Exodus 4

1 And Moses answered and said: 'But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice; for they will say: The lord hath not appeared unto thee.'

Musa akajibu, “Lakini itakuwaje wasiponiamini mimi au wasiponisikiliza na kusema, 'Yahwe hajakutokea wewe?”

2 And the LORD said unto him: 'What is that in thy hand?' And he said: 'A rod.'

Yahwe akamwambia, “Hicho ni nini mkononi mwako?” Musa aksema, “Ni fimbo.”

3 And He said: 'Cast it on the ground.' And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.

Yahwe akasema, “Itupe chini.” Musa akaitupa chini ile fimbo, nayo ikageuka na kuwa nyoka. Musa akarudi nyumba.

4 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Put forth thy hand, and take it by the tail — and he put forth his hand, and laid hold of it, and it became a rod in his hand —

Yahwe akamwambia Musa, “Mchukue kwa kumshikia mkia wake.” Hivyo alimchukua yule nyoka. Mara ikaggeuka na kuwa fimbo mkononi mwake tena.

5 that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.'

“Hii ni ili wapate kuamini ya kuwa Yahwe, Mungu wa baba zao, Mungu wa wa Abrahamu, Mungu wa Isaka, na Mungu wa Yakobo amekutokea wewe.”

6 And the LORD said furthermore unto him: 'Put now thy hand into thy bosom.' And he put his hand into his bosom; and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous, as white as snow.

Yahwe pia alimwambia, “Sasaingiza mkono wako ndani ya vazi lako.” Hivyo Musa akaingiza mkono wake ndani ya vazi lake. Na alipoutoa nje, tazama, mkono wake ulikuwa na ukoma, mweupe kama theluji.

7 And He said: 'Put thy hand back into thy bosom. — And he put his hand back into his bosom; and when he took it out of his bosom, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh. —

Yahwe akasema, “Ingiza mkono wako ndani ya vazi lako tena.” Hivyo akaingiza mkono wake ndani ya vazi lake, na alipoutoa nje aliona ukiwa mzima tena kama ulivyo mwili wake wote.

8 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.

Yahwe akasema, “Kama hawatakuamini wewe - kama hawatazingatia ishara yanggu ya kwanza ya nguvu zangu au kuziamini, basi wataamini ishara ya pili.

9 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe even these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land; and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.'

Na ikiwa hawataamini hata ishara hizi zote mbili za nguvu zangu, au wasipokusikiliza wewe, basi chota maji kutoka katika mto na uyamwage katika nchi kavu. Maji utakayoyamwaga yatakuwa damu katika nchi kavu.”

10 And Moses said unto the LORD: 'Oh Lord, I am not a man of words, neither heretofore, nor since Thou hast spoken unto Thy servant; for I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.'

Ndipo Musa akamwambia Yahwe, “Bwana, mimi ni mzuri wa kuongea, si hapo kwanza au hata baada ya kuwa umeongea na mtumishi wako. Mimi ni mdhaifu wa kuongea na nina kigugumizi.”

11 And the LORD said unto him: 'Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh a man dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? is it not I the LORD?

Yahwe akamwambia, “Ni nani anayeumba mdomo wa mwanadamu? Ni nani amfanyaye mwanadamu kuwa bubu au aone au kipofu? Je si mimi Yahwe?

12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt speak.'

Sasa nenda, nami nitauongoza mdomo wako na nitakufundisha cha kusema.”

13 And he said: 'Oh Lord, send, I pray Thee, by the hand of him whom Thou wilt send.'

Lakini Musa akasema, “Bwana, tafadhali mtume mtu mwingine, yeyote unayependa kumtuma.”

14 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and He said: 'Is there not Aaron thy brother the Levite? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee; and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.

Kisha Yahwe akamkasirikia Musa. Akasema, “Vipi kuhusu Aroni kaka yako yule Mlawi? Najua ya kuwa anaweza kuongea vizuri. Hata hivyo, anakuja kukutana na wewe, na atakapokuona moyo wake utajawa na furaha.

15 And thou shalt speak unto him, and put the words in his mouth; and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.

Wewe utaongea naye na utaweka maneno ya kusema kinywani mwake. Nami nitakiongoza kinywa chako na kinywa chake pia, nami nitaonesha ninyi nyote yawapasayo kutenda.

16 And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people; and it shall come to pass, that he shall be to thee a mouth, and thou shalt be to him in God's stead.

Yeye ataongea na watu kwa niaba yako. Yeye atakuwa msemaji wako, na wewe utakuwa kama Mungu kwake.

17 And thou shalt take in thy hand this rod, wherewith thou shalt do the signs.'

Utachukua hii fimbo pamoja nawe mkononi mwako. Kwa fimbo hii utafanya ishara.”

18 And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said unto him: 'Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren that are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive.' And Jethro said to Moses: 'Go in peace.'

Hivyo Musa alirudi kwa Yethro - baba mkwe wake na kumwambia, “Niruhusu nipate kurudi kwa ndugu zangu walioko Misri ili niweze kuona kama bado wako hai.” Yethro akwambia Musa, “Nenda kwa amani.”

19 And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian: 'Go, return into Egypt; for all the men are dead that sought thy life.'

Yahwe akamwambia Musa kule Midiani, “Nenda, rudi Misri, kwa kuwa watu wote waliotaka kukuua wameshakufa.”

20 And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt; and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.

Musa akamchukua mke wake na watoto wake wa kiume na kuwapandisha kwenye punda. Akarudi mpaka nchi ya Misri, naye alichukua fimbo ya Mungu pamoja naye mkononi mwake.

21 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'When thou goest back into Egypt, see that thou do before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in thy hand; but I will harden his heart, and he will not let the people go.

Yahwe akamwambia Musa, “Utakaporudi Misri, jitahidi kufanya ishara zote nilizokupa kufanya mbele ya Farao. Lakini nitaufanya moyo wake kuwa mgumu, naye hawatawaacha watu waende.

22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh: Thus saith the LORD: Israel is My son, My first-born.

Lazima umwambie Farao, 'Hivi ndivyo asemavyo Yahwe: Israeli ni mtoto wangu, mzaliwa wa kwanza wangu,

23 And I have said unto thee: Let My son go, that he may serve Me; and thou hast refused to let him go. Behold, I will slay thy son, thy first-born.' —

nami nakuamuru, “Mwache mwanangu aende ili apate kuniabudu mimi.” Lakini kwa kuwa umekataa kumwachia, hakika nitamuua mtoto wako wa kiume, mzaliwa wa kwanza wako.”'

24 And it came to pass on the way at the lodging-place, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him.

Sasa wakiwa njiani, wakati wa usiku walipopumzika, Yahwe alikutana na Musa na kutaka kumuua.

25 Then Zipporah took a flint, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet; and she said: 'Surely a bridegroom of blood art thou to me.'

Kisha Zipora akachukua kisu kikali na kukata govi la mtoto wake wa kiume na kuligusisha miguuni pake. Kisha akasema, “Hakika wewe ni bwana harusi wangu kwa njia ya damu.”

26 So He let him alone. Then she said: 'A bridegroom of blood in regard of the circumcision.'

Hivyo Yahwe akamwachia. Akasema, “Wewe ni bwana harusi wa damu” kwa sababu ya kutahiriwa.

27 And the LORD said to Aaron: 'Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.' And he went, and met him in the mountain of God, and kissed him.

Yahwe akamwambia Aroni, “Nenda nyikani ukutane na Musa.” Aroni akaenda na kukutana naye katika mlima wa Mungu, na kumbusu.

28 And Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD wherewith He had sent him, and all the signs wherewith He had charged him.

Musa akwambia Aroni maneno yote ya Yahwe ambayo alimtuma kusema na kwa habari za ishara zote za nguvu za Yahwe ambazo alimwagiza kutenda.

29 And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel.

Kisha Musa na Aroni wakaenda na kuwakusanya wazee wote wa Israeli.

30 And Aaron spoke all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people.

Aroni akawaambia maneno yote ambayo Yahwe alimwambia Musa. Pia alionesha ishara na miujiza ya nguvu za Yahwe mbele ya watu.

31 And the people believed; and when they heard that the LORD had remembered the children of Israel, and that He had seen their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.

Watu waliamini. Waliposikia ya kuwa Yahwe aliwaona Waisraeli na ya kwamba aliyaona mateso yao, waliinamisha vichwa vyao na kumwabudu.