyes on Joseph, and she said, “Sleep with me.”
8 But he refused. "As long as I am here," he told her, "my master does not concern himself with anything in the house, but has entrusted to me all he owns.	8 And without consenting at all to the wicked act, he said to her: “Behold, my lord has delivered all things to me, and he does not know what he has in his own house.
9 He wields no more authority in this house than I do, and he has withheld from me nothing but yourself, since you are his wife. How, then, could I commit so great a wrong and thus stand condemned before God?"	9 Neither is there anything which is not in my power, or that he has not delivered to me, except you, for you are his wife. How then can I do this evil act and sin against my God?”
10 Although she tried to entice him day after day, he would not agree to lie beside her, or even stay near her.	10 With such words as these, throughout each day, the woman was pestering the young man, and he was refusing the adultery.
11 One such day, when Joseph came into the house to do his work, and none of the household servants were then in the house,	11 Then it happened, on a certain day, that Joseph entered the house, and he was doing something, without any witnesses.
12 she laid hold of him by his cloak, saying, "Lie with me!" But leaving the cloak in her hand, he got away from her and ran outside.	12 And she, grasping the hem of his garment, said, “Sleep with me.” But he, leaving behind the cloak in her hand, fled and went outside.
13 When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand as he fled outside,	13 And when the woman saw the garment in her hands and herself being treated with disrespect,
14 she screamed for her household servants and told them, "Look! my husband has brought in a Hebrew slave to make sport of us! He came in here to lie with me, but I cried out as loud as I could.	14 she called to herself the men of her house, and she said to them: “Lo, he has brought in a Hebrew man to abuse us. He entered toward me, in order to join with me; and when I had shouted out,
15 When he heard me scream for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran away outside."	15 and he had heard my voice, he left behind the cloak that I held, and he fled outside.”
16 She kept the cloak with her until his master came home.	16 As a proof, therefore, of her fidelity, she retained the cloak, and she showed it to her husband, when he returned home.
17 Then she told him the same story: "The Hebrew slave whom you brought here broke in on me, to make sport of me.	17 And she said: “The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought in to me, approached me to abuse me.
18 But when I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and fled outside."	18 And when he had heard me cry out, he left behind the cloak that I held, and he fled outside.”
19 As soon as the master heard his wife's story about how his slave had treated her, he became enraged.	19 His lord, upon hearing these things, and having excessive trust in the words of his mate, was very angry.
20 He seized Joseph and threw him into the jail where the royal prisoners were confined. But even while he was in prison,	20 And he delivered Joseph into prison, where the prisoners of the king were kept, and he was enclosed in that place.
21 the LORD remained with Joseph; he showed him kindness by making the chief jailer well-disposed toward him.	21 But the Lord was with Joseph, and, having mercy on him, he gave him favor in the sight of the leader of the prison,
22 The chief jailer put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners in the jail, and everything that had to be done there was done under his management.	22 who delivered into his hand all the prisoners who were held in custody. And whatever was done, was under him.
23 The chief jailer did not concern himself with anything at all that was in Joseph's charge, since the LORD was with him and brought success to all he did.	23 Neither did he himself know anything, having entrusted all things to him. For the Lord was with him, and he directed everything that he did.