Bilingual reading

The famine was severe in the land.

When they had eaten up the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again, buy us a little more food.”

Judah spoke to him, saying, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’

If you’ll send our brother with us, we’ll go down and buy you food;

but if you don’t send him, we won’t go down, for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’”

Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly, telling the man that you had another brother?”

They said, “The man asked directly concerning ourselves, and concerning our relatives, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ We just answered his questions. Is there any way we could know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?”

Judah said to Israel, his father, “Send the boy with me, and we’ll get up and go, so that we may live, and not die, both we, and you, and also our little ones.

I’ll be collateral for him. From my hand will you require him. If I don’t bring him to you, and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever;

for if we hadn’t delayed, surely we would have returned a second time by now.”

Their father, Israel, said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Take from the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry down a present for the man, a little balm, a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts, and almonds;

and take double money in your hand, and take back the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight.

Take your brother also, get up, and return to the man.

May God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.”

The men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and got up, went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Bring the men into the house, and butcher an animal, and prepare; for the men will dine with me at noon.”

The man did as Joseph commanded, and the man brought the men to Joseph’s house.

The men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph’s house; and they said, “Because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time, we’re brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, attack us, and seize us as slaves, along with our donkeys.”

They came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they spoke to him at the door of the house,

and said, “Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food.

When we came to the lodging place, we opened our sacks, and behold, each man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. We have brought it back in our hand.

We have brought down other money in our hand to buy food. We don’t know who put our money in our sacks.”

He said, “Peace be to you. Don’t be afraid. Your God, and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks. I received your money.” He brought Simeon out to them.

The man brought the men into Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet. He gave their donkeys fodder.

They prepared the present for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there.

When Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves down to the earth before him.

He asked them of their welfare, and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he yet alive?”

They said, “Your servant, our father, is well. He is still alive.” They bowed down humbly.

He lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin, his brother, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?” He said, “God be gracious to you, my son.”

Joseph hurried, for his heart yearned over his brother; and he sought a place to weep. He entered into his room, and wept there.

He washed his face, and came out. He controlled himself, and said, “Serve the meal.”

They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians don’t eat with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.

They sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth, and the men marveled with one another.

He sent portions to them from before him, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. They drank, and were merry with him.

وكانَتِ المَجاعَةُ شَديدَةً في تِلكَ الأَرض

فلَمَّا ٱنتَهَوا مِن أَكلِ الحَبِّ الَّذي أَتَوا به مِن مِصْر، قالَ لَهم أَبوهم: «إِرجِعوا فٱشتَروا لَنا قَليلًا مِنَ الطَّعام»

فكَلَّمَه يَهوذا قائِلًا: «إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ أَنذَرَنا إِنذارًا قائلًا: لا تَرَونَ وَجْهي إِلَّا وأَخوكُم مَعَكم

فإِن أَرسَلتَ أَخانا معَنا، نَزَلْنا وٱشتَرَينا لَكَ طَعامًا

وإِن لم تُرسِلْه، لا نَنزِل، لِأَنَّ الرَّجُلَ قالَ لَنا: لا تَرَونَ وَجْهي إِلَّا وأَخوكم معَكم»

فقالَ إِسْرائيل: «ولِماذا أَسأَتُم إِلَيَّ فأَخبَرتُمُ الرَّجُلَ أَنَّ لَكم أَخًا أَيضًا؟»

قالوا: «إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ سأَلَ أَسئِلَةً عنَّا وعن عشيرَتِنا وقال: هل أَبوكُم لا يَزالُ حَيًّا وهل لكم أخٌ؟ فأَخبَرناه بِحَسَبِ هٰذا الكلام. فهَل كُنَّا نَعلَمُ أَنَّه سيَقول: أَحضِروا أَخاكم؟»

وقالَ يَهوذا لإِسْرائيلَ أَبيه: «أَرسِلِ الفَتى معي حَتَّى نَقومَ ونَمضِيَ ونَحْيا ولا نَموت، نحنُ وأَنتَ وعِيالُنا

أَنا أضمَنُه، مِن يَدي تَطلُبُه. إِن لم أَعُدْ بِه إِلَيكَ وأُقِمْه أَمامَكَ، فأَنا مُذنِبٌ إِلَيكَ طولَ الزَّمان

إِنَّه لَو لم نَتَوانَ، لكُنَّا الآنَ قد رَجَعْنا مَرَّتَين»

فقالَ لَهم إِسْرائيلُ أَبوهم: «إِن كانَ الأَمرُ كذٰلك، فٱصنَعوا هٰذا: خُذوا مِن أَطيَبِ مُنتَجاتِ الأَرضِ في أَوْعِيَتِكم وٱذهَبوا بِهَدِيَّةٍ إِلى الرَّجُل، شَيءٍ مِنَ البَلَسان وشَيءٍ مِنَ العَسَل وصُمْغِ قَتاد ولاذَنٍ وفُستُقٍ ولَوز

وخُذوا في أَيديكُم فِضَّةً أُخْرى، والفِضَّةُ المَرْدودَةُ في أَفْواهِ أَكْياسِكم رُدُّوها بأَيديكم، لعَلَّ ذٰلك كانَ خَطَأً

وخُذوا أَخاكُم وقوموا فٱرجِعوا إِلى الرَّجُل

واللهُ القَديرُ يَهَبُ لَكم رَحمَةً أَمامَ الرَّجُل فيُطلِقَ لَكُم أَخاكُمُ الآخَرَ وبَنيامين. وأَمَّا أَنا فإِن فَقَدتُهما أَكُونُ فَقَدتُهُما»

فأَخَذَ القَومُ تِلكَ الهَدِيَّةَ وأَخَذوا في أَيديهِم ضِعْفَ الفِضَّةِ وبَنْيامين، وقاموا ونَزَلوا إِلى مِصْر ووَقَفوا أَمامَ يوسف

فلَمَّا رأَى يوسفُ بَنْيامينَ معَهم، قالَ لِقَيِّمِ بَيتِه: «أَدخِلِ القَومَ البَيتَ وٱذبَحْ حَيَوانًا وأَصلِحْه، فإِنَّ القَومَ يأكُلونَ معي عِندَ الظُّهْر»

فصَنَعَ الرَّجُلُ كما قالَ يوسف وأَدخَلَ القَومَ بَيتَ يوسف

فخافوا حينَ أُدخِلوا بَيتَ يوسفَ وقالوا: «إِنَّما نَحنُ مُدخَلونَ بِسَبَبِ الفِضَّةِ الَّتي رُدَّت في أَكْياسِنا أَوَّلًا، لِيَهجُموا علَينا ويوقِعوا بِنا ويأخُذونا عَبيدًا معَ حَميرِنا»

فتَقَدَّموا إِلى قَيِّمِ البَيت وكَلَّموه عِندَ بابِ البَيت

وقالوا: «العَفْوَ، يا سَيِّدي، إِنَّنا نَزَلْنا أَوَّلًا لِنَشتَرِيَ طَعامًا

وكانَ لَمَّا وَصَلْنا إِلى المَبيتِ وفتَحْنا أَكْياسَنا، أَنَّنا وَجَدنا فِضَّةَ كُلِّ واحِدٍ في فَمِ كيسِه، فَضَّتَنا بِوَزنِها، فعُدْنا بِها في أَيدينا

وأَتَينا بِفِضَّةٍ أُخْرى لِنَشتَرِيَ طَعامًا، ونَحنُ لا نَعلَمُ مَنِ الَّذي جَعَلَ فِضَّتَنا في أَكْياسِنا»

فقال: «كونوا في سَلام، لا تَخافوا. إِنَّ إِلٰهكم وإِلٰهَ أَبيكُم رزَقَكُم كَنْزًا في أَكْياسِكُم. وأَمَّا فِضَّتُكُم فقد صارَت عِندي». ثُمَّ أَخرَجَ إِلَيهم شِمْعون

وأَدخَلَ الرَّجُلُ القَومَ بَيتَ يوسف وأَعْطاهم ماءً، فغَسَلوا أَرجُلَهُم، وأَعْطى عَلَفًا لحَميرِهِم

وهَيَّأُوا الهَدِيَّةَ حتَّى يأتِيَ يوسفُ عِندَ الظُّهْر، لِأَنَّهم سَمِعوا بِأَنَّهم هُناكَ سَيَأكُلونَ الطَّعام

ولَمَّا قَدِمَ يوسفُ إِلى البَيت، قَدَّموا لَه الهَدِيَّةَ الَّتي في أَيديهم، وسَجَدوا له إِلى الأَرض

فسَأَلَ عن سَلامَتِهم، ثُمَّ قال: «هل أَبوكُمُ الشَّيخُ الَّذي ذَكَرتُموه في سلام ولا يَزالُ حَيًّا؟»

قالوا: «عَبدُكَ أَبونا في سَلام ولا يَزالُ حَيًّا» وٱنحَنَوا وسَجَدوا

ورَفَعَ يوسفُ عَينَيه ورأَى بَنْيامينَ أَخاه ٱبنَ أُمِّه، فقال: «أَهٰذا أَخوكُمُ الصَّغيرُ الَّذي ذَكَرتُموه لي؟» وأَضاف: «أَنعَمَ اللهُ علَيكَ، يا بُنَيَّ»

ثُمَّ أَسرَعَ يوسف، وقدِ ٱحتَرَقَت أَحْشاؤُه شَوقًا إِلى أَخيه ورَغِبَ في البُكاء، فدَخَلَ الغُرفَةَ وبَكى هُناكَ

ثُمَّ غَسَلَ وَجهَه وخَرَجَ وتَجَلَّدَ وقال: «قَدِّموا الطَّعام»

فقَدَّموا لَه وَحدَه، ولَهم وَحدَهم، ولِلمِصرِيِّينَ الآكِلينَ عِندَه وَحدَهم، لِأَنَّ المِصرِيِّينَ لا يَجوزُ لَهم أَن يأكُلوا مع العِبرانِيِّين، لِأَنَّه قَبيحةٌ عِندَ المِصرِيِّين

وجَلَسوا أَمامَه، البِكْرُ بِحَسَبِ بِكرِيَّتِه والصَّغيرُ بِحَسَبِ صِغَرِه. وكانوا يَنظُرونَ بَعضُهم إِلى بَعض مَبْهوتين

ثُمَّ قَدَّم لَهم حِصَصًا مِمَّا أَمامَه، فكانَت حِصَّةُ بَنْيامينَ خَمْسَةَ أَضعافِ حِصَّةِ كُلِّ واحِدٍ مِنهُم. وشَرِبوا معه وسَكِروا