< Exodus 14 >

1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
Ndipo Bwana akamwambia Mose,
2 “Speak to the children of Israel, that they turn back and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, before Baal Zephon. You shall encamp opposite it by the sea.
“Waambie Waisraeli wageuke nyuma na wapige kambi karibu na Pi-Hahirothi, kati ya Migdoli na bahari. Watapiga kambi kando ya bahari, mkabala na Baal-Sefoni.
3 Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, ‘They are entangled in the land. The wilderness has shut them in.’
Farao atafikiri kwamba, ‘Hao Waisraeli wanatangatanga katika nchi kwa kuchanganyikiwa, nalo jangwa limewafungia.’
4 I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will follow after them; and I will get honor over Pharaoh, and over all his armies; and the Egyptians shall know that I am Yahweh.” They did so.
Nami nitaufanya moyo wa Farao mgumu, naye atawafuatilia. Lakini nitajipatia utukufu kwa ajili yangu mwenyewe kupitia Farao na jeshi lake lote, nao Wamisri watajua kuwa mimi ndimi Bwana.” Kwa hiyo Waisraeli wakafanya hivyo.
5 The king of Egypt was told that the people had fled; and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was changed toward the people, and they said, “What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?”
Mfalme wa Misri alipoambiwa kuwa Waisraeli wamekimbia, Farao na maafisa wake wakabadili nia zao kuhusu Waisraeli, wakasema, “Tumefanya nini? Tumewaachia Waisraeli waende zao na tumeukosa utumishi wao!”
6 He prepared his chariot, and took his army with him;
Kwa hiyo akaandaliwa gari lake la vita, naye akaenda pamoja na jeshi lake.
7 and he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, with captains over all of them.
Akachukua magari bora mia sita, pamoja na magari mengine yote ya Misri, pamoja na maafisa wa magari hayo yote.
8 Yahweh hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the children of Israel; for the children of Israel went out with a high hand.
Bwana akaufanya mgumu moyo wa Farao, mfalme wa Misri, kwa hiyo akawafuatia Waisraeli, waliokuwa wakiondoka Misri kwa ujasiri.
9 The Egyptians pursued them. All the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen, and his army overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baal Zephon.
Nao Wamisri, yaani farasi wote wa Farao na magari ya vita, wapanda farasi na vikosi vya askari, wakawafuatia Waisraeli, wakawakuta karibu na Pi-Hahirothi, mkabala na Baal-Sefoni walipokuwa wamepiga kambi kando ya bahari.
10 When Pharaoh came near, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them; and they were very afraid. The children of Israel cried out to Yahweh.
Farao alipokaribia, Waisraeli wakainua macho yao, wakawaona Wamisri wakija nyuma yao. Wakashikwa na hofu, wakamlilia Bwana.
11 They said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you treated us this way, to bring us out of Egypt?
Wakamwambia Mose, “Je, ni kwamba hayakuwako makaburi huko Misri hata umetuleta tufe huku jangwani? Umetufanyia nini kututoa Misri?
12 Isn’t this the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘Leave us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.”
Hatukukuambia tulipokuwa huko Misri, tuache tuwatumikie Wamisri? Ingekuwa vyema zaidi kwetu kuwatumikia Wamisri kuliko kufa jangwani!”
13 Moses said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of Yahweh, which he will work for you today; for you will never again see the Egyptians whom you have seen today.
Mose akawajibu Waisraeli, “Msiogope. Simameni imara, nanyi mtauona wokovu Bwana atakaowapatia leo. Hao Wamisri mnaowaona leo kamwe hamtawaona tena.
14 Yahweh will fight for you, and you shall be still.”
Bwana atawapigania ninyi, nanyi mnatakiwa kutulia tu.”
15 Yahweh said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Speak to the children of Israel, that they go forward.
Ndipo Bwana akamwambia Mose, “Kwa nini wewe unanililia? Waambie Waisraeli waendelee mbele.
16 Lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. Then the children of Israel shall go into the middle of the sea on dry ground.
Inua fimbo yako na unyooshe mkono wako juu ya bahari ili kuyagawa maji, hivyo kwamba Waisraeli wapate kupita mahali pakavu baharini.
17 Behold, I myself will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they will go in after them. I will get myself honor over Pharaoh, and over all his armies, over his chariots, and over his horsemen.
Nitaifanya mioyo ya Wamisri kuwa migumu kusudi waingie baharini wakiwafuatia. Nami nitajipatia utukufu kupitia Farao pamoja na jeshi lake lote, kupitia magari yake ya vita na wapanda farasi wake.
18 The Egyptians shall know that I am Yahweh when I have gotten myself honor over Pharaoh, over his chariots, and over his horsemen.”
Nao Wamisri watajua kwamba Mimi ndimi Bwana nitakapojipatia utukufu kupitia Farao, magari yake ya vita na wapanda farasi wake.”
19 The angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them, and stood behind them.
Ndipo malaika wa Mungu, aliyekuwa akisafiri mbele ya jeshi la Israeli, akaondoka akakaa nyuma yao. Pia ile nguzo ya wingu ikaondoka hapo mbele yao na kusimama nyuma,
20 It came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel. There was the cloud and the darkness, yet it gave light by night. One didn’t come near the other all night.
ikakaa kati ya majeshi ya Misri na Israeli. Usiku kucha wingu likaleta giza upande mmoja na nuru kwa upande mwingine, kwa hiyo hakuna aliyemkaribia mwenzake usiku kucha.
21 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and Yahweh caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
Ndipo Mose akanyoosha mkono wake juu ya bahari, naye Bwana akayasukuma maji ya bahari nyuma kwa upepo mkali wa mashariki usiku ule wote na kupafanya nchi kavu. Maji yakagawanyika,
22 The children of Israel went into the middle of the sea on the dry ground; and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.
nao Waisraeli wakapita baharini mahali pakavu, maji yakiwa ukuta upande wao wa kuume na upande wao wa kushoto.
23 The Egyptians pursued, and went in after them into the middle of the sea: all of Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
Wamisri wakawafuatia ndani ya bahari, pamoja na farasi wote wa Farao, magari ya vita na wapanda farasi.
24 In the morning watch, Yahweh looked out on the Egyptian army through the pillar of fire and of cloud, and confused the Egyptian army.
Karibia mapambazuko, Bwana akaliangalia jeshi la Wamisri kutoka ile nguzo ya moto na ya wingu, akalifadhaisha.
25 He took off their chariot wheels, and they drove them heavily; so that the Egyptians said, “Let’s flee from the face of Israel, for Yahweh fights for them against the Egyptians!”
Mungu akayaondoa magurudumu ya magari yao, kwa hivyo wakayaendesha kwa shida. Nao Wamisri wakasema, “Tuachane na Waisraeli! Bwana anawapigania dhidi ya Misri.”
26 Yahweh said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may come again on the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen.”
Ndipo Bwana akamwambia Mose, “Nyoosha mkono wako juu ya bahari ili maji yarudiane yawafunike Wamisri, magari yao ya vita na wapanda farasi wao.”
27 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it. Yahweh overthrew the Egyptians in the middle of the sea.
Mose akanyoosha mkono wake juu ya bahari, wakati wa mapambazuko bahari ikarudiana na kuwa kama kawaida. Wamisri wakajaribu kuyakimbia maji, lakini Bwana akawasukumia ndani ya bahari.
28 The waters returned, and covered the chariots and the horsemen, even all Pharaoh’s army that went in after them into the sea. There remained not so much as one of them.
Maji yakarudiana na kuyafunika magari ya vita na wapanda farasi pamoja na jeshi lote la Farao lililokuwa limewafuata Waisraeli ndani ya bahari. Hakuna hata mmoja wao aliyenusurika.
29 But the children of Israel walked on dry land in the middle of the sea, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.
Lakini Waisraeli wakapita baharini mahali pakavu, ukiwepo ukuta wa maji upande wao wa kuume na upande wao wa kushoto.
30 Thus Yahweh saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.
Siku ile Bwana akawaokoa Waisraeli kutoka mikononi mwa Wamisri, nao Waisraeli wakawaona Wamisri wamelala ufuoni mwa bahari wakiwa wamekufa.
31 Israel saw the great work which Yahweh did to the Egyptians, and the people feared Yahweh; and they believed in Yahweh and in his servant Moses.
Basi Waisraeli walipoona uwezo mkubwa Bwana aliodhihirisha dhidi ya Wamisri, watu wakamwogopa Bwana na wakaweka tumaini lao kwake na kwa Mose mtumishi wake.

< Exodus 14 >