Genesis 44

Matthew(i) 1 And he commaunded the ruler of his house saying: fyl the mens sackes with food, as moche as they can carye, 2 and put euery mans moneye in hys bagge mouth, & put my syluer cuppe in the sackes mouthe of the yongest and his corne money also. And he dyd as Ioseph had sayd. 3 And in the mornyng as soone as it was lyghte, the men were let go with their asses. 4 And when they were oute of the cytie & not yet farre away, Ioseph said vnto the ruelar of his house: vp and folowe after the men and ouertake them, and say vnto them: wherfore haue ye rewarded euel for good? 5 is that not the cuppe of which my Lord drynketh, and doth he not prophesye therin? ye haue euel done, that ye haue done. 6 And he ouertoke them and sayde the same wordes vnto them. 7 And they answered him: wherfore sayth my Lord soch wordes? God forbyd that thy seruauntes should do so. 8 Beholde, the money whyche we founde in oure sackes mouthes, we brought agayne vnto the, oute of the lande of Canaan: howe then shuld we steale out of my lordes house, ether siluer or gold? 9 with whom soeuer of thy seruauntes it be founde let him dye, and let vs, also be my Lordes bondmen. 10 And he sayde: Now therfore acording vnto your woordes, he wt whom it is found, shalbe my seruaunte: but ye shalbe harmelesse. 11 And attonce euery man toke doune hys sacke to the grounde, and euery man opened hys sacke. 12 And he serched, and began at the eldest and left at the yongest. And the cuppe was founde in Beuiamins sacke. 13 Then they rent their clothes, and laded euery man hys asse and went agayne vnto the cytie. 14 And Iuda and hys brethren came to Iosephes house, for he was yet there, and they fel before hym on the grounde. 15 And Ioseph sayde vnto them: what dede is thys which ye haue done? wyst ye not that soche a man as I can prophesye? 16 Then sayde Iuda: what shall we saye vnto my Lorde, what shall we speake or what excuse can we make? God hath founde out the wekednesse of thy seruauntes. Behold, both we and he wt whom the cuppe is founde, are thy seruauntes. 17 And he answered: God forbyd that I should do so, the man wt whom the cuppe is found, he shalbe my seruaunte: but go ye in peace vnto your father. 18 Then Iuda went vnto hym and sayde: oh my Lorde, let thy seruaunte speake a worde in my Lordes eare, and be not wrouth wyth thy seruaunte: for thou art euen as Pharao. 19 My Lord axed hys seruaunte sayinge: haue ye a father or a brother? 20 And we answered my Lord, we haue a father that is olde, & a yonge lad which he begat in his age: and the brother of the sayd lad is dead, & he is al that is left of that mother. And his father loueth him. 21 Then sayde my Lorde vnto hys seruauntes brynge hym vnto me, that I maye set myne eyes vpon hym. 22 And we answered my Lorde, that the lad coulde not goo from hys father, for yf he shoulde leaue hys father, he were but a deed man. 23 Than saydest thou vnto thy seruauntes excepte youre yongest brother come wyth you, loke that ye se my face no moare. 24 And when we came vnto thy seruaunt our father, we shewed hym what my Lorde had sayde. 25 And when oure father sayde vnto vs, goo agayne and bye vs a lytle fode: 26 we sayde, that we coulde not goo. Neuerthelesse yf oure yongest brother go with vs then wyl we go, for we maye not see the mannes face excepte oure youngest brother be wt vs. 27 Then sayde thy seruaunt oure father vnto vs. Ye knowe that my wyfe bare me two sonnes. 28 And the one went out from me and it is sayde of a suertye that he is torne in peaces of wyld beastes, and I sawe him not sence. 29 If ye shall take thys also awaye from me and some mysfortune happen vpon him, then shall ye bryng my gray head with sorow vnto the graue. 30 Now therfore when I come to thy seruaunt my father, yf the lad be not with me: seyinge that hys lyfe hangeth by the laddes lyfe, 31 then as soone as he seeth that the lad is not come, he wyll dye. So shall we thy seruauntes brynge the gray hedde of thy seruaunt oure father wyth sorow vnto the graue. 32 For I thy seruaunt became suerty for the lad vnto my father and sayde: yf I brynge hym not vnto the agayne. I wyll bere the blame all my lyfe longe. 33 Nowe therfore let me thy seruaunt byde here for the lad, and be my Lordes bondman: and let the lad goo home with hys brethren. 34 For howe can I goo vnto my father, and the lad not wyth me: lest I shulde sea the wretchednes that shall come on my father.