Genesis 43

Uhambo Lwesibili Lokuya eGibhithe

1Indlala yayilokhu ibhahile elizweni.

2Yikho kwathi sebekuqedile konke ukudla ababekuthenge eGibhithe, uyise wathi kubo, “Buyelani liyosithengela okunye njalo ukudla okunenganyana.”

3Kodwa uJuda wathi kuye, “Indoda leyo yasiqonqosela yabheja yathi, ‘Ngeke liphinde libubone ubuso bami ngaphandle kokuba umnawenu lilaye.’ 4Uma uzamvumela umnawethu ukuthi sihambe laye, sizahamba siyokuthengela ukudla. 5Kodwa uma ungezukuvuma, ngeke sibuyele, ngoba phela indoda leyo yathi kithi, ‘Ngeke liphinde libubone ubuso bami uma umnawenu lingelaye.’ ”

6U-Israyeli wabuza wathi, “Lakwenzeleni lina ukungehlisela uhlupho lolu ngokuyitshela indoda leyo ukuthi lilomnawenu na?”

7Baphendula bathi, “Leyondoda isibuzisisile ngathi langendlu yakwethu yathi, ‘Uyihlo usaphila na? Lilaye na omunye umfowenu? Thina besiphendula imibuzo yayo kuphela. Sasingazi kanjani ukuthi yayizakuthi, ‘Mletheni umnawenu lapha?’

8UJuda wasesithi ku-Israyeli uyise, “Wothi umfana kahambe lami, sizahle sisuke nje masinyane, ukwenzela ukuthi thina lawe kanye labantwabethu siphile, singafi. 9Mina ngokwami ngizazinikela ngokuphepha kwakhe; umlandu wonke ngaye awubekwe phezu kwami. Uma ngingambuyisi kuwe ngimbeke phambi kwakho, ngizawuthwala lowomlandu kuwe impilo yami yonke. 10Njengoba kunje nje, uba besingalibalanga, ngabe sesihambe sabuya kwaze kwaba kabili.”

11Ngakho uyise u-Israyeli wasesithi kubo, “Uma kumele kube njalo, yenzani lokhu: Fakani emasakeni enu ezinye izinto ezinhle kakhulu eziphuma kuleli ilizwe lihambe lazo kulowomuntu zibe yisipho – amagcobo okuthoba loluju, iziyoliso ezithile zemure, izilimo ezicacadwayo iphistakhiyo le-alimondi.

12Thathani isiliva esiphindwe kabili, ngoba kufanele libuyisele lesosiliva esasibuyiselwe emasakeni enu. Mhlawumbe kwaba yimposiso.

13Mthatheni umnawenu laye libuyele kuleyondoda ngokutshetsha. 14Sengathi uNkulunkulu uSomandla angalenzela isihawu kuleyondoda ukuze ivumele lowo omunye umfowenu kanye loBhenjamini abuye lani. Mina ngokwami ngithi, kambe okungayisikufa yikuphi!”

15Yikho amadoda asezithatha izipho lesiliva esiphindwe kabili, kanye loBhenjamini. Batshitsha baya eGibhithe bayazibika kuJosefa.

16Kwathi uJosefa ebona uBhenjamini ekanye labo, wathi kumpheki walapha endlini yakhe, “Hamba lamadoda la endlini yami, uwahlabele isifuyo ulungise ukudla; bazakudla lami emini.”

17Indoda yenza njengokutshelwa kwayo nguJosefa, yawathatha amadoda yahamba lawo endlini kaJosefa. 18Amadoda ethuka ebona elethwe endlini kaJosefa. Bacabanga bathi, “Silethwe lapha ngenxa yesiliva esabuyiselwa emasakeni ethu ekufikeni kwethu kokuqala. Ufuna ukusihlasela, asehlule abesesithumba sibe yizigqili athathe obabhemi bethu.”

19Yikho basebesiya kumpheki kaJosefa bayakhuluma laye entubeni eya endlini.

20Bathi, “Ake usizwe, mnumzana: Safika lapha okokuqala sizothenga ukudla. 21Kodwa lapho esakanisa khona ebusuku savula amasaka ethu, kwaba ngulowo wethu wafumana isiliva sakhe – silingana kanye ubunzima baso – sisemlonyeni wesaka lakhe. Yikho size laso. 22Size lesinye isiliva phezu kwaleso ukuthi sithenge ukudla. Kasikwazi ukuthi ngubani owabuyisela isiliva emasakeni ethu.”

23Wathi, “Kulungile. Lingesabi. UNkulunkulu wenu, uNkulunkulu kayihlo, uliphile inotho emasakeni enu; mina ngasiphiwa isiliva senu.” Yikho waseletha uSimeyoni kubo.

24Umpheki wasewangenisa amadoda endlini kaJosefa, wawapha amanzi okugeza izinyawo zawo waletha lotshani babobabhemi bawo.

25Balungisa izipho zabo zalindela uJosefa emini ngoba basebezwile ukuthi babezakudla khonapho.

26UJosefa esefikile bethula izipho ababengene lazo endlini, njalo bakhothama kuye phansi. 27Wababuza ukuphila, wasesithi, “Linjani ixhegu elinguyihlo elangitshela ngalo? Lilokhu lisaphila na?”

28Baphendula bathi, “Inceku yakho, ubaba, ulokhu esaphila njalo usaqinile.” Njalo bakhothama ukutshengisa inhlonipho.

29Wathi elokhu ebakhangela wabona umnawakhe uBhenjamini, umntakanina sibili, wabuza wathi, “Nguye lo umnawenu oyisicino na, yena lowo elangitshela ngaye?” Wasesithi kuye, “UNkulunkulu kabe lomusa kuwe, ndodana yami.” 30Wathinteka kakhulu ngokubona umnawakhe, uJosefa waphangisa waphuma wayafuna indawo yokukhala. Waya ekamelweni lakhe wayakhalela khona.

31Wathi esegezile amehlo waphuma, wazibamba wasesithi, “Phakululani ukudla.”

32Yena bamupha yedwa, abafowabo labo bodwa kwathi lamaGibhithe ayesidla laye lawo aba wodwa, ngoba amaGithithe ayengeze adla lamaHebheru, ngokuba lokho kwakunengeka kumaGibhithe. 33Amadoda la ayehlezi ngobudala bawo kusukela ngezibulo kuyecina ngecinathunjana; bakhangelana bemangele.

34Kwakusithi nxa bephakulelwa kusuka etafuleni likaJosefa okukaBhenjamini kwakusedluliswa okwabanye kahlanu. Ngakho bazitika banatha laye bekhululekile.