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 came into Egypt with Jacob, each with his household:
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, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.
5 Ọnụọgụgụ ụmụ Jekọb ndị sooro ya gaa biri nʼIjipt dị iri mmadụ asaa. Ma Josef nọrịị nʼIjipt.
All the people who were descendants of Jacob were seventy in number. Joseph was already in Egypt.
6 Emesịa, Josef na ụmụnne ya niile nwụrụ, ma ọgbọ ahụ niile nwụkwara.
Then Joseph, 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.
The Israelites were fruitful, increased greatly in numbers, and became very strong; the land was filled with them.
8 Ma mgbe eze ọhụrụ nke na-amaghị Josef malitere ịchị ọchịchị nʼala Ijipt,
Now then a new king arose over Egypt, one who did not know about Joseph.
9 ọ sịrị ndị ya, “Lee, ndị Izrel abaala ụba nke ukwuu nʼọnụọgụgụ dịkwa ike karịa anyị.
He said to his people, “Look, the Israelites are more numerous and stronger than we are.
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 with them wisely, otherwise they will continue to grow in numbers, and if war breaks out, they will join our enemies, fight against us, and leave the land.”
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 they put taskmasters over them to oppress them with hard labor. The Israelites built store cities for Pharaoh: Pithom and Rameses.
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 the Egyptians oppressed them, the more the Israelites increased in numbers and spread. So the Egyptians began to dread the Israelites.
13 Ha ji oke ọrụ mekpaa ụmụ Izrel ahụ nke ukwuu,
The Egyptians made the Israelites work rigorously.
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.
They made their lives bitter with hard service with mortar and brick, and with all kinds of work in the fields. All their required work was hard.
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 spoke to the Hebrew midwives; the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the other 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.”
He said, “When you assist the Hebrew women on the birthstool, observe when they give birth. If it is a son, then you must kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she may 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.
But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt ordered them; instead, they let the baby 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?”
The king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and let the baby 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. They are vigorous and have finished giving birth before a midwife comes to them.”
20 Ya mere, Chineke gọziri ndị inyom ndị ahụ na-aghọ nwa. Ụmụ Izrel gara nʼihu na-amụba, ghọọ mba dị ukwuu.
God protected these midwives. The people increased in numbers and became very strong.
21 Chineke nʼonwe ya, nyekwara ndị inyom ahụ na-aghọ nwa ezinaụlọ nke aka ha nʼihi na ha tụrụ egwu Chineke.
Because the midwives feared God, he gave them families.
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.”
Pharaoh ordered all his people, “You must throw every son that is born into the river, but every daughter you will let live.”
