And they said: the people are saying that they agree to or accept Joseph’s terms. In some languages this must be made clear at the outset; for example, “Yes, all right…” or “We accept….”

You have saved our lives: see 19.19.

May it please my lord is literally “let us find favor in the eyes of my lord.” See Good News Translation. Note that again my lord is used with a group speaking to Joseph. See Good News Translation “you…, sir.”

We may render verse 25 as:

• And the people said to Joseph, “Sir, we agree to be slaves of the king, because you have been good to us and you have saved our lives.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .