Onkelos Genesis Chapter 37
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וִיתֵיב יַעֲקֹב בְּאַרְעָא תּוֹתָבוּת אֲבוּהִי בְּאַרְעָא דִּכְנָעַן:
Yaakov settled in the land of his father’s residence, in the land of Canaan.
אִלֵּין תּוּלְדַת יַעֲקֹב יוֹסֵף בַּר שְׁבַע עַסְרֵי שְׁנִין (כַּד) הֲוָה רָעֵי עִם אֲחוֹהִי בַּעֲנָא וְהוּא מְרַבֵּי עִם בְּנֵי בִלְהָה וְעִם בְּנֵי זִלְפָּה נְשֵׁי אֲבוּהִי וְאַיְתִי יוֹסֵף יָת דִּבְּהוֹן בִּישָׁא לְוַת אֲבוּהוֹן:
This is the history of Yaakov; Yoseif at the age of seventeen years, would tend the sheep with his brothers, and the lad was [he had been raised] with the sons of Bilhah, and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives. Yoseif brought back bad reports about them to their father.
וְיִשְׂרָאֵל רְחֵם יָת יוֹסֵף מִכָּל בְּנוֹהִי אֲרֵי בַר חַכִּים הוּא לֵיהּ וַעֲבַד לֵיהּ כִּתּוּנָא דְפַסֵּי:
Yisrael loved Yoseif more than any of his sons, for he was a [wise] son of his old age to him, and he made him a long, colorful cloak.
וַחֲזוֹ אֲחוֹהִי אֲרֵי יָתֵיהּ רְחֵם אֲבוּהוֹן מִכָּל אֲחוֹהִי וּסְנוֹ יָתֵיהּ וְלָא צָבָן לְמַלָּלָא עִמֵּיהּ לִשְׁלָם:
His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, and they hated him. They could not [were not willing to] speak to him peaceably.
וַחֲלַם יוֹסֵף חֶלְמָא וְחַוִּי לַאֲחוֹהִי וְאוֹסִיפוּ עוֹד סְנוֹ יָתֵיהּ:
Yoseif had a dream and he told his brothers, and they hated him even more.
וַאֲמַר לְהוֹן שְׁמָעוּ כְעַן חֶלְמָא הָדֵין דִּי חֲלֵמִית:
He said to them, Listen [now] to this dream that I dreamt.
וְהָא אֲנַחְנָא מְאַסְּרִין אֱסָרָן בְּגוֹ חַקְלָא וְהָא קָמַת אֱסַרְתִּי וְאַף אִזְדְּקָפַת וְהָא מִסְתַּחֲרָן אֱסָרָתְכוֹן וְסָגְדָן לֶאֱסַרְתִּי:
Behold, we were binding sheaves in the middle of the field. Behold my sheaf rose and stood up straight; and behold your sheaves surrounded it and prostrated themselves to my sheaf.
וַאֲמָרוּ לֵיהּ אֲחוֹהִי הֲמַלְכוּ אַתְּ מְדַמֵּי לְמִמְלַךְ עָלָנָא אוֹ שׁוּלְטָן אַתְּ סְבִיר לְמִשְׁלַט בָּנָא וְאוֹסִיפוּ עוֹד סְנוֹ יָתֵיהּ עַל חֶלְמוֹהִי וְעַל פִּתְגָּמוֹהִי:
His brothers said to him, Will you then be a king over us? [Do you imagine that you will reign over us?] Will you indeed rule over us? [Or do you think that you will rule over us?] They hated him even more because of his dreams and his words.
וַחֲלַם עוֹד חֶלְמָא אָחֲרָנָא וְאִשְׁתָּעֵי יָתֵיהּ לַאֲחוֹהִי וַאֲמַר הָא חֲלֵמִית חֶלְמָא עוֹד וְהָא שִׁמְשָׁא וְסִהֲרָא וְחַד עֲשַׂר כּוֹכְבַיָּא סָגְדָן לִי:
He had another dream and told it to his brothers. He said, Behold! I dreamed another dream. The sun, the moon, and eleven stars were prostrating themselves to me.
וְאִשְׁתָּעֵי לַאֲבוּהִי וְלַאֲחוֹהִי וּנְזַף בֵּיהּ אֲבוּהִי וַאֲמַר לֵיהּ מָה חֶלְמָא הָדֵין דִּי חֲלֵמְתָּא הֲמֵיתָא נֵיתֵי אֲנָא וְאִמָּךְ וְאַחָיךְ לְמִסְגֻּד לָךְ עַל אַרְעָא:
He told it to his father and to his brothers. His father rebuked him, and said to him, What is this dream that you dreamed? Shall I, your mother and your brothers come and prostrate themselves on the ground to you?
וְקַנִּיאוּ בֵיהּ אֲחוֹהִי וַאֲבוּהִי נְטַר יָת פִּתְגָּמָא:
His brothers were jealous of him but his father kept the matter in mind.
וַאֲזָלוּ אֲחוֹהִי לְמִרְעֵי יָת עָנָא דַאֲבוּהוֹן בִּשְׁכֶם:
His brothers went off to pasture their father’s sheep in Shechem.
וַאֲמַר יִשְׂרָאֵל לְיוֹסֵף הֲלָא אַחָיךְ רָעָן בִּשְׁכֶם אֱתָא וְאֶשְׁלְחִנָּךְ לְוָתְהוֹן וַאֲמַר לֵיהּ הָא אֲנָא:
Yisrael said to Yoseif, Aren’t your brothers pasturing [the sheep] in Shechem? Come, I will send you to them. He [Yoseif] said to him, Here I am.
וַאֲמַר לֵיהּ אִזֵיל כְּעַן חֲזֵי יָת שְׁלָמָא דְאָחוּךְ וְיָת שְׁלָמָא דְעָנָא וַאֲתֶבְנִי פִּתְגָּמָא וְשַׁלְחֵיהּ מִמֵּישַׁר חֶבְרוֹן וַאֲתָא לִשְׁכֶם:
He [Yisrael] said to him, Go please [now], see after the well-being of your brothers, and the welfare of the sheep, and bring me a report. He sent [Yoseif] from the depths [plain] of Chevron, and he came to Shechem.
וְאַשְׁכְּחֵיהּ גַּבְרָא וְהָא תָעֵי בְּחַקְלָא וּשְׁאָלִנֵּיהּ גַּבְרָא לְמֵימַר מָה אַתְּ בָּעֵי:
A man found him going astray in the field. The man asked him, What are you seeking?
וַאֲמַר יָת אַחַי אֲנָא בָעֵי חַוִּי כְעַן לִי הֵיכָא אִנּוּן רָעָן:
He said, I am looking for my brothers, tell me please [now], where are they pasturing?
וַאֲמַר גַּבְרָא נְטָלוּ מִכָּא אֲרֵי שְׁמָעִית דְּאָמְרִין נֵיזֵל לְדֹתָן וַאֲזַל יוֹסֵף בָּתַר אֲחוֹהִי וְאַשְׁכְּחִנּוּן בְּדֹתָן:
The man said, They have traveled on from here, for I heard them say, Let us go to Doson. Yoseif went after his brothers and found them in Doson.
וַחֲזוֹ יָתֵיהּ מֵרָחִיק עַד לָא קְרֵיב לְוָתְהוֹן וְחַשִּׁיבוּ עֲלוֹהִי לְמִקְטְלֵיהּ:
They saw him from a distance, and before he approached them they were plotting against him to kill [thinking about killing] him.
וַאֲמָרוּ גְּבַר לַאֲחוּהִי הָא מָרֵי חֶלְמַיָּא דֵיכִי אֲתָא:
One man said to another, Here comes the dreamer.
וּכְעַן אֱתוֹ וְנִקְטְלִנֵּיהּ וְנִרְמִנֵּיהּ בַּחֲדָא מִן גֻּבַּיָּא וְנֵימַר חַיְתָא בִישְׁתָא אֲכַלְתֵּיהּ וְנֶחֱזֵי מָה יְהוֹן בְּסוֹף חֶלְמוֹהִי:
Now, come let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; and we will say that a wild beast devoured him. Then we will see what will become [be the end] of his dreams.
וּשְׁמַע רְאוּבֵן וְשֵׁזְבֵיהּ מִידֵיהוֹן וַאֲמַר לָא נִקְטְלִנֵּיהּ נְפָשׁ:
Reuvein heard and rescued him from their hands. He said, Let us not kill him.
וַאֲמַר לְהוֹן רְאוּבֵן לָא תוֹשְׁדוּן דְּמָא רְמוֹ יָתֵיהּ לְגֻבָּא הָדֵין דִּי בְּמַדְבְּרָא וִידָא לָא תוֹשְׁטוּן בֵּיהּ בְּדִיל לְשֵׁיזָבָא יָתֵיהּ מִידֵיהוֹן לַאֲתָבוּתֵיהּ לְוַת אֲבוּהִי:
Reuvein said to them, Do not commit bloodshed. Throw him into this pit which is in the wilderness, and do not lay a hand on him. His purpose was to rescue him from their hands, to bring him back to his father.
וַהֲוָה כַּד עַל יוֹסֵף לְוַת אֲחוּהִי וְאַשְׁלָחוּ יָת יוֹסֵף יָת כִּתּוּנֵיהּ יָת כִּתּוּנָא דְפַסֵּי דִּי עֲלוֹהִי:
When Yoseif came to his brothers, they stripped him of his coat, the long, colorful coat that he had on.
וְנָסְבוּהִי וּרְמוֹ יָתֵיהּ לְגֻבָּא וְגֻבָּא רֵיקָא לֵית בֵּיהּ מַיָּא:
They took him and threw him into the pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.
וְאַסְחָרוּ לְמֵיכַל לַחְמָא וּזְקָפוּ עֵינֵיהוֹן וַחֲזוֹ וְהָא שְׁיָרַת עֲרָבָאֵי אָתְיָא מִגִּלְעָד וְגַמְלֵיהוֹן טְעִינִין שְׁעַף וּקְטַף וּלְטוֹם אָזְלִין לַאֲחָתָא לְמִצְרָיִם:
They sat down [reclined] to eat bread. They raised their eyes and saw—behold a Yishmaelite [Arabian] caravan was coming from Gilod. Their camels were carrying spices, balsam and lotus, bringing them down to Egypt.
וַאֲמַר יְהוּדָה לַאֲחוֹהִי מָה מָמוֹן נִתְהֲנֵי לָנָא אֲרֵי נִקְטוֹל יָת אָחוּנָא וּנְכַסֵּי עַל דְּמֵיהּ:
Yehudah said to his brothers, What [monetary benefit] will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood?
אֱתוּ וּנְזַבְּנִנֵּיהּ לַעֲרָבָאֵי וִידָנָא לָא תְהֵי בֵיהּ אֲרֵי אֲחוּנָא בִסְרָנָא הוּא וְקַבִּילוּ מִנֵּיהּ אֲחוֹהִי:
Come let us sell him to the Yishmaelites [Arabs], and let our hands not be upon him; for he is our brother, our own flesh. His brothers listened [to him.] [obeyed him].
וַעֲבָרוּ גַבְרֵי מִדְיָנָאֵי תַּגָּרֵי וּנְגִידוּ וְאַסִּיקוּ יָת יוֹסֵף מִן גֻּבָּא וְזַבִּינוּ יָת יוֹסֵף לַעֲרָבָאֵי בְּעֶסְרִין כְּסָף וְאַיְתִיוּ יָת יוֹסֵף לְמִצְרָיִם:
Midianite merchants passed by. They [the brothers] pulled Yoseif up from the pit and sold Yoseif to the Yishmaelites [Arabs] for twenty pieces of silver. They brought Yoseif to Egypt.
וְתָב רְאוּבֵן לְגֻבָּא וְהָא לֵית יוֹסֵף בְּגֻבָּא וּבְזַע יָת לְבוּשׁוֹהִי:
Reuvein returned to the pit, but behold, Yoseif was not in the pit. He [then] tore his clothes [in grief.]
וְתָב לְוַת אֲחוֹהִי וַאֲמָר עוּלֵימָא לֵיתוֹהִי וַאֲנָא לְאָן אֲנָא אָתֵי:
He returned to his brothers and said, The boy is not there; and I—where can I go.
וּנְסִיבוּ יָת כִּתּוּנָא דְיוֹסֵף וּנְכִיסוּ צְפִיר בַּר עִזֵּי וּטְבָלוּ יָת כִּתּוּנָא בִּדְמָא:
They took Yoseif’s coat, slaughtered a [male] goat, and dipped the coat in the blood.
וְשַׁלָּחוּ יָת כִּתּוּנָא דְפַסֵּי וְאַיְתִיוּ לְוַת אֲבוּהוֹן וַאֲמָרוּ דָּא אַשְׁכַּחְנָא אִשְׁתְּמוֹדַע כְּעַן הֲכִתּוּנָא דִבְרָךְ הִיא אִם לָא:
They sent the long, colorful coat and brought it to their father, and said, We found this. Please [Now] identify it. Is it your son’s coat or not?
וְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעַהּ וַאֲמַר כִּתּוּנָא דִבְרִי חַיְתָא בִישְׁתָא אֲכָלַתֵּיהּ מִקְטַל קְטִיל יוֹסֵף:
He recognized it and said, It is my son’s coat. An evil beast has devoured him. Yoseif has been torn to pieces [surely killed].
וּבְזַע יַעֲקֹב לְבוּשׁוֹהִי וַאֲסַר שַׂקָּא בְּחַרְצֵיהּ וְאִתְאַבַּל עַל בְּרֵיהּ יוֹמִין סַגִּיאִין:
Yaakov tore his robes, and placed sackcloth on his loins. He mourned for his son for many days.
וְקָמוּ כָל בְּנוֹהִי וְכָל בְּנָתֵיהּ לְנַחֲמוּתֵיהּ וְסָרֵיב לְקַבָּלָא תַנְחוּמִין וַאֲמַר אֲרֵי אֵחוֹת לְוַת (עַל) בְּרִי כַּד אֲבֵילָא לִשְׁאוֹל וּבְכָא יָתֵיהּ אֲבוּהִי:
All his sons and all his daughters rose to console him, but he refused to be consoled [accept consolation]. He said, I will go down to the grave [while I am still] mourning for my son. His father wept for him.
וּמִדְיָנָאֵי זַבִּינוּ יָתֵיהּ לְמִצְרָיִם לְפוֹטִיפַר רַבָּא דְפַרְעֹה רַב קָטוֹלַיָּא:
The Midianites sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the chief of the slaughterers.