Genesise 43:1-34
43 Indlala yayinkulu kakhulu ezweni. +
2 Lapho sebekudle bakuqeda ukudla okusanhlamvu ababekulande eGibhithe, + uyise wathi kubo: “Buyelani niyosithengela ukudla.”
3 UJuda wathi kuye: “Lowaya muntu wasixwayisa ngokucacile, wathi, ‘Akumelwe niphinde nibone ubuso bami ngaphandle kokuba nize nomfowenu.’ +
4 Uma umthuma kanye nathi umfowethu, sizokwehla siyokuthengela ukudla.
5 Kodwa uma ungamthumi, ngeke sehle, ngoba lowaya muntu wathi kithi, ‘Akumelwe niphinde nibone ubuso bami ngaphandle kokuba nize nomfowenu.’” +
6 U-Israyeli + wababuza: “Kungani ningilethele le nkinga ngokutshela lowo muntu ukuthi ninomunye umfowenu?”
7 Baphendula: “Lo muntu wabuza ngokuqondile ngathi nezihlobo zethu, wathi, ‘Uyihlo usaphila? Ninaye omunye umfowenu?’ sabe sesimtshela la maqiniso. + Sasizokwazi kanjani ukuthi wayezothi, ‘Yehlisani umfowenu’?” +
8 UJuda wancenga u-Israyeli uyise: “Vuma ukuba umfana ahambe nami, + masihambe ukuze siphile singafi +—thina, nawe nabantwana bethu. +
9 Yimi engizoqinisekisa ukuthi uphephile.* + Uma ehlelwa okuthile ungajezisa mina. Uma ngihluleka ukumbuyisa kuwe ngimnike wena, ngiyobe ngone phakade kuwe.
10 Kodwa ukube asilibalanga ngabe sesihambe sabuya kwaze kwaba kabili.”
11 Ngakho u-Israyeli uyise wathi kubo: “Uma kumelwe kube njalo, yenzani lokhu: Thathani imikhiqizo yezwe emihle kunayo yonke niyifake emasakeni* nehle nayo ibe isipho + kulowo muntu: ibhalsamu elincane, + uju oluncane, ilabhidanu, amagxolo anenomfi, + amakinati ephistakhiyo nama-alimondi.
12 Thathani imali ephindwe kabili; nithathe nemali eyabuyiswa isemasakeni enu niyibuyisele. + Mhlawumbe kwaba yiphutha.
13 Thathani umfowenu nihambe, nibuyele kulowo muntu.
14 Kwangathi uNkulunkulu uMninimandla Onke angenza lo muntu anizwele, ukuze anikhululele umfowenu kanye noBhenjamini. Kodwa mina, uma kumelwe ngilahlekelwe abantwana, kulungile ngiyolahlekelwa!” +
15 Ngakho la madoda asithatha lesi sipho, athatha imali ephindwe kabili kanye noBhenjamini. Asuka ehlela eGibhithe aphinde ama phambi kukaJosefa. +
16 Lapho uJosefa ebona uBhenjamini ekanye nawo, ngaso leso sikhathi wathi endodeni eyayiphethe indlu yakhe: “Thatha la madoda uwayise endlini uhlabe izilwane ulungise ukudla, ngoba la madoda azodla nami emini.”
17 Ngokushesha leyo ndoda yenza njengoba nje uJosefa ayeshilo, + yawathatha yawayisa endlini kaJosefa.
18 Kodwa la madoda esaba lapho eyiswa endlini kaJosefa, aqala ukuthi: “Basilethe lapha ngenxa yemali eyabuyiselwa emasakeni ethu ngesikhathi esidlule. Manje bazosihlasela basenze izigqila bathathe nezimbongolo zethu!” +
19 Ngakho asondela kule ndoda eyayiphethe indlu kaJosefa akhuluma nayo emnyango wendlu.
20 Athi: “Uxolo, nkosi yami! Seza lapha okokuqala sizothenga ukudla. +
21 Kodwa lapho sifika endaweni esalala kuyo sivula amasaka ethu, kwakukhona imali yomuntu ngamunye esakeni lakhe, imali yethu iphelele. + Ngakho singathanda ukuyibuyisa.
22 Siphethe nenye imali yokuthenga ukudla. Asazi ukuthi ubani owafaka imali yethu emasakeni ethu.” +
23 Yona yathi: “Kulungile. Ningesabi. UNkulunkulu wenu noNkulunkulu kayihlo wafaka ingcebo emasakeni enu. Imali yenu yafika kimi.” Ngemva kwalokho wabakhiphela uSimeyoni. +
24 Lo muntu wawangenisa endlini kaJosefa la madoda, wawanika amanzi ukuze ageze izinyawo, wanika nezimbongolo zawo ifolishi.
25 Abe eselungisa isipho + esilungisela ukufika kukaJosefa emini, ngoba ayezwile ukuthi ayezodlela lapho. +
26 Lapho uJosefa engena endlini, amlethela isipho sawo endlini, akhothama phansi emhlabathini. +
27 Ngemva kwalokho wabuza ngenhlalakahle yawo wathi: “Unjani uyihlo osemdala enakhuluma ngaye? Usaphila?” +
28 Athi: “Usaphila ubaba inceku yakho.” Khona-ke aguqa ayesekhothama. +
29 Lapho uJosefa ephakamisa amehlo ebona uBhenjamini umfowabo, indodana kanina, + wathi: “Ingabe lo umfowenu omncane kunani nonke enakhuluma ngaye kimi?” + Wayesenezela: “Kwangathi uNkulunkulu angakubonisa umusa wakhe, ndodana yami.”
30 UJosefa waphuma ngokushesha ngoba wayengasakwazi ukuzibamba ngenxa yomfowabo, wafuna indawo ayezokhalela kuyo. Ngakho wangena ekamelweni ukuze abe yedwa wakhala izinyembezi. +
31 Ngemva kwalokho wageza ubuso waphuma, manje wayesezibambile, wayesethi: “Lethani ukudla.”
32 Bamlethela yedwa, nabafowabo bababekela bodwa, namaGibhithe ayenaye adla wodwa, ngenxa yokuthi amaGibhithe ayengakwazi ukudla namaHebheru, ngoba lokho kwakuyinto enyanyekayo kumaGibhithe. +
33 Izelamani zazihlezi phambi kwakhe, oyizibulo ngokwelungelo lakhe lobuzibulo + kuye komncane kunabo bonke, zazilokhu zibukana zimangele.
34 Wayelokhu ethumela ukudla kusuka etafuleni lakhe kuya kwelazo, kodwa ukudla kukaBhenjamini wayelokhu ekwandisa ngokuphindwe kahlanu kunokwazo zonke ezinye. + Ngakho zaqhubeka zidla lelo dili, ziphuza kanye naye zaze zasutha.
