< Thaama 1 >

1 Maya nĩmo marĩĩtwa ma ariũ a Isiraeli arĩa maathiire bũrũri wa Misiri hamwe na Jakubu, o mũndũ na andũ a nyũmba yake:
These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family:
2 Nao nĩ Rubeni, na Simeoni, na Lawi, na Juda;
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah;
3 Isakaru, na Zebuluni na Benjamini;
Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin;
4 Dani na Nafitali; Gadi na Asheri.
Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher.
5 Njiaro cia Jakubu ciothe ciarĩ mĩrongo mũgwanja; nowe Jusufu, aarĩ bũrũri wa Misiri o na mbere ĩyo.
The descendants of Jacob numbered seventy in all, including Joseph, who was already in Egypt.
6 Na rĩrĩ, Jusufu na ariũ a ithe othe, na rũciaro rũu ruothe rwa ihinda rĩu magĩkua,
Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died,
7 no andũ a Isiraeli magĩciarana na makĩingĩha mũno, magĩtuĩka aingĩ makĩria, o nginya makĩiyũra bũrũri ũcio.
but the Israelites were fruitful and increased rapidly; they multiplied and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them.
8 Na rĩrĩ, mũthamaki ũngĩ ũtooĩ ũhoro wa Jusufu akĩambĩrĩria gũthamaka kũu bũrũri wa Misiri.
Then a new king, who did not know Joseph, came to power in Egypt.
9 Nake akĩĩra andũ ake atĩrĩ, “Onei, andũ a Isiraeli nĩmaingĩhĩte mũno makĩria, magatũkĩria hinya.
“Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become too numerous and too powerful for us.
10 Gĩũkei, no nginya tũmathiĩ na wara nĩguo matikae kũingĩha mũno gũkĩra ũũ, tondũ kũngĩgĩa mbaara, no manyiitane na thũ ciitũ na marũe na ithuĩ, na macooke moore moime bũrũri ũyũ.”
Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase even more; and if a war breaks out, they may join our enemies, fight against us, and leave the country.”
11 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio andũ a Misiri makĩmaigĩra arori a ngombo mamahinyĩrĩrie na ũndũ wa kũmarutithia wĩra wa hinya, nao andũ a Isiraeli magĩaka Pithomu na Ramesese marĩ matũũra manene ma kũigwo indo cia Firaũni.
So the Egyptians appointed taskmasters over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labor. As a result, they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh.
12 No o ũrĩa maathiire na mbere kũhinyĩrĩrio-rĩ, noguo maaciaranire na makĩiyũra bũrũri-inĩ ũcio; nĩ ũndũ ũcio andũ a Misiri makĩambĩrĩria gwĩtigĩra andũ a Isiraeli mũno,
But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and flourished; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites.
13 na makĩmahinyĩrĩria na wĩra matekũmaiguĩra tha.
They worked the Israelites ruthlessly
14 Andũ a Misiri magĩtũma mũtũũrĩre wa andũ a Isiraeli ũgĩe na ruo rũkĩru nĩ ũndũ wa wĩra mũritũ wa gũthondeka maturubarĩ na thimiti, hamwe na mawĩra ma mĩthemba yothe mĩgũnda-inĩ; andũ a Misiri maamahinyagĩrĩria matekũmaiguĩra tha mawĩra-inĩ mao mothe.
and made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar, and with all kinds of work in the fields. Every service they imposed was harsh.
15 Mũthamaki wa bũrũri wa Misiri akĩĩra Shifira na Pua, aciarithania arĩa maateithagia atumia a Ahibirania, atĩrĩ,
Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah,
16 “Rĩrĩa mũrĩteithagia atumia a Ahibirania makĩgĩa ciana, na mwamarora marĩ gĩtanda-inĩ gĩa kũgĩĩra mwana-rĩ, mũngĩona nĩ kahĩĩ kooragei, no kangĩkorwo karĩ kairĩtu, mũkareka gatũũre muoyo.”
“When you help the Hebrew women give birth, observe them on the birthstools. If the child is a son, kill him; but if it is a daughter, let her live.”
17 Na rĩrĩ, aciarithania acio tondũ nĩmetigĩrĩte Ngai, matiigana gwĩka ũrĩa mũthamaki wa bũrũri wa Misiri aamerĩte meke; makĩreka tũhĩĩ tũu tũtũũre muoyo.
The midwives, however, feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had instructed; they let the boys live.
18 Nake mũthamaki ũcio wa bũrũri wa Misiri agĩĩta aciarithania acio, akĩmooria atĩrĩ, “Mwĩkĩte ũũ nĩkĩ? Nĩ kĩĩ gĩtũmĩte mũreke tũhĩĩ tũtũũre muoyo?”
So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?”
19 Nao aciarithania acio magĩcookeria Firaũni atĩrĩ, “Atumia a Ahibirania matihaana ta atumia a Misiri; o nĩ ahiũ magĩaga ciana aciarithania matanakinya.”
The midwives answered Pharaoh, “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before a midwife arrives.”
20 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Ngai agĩgĩtanahĩra aciarithania acio, nao andũ a Isiraeli makĩongerereka o na makĩingĩha makĩria.
So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied and became even more numerous.
21 Na rĩrĩ, tondũ aciarithania acio nĩmetigĩrĩte Ngai, akĩmahe ciana ciao kĩũmbe.
And because the midwives feared God, He gave them families of their own.
22 Nake Firaũni agĩatha andũ ake othe atĩrĩ: “Kahĩĩ o gothe gaaciarwo nĩ Mũhibirania no nginya mũgagaikia Rũũĩ rwa Nili, no mũreke kairĩtu o gothe gatũũre muoyo.”
Then Pharaoh commanded all his people: “Every son born to the Hebrews you must throw into the Nile, but every daughter you may allow to live.”

< Thaama 1 >