IGenesisi 44:14-34

UJuda nabafowabo bafika endlini kaJosefa, bamfica esekhona, base bezilahla phansi phambi kwakhe. UJosefa wathi kubo: “Kuyini lokhu enikwenzileyo na? Anazi yini ukuthi umuntu onjengami uyakwazi ukubhula na?” UJuda waphendula wathi: “Sizothini enkosini yami na? Sizakukhuluma sithini na? Sizakuzithethelela sithini na? UNkulunkulu uliveze obala icala lezinceku zakho. Bheka, silapha ukuba sibe yizigqila zenkosi yami, thina nalowo okutholakale kuye indebe.” UJosefa wathi: “Angikwazi ukwenza into enjalo. Umuntu etholakale kuye indebe yami uzokuba yisigqila sami, nina yenyukani, nibuyele kuyihlo ngokuthula.” UJuda wazidela amathambo, wakhuluma noJosefa wathi: “Ngicela uxolo, nkosi yami, yivumele inceku yakho ibeke libe linye nje enkosini yayo, ungayithukutheleli inceku yakho, ngokuba wena ulingana noFaro uqobo. Inkosi yami yazibuza izinceku zayo, yathi: ‘Ninaye yini uyihlo noma umfowenu na?’ Sathi enkosini yami: ‘Sinaye ubaba osekhulile, nendodana esencane ayizala esegugile. Umfowabo sewafa, sekusele yona yodwa esiswini sikanina futhi uyise uyayithanda.’ “Wawusuthi ezincekwini zakho: ‘Mletheni kimi ukuze ngimbone.’ Sathi enkosini yami: ‘Umfana akanakumshiya uyise, ngokuba uma engamshiya, uyise angafa.’ Wathi ezincekwini zakho: ‘Uma ningezi nomfowenu omncane, ngeke niphinde nibubone ubuso bami.’ Sakhuphuka sabuyela encekwini yakho, ubaba, sambikela okushiwo yinkosi yami. Ubaba wathi: ‘Buyelani niyosithengela ukudla.’ Thina sathi: ‘Asinakubuyela lapho uma umfowethu omncane engahambi nathi, ngokuba ngeke sibubone ubuso balowo muntu uma umfowethu omncane engekho.’ “Inceku yakho, ubaba, yathi kithi: ‘Niyazi ukuthi umkami wangizalela amadodana amabili; omunye sewangishiya, sengize ngakuvuma ukuthi impela sewafa, wadweshulwa yisilwane sasendle, futhi angikaze ngiphinde ngimbone kuze kube namuhla lokhu. Uma manje seningithathela nalena, bese yehlelwa yingozi, le mpunga niyoyehlisela kwelabafileyo igcwele usizi.’ “Manje uma ngibuyela encekwini yakho, ubaba, ngingabuyeli naye, lokhu inceku yakho imthanda kangaka lo mfana, kuyothi lapho ibona ukuthi umfana akekho, ivele ife. Izinceku zakho ziyokuba yimbangela yokwehlisela le mpunga kwelabafileyo inomunyu. Inceku yakho yethembisile kubaba ukuthi umfana uzophepha, yathi: ‘Uma ngingambuyiseli kuwe ephephile, lelo cala yimi engiyolithwala kuwe, baba, imihla yonke yokuphila kwami.’ “Ngiyacela ukuba uyivumele inceku yakho kusale yona esikhundleni somfana, ibe yisigqila sakho, kuthi umfana aphindele ekhaya nabafowabo. Ngingabuyela kanjani kubaba engekho umfana na? Funa ngibone okubi okungahle kwehlele ubaba.”