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.Behold, we brought back to you the gold that we found in our sacks the first time we left Egypt.Why should we steal it again? As for your silver cup, no one here would think of taking it.Search us.Search our sacks.If the cup be found on anyone here, then let him die and let the rest of us be taken into slavery.”Joseph said: “I shall not be so severe.If any of you has taken my cup, then I will keep him as my servant.The others shall be held blameless and permitted to return to Canaan.”There in Joseph’s courtyard, under the eyes of the armed men, each brother took the sack off his donkey and opened it.They opened their sacks in the order of age, Reuben first.And when Reuben saw the gold in his sack, he was afraid.But Joseph said: “It is well.I do not care about the gold.I seek only my cup.”Then Simeon opened his sack, then Levi, and Judah, and each in order of age through Zebulun.And no cup was found.Then Benjamin opened his sack and a great groan went up from all the brothers.Reuben tore his beard.There in the mouth of the sack, gleaming like a fallen star, was the silver cup:“What have you done?” cried Joseph.“What manner of men are you to return evil for good?”Judah said: “What shall we say to you? How shall we speak? How shall we clear ourselves? I know that my brother did not steal your cup.But God has searched out another evil that we have done and is punishing us for it.So we are all your slaves.Our youngest brother in whose sack you found your cup and we, also, his elder brothers, we will enter servitude with him.”“God forbid,” said Joseph.“I shall not take you all into servitude, only the youngest one, only the lad who stole the cup.As for the rest of you, go in peace, and return to your father.” Judah came closer and said: “O my lord, let me speak a word just for your own ears and do not let your anger burn against me.For I am nothing and you are as high as Pharaoh.”“Speak,” said Joseph through his interpreter.Judah said: “When we first came into Egypt you questioned us, saying, ‘Have you a father, a brother?’ And we answered, saying, ‘We have a father, an old man.And we have another brother, the child of his old age, who is young.He is the son of my father’s younger wife, the one most dear to him, who died.And she had an elder son who is also dead.So that our youngest brother is the only son of his mother, Rachel, and his father loves him beyond all others.’ Thus we answered, my lord, in reply to your questions.And you said to us: ‘Bring that youngest son down to me.’ And we said: ‘He cannot leave his father, for his father will die.’ And you said: ‘If you do not bring him you shall see my face no more, and shall not be able to purchase food in Egypt.’“When we returned to Canaan we told all this to our father.And he refused to send his youngest son to Egypt.We urged him and he refused and kept refusing until hunger was heavy upon us.Then he said to us: ‘Go down into Egypt and buy food.Take my son Benjamin with you, since that is the way it must be.But remember this.Rachel bore two sons.Joseph was torn to pieces by a wild beast and Benjamin alone is left of her sons.If you take him from me and mischief befalls him, then you will bring down my gray hairs in sorrow to the grave.’ Now, my lord, how can we return to our father without our youngest brother? His life is bound up with the lad’s life.If he sees us returning without Benjamin, he will surely die.I pray you, O governor, O mighty one, be merciful.Take me into servitude instead of Benjamin.Let me be punished for my brother’s crime.Let me take his guilt upon myself.Let Benjamin return to Canaan so that his father may live.”Joseph could not hold himself back any longer.He cried out to his men.“Depart! Leave me alone with these Hebrews!” The soldiers departed, and the servants, and Joseph cried out in his own tongue, “Behold! I am Joseph!”The brothers were struck dumb.They could not answer him.They were mute with guilt and fear.Joseph spoke softly, his voice running with tears: “Come to me, I pray.”They approached very timidly, and he said.“I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.Now listen to me carefully.Do not be grieved at yourselves.Do not be enraged at your own deed.When you sold me, you did God’s errand.God wished me to go before you to preserve you and your children upon the earth, and to deliver you from starvation.He sent me to find a place for your generations, who are precious to the Lord.So forgive yourselves, my brothers.It was not you who sent me here but God; you were only His hands.Blind brutal hands perhaps, but only hands.And God made me counselor to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and ruler through all the land of Egypt.“Now you must hasten from this place.Go up into Canaan and say to my father that Joseph lives, that God has preserved his son and made him lord of all Egypt.And take this message: ‘Beloved Father, Jacob named Israel, come down to me in Egypt and do not tarry.Come down to me, Father, and you shall dwell in the land of Goshen and be near to me, you and your children and your children’s children and all the people of your house.And I will keep you here in Goshen and see that you do not want.’ ”“Is it true?” whispered Judah.“Are you Joseph, our brother, who returns such good for such evil?”“Your eyes see me,” said Joseph.“The eyes of our brother Benjamin see me.You hear the words of my mouth.And you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, of all that you have seen.So hurry, and bring him here.”He fell upon Benjamin’s neck and wept.And Benjamin embraced him and wept.Then Joseph went from brother to brother.He embraced each of them, and kissed each one.The brothers wept.Even the iron Simeon wept.Levi wept most bitterly, for his guilt was keen upon him and he could not forgive himself.Shame burned in him at Joseph’s goodness.Joseph went to him privately and said: “Do not weep so.Forgive me my compassion as I forgive you your transgression.” And Levi felt a load lifting from his heart.He bowed low to Joseph and said: “Assuredly you are the wisest of men.You read men’s hearts as you read dreams.”Then Joseph went to Pharaoh and told him all that had happened.Pharaoh marveled greatly at the tale, and was well pleased.He said to Joseph: “Say this to your brothers: ‘Load your beasts and go.Return to Canaan.Take your father and your households and come back to Egypt.I will give you the good of the land and you shall eat the fat of the land.For Pharaoh is pleased.’ ”Joseph thanked Pharaoh and went back to his brothers and told them what Pharaoh had said.He gave them wagons and provisions.To each man he gave fine garments.To Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and many fine garments.And he gave them a gift for Jacob: ten donkeys loaded with corn and bread and meat, and the best fruits of the orchard and honey of the hive.The brothers departed with their donkeys and their wagon train.They went out of the land of Egypt and into Canaan and to the tents of Jacob.Jacob rejoiced exceedingly when he saw them returning with Benjamin.Then Reuben said to him: “Joseph lives.He is governor of all the land of Egypt.”Jacob almost swooned.He could not believe what he was hearing.Then each brother spoke, telling him all the words of Joseph.For he insisted on hearing every word that had been said.And when they told him all that had been said, and described what Joseph had done and the way he had done it—and when he saw the wagons loaded with Joseph’s gifts, then he felt himself filled with a great joy and with renewed strength.He said: “It is enough.Joseph, my son, is alive.I will go and see him before I die.”Israel in EgyptThey journeyed out of Canaan.The men rode donkeys; the women and children rode in wagons [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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