Genesis 44 #catechesis/bible/genesis
[!abstract] Joseph’s contrivance to stop his brethren. The humble supplication of Judah.
Book: Genesis · ← Genesis 43 · Genesis 45 →
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GR καὶ ἐνετείλατο Ιωσηφ τῷ ὄντι ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκίας αὐτοῦ λέγων πλήσατε τοὺς μαρσίππους τῶν ἀνθρώπων βρωμάτων ὅσα ἐὰν δύνωνται ἆραι καὶ ἐμβάλατε ἑκάστου τὸ ἀργύριον ἐπὶ τοῦ στόματος τοῦ μαρσίππου
LA Præcepit autem Joseph dispensatori domus suæ, dicens: Imple saccos eorum frumento, quantum possunt capere: et pone pecuniam singulorum in summitate sacci.
EN And Joseph commanded the steward of his house, saying: Fill their sacks with corn, as much as they can hold: and put the money of every one in the top of his sack.
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GR καὶ τὸ κόνδυ μου τὸ ἀργυροῦν ἐμβάλατε εἰς τὸν μάρσιππον τοῦ νεωτέρου καὶ τὴν τιμὴν τοῦ σίτου αὐτοῦ ἐγενήθη δὲ κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμα Ιωσηφ καθὼς εἶπεν
LA Scyphum autem meum argenteum, et pretium quod dedit tritici, pone in ore sacci junioris. Factumque est ita.
EN And in the mouth of the younger’s sack put my silver cup, and the price which he gave for the wheat. And it was so done.
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GR τὸ πρωὶ διέφαυσεν καὶ οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἀπεστάλησαν αὐτοὶ καὶ οἱ ὄνοι αὐτῶν
LA Et orto mane, dimissi sunt cum asinis suis.
EN And when the morning arose, they were sent away with their asses.
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GR ἐξελθόντων δὲ αὐτῶν τὴν πόλιν οὐκ ἀπέσχον μακράν καὶ Ιωσηφ εἶπεν τῷ ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκίας αὐτοῦ ἀναστὰς ἐπιδίωξον ὀπίσω τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ καταλήμψῃ αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐρεῖς αὐτοῖς τί ὅτι ἀνταπεδώκατε πονηρὰ ἀντὶ καλῶν
LA Jamque urbem exierant, et processerant paululum: tunc Joseph accersito dispensatore domus, Surge, inquit, et persequere viros: et apprehensis dicito: Quare reddidistis malum pro bono?
EN And when they were now departed out of the city, and had gone forward a little way: Joseph sending for the steward of his house, said: Arise, and pursue after the men: and when you have overtaken them, say to them: Why have you returned evil for good?
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GR ἵνα τί ἐκλέψατέ μου τὸ κόνδυ τὸ ἀργυροῦν οὐ τοῦτό ἐστιν ἐν ᾧ πίνει ὁ κύριός μου αὐτὸς δὲ οἰωνισμῷ οἰωνίζεται ἐν αὐτῷ πονηρὰ συντετέλεσθε ἃ πεποιήκατε
LA scyphus, quem furati estis, ipse est in quo bibit dominus meus, et in quo augurari solet: pessimam rem fecistis.
EN The cup which you have stolen, is that in which my lord drinks, and in which he is wont to divine: you have done a very evil thing.
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GR εὑρὼν δὲ αὐτοὺς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς κατὰ τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα
LA Fecit ille ut jusserat: et apprehensis per ordinem locutus est.
EN He did as he had commanded him. And having overtaken them, he spoke to them the same words.
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GR οἱ δὲ εἶπον αὐτῷ ἵνα τί λαλεῖ ὁ κύριος κατὰ τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα μὴ γένοιτο τοῖς παισίν σου ποιῆσαι κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο
LA Qui responderunt: Quare sic loquitur dominus noster, ut servi tui tantum flagitii commiserint?
EN And they answered: Why does our lord speak so, as though your servants had committed so heinous a fact?
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GR εἰ τὸ μὲν ἀργύριον ὃ εὕρομεν ἐν τοῖς μαρσίπποις ἡμῶν ἀπεστρέψαμεν πρὸς σὲ ἐκ γῆς Χανααν πῶς ἂν κλέψαιμεν ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ κυρίου σου ἀργύριον ἢ χρυσίον
LA pecuniam, quam invenimus in summitate saccorum, reportavimus ad te de terra Chanaan: et quomodo consequens est ut furati simus de domo domini tui aurum vel argentum?
EN The money, that we found in the top of our sacks, we brought back to you from the land of Chanaan: how then should it be that we should steal out of your lord’s house, gold or silver?
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GR παρ’ ᾧ ἂν εὑρεθῇ τὸ κόνδυ τῶν παίδων σου ἀποθνῃσκέτω καὶ ἡμεῖς δὲ ἐσόμεθα παῖδες τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν
LA apud quemcumque fuerit inventum servorum tuorum quod quæris, moriatur, et nos erimus servi domini nostri.
EN With whomsoever of your servants shall be found that which you seek, let him die, and we will be the bondmen of my lord.
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GR ὁ δὲ εἶπεν καὶ νῦν ὡς λέγετε οὕτως ἔσται ὁ ἄνθρωπος παρ’ ᾧ ἂν εὑρεθῇ τὸ κόνδυ αὐτὸς ἔσται μου παῖς ὑμεῖς δὲ ἔσεσθε καθαροί
LA Qui dixit eis: Fiat juxta vestram sententiam: apud quemcumque fuerit inventus, ipse sit servus meus, vos autem eritis innoxii.
EN And he said to them: Let it be according to your sentence: with whomsoever it shall be found, let him be my servant, and you shall be blameless.
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GR καὶ ἔσπευσαν καὶ καθεῖλαν ἕκαστος τὸν μάρσιππον αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ ἤνοιξαν ἕκαστος τὸν μάρσιππον αὐτοῦ
LA Itaque festinato deponentes in terram saccos, aperuerunt singuli.
EN Then they speedily took down their sacks to the ground, and every man opened his sack.
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GR ἠρεύνα δὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου ἀρξάμενος ἕως ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τὸν νεώτερον καὶ εὗρεν τὸ κόνδυ ἐν τῷ μαρσίππῳ τῷ Βενιαμιν
LA Quos scrutatus, incipiens a majore usque ad minimum, invenit scyphum in sacco Benjamin.
EN Which when he had searched, beginning at the eldest, and ending at the youngest, he found the cup in Benjamin’s sack.
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GR καὶ διέρρηξαν τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπέθηκαν ἕκαστος τὸν μάρσιππον αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὸν ὄνον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπέστρεψαν εἰς τὴν πόλιν
LA At illi, scissis vestibus, oneratisque rursum asinis, reversi sunt in oppidum.
EN Then they rent their garments, and loading their asses again, returned into the town.
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GR εἰσῆλθεν δὲ Ιουδας καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ πρὸς Ιωσηφ ἔτι αὐτοῦ ὄντος ἐκεῖ καὶ ἔπεσον ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν
LA Primusque Judas cum fratribus ingressus est ad Joseph (necdum enim de loco abierat) omnesque ante eum pariter in terram corruerunt.
EN And Juda at the head of his brethren went in to Joseph (for he was not yet gone out of the place) and they all together fell down before him on the ground.
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GR εἶπεν δὲ αὐτοῖς Ιωσηφ τί τὸ πρᾶγμα τοῦτο ὃ ἐποιήσατε οὐκ οἴδατε ὅτι οἰωνισμῷ οἰωνιεῖται ἄνθρωπος οἷος ἐγώ
LA Quibus ille ait: Cur sic agere voluistis? an ignoratis quod non sit similis mei in augurandi scientia?
EN And he said to them: Why would you do so? know you not that there is no one like me in the science of divining.
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GR εἶπεν δὲ Ιουδας τί ἀντεροῦμεν τῷ κυρίῳ ἢ τί λαλήσωμεν ἢ τί δικαιωθῶμεν ὁ δὲ θεὸς εὗρεν τὴν ἀδικίαν τῶν παίδων σου ἰδού ἐσμεν οἰκέται τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν καὶ ἡμεῖς καὶ παρ’ ᾧ εὑρέθη τὸ κόνδυ
LA Cui Judas: Quid respondebimus, inquit, domino meo? vel quid loquemur, aut juste poterimus obtendere? Deus invenit iniquitatem servorum tuorum: en omnes servi sumus domini mei, et nos, et apud quem inventus est scyphus.
EN And Juda said to him: What shall we answer my lord? Or what shall we say, or be able justly to allege? God has found out the iniquity of your servants: behold, we are all bondmen to my lord, both we, and he with whom the cup was found.
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GR εἶπεν δὲ Ιωσηφ μή μοι γένοιτο ποιῆσαι τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο ὁ ἄνθρωπος παρ’ ᾧ εὑρέθη τὸ κόνδυ αὐτὸς ἔσται μου παῖς ὑμεῖς δὲ ἀνάβητε μετὰ σωτηρίας πρὸς τὸν πατέρα ὑμῶν
LA Respondit Joseph: Absit a me ut sic agam: qui furatus est scyphum, ipse sit servus meus: vos autem abite liberi ad patrem vestrum.
EN Joseph answered: God forbid that I should do so: he that stole the cup, he shall be my bondman: and go you away free to your father.
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GR ἐγγίσας δὲ αὐτῷ Ιουδας εἶπεν δέομαι κύριε λαλησάτω ὁ παῖς σου ῥῆμα ἐναντίον σου καὶ μὴ θυμωθῇς τῷ παιδί σου ὅτι σὺ εἶ μετὰ Φαραω
LA Accedens autem propius Judas, confidenter ait: Oro, domini mi, loquatur servus tuus verbum in auribus tuis, et ne irascaris famulo tuo: tu es enim post Pharaonem
EN Then Juda coming nearer, said boldly: I beseech you, my lord, let your servant speak a word in your ears, and be not angry with your servant: for after Pharao you are.
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GR κύριε σὺ ἠρώτησας τοὺς παῖδάς σου λέγων εἰ ἔχετε πατέρα ἢ ἀδελφόν
LA dominus meus. Interrogasti prius servos tuos: Habetis patrem aut fratrem?
EN My lord. You asked your servants the first time: Have you a father or a brother.
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GR καὶ εἴπαμεν τῷ κυρίῳ ἔστιν ἡμῖν πατὴρ πρεσβύτερος καὶ παιδίον γήρως νεώτερον αὐτῷ καὶ ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ ἀπέθανεν αὐτὸς δὲ μόνος ὑπελείφθη τῇ μητρὶ αὐτοῦ ὁ δὲ πατὴρ αὐτὸν ἠγάπησεν
LA et nos respondimus tibi domino meo: Est nobis pater senex, et puer parvulus, qui in senectute illius natus est: cujus uterinus frater mortuus est: et ipsum solum habet mater sua, pater vero tenere diliget eum.
EN And we answered you, my lord: We have a father an old man, and a young boy, that was born in his old age; whose brother by the mother is dead; and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loves him tenderly.
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GR εἶπας δὲ τοῖς παισίν σου καταγάγετε αὐτὸν πρός με καὶ ἐπιμελοῦμαι αὐτοῦ
LA Dixistique servis tuis: Adducite eum ad me, et ponam oculos meos super illum.
EN And you said to your servants: Bring him hither to me, and I will set my eyes on him.
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GR καὶ εἴπαμεν τῷ κυρίῳ οὐ δυνήσεται τὸ παιδίον καταλιπεῖν τὸν πατέρα ἐὰν δὲ καταλίπῃ τὸν πατέρα ἀποθανεῖται
LA Suggessimus domino meo: Non potest puer relinquere patrem suum: si enim illum dimiserit, morietur.
EN We suggested to my lord: The boy cannot leave his father: for if he leave him, he will die.
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GR σὺ δὲ εἶπας τοῖς παισίν σου ἐὰν μὴ καταβῇ ὁ ἀδελφὸς ὑμῶν ὁ νεώτερος μεθ’ ὑμῶν οὐ προσθήσεσθε ἔτι ἰδεῖν τὸ πρόσωπόν μου
LA Et dixisti servis tuis: Nisi venerit frater vester minimus vobiscum, non videbitis amplius faciem meam.
EN And you said to your servants: Unless your youngest brother comes with you, you shall see my face no more.
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GR ἐγένετο δὲ ἡνίκα ἀνέβημεν πρὸς τὸν παῖδά σου πατέρα δὲ ἡμῶν ἀπηγγείλαμεν αὐτῷ τὰ ῥήματα τοῦ κυρίου
LA Cum ergo ascendissemus ad famulum tuum patrem nostrum, narravimus ei omnia quæ locutus est dominus meus.
EN Therefore when we had gone up to your servant our father, we told him all that my lord had said.
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GR εἶπεν δὲ ἡμῖν ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν βαδίσατε πάλιν ἀγοράσατε ἡμῖν μικρὰ βρώματα
LA Et dixit pater noster: Revertimini, et emite nobis parum tritici.
EN And our father said: Go again, and buy us a little wheat.
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GR ἡμεῖς δὲ εἴπαμεν οὐ δυνησόμεθα καταβῆναι ἀλλ’ εἰ μὲν ὁ ἀδελφὸς ἡμῶν ὁ νεώτερος καταβαίνει μεθ’ ἡμῶν καταβησόμεθα οὐ γὰρ δυνησόμεθα ἰδεῖν τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ ἀνθρώπου τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ τοῦ νεωτέρου μὴ ὄντος μεθ’ ἡμῶν
LA Cui diximus: Ire non possumus: si frater noster minimus descenderit nobiscum, proficiscemur simul: alioquin illo absente, non audemus videre faciem viri.
EN And we said to him: We cannot go: if our youngest brother go down with us, we will set out together: otherwise, without him we dare not see the man’s face.
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GR εἶπεν δὲ ὁ παῖς σου ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν πρὸς ἡμᾶς ὑμεῖς γινώσκετε ὅτι δύο ἔτεκέν μοι ἡ γυνή
LA Ad quæ ille respondit: Vos scitis quod duos genuerit mihi uxor mea.
EN Whereunto he answered: You know that my wife bore me two.
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GR καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ὁ εἷς ἀπ’ ἐμοῦ καὶ εἴπατε ὅτι θηριόβρωτος γέγονεν καὶ οὐκ εἶδον αὐτὸν ἔτι καὶ νῦν
LA Egressus est unus, et dixistis: Bestia devoravit eum: et hucusque non comparet.
EN One went out, and you said: A beast devoured him; and hitherto he appears not.
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GR ἐὰν οὖν λάβητε καὶ τοῦτον ἐκ προσώπου μου καὶ συμβῇ αὐτῷ μαλακία ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ καὶ κατάξετέ μου τὸ γῆρας μετὰ λύπης εἰς ᾅδου
LA Si tuleritis et istum, et aliquid ei in via contigerit, deducetis canos meos cum mœrore ad inferos.
EN If you take this also, and anything befall him on the way, you will bring down my grey hairs with sorrow unto hell.
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GR νῦν οὖν ἐὰν εἰσπορεύωμαι πρὸς τὸν παῖδά σου πατέρα δὲ ἡμῶν καὶ τὸ παιδάριον μὴ ᾖ μεθ’ ἡμῶν ἡ δὲ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ ἐκκρέμαται ἐκ τῆς τούτου ψυχῆς
LA Igitur si intravero ad servum tuum patrem nostrum, et puer defuerit (cum anima illius ex hujus anima pendeat),
EN Therefore, if I shall go to your servant, our father, and the boy be wanting, (whereas his life depends upon the life of him),
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GR καὶ ἔσται ἐν τῷ ἰδεῖν αὐτὸν μὴ ὂν τὸ παιδάριον μεθ’ ἡμῶν τελευτήσει καὶ κατάξουσιν οἱ παῖδές σου τὸ γῆρας τοῦ παιδός σου πατρὸς δὲ ἡμῶν μετ’ ὀδύνης εἰς ᾅδου
LA videritque eum non esse nobiscum, morietur, et deducent famuli tui canos ejus cum dolore ad inferos.
EN and he shall see that he is not with us, he will die, and your servants shall bring down his grey hairs with sorrow unto hell.
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GR ὁ γὰρ παῖς σου ἐκδέδεκται τὸ παιδίον παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς λέγων ἐὰν μὴ ἀγάγω αὐτὸν πρὸς σὲ καὶ στήσω αὐτὸν ἐναντίον σου ἡμαρτηκὼς ἔσομαι πρὸς τὸν πατέρα πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας
LA Ego proprie servus tuus sim qui in meam hunc recepi fidem, et spopondi dicens: Nisi reduxero eum, peccati reus ero in patrem meum omni tempore.
EN Let me be your proper servant, who took him into my trust, and promised, saying: If I bring him not again, I will be guilty of sin against my father for ever.
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GR νῦν οὖν παραμενῶ σοι παῖς ἀντὶ τοῦ παιδίου οἰκέτης τοῦ κυρίου τὸ δὲ παιδίον ἀναβήτω μετὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν
LA Manebo itaque servus tuus pro puero in ministerio domini mei, et puer ascendat cum fratribus suis.
EN Therefore I, your servant, will stay instead of the boy in the service of my lord, and let the boy go up with his brethren.
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GR πῶς γὰρ ἀναβήσομαι πρὸς τὸν πατέρα τοῦ παιδίου μὴ ὄντος μεθ’ ἡμῶν ἵνα μὴ ἴδω τὰ κακά ἃ εὑρήσει τὸν πατέρα μου
LA Non enim possum redire ad patrem meum, absente puero: ne calamitatis, quæ oppressura est patrem meum, testis assistam.
EN For I cannot return to my father without the boy, lest I be a witness of the calamity that will oppress my father.
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[!note]- The science of divining…
He speaks of himself according to what he was esteemed in that kingdom. And indeed, he being truly a prophet, knew more without comparison than any of the Egyptian sorcerers.
[!note]- His gray hairs…
That is, his person, now far advanced in years.
[!note]- With sorrow unto hell…
The Hebrew word for hell is here sheol, the Greek hades: it is not taken for the hell of the damned; but for that place of souls below where the servants of God were kept before the coming of Christ. Which place, both in the Scripture and in the creed, is named hell.
