Genesis 42:21

19 If you are honest, leave one of your brothers in custody while the rest of you go and take back grain to relieve the hunger of your households.

20 Then bring your youngest brother to me so that your words can be verified, that you may not die.” And to this they consented.

Then they said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw his anguish when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.”

22 And Reuben responded, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you would not listen. Now we must account for his blood!”

23 They did not realize that Joseph understood them, since there was an interpreter between them.

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
Then they said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw his anguish when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.”
KJV
And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.
WEB
They said to one another, “We are certainly guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us, and we wouldn’t listen. Therefore this distress has come upon us.”
ASV
And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.
DARBY
Then they said one to another, We are indeed guilty concerning our brother, whose anguish of soul we saw when he besought us, and we did not hearken; therefore this distress is come upon us.
BLB
And they said each man to his brother, “Truly we [are] guilty concerning our brother, for we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we did not listen. Upon thus, this distress has come upon us.”
ÅB
Og de sa seg imellom: Sannelig, vi har skyld på oss for vår bror. Vi så hans sjeleangst da han bønnfalt oss, og vi ville ikke høre; derfor er denne nød kommet over oss.
OTB
De sa til hverandre: "Sannelig, vi blir straffet på grunn av vår bror. Vi så hans nød da han tryglet oss, men vi ville ikke høre; derfor har denne ulykken kommet over oss."
B1930
Og de sa sig imellem: Sannelig, vi har skyld på oss for vår bror. Vi så hans sjeleangst da han bønnfalt oss, og vi vilde ikke høre; derfor er denne nød kommet over oss.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references