< Genesis 43 >
1 Now the famine was still severe in the land.
Njaa ilikuwa kali katika nchi.
2 So when Jacob’s sons had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little more food.”
Ikawa walipokuwa wametumia chakula chote walichokitoa Misri, baba yao akawambia, “Nendeni tena; mtununulie chakula.”
3 But Judah replied, “The man solemnly warned us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’
Yuda akamwambia, “Yule mtu alituonya kwa ukali, 'Hamtauona uso wangu ndugu yenu asipokuwa nanyi.'
4 If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for you.
Ikiwa utamtuma ndugu yetu pamoja nasi, tutashuka na kuwanunulia chakula.
5 But if you will not send him, we will not go; for the man told us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’”
Lakini usipompeleka, hatutashuka. Kwa maana yule mtu alitwambia, 'Hamtauona uso wangu ndugu yenu asipokuwa nanyi.”
6 “Why did you bring this trouble upon me?” Israel asked. “Why did you tell the man you had another brother?”
Israeli akawambia, “Kwa nini mlinitendea mimi vibaya hivyo kwa kumwambia mtu huyo kwamba mnaye ndugu mwingine?”
7 They replied, “The man questioned us in detail about ourselves and our family: ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ And we answered him accordingly. How could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother here’?”
Wakasema, “Yule mtu alituuliza habari zetu na familia yetu kwa kina. Akasema, 'Je baba yenu bado yuko hai? Je mnaye ndugu mwingine?'Tukamjibu kulingana na maswali haya. Tungejuaje kwamba angetwambia, 'Mleteni ndugu yenu?”
8 And Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me, and we will go at once, so that we may live and not die—neither we, nor you, nor our children.
Yuda akamwambia Israeli baba yake, “Mtume kijana pamoja nami. Tutainuka na kwenda ili kwamba tuishi tusife, wote sisi, wewe, na hata watoto wetu.
9 I will guarantee his safety. You may hold me personally responsible. If I do not bring him back and set him before you, then may I bear the guilt before you all my life.
Mimi nitakuwa mdhamini wake. Utaniwajibisha mimi. Kama nisipomleta na kumweka mbele yako, basi nibebe lawama daima.
10 If we had not delayed, we could have come and gone twice by now.”
Kwani kama tusingekawia, bila shaka hata sasa tungekuwa tumekwisha rudi mara ya pili.”
11 Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your packs and carry them down as a gift for the man—a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachios and almonds.
Israeli baba yao akawambia, “Kama ni hivyo, basi fanyeni hivi. Chukueni baadhi ya mazao mazuri ya nchi katika mifuko yenu. Mchukulieni yule mtu zawadi: baadhi ya malhamu, asali, viungo na manemane, jozi na lozi.
12 Take double the silver with you so that you may return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake.
Chukueni pesa mara mbili mikononi mwenu. Pesa iliyorudishwa katika magunia yenu, muichukue tena katika mikono yenu. Pengine walikosea.
13 Take your brother as well, and return to the man at once.
Mchukueni ndugu yenu pia. Inukeni na mwende tena kwa mtu yule.
14 May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother along with Benjamin. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”
Mungu Mwenyezi na awape kuona rehema mbele ya huyo mtu, hivyo kwamba awafungulie ndugu yenu mwingine na Benjamini. Kama nikipotelewa na watoto, nimepotelewa.”
15 So the men took these gifts, along with double the amount of silver, and Benjamin as well. Then they hurried down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.
Watu wale wakachukua zawadi hii, na katika mikono yao wakachukua mara mbili ya kiasi cha pesa, pamoja na Benjamini. Wakaamka na kushuka Misri na kusimama mbele ya Yusufu.
16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with his brothers, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for they shall dine with me at noon.”
Yusufu alipomwona Benjamini akiwa nao, akamwambia mtunzaji wa nyumba yake, “Walete watu hao ndani ya nyumba, chinja mnyama na umwandae, kwani watu hawa watakula chakula cha mchana pamoja nami.”
17 The man did as Joseph had commanded and took the brothers to Joseph’s house.
Mtunzaji wa nyumba akafanya kama Yusufu alivyosema. Akawaleta wale watu nyumbani kwa Yusufu.
18 But the brothers were frightened that they had been taken to Joseph’s house. “We have been brought here because of the silver that was returned in our bags the first time,” they said. “They intend to overpower us and take us as slaves, along with our donkeys.”
Wale ndugu wakaogopa kwa vile walivyoletwa katika nyumba ya Yusufu. Wakasema, “Ni kwa sababu ya pesa iliyorudishwa katika magunia yetu mara ya kwanza tulipoletwa ndani, kwamba atafute nafasi kinyume chetu. Kwamba aweze kutukamata na kutuchukua kama watumwa, na kuchukua punda wetu.” Wakamsogelea mtunzaji wa nyumba ya Yusufu,
19 So they approached Joseph’s steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house.
nao wakaongea naye mlangoni mwa nyumba,
20 “Please, sir,” they said, “we really did come down here the first time to buy food.
wakisema, “Bwana wangu, tulikuja mara ya kwanza kununua chakula.
21 But when we came to the place we lodged for the night, we opened our sacks and, behold, each of us found his silver in the mouth of his sack! It was the full amount of our silver, and we have brought it back with us.
Ikawa, tulipofika katika eneo la kupumzikia, tukafungua magunia yetu, na, tazama, pesa ya kila mtu ilikuwa katika gunia lake, pesa yetu kwa kiasi kamili. Tumeileta katika mikono yetu.
22 We have brought additional silver with us to buy food. We do not know who put our silver in our sacks.”
Tumekuja na pesa nyingine pia mikonon mwetu ili kununua chakula. Hatujui aliyeziweka pesa katika magunia yetu.”
23 “It is fine,” said the steward. “Do not be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, gave you the treasure that was in your sacks. I received your silver.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.
Mtunzaji wa nyumba akasema, “Amani iwe kwenu, msiogope. Mungu wenu na Mungu wa baba yenu ndiye aliyeweka pesa katika magunia yenu. Nilipokea pesa yenu.” Kisha mtunzaji wa nyumba akamleta Simoni kwao.
24 And the steward took the men into Joseph’s house, gave them water to wash their feet, and provided food for their donkeys.
Msimamizi wa nyumba akawapeleka watu hao katika nyumba ya Yusufu. Akawapa maji, nao wakaosha miguu yao. Akawalisha punda wao.
25 Since the brothers had been told that they were going to eat a meal there, they prepared their gift for Joseph’s arrival at noon.
Wakaandaa zawadi kwa ajili ya Yusufu aliyekuwa akija mchana, kwani walikuwa wamesikia kwamba watakula pale.
26 When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought, and they bowed to the ground before him.
Yusufu alipokuja nyumbani, wakaleta nyumbani zawadi iliyokuwa mikononi mwao, nao wakainama mbele yake hata chini.
27 He asked if they were well, and then he asked, “How is your elderly father you told me about? Is he still alive?”
Akawauliza juu ya hali zao na kusema,”Je baba yenu hajambo, yule mzee mliyemnena? Je bado yu hai?”
28 “Your servant our father is well,” they answered. “He is still alive.” And they bowed down to honor him.
Wakasema, “Mtumishi wako baba yetu hajambo. Na bado yu hai” Wakajinyenyekeza na kuinama chini.
29 When Joseph looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son, he asked, “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” Then he declared, “May God be gracious to you, my son.”
Alipoinua macho yake akamwona Benjamini ndugu yake, mwana wa mamaye, naye akasema, “Je huyu ndiye mdogo wenu mliyemsema?” Na kisha akasema, “Mungu na awe mwenye neema kwako, mwanangu.”
30 Joseph hurried out because he was moved to tears for his brother, and he went to a private room to weep.
Yusufu akaharakisha kutoka chumbani, kwani aliguswa sana kuhusu nduguye. Akatafuta mahali pa kulia. Akaingia chumbani mwake na kulia umo.
31 Then he washed his face and came back out. Regaining his composure, he said, “Serve the meal.”
Akaosha uso wake na kutoka nje. Akajizuia mwenyewe, akasema, “karibuni chakula.”
32 They separately served Joseph, his brothers, and the Egyptians. They ate separately because the Egyptians would not eat with the Hebrews, since that was detestable to them.
Watumishi wakamhudumia Yusufu peke yake na wale ndugu peke yao. Wamisri pale wakala pamoja naye peke yao kwa sababu Wamisri hawakuweza kula mkate na Waebrania, kwani hilo ni chukizo kwa Wamisri.
33 They were seated before Joseph in order by age, from the firstborn to the youngest, and the men looked at one another in astonishment.
Wale ndugu wakakaa mbele yake, mzaliwa wa kwanza kwa kulingana na haki yake ya uzaliwa, na mdogo kulingana na ujana wake. Wale watu wakashangaa wote.
34 When the portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, Benjamin’s portion was five times larger than any of the others. So they feasted and drank freely with Joseph.
Yusufu akapeleka sehemu kwao kutoka katika chakula kilichokuwa mbele yake. Lakini sehemu ya Benjamini ilikuwa mara tano zaidi ya kila ndugu zake. Wakanywa na wakamfurahia.