The 43rd Chapter
And the dearth waxed sore in the land. And when they had eaten up that corn which they brought out of the land of Egypt, their father said unto them: go again and buy us a little food. Then said Juda unto him: the man did testify unto us saying: look that you see not my face except your brother be with you. Therefore if you will send our brother with us, we will go and buy the food. But if you will not send him, we will not go: for the man said unto us: look that you see not my face, except your brother be with you. And Israel said: wherefore dealt you so cruelly with me, as to tell the man that you had yet another brother? And they said: The man asked us of our kindred saying: is your father yet alive? have you not another brother? And we told him according to these words. How could we know that he would bid us bring our brother down with us? Then said Juda unto Israel his father: Send the lad with me, and we will rise and go, that we may live and not die: both we, you and also our children. I will be surety for him, and of my hands require him. If I bring him not to you and set him before your eyes, then let me bear the blame for ever. For except we had made this tarrying: by this we had been there twice and come again.
Then their father Israel said unto them: if it must needs be so now: then do thus, take of the best fruits of the land in your vessels, and bring the man a present, a courtesy balm, and a courtesy of honey, spices and myrrh, dates and almonds. And take as much money more with you. And the money that was brought again in your sacks, take it again with you, peradventure it was some oversight.
Take also your brother with you, and arise and go again to the man. And God almighty give you mercy in the sight of the man and send you your other brother and also Ben Jamin, and I will be as a man robbed of his children.
Thus took they the present and twice so much more money with them, and Ben Jamin. And rose up, went down to Egypt, and presented themselves to Joseph. When Joseph saw Ben Jamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house: bring these men home, and slay and make ready: for they shall dine with me at noon. And the man did as Joseph bade, and brought them in to Josephs house.
When they were brought to Josephs house, they were afraid and said: because of the money that came in our sacks mouths at the first time, are we brought, to pick a quarrel with us and to lay some thing to our charge to bring us in bondage and our asses also. Therefore came they to the man that was the ruler over Josephs house, and communed with him at the door and said:
Sir, we came hither at the first time to buy food, and as we came to an inn and opened our sacks: behold, every mans money was in his sack with full weight: But we have brought it again with us, and other money have we brought also in our hands, to buy food, but we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks. And he said: be of good cheer, fear not: Your God and the God of your fathers has put you that treasure in your sacks, for I had your money. And he brought Simeon out to them and led them into Josephs house, and gave them water to wash their feet, and gave their asses provender: And they made ready their present against Joseph came at noon, for they heard say that they should dine there. When Joseph came home, they brought the present into the house to him, which they had in their hands, and fell hat on the ground before him. And he welcomed them courteously saying: is your father that old man which you told me of, in good health? and is he yet alive? they answered: your servant our father is in good health, and is yet alive. And they bowed themselves and fell to the ground.
And he lifted up his eyes and beheld his brother Ben Jamin his mothers son, and said: is this your youngest brother of whom you said unto me? And said: God be merciful unto you my son. And Joseph made haste (for his heart did melt upon his brother) and sought where to weep, and entered into his chamber, for to weep there. And he washed his face and came out and refrained himself, and bade set bread on the table.
And they prepared for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians which ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians may not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians. And they sat before him: the eldest according unto his age, and the youngest according unto his youth. And the men marveled among themselves. And they brought rewards unto them from before him: but Ben Jamins part was five times so much as any of theirs. And they ate and they drank, and were drunk with him.
The 44th Chapter
And he commanded the ruler of his house saying: fill the mens sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every mans money in his bag mouth, and put my silver cup in the sacks mouth of the youngest and his corn money also. And he did as Joseph had said. And in the morning as soon as it was light, the men were let go with their asses. And when they were out of the city and not yet far away, Joseph said unto the ruler of his house: up and follow after the men and overtake them, and say unto them: wherefore have you rewarded evil for good? is that not the cup of which my lord drinks, and does he not prophesy therein? you have evil done that you have done.
And he overtook them and said the same words unto them. And they answered him: wherefore says my lord such words? God forbid that your servants should do so. Behold, the money which we found in our sacks mouths, we brought again unto you, out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out of my lords house, either silver or gold? with whosoever of your servants it be found let him die, and let us also be my lords bondmen. And he said: Now therefore according unto your words, he with whom it is found, shall be my servant: but ye, shall be harmless.
And at once every man took down his sack to the ground, and every man opened his sack. And he searched, and began at the eldest and left at the youngest. And the cup was found in Ben Jamins sack. Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass and went again unto the city. And Juda and his brethren came to Josephs house, for he was yet there, and they fell before him on the ground. And Joseph said unto them: what deed is this which you have done? knew you not that such a man as I can prophesy?
Then said Juda: what shall we say unto my lord, what shall we speak or what excuse can we make? God has found out the wickedness of your servants. Behold, both we and he with whom the cup is found, are your servants. And he answered: God forbid that I should do so, the man with whom the cup is found, he shall be my servant: but go you in peace unto your father. Then Juda went unto him and said: oh my lord, let your servant speak a word in my lords ear, and be not wroth with your servant: for you are even as Pharao. My lord asked his servant saying: have you a father or a brother? And we answered my lord, we have a father that is old, and a young lad which he begat in his age: and the brother of the said lad is dead, and he is all that is left of that mother. And his father loves him. Then said my lord unto his servants bring him unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him. And we answered my lord, that the lad could not go from his father, for if he should leave his father, he were but a dead man. Then said you unto your servants: except your youngest brother come with you, look that you see my face no more.
And when we came unto your servant our father, we showed him what my lord had said. And when our father said unto us, go again and buy us a little food: we said, that we could not go. Nevertheless if our youngest brother go with us then will we go, for we may not see the mans face, except our youngest brother be with us. Then said your servant our father unto us. you know that my wife bare me two sons. And the one went out from me and it is said of a surety that he is torn in pieces of wild beasts, and I saw him not since. If you shall take this also away from me and some misfortune happen upon him, then shall you bring my gray head with sorrow unto the grave.
Now therefore when I come to your servant my father, if the lad be not with me: seeing that his life hangeth by the lads life, then as soon as he sees that the lad is not come, he will die. So shall we your servants bring the gray head of your servant our father with sorrow unto the grave. For I your servant became surety for the lad unto my father and said: if I bring him not unto you again. I will bear the blame all my life long. Now therefore let me your servant bide here for the lad, and be my lords bondman: and let the lad go home with his brethren. For how can I go unto my father, and the lad not with me: least I should see the wretchedness that shall come on my father.
The 45th Chapter
And Joseph could no longer refrain before all them that stood about him, but commanded that they should go all out from him, and that there should be no man with him, while he uttered himself unto his brethren. And he wept aloud, so that the Egyptians and the house of Pharao heard it. And he said unto his brethren: I am Joseph, does my father yet live? But his brethren could not answer him, for they were abashed at his presence. And Joseph said unto his brethren: come near to me, and they came near. And he said: I am Joseph your brother whom you sold into Egypt. And now be not grieved therewith, neither let it seem a cruel thing in your eyes, that you sold me here. For God did send me before you to save life. For this is the second year of dearth in the land, and five more are behind in which there shall neither be earing nor harvest.
Wherefore God sent me before you to make provision, that you might continue in the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you that sent me here, but God: and he has made me father unto Pharao and lord over all his house, and ruler in all the land of Egypt. Haste you and go to my father and tell him, this says your son Joseph: God has made me lord over all Egypt. Come down unto me and tarry not. And you shall dwell in the land of Gosan and be by me: both you and your children, and your children's children: and your sheep, and beasts and all that you hast. There will I make provision for you: for there remain yet five years of dearth, least you and your household and all that you have perish.
Behold, your eyes do see, and the eyes also of my brother Ben Jamin, that I speak to you by mouth. Therefore tell my father of all my honor which I have in Egypt and of all that you have seen, and make haste and bring my father here. And he fell on his brother Ben Jamins neck and wept, and Ben Jamin wept on his neck. Moreover he kissed all his brethren and wept upon them. And after that, his brethren talked with him. And when the tidings was come unto Pharaos house that Josephs brethren were come, it pleased Pharao well and all his servants.
And Pharao spoke unto Joseph: say unto your brethren, this do ye: load your beasts and get you from this place , And when you be come unto the land of Canaan, take your father and your households and come unto me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you shall eat the fat of the land. And commanded also. This do ye: take chariots with you out of the land of Egypt, for your children and for your wives: and bring your father and come. Also, regard not your stuff, for the goods of all the land of Egypt shall be yours.
And the children of Israel did even so, And Joseph gave them chariots at the commandment of Pharao, and gave them victual also to spend by the way. And he gave unto each of them change of raiment: but unto Ben Jamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of raiment. And unto his father he sent after the same manner: ten he asses laden with goods out of Egypt, and ten she asses laden with corn, bread and meat: to serve his father by the way. So sent he his brethren away, and they departed. And he said unto them: see that you fall not out by the way.
And they departed from Egypt and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father, and told him saying. Joseph is yet alive and is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacobs heart wavered, for he believed them not. And they told him all the words of Joseph which he had said unto them. But when he saw the chariots which Joseph had sent to carry him, then his spirits revived. And Israel said: I have enough, if Joseph my son be yet alive: I will go and see him, before that I die.