Genesis 43

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Now the famine in the land grew more severe.	1 In the mean time the famine was heavy upon all the land.
2 So when they had used up all the rations they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, "Go back and procure us a little more food."	2 And 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.
3 But Judah replied: "The man strictly warned us, 'You shall not appear in my presence unless your brother is with you.'	3 Juda answered: The man declared unto us with the atteststion of an oath, saying: You shall not see my face, unless you bring your youngest brother with you.
4 If you are willing to let our brother go with us, we will go down to procure food for you.	4 If therefore thou wilt send him with us, we will set out together, and will buy necessaries for thee.
5 But if you are not willing, we will not go down, because the man told us, 'You shall not appear in my presence unless your brother is with you.'"	5 But 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.
6 Israel demanded, "Why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man that you had another brother?"	6 Israel said to them: You have done this for my misery in that you told him you had also another brother.
7 They answered: "The man kept asking about ourselves and our family: 'Is your father still living? Do you have another brother?' We had to answer his questions. How could we know that he would say, 'Bring your brother down here'?"	7 But 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: Bring hither your brother with you?
8 Then Judah urged his father Israel: "Let the boy go with me, that we may be off and on our way if you and we and our children are to keep from starving to death.	8 And Juda said to his father: Send the bou with me, that we may set forward, and may live: lest both we and our children perish.
9 I myself will stand surety for him. You can hold me responsible for him. If I fail to bring him back, to set him in your presence, you can hold it against me forever.	9 I 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.
10 Had we not dilly-dallied, we could have been there and back twice by now!"	10 If delay had not been made, we had been here again the second time.
11 Their father Israel then told them: "If it must be so, then do this: Put some of the land's best products in your baggage and take them down to the man as gifts: some balm and honey, gum and resin, and pistachios and almonds.	11 Then 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.
12 Also take extra money along, for you must return the amount that was put back in the mouths of your bags; it may have been a mistake.	12 And take with you double money, and carry back what you found in your sacks, lest perhaps it was done by mistake.
13 Take your brother, too, and be off on your way back to the man.	13 And take also your brother, and go to the man.
14 May God Almighty dispose the man to be merciful toward you, so that he may let your other brother go, as well as Benjamin. As for me, if I am to suffer bereavement, I shall suffer it."	14 And may my almighty Bod 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.
15 So the men got the gifts, took double the amount of money with them, and, accompanied by Benjamin, were off on their way down to Egypt to present themselves to Joseph.	15 So the men took the presents, and double money, and Benjamin: and went down into Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he told his head steward, "Take these men into the house, and have an animal slaughtered and prepared, for they are to dine with me at noon."	16 And 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.
17 Doing as Joseph had ordered, the steward conducted the men to Joseph's house.	17 He did as he was commanded, and brought the men into the house.
18 But on being led to his house, they became apprehensive. "It must be," they thought, "on account of the money put back in our bags the first time, that we are taken inside; they want to use it as a pretext to attack us and take our donkeys and seize us as slaves."	18 And 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.
19 So they went up to Joseph's head steward and talked to him at the entrance of the house.	19 Wherefore going up to the steward of the house, at the door,
20 "If you please, sir," they said, "we came down here once before to procure food.	20 They said: Sir, we desire thee to hear us: We came down once before to buy food:
21 But when we arrived at a night's encampment and opened our bags, there was each man's money in the mouth of his bag--our money in the full amount! We have now brought it back.	21 And 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.
22 We have brought other money to procure food with. We do not know who put the first money in our bags."	22 And we have brought other money besides, to buy what we want: we cannot tell who put it in our bags.
23 "Be at ease," he replied; "you have no need to fear. Your God and the God of your father must have put treasures in your bags for you. As for your money, I received it." With that, he led Simeon out to them.	23 But 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.
24 The steward then brought the men inside Joseph's house. He gave them water to bathe their feet, and got fodder for their donkeys.	24 And having brought them into the house, he fetched water, and they washed their feet, and he gave provender to their asses.
25 Then they set out their gifts to await Joseph's arrival at noon, for they had heard that they were to dine there.	25 But they made ready the presents, against Joseph came at noon: for they had heard that they should eat bread there.
26 When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought inside, while they bowed down before him to the ground.	26 Then 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.
27 After inquiring how they were, he asked them, "And how is your aged father, of whom you spoke? Is he still in good health?"	27 But he, courteously saluting them again, asked them, saying: Is the old man your father in health, of whom uou told me? Is he yet living?
28 "Your servant our father is thriving and still in good health," they said, as they bowed respectfully.	28 And they answered: Thy servant our father is in health, he is yet living. And bowing themselves they made obeisance to him.
29 When Joseph's eye fell on his full brother Benjamin, he asked, "Is this your youngest brother, of whom you told me?" Then he said to him, "May God be gracious to you, my boy!"	29 And 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.
30 With that, Joseph had to hurry out, for he was so overcome with affection for his brother that he was on the verge of tears. He went into a private room and wept there.	30 And he made haste becouse his heart was moved upon his brother, and tears gushed out: And going into his chamber he wept.
31 After washing his face, he reappeared and, now in control of himself, gave the order, "Serve the meal."	31 And when he had washed his face, coming out again, he refrained himself, and said: Set bread on the table.
32 It was served separately to him, to the brothers, and to the Egyptians who partook of his board. (Egyptians may not eat with Hebrews; that is abhorrent to them.)	32 And 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:)
33 When they were seated by his directions according to their age, from the oldest to the youngest, they looked at one another in amazement;	33 They sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his age. And they wondered very much:
34 and as portions were brought to them from Joseph's table, Benjamin's portion was five times as large as anyone else's. So they drank freely and made merry with him.	34 Taking 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.