Génesis 43

BIBLIA	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 El hambre seguía abrumando la tierra.	1 Now the famine in the land grew more severe.
2 Así pues, en cuanto acabaron de consumir el grano traído de Egipto, les dijo su padre: «Volved y compradnos algo de comer.»	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."
3 Judá le dijo: «Bien claro nos dio a entender aquel hombre que no veríamos su rostro si no estaba con nosotros nuestro hermano.	3 But Judah replied: "The man strictly warned us, 'You shall not appear in my presence unless your brother is with you.'
4 Si mandas a nuestro hermano con nosotros, bajaremos y te compraremos víveres;	4 If you are willing to let our brother go with us, we will go down to procure food for you.
5 pero si no le mandas, no bajamos, porque aquel hombre nos dijo: “No os presentéis a mí si no está vuestro hermano con vosotros.”»	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.'"
6 Dijo Israel: «¿Por qué para desgracia mía hicisteis saber a ese hombre que teníais otro hermano?»	6 Israel demanded, "Why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man that you had another brother?"
7 Dijeron: «!Él empezó preguntándonos por nuestra familia, diciéndonos: ¿Tenéis aún padre? ¿Vive todavía vuestro padre? ¿Tenéis algún otro hermano? Y nosotros nos limitamos a responder a sus palabras. ¿Podíamos saber que iba a decirnos: Bajad a vuestro hermano?»	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'?"
8 Dijo Judá a su padre Israel: «Deja ir al chico conmigo; deja que vayamos para vivir y no morir ni nosotros, ni tú, ni nuestros pequeños.	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.
9 Yo respondo de él, de mi mano lo exigirás si no lo trajere aquí y te lo presentare, y estaría yo en falta contigo a perpetuidad.	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.
10 Que lo que es, si no nos hubiéramos entretenido, para estas horas ya estaríamos de vuelta.»	10 Had we not dilly-dallied, we could have been there and back twice by now!"
11 Díjoles su padre Israel: «Siendo así, hacedlo; llevaos de lo más fino del país en vuestras cestas, y bajad a aquel hombre un regalo, un poco de sandácara, un poco de miel, almáciga y ládano, pistachos y almendras.	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.
12 Tomáis también con vosotros el doble de plata y devolvéis personalmente la plata devuelta en la boca de vuestras talegas, por si se trata de un error.	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.
13 Tomad, pues, a vuestro hermano y volved inmediatamente donde ese hombre;	13 Take your brother, too, and be off on your way back to the man.
14 que El Sadday os haga hallar misericordia ante ese hombre, y que él os despache y suelte a vuestro otro hermano, y a Benjamín. Por mi parte, si he de perder a mis hijos, qué le vamos a hacer.»	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."
15 Ellos tomaron dicho regalo y el doble de plata consigo, y asimismo a Benjamín, y poniéndose en marcha bajaron a Egipto y se presentaron a José.	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.
16 José vio con ellos a Benjamin, y dijo a su mayordomo: «Lleva a esos hombres a casa, mata algún animal y lo preparas, porque esos hombres van a comer conmigo a mediodía.»	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."
17 El hombre hizo como le había dicho José, y llevó a los hombres a casa de José.	17 Doing as Joseph had ordered, the steward conducted the men to Joseph's house.
18 Ellos se asustaron porque se les llevaba a casa de José, y dijeron: «Es por lo de la plata devuelta en nuestros sacos la otra vez, por lo que se nos trae acá, para ponernos alguna trampa, caer sobre nosotros y reducirnos a esclavitud, junto con nuestros asnos.»	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."
19 Y acercándose al mayordomo de José le dijeron a la puerta de la casa:	19 So they went up to Joseph's head steward and talked to him at the entrance of the house.
20 «Por favor, señor, nosotros bajamos anteriormente a comprar víveres.	20 "If you please, sir," they said, "we came down here once before to procure food.
21 Pero resultó que cuando fuimos a hacer noche y abrimos nuestras talegas de grano, nos encontramos con que la plata de cada uno estaba en la boca de su talega, nuestra plata bien pesada, y la hemos devuelto con nosotros,	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.
22 y además traemos con nosotros más plata para comprar víveres. Ignoramos quién puso nuestra plata en nuestras talegas.»	22 We have brought other money to procure food with. We do not know who put the first money in our bags."
23 Díjoles: «La paz sea con vosotros, no temáis. Vuestro Dios y el Dios de vuestro padre os puso ese tesoro en las talegas. Vuestra plata ya me llegó.» Y les sacó a Simeón.	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.
24 Luego los introdujo en casa de José, les dio agua y se lavaron los pies, y les dio pienso para sus asnos.	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.
25 Entonces ellos prepararon el regalo, mientras llegaba José a mediodía, pues oyeron que iban a comer allí.	25 Then they set out their gifts to await Joseph's arrival at noon, for they had heard that they were to dine there.
26 Al entrar José en casa, le presentaron el regalo que llevaban consigo y se inclinaron hasta el suelo.	26 When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought inside, while they bowed down before him to the ground.
27 El les saludó y les preguntó: «Vuestro anciano padre de quien me hablasteis, ¿vive aún?»	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?"
28 Y le dijeron: «Está bien tu siervo, nuestro padre: todavía vive.» Y postrándose se inclinaron.	28 "Your servant our father is thriving and still in good health," they said, as they bowed respectfully.
29 Entonces José volvió los ojos y vio a Benjamín, su hermano de madre, y dijo: «¿Este es vuestro hermano menor, de quien me hablasteis?» Y añadió: «Dios te guarde, hijo mío.»	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!"
30 José tuvo que darse prisa, porque le daban ganas de llorar de emoción por su hermano, y entrando en el cuarto lloró allí.	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.
31 Luego se lavó la cara, salió y conteniéndose dijo: «Servid la comida.»	31 After washing his face, he reappeared and, now in control of himself, gave the order, "Serve the meal."
32 Y le sirvieron a él aparte, aparte a ellos, y aparte a los egipcios que comían con él, porque los egipcios no soportan comer con los hebreos, cosa detestable para ellos.	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.)
33 Sentáronse, pues, delante de él por orden de antigüedad, de mayor a menor, y unos a otros se daban muestras de asombro.	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;
34 El fue tomando de delante de sí raciones para ellos, y la ración de Benjamín era cinco veces mayor que la de todos los demás. Ellos bebieron y se alegraron en su compañía.	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.