The Song of Our Forefather Jacob and His Sons

I want to recount a beautiful tale. I ask that the men relax. Listen, and see how marvelous it is how merciful God restores justice for us.

They responded to him, “Good health and long life.” Come now, take off the silk coat. The brothers said, let us eat. Here come the moros,¹ let us sell him.

The brothers took him and lifted him out of the pit. The Ishmaelites took him to Potiphar and sold him. Bring him to his master, with everything in hand. In addition, he conducted himself as a good man.

His mistress was an evil character. She plotted to seduce him. He responded, I will not do that. Because God is watching me and it is not right.

She put him in prison because he said he would not do it. He was content because God saw it fit. Pharaoh dreamed about cows and sheaves. He said to Joseph, please tell me the meaning.

The meaning of this is abundance and famine. See to collecting all sorts of grains. He told him his intention to make him second-in-command, so that the latter did not happen in Egypt.

Word went out from the king in Egypt. Joseph would do everything he intended. Joseph collected grain during the time of abundance, to protect his city from all wrong.

He responded to them, I also see a very big sign that you are spies. If you want to be released without a single fault, may your younger brother be present.

Then his brothers came to buy grain. They bowed down to the ground at the sight of Joseph. From where did you come, Joseph asks them. From the Holy Land, they answer.

Then the nine brothers go to the father, telling him everything that happened. The father said to them, Why are you doing this? Why did you tell the king that you have another brother?

Judah said to him, Give him to me. Allow me to look after Benjamin my brother. Then Judah came with his brother, with gifts and a document in hand.

When Joseph saw his brother Benjamin, he said to his son, Free the prisoner. And set a fine table. Because today, I want to celebrate as I please.

They ate and drank and got drunk, and everyone gave presents to Benjamin. And they put the goblet in his sack. The brothers did not realize what they had done.

Benjamin realized all that had happened. Joseph had told him the whole story. To see if Judah was going to stand by his word. Joseph was going to test him through this.

Joseph said to his son, Leave and catch them quickly. They did something dishonest. They took my precious goblet. See to getting it back and find out who did it.

When he caught them, he said, Why did you do this, this inappropriate thing? And the king divined all of this. You should know, I am arresting whoever did this.

His brothers return to Joseph’s home. He also asks them, Why did you steal this? We cannot answer you, we have no reasonable answer. We were guilty in the eyes of God, who took vengeance on us.

Judah jumped and said, I will not allow it. I, your servant, guarantee my father’s honesty. I would be more content if you would arrest me instead of the rest. Instead of seeing what would happen to my honest father.

When he heard this, Joseph’s tears flowed. I wanted to make you realize, and you did not understand. I called you my brothers and you did not answer. They saw him with their own eyes did not recognize him.

When Benjamin heard this, he jumped on him. He hugged and kissed him with much esteem. When his brothers saw him they ran to him. He also hugged them with much esteem.

Joseph said to his brother, I went up to my father. For it must be five years that he has been hungry. Here, there can be found all sorts of vegetables, he should make haste and come down and not delay.

The brothers went up to their father. They said to one another, Who will tell him this? They found Serah, and asked her to tell him in song so that he wouldn’t be shocked.

Serah heard this and took a tambourine. She said to Jacob, I want to sing a beautiful song for you. To make you happy, which is very pleasing.

Jacob responded, Sing my dear, because my heart is filled with pain. By the time you finish the song, God will allow my sons to return in peace.

She began, Joseph my uncle is alive. He was sold to the Ishmaelites and was captive in Egypt. And he is master now in all of Egypt.

Jacob responded, What is this that you say, because these words have revived my soul. Because of what you did for me, I beg God that you will not know death.

They spoke about this. The sons came back from Egypt to their father. They gave him good news, that Joseph had been made king in Egypt.

Jacob said to them, Let us go and see him. If God will perform a miracle in allowing me to see him. For I have been crying for him for so long. I do not mind if I die, as long as I see him.

Jacob went down from the Holy Land. To be with his son and embrace him. Joseph also went out with his two sons to be with his father and the eleven tribes.

When Jacob saw him, so prestigious, he hugged him, kissed him and cried. And gives thanks to mighty God, who performed this miracle, and allowed him to find his son in good time.

This is, for the men, a nice gift. And we beg that God forgives us. If we made a mistake, please forgive us, as this is the first time we have come out [before an audience].