INTRODUZIONE
“A New World” è il primo libro di Mosè, più noto come la Genesi, raccontato in modo unico. Versi scorrevoli in rima baciata ed un incalzante ritmo trasportano il lettore dalle delizie verdeggianti del Giardino dell’Eden, oltre Noè e l’alluvione e le avventure di Abramo e Isacco, fino all’arrivo di Giuseppe in Egitto e la sua ascesa al potere come braccio destro del Faraone. Uno stile scanzonato ma mai irriverente, porta in vita i personaggi di questa storia biblica e fa di ‘A New World’ una lettura molto piacevole sia per bambini che per adulti.
Per trarre il massimo beneficio dalla traccia audio, si consiglia di fare l’ascolto almeno una volta prima di passare alla lettura del testo.
The
silver
cup
[Genesis 43:1]
Although the drought was really bad, Jacob’s folk survived,
The stocks they’d bought in Egypt were keeping them alive.
But as the months went passing by, Jacob grew forlorn,
He knew that very soon they would have to buy more corn.
Judah warned his worried dad, they couldn’t go again,
Unless they took along with them their little brother Ben.
Jacob would have none of it, he couldn’t bear the thought,
But like a rabbit in a trap, he knew that he was caught.
Judah, to convince him, proposed a guarantee:
“If anything goes wrong,” he said, take it out on me.
We need more corn quite urgently, the situation’s tight,
Please, let Benjie come with us, I’ll see that he’s all right.”
In the end his dad agreed and gave them some advice,
To pack some balm and almonds, pistachio nuts and spice.
He said to take a little myrrh and several jars of honey,
And compensate the time before with twice the sum of money.
He aimed to please the governor and hoped to grease his palm,
So Benjamin would not be hurt or come to any harm.
When Joseph set his eyes on Ben, he smiled at him and stared,
And asked his butler if their rooms were suitably prepared.
He made the butler warn the cook about their special guest,
And asked him to prepare a meal, his tastiest and best.
When everything was organised, he left them on their own,
With orders to the butler to make them feel at home.
The brothers felt uneasy, it all seemed much too slick,
They started to suspect some kind of sneaky, cunning trick.
They wondered if the money bags were not a kind of test,
Till Joseph’s steward spoke to them and put their minds at rest.
“You paid me in full,” he said, “but then, behind your backs,
Perhaps it was your Lord who hid the money in your sacks.”
When Simeon was at last released, the brothers felt complete,
And went off to the bathroom to wash their hands and feet.
As lunchtime was approaching they fetched their gifts for Jo,
Offered them on his return, and bowed both long and low.
When Joseph asked about their dad, they said, “He’s safe and sound,”
And bowed until their foreheads almost touched the ground.
On seeing Ben a silent tear fell from Joseph’s eye,
And rushing to his bedroom, he had a little cry.
As soon as he’d recovered, he washed and dried his face,
And seeing lunch was ready, he went and took his place.
He sat and ate his lunch alone, although it caused him pain,
Egyptian law said sharing meals with Hebrews was profane.
When they’d finished eating, Joseph took his leave,
He had another ace to play, tucked inside his sleeve.
“Fill my brothers’ sacks with corn,” he deviously cried,
“But leave a little room to hide their money bags inside.
And when you’ve finished,” he continued, “hide my silver cup
In my youngest brother’s sack before you do it up.”
The next day, at sunrise, the brothers left the village,
But Joseph’s steward followed them, accusing them of pillage.
The brothers were offended and said with indignation,
“If you find the evidence to prove your accusation,
You may kill the one of us who chose to steal and lie,
The rest of us will be your slaves, until the day we die.”
The steward said there was no need for such collective grief,
Joseph’s only interest was to castigate the thief.
“The others may go free,” he said, and slowly looking up,
He had them open every sack until he found the cup.
When they saw the thief was Ben, the brothers cried in woe,
And tearing grimly at their clothes, they headed back to Jo.
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