1 Ke kaloku amaIshmayeli aya naye eJiputa uJosefu, afika amthengisa kuPotifare, owayengomnye wamaphakathi okumkani waseJiputa, owayenguyena nduna yabalindi basebhotwe.
2 *UNdikhoyo waba naye uJosefu, wamphumeza kwinto yonke. Wayehlala endlwini yenkosi yakhe yomJiputa,
3 eyaqondayo ukuba uJosefu wayephantsi kogcino lukaNdikhoyo, yaye yayinesandla sikaNdikhoyo yonke into ayenzayo.
4 Wakholiseka nguJosefu uPotifare, wamenza intonga yakhe yasekhosi. Ngoko ke wamenza induna yomzi wakhe nomlawuli wempahla yakhe yonke.
5 Ukususela ngoko uNdikhoyo wawuthamsanqelisa umzi waloo mJiputa, kunye nemfuyo yakhe, namasimi akhe, nayo yonke into awayenayo, ngenxa kaJosefu.
6 Yonke into yakhe ke uPotifare wayinikela elulawulweni lukaJosefu, akwabikho nto yimbi azikhathaza ngayo ngaphandle nje kokuthatha icephe atye.UJosefu wayemile kakuhle, eyinzwana yomfana.
7 Kwakuba mzuzu umka-Potifare wafikelwa ngumnqweno ngoJosefu, wazicelela isondo kuye.
8 UJosefu wala, esithi: “Inkosi yam ijonge kum, mna Josefu, ngento yonke yayo; ayisazikhathazi nganto, kuba ithembe mna.
9 Yaye indinike lonke igunya emzini wayo; nguwe kuphela endingenagunya kuye. Ke ndingathini mna ukwenza into embi kangako, ndimone uThixo?”
10 Naxa wazingayo lo mfazi ukucela isondo kuJosefu mihla le, uJosefu yena wala ukuyenza loo nto.
11 Kwathi ngenye imini, uJosefu engene endlwini kaPotifare, eye kusebenza, wafika kungekho nasinye isicaka.
12 Umka-Potifare wambamba, emtsala ngengubo, wathi: “Yiza kaloku!” Kodwa waphuncula uJosefu, wabalekela ngaphandle, washiya loo ngubo yakhe eyiphethe ngesandla loo mfazi.
13 Uthe loo mfazi akuphawula ukuba uJosefu uyishiyile ingubo yakhe, wabalekela ngaphandle,
14 wabiza izicaka zakhe, wazibonisa loo ngubo. Watsho esithi: “Laa mHebhere ungeniswe ngumyeni wam emzini wam uyasihlazisa, kuba ungene egumbini lam efuna ukundidlwengula. Kodwa mna ndizincede ngokutsho esikrakra esi isikhalo.
15 Wothuswe seso sikhalo, wabalekela ngaphandle, eshiya loo ngubo yakhe ngakum.”
16 Wayigcina ke loo ngubo kaJosefu kwada kwabuya inkosi yakhe.
17 Ithe yakufika nayo wayenzela eli bali: “Laa mHebhere umngenise ekhaya apha ungene egumbini lam, efun' ukundihlazisa.
18 Ndizincede ngokutsho esikrakra sona isikhalo, ukuze abalekele ngaphandle. Washiya nale ngubo yakhe ngakum.”
19 Waqumba kakhulu uPotifare akuyiva loo nto ithethwa ngumkakhe,
20 wathi uJosefu makabanjwe, avalelwe entolongweni ekwakuvalelwa kuyo amabanjwa kakumkani.Wahlala apho.
21 Kodwa nalapho uNdikhoyo waba ngakuJosefu, wamthamsanqelisa, watsho wathandwa ngujela.
22 Ujela wamnyusela uJosefu, wangumphathi wamanye amabanjwa. Yonke into eyenziwa entolongweni yajonga yena.
23 UNdikhoyo wamphumeza uJosefu kangangokude ujela angabi sajongana nemisebenzi eyayijongwe nguJosefu, kuba uNdikhoyo wayemthamsanqelisa.