Bereshìt (בראשית) - Genesi 42

STUTTGARTENSIA-DELITZSCH	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 וַיַּרְא יַעֲקֹב כִּי יֶשׁ־שֶׁבֶר בְּמִצְרָיִם וַיֹּאמֶר יַעֲקֹב לְבָנָיו לָמָּה תִּתְרָאוּ	1 When Jacob learned that grain rations were available in Egypt, he said to his sons: "Why do you keep gaping at one another?
2 וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה שָׁמַעְתִּי כִּי יֶשׁ־שֶׁבֶר בְּמִצְרָיִם רְדוּ־שָׁמָּה וְשִׁבְרוּ־לָנוּ מִשָּׁם וְנִחְיֶה וְלֹא נָמוּת	2 I hear," he went on, "that rations of grain are available in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, that we may stay alive rather than die of hunger."
3 וַיֵּרְדוּ אֲחֵי־יֹוסֵף עֲשָׂרָה לִשְׁבֹּר בָּר מִמִּצְרָיִם	3 So ten of Joseph's brothers went down to buy an emergency supply of grain from Egypt.
4 וְאֶת־בִּנְיָמִין אֲחִי יֹוסֵף לֹא־שָׁלַח יַעֲקֹב אֶת־אֶחָיו כִּי אָמַר פֶּן־יִקְרָאֶנּוּ אָסֹון	4 It was only Joseph's full brother Benjamin that Jacob did not send with the rest, for he thought some disaster might befall him.
5 וַיָּבֹאוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לִשְׁבֹּר בְּתֹוךְ הַבָּאִים כִּי־הָיָה הָרָעָב בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן	5 Thus, since there was famine in the land of Canaan also, the sons of Israel were among those who came to procure rations.
6 וְיֹוסֵף הוּא הַשַּׁלִּיט עַל־הָאָרֶץ הוּא הַמַּשְׁבִּיר לְכָל־עַם הָאָרֶץ וַיָּבֹאוּ אֲחֵי יֹוסֵף וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ־לֹו אַפַּיִם אָרְצָה	6 It was Joseph, as governor of the country, who dispensed the rations to all the people. When Joseph's brothers came and knelt down before him with their faces to the ground,
7 וַיַּרְא יֹוסֵף אֶת־אֶחָיו וַיַּכִּרֵם וַיִּתְנַכֵּר אֲלֵיהֶם וַיְדַבֵּר אִתָּם קָשֹׁות וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם מֵאַיִן בָּאתֶם וַיֹּאמְרוּ מֵאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן לִשְׁבָּר־אֹכֶל	7 he recognized them as soon as he saw them. But he concealed his own identity from them and spoke sternly to them. "Where do you come from?" he asked them. They answered, "From the land of Canaan, to procure food."
8 וַיַּכֵּר יֹוסֵף אֶת־אֶחָיו וְהֵם לֹא הִכִּרֻהוּ	8 When Joseph recognized his brothers, although they did not recognize him,
9 וַיִּזְכֹּר יֹוסֵף אֵת הַחֲלֹמֹות אֲשֶׁר חָלַם לָהֶם וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם מְרַגְּלִים אַתֶּם לִרְאֹות אֶת־עֶרְוַת הָאָרֶץ בָּאתֶם	9 he was reminded of the dreams he had about them. He said to them: "You are spies. You have come to see the nakedness of the land."
10 וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָיו לֹא אֲדֹנִי וַעֲבָדֶיךָ בָּאוּ לִשְׁבָּר־אֹכֶל	10 "No, my lord," they replied. "On the contrary, your servants have come to procure food.
11 כֻּלָּנוּ בְּנֵי אִישׁ־אֶחָד נָחְנוּ כֵּנִים אֲנַחְנוּ לֹא־הָיוּ עֲבָדֶיךָ מְרַגְּלִים	11 All of us are sons of the same man. We are honest men; your servants have never been spies."
12 וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם לֹא כִּי־עֶרְוַת הָאָרֶץ בָּאתֶם לִרְאֹות	12 But he answered them: "Not so! You have come to see the nakedness of the land."
13 וַיֹּאמְרוּ שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר עֲבָדֶיךָ אַחִים ׀ אֲנַחְנוּ בְּנֵי אִישׁ־אֶחָד בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן וְהִנֵּה הַקָּטֹן אֶת־אָבִינוּ הַיֹּום וְהָאֶחָד אֵינֶנּוּ	13 "We your servants," they said, "were twelve brothers, sons of a certain man in Canaan; but the youngest one is at present with our father, and the other one is gone."
14 וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם יֹוסֵף הוּא אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתִּי אֲלֵכֶם לֵאמֹר מְרַגְּלִים אַתֶּם	14 "It is just as I said," Joseph persisted; "you are spies.
15 בְּזֹאת תִּבָּחֵנוּ חֵי פַרְעֹה אִם־תֵּצְאוּ מִזֶּה כִּי אִם־בְּבֹוא אֲחִיכֶם הַקָּטֹן הֵנָּה	15 This is how you shall be tested: unless your youngest brother comes here, I swear by the life of Pharaoh that you shall not leave here.
16 שִׁלְחוּ מִכֶּם אֶחָד וְיִקַּח אֶת־אֲחִיכֶם וְאַתֶּם הֵאָסְרוּ וְיִבָּחֲנוּ דִּבְרֵיכֶם הַאֱמֶת אִתְּכֶם וְאִם־לֹא חֵי פַרְעֹה כִּי מְרַגְּלִים אַתֶּם	16 So send one of your number to get your brother, while the rest of you stay here under arrest. Thus shall your words be tested for their truth; if they are untrue, as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!"
17 וַיֶּאֱסֹף אֹתָם אֶל־מִשְׁמָר שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים	17 With that, he locked them up in the guardhouse for three days.
18 וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם יֹוסֵף בַּיֹּום הַשְּׁלִישִׁי זֹאת עֲשׂוּ וִחְיוּ אֶת־הָאֱלֹהִים אֲנִי יָרֵא	18 On the third day Joseph said to them: "Do this, and you shall live; for I am a God-fearing man.
19 אִם־כֵּנִים אַתֶּם אֲחִיכֶם אֶחָד יֵאָסֵר בְּבֵית מִשְׁמַרְכֶם וְאַתֶּם לְכוּ הָבִיאוּ שֶׁבֶר רַעֲבֹון בָּתֵּיכֶם	19 If you have been honest, only one of your brothers need be confined in this prison, while the rest of you may go and take home provisions for your starving families.
20 וְאֶת־אֲחִיכֶם הַקָּטֹן תָּבִיאוּ אֵלַי וְיֵאָמְנוּ דִבְרֵיכֶם וְלֹא תָמוּתוּ וַיַּעֲשׂוּ־כֵן	20 But you must come back to me with your youngest brother. Your words will thus be verified, and you will not die." To this they agreed.
21 וַיֹּאמְרוּ אִישׁ אֶל־אָחִיו אֲבָל אֲשֵׁמִים ׀ אֲנַחְנוּ עַל־אָחִינוּ אֲשֶׁר רָאִינוּ צָרַת נַפְשֹׁו בְּהִתְחַנְנֹו אֵלֵינוּ וְלֹא שָׁמָעְנוּ עַל־כֵּן בָּאָה אֵלֵינוּ הַצָּרָה הַזֹּאת	21 To one another, however, they said: "Alas, we are being punished because of our brother. We saw the anguish of his heart when he pleaded with us, yet we paid no heed; that is why this anguish has now come upon us."
22 וַיַּעַן רְאוּבֵן אֹתָם לֵאמֹר הֲלֹוא אָמַרְתִּי אֲלֵיכֶם ׀ לֵאמֹר אַל־תֶּחֶטְאוּ בַיֶּלֶד וְלֹא שְׁמַעְתֶּם וְגַם־דָּמֹו הִנֵּה נִדְרָשׁ	22 "Didn't I tell you," broke in Reuben, "not to do wrong to the boy? But you wouldn't listen! Now comes the reckoning for his blood."
23 וְהֵם לֹא יָדְעוּ כִּי שֹׁמֵעַ יֹוסֵף כִּי הַמֵּלִיץ בֵּינֹתָם	23 They did not know, of course, that Joseph understood what they said, since he spoke with them through an interpreter.
24 וַיִּסֹּב מֵעֲלֵיהֶם וַיֵּבְךְּ וַיָּשָׁב אֲלֵהֶם וַיְדַבֵּר אֲלֵהֶם וַיִּקַּח מֵאִתָּם אֶת־שִׁמְעֹון וַיֶּאֱסֹר אֹתֹו לְעֵינֵיהֶם	24 But turning away from them, he wept. When he was able to speak to them again, he had Simeon taken from them and bound before their eyes.
25 וַיְצַו יֹוסֵף וַיְמַלְאוּ אֶת־כְּלֵיהֶם בָּר וּלְהָשִׁיב כַּסְפֵּיהֶם אִישׁ אֶל־שַׂקֹּו וְלָתֵת לָהֶם צֵדָה לַדָּרֶךְ וַיַּעַשׂ לָהֶם כֵּן	25 Then Joseph gave orders to have their containers filled with grain, their money replaced in each one's sack, and provisions given them for their journey. After this had been done for them,
26 וַיִּשְׂאוּ אֶת־שִׁבְרָם עַל־חֲמֹרֵיהֶם וַיֵּלְכוּ מִשָּׁם	26 they loaded their donkeys with the rations and departed.
27 וַיִּפְתַּח הָאֶחָד אֶת־שַׂקֹּו לָתֵת מִסְפֹּוא לַחֲמֹרֹו בַּמָּלֹון וַיַּרְא אֶת־כַּסְפֹּו וְהִנֵּה־הוּא בְּפִי אַמְתַּחְתֹּו	27 At the night encampment, when one of them opened his bag to give his donkey some fodder, he was surprised to see his money in the mouth of his bag.
28 וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־אֶחָיו הוּשַׁב כַּסְפִּי וְגַם הִנֵּה בְאַמְתַּחְתִּי וַיֵּצֵא לִבָּם וַיֶּחֶרְדוּ אִישׁ אֶל־אָחִיו לֵאמֹר מַה־זֹּאת עָשָׂה אֱלֹהִים לָנוּ	28 "My money has been returned!" he cried out to his brothers. "Here it is in my bag!" At that their hearts sank. Trembling, they asked one another, "What is this that God has done to us?"
29 וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל־יַעֲקֹב אֲבִיהֶם אַרְצָה כְּנָעַן וַיַּגִּידוּ לֹו אֵת כָּל־הַקֹּרֹת אֹתָם לֵאמֹר	29 When they got back to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them.
30 דִּבֶּר הָאִישׁ אֲדֹנֵי הָאָרֶץ אִתָּנוּ קָשֹׁות וַיִּתֵּן אֹתָנוּ כִּמְרַגְּלִים אֶת־הָאָרֶץ	30 "The man who is lord of the country," they said, "spoke to us sternly and put us in custody as if we were spying on the land.
31 וַנֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו כֵּנִים אֲנָחְנוּ לֹא הָיִינוּ מְרַגְּלִים	31 But we said to him: 'We are honest men; we have never been spies.
32 שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂר אֲנַחְנוּ אַחִים בְּנֵי אָבִינוּ הָאֶחָד אֵינֶנּוּ וְהַקָּטֹן הַיֹּום אֶת־אָבִינוּ בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן	32 There were twelve of us brothers, sons of the same father; but one is gone, and the youngest one is at present with our father in the land of Canaan.'
33 וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלֵינוּ הָאִישׁ אֲדֹנֵי הָאָרֶץ בְּזֹאת אֵדַע כִּי כֵנִים אַתֶּם אֲחִיכֶם הָאֶחָד הַנִּיחוּ אִתִּי וְאֶת־רַעֲבֹון בָּתֵּיכֶם קְחוּ וָלֵכוּ	33 Then the man who is lord of the country said to us: 'This is how I shall know if you are honest men: leave one of your brothers with me, while the rest of you go home with rations for your starving families.
34 וְהָבִיאוּ אֶת־אֲחִיכֶם הַקָּטֹן אֵלַי וְאֵדְעָה כִּי לֹא מְרַגְּלִים אַתֶּם כִּי כֵנִים אַתֶּם אֶת־אֲחִיכֶם אֶתֵּן לָכֶם וְאֶת־הָאָרֶץ תִּסְחָרוּ	34 When you come back to me with your youngest brother, and I know that you are honest men and not spies, I will restore your brother to you, and you may move about freely in the land.'"
35 וַיְהִי הֵם מְרִיקִים שַׂקֵּיהֶם וְהִנֵּה־אִישׁ צְרֹור־כַּסְפֹּו בְּשַׂקֹּו וַיִּרְאוּ אֶת־צְרֹרֹות כַּסְפֵּיהֶם הֵמָּה וַאֲבִיהֶם וַיִּירָאוּ	35 When they were emptying their sacks, there in each one's sack was his moneybag! At the sight of their moneybags, they and their father were dismayed.
36 וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם יַעֲקֹב אֲבִיהֶם אֹתִי שִׁכַּלְתֶּם יֹוסֵף אֵינֶנּוּ וְשִׁמְעֹון אֵינֶנּוּ וְאֶת־בִּנְיָמִן תִּקָּחוּ עָלַי הָיוּ כֻלָּנָה	36 Their father Jacob said to them: "Must you make me childless? Joseph is gone, and Simeon is gone, and now you would take away Benjamin! Why must such things always happen to me?"
37 וַיֹּאמֶר רְאוּבֵן אֶל־אָבִיו לֵאמֹר אֶת־שְׁנֵי בָנַי תָּמִית אִם־לֹא אֲבִיאֶנּוּ אֵלֶיךָ תְּנָה אֹתֹו עַל־יָדִי וַאֲנִי אֲשִׁיבֶנּוּ אֵלֶיךָ	37 Then Reuben told his father: "Put him in my care, and I will bring him back to you. You may kill my own two sons if I do not return him to you."
38 וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא־יֵרֵד בְּנִי עִמָּכֶם כִּי־אָחִיו מֵת וְהוּא לְבַדֹּו נִשְׁאָר וּקְרָאָהוּ אָסֹון בַּדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר תֵּלְכוּ־בָהּ וְהֹורַדְתֶּם אֶת־שֵׂיבָתִי בְּיָגֹון שְׁאֹולָה	38 But Jacob replied: "My son shall not go down with you. Now that his full brother is dead, he is the only one left. If some disaster should befall him on the journey you must make, you would send my white head down to the nether world in grief."