1 Un viņš pavēlēja sava nama pārraugam, sacīdams: "Pildi šo vīru barības maisus ar labību, cik viņi var pacelt, un liec ikviena naudu viņa barības maisa virsgalā. 2 Bet manu kausu, to sudraba kausu, liec jaunākā vīra maisā kopā ar naudu labībai virsū." Un viņš darīja, kā Jāzeps bija sacījis. 3 No rīta, tiklīdz gaisma ausa, viņi tika atlaisti - viņi paši un viņu ēzeļi. 4 Viņi bija iznākuši no pilsētas, bet vēl nebija tālu aizgājuši, kad Jāzeps sava nama pārraugam sacīja: "Celies un dzenies vīriem pakaļ un panāc tos, un tad saki: kādēļ jūs esat atmaksājuši labu ar ļaunu un paņēmuši manu sudraba kausu? 5 Tas taču ir tas, no kura mans kungs dzer un no kā viņš mēdz nākotni pareģot. Jūs gan esat ļaunu darījuši, tā darīdami." 6 Un viņš tos panāca un tiem sacīja šos vārdus. 7 Bet tie tam sacīja: "Kāpēc mans kungs runā tādus vārdus? Lai neviens nedomā, ka tavi kalpi darītu tādu lietu. 8 Lūk, to naudu, ko mēs bijām atraduši savu barības maisu virsgalā, mēs atkal atnesām atpakaļ no Kānaāna zemes. Un kā gan mēs varētu zagt no mūsu kunga nama sudrabu vai zeltu? 9 Pie kura no taviem kalpiem tas tiks atrasts, tam būs mirt, un mēs būsim mūsu kungam par vergiem." 10 Un viņš sacīja: "Lai tagad arī notiek tā, kā jūs sakāt; pie kā tas tiks atrasts, tas lai ir man par vergu, bet jūs būsit brīvi." 11 Un viņi steidzīgi nolaida ikviens savu barības maisu zemē un atvēra ikviens savu maisu. 12 Un viņš iesāka pārmeklēt; pie vecākā tas sāka un pie jaunākā tas beidza. Un kauss atradās Benjamīna barības maisā. 13 Un tie saplēsa savas drēbes, uzkrāva maisus katrs savam ēzelim un atgriezās pilsētā. 14 Un Jūda un viņa brāļi gāja Jāzepa namā, jo tas vēl tur bija, un tie krita viņa priekšā pie zemes. 15 Un Jāzeps sacīja tiem: "Kas tā par lietu, ko jūs esat darījuši? Vai jūs nevarējāt iedomāties, ka tāds vīrs kā es to paredzēdams paredzēšu?" 16 Tad Jūda sacīja: "Kā lai mēs runājam uz savu kungu, kā lai mēs izskaidrojamies, kā lai mēs taisnojamies? Dievs tavu kalpu grēka darbu ir atklājis, un mēs tagad esam savam kungam vergi, kā arī tas, pie kura kauss tika atrasts." 17 Tad viņš sacīja: "Lai nedomā neviens, ka es tā darīšu; tikai tas, pie kura atrasts kauss, būs man par vergu, bet jūs ejiet ar mieru pie sava tēva." 18 Tad Jūda piegāja pie viņa un sacīja: "Ak, mans kungs! Kaut tavs kalps drīkstētu runāt tagad kādu vārdu un mans kungs neiekaistu dusmās par savu kalpu, jo tu taču esi līdzīgs faraonam. 19 Mans kungs vaicāja saviem kalpiem: vai jums vēl ir tēvs vai brālis? 20 Tad mēs teicām savam kungam: mums ir tēvs sirmgalvis un jaunākais brālis, kas tam ir dzimis vecumā, bet viņa brālis ir miris; tas vienīgais ir atlicies no viņa mātes, un viņa tēvs to mīl. 21 Tad tu sacīji uz saviem kalpiem: atvediet to pie manis, un es gribu savām acīm to redzēt. 22 Tad mēs sacījām savam kungam: zēns nevar atstāt savu tēvu; un, ja tas atstāj savu tēvu, tad tas mirs. 23 Un tu sacīji saviem kalpiem: ja jaunākais neatnāks kopā ar jums, tad jūs turpmāk vairs neredzēsit manu vaigu. 24 Un notika, kad mēs bijām nonākuši pie tava kalpa, mūsu tēva, un bijām izstāstījuši mūsu kunga vārdus, 25 mūsu tēvs sacīja: ejiet un pērciet mums labību, mazliet, lai būtu ko ēst. 26 Tad mēs sacījām: mēs nevaram noiet, ja mūsu jaunākais brālis nav ar mums. Tikai ar viņu mēs iesim. Jo, kamēr mūsu jaunākā brāļa nav ar mums, tikmēr mēs nevaram rādīties tā vīra acīs. 27 Tad tavs kalps, mans tēvs, sacīja mums: jūs zināt, ka mana sieva man divus dēlus dzemdējusi. 28 Un tas pirmais man zudis; un es domāju: tas droši ir ticis saplosīts. Un es to neesmu redzējis līdz šai dienai. 29 Un, ja tad jūs arī šo vēl paņemsit projām no manis un viņam kaut kas notiktu, tad jūs manu sirmo galvu ar sāpēm novestu kapā. 30 Bet tagad, ja es atgriezīšos pie tava kalpa, sava tēva, un tas zēns nebūs kopā ar mums, jo tēva dvēsele ir sietin piesieta pie tā, 31 tad notiks gan, kad tas redzēs, ka zēna nav, ka viņš nomirs, un tavi kalpi būs tie, kas viņa sirmo galvu ar sāpēm noveduši kapā. 32 Jo tavs kalps ir galvojis par šo zēnu, sava tēva priekšā sacīdams: ja es neatvedīšu to pie tevis, es visu savu mūžu nesīšu vainu sava tēva priekšā. 33 Tad nu lai tavs kalps paliek zēna vietā tev par vergu pie tevis, mana kunga. Bet zēns lai dodas ar saviem brāļiem mājup. 34 Jo kā gan es varētu aiziet pie sava tēva, zēnam līdzi neesot? Es nevarētu noskatīties bēdās, kādas uzietu manam tēvam."
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.
