Joseph's Brothers Return to Egypt with Benjamin
1 The famine in Canaan got worse, 2 until finally, Jacob's family had eaten all the grain they had bought in Egypt. So Jacob said to his sons, “Go back and buy some more grain.”
3-5 Judah replied, “The governor strictly warned us that we would not be allowed to see him unless we brought our youngest brother with us. If you let us take Benjamin along, we will go and buy grain. But we won't go without him!”
6 Jacob asked, “Why did you cause me so much trouble by telling the governor you had another brother?”
7 They answered, “He asked a lot of questions about us and our family. He wanted to know if you were still alive and if we had any more brothers. All we could do was answer his questions. How could we know he would tell us to bring along our brother?”
8 Then Judah said to his father, “Let Benjamin go with me, and we will leave at once, so that none of us will starve to death. 9 I promise to bring him back safely, and if I don't, you can blame me as long as I live. 10 If we had not wasted all this time, we could already have been there and back twice.”
11 Their father said:
If Benjamin must go with you, take the governor a gift of some of the best things from our own country, such as perfume, honey, spices, pistachio nuts, and almonds. 12 Also take along twice the amount of money for the grain, because there must have been some mistake when the money was put back in your sacks. 13 Take Benjamin with you and leave at once.
14 When you go in to see the governor, I pray that God All-Powerful will be good to you and that the governor will let your other brother and Benjamin come back home with you. But if I must lose my children, I suppose I must.
15 The brothers took the gifts, twice the amount of money, and Benjamin. Then they hurried off to Egypt. When they stood in front of Joseph, 16 he saw Benjamin and told the servant in charge of his house, “Take these men to my house. Slaughter an animal and cook it, so they can eat with me at noon.”
17 The servant did as he was told and took the brothers to Joseph's house. 18 But on the way they got worried and started thinking, “We are being taken there because of the money that was put back in our sacks last time. He will arrest us, make us his slaves, and take our donkeys.”
19 So when they arrived at Joseph's house, they said to the servant in charge, 20 “Sir, we came to Egypt once before to buy grain. 21 But when we stopped for the night, we each found in our grain sacks the exact amount we had paid. We have brought that money back, 22 together with enough money to buy more grain. We don't know who put the money in our sacks.”
23 “It's all right,” the servant replied. “Don't worry. The God you and your father worship must have put the money there, because I received your payment in full.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.
24 The servant took them into Joseph's house and gave them water to wash their feet. He also tended their donkeys. 25 The brothers got their gifts ready to give to Joseph at noon, since they had heard they were going to eat there.
26 When Joseph came home, they gave him the gifts they had brought, and they bowed down to him. 27 After Joseph had asked how they were, he said, “What about your elderly father? Is he still alive?”
28 They answered, “Your servant our father is still alive and well.” And again they bowed down to Joseph.
29 When Joseph looked around and saw his brother Benjamin, he said, “This must be your youngest brother, the one you told me about. God bless you, my son.”
30 Then, because of his love for Benjamin, he rushed off to his room and cried. 31 After washing his face and returning, he was able to control himself and said, “Serve the meal!”
32 Joseph was served at a table by himself, and his brothers were served at another. The Egyptians sat at yet another table, because Egyptians felt it was disgusting to eat with Hebrews. 33 To the surprise of Joseph's brothers, they were seated in front of him according to their ages, from the oldest to the youngest. 34 They were served food from Joseph's table, and Benjamin was given five times as much as each of the others. So Joseph's brothers ate and drank with him and had a good time.
Bgwilila kwe bakulu ba Josefa ku Egipiti
1 Bhamba lakabe lakabangalala zwalo mu shango. 2 Kukati baja zojiwa zose zwabakabe badwa nazo ku Egipiti, tate babo bakati ku bali, “Bgwililani munotitengela zwimwe zojiwa.”
3 Koga Juda kabe eti ku bali, “Nlume iwouje wakaleba ekowomesedza eti, ‘Andidi, kumubona kakale kuzhe kwe kuti mube muna nnung'una wenyu.’ 4 Ha mungatidumila kuyenda ne nnung'una wedu, tingayenda tikanomutengela zojiwa. 5 Koga ha mulamba naye, atingayende ngoti nlume iwouje wakati, ‘Andidi kumubona, kakale kuzhe kwe kuti mube muna nnung'una wenyu.’ ”
6 Iziraela kabe eti, “Makandizhisilani zogwadza zwakajali ngobudza nlume iwoyo kuti muna nnung'una kene?”
7 Ibo bakashandula beti, “Nlume iwoyo wakabe etibhuzwisisa nge kwedu nenge nsha wa kanyi kwedu eti, ‘Tate benyu banotjila kene? Muna nnung'una kene?’ Tjatakambudza takabe tidabila bhuzo dzidze. Takabe tingaziba tjini kuti unowoti, ‘Izhani ne nnung'una wenyu kene?’ ”
8 Juda kabe eti kuna tate babe Iziraela, “Mundipeni mbisana ndizo towotjimbidza milika tikayenda kuyita kuti iswi namwi ne bana bedu tisitongofa. 9 Imi nge kwangu ndowontjengeta. Ha tjimwe tjingan'wila mubhuzwe imi. Ha ndisabuya naye kumuli ali mpezha munditole ndili nlandu mu butjilo gwangu gose. 10 Ha takabe tisakanonoka tingabe takayenda tikabuya kabili.”
11 Ipapo tate babo Iziraela bakabadwa bakati, “Ha kwakafanila kuti kuijalo, thamani woku, pakani mu hwomo dzenyu zwipo zwakanaka zwinowang'wa mu shango iyeyi muyende nazo ku nlume ihwoyo. Mutole bhalimu ne butji gwe nyutji ne motsha ne nti we mira ne manongo ngosiyana kwawo ne mitjelo ye alimondi. 12 Muyende ne themba mbili dze mari ngoti makafanila bgwiliza iyawa amakawana mu hwomo dzenyu, Pamwe bakabe baleyanya. 13 Tolani nnung'una wenyu mumilike muyende ku nlume sangwenu. 14 Ndzimu Masimbawose umubhatshe kuyita kuti nlume iwoyo aletje Simiyoni na Bhenjamini babuye namwi. Nge kwangu ha ndalashikigwa ndalashikigwa.”
15 Ndizo balume ibaba bakatola zwipo izwezo ne themba ye mari ika bili, bakatola na Bhenjamini bakayenda ku Egipiti kuna Josefa. 16 Josefa kati ebona Bhenjamini anabo, kadwa ntjengeti we ng'umba iye kati, “Tola balume ibaba ubayise ku ng'umba yangu, ubulaye ithuwo ululwamise zojiwa. Banowoja nami masikati.” 17 Nlume iwoyo kathama sekwa abudziwa ndi Josefa, katola bathu ibabo kabayisa ku ng'umba ya Josefa.
18 Balume ibabo bakapaluka moyo pabakayisiwa ku ng'umba ya Josefa. Bakakumbula beti, “Tazhisiwa ngeno nge mari akabgwiliziwa mu hwomo dzedu mu gwendo gwe kutanga. Unoshaka kutinginilila, atikulile, atithame balanda babe atitolele madonki edu.” 19 Ndizo bakayenda ku ntjengeti wa Josefa bakalebeleka naye bali pa nkoba we ng'umba. 20 Bakabe beti kunli, “Tetshi wedu, takatongo zha pano tiwotenga zojiwa. 21 Koga kwakati patakalala tikazhula hwomo dzedu mmwe ne mmwe kawana mari awe mu hwomo iye, themba yose izhele. Ndizo wali tazha nayo kuizhisa. 22 Tazha ne mamwe mari kutenga zwimwe zojiwa. Atitoziba kuti ndiani wakabgwiliza mari edu mu hwomo dzedu.”
23 Ntjengeti iwoyo kabe eti, “Musidziyidzike, Musitje, Ndzimu wenyu, iwo Ndzimu wa tate benyu, ndiwo wakamulongela mari mu hwomo dzenyu. Imi ndakaamutjila mari enyu.” Ipapo kabe ezhisa Simiyoni ku bali.
24 Ntjengeti iwoyo katola balume ibabo kabalonga mu ng'umba ya Josefa kabapa vula kungula makumbo, kapa madonki abo zojiwa. 25 Bakalulwamisa zwipo zwabo kuzwipa Josefa ha eswika masikati ngobe bakabe bahwa kuti banowoja zojiwa zwe masikati ipapo. 26 Josefa kati eswika kanyi, bakangina mu ng'umba bakanthigamila bakampa zwipo zwabazha nazo. 27 Kababhuzwa mamuko eti, “Tate benyu bamakandibudza nge kwabo banomuka kene? Apa batjatjila zwabo?”
28 Ibo bakati, “Tate bedu, nlanda wenyu, batjatjila banomuka.” Ngono bakathigamila Josefa kunteta.
29 Josefa kati emilidza mesho kabona nnung'una uwe Bhenjamini mwana wa mmeyabe. Kabhuzwa kati, “Nditjo kologwe tjenyu itjetji tjamakandibudza nge kwatjo? Ndzimu ube nawe mwanangu.” 30 Josefa kati ebona nnung'una uwe kazhigwa nge shungu ngono kabhuda kashaka paangalililapo. Kangina mu ng'umba iye kalilila muili. 31 Kati asinongula buso gugwe kabhuda kazwisimisa kati, “Pakulani zojiwa.” 32 Bakapakulila Josefa tje kukwe, bakapakulila bana ba tate babe tje kwabo, Baegipiti banoja naye bakapakuligwa tje kwabo ngoti Baegipiti bakabe basingaje ne Bahebheru ngoti kuyila. 33 Bakulu babe bakagala mbeli kukwe nge kutobedzana sekwa bakazwagwa, kudwa ku mbano kunoti ku kologwe, ngono bakalingana bakatjenema. 34 Zojiwa zwikati zwipakugwa kudwa pa tafuli ya Josefa, Bhenjamini kapakuligwa ka shanu tjilizanyo tje mmwe ne mmwe wabo. Ndizo bakaja bakang'wa bakashatha naye.