Genesis 43
1 The famine continued to be really bad in Canaan,
Wakati huu njaa ilikuwa bado ni kali mno katika nchi.
2 so once they had finished the grain they'd brought from Egypt, their father told them, “You have to go back and buy some more grain for us.”
Hivyo wakati walikuwa wamemaliza kula nafaka yote waliyoileta kutoka Misri, Yakobo baba yao akawaambia, “Rudini Misri mkatununulie chakula kingine zaidi.”
3 But Judah responded, “The man was adamant when he warned us, ‘I won't even see you unless your brother is with you.’
Lakini Yuda akamwambia, “Mtu yule alituonya kwa msisitizo, ‘Hamtauona uso wangu tena mpaka mje na ndugu yenu.’
4 If you send our brother Benjamin with us then we'll go and buy food for you.
Kama utakubali ndugu yetu aende pamoja nasi, tutakwenda kuwanunulia chakula.
5 But if you won't send him, then we won't go, because the man was very clear, ‘I won't even see you unless your brother is with you.’”
Lakini ikiwa hutamruhusu aende, hatutakwenda, kwa sababu mtu yule alituambia, ‘Hamtauona uso wangu tena mpaka mje pamoja na ndugu yenu.’”
6 “Why have you made things so bad for me by telling the man you had another brother?” Israel asked.
Israeli akauliza, “Kwa nini mkaniletea taabu hii kwa kumwambia yule mtu mlikuwa na ndugu mwingine?”
7 “The man kept on asking direct questions about us and our family like ‘Is your father still alive?’ and ‘Do you have another brother?’” they replied. “We just answered his questions. How were we to know he'd say, ‘Bring your brother here!’?”
Wakamjibu, “Yule mtu alituhoji kwa undani sana habari zetu na za jamaa yetu. Alituuliza, ‘Je, baba yenu bado yungali hai? Je mnaye ndugu mwingine?’ Sisi tulimjibu maswali yake tu. Tungewezaje kujua kwamba angesema, ‘Mleteni mdogo wenu hapa’?”
8 Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy in my care, and we'll leave immediately, so that we can stay alive and not die—and that includes you and us and our children!
Ndipo Yuda akamwambia baba yake Israeli, “Mtume kijana pamoja nami, nasi tutaondoka mara, ili sisi na wewe pamoja na watoto wetu tuweze kuishi, wala tusife.
9 I promise to take care of him—I'll be personally responsible for bringing him back to you. If I don't, then I will always carry the blame!
Mimi mwenyewe nitakuhakikishia usalama wake, mimi mwenyewe nitawajibika kumrudisha. Ikiwa sitamrudisha kwako na kumweka mbele yako, nitakuwa mwenye lawama mbele yako maisha yangu yote.
10 Now let's go, because if we hadn't hesitated, we could have gone there and come back twice by now.”
Hakika, kama hatukuchelewa kuondoka, tungekuwa tumekwenda na kurudi mara mbili.”
11 “If it has to be, then this is what you'll do,” Israel replied. “Take with you the best our country produces. Pack your bags with gifts for the man—balm, a little honey, spices, myrrh, pistachios, and almonds.
Basi baba yao Israeli akawaambia, “Kama ni lazima iwe hivyo, basi fanyeni hivi: Wekeni baadhi ya mazao bora ya nchi katika mifuko yenu na mpelekeeni yule mtu kama zawadi, zeri kidogo, asali kidogo, vikolezo, manemane, kungu na lozi.
12 Take double the money that was returned to you in your sacks—maybe it was a mistake.
Chukueni fedha mara mbili, kwa kuwa mtazirudisha zile fedha zilizowekwa midomoni mwa magunia yenu. Labda ziliwekwa kwa makosa.
13 Take your brother and go back to the man right away.
Mchukueni ndugu yenu pia mrudi kwa huyo mtu mara moja.
14 May God Almighty make the man treat you kindly so when you come before him he'll release your other brother and send Benjamin back. As for me, if I am to lose all my children, then so be it.”
Naye Mungu Mwenyezi awajalieni rehema mbele ya huyo mtu ili apate kumwachia yule ndugu yenu na Benyamini mweze kurudi pamoja. Kwangu mimi kama nikufiwa nimefiwa.”
15 So they packed the gifts, took double the money, and set off, accompanied by Benjamin. They arrived in Egypt and went to have an audience with Joseph.
Basi hao watu wakazichukua zile zawadi na zile fedha mara mbili pamoja na Benyamini. Wakafanya haraka kwenda Misri na walipofika wakajionyesha kwa Yosefu.
16 When Joseph saw Benjamin was with them, he told his household supervisor, “Take these men to my house. Slaughter an animal and make a meal, for they are going to eat with me at noon.”
Yosefu alipomwona Benyamini pamoja nao, akamwambia msimamizi wa nyumba yake, “Wachukue watu hawa nyumbani kwangu, mchinje mnyama na kuandalia chakula kwa kuwa watakula chakula cha mchana pamoja nami.”
17 The man did as Joseph ordered and took them to Joseph's house.
Yule Msimamizi akafanya kama Yosefu alivyomwambia na akawachukua wale watu nyumbani kwa Yosefu.
18 They were really worried that they were being taken to Joseph's house. “It's because of the money that was put in our sacks the first time we came,” they said to each other. “That's why we're being brought in—so he can accuse us and attack us! He'll make us his slaves and take our donkeys!”
Basi watu hao wakaogopa walipopelekwa nyumbani kwa Yosefu. Wakafikiri, “Tumeletwa hapa kwa ajili ya zile fedha zilizorudishwa katika magunia yetu mara ile ya kwanza. Anataka kutushambulia na kutushinda, atuchukue sisi kama watumwa, na atwae hawa punda zetu.”
19 So they went and spoke to Joseph's household supervisor at the entrance to the house.
Hivyo wakamwendea msimamizi wa nyumba wa Yosefu na kuzungumza naye kwenye ingilio la nyumbani.
20 “Please excuse us, my lord,” they said. “We came down the first time to buy food,
Wakasema, “Tafadhali bwana, tulikuja hapa mara ya kwanza kununua chakula.
21 and when we stopped for the night, we opened our sacks and each of us found our money—the exact amount—at the top of our sacks. So we've brought it back with us.
Lakini mahali pale tulipotua wakati wa jioni tulifungua magunia yetu, na kila mmoja wetu akakuta fedha zake, kwenye mdomo wa gunia lake kiasi kile kile tulicholeta. Kwa hiyo tumezirudisha.
22 We've also brought more money to buy food. We've no idea who put our money in our sacks!”
Pia tumeleta fedha nyingine kwa ajili ya kununulia chakula. Hatujui ni nani aliziweka fedha hizo katika magunia yetu.”
23 “Everything's fine!” he told them. “Don't worry! Your God, the God of your father, must have given you the treasure hidden in your sacks. I got your money.” Then he brought Simeon out to meet them.
Akawaambia, “Vema, msiogope. Mungu wenu, Mungu wa baba yenu, amewapa ninyi hazina katika magunia yenu; mimi nilipokea fedha yenu.” Ndipo akawaletea Simeoni.
24 The steward took them inside Joseph's house, gave them water to wash their feet, and supplied food for their donkeys.
Msimamizi akawapeleka wale watu katika nyumba ya Yosefu, akawapa maji ya kunawa miguu na kuwapa punda wao majani.
25 They got their gifts ready for when Joseph would come at noon, because they had found out that they were going to eat there.
Wakaandaa zawadi zao ili wampe Yosefu wakati atakapofika adhuhuri, kwa kuwa walikuwa wamesikia kwamba watakula chakula huko.
26 When Joseph arrived at the house they gave him the gifts they had brought for him, and bowed low to the ground before him.
Yosefu alipokuja nyumbani, walimkabidhi zile zawadi walizokuwa nazo, ambazo walikuwa wamezileta mle nyumbani, nao wakamsujudia hadi nchi.
27 He asked how they were, and then he asked, “How is your elderly father doing that you spoke of? Is he still alive?”
Akawauliza kuhusu hali yao, kisha akawaambia, “Yule baba yenu mzee mliyeniambia habari zake, yu hali gani? Je, bado yu hai?”
28 “Yes, your servant our father is still alive, and is well,” they replied and bowed low in respect.
Wakamjibu, “Mtumishi wako baba yetu bado anaishi na ni mzima.” Kisha wakainama chini kumpa heshima.
29 Then Joseph looked over at his brother Benjamin, the son of his own mother. “Is this your youngest brother that you told me about?” he asked. “God be gracious to you, my son,” he said.
Alipotazama na kumwona Benyamini ndugu yake, mwana wa mama yake hasa, akauliza, “Je, huyu ndiye ndugu yenu wa mwisho, ambaye mlinieleza habari zake?” Ndipo akasema, “Mungu na akufadhili, mwanangu.”
30 Joseph had to run out quickly because he was becoming so emotional at seeing his brother. He looked for a place to cry, and went to his room to weep there.
Akiwa ameguswa sana kwa kumwona ndugu yake, Yosefu akatoka nje kwa haraka na kutafuta mahali pa kulilia. Akaingia kwenye chumba chake cha pekee na kulilia humo.
31 Then he washed his face, got his emotions under control, and went back out. “Serve the food,” he ordered.
Baada ya kunawa uso wake, akatoka nje na huku akijizuia akasema, “Pakueni chakula.”
32 Joseph was served at a table by himself, and his brothers were served at a separate table. The Egyptians were also served at another table, because Egyptians cannot eat with Hebrews because they find this repulsive.
Wakampakulia Yosefu peke yake, ndugu zake peke yao na Wamisri waliokula pamoja naye peke yao, kwa sababu Wamisri wasingeweza kula pamoja na Waebrania, kwa maana ilikuwa ni chukizo kwa Wamisri.
33 The brothers had been seated in front of him in order by age, from the firstborn, the oldest, down to the youngest, and they looked at each other in complete surprise.
Watu hao walikuwa wameketi mbele yake kwa mfuatano wa umri wao, kuanzia mzaliwa wa kwanza hadi mzaliwa wa mwisho, wakatazamana wao kwa wao kwa mshangao.
34 The food was served to them from Joseph's table, and Benjamin received five times as much as anyone else. So they ate and drank plenty with him.
Wakati walipelekewa sehemu ya chakula kutoka mezani mwa Yosefu, sehemu ya Benyamini ilikuwa mara tano zaidi ya sehemu ya wale wengine. Kwa hiyo wakanywa na kufurahi pamoja naye.
