The Book of Genesis, Chapter 43ΓΕΝΕΣΙΣ ΜΓ′

Ὁ δὲ λιμὸς ἐνίσχυσεν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς.

Now the famine prevailed upon the land.

ἐγένετο δὲ ἡνίκα συνετέλεσαν καταφαγεῖν τὸν σῖτον, ὃν ἤνεγκαν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ πατὴρ αὐτῶν· Πάλιν πορευθέντες πριάσασθε ἡμῖν μικρὰ βρώματα.

And it came to pass when they had finished eating the grain which they had brought from Egypt, that their father said to them: 'Go again and buy us a little food.'

εἶπεν δὲ αὐτῷ Ιουδας λέγων· Διαμαρτυρίᾳ διεμαρτύρατο ἡμῖν ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος λέγων· Οὐκ ὄψεσθε τὸ πρόσωπόν μου, ἐὰν μὴ ὁ ἀδελφὸς ὑμῶν ὁ νεώτερος μεθ᾿ ὑμῶν ᾖ.

And Judah said to him, saying: 'That man solemnly warned us, saying: You shall not see my face unless your youngest brother is with you.'

εἰ μὲν οὖν ἀποστέλλεις τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἡμῶν μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν, καταβησόμεθα καὶ ἀγοράσομέν σοι βρώματα·

If then you do send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food;

εἰ δὲ μὴ ἀποστέλλεις, οὐ καταβησόμεθα· ὁ γὰρ ἄνθρωπος εἶπεν ἡμῖν· Οὐκ ὄψεσθε τὸ πρόσωπόν μου, ἐὰν μὴ ὁ ἀδελφὸς ὑμῶν ὁ νεώτερος μεθ᾿ ὑμῶν ᾖ.

But if you do not send him, we will not go down; for the man said to us: You shall not see my face unless your youngest brother is with you.

εἶπεν δὲ Ισραηλ· Ἵνα τί ἐκακοποιήσατέ με, ἀναγγείλαντες τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ εἰ ἔστιν ὑμῖν ἀδελφός;

And Israel said: 'Why did you harm me by telling the man whether you had a brother?'

οἱ δὲ εἶπαν· Ἐρωτῶν ἐπηρώτησεν ἡμᾶς ὁ ἄνθρωπος καὶ τὴν γενεὰν ἡμῶν λέγων· Εἰ ἔτι ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ζῇ; εἰ ἔστιν ὑμῖν ἀδελφός; καὶ ἀπηγγείλαμεν αὐτῷ κατὰ τὴν ἐπερώτησιν ταύτην. μὴ ᾔδειμεν εἰ ἐρεῖ ἡμῖν· Ἀγάγετε τὸν ἀδελφὸν ὑμῶν;

And they said: 'The man questioned us closely about ourselves and our family, saying: Is your father still alive? Do you have a brother? And we answered him according to these questions. Did we know that he would say to us: Bring your brother?'

εἶπεν δὲ Ιουδας πρὸς Ισραηλ τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ· Ἀπόστειλον τὸ παιδάριον μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ, καὶ ἀναστάντες πορευσόμεθα, ἵνα ζῶμεν καὶ μὴ ἀποθάνωμεν, καὶ ἡμεῖς καὶ σὺ καὶ ἡ ἀποσκευὴ ἡμῶν.

And Judah said to Israel his father: 'Send the boy with me, and let us arise and go, that we may live and not die — we and you and our possessions.'

ἐγὼ δὲ ἐκδέχομαι αὐτόν· ἐκ χειρός μου ζήτησον αὐτόν· ἐὰν μὴ ἀγάγω αὐτὸν πρός σε καὶ στήσω αὐτὸν ἐναντίον σου, ἡμαρτηκὼς ἔσομαι εἰς σὲ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας.

But I — I will be surety for him; seek him from my hand. If I do not bring him to you and set him before you, I shall have sinned against you all my days.

εἰ μὴ γὰρ ἐβραδύναμεν, ἤδη ἂν ὑπεστρέψαμεν δίς.

For had we not delayed, we could have returned twice by now.

εἶπεν δὲ αὐτοῖς Ισραηλ ὁ πατὴρ αὐτῶν· Εἰ οὕτως ἐστίν, τοῦτο ποιήσατε· λάβετε ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν τῆς γῆς ἐν τοῖς ἀγγείοις ὑμῶν καὶ καταγάγετε τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ δῶρα· τῆς ῥητίνης καὶ τοῦ μέλιτος, θυμιάματος καὶ στακτῆς καὶ τερεβίνθου καὶ καρύων·

And Israel their father said to them: 'If it is so, then do this: take from the fruits of the land in your vessels and carry gifts down to the man — some resin and some honey, spices and myrrh, terebinth and nuts;'

καὶ τὸ ἀργύριον δισσὸν λάβετε ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν ὑμῶν· τὸ ἀργύριον τὸ ἀποστραφὲν ἐν τοῖς μαρσίπποις ὑμῶν ἀποστρέψατε μεθ᾿ ὑμῶν· μή ποτε ἀγνόημά ἐστιν.

And take double silver in your hands; the silver that was returned in your sacks, return with you — perhaps it was an oversight.

καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν ὑμῶν λάβετε καὶ ἀναστάντες καταβήτε πρὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον·

And take your brother, and arise and go down to the man;

ὁ δὲ θεός μου δῴη ὑμῖν χάριν ἐναντίον τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, καὶ ἀποστείλαι μεθ᾿ ὑμῶν τὸν ἀδελφὸν ὑμῶν τὸν ἄλλον καὶ τὸν Βενιαμιν· ἐγὼ δέ, καθάπερ ἠτέκνωμαι, ἠτέκνωμαι.

And may my God give you favor before the man, and may he send back with you your other brother and Benjamin; as for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.

Λαβόντες δὲ οἱ ἄνδρες τὰ δῶρα ταῦτα καὶ τὸ ἀργύριον δισσὸν ἔλαβον ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτῶν καὶ τὸν Βενιαμιν· καὶ ἀναστάντες κατέβησαν εἰς Αἴγυπτον καὶ ἔστησαν ἐναντίον Ιωσηφ.

And the men took these gifts and the double silver in their hands, and Benjamin; and they arose and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

εἶδεν δὲ Ιωσηφ αὐτοὺς καὶ τὸν Βενιαμιν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ τὸν ὁμομήτριον καὶ εἶπεν τῷ ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκίας αὐτοῦ· Εἰσάγαγε τοὺς ἀνθρώπους εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν καὶ σφάξον θύματα καὶ ἑτοίμασον· μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ γὰρ φάγονται οἱ ἄνδρες ἄρτον τὴν μεσημβρίαν.

And Joseph saw them and Benjamin his full brother, and he said to the one over his house: 'Bring the men into the house, and slaughter animals and prepare; for the men shall eat bread with me at noon.'

ἐποίησεν δὲ ὁ ἄνθρωπος καθὰ εἶπεν Ιωσηφ, καὶ εἰσήγαγεν τοὺς ἀνθρώπους εἰς τὸν οἶκον Ιωσηφ.

And the man did as Joseph had said, and he brought the men into Joseph's house.

ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ ἄνδρες ὅτι εἰσήχθησαν εἰς τὸν οἶκον Ιωσηφ, εἶπαν· Διὰ τὸ ἀργύριον τὸ ἀποστραφὲν ἐν τοῖς μαρσίπποις ἡμῶν τὴν πρώτην εἰσαγόμεθα τοῦ συκοφαντῆσαι ἡμᾶς καὶ ἐπιθέσθαι ἡμῖν, τοῦ λαβεῖν ἡμᾶς εἰς παῖδας καὶ τοὺς ὄνους ἡμῶν.

And when the men saw that they had been brought into Joseph's house, they said: 'It is because of the silver that was returned in our sacks the first time that we are being brought in — to accuse us and fall upon us, to take us as slaves and our donkeys.'

προσελθόντες δὲ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τῷ ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκίας Ιωσηφ ἐλάλησαν αὐτῷ ἐν τῷ πυλῶνι

And they approached the man who was over Joseph's house and spoke with him at the gateway,

λέγοντες· Δεόμεθα, κύριε· κατέβημεν τὴν ἀρχὴν πρίασθαι βρώματα·

saying: 'We beg you, my lord; we came down the first time to buy food;'

καὶ ἐγένετο ἡνίκα ἤλθομεν εἰς τὸ καταλύσαι ἡμᾶς καὶ ἠνοίξαμεν τοὺς μαρσίππους ἡμῶν, καὶ τόδε τὸ ἀργύριον ἑκάστου ἐν τῷ μαρσίππῳ αὐτοῦ, τὸ ἀργύριον ἡμῶν ἐν σταθμῷ· καὶ ἐπεστρέψαμεν αὐτὸ μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν.

And it came to pass when we came to the lodging place and opened our sacks, that behold, each man's silver was in his sack — our silver in full weight; and we have brought it back with us.

καὶ ἀργύριον ἕτερον ἠνέγκαμεν μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν ἀγοράσαι βρώματα· οὐκ οἴδαμεν τίς ἐνέβαλεν τὸ ἀργύριον εἰς τοὺς μαρσίππους ἡμῶν.

And we have brought other silver with us to buy food; we do not know who put the silver into our sacks.

εἶπεν δὲ αὐτοῖς· Ἵλεως ὑμῖν, μὴ φοβεῖσθε· ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν καὶ ὁ θεὸς τοῦ πατρὸς ὑμῶν ἔδωκεν ὑμῖν θησαυροὺς ἐν τοῖς μαρσίπποις ὑμῶν· τὸ δὲ ἀργύριον ὑμῶν εὐδοκιμοῦν ἀπέχω. καὶ ἐξήγαγεν πρὸς αὐτοὺς τὸν Συμεών.

And he said to them: 'Peace to you; do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks; your silver I have received in full.' And he brought Simeon out to them.

καὶ εἰσήγαγεν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸν οἶκον Ιωσηφ καὶ ἔδωκεν ὕδωρ, καὶ ἐνίψαντο τοὺς πόδας αὐτῶν, καὶ ἔδωκεν χορτάσματα τοῖς ὄνοις αὐτῶν.

And he brought them into Joseph's house, and gave water, and they washed their feet; and he gave fodder to their donkeys.

ἡτοίμασαν δὲ τὰ δῶρα ἕως τοῦ ἐλθεῖν Ιωσηφ μεσημβρίας· ἤκουσαν γὰρ ὅτι ἐκεῖ μέλλουσιν ἄρτον φαγεῖν.

And they prepared the gifts until Joseph's coming at noon; for they had heard that they were to eat bread there.

εἰσῆλθεν δὲ Ιωσηφ εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν, καὶ προσήνεγκαν αὐτῷ τὰ δῶρα, ἃ εἶχον ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτῶν, εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν, καὶ προσεκύνησαν αὐτῷ ἐπὶ πρόσωπον ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν.

And Joseph entered the house, and they brought him the gifts which they had in their hands into the house, and they prostrated before him with face to the ground.

ἠρώτησεν δὲ αὐτοὺς πῶς ἔχετε; καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Εἰ ὑγιαίνει ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ πρεσβύτης, ὃν εἴπατε; ἔτι ζῇ;

And he asked them how they were, and said to them: 'Is your father the old man of whom you spoke still well? Does he still live?'

οἱ δὲ εἶπαν· Ὑγιαίνει ὁ παῖς σου ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν, ἔτι ζῇ. καὶ εἶπεν· Εὐλογητὸς ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος τῷ θεῷ. καὶ κύψαντες προσεκύνησαν αὐτῷ.

And they said: 'Your servant our father is well; he still lives.' And he said: 'Blessed be that man by God.' And they bowed down and prostrated before him.

ἀναβλέψας δὲ τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς εἶδεν Βενιαμιν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ τὸν ὁμομήτριον καὶ εἶπεν· Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ ἀδελφὸς ὑμῶν ὁ νεώτερος, ὃν εἴπατέ μοι; καὶ εἶπεν· Ὁ θεὸς ἐλεήσαι σε, τέκνον.

And he lifted up his eyes and saw Benjamin his full brother, and said: 'Is this your youngest brother of whom you told me?' And he said: 'May God be gracious to you, my child.'

ἐταράχθη δὲ Ιωσηφ, ὅτι συνεστρέφετο τὰ ἔντερα αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐζήτει κλαῦσαι· εἰσελθὼν δὲ εἰς τὸ ταμεῖον ἔκλαυσεν ἐκεῖ.

And Joseph was troubled, because his bowels were churning for his brother, and he sought to weep; and he entered the private chamber and wept there.

καὶ νιψάμενος τὸ πρόσωπον ἐξῆλθεν καὶ ἐνεκράτευσεν ἑαυτόν καὶ εἶπεν· Παράθετε ἄρτους.

And washing his face he came out, and he controlled himself and said: 'Set out the bread.'

καὶ παρέθηκαν αὐτῷ μόνῳ καὶ αὐτοῖς καθ᾿ ἑαυτούς, καὶ τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις τοῖς συνεσθίουσιν μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ καθ᾿ ἑαυτούς· οὐ γὰρ ἐδύναντο οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι συνεσθίειν μετὰ τῶν Ἑβραίων ἄρτον· βδέλυγμα γάρ ἐστιν τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις.

And they served him alone, and them separately, and the Egyptians who ate with him separately; for the Egyptians were not able to eat bread with the Hebrews — for it is an abomination to the Egyptians.

ἐκάθισαν δὲ ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ, ὁ πρωτότοκος κατὰ τὰ πρεσβεῖα αὐτοῦ καὶ ὁ νεώτερος κατὰ τὴν νεότητα αὐτοῦ· ἐξεπλάγησαν δὲ οἱ ἄνδρες ἕκαστος πρὸς τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ.

And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth; and the men were amazed, each at his brother.

ἦραν δὲ μερίδας παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ πρὸς αὐτούς· ἐμεγαλύνθη δὲ ἡ μερὶς Βενιαμιν παρὰ τὰς μερίδας πάντων πενταπλασίως πρὸς τὰς ἐκείνων· ἔπιον δὲ καὶ ἐμεθύσθησαν μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ.

And they took portions from him to themselves; but the portion of Benjamin was greater than the portions of all, fivefold more than theirs; and they drank and were merry with him.