inquire after the welfare of thy brethren, and now thou art
torn by wild beasts. It is my fault that this evil chance
hath come upon thee. I am distressed for thee, my son, I
am sorely distressed. How sweet was thy life to me, and
how bitter is thy death! Would God I had died for thee, O
Joseph, my son, for now I am distressed on thy account.
O my son Joseph, where art thou, and where is thy soul?
Arise, arise from thy place, and look upon my grief for
thee. Come and count the tears that roll down my cheeks,
and bring the tale of them before God, that His wrath be
turned away from me. O Joseph, my son, how painful and
appalling was thy death! None hath died a death like thine
since the world doth stand. I know well that it came to
pass by reason of my sins. O that thou wouldst return and
see the bitter sorrow thy misfortune hath brought upon me!
But it is true, it was not I that created thee, and formed
thee. I gave thee neither spirit nor soul, but God created
thee. He formed thy bones, covered them with flesh,
breathed the breath of life into thy nostrils, and then gave
thee unto me. And God who gave thee unto me, He hath
taken thee from me, and from Him hath this dispensation
come upon me. What the Lord doeth is well done!" In
these words and many others like them Jacob mourned and
bewailed his son, until he fell to the ground prostrate and
immovable.

When the sons of Jacob saw the vehemence of their
father's grief, they repented of their deed, and wept bitterly.
Especially Judah was grief-stricken. He laid his father's
head upon his knees, and wiped his tears away as they