UJosefa uziveza kubafowabo
1UJosefa azange asakghona ukuzibamba phambi kweensebenzi zakhe, warhuwelela wathi: “Phumani noke nje ngekumbenapha!” Nje-ke gade kunganamuntu lokha uJosefa nakaziveza kubafowabo. 2Warhahlawula kangangobana amaGibhide amuzwa, kwezwakala ngitjho nesigodlweni sakaFaro.
3UJosefa wathi kubafowabo: “NginguJosefa! Ubaba usaphila na?”
Kodwana abafowabo azange bakghone ukumphendula ngombana bakhungatheka phambi kwakhe.
4Yeke uJosefa wathi kibo: “Tjhidelani kimapha.”
Kuthe bona benze njalo, wathi: “Ngimi umfowenu uJosefa, enamthengisa eGibhide! 5Nje-ke ningatshwenyeki begodu ningazithukutheleli ngebanga lokungithengisa kwenu ngombana nguZimu owangithumela ngaphambi kwenu kobana ngisindise ipilwenu. 6Sele kuminyaka emibili kunendlala enarheni, kanti-ke kusazokuthatha iminyaka emihlanu ezako kungalinywa begodu kungavunwa. 7Kodwana uZimu ungithume ngaphambili kwenu kobana nginibulungele imisalela ephasini begodu ngisindise ipilwenu ngetjhaphuluko ekulu. 8Ngalokho-ke akusini enangithumela lapha, kodwana nguZimu. Ungenze ngaba mluleki kaFaro, umphathi womzakhe woke nombusi weGibhide yoke. 9Nje-ke rhabani niye kubaba nithi kuye, ‘Nakhu okutjhiwo nguJosefa indodanakho: UZimu ungenze ngaba mphathi weGibhide yoke. Ubaba akehle eze kimi, angariyadi. 10Uzakuhlala esifundeni seGotjheni abe seduze nami: ubaba, abantwabakhe neenzukulwana zakhe, izimvu zakhe nemihlambakhe nakho koke anakho. 11Ubaba ngizamondla alapho ngombana kuseza iminyaka emihlanu yendlala. Nakungasinjalo ubaba nomndenakhe nabo boke abanaye bazakuswela.’ ”
12UJosefa waraga wathi: “Nani niyabona ngitjho noBhenjamini uyangibona bonyana ngimi okhuluma nani. 13Tjelani ubaba ngakho koke ukuhlonitjhwa kwami eGibhidapha nangakho koke enikubonileko. Nirhabe nize naye kimapha!”
14Wagona umntanabo uBhenjamini bewathoma watlhuwa walila, noBhenjamini naye wamgona, walila. 15Wasuka lapho wancwanga boke abafowabo emhlathini alokhu alila njalo. Ngemva kwalokho abafowabo bacoca naye.
16Kuthe iindabezi nazifika esigodlweni sakaFaro kobanyana uJosefa uthekelwe bafowabo, uFaro nazo zoke iinkhulu zakhe bajabula. 17UFaro wathi kuJosefa: “Tjela abafowenu bona bakhweze imithwalo kibodumbana babo babuyele eKanana, 18bafese bakhuphuke noyihlo nemindenabo beze kimapha. Ngizabasikela kelinonileko eGibhidapha bese bazinikelela ngamanoni wenarha le. 19Wena Josefa bona ukuqeda bonyana bathathela abantwana abancani nabafazi babo iinkoloyana eGibhidapha. Bakhweze noyihlo beze naye. 20Bangatshwenyeki ngepahla yomizabo ngombana koke okuhle kweGibhide kuzakuba ngokwabo.”
21Yeke amadodana ka-Israyeli enza njalo. UJosefa wawanikela iinkoloyana njengombana kutjho uFaro, godu wawapha nomphako. 22Wanikela omunye nomunye wawo izambatho ezitja, kodwana uBhenjamini yena wamupha amakhilogremu amathathu nesiquntu wesiliva kanye nezambatho ezihlanu.
23Khonokho wathumela uyise abodumbana abalitjhumi abalayitjhe izinto zeGibhide eziphambili, nabodumbana abalitjhumi abasikazi abalayitjhe ikoroyi nezikwa kanye nomphako. 24Walayelisa abafowabo nabakhambako wathi kibo: “Ningesabi litho endleleni!”
25Basuka eGibhide bakhamba babuyela kuyise uJakopo enarheni yeKanana. 26Bafese bamtjela bona uJosefa usaphila. Kodwana kuthe lokha nabathi uJosefa umbusi weGibhide yoke, wakhena, azange abakholwe. 27Kwathi nabamtjela koke uJosefa akukhulume kibo, nalokha nakabona iinkoloyana uJosefa azithumele bona zizomthatha, ummoyakhe wahlambuluka. 28Nje-ke u-Israyeli wathi: “Sengiyakholwa-ke! Indodanami uJosefa isaphila! Yeke bengikhamba khona nje ngiyombona ngaphambi kobana ngife.”
