The Missing Cup
1-2 Later, Joseph told the servant in charge of his house, “Fill the men's grain sacks with as much as they can hold and put their money in the sacks. Also put my silver cup in the sack of the youngest brother.” The servant did as he was told.
3 Early the next morning, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys. 4 But they had not gone far from the city when Joseph told the servant, “Go after those men! When you catch them, say, ‘My master has been good to you. So why have you stolen his silver cup? 5 Not only does he drink from his cup, but he also uses it to learn about the future. You have done a terrible thing.’ ”
6 When the servant caught up with them, he said exactly what Joseph had told him to say. 7 But they replied, “Sir, why do you say such things? We would never do anything like that! 8 We even returned the money we found in our grain sacks when we got back to Canaan. So why would we want to steal any silver or gold from your master's house? 9 If you find that one of us has the cup, then kill him, and the rest of us will become your slaves.”
10 “Good!” the man replied, “I'll do what you have said. But only the one who has the cup will become my slave. The rest of you can go free.”
11 Each of the brothers quickly put his sack on the ground and opened it. 12 Joseph's servant started searching the sacks, beginning with the one that belonged to the oldest brother. When he came to Benjamin's sack, he found the cup. 13 This upset the brothers so much that they began tearing their clothes in sorrow. Then they loaded their donkeys and returned to the city.
14 When Judah and his brothers got there, Joseph was still at home. So they bowed down to Joseph, 15 who asked them, “What have you done? Didn't you know I could find out?”
16 “Sir, what can we say?” Judah replied. “How can we say we are innocent, when God has shown we are guilty? And now all of us are your slaves, especially the one who had the cup.”
17 Joseph told them, “I would never punish all of you. Only the one who was caught with the cup will become my slave. The rest of you are free to go home to your father.”
Judah Pleads for Benjamin
18 Judah went over to Joseph and said:
Sir, you have as much power as the king himself, and I am only your slave. Please don't get angry if I speak. 19 You asked us if our father was still alive and if we had any more brothers. 20 So we told you, “Our father is a very old man. In fact, he was already old when Benjamin was born. Benjamin's brother is dead. Now Benjamin is the only one of the two brothers who is still alive, and our father loves him very much.”
21 You ordered us to bring him here, so you could see him for yourself. 22 We told you that our father would die if Benjamin left him. 23 But you warned us that we could never see you again, unless our youngest brother came with us. 24 So we returned to our father and reported what you had said.
25 Later our father sent us back here to buy more grain. 26 But we told him, “We can't go back to Egypt without our youngest brother. We will never be let in to see the governor, unless he is with us.”
27 Sir, our father then reminded us that his favorite wife had given birth to two sons. 28 One of them was already missing and had not been seen for a long time. My father thinks the boy was torn to pieces by some wild animal, 29 and he said, “I am an old man. If you take Benjamin from me, and something happens to him, I will die of a broken heart.”
30 That's why Benjamin must be with us when I go back to my father. He loves him so much 31 that he will die if Benjamin doesn't come back with me. 32 I promised my father that I would bring him safely home. If I don't, I told my father he could blame me the rest of my life.
33 Sir, I am your slave. Please let me stay here in place of Benjamin and let him return home with his brothers. 34 How can I face my father if Benjamin isn't with me? I couldn't bear to see my father in such sorrow.
Jāzeps aiztur Benjāminu
1 Un viņš pavēlēja sava nama pārvaldniekam: “Piepildi to vīru maišeļus ar ēdamo, cik tie spēj nest, un katra sudrabu atliec atpakaļ viņa maišeļa augšpusē. 2 Un manu kausu, sudraba kausu, ieliec maišeļa augšpusē jaunākajam, tāpat arī sudrabu par viņa labību!” – un viņš darīja, kā Jāzeps bija sacījis! 3 Kad ausa rīta gaisma, tos vīrus atlaida mājās, viņus un viņu ēzeļus. 4 Tie nebija vēl pārāk tālu aizgājuši no pilsētas, kad Jāzeps teica sava nama pārvaldniekam: “Celies, dzenies pakaļ tiem vīriem un panācis saki: kāpēc jūs labu atmaksājat ar ļaunu?! 5 Vai šis nav tas, no kā dzer mans kungs? Ar to viņš mēdz pareģot! Ļaunu jūs esat darījuši, tā darīdami!” 6 Un viņš tos panāca un runāja tieši šādiem vārdiem. 7 Bet viņi tam teica: “Kāpēc mans kungs runā šādus vārdus?! Tavi kalpi lai darītu tādu lietu? Lai tas tālu no mums! 8 Redzi – no Kanaāna zemes mēs atvedām tev atpakaļ naudu, ko atradām mūsu maišeļu augšpusē, kā tad lai mēs būtu tavam kungam nozaguši sudrabu vai zeltu?! 9 Pie kā no taviem kalpiem tas atradīsies, tas lai mirst, un arī mēs tad lai topam tavam kungam par vergiem!” 10 Un viņš teica: “Nu tā, lai notiek, kā jūs teicāt: pie kā to atradīs, tas būs mans vergs, bet jūs, pārējie, būsiet bez vainas!” 11 Un viņi steigšus nolaida katrs savu maišeli zemē, un ikviens atvēra savu maišeli. 12 Un viņš meklēja no vecākā līdz jaunākajam, un kauss tika atrasts Benjāmina maišelī! 13 Tad viņi saplēsa savas drānas, ik vīrs apkrāva savu ēzeli, un viņi atgriezās pilsētā. 14 Tad Jūda kopā ar saviem brāļiem devās uz Jāzepa namu – viņš vēl bija tur, un viņi krita viņa priekšā pie zemes. 15 Un Jāzeps tiem teica: “Ko jūs esat izdarījuši?! Vai nezināt, ka tāds vīrs kā es spēj pareģot?” 16 Un Jūda teica: “Ko lai sakām savam kungam? Ko lai runājam? Kā lai attaisnojamies? Dievs ir atklājis tavu kalpu vainu! Re – nu mēs esam mana kunga vergi, gan mēs, gan tas, pie kura atrada kausu!” 17 Un viņš teica: “Pasargi! Lai es tā darītu?! Tas vīrs, pie kura atrada kausu, – tas būs mans vergs, bet jūs ejiet ar mieru pie sava tēva!”
18 Un Jūda uzstāja un teica: “Tomēr, mans kungs! Ļauj jel tavam kalpam teikt kādu vārdu savam kungam, neiededzies dusmās pret savu kalpu, jo tu esi kā pats faraons! 19 Mans kungs jautāja saviem kalpiem: vai jums ir tēvs vai vēl kāds brālis? 20 Un mēs teicām savam kungam: mums ir vecs tēvs un vēl mazs bērns, kas viņam vecumā dzimis, un viņa brālis ir miris, un viņš ir palicis viens no savas mātes dēliem, un viņa tēvs mīl viņu. 21 Un tu teici saviem kalpiem: atvediet viņu pie manis, lai es viņu apskatu! 22 Bet mēs teicām manam kungam: zēns nevar atstāt tēvu, ja viņš savu tēvu pametīs – tas nomirs. 23 Un tu teici saviem kalpiem: kamēr jūsu jaunākais brālis neatnāks kopā ar jums, tikmēr manu vaigu jums neredzēt! 24 Un, kad mēs aizgājām pie tava kalpa, mūsu tēva, un pastāstījām viņam, ko mans kungs teicis, 25 tad mūsu tēvs sacīja: dodieties atpakaļ, nopērciet mums mazliet ēdamā! 26 Bet mēs teicām: mēs nevaram iet! Mēs iesim, ja jaunākais brālis nāks kopā ar mums, jo mums neredzēt tā vīra vaigu, kamēr mūsu jaunākais brālis nav kopā ar mums! 27 Un tavs kalps, mūsu tēvs, mums teica: jūs zināt, ka tik divus mana sieva man dzemdējusi! 28 Un viens jau man aizgājis, es domāju – plosīt saplosīts, – un kopš tās reizes es viņu neesmu redzējis. 29 Ja jūs man atņemsiet arī šo, ja viņu ķers kāda nelaime, jūs manu rūpēs nosirmojušo galvu novedīsiet šeolā! 30 Un tagad, kad es aiziešu pie tava kalpa, mana tēva, bez zēna – un viņa dvēsele tam ir pieķērusies! – 31 un viņš ieraudzīs, ka zēna nav, viņš nomirs, un tavi kalpi būs noveduši tava kalpa, mūsu tēva, rūpju dēļ sirmo galvu šeolā! 32 Jo tavs kalps savam tēvam solījās gādāt par zēnu, sacīdams: ja es viņu neatvedīšu atpakaļ pie tevis, tad uz mūžiem es būšu grēkojis pret savu tēvu! 33 Un tagad – paturi jel tavu kalpu zēna vietā par vergu manam kungam, bet zēns lai iet kopā ar saviem brāļiem, 34 jo kā es varu iet pie sava tēva bez zēna – lai man nav jāredz tas ļaunums, kas skars manu tēvu!”
