Genesis 43

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 But the famine in the country grew worse,	1 In the mean time the famine was heavy upon all the land.
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.'	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 expressly warned us, "You wil not be admitted to my presence unlessyour 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 ready to send our brother with us, we will go down and get 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 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." '	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 Then Israel said, 'Why did you bring this misery on me by tel ing the man 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 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"?'	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 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.	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 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.	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 Indeed, if we had not wasted so much time we should have been there and back twice by now!'	10 If delay had not been made, we had been here again the second time.
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.	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 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.	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, and go back to the man.	13 And take also your brother, and go to the man.
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.'	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 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.	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 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.'	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 The man did as Joseph had ordered, and took the men to Joseph's house.	17 He did as he was commanded, and brought the men into the house.
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.'	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 chamberlain and spoke to him at the entrance to the house.	19 Wherefore going up to the steward of the house, at the door,
20 'By your leave, sir,' they said, 'we came down once before to get supplies,	20 They said: Sir, we desire thee to hear us: We came down once before to buy food:
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,	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 and we have brought more money with us for the supplies. We do not know who put our money inour sacks.'	22 And we have brought other money besides, to buy what we want: we cannot tell who put it in our bags.
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.	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 man then took the men into Joseph's house. He offered them water to wash their feet, and gavetheir donkeys fodder.	24 And having brought them into the house, he fetched water, and they washed their feet, and he gave provender to their asses.
25 They arranged their gift while they waited for Joseph to come at midday, for they had heard theywere 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 arrived at the house they offered him the gift they had with them, bowing low beforehim.	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 He greeted them pleasantly, asking, 'Is your father wel , the old man you told me of ? Is he stillalive?'	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 wel ,' they replied, 'he is stil alive,' and they bowed respectful y.	28 And they answered: Thy servant our father is in health, he is yet living. And bowing themselves they made obeisance to him.
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.'	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 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.	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 returned and, controlling 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 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.	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 They were placed facing him in order of seniority, from the eldest to the youngest, and the menlooked 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 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.	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.