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FOLLOWING THIS CHILDLY INTERLUDE the morning meal was completed.
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And when Joseph finished with the prayer of thanksgiving, Cyrenius went over to him and said,
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'My dearest friend, your services to me as well as to my brother Julius Augustus Quirinus Caesar in Rome are of such an outstanding nature that I shall never be able to recompense you therefor.
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But to leave you altogether unrewarded - that is utterly impossible to me!
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'Now I know that you will not accept a kingly reward from me,
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so I have decided on the following: this year, as is evident, you can expect a poor harvest in grain,
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when after all your house has quite a number of dwellers.
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Besides, nine of them belong to me, and you and yours also total eight; so there are altogether seventeen.
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Now I know in my soul that your flour bins are empty and also your larder,
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and that you are already running short of feed for your cows, goats and donkeys.
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See, all of that I know very well - as I also know that you and yours have almost nothing more to wear.
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Therefore, my dearest brother, you must at least accept enough from me to fill your needs for the present.
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'I am of course well aware that it would be extremely ridiculous for a man of the earth to undertake to support the Lord of creation, for whom it is an easy thing to create myriads of worlds with one word.
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But I also know that this selfsame holy Lord of creation does not wish to constantly effect wonders contrary to His eternal wondrous order, because a judgment is always connected with that for us, His creatures.
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For that reason you must accept what you need this time at least,
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and not refuse me as you usually do!'
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And Joseph replied, 'Yes brother, this time you are probably right -
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but before I accept anything from you I still must ask the Lord.'
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Here the little Child, who was now with James, came over quickly and said to Joseph,
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'Joseph, go ahead and accept what Cyrenius wants to give you, so you may supply the house with foodstuffs.'
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At this Joseph accepted the offer of Cyrenius,
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whereupon the latter promptly gave Joseph a sum of a thousand pounds of silver and seventy pounds of gold,
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for which Joseph tendered Cyrenius his thanks and took the heavy sum.
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Thereupon Cyrenius was overjoyed and affirmed, 'Brother, now my heart is a thousand times lighter! I am not leaving here today but only tomorrow, for my too great love will not let me go.' And Joseph was made very happy thereby.
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