Genesis 44:1-17

Wycliffe Bible

44 Forsooth Joseph commanded the dispenser of his house, and said, Fill thou their sacks with wheat, as much as they may take, and put thou the money of each in the height of the sack; (And Joseph commanded to the steward of his house, and said, Fill up their sacks with as much corn, or as much grain, as they can take, and put the money of each in the top of his sack;)

² forsooth put thou in the sack’s mouth of the youngest my silver cup, and the price of the wheat which he gave; and it was done so. (and put my silver cup in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and also the money which he gave for his corn, or his grain; and it was done so.)

³ And when the morrowtide (a)rose, they were delivered with their asses. (And when the morning came, they were let go with their donkeys.)

⁴ And now they had gone out of the city, and had gone forth a little; then Joseph said, when the dispenser of his house was called, Rise thou, pursue the men, and say thou when they be taken, Why have ye yielded evil for good? (And when they had gone out of the city, and had gone forth a little; then Joseph said, when the steward of his house was called, Rise thou up, and pursue the men, and say thou when they be taken, Why have ye given back evil for good?)

⁵ The cup, which ye have stolen, is that in which my lord drinketh, and in which he is wont to divine; ye have done a full wicked thing.

⁶ He did as Joseph commanded, and when they were (over)taken (and when he had overtaken them), he spake by order these things;

⁷ the which answered, Why speaketh our lord so, (saying) that thy servants have done so great a trespass?

⁸ We brought again to thee from the land of Canaan the money that we found in the height of our sacks, and how is it following that we have stolen from thy lord’s house gold or silver? (We brought back to thee from the land of Canaan the money that we found in the top of our sacks, so how followeth it, that we would steal gold or silver from thy lord’s house?)

⁹ At whomever of thy servants this that thou seekest is found, die he, and we shall be servants of my lord. (With whomever of thy servants that the cup which thou seekest is found, let him die, and the rest of us shall be my lord’s slaves.)

¹⁰ Which said to them, Be it done by your sentence; at whom it is found, be he my servant; forsooth ye shall be guiltless. (And the steward said to them, So be it done by your own sentence; with whomever it is found, he shall be my slave; but the rest of you shall go free.)

¹¹ And so they did down hastily their sacks on the earth, and all they opened them, (And so they hastily did down their sacks onto the ground, and they all opened them,)

¹² the which he sought (through); and he began at the most till to the least, and he found the cup in Benjamin’s sack. (and then the steward searched through all the sacks; and he began at the eldest, and worked down to the youngest, and he found the cup in Benjamin’s sack.)

¹³ And when they had rent their clothes, and had charged again their asses, they turned again into the city. (And when they had torn their clothes, and had loaded up their donkeys again, they returned to the city.)

¹⁴ And Judah entered with his brethren to Joseph; for Joseph had not gone yet from the place; and all they fell together on the earth before him. (And Judah came in with his brothers to Joseph; for Joseph was still in his house; and they all fell down together on the ground before him.)

¹⁵ To whom he said, Why would ye do so? whether ye wot not, that none is like me in the knowing of divining? (To whom Joseph said, Why have ye done this? do ye not know that there is no one like me with such a knowledge of divination? Of course I would find you out!)

¹⁶ To whom Judah said, What shall we answer to my lord, or what shall we speak, either what may we justly against-say? God hath found the wickedness of thy servants; lo! all we be the servants of my lord, both we and he at whom the cup is found. (To whom Judah said, What shall we answer to my lord, or what shall we speak, or what can we justly say against thy words? God hath found out the wickedness of thy servants; lo! we shall all be my lord’s slaves, both we and he with whom the cup was found.)

¹⁷ Joseph answered, Far be it from me, that I do so; he be my servant that stole the cup; forsooth go ye free to your father. (Joseph answered, Far be it from me, that I would do such a thing; nay, only he who stole the cup shall be my slave; the rest of you be free to go back to your father.)