Genesis 39

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Now Joseph had been taken down into Egypt. Potiphar the Egyptian, one of Pharaoh's officials andcommander of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down 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 Yahweh was with Joseph, and everything he undertook was successful. He lodged in the house of hisEgyptian 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 and when his master saw how Yahweh was with him and how Yahweh made everything he undertooksuccessful,	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 was pleased with Joseph and made him his personal attendant; and his master put him in chargeof his household, entrusting him with al 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 And from the time he put him in charge of his household and al his possessions, Yahweh blessed theEgyptian's household out of consideration for Joseph; Yahweh's blessing extended to al his possessions, bothhousehold and estate.	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 So he left Joseph to handle al his possessions, and with him there, concerned himself with nothingbeyond the food he ate. Now Joseph was wel built and handsome,	6 Neither did he know anything other than the bread that he ate. Now Joseph was beautiful in form, and stately in appearance.
7 and it happened some time later that his master's wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, 'Sleep withme.'	7 And so, after many days, his mistress cast her eyes on Joseph, and she said, “Sleep with me.”
8 But he refused. 'Look,' he said to his master's wife, 'with me here, my master does not concernhimself with what happens in the house, having entrusted al his possessions to me.	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 himself wields no more authority in this house than I do. He has exempted nothing from me exceptyourself, because you are his wife. How could I do anything so wicked, and sin against 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 spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not agree to sleep with her or be with her.	10 With such words as these, throughout each day, the woman was pestering the young man, and he was refusing the adultery.
11 But one day when Joseph came into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the householdhappened to be indoors,	11 Then it happened, on a certain day, that Joseph entered the house, and he was doing something, without any witnesses.
12 she caught hold of him by his tunic and said, 'Sleep with me.' But he left the tunic in her hand, took tohis heels and got out.	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 the tunic in her hands as he ran out,	13 And when the woman saw the garment in her hands and herself being treated with disrespect,
14 she cal ed her servants and said to them, 'Look at this! My husband brought in a Hebrew to make afool of me! He burst in on me, but I screamed,	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 and when he heard me scream, he left his tunic beside me and ran out of the house.'	15 and he had heard my voice, he left behind the cloak that I held, and he fled outside.”
16 She kept his tunic by 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 tale, 'The Hebrew slave you brought to us burst in on me to make a foolof 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, he left his tunic beside me and ran away.'	18 And when he had heard me cry out, he left behind the cloak that I held, and he fled outside.”
19 When his master heard his wife say, 'This was how your slave treated me,' he became furious.	19 His lord, upon hearing these things, and having excessive trust in the words of his mate, was very angry.
20 Joseph's master had him arrested and committed to the gaol where the king's prisoners were kept.And there in gaol he stayed.	20 And he delivered Joseph into prison, where the prisoners of the king were kept, and he was enclosed in that place.
21 But Yahweh was with Joseph. He showed him faithful love and made him popular with the chiefgaoler.	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 gaoler put Joseph in charge of al the prisoners in the gaol, making him responsible foreverything done there.	22 who delivered into his hand all the prisoners who were held in custody. And whatever was done, was under him.
23 The chief gaoler did not bother about anything put in his charge, since Yahweh was with him, andYahweh made everything he undertook successful.	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.