Genesis · Chapter 45

[ edit] Joſeph myȝte no ferþere wiþ holde hym ſelf, many biforn ſtondynge nyȝ; wherfor he comaundide þat alle men ſhulden goon out, and noon alien were amonge to þe knowyng togideres. And he arerid a voys wiþ wepyng, þat Egipcyens herden, and al þe hows of Pharao. And he ſeide to his breþeren, I am Joſeph; ȝit my fader lyueþ? Þe briþeren myȝten not anſwere, for ful myche drede afeerd. To whom he goodliche, Come ner, he ſeide, to me. And whanne þei weren comun nyȝ, Y am, he ſeiþ, Joſeph ȝoure broþer, whom ȝe ſolden in to Egipte; wole ȝe not drede, ne ſeme it to ȝow to be harde, þat ȝe han ſoold me in þes regiouns; forſoþe for ȝoure helþe God haþ ſent me bifore ȝow into Egipte.

Two ȝeer it ys þat hungur began to be in þe loond, ȝit fyue ȝeers leeuen, in þe whiche it may not be eerid, ne ropun; and God haþ bifore ſent me, þat ȝe ben kepte vpon erþe, and meetis to lyue han ȝe mowen. Not þurȝ ȝoure counſeil, but þurȝ þe wil of God Y am ſent hydir, þe which haþ maad me as þe fader of Pharao, and lord of al þe hows of hym, and prince in al þe loond of Egipte.

Hye ȝe, and ſtye ȝe vp to my fader, and ȝe ſhulen ſeye to hym, Þis biddiþ þi ſone Joſeph; God me haþ maad lord of al þe loond of Egipte; deſcende to me, ne abide þow, and dwel in þe loond of Geſſen; and þow ſhalt be biſide me, þow, and þi ſones, and þe ſones of þi ſones, þi ſheep, and þi droues, and al þat þou haſt, and þere Y ſhal fede þee; ȝit forſoþe fyue ȝeer ben leeued of hungur, leſt and þow periſhe, and þin hows, and al þat þow haſt. Loo! ȝoure eyen, and þe eyen of my broþer Beniamyn ſeen, þat my mouþ ſpekiþ to ȝow; telliþ to my fader al my glorie, and alle þingis þat ȝe han ſeen in Egipte; hye ȝe, and bryng ȝe hym to me.

And whanne cleppid hadde þriſt to hym þe necke of Beniamyn, his broþer, he wepte, and hym wepynge alſo vpon þe necke of hym. And Joſeph kiſſide alle his briþeren, and wepte vpon echone; aftir þat þei weren hardi to ſpeke to him. And it is herd, and wiþ ſolempne word puppliſhid in þe halle of þe kyng, Þe breþeren of Joſeph ben comun. And Pharao ioyede, and al þe meyne of hym; and he ſeide to Joſeph, þat he ſhulde comaunde to his briþeren, ſeiynge, Chargynge þe beeſtis goþ into þe loond of Chanaan, and takiþ fro þens ȝoure fader, and kynrede, and comeþ to me, and I ſhal ȝyue to ȝow al þe goodis of Egipte, þat ȝe eeten þe mary of þe loond.

Comaunde alſo, þat þei taken þe waynes of Egipte to þe kariyng of her children, and wiues, and ſey þow, Takiþ ȝoure fader, and anoon as ȝe mowen comynge makiþ redi, ne leue ȝe not eny þing of eny purtenaunce to ȝoure howſhold, for al þe ryches of Egipte ſhulen be ȝouren.

Þe children of Yrael diden, as it was bodun to hem; to whom Joſeph ȝaf waynes, after þe heeſte of Pharao, and metis in þe weye; and to echone he comaundide to be brouȝt forþ two ſtolys; forſoþe to Beniamyn he ȝaf þre hundryd ſilueren pens, wiþ fyue þe beſt ſtolis; as feele of money and of cloþing ſeendynge to his fader, addynge to hem ten hee aſſis, þat ſhulden karye of alle þe riccheſſis of Egipte, and as feele ſhe aſſis, whete in þe weye, and breed berynge. Þanne he lafte his briþeren, and to hem forþ goynge ſeiþ, Ne wraþþe ȝe in þe weye.

Þe whiche ſteyynge vp fro Egipte camen into þe loond of Chanaan, to her fader Jacob; and tolden to hym, ſeiynge, Joſeph, þi ſone, lyueþ, and he is lord in al þe loond of Egipte. Þe which herde, Jacob as of a greet ſleep awakynge; neuerþelater he trowide not hem. Þei aȝenward tolden al þe ordre of þe þing; and whanne he hadde ſeyn þe caryagis, and al þat he hadde ſent, aȝen quyckenyd þe ſpiryt of hym, and ſeiþ, It ſufficiþ to me, if ȝit Joſeph my ſone lyue, I ſhal go and ſhal ſe hym or Y dye.