19. You asked us if our father was still alive and if we had any more brothers.
20. So we told you, “Our father is a very old man. In fact, he was already old when Benjamin was born. Benjamin's brother is dead. Now Benjamin is the only one of the two brothers who is still alive, and our father loves him very much.”
21. You ordered us to bring him here, so you could see him for yourself.
22. We told you that our father would die if Benjamin left him.
23. But you warned us that we could never see you again, unless our youngest brother came with us.
24. So we returned to our father and reported what you had said.
25. Later our father told us to come back here and buy more grain.
26. But we answered, “We can't go back to Egypt without our youngest brother. We will never be let in to see the governor, unless he is with us.”
27. Sir, our father then reminded us that his favourite wife had given birth to two sons.
28. One of them was already missing and had not been seen for a long time. My father thinks the boy was torn to pieces by some wild animal,
29. and he said, “I am an old man. If you take Benjamin from me, and something happens to him, I will die of a broken heart.”
30. That's why Benjamin must be with us when I go back to my father. He loves him so much
31. that he will die if Benjamin doesn't come back with me.
32. I promised my father that I would bring him safely home. If I don't, I told my father he could blame me the rest of my life.
33. Sir, I am your slave. Please let me stay here in place of Benjamin and let him return home with his brothers.