< 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 into Egypt with Jacob. They entered, each one with his house:
2 Nao nĩ Rubeni, na Simeoni, na Lawi, na Juda;
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, 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.
Therefore, all the souls of those who went forth from Jacob’s thigh were seventy. Now Joseph was in Egypt.
6 Na rĩrĩ, Jusufu na ariũ a ithe othe, na rũciaro rũu ruothe rwa ihinda rĩu magĩkua,
When he had died, along with all of his brothers and all of that generation,
7 no andũ a Isiraeli magĩciarana na makĩingĩha mũno, magĩtuĩka aingĩ makĩria, o nginya makĩiyũra bũrũri ũcio.
the sons of Israel increased, and they multiplied like seedlings. And having been strengthened exceedingly, they filled the land.
8 Na rĩrĩ, mũthamaki ũngĩ ũtooĩ ũhoro wa Jusufu akĩambĩrĩria gũthamaka kũu bũrũri wa Misiri.
Meanwhile, there arose a new king over Egypt, who was ignorant of Joseph.
9 Nake akĩĩra andũ ake atĩrĩ, “Onei, andũ a Isiraeli nĩmaingĩhĩte mũno makĩria, magatũkĩria hinya.
And he said to his people: “Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are many, and they are stronger than we are.
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 wisely oppress them, lest they multiply; and if any war should advance against us, they may be added to our enemies, and having fought against us, they might depart from the land.”
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.
And so he set over them masters of the works, in order to afflict them with burdens. And they built for Pharaoh the cities of the tabernacles: Pithom and Raamses.
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,
And the more they oppressed them, so much more did they multiply and increase.
13 na makĩmahinyĩrĩria na wĩra matekũmaiguĩra tha.
And the Egyptians hated the sons of Israel, and they afflicted them and mocked them.
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 they led their life directly into bitterness, with hard work in clay and brick, and with all kinds of servitude, so that they were being overwhelmed with the works of the land.
15 Mũthamaki wa bũrũri wa Misiri akĩĩra Shifira na Pua, aciarithania arĩa maateithagia atumia a Ahibirania, atĩrĩ,
Then the king of Egypt spoke to the midwives of the Hebrews, (one of whom one was called Shiphrah, another 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.”
instructing them: “When you will act as a midwife to the Hebrew women, and the time of delivery has arrived: if it is male, put it to death; if it is female, retain it.”
17 Na rĩrĩ, aciarithania acio tondũ nĩmetigĩrĩte Ngai, matiigana gwĩka ũrĩa mũthamaki wa bũrũri wa Misiri aamerĩte meke; makĩreka tũhĩĩ tũu tũtũũre muoyo.
But the midwives feared God, and so they did not act according to the precept of the king of Egypt, but they kept the males safe.
18 Nake mũthamaki ũcio wa bũrũri wa Misiri agĩĩta aciarithania acio, akĩmooria atĩrĩ, “Mwĩkĩte ũũ nĩkĩ? Nĩ kĩĩ gĩtũmĩte mũreke tũhĩĩ tũtũũre muoyo?”
And summoning them, the king said, “What did you intend to do, so that you would save the boys?”
19 Nao aciarithania acio magĩcookeria Firaũni atĩrĩ, “Atumia a Ahibirania matihaana ta atumia a Misiri; o nĩ ahiũ magĩaga ciana aciarithania matanakinya.”
They responded: “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women. For they themselves have the wisdom of a midwife, and so they give birth before we can come to them.”
20 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Ngai agĩgĩtanahĩra aciarithania acio, nao andũ a Isiraeli makĩongerereka o na makĩingĩha makĩria.
Therefore, God acted favorably toward the midwives. And the people increased, and they were strengthened exceedingly.
21 Na rĩrĩ, tondũ aciarithania acio nĩmetigĩrĩte Ngai, akĩmahe ciana ciao kĩũmbe.
And because the midwives feared God, he built houses for them.
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.”
Therefore, Pharaoh instructed all his people, saying: “Whatever will be born of the male sex, cast it into the river; whatever will be born of the female sex, retain it.”

< Thaama 1 >