Genesis 43

VULGATA	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Interim fames omnem terram vehementer premebat.	1 Now the famine in the land grew more severe.
2 Consumptisque cibis quos ex Ægypto detulerant, dixit Jacob ad filios suos : Revertimini, et emite nobis pauxillum escarum.	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 Respondit Judas : Denuntiavit nobis vir ille sub attestatione jurisjurandi, dicens : Non videbitis faciem meam, nisi fratrem vestrum minimum adduxeritis vobiscum.	3 But Judah replied: "The man strictly warned us, 'You shall not appear in my presence unless your brother is with you.'
4 Si ergo vis eum mittere nobiscum, pergemus pariter, et ememus tibi necessaria :	4 If you are willing to let our brother go with us, we will go down to procure food for you.
5 sin autem non vis, non ibimus : vir enim, ut sæpe diximus, denuntiavit nobis, dicens : Non videbitis faciem meam absque fratre vestro minimo.	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 Dixit eis Israël : In meam hoc fecistis miseriam, ut indicaretis ei et alium habere vos fratrem.	6 Israel demanded, "Why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man that you had another brother?"
7 At illi responderunt : Interrogavit nos homo per ordinem nostram progeniem : si pater viveret : si haberemus fratrem : et nos respondimus ei consequenter juxta id quod fuerat sciscitatus : numquid scire poteramus quod dicturus esset : Adducite fratrem vestrum vobiscum ?	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 Judas quoque dixit patri suo : Mitte puerum mecum, ut proficiscamur, et possimus vivere : ne moriamur nos et parvuli nostri.	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 Ego suscipio puerum : de manu mea require illum : nisi reduxero, et reddidero eum tibi, ero peccati reus in te omni tempore.	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 Si non intercessisset dilatio, jam vice alter venissemus.	10 Had we not dilly-dallied, we could have been there and back twice by now!"
11 Igitur Israël pater eorum dixit ad eos : Si sic necesse est, facite quod vultis : sumite de optimis terræ fructibus in vasis vestris, et deferte viro munera, modicum resinæ, et mellis, et storacis, stactes, et terebinthi, et amygdalarum.	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 Pecuniam quoque duplicem ferte vobiscum : et illam, quam invenistis in sacculis, reportate, ne forte errore factum sit :	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 sed et fratrem vestrum tollite, et ite ad virum.	13 Take your brother, too, and be off on your way back to the man.
14 Deus autem meus omnipotens faciat vobis eum placabilem : et remittat vobiscum fratrem vestrum quem tenet, et hunc Benjamin : ego autem quasi orbatus absque liberis ero.	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 Tulerunt ergo viri munera, et pecuniam duplicem, et Benjamin : descenderuntque in Ægyptum, et steterunt coram Joseph.	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 Quos cum ille vidisset et Benjamin simul, præcepit dispensatori domus suæ, dicens : Introduc viros domum, et occide victimas, et instrue convivium : quoniam mecum sunt comesturi meridie.	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 Fecit ille quod sibi fuerat imperatum, et introduxit viros domum.	17 Doing as Joseph had ordered, the steward conducted the men to Joseph's house.
18 Ibique exterriti, dixerunt mutuo : Propter pecuniam, quam retulimus prius in saccis nostris, introducti sumus : ut devolvat in nos calumniam, et violenter subjiciat servituti et nos, et asinos nostros.	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 Quam ob rem in ipsis foribus accedentes ad dispensatorem domus,	19 So they went up to Joseph's head steward and talked to him at the entrance of the house.
20 locuti sunt : Oramus, domine, ut audias nos. Jam ante descendimus ut emeremus escas :	20 "If you please, sir," they said, "we came down here once before to procure food.
21 quibus emptis, cum venissemus ad diversorium, aperuimus saccos nostros, et invenimus pecuniam in ore saccorum : quam nunc eodem pondere reportavimus.	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 Sed et aliud attulimus argentum, ut emamus quæ nobis necessaria sunt : non est in nostra conscientia quis posuerit eam in marsupiis nostris.	22 We have brought other money to procure food with. We do not know who put the first money in our bags."
23 At ille respondit : Pax vobiscum, nolite timere : Deus vester, et Deus patris vestri, dedit vobis thesauros in saccis vestris : nam pecuniam, quam dedistis mihi, probatam ego habeo. Eduxitque ad eos Simeon.	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 Et introductis domum, attulit aquam, et laverunt pedes suos, deditque pabulum asinis eorum.	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 Illi vero parabant munera, donec ingrederetur Joseph meridie : audierant enim quod ibi comesturi essent panem.	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 Igitur ingressus est Joseph domum suam, obtuleruntque ei munera, tenentes in manibus suis : et adoraverunt proni in terram.	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 At ille, clementer resalutatis eis, interrogavit eos, dicens : Salvusne est pater vester senex, de quo dixeratis mihi ? adhuc vivit ?	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 Qui responderunt : Sospes est servus tuus pater noster, adhuc vivit. Et incurvati, adoraverunt eum.	28 "Your servant our father is thriving and still in good health," they said, as they bowed respectfully.
29 Attollens autem Joseph oculos, vidit Benjamin fratrem suum uterinum, et ait : Iste est frater vester parvulus, de quo dixeratis mihi ? Et rursum : Deus, inquit, misereatur tui, fili mi.	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 Festinavitque, quia commota fuerant viscera ejus super fratre suo, et erumpebant lacrimæ : et introiens cubiculum flevit.	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 Rursumque lota facie egressus, continuit se, et ait : Ponite panes.	31 After washing his face, he reappeared and, now in control of himself, gave the order, "Serve the meal."
32 Quibus appositis, seorsum Joseph, et seorsum fratribus, Ægyptiis quoque qui vescebantur simul, seorsum (illicitum est enim Ægyptiis comedere cum Hebræis, et profanum putant hujuscemodi convivium)	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 sederunt coram eo, primogenitus juxta primogenita sua, et minimus juxta ætatem suam. Et mirabantur nimis,	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 sumptis partibus quas ab eo acceperant : majorque pars venit Benjamin, ita ut quinque partibus excederet. Biberuntque et inebriati sunt cum eo.	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.