Ọpụpụ 1
1 Ndị a bụ aha ụmụ ndị ikom Izrel, ndị sooro Jekọb gaa biri nʼala Ijipt, onye ọbụla nʼime ha kpọ ezinaụlọ ya.
These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family:
2 Ruben, Simiọn, Livayị na Juda;
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah;
3 Isaka, Zebụlọn na Benjamin;
Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin;
4 Dan, na Naftalị; Gad na Asha.
Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher.
5 Ọnụọgụgụ ụmụ Jekọb ndị sooro ya gaa biri nʼIjipt dị iri mmadụ asaa. Ma Josef nọrịị nʼIjipt.
The descendants of Jacob numbered seventy in all, including Joseph, who was already in Egypt.
6 Emesịa, Josef na ụmụnne ya niile nwụrụ, ma ọgbọ ahụ niile nwụkwara.
Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died,
7 Ma ihe gaara ụmụ ụmụ Izrel nke ọma, ha mụbara, dị ukwuu nʼọnụọgụgụ, jupụta ala ahụ niile.
but the Israelites were fruitful and increased rapidly; they multiplied and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them.
8 Ma mgbe eze ọhụrụ nke na-amaghị Josef malitere ịchị ọchịchị nʼala Ijipt,
Then a new king, who did not know Joseph, came to power in Egypt.
9 ọ sịrị ndị ya, “Lee, ndị Izrel abaala ụba nke ukwuu nʼọnụọgụgụ dịkwa ike karịa anyị.
“Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become too numerous and too powerful for us.
10 Ngwanụ, ka anyị were amamihe meso ha mmeso ọjọọ, ma ọ bụghị otu a, ha ga-amụba karịa, mgbe agha ga-adapụta nʼetiti anyị na ndị iro anyị, ha ga-esoro ndị iro anyị lụso anyị agha, site nʼala a gbapụ.”
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 Nʼihi nke a, ha tinyere ndịisi ohu ga na eledo ha, bụ ndị ga-eji ọrụ mmanye kpagbuo ha. Ha wuuru Fero obodo Payitọm na Ramesis, ebe ọ na-echekwa ihe.
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 Ma dịka a na-ata ụmụ Izrel ahụhụ na-eleghị anya nʼazụ, otu a kwa ka ụmụ Izrel gara nʼihu na-amụba nʼọnụọgụgụ na-agbasakwa. Nke a mere ka ndị Ijipt tụọ ndị Izrel egwu.
But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and flourished; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites.
13 Ha ji oke ọrụ mekpaa ụmụ Izrel ahụ nke ukwuu,
They worked the Israelites ruthlessly
14 mee ka ndụ ụmụ Izrel bụrụ ndụ jupụtara nʼihe ilu. Ha nyere ha ọrụ ike nke ịkpụ brik na ụrọ, tinyere ọrụ dị iche iche nʼubi ha. Nʼime ọrụ niile ha na-arụ, ndị Ijipt mesiri ha ike nke ukwuu.
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 Mgbe ahụ kwa, eze Ijipt gwara ndị inyom Hibru na-aghọ nwa, ndị aha ha bụ Shifra na Pua sị,
Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah,
16 “Mgbe ọbụla unu na-aghọ nwa ndị inyom Hibru, unu lezie anya nʼokwute e ji amụ nwa, ọ bụrụ nwoke, gbuonụ ya, ma ọ bụrụkwanụ nwanyị, hapụnụ ya ka ọ dịrị ndụ.”
“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 Ma ndị inyom ndị a na-aghọ nwa emeghị ihe eze Ijipt gwara ha, nʼihi na ha tụrụ egwu Chineke. Kama ha hapụrụ ụmụ ndị ikom ndị a ndụ.
The midwives, however, feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had instructed; they let the boys live.
18 Emesịa, eze Ijipt kpọrọ ndị inyom abụọ ahụ jụọ ha sị, “Gịnị mere unu ji nupu isi nʼiwu m nyere unu site nʼịhapụ igbu ụmụntakịrị ndị ikom Hibru a mụrụ, dịka m gwara unu?”
So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?”
19 Ndị inyom ahụ zara Fero sị, “Ndị inyom Hibru na-adị ike karịa ndị inyom Ijipt nʼịmụ nwa. Ha na-amụpụtacharị ụmụ ha tupu anyị erute.”
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 Ya mere, Chineke gọziri ndị inyom ndị ahụ na-aghọ nwa. Ụmụ Izrel gara nʼihu na-amụba, ghọọ mba dị ukwuu.
So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied and became even more numerous.
21 Chineke nʼonwe ya, nyekwara ndị inyom ahụ na-aghọ nwa ezinaụlọ nke aka ha nʼihi na ha tụrụ egwu Chineke.
And because the midwives feared God, He gave them families of their own.
22 Mgbe ahụ, Fero nyere ndị ya niile iwu a, “A ga-atụnye ụmụntakịrị ndị ikom Hibru niile a mụrụ ọhụrụ nʼime osimiri Naịl, ma a ga-edebe ụmụntakịrị ọhụrụ bụ ndị inyom ndụ.”
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.”
