1And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man’s money in his sack’s mouth.44.1 the steward…: Heb. him that was over his house 2And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken. 3As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses. 4And when they were gone out of the city, and not yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good? 5Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.44.5 divineth: or, maketh trial?
6¶ And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these same words. 7And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing: 8Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks’ mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord’s house silver or gold? 9With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord’s bondmen. 10And he said, Now also let it be according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless. 11Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack. 12And he searched, and began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. 13Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.
14¶ And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph’s house; for he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground. 15And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?44.15 divine: or, make trial? 16And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord’s servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found. 17And he said, God forbid that I should do so: but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father.
18¶ Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh. 19My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother? 20And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him. 21And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him. 22And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die. 23And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more. 24And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my father, we told him the words of my lord. 25And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little food. 26And we said, We cannot go down: if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down: for we may not see the man’s face, except our youngest brother be with us. 27And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bare me two sons: 28And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since: 29And if ye take this also from me, and mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave. 30Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad’s life; 31It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave. 32For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever. 33Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren. 34For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father.44.34 come…: Heb. find my father
Kikombe Cha Fedha Ndani Ya Gunia
1Kisha Yosefu akampa yule msimamizi wa nyumbani mwake maagizo haya: “Jaza magunia ya watu hawa kiasi cha chakula ambacho wanaweza kuchukua, na uweke fedha ya kila mtu kwenye mdomo wa gunia lake. 244:2 Mwa 44:8Kisha weka kikombe changu kile cha fedha kwenye mdomo wa gunia la yule mdogo wa wote pamoja na fedha zake ambazo angenunulia nafaka yake.” Naye akafanya kama Yosefu alivyosema.
344:3 Amu 19:9Kulipopambazuka, hao watu wakaruhusiwa kuondoka pamoja na punda zao. 4Kabla hawajafika mbali kutoka mjini, Yosefu akamwambia mtumishi wake, “Wafuatilie wale watu mara moja, utakapowakuta, waambie, ‘Kwa nini mmelipiza wema kwa ubaya? 544:5 Mwa 30:27Je, kikombe hiki sicho anachonywea bwana wangu na pia hukitumia kwa kutabiri mambo yajayo? Hili ni jambo ovu mlilolitenda.’ ”
6Alipowafikia, akarudia maneno haya kwao. 744:7 Mwa 18:5Lakini wakamwambia mtumishi, “Kwa nini bwana wangu anasema maneno kama haya? Liwe mbali na watumishi wako wasije wakafanya jambo kama hilo! 844:8 Mwa 42:25Hata hivyo tulikurudishia zile fedha kutoka nchi ya Kanaani ambazo tulizikuta kwenye midomo ya magunia yetu. Hivyo kwa nini tuibe fedha au dhahabu kutoka nyumbani kwa bwana wako? 944:9 Mwa 31:32Ikiwa yeyote miongoni mwa watumishi wako atapatikana nacho, auawe, na sisi wengine tutakuwa watumwa wa bwana wangu.”
10Akajibu, “Vema sana; na iwe kama msemavyo. Yeyote atakayekutwa nacho atakuwa mtumwa wangu, lakini ninyi wengine mtakuwa hamna lawama.”
11Kila mmoja wao akafanya haraka kushusha gunia lake chini na kulifungua. 12Ndipo msimamizi akaendelea kutafuta, akianzia kwa mkubwa wa wote na akaishia kwa mdogo wa wote. Basi kikombe kikapatikana katika gunia la Benyamini. 1344:13 Mwa 37:29Kwa jambo hili, wakararua nguo zao. Ndipo wote wakapakiza mizigo yao juu ya punda zao na kurudi mjini.
1444:14 Mwa 33:3Yosefu alikuwa bado yuko nyumbani mwake wakati Yuda na kaka zake walipoingia, wote wakajitupa chini mbele yake. 1544:15 Za 26:6Yosefu akawaambia, “Ni jambo gani hili mlilolifanya? Hamjui kuwa mtu kama mimi anaweza kufahamu mambo kwa njia ya kutabiri?”
1644:16 Mwa 37:8; Za 26:6Yuda akajibu, “Tutaweza kusema nini kwa bwana wangu? Tutaweza kuzungumza nini? Tutawezaje kuthibitisha kwamba hatuna hatia? Mungu amefunua hatia ya watumishi wako. Sasa sisi tu watumwa wa bwana wangu, sisi wenyewe pamoja na yule aliyepatikana na kikombe.”
17Lakini Yosefu alisema, “Liwe mbali nami kufanya jambo kama hili! Mtu yule tu aliyekutwa na kikombe ndiye atakayekuwa mtumwa wangu. Ninyi wengine, rudini kwa baba yenu kwa amani.”
1844:18 Mwa 18:30Ndipo Yuda akamwendea na kumwambia: “Tafadhali bwana wangu, mruhusu mtumishi wako aseme neno kwa bwana wangu. Usimkasirikie mtumishi wako, ingawa wewe ni sawa na Farao mwenyewe. 19Bwana wangu aliwauliza watumishi wake, ‘Mnaye baba au ndugu?’ 2044:20 Mwa 37:3; 42:13Nasi tukakujibu, ‘Tunaye baba yetu ambaye ni mzee; pia yupo mwanawe mdogo aliyezaliwa katika uzee wake. Ndugu yake amekufa, na huyu mdogo ndiye mwana pekee kwa mama yake aliyebaki, naye baba yake anampenda.’
2144:21 Mwa 42:15“Ndipo ulipowaambia watumishi wako, ‘Mleteni kwangu ili niweze kumwona kwa macho yangu mwenyewe.’ 22Nasi tukamwambia bwana wangu, ‘Kijana hawezi kumwacha baba yake; akimwacha, baba yake atakufa.’ 2344:23 Mwa 43:5Lakini ukawaambia watumishi wako, ‘Ndugu yenu mdogo asiposhuka pamoja nanyi, hamtauona uso wangu tena.’ 2444:24 Mwa 43:28Tuliporudi nyumbani kwa mtumwa wako baba yangu, tulimwambia lile bwana wangu alilokuwa amesema.
2544:25 Mwa 42:2“Ndipo baba yetu aliposema, ‘Rudini Misri mkanunue chakula kingine.’ 2644:26 Mwa 43:5Lakini tukamwambia, ‘Hatuwezi kushuka Misri mpaka ndugu yetu mdogo awe pamoja nasi ndipo tutakapokwenda. Hatutaweza kuuona uso wa yule mtu mpaka ndugu yetu mdogo awe pamoja nasi.’
2744:27 Mwa 46:19“Mtumwa wako baba yangu alituambia, ‘Mnajua mke wangu alinizalia wana wawili. 2844:28 Mwa 37:33Mmojawapo alipotea, nami nikasema, “Hakika ameraruliwa vipande vipande.” Nami sijamwona tangu wakati huo. 2944:29 Mwa 42:38Ikiwa mtaniondolea huyu tena na akapatwa na madhara, mtashusha kichwa changu chenye mvi kaburini nikiwa mwenye huzuni.’
3044:30 1Sam 18:1“Hivyo sasa, kama kijana hatakuwa pamoja nasi nitakaporudi kwa mtumishi wako baba yangu, na kama baba yangu, ambaye maisha yake yamefungamanishwa na uhai wa kijana huyu, 31akiona kijana hayupo nasi, atakufa. Watumishi wako watashusha kichwa chenye mvi cha baba yetu kaburini kwa huzuni. 32Mtumwa wako alimhakikishia baba yangu usalama wa kijana. Nikamwambia, ‘Kama sikumrudisha kwako nitakuwa mwenye lawama mbele yako, baba yangu, maisha yangu yote!’
33“Sasa basi, tafadhali mruhusu mtumishi abaki hapa kama mtumwa wa bwana wangu badala ya kijana, naye kijana umruhusu arudi na ndugu zake. 34Ninawezaje kurudi kwa baba yangu kama kijana hatakuwa pamoja nami? La hasha! Usiniache nikaone huzuni ile itakayompata baba yangu.”
