Exodus 1
1 These are the names of the children of Israel, that went into Egypt with Jacob: they went in, every man with his household:
Haya ndiyo majina ya wana wa Israeli ambao walikwenda Misri na Yakobo, kila mmoja akiwa pamoja na jamaa yake:
2 Ruben, Simeon, Levi, Juda,
Reubeni, Simeoni, Lawi na Yuda;
3 Issachar, Zabulon, and Benjamin,
Isakari, Zabuloni na Benyamini;
4 Dan, and Nephtali, Gad and Aser.
Dani na Naftali, Gadi na Asheri.
5 And all the souls that came out of Jacob’s thigh, were seventy: but Joseph was in Egypt.
Wazao wote wa Yakobo walikuwa watu sabini; Yosefu alikuwa tayari yuko Misri.
6 After he was dead, and all his brethren, and all that generation,
Basi Yosefu na kaka zake wote na kizazi kile chote walikufa,
7 The children of Israel increased, and sprung up into multitudes, and growing exceedingly strong they filled the land.
lakini Waisraeli walikuwa wamezaana na kuongezeka sana, idadi yao ikawa kubwa mno, kwa hiyo wakaijaza nchi.
8 In the mean time there arose a new king over Egypt, that knew not Joseph:
Kisha mfalme mpya ambaye hakufahamu habari za Yosefu akatawala Misri.
9 And he said to his people: Behold the people of the children of Israel are numerous and stronger than we.
Akawaambia watu wake, “Tazameni, Waisraeli wamekuwa wengi mno kwa idadi kutuliko sisi.
10 Come, let us wisely oppress them, lest they multiply: and if any war shall rise against us, join with our enemies, and having overcome us, depart out of the land.
Njooni, ni lazima tuwashughulikie kwa uangalifu, la sivyo watazidi kuwa wengi zaidi, na ikiwa patatokea vita, watajiunga na adui zetu kupigana dhidi yetu na kuondoka katika nchi hii.”
11 Therefore he set over them masters of the works, to afflict them with burdens, and they built for Pharao cities of tabernacles, Phithom and Ramesses.
Basi Wamisri wakaweka wasimamizi wa kuwasimamia na kuwatesa Waisraeli kwa kazi ngumu, nao wakajenga miji ya Pithomu na Ramesesi ya kuweka akiba ya Farao.
12 But the more they oppressed them, the more they were multiplied, and increased:
Lakini walivyozidi kuteswa ndivyo walivyozidi kuongezeka na kuenea katika nchi; Wamisri wakawaogopa Waisraeli,
13 And the Egyptians hated the children of Israel, and afflicted them and mocked them:
kwa hiyo wakawatumikisha kwa ukatili.
14 And they made their life bitter with hard works in clay, and brick, and with all manner of service, wherewith they were overcharged in the works of the earth.
Wakafanya maisha ya Waisraeli kuwa machungu kwa kufanya kazi ngumu ya kutengeneza lami na kufyatua matofali, na kazi zote za mashambani; katika kazi zao zote ngumu, Wamisri waliwatumia Waisraeli kwa ukatili.
15 And the king of Egypt spoke to the midwives of the Hebrews: of whom one was called Sephora, the other Phua,
Mfalme wa Misri akawaambia wakunga wa Kimisri waliowazalisha wanawake wa Kiebrania, ambao majina yao ni Shifra na Pua,
16 Commanding them: When you shall do the office of midwives to the Hebrew women, and the time of delivery is come: if it be a man child, kill it: if a woman, keep it alive.
“Mtakapowazalisha wanawake wa Kiebrania, chunguzeni wanapojifungua. Ikiwa ni mtoto wa kiume, muueni, lakini ikiwa ni msichana, mwacheni aishi.”
17 But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded, but saved the men children.
Lakini hao wakunga walimcha Mungu na hawakufanya kile mfalme wa Misri alichowaambia kufanya, bali wakawaacha watoto wa kiume waishi.
18 And the king called for them and said: What is that you meant to do, that you would save the men children?
Ndipo mfalme wa Misri akawaita hao wakunga, akawauliza, “Kwa nini mmefanya hivi? Mbona mmeacha watoto wa kiume waishi?”
19 They answered: The Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women: for they themselves are skillful in the office of a midwife; and they are delivered before we come to them.
Wakunga wakamjibu Farao, “Wanawake wa Kiebrania ni tofauti na wanawake wa Kimisri; wao wana nguvu, nao hujifungua watoto kabla wakunga hawajafika.”
20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied and grew exceedingly strong.
Kwa hiyo Mungu akawatendea mema wakunga hao. Waisraeli wakaongezeka na kuendelea kuwa wengi zaidi.
21 And because the midwives feared God, he built them houses.
Kwa vile hao wakunga walimcha Mungu, Mungu akawajalia kuwa na jamaa zao wenyewe.
22 Pharao therefore charged all his people, saying: Whatsoever shall be born of the male sex, ye shall cast into the river: whatsoever of the female, ye shall save alive.
Kisha Farao akatoa agizo hili kwa watu wake wote: “Kila mtoto wa kiume atakayezaliwa kwa Waebrania lazima atupwe katika Mto Naili, bali kila mtoto wa kike aachwe aishi.”
