Genesis 44

Inkomitsho Yesiliva Esakeni

1UJosefa wasesipha imilayo le kumpheki wasendlini yakhe wathi: “Gcwalisa silikici amasaka amadoda la ngokudla konke abangakuthwala, ubusubuyisela isiliva salowo lalowo emlonyeni wesaka lakhe. 2Futhi utshwathike inkomitsho yami, leyana eyesiliva, emlonyeni wesaka lalowo ongomncinyane wabo ndawonye lesiliva sakhe samabele.” Wenza lokho uJosefa ayekutshilo.

3Kwathi emadabukakusa bawavalelisa amadoda asuka kanye labobabhemi bawo.

4Ayengakahambi okuya ngaphi ukusuka edolobheni lapho uJosefa wathi kumpheki wakhe, “Wohluwaxhume ngokuphangisa amadoda layana, uthi ungawafica uthi kuwo, ‘Lenzeleni ukwenana okuhle ngokubi na? 5Le kakusiyo yini inkomitshi enatha ngayo inkosi yami njalo ehlahlula ngayo na? Le yinto embi kakhulu eseliyenzile!’ ”

6Wathi esebaficile wawatsho amazwi la kubo. 7Kodwa bathi kuye, “Kungani inkosi yethu isitsho izinto ezinjalo? Kakube kude lezinceku zakho ukwenza ulutho olunjalo!

8Phela siyibuyisile kuwe imali yesiliva sisuka elizweni laseKhenani, leyana esayifumana phakathi emilonyeni yamasaka ethu. Pho besingakwenza njani ukweba isiliva loba igolide endlini yenkosi yakho na? 9Uma omunye wezinceku zakho efunyanwa elayo, uzabulawa; kuthi thina abanye sibe yizigqili zenkosi yethu.”

10Wathi, “Kulungile, kakube njengokutsho kwenu. Lowo ozafunyanwa elayo uzakuba yisigqili sami, lina abanye lonke lizakuba lingelacala.”

11Ngulowo lalowo wabo wehlisela phansi isaka lakhe walivula. 12Umpheki wasehamba ehlola, waqala ngomdala wayacina ngomcinyane. Inkomitsho yayafunyanwa esakeni likaBhenjamini. 13Bekubona lokhu badabula izigqoko zabo. Yikho bonke betshatha obabhemi babo amasaka baphindela edolobheni.

14UJosefa wayelokhu ekhona endlini, bafika bazilahla phansi phambi kwakhe. 15UJosefa wathi kubo, ‘Kuyini lokhu elikwenzileyo? Kalazi na ukuthi umuntu onjengami ubona izinto ngokuhlahlula?”

16UJuda waphendula wathi, “Kambe singabe sisathini? Singakuveza kanjani ukuba msulwa kwethu? UNkulunkulu uselidalule icala lezinceku zakho. Manje sesiyizichaka zenkosi yami – thina ngokwethu lalowo ofunyenwe elayo inkomitshi.”

17Kodwa uJosefa wathi. “Kakube kude lami ukwenza into enjalo! Yileyo indoda kuphela efunyanwe ilayo inkomitshi ezakuba yisichaka sami. Abanye lonke buyelani kuyihlo ngokuthula.”

18UJuda wasesondela kuye wathi, “Hawu, nkosi yami, akuvumele inceku yakho itsho ilizwi enkosini yami. Ungayizondeli inceku yakho, loba wena ulingana loFaro ngokwakhe. 19INkosi yami yabuza izinceku zayo yathi, ‘Lilaye na uyihlo kumbe umfowenu?’ 20Thina saphendula sathi, ‘Silaye ubaba oseluphele, njalo ikhona indodana ayizala eseluphele. Umnewabo wafa, yikho yiyo yodwa eseleyo kumadodana kanina, yikho uyise uyayithanda.’

21“Yikho wasusithi ezincekwini zakho, ‘Mletheni kimi ukuze ngimbone mina ngokwami.’ 22Thina sathi enkosini yami, ‘Umfana ngeke asuka kuyise; uma esuka kuye, uyise uzakufa.’ 23Kodwa izinceku zakho wazitshela wathi, ‘Ngaphandle kokuba umnawenu omncane lize laye, ngeke liphinde libubone njalo ubuso bami.’ 24Sathi ukubuyela encekwini yakho ubaba, samtshela lokho okwakutshiwo yinkosi yami.

25“Yikho ubaba wathi, ‘Buyelani liyethenga okunye njalo ukudla.’ 26Kodwa thina sathi, ‘Ngeke siye khona. Kuphela nxa umnawethu omncane elathi yikho singahamba. Ngeke sibubone ubuso bendoda leyo ngaphandle kokuba umnawethu omncane silaye.’

27“Inceku yakho ubaba yathi kithi, ‘Liyakwazi ukuthi umkami wangizalela amadodana amabili. 28Omunye wabo wasuka kimi, ngathi, “Ngempela udlithiziwe waba yizicucu.” Yikho kangisaphindanga ngambona kusukela kulesosikhathi. 29Manje lingangithathela lalo laye abesesehlelwa ngokubi, lizakwehlisela ikhanda lami leli eliyimpunga engcwabeni ngidabukile kabi.’

30“Ngakho-ke, uma umfana singelaye nxa sengibuyela encekweni yakho ubaba, yena ompilo yakhe isondelelene kakhulu leyomfana lo, 31uzakuthi angabona umfana engekho, ahle afe. Thina zinceku zakho sizakusa ikhanda likababa eliyimpunga engcwabeni lihlulukelwe.

32Inceku yakho yanikela ukuphila kwayo ngokuphepha komfana kubaba. Ngathi, ‘Uma ngingambuyisi kuwe, ngizawuthwala lowomlandu kuwe, baba, impilo yami yonke!’

33“Yikho-ke ngiyacela ukuthi uvumele inceku yakho isale lapha njengesichaka senkosi yami esikhundleni somfana, yena umfana akhululwe ahambe labanewabo. 34Ngingabuyela ngithini kubaba umfana ngingelaye? Hatshi! Ungangenzi ngibone usizi olungamehlela ubaba.”