Chapter 44

¹And Joseph commanded the steward of his house, saying: Fill their sacks with corn, as much as they can hold: and put the money of every one in the top of his sack. ²And in the mouth of the younger's sack put my silver cup, and the price which he gave for the wheat. And it was so done. ³And when the morning arose, they were sent away with their asses. ⁴And when they were now departed out of the city, and had gone forward a little way; Joseph sendingfor the steward of his house, said: Arise, and pursue after the men: and when thou hast overtaken them, say to them: Why have you returned evil for good? ⁵The cup which you have stolen is that in which my lord drinketh, and in which he is wont to divine: you have done a very evil thing. ⁶He did as he had commanded him. And having overtaken them, he spoke to them the same words. ⁷And they answered: Why doth our lord speak so, as though thy servants had committed so heinous a fact? ⁸The money, that we found in the top of our sacks, we brought back to thee from the land of Chanaan: how then should it be that we should steal out of thy lord's house, gold or silver? ⁹With whomsoever of thy servants shall be found that which thou seekest, let him die, and we will be the bondmen of my lord. ¹⁰And he said to them: Let it be according to your sentence: with whomsoever it shall be found, let him be my servant, and you shall be blameless. ¹¹Them they speedily took down their sacks to the ground, and every man opened his sack. ¹²Which when he had searched, beginning at the eldest and ending at the youngest, he found the cup in Benjamin's sack. ¹³Then they rent their garments, and loading their asses again, returned into the town. ¹⁴And Juda at the head of his brethren went in to Joseph, (for he was not yet gone out of the place, ) and they altogether fell down before him on the ground. ¹⁵And he said to them: Why would you do so? know you not that there is no one like me in the science of divining. ¹⁶And Juda said to him: What shall we answer my lord? or what shall we say, or be able justly to allege? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are all bondmen to my lord, both we, and he with whom the cup was found. ¹⁷Joseph answered: God forbid that should do so: he that stole the cup, he shall be my bondman: and go you away free to your father. ¹⁸Then Juda coming hearer, said boldly: I beseech thee, my lord, let thy servant speak a word in thy ears, and be not angry with thy servant: for after Pharao thou art, ¹⁹My lord. Thou didst ask thy servants the first time: Have you a father or a brother? ²⁰And we answered thee, my lord: We have a father an old man, and a young boy, that was born in his old age; whose brother by the mother is dead: and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him tenderly. ²¹And thou saidst to thy servants: Bring him hither to me, and I will set my eyes on him. ²²We suggested to my lord: The boy cannot leave his father: for if he leave him, he will die. ²³And thou saidst to thy servants: Except your youngest brother come with you, you shall see my face no more. ²⁴Therefore when we were gone up to thy servant our father, we told him all that my lord had said. ²⁵And our father said: Go again, and buy us a little wheat. ²⁶And we said to him: We cannot go: if our youngest brother go down with us, we will set out together: otherwise, without him we dare not see the man's face. ²⁷Whereunto he answered: You know that my wife bore two. ²⁸One went out, and you said: A beast devoured him: and hitherto he appeareth not. ²⁹If you take this also, and any thing befall him in the way you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow unto hell. ³⁰30Therefore if I shall go to thy servant our father, and the boy be wanting, (whereas his life dependeth upon the life of him,) ³¹And he shall see that he is not with us, he will die, and thy servants shall bring down his gray hairs with sorrow unto hell. ³²Let me be tht proper servant, who took him into my trust, and promised, saying: If I bring him not again, I will be guilty of sin against my father for ever. ³³Therefore I thy servant will stay instead of the boy in the service of my lord, and let the boy go up with his brethren. ³⁴For I cannot return to my father without the boy, lest I be a witness of the calamity that will oppress my father.