Genesis 43

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Now the famine in the land grew more severe.	1 But the famine in the country grew worse,
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 finished eating the supplies which they had brought from Egypt their father said tothem, 'Go back and get 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 'But', Judah replied, 'the man expressly warned us, "You wil not be admitted to my presence unlessyour brother is 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 you are ready to send our brother with us, we will go down and get food for you.
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 you are not ready to send him, we will not go down, in view of the man's warning, "You wil notbe admitted to my presence unless your brother is with you." '
6 Israel demanded, "Why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man that you had another brother?"	6 Then Israel said, 'Why did you bring this misery on me by tel ing the man you had 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 They replied, 'He kept questioning us about ourselves and our family, asking, "Is your father stillalive?" and, "Have you another brother?" That is why we told him. How could we know he was going to say,"Bring your brother down here"?'
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 Judah then said to his father Israel, 'Send the boy with me, and let us be off and go, if we are tosurvive and not die, we, you, and our dependants.
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 wil go surety for him, and you can hold me responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you andproduce him before you, let me bear the blame al my life.
10 Had we not dilly-dallied, we could have been there and back twice by now!"	10 Indeed, if we had not wasted so much time we should have been there and back twice by now!'
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 their father Israel said to them, 'If it must be so, then do this: take some of the country's bestproducts in your baggage and take them to the man as a gift: some balsam, some honey, gum tragacanth, resin,pistachio nuts 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 Take double the amount of money with you and return the money put back in the mouths of yoursacks; it may have been a mistake.
13 Take your brother, too, and be off on your way back to the man.	13 Take your brother, and go back 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 May El Shaddai move the man to be kind to you, and al ow you to bring back your other brother andBenjamin. As for me, if I must be bereaved, bereaved I must be.'
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 The men took this gift; they took double the amount of money with them, and Benjamin. They set off,went down to Egypt and presented themselves 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 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them he said to his chamberlain, 'Take these men into the house.Slaughter a beast and prepare it, for these men are to eat with me at midday.'
17 Doing as Joseph had ordered, the steward conducted the men to Joseph's house.	17 The man did as Joseph had ordered, and took the men to Joseph's 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 The men were afraid at being taken to Joseph's house and said, 'We are being taken there becauseof the money replaced in our sacks the first time. They wil set on us; they wil fal on us and make slaves of us,and take our donkeys too.'
19 So they went up to Joseph's head steward and talked to him at the entrance of the house.	19 So they went up to Joseph's chamberlain and spoke to him at the entrance to the house.
20 "If you please, sir," they said, "we came down here once before to procure food.	20 'By your leave, sir,' they said, 'we came down once before to get supplies,
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 reached camp and opened our sacks, there was each man's money in the mouth of hissack, to the full. But we have brought it back with us,
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 more money with us for the supplies. We do not know who put our money inour sacks.'
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 'Set your minds at ease,' he replied, 'do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father puttreasure in your sacks for you. I received your money.' 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 The man then took the men into Joseph's house. He offered them water to wash their feet, and gavetheir donkeys fodder.
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 They arranged their gift while they waited for Joseph to come at midday, for they had heard theywere to dine 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 When Joseph arrived at the house they offered him the gift they had with them, bowing low beforehim.
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 He greeted them pleasantly, asking, 'Is your father wel , the old man you told me of ? Is he stillalive?'
28 "Your servant our father is thriving and still in good health," they said, as they bowed respectfully.	28 'Your servant our father is wel ,' they replied, 'he is stil alive,' and they bowed respectful y.
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 Looking about, he saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son. 'Is this your youngest brother', heasked, 'of whom you told me?' And he added, 'God be good to you, 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 Joseph hurried out; so strong was the affection he felt for his brother that he wanted to cry. He wentinto his room and there he wept.
31 After washing his face, he reappeared and, now in control of himself, gave the order, "Serve the meal."	31 After washing his face he returned and, controlling himself, gave the order: 'Serve the meal.'
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 He was served separately; so were they, and so were the Egyptians who ate in his household, forthe Egyptians could not take food with Hebrews; Egyptians have a horror of doing so.
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 were placed facing him in order of seniority, from the eldest to the youngest, and the menlooked at one another in amazement.
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 He had portions carried to them from his own dish, the portion for Benjamin being five times largerthan any of the others. And they feasted with him and drank freely.