IGenesisi 39:1-23

UJosefa bamthatha baya naye eGibhithe, uPotifari, esinye sezikhulu zikaFaro, umphathi wabaqaphi, wamthenga kwabakwa-Ishmayeli ababefike naye. USimakade wayenaye uJosefa, wamphumelelisa kukho konke. UJosefa wahlala endlini yenkosi yakhe yaseGibhithe. Inkosi yakhe yabona ukuthi uNkulunkulu unaye, nokuthi uNkulunkulu uyakuphumelelisa konke akwenzayo, ngakho-ke uJosefa wafumana umusa phambi kwayo, waba yinceku yayo; yamenza waba ngumphathi wendlu yayo, wengamela konke eyayinakho. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi eyambeka ngaso, waba ngumphathi wendlu yayo, nakho konke eyayinakho; uSimakade wawubusisa umuzi walowo mGibhithe, nakho konke ayenakho. Isibusiso sikaSimakade sasiphezu kwakho konke uPotifari ayenakho endlini nasemasimini. Ngakho-ke uPotifari wakubeka konke ayenakho esandleni sikaJosefa, akabe esazihlupha ngalutho, ngaphandle kokudla okwakufanele akudle. UJosefa wayeyigeza, enesiqu, ebukeka kahle. Emveni kwesikhathi umkaPotifari wamkhanuka, wathi kuye: “Lala nami.” Kepha uJosefa wenqaba, wathi enkosikazini yomphathi wakhe: “Umphathi wami akakhathazeke ngalutho endlini yakhe, futhi ukunikele konke ezandleni zami. Akamkhulu kule ndlu kunami, futhi akukho angigodlele khona ngaphandle kwakho, ngenxa yokuba ungumkakhe. Ngingakwenza kanjani-ke okubi kangaka, ngone kuNkulunkulu na?” Nakuba umkaPotifari wayembelesela uJosefa imihla ngemihla, kodwa akavumanga ukulala naye, noma abe ndawonye naye. Langa limbe lapho uJosefa engena endlini ezosebenza, kungekho muntu omunye endlini, umkaPotifari wamdumela, wabamba ingubo yakhe, wathi: “Lala nami,” kodwa uJosefa waphulukundlela, washiya isembatho sakhe ezandleni zakhe, wabaleka, waphumela phandle. Kwathi ukuba abone ukuthi ushiye ingubo esandleni sakhe, wabaleka, wamemeza abendlu yakhe, wathi: “Ake nibheke, umyeni wami usilethele lo mHebheru ukuba azohlekisa ngathi. Uze kimi, wafuna ukulala nami, ngamemeza kakhulu; unele wezwa ngiphakamisa izwi lami ngimemeza, washiya ingubo yakhe eduze kwami, wabaleka, waphumela phandle.” Wayigcina leyo ngubo eduze kwakhe, waze wabuya umyeni wakhe. Wamtshela le ndaba, wathi: “Le nceku yomHebheru owasilethela yona, ize kimi ifuna ukulala nami; kuthe ukuba ngiphakamise izwi ngimemeza, yashiya ingubo yayo eduze kwami, yabaleka, yaphumela phandle.” Esewezwile amazwi akhulunywe ngumkakhe, ethi: “Ingiphathe kanjalo inceku yakho,” wathukuthela wagana unwabu. Umphathi wamthatha uJosefa, wamgquma ejele, lapho kwakuvalelwa khona iziboshwa zenkosi. USimakade wayenaye uJosefa, wamenzela umusa, waba nogazi kumphathijele. Umphathijele wambeka uJosefa waba yinduna yabo bonke ayevalelwe nabo, kubuzwa kuye konke okwakwenzeka lapho. Umphathijele akabange esazikhathaza ngalutho, ngokuba konke kwakusesandleni sikaJosefa, futhi uSimakade wayemphumelelisa kukho konke akwenzayo.