Génesis 44
Riveduta 1927
1Giuseppe dette quest’ordine al suo maestro di casa: “Riempi i sacchi di questi uomini di tanti viveri quanti ne posson portare, e metti il danaro di ciascun d’essi alla bocca del suo sacco.
2E metti la mia coppa, la coppa d’argento, alla bocca del sacco del più giovine, assieme al danaro del suo grano”. Ed egli fece come Giuseppe avea detto.
3La mattina, non appena fu giorno, quegli uomini furon fatti partire coi loro asini.
4E quando furono usciti dalla città e non erano ancora lontani, Giuseppe disse al suo maestro di casa: “Lèvati, va’ dietro a quegli uomini; e quando li avrai raggiunti, di’ loro: Perché avete reso mal per bene?
5Non è quella la coppa nella quale il mio signore beve, e della quale si serve per indovinare? Avete fatto male a far questo!”
6Egli li raggiunse, e disse loro quelle parole.
7Ed essi gli risposero: “Perché il mio signore ci rivolge parole come queste? Iddio preservi i tuoi servitori dal fare una tal cosa!
8Ecco, noi t’abbiam riportato dal paese di Canaan il danaro che avevam trovato alla bocca de’ nostri sacchi; come dunque avremmo rubato dell’argento o dell’oro dalla casa del tuo signore?
9Quello de’ tuoi servitori presso il quale si troverà la coppa, sia messo a morte; e noi pure saremo schiavi del tuo signore!”
10Ed egli disse: “Ebbene, sia fatto come dite: colui presso il quale essa sarà trovata, sarà mio schiavo; e voi sarete innocenti”.
11In tutta fretta, ognun d’essi mise giù il suo sacco a terra, e ciascuno aprì il suo.
12Il maestro di casa li frugò, cominciando da quello del maggiore, per finire con quello del più giovane; e la coppa fu trovata nel sacco di Beniamino.
13Allora quelli si stracciarono le vesti, ognuno ricaricò il suo asino, e tornarono alla città.
14Giuda e i suoi fratelli arrivarono alla casa di Giuseppe, il quale era ancora quivi; e si gettarono in terra dinanzi a lui.
15E Giuseppe disse loro: “Che azione è questa che avete fatta? Non lo sapete che un uomo come me ha potere d’indovinare?”
16Giuda rispose: “Che diremo al mio signore? quali parole useremo? o come ci giustificheremo? Dio ha ritrovato l’iniquità de’ tuoi servitori. Ecco, siamo schiavi del mio signore: tanto noi, quanto colui in mano del quale è stata trovata la coppa”.
17Ma Giuseppe disse: “Mi guardi Iddio dal far questo! L’uomo in man del quale è stata trovata la coppa, sarà mio schiavo; quanto a voi, risalite in pace dal padre vostro”.
18Allora Giuda s’accostò a Giuseppe, e disse: “Di grazia, signor mio, permetti al tuo servitore di far udire una parola al mio signore, e non s’accenda l’ira tua contro il tuo servitore! poiché tu sei come Faraone.
19Il mio signore interrogò i suoi servitori, dicendo: Avete voi padre o fratello?
20E noi rispondemmo al mio signore: Abbiamo un padre ch’è vecchio, con un giovane figliuolo, natogli nella vecchiaia; il fratello di questo è morto, talché egli è rimasto solo de’ figli di sua madre; e suo padre l’ama.
21Allora tu dicesti ai tuoi servitori: Menatemelo, perch’io lo vegga co’ miei occhi.
22E noi dicemmo al mio signore: Il fanciullo non può lasciare suo padre; perché, se lo lasciasse, suo padre morrebbe.
23E tu dicesti ai tuoi servitori: Se il vostro fratello più giovine non scende con voi, voi non vedrete più la mia faccia.
24E come fummo risaliti a mio padre, tuo servitore, gli riferimmo le parole del mio signore.
25Poi nostro padre disse: Tornate a comprarci un po’ di viveri.
26E noi rispondemmo: Non possiamo scender laggiù; se il nostro fratello più giovine verrà con noi, scenderemo; perché non possiamo veder la faccia di quell’uomo, se il nostro fratello più giovine non è con noi.
27E mio padre, tuo servitore, ci rispose: Voi sapete che mia moglie mi partorì due figliuoli;
28l’un d’essi si partì da me, e io dissi: Certo egli è stato sbranato; e non l’ho più visto da allora;
29e se mi togliete anche questo, e se gli avviene qualche disgrazia, voi farete scendere con dolore la mia canizie nel soggiorno de’ morti.
30Or dunque, quando giungerò da mio padre, tuo servitore, se il fanciullo, all’anima del quale la sua è legata, non è con noi,
31avverrà che, come avrà veduto che il fanciullo non c’è, egli morrà; e i tuoi servitori avranno fatto scendere con cordoglio la canizie del tuo servitore nostro padre nel soggiorno de’ morti.
32Ora, siccome il tuo servitore s’è reso garante del fanciullo presso mio padre, e gli ha detto: Se non te lo riconduco sarò per sempre colpevole verso mio padre,
33deh, permetti ora che il tuo servitore rimanga schiavo del mio signore, invece del fanciullo, e che il fanciullo se ne torni coi suoi fratelli.
34Perché, come farei a risalire da mio padre senz’aver meco il fanciullo? Ah, ch’io non vegga il dolore che ne verrebbe a mio padre!”
Reina-Valera 1909
1Y MANDÓ José al mayordomo de su casa, diciendo: Hinche los costales de aquestos varones de alimentos, cuanto pudieren llevar, y pon el dinero de cada uno en la boca de su costal:
2Y pondrás mi copa, la copa de plata, en la boca del costal del menor, con el dinero de su trigo. Y él hizo como dijo José.
3Venida la mañana, los hombres fueron despedidos con sus asnos.
4Habiendo ellos salido de la ciudad, de la que aun no se habían alejado, dijo José á su mayordomo: Levántate, y sigue á esos hombres; y cuando los alcanzares, diles: ¿Por qué habéis vuelto mal por bien?
5¿No es ésta en la que bebe mi señor, y por la que suele adivinar? habéis hecho mal en lo que hicisteis.
6Y como él los alcanzó, díjoles estas palabras.
7Y ellos le respondieron: ¿Por qué dice mi señor tales cosas? Nunca tal hagan tus siervos.
8He aquí, el dinero que hallamos en la boca de nuestros costales, te lo volvimos á traer desde la tierra de Canaán; ¿cómo, pues, habíamos de hurtar de casa de tu señor plata ni oro?
9Aquel de tus siervos en quien fuere hallada la copa, que muera, y aun nosotros seremos siervos de mi señor.
10Y él dijo: También ahora sea conforme á vuestras palabras; aquél en quien se hallare, será mi siervo, y vosotros seréis sin culpa.
11Ellos entonces se dieron prisa, y derribando cada uno su costal en tierra, abrió cada cual el costal suyo.
12Y buscó; desde el mayor comenzó, y acabó en el menor; y la copa fué hallada en el costal de Benjamín.
13Entonces ellos rasgaron sus vestidos, y cargó cada uno su asno, y volvieron á la ciudad.
14Y llegó Judá con sus hermanos á casa de José, que aun estaba allí, y postráronse delante de él en tierra.
15Y díjoles José: ¿Qué obra es esta que habéis hecho? ¿no sabéis que un hombre como yo sabe adivinar?
16Entonces dijo Judá: ¿Qué diremos á mi señor? ¿qué hablaremos? ¿ó con qué nos justificaremos? Dios ha hallado la maldad de tus siervos: he aquí, nosotros somos siervos de mi señor, nosotros, y también aquél en cuyo poder fué hallada la copa.
17Y él respondió: Nunca yo tal haga: el varón en cuyo poder fué hallada la copa, él será mi siervo; vosotros id en paz á vuestro padre.
18Entonces Judá se llegó á él, y dijo: Ay señor mío, ruégote que hable tu siervo una palabra en oídos de mi señor, y no se encienda tu enojo contra tu siervo, pues que tú eres como Faraón.
19Mi señor preguntó á sus siervos, diciendo: ¿Tenéis padre ó hermano?
20Y nosotros respondimos á mi señor: Tenemos un padre anciano, y un mozo que le nació en su vejez, pequeño aún; y un hermano suyo murió, y él quedó solo de su madre, y su padre lo ama.
21Y tú dijiste á tus siervos: Traédmelo, y pondré mis ojos sobre él.
22Y nosotros dijimos á mi señor: El mozo no puede dejar á su padre, porque si le dejare, su padre morirá.
23Y dijiste á tus siervos: Si vuestro hermano menor no descendiere con vosotros, no veáis más mi rostro.
24Aconteció pues, que como llegamos á mi padre tu siervo, contámosle las palabras de mi señor.
25Y dijo nuestro padre: Volved á comprarnos un poco de alimento.
26Y nosotros respondimos: No podemos ir: si nuestro hermano fuere con nosotros, iremos; porque no podemos ver el rostro del varón, no estando con nosotros nuestro hermano el menor.
27Entonces tu siervo mi padre nos dijo: Vosotros sabéis que dos me parió mi mujer;
28Y el uno salió de conmigo, y pienso de cierto que fué despedazado, y hasta ahora no le he visto;
29Y si tomareis también éste de delante de mí, y le aconteciere algún desastre, haréis descender mis canas con dolor á la sepultura.
30Ahora, pues, cuando llegare yo á tu siervo mi padre, y el mozo no fuere conmigo, como su alma está ligada al alma de él,
31Sucederá que cuando no vea al mozo, morirá: y tus siervos harán descender las canas de tu siervo nuestro padre con dolor á la sepultura.
32Como tu siervo salió por fiador del mozo con mi padre, diciendo: Si no te lo volviere, entonces yo seré culpable para mi padre todos los días;
33Ruégote por tanto que quede ahora tu siervo por el mozo por siervo de mi señor, y que el mozo vaya con sus hermanos.
34Porque ¿cómo iré yo á mi padre sin el mozo? No podré, por no ver el mal que sobrevendrá á mi padre.
King James Version
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.
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.
6And 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.
14And 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?
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.
18Then 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.
World English Bible
1He commanded the steward of his house, saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in his sack’s mouth.
2Put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, with his grain money.” 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 donkeys.
4When they had gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, “Up, follow after the men. When you overtake them, ask them, ‘Why have you rewarded evil for good?
5Isn’t this that from which my lord drinks, and by which he indeed divines? You have done evil in so doing.’”
6He overtook them, and he spoke these words to them.
7They said to him, “Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants that they should do such a thing!
8Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks’ mouths, we brought again to you out of the land of Canaan. How then should we steal silver or gold out of your lord’s house?
9With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.”
10He said, “Now also let it be according to your words. He with whom it is found will be my slave; and you will be blameless.”
11Then they hurried, and each man took his sack down to the ground, and each man opened his sack.
12He searched, beginning with the oldest, and ending at the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.
13Then they tore their clothes, and each man loaded his donkey, and returned to the city.
14Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, and he was still there. They fell on the ground before him.
15Joseph said to them, “What deed is this that you have done? Don’t you know that such a man as I can indeed do divination?”
16Judah said, “What will we tell my lord? What will we speak? How will we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants. Behold, we are my lord’s slaves, both we and he also in whose hand the cup is found.”
17He said, “Far be it from me that I should do so. The man in whose hand the cup is found, he will be my slave; but as for you, go up in peace to your father.”
18Then Judah came near to him, and said, “Oh, my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord’s ears, and don’t let your anger burn against your servant; for you are even as Pharaoh.
19My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father, or a brother?’
20We said to 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 loves him.’
21You said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.’
22We said to my lord, ‘The boy can’t leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’
23You said to your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will see my face no more.’
24When we came up to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.
25Our father said, ‘Go again and buy us a little food.’
26We said, ‘We can’t go down. If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down: for we may not see the man’s face, unless our youngest brother is with us.’
27Your servant, my father, said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons.
28One went out from me, and I said, “Surely he is torn in pieces;” and I haven’t seen him since.
29If you take this one also from me, and harm happens to him, you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.’
30Now therefore when I come to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us; since his life is bound up in the boy’s life;
31it will happen, when he sees that the boy is no more, that he will die. Your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant, our father, with sorrow to Sheol.
32For your servant became collateral for the boy to my father, saying, ‘If I don’t bring him to you, then I will bear the blame to my father forever.’
33Now therefore, please let your servant stay instead of the boy, my lord’s slave; and let the boy go up with his brothers.
34For how will I go up to my father, if the boy isn’t with me?—lest I see the evil that will come on my father.”