Genesis 42

1 When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why are you staring at one another?”

1 وَعِنْدَمَا رَأَى يَعْقُوبُ أَنَّ الْقَمْحَ مُتَوَافِرٌ فِي مِصْرَ، قَالَ لأَبْنَائِهِ: «مَا بَالُكُمْ تَنْظُرُونَ بَعْضُكُمْ إِلَى بَعْضٍ؟

2 “Look,” he added, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die.”

2 لَقَدْ سَمِعْتُ أَنَّ الْقَمْحَ مُتَوَافِرٌ فِي مِصْرَ. فَانْحَدِرُوا إِلَى هُنَاكَ وَاشْتَرُوا لَنَا قَمْحاً لِنَبْقَى عَلَى قَيْدِ الْحَيَاةِ وَلا نَمُوتَ».

3 So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.

3 فَذَهَبَ عَشَرَةٌ مِنْ إِخْوَةِ يُوسُفَ لِيَشْتَرُوا قَمْحاً مِنْ مِصْرَ،

4 But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, “I am afraid that harm might befall him.”

4 أَمَّا بَنْيَامِينُ أَخُو يُوسُفَ فَلَمْ يُرْسِلْهُ يَعْقُوبُ مَعَ إِخْوَتِهِ خَوْفاً مِنْ أَنْ يَنَالَهُ مَكْرُوهٌ.

5 So the sons of Israel were among those who came to buy grain, since the famine had also spread to the land of Canaan.

5 فَقَدِمَ أَبْنَاءُ إِسْرَائِيلَ إِلَى مِصْرَ مَعَ جُمْلَةِ الْقَادِمِينَ لِيَشْتَرُوا قَمْحاً، لأَنَّ الْمَجَاعَةَ كَانَتْ قَدْ أَصَابَتْ أَرْضَ كَنْعَانَ أَيْضاً.

6 Now Joseph was the ruler of the land; he was the one who sold grain to all its people. So when his brothers arrived, they bowed down before him with their faces to the ground.

6 وَكَانَ يُوسُفُ هُوَ الْمُتَسَلِّطُ عَلَى مِصْرَ، وَالْقَائِمُ عَلَى بَيْعِ الْقَمْحِ لأَهْلِهَا جَمِيعاً. فَأَقْبَلَ إِخْوَةُ يُوسُفَ وَسَجَدُوا لَهُ بِوُجُوهِهِمْ إِلَى الأَرْضِ.

7 And when Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he treated them as strangers and spoke harshly to them. “Where have you come from?” he asked. “From the land of Canaan,” they replied. “We are here to buy food.”

7 فَلَمَّا رَآهُمْ عَرَفَهُمْ، وَلَكِنَّهُ تَنَكَّرَ لَهُمْ وَخَاطَبَهُمْ بِجَفَاءٍ وَسَأَلَهُمْ: «مِنْ أَيْنَ جِئْتُمْ؟» فَأَجَابُوهُ: «مِنْ أَرْضِ كَنْعَانَ لِنَشْتَرِيَ طَعَاماً».

8 Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.

8 وَمَعَ أَنَّ يُوسُفَ عَرَفَهُمْ، إِلّا أَنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَعْرِفُوهُ.

9 Joseph remembered his dreams about them and said, “You are spies! You have come to see if our land is vulnerable.”

9 ثُمَّ تَذَكَّرَ يُوسُفُ أَحْلامَهُ الَّتِي حَلَمَهَا بِشَأْنِهِمْ، فَقَالَ لَهُمْ: «أَنْتُمْ جَوَاسِيسُ، وَقَدْ جِئْتُمْ لاكْتِشَافِ ثُغُورِنَا غَيْرِ الْمَحْمِيَّةِ»

10 “Not so, my lord,” they replied. “Your servants have come to buy food.

10 فَقَالُوا لَهُ: «لا يَا سَيِّدِي إِنَّمَا قَدِمَ عَبِيدُكَ لِشِرَاءِ الطَّعَامِ،

11 We are all sons of one man. Your servants are honest men, not spies.”

11 فَنَحْنُ كُلُّنَا أَبْنَاءُ رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ، نَحْنُ أُمَنَاءُ وَلَيْسَ عَبِيدُكَ جَوَاسِيسَ».

12 “No,” he told them. “You have come to see if our land is vulnerable.”

12 وَلَكِنَّهُ قَالَ لَهُمْ: «لا! أَنْتُمْ قَدْ جِئْتُمْ لاكْتِشَافِ ثُغُورِنَا غَيْرِ الْمَحْمِيَّةِ»

13 But they answered, “Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more.”

13 فَأَجَابُوهُ: «إِنَّ عَبِيدَكَ اثْنَا عَشَرَ أَخاً، أَبْنَاءُ رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ مُقِيمٍ فِي أَرْضِ كَنْعَانَ. وَقَدْ بَقِيَ أَخُونَا الصَّغِيرُ عِنْدَ أَبِينَا الْيَوْمَ، وَالآخَرُ مَفْقُودٌ».

14 Then Joseph declared, “Just as I said, you are spies!

14 فَقَالَ لَهُمْ: «إِنَّ الأَمْرَ كَمَا قُلْتُ لَكُمْ! أَنْتُمْ جَوَاسِيسُ.

15 And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here.

15 وَحَيَاةِ فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّكُمْ لَنْ تُغَادِرُوا هُنَا حَتَّى تَأْتُوا بِأَخِيكُمُ الأَصْغَرِ، وَبِذَلِكَ تُثْبِتُونَ صِدْقَكُمْ.

16 Send one of your number to get your brother; the rest of you will be confined so that the truth of your words may be tested. If they are untrue, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!”

16 أَوْفِدُوا وَاحِداً مِنْكُمْ لِيَأْتِيَ بِأَخِيكُمْ، أَمَّا بَقِيَّتُكُمْ فَتَمْكُثُونَ فِي السِّجْنِ حَتَّى تَثْبُتَ صِحَّةُ كَلامِكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ. وَإلَّا فَوَحَيَاةِ فِرْعَوْنَ أَنْتُمْ لَسْتُمْ سِوَى جَوَاسِيسَ».

17 So Joseph imprisoned them for three days,

17 وَطَرَحَهُمْ فِي السِّجْنِ مَعاً ثَلاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ.

18 and on the third day he said to them, “I fear God. So do this and you will live:

18 وَفِي الْيَوْمِ الثَّالِثِ قَالَ لَهُمْ: «افْعَلُوا مَا أَطْلُبُهُ مِنْكُمْ فَتَحْيَوْا، فَأَنَا رَجُلٌ أَتَّقِي اللهَ.

19 If you are honest, leave one of your brothers in custody while the rest of you go and take back grain to relieve the hunger of your households.

19 إِنْ كُنْتُمْ حَقّاً صَادِقِينَ فَلْيَبْقَ وَاحِدٌ مِنْكُمْ رَهِينَةً، بَيْنَمَا يَأْخُذُ بَقِيَّتُكُمُ الْقَمْحَ وَيَنْطَلِقُونَ إِلَى بُيُوتِكُمُ الْجَائِعَةِ.

20 Then bring your youngest brother to me so that your words can be verified, that you may not die.” And to this they consented.

20 وَلَكِنْ إِيتُونِي بِأَخِيكُمُ الأَصْغَرِ فَأَتَحَقَّقَ بِذَلِكَ مِنْ صِدْقِكُمْ وَلا تَمُوتُوا». فَوَافَقُوا عَلَى ذَلِكَ.

21 Then they said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw his anguish when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.”

21 وَقَالُوا: «حَقّاً إِنَّنَا أَذْنَبْنَا فِي حَقِّ أَخِينَا. لَقَدْ رَأَيْنَا ضِيقَةَ نَفْسِهِ عِنْدَمَا اسْتَرْحَمَنَا فَلَمْ نَسْمَعْ لَهُ. لِذَلِكَ أَصَابَتْنَا هَذِهِ الضِّيقَةُ»

22 And Reuben responded, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you would not listen. Now we must account for his blood!”

22 فَقَالَ رَأُوبَيْنُ: «أَلَمْ أَقُلْ لَكُمْ لَا تَجْنُوا عَلَيْهِ فَلَمْ تَسْمَعُوا؟ وَالآنَ هَا نَحْنُ مُطَالَبُونَ بِدَمِهِ».

23 They did not realize that Joseph understood them, since there was an interpreter between them.

23 وَلَمْ يَعْلَمُوا أَنَّ يُوسُفَ كَانَ فَاهِماً حَدِيثَهُمْ، لأَنَّهُ كَانَ يُخَاطِبُهُمْ عَنْ طَرِيقِ مُتَرْجِمٍ.

24 And he turned away from them and wept. When he turned back and spoke to them, he took Simeon from them and had him bound before their eyes.

24 فَتَحَوَّلَ عَنْهُمْ وَبَكَى، ثُمَّ رَجَعَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَخَاطَبَهُمْ، وَأَخَذَ شِمْعُونَ وَقَيَّدَهُ أَمَامَ عُيُونِهِمْ.

25 Then Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to return each man’s silver to his sack, and to give them provisions for their journey. This order was carried out,

25 ثُمَّ أَمَرَ يُوسُفُ مُوَظَّفِيهِ أَنْ يَمْلَأُوا أَكْيَاسَهُمْ بِالْقَمْحِ، وَأَنْ يَرُدُّوا فِضَّةَ كُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمْ إِلَى كِيسِهِ، وَأَنْ يُعْطُوهُمْ زَاداً لِلطَّرِيقِ. فَفَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ.

26 and they loaded the grain on their donkeys and departed.

26 فَحَمَّلُوا حَمِيرَهُمُ الْقَمْحَ وَانْطَلَقُوا مِنْ هُنَاكَ.

27 At the place where they lodged for the night, one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his silver in the mouth of the sack.

27 وَحِينَ فَتَحَ أَحَدُهُمْ كِيسَهُ فِي الْخَانِ لِيَعْلِفَ حِمَارَهُ، لَمَحَ فِضَّتَهُ لأَنَّهَا كَانَتْ مَوْضُوعَةً فِي فَمِ الْكِيسِ.

28 “My silver has been returned!” he said to his brothers. “It is here in my sack.” Their hearts sank, and trembling, they turned to one another and said, “What is this that God has done to us?”

28 فَقَالَ لإِخْوَتِهِ: «لَقَدْ رُدَّتْ إِلَيَّ فِضَّتِي، انْظُرُوا هَا هِيَ فِي كِيسِي». فَغَاصَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ، وَتَطَلَّعَ بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَى بَعْضٍ مُرْتَعِدِينَ وَقَالُوا: «مَا هَذَا الَّذِي فَعَلَهُ اللهُ بِنَا؟».

29 When they reached their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they described to him all that had happened to them:

29 وَعِنْدَمَا قَدِمُوا عَلَى أَبِيهِمْ يَعْقُوبَ فِي أَرْضِ كَنْعَانَ قَصُّوا عَلَيْهِ مَا حَلَّ بِهِمْ، وَقَالُوا:

30 “The man who is lord of the land spoke harshly to us and accused us of spying on the country.

30 «الرَّجُلُ الْمُتَسَلِّطُ عَلَى مِصْرَ خَاطَبَنَا بِجَفَاءٍ، وَظَنَّ أَنَّنَا جَوَاسِيسُ عَلَى الأَرْضِ،

31 But we told him, ‘We are honest men, not spies.

31 فَقُلْنَا لَهُ: نَحْنُ أُمَنَاءُ وَلَسْنَا جَوَاسِيسَ.

32 We are twelve brothers, sons of one father. One is no more, and the youngest is now with our father in the land of Canaan.’

32 نَحْنُ اثْنَا عَشَرَ أَخاً أَبْنَاءُ أَبِينَا. أَحَدُنَا مَفْقُودٌ، وَالأَصْغَرُ بَقِيَ الْيَوْمَ مَعَ أَبِينَا فِي أَرْضِ كَنْعَانَ.

33 Then the man who is lord of the land said to us, ‘This is how I will know whether you are honest: Leave one brother with me, take food to relieve the hunger of your households, and go.

33 فَقَالَ لَنَا الرَّجُلُ سَيِّدُ الْبِلادِ: لِكَيْ أَتَحَقَّقَ مِنْ كَوْنِكُمْ أُمَنَاءَ. دَعُوا أَخاً وَاحِداً مِنْكُمْ عِنْدِي رَهِينَةً وَخُذُوا طَعَاماً لِبُيُوتِكُمُ الْجَائِعَةِ وَامْضُوا،

34 But bring your youngest brother back to me so I will know that you are not spies but honest men. Then I will give your brother back to you, and you can trade in the land.’”

34 ثُمَّ أَحْضِرُوا لِي أَخَاكُمُ الأَصْغَرَ، وَبَذَلِكَ أَعْرِفُ أَنَّكُمْ لَسْتُمْ جَوَاسِيسَ بَلْ قَوْماً أُمَنَاءَ، فَأُطْلِقَ لَكُمْ أَخَاكُمْ وَتَتَّجِرُونَ فِي الأَرْضِ».

35 As they began emptying their sacks, there in each man’s sack was his bag of silver! And when they and their father saw the bags of silver, they were dismayed.

35 وَإِذْ شَرَعُوا فِي تَفْرِيغِ أَكْيَاسِهِمْ وَجَدَ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمْ فِضَّتَهُ فِي كِيسِهِ، وَمَا إِنْ رَأَوْا هُمْ وَأَبُوهُمْ ذَلِكَ حَتَّى اسْتَبَدَّ بِهِمِ الْخَوْفُ.

36 Their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my sons. Joseph is gone and Simeon is no more. Now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is going against me!”

36 فَقَالَ لَهُمْ أَبُوهُمْ: «لَقَدْ أَثْكَلْتُمُونِي أَوْلادِي. يُوسُفُ مَفْقُودٌ، وَشِمْعُونُ مَفْقُودٌ، وَهَا أَنْتُمْ تَأْخُذُونَ بِنْيَامِينَ بَعِيداً! كُلُّ هَذِهِ الدَّوَاهِي حَلَّتْ بِي!»

37 Then Reuben said to his father, “You may kill my two sons if I fail to bring him back to you. Put him in my care, and I will return him.”

37 فَقَالَ لَهُ رَأُوبَيْنُ: «اقْتُلِ ابْنَيَّ إِنْ لَمْ أَرْجِعْ بِهِ إِلَيْكَ. اعْهَدْ بِهِ إِلَيَّ وَأَنَا أَرُدُّهُ إِلَيْكَ».

38 But Jacob replied, “My son will not go down there with you, for his brother is dead, and he alone is left. If any harm comes to him on your journey, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.”

38 فَقَالَ: «لَنْ يَذْهَبَ ابْنِي مَعَكُمْ، فَقَدْ مَاتَ أَخُوهُ، وَهُوَ وَحْدَهُ بَاقٍ. فَإِنْ نَالَهُ مَكْرُوهٌ فِي الطَّرِيقِ الَّتِي تَذْهَبُونَ فِيهَا، فَإِنَّكُمْ تُنْزِلُونَ شَيْبَتِي بِحُزْنٍ إِلَى قَبْرِي».