Joseph’s Brothers Go Down to Egypt Again
1There still wasn’t enough food anywhere in the land. 2After a while Jacob’s family had eaten all the grain the brothers had brought from Egypt. So their father said to them, “Go back. Buy us a little more food.”
3But Judah said to him, “The man gave us a strong warning. He said, ‘You won’t see my face again unless your brother Benjamin is with you.’ 4So send our brother along with us. Then we’ll go down and buy food for you. 5If you won’t send him, we won’t go down. The man said to us, ‘You won’t see my face again unless your brother is with you.’ ”
6Israel asked, “Why did you bring this trouble to me? Why did you tell the man you had another brother?”
7They replied, “The man questioned us closely about ourselves and our family. He asked us, ‘Is your father still living? Do you have another brother?’ We just answered his questions. How could we possibly know he would say, ‘Bring your brother down here’?”
8Judah spoke to Israel his father. “Send the boy along with me,” he said. “We’ll go right away. Then we and you and our children will live and not die. 9I myself promise to keep Benjamin safe. You can blame me if I don’t bring him back to you. I’ll set him right here in front of you. If I don’t, you can put the blame on me for the rest of my life. 10As it is, we’ve already waited too long. We could have made the trip to Egypt and back twice by now.”
11Then their father Israel spoke to them. He said, “If that’s the way it has to be, then do what I tell you. Put some of the best things from our land in your bags. Take them down to the man as a gift. Take some lotion and a little honey. Take some spices and myrrh. Take some pistachio nuts and almonds. 12Take twice the amount of money with you. You have to give back the money that was put in your sacks. Maybe it was a mistake. 13Also take your brother. Go back to the man at once. 14May the Mighty God cause him to show you mercy. May the man let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you. And if I lose my sons, I lose them.”
15So the men took the gifts. They took twice the amount of money. They also took Benjamin. They hurried down to Egypt and went to Joseph. 16When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he spoke to the manager of his house. “Take these men to my house,” he said. “Kill an animal and prepare a meal. I want them to eat with me at noon.”
17The manager did what Joseph told him to do. He took the men to Joseph’s house. 18They were frightened when they were taken to Joseph’s house. They thought, “We were brought here because of the money that was put back in our sacks the first time. He wants to attack us and overpower us. Then he can hold us as slaves and take our donkeys.”
19So they went up to Joseph’s manager. They spoke to him at the entrance to the house. 20“Please, sir,” they said. “We came down here the first time to buy food. 21We opened our sacks at the place where we stopped for the night. Each of us found in our sacks the exact amount of the money we had paid. So we’ve brought it back with us. 22We’ve also brought more money with us to buy food. We don’t know who put our money in our sacks.”
23“It’s all right,” the manager said. “Don’t be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, has given you riches in your sacks. I received your money.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.
24The manager took the men into Joseph’s house. He gave them water to wash their feet. He provided feed for their donkeys. 25The brothers prepared their gifts for Joseph. He was planning to arrive at noon. They had heard that they were going to eat there.
26When Joseph came home, they gave him the gifts they had brought into the house. They bowed down low in front of him. 27He asked them how they were. Then he said, “How is your old father you told me about? Is he still living?”
28They replied, “Your servant our father is still alive and well.” And they bowed down to show him honor.
29Joseph looked around. Then he saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son. He asked, “Is this your youngest brother? Is he the one you told me about?” He continued, “May God be gracious to you, my son.” 30It moved him deeply to see his brother. So Joseph hurried out and looked for a place to cry. He went into his own room and cried there.
31Then he washed his face and came out. He calmed down and said, “Serve the food.”
32They served Joseph by himself. They served the brothers by themselves. They also served the Egyptians who ate with Joseph by themselves. Because of their beliefs, Egyptians couldn’t eat with Hebrews. 33The brothers had been given places in front of Joseph. They had been seated in the order of their ages, from the oldest to the youngest. That made them look at each other in great surprise. 34While they were eating, some food was brought to them from Joseph’s table. Benjamin was given five times as much as anyone else. So all Joseph’s brothers ate and drank a lot with him.
Yakob Mma No San Kɔ Misraim
1Saa bere no mu no, na ɔkɔm no ano da so yɛ den wɔ asase no so nyinaa. 2Enti bere a aduan a wɔkɔtɔ fii Misraim bae no reyɛ asa no, wɔn agya Yakob ka kyerɛɛ wɔn se, “Monsan nkɔ nkɔtɔ aduan kakra mmra bio.”
3Nanso Yuda ka kyerɛɛ nʼagya Yakob se, “Owura no sua kyerɛɛ yɛn denneennen se, ‘Sɛ moamfa mo nua kumaa no anka mo ho amma a, munnsi mʼanim ha bio.’ 4Sɛ wobɛma yɛne yɛn nua kumaa no akɔ de a, ɛno de, yɛbɛsan akɔ akɔtɔ aduan no bi abrɛ wo. 5Nanso sɛ woamma yɛamfa no ankɔ de a, yɛrenkɔ, efisɛ owura no suaa denneennen se, ‘Sɛ mo nua kumaa no nka mo ho a, munnsi mʼanim bio.’ ”
6Israel bisaa ne mma no se, “Adɛn nti na moka kyerɛɛ owura no se mowɔ nua kumaa bi wɔ hɔ, na mode saa ɔhaw yi abɛto me so?”
7Anuanom no buaa wɔn agya Israel se, “Owura no nyaa adagyew, tɔɔ ne bo ase bisaa yɛn ne yɛn abusuafo ho nsɛm nyinaa se, ‘Mo agya da so te ase ana? Mowɔ onua foforo bi ka mo ho?’ Nsɛm a obisaa yɛn no na yebuaa no. Na yennim sɛ ɔbɛka se, ‘Momfa mo nua kumaa no mmra.’ ”
8Ɛhɔ na Yuda ka kyerɛɛ nʼagya Israel se, “Fa yɛn nua no hyɛ me nsa, na yensi mu nkɔ ntɛm nkɔtɔ aduan no bi mmra, na ɔkɔm ankum yɛn ne wo ne yɛn mma. 9Mʼankasa mɛhwɛ abofra no so. Sɛ mamfa no amma a, bisa me. Sɛ mamfa no amma, ammegyina wʼanim ha, amma woanhu sɛ wo ba no ni a, saa asodi no nna me so me nkwanna nyinaa. 10Sɛ yɛantwentwɛn yɛn nan ase a, anka saa bere yi, yɛakɔ aba bɛyɛ mprenu.”
11Afei, wɔn agya Israel ka kyerɛɛ wɔn se, “Sɛ meyɛ ho hwee na ɛrenyɛ yiye de a, ɛno de, momfa asase yi so nnepa a bi ne akyenkyennuru kakra, ɛwo kakra, aduhuam, kurobow, nkate ne ɔsonkoran aba nhyɛ mo nkotoku mu, nkɔyɛ owura no ayɛ. 12Sika a mode rekɔ no nso, monyɛ no mmɔho efisɛ ɛsɛ sɛ mosan de sika a kan no mode kɔe na ɔsan de hyɛɛ mo nnesoa mu bae no kɔma no. Ebia na ɛyɛɛ no anipaso. 13Momfa mo nua no nso nka mo ho, na munsi mu ntɛmntɛm nkɔ. 14Otumfo Nyankopɔn nnyina mo akyi, na owura no nhu mo mmɔbɔ, na onyaa mo nua panyin Simeon, na ɔmfa Benyamin nso nka mo ho, na mo nyinaa nsan mmra. Sɛ ɛsɛ sɛ midi wɔn wu ho awerɛhow nso a, minni asɛm biara ka.”
15Enti Israelmma no faa akyɛde ahorow a wɔde rekɔ akɔyɛ owura no ayɛ no, ne wɔn sika mmɔho abien, ne wɔn nua kumaa Benyamin kaa wɔn ho, sii mu kɔe. Woduu Misraim no, wokoyii wɔn ho adi kyerɛɛ Yosef. 16Bere a Yosef huu sɛ Benyamin ka wɔn ho no, ɔka kyerɛɛ ne fi somfo panyin no se, “Fa nkurɔfo no kɔ me fi, na kum aboa bi, na wɔmfa nnoa aduan, na awia me ne wɔn bedidi.”
17Ɔsomfo panyin no yɛɛ sɛnea Yosef kae no ma ɔde nkurɔfo no kɔɔ Yosef fi. 18Ɔde wɔn duu Yosef fi no, wosuroe. Wɔkae se, “Gyama esiane dwetɛ a yɛbɛtɔɔ aduan a edi kan no wɔde hyehyɛɛ yɛn nkotoku mu no nti na ɔde yɛn aba ha. Ɔpɛ sɛ ɔde korɔn to yɛn so, na ɔfa yɛn sɛ ne nkoa, na ɔsan fa yɛn mfurum no nyinaa.”
19Woduu Yosef fi kwan no ano no, wɔkɔɔ Yosef somfo panyin no nkyɛn. 20Wɔka kyerɛɛ no se, “Yɛn wura, yɛsrɛ wo, yɛbaa ha bere bi a atwa mu bɛtɔɔ aduan. 21Bere a yɛresan akɔ yɛn kurom a ade sae, na yɛsoɛsoɛɛ no, asoɛe hɔ na yebuebuee yɛn nkotoku ano, na yehuu sɛ obiara sika a okurae a anka ɔde rekɔtɔ aburow no hyɛ ne kotoku no mu pɛpɛɛpɛ. Ɛno nti, yɛasan de aba. 22Yɛasan de sika foforo aba sɛ yɛde rebɛtɔ aduan. Yennim onipa ko a ɔde saa sika no hyehyɛɛ yɛn nkotoku no mu.”
23Ɔsomfo panyin no ka kyerɛɛ wɔn se, “Ɛnyɛ asɛm biara. Munnsuro. Onyame a mosom no ne mo agya Nyame a ɔsom no no na ɔde saa sika no hyehyɛɛ mo nkotoku no mu maa mo. Na mo sika no de, yegyei.” Afei, oyii Simeon fii afiase hɔ de no brɛɛ wɔn.
24Ɔsomfo panyin no de wɔn kɔɔ Yosef fi, maa wɔn nsu hohoroo wɔn anan ase, na ɔmaa wɔn mfurum no nso aduan dii. 25Wɔboaboaa akyɛde a wɔde bɛma Yosef no ano de twɛn no, efisɛ na wɔate sɛ wobedidi wɔ fie hɔ awia no.
26Bere a Yosef bae no, anuanom no buu no nkotodwe, de wɔn akyɛde no maa no. 27Yosef bisaa wɔn sɛnea wɔn ho te. Ɔtoaa so se, “Mo agya akwakoraa a mokaa ne ho asɛm no ho te dɛn? Ɔda so te ase ana?”
28Wobuaa no se, “Wʼakoa a ɔyɛ yɛn agya no ho ye. Ɔda so te ase.” Wɔde obu ne nidi bɔɔ wɔn mu ase wɔ nʼanim.
29Bere a nʼani tɔɔ ne na ba Benyamin anim no, obisae se, “Oyi ne mo nua kumaa a mokaa ne ho asɛm kyerɛɛ me no ana?” Ɔtoaa so se, “Me ba, Onyankopɔn nnom wo!” 30Yosef huu ne nua kumaa Benyamin no, ne werɛ howee, enti ɔyɛɛ ntɛm fii adi kɔhyɛɛ ne pia mu kosui.
31Osu wiee no, ɔhohoroo nʼanim, san bae de animia kae se, “Momma yennidi!”
32Wɔtoo Yosef pon wɔ baabi, na wɔtoo anuanom no nso pon wɔ baabi wɔ ɔdan koro no ara mu. Misraimfo a wɔyɛ Yosef asomfo no nso didii wɔ baabi foforo, efisɛ Misraimfo no mmu Hebrifo, na wɔne wɔn ato nsa adidi. 33Wɔde Yosef nuanom no tenatenaa ase mpanyin mu. Ɛyɛɛ saa maa anuanom no de ahodwiriw hwehwɛɛ wɔn ho wɔn ho anim. 34Wotitii nnuan no fi Yosef pon so kɔmaa wɔn no, na Benyamin de no dɔɔso sen ne nua biara de mpɛn anum. Ɛmaa wɔne Yosef de anigye ne ahosɛpɛw didi nomee.
