UGenesisi 37
1 UJakobe wasehlala elizweni uyise ayehlala kilo njengowezizwe, ilizwe leKhanani.
And Jacob dwelt in the land of his father's sojournings, in the land of Canaan.
2 Lezi zindaba zezizukulwana zikaJakobe. UJosefa, eleminyaka elitshumi lesikhombisa, wayeselusa umhlambi labafowabo, wayengumfana, elamadodana kaBiliha, lamadodana kaZilipa, omkayise; uJosefa waseletha kuyise imibiko emibi ngabo.
These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren, being still a lad even with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives; and Joseph brought evil report of them unto their father.
3 Njalo uIsrayeli wayemthanda uJosefa kulawo wonke amadodana akhe, ngoba wayeyindodana yobudala bakhe; wamenzela isigqoko esilemibalabala.
Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a coat of many colours.
4 Kwathi abafowabo sebebonile ukuthi uyise uyamthanda kulabo bonke abafowabo, bamzonda, babengelakukhuluma kuye ngokuthula.
And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.
5 UJosefa wasephupha iphupho, walazisa abafowabo; ngakho baqhubeka bemzonda kakhulu.
And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brethren; and they hated him yet the more.
6 Wasesithi kibo: Ake lizwe leliphupho engiliphuphileyo.
And he said unto them: 'Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:
7 Khangelani-ke, besibopha izithungo phakathi kwensimu, njalo khangelani, isithungo sami sema saqonda futhi, khangelani-ke, izithungo zenu zazingelezela, zasikhothamela isithungo sami.
for, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves came round about, and bowed down to my sheaf.'
8 Abafowabo basebesithi kuye: Kanti ukubusa uzasibusa, ukulawula uzasilawula yini? Ngakho baqhubeka bemzonda kakhulu, ngenxa yamaphupho akhe langenxa yamazwi akhe.
And his brethren said to him: 'Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us?' And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.
9 Wasebuya futhi waphupha elinye iphupho, walilandisela abafowabo, wathi: Khangelani, ngiphuphe futhi iphupho; khangelani-ke, ilanga lenyanga lenkanyezi ezilitshumi lanye zingikhothamela.
And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it to his brethren, and said: 'Behold, I have dreamed yet a dream: and, behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars bowed down to me.'
10 Waselandisela uyise labafowabo. Uyise wasemsola wathi kuye: Liyini leliphupho oliphuphileyo? Ukuza sizakuza, mina lonyoko labafowenu, sikhothamele emhlabathini phambi kwakho yini?
And he told it to his father, and to his brethren; and his father rebuked him, and said unto him: 'What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down to thee to the earth?'
11 Abafowabo-ke baba lomona ngaye, kodwa uyise waligcina lelilizwi.
And his brethren envied him; but his father kept the saying in mind.
12 Abafowabo basebesiyalagisa umhlambi kayise eShekema.
And his brethren went to feed their father's flock in Shechem.
13 UIsrayeli wasesithi kuJosefa: Abafowenu kabalagisi eShekema yini? Woza, ngikuthume kibo. Wasesithi kuye: Khangela ngilapha.
And Israel said unto Joseph: 'Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them.' And he said to him: 'Here am I.'
14 Wasesithi kuye: Hamba-ke, ubone ukuthi baphila kuhle yini abafowenu, lokuthi uyaphila umhlambi, ungibuyisele ilizwi. Wasemthuma esuka esigodini iHebroni wasefika eShekema.
And he said to him: 'Go now, see whether it is well with thy brethren, and well with the flock; and bring me back word.' So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.
15 Indoda yamfica, ngoba khangela wayezula egangeni; indoda yasimbuza yathi: Udingani?
And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field. And the man asked him, saying: 'What seekest thou?'
16 Wasesithi: Ngidinga abafowethu; ake ungazise ukuthi balagise ngaphi.
And he said: 'I seek my brethren. Tell me, I pray thee, where they are feeding the flock.'
17 Indoda yasisithi: Basukile lapha, ngoba ngibezwile besithi: Asiye eDothani. UJosefa wasebalandela abafowabo, wabathola eDothani.
And the man said: 'They are departed hence; for I heard them say: Let us go to Dothan.' And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan.
18 Basebembona esekhatshana. Njalo engakasondeli kubo, bamenzela ugobe lokuthi bambulale.
And they saw him afar off, and before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.
19 Bakhulumisana besithi: Khangela, lo umphuphi uyeza;
And they said one to another: 'Behold, this dreamer cometh.
20 khathesi-ke, wozani simbulale, simphosele komunye wemigodi, besesisithi: Isilo esibi simdlile. Khona sizabona ukuthi amaphupho akhe azakuba yini.
Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into one of the pits, and we will say: An evil beast hath devoured him; and we shall see what will become of his dreams.'
21 URubeni wasekuzwa, wamophula esandleni sabo, wathi: Asingatshayi impilo.
And Reuben heard it, and delivered him out of their hand; and said: 'Let us not take his life.'
22 URubeni wasesithi kubo: Lingachithi igazi, mphoseleni kulumgodi osenkangala, lingeluleli isandla kuye; ukuze amkhulule esandleni sabo, ukuze ambuyisele kuyise.
And Reuben said unto them: 'Shed no blood; cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but lay no hand upon him' — that he might deliver him out of their hand, to restore him to his father.
23 Kwasekusithi uJosefa esefikile kubafowabo, bamhlubula uJosefa isigqoko sakhe, isigqoko esilemibalabala, ayesigqokile;
And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stripped Joseph of his coat, the coat of many colours that was on him;
24 basebemthatha, bamphosela emgodini; kodwa umgodi wawungelalutho, kungelamanzi kuwo.
and they took him, and cast him into the pit — and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.
25 Basebehlala phansi ukudla isinkwa. Baphakamisa amehlo abo babona, khangela-ke, udwendwe lwamaIshmayeli luvela eGileyadi, lamakamela awo ethwele isinongo lenhlaka lemure, ehamba ukukwehlisela eGibhithe.
And they sat down to eat bread; and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites came from Gilead, with their camels bearing spicery and balm and ladanum, going to carry it down to Egypt.
26 UJuda wasesithi kubafowabo: Yinzuzo bani uba simbulala umfowethu, sifihle igazi lakhe?
And Judah said unto his brethren: 'What profit is it if we slay our brother and conceal his blood?
27 Wozani, simthengise kumaIshmayeli, lesandla sethu kasingabi phezu kwakhe, ngoba umgumfowethu, inyama yethu. Abafowabo basebelalela.
Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother, our flesh.' And his brethren hearkened unto him.
28 Kwasekudlula amaMidiyani angabathengiselani; basebemdonsa bamphakamisa uJosefa emgodini, bathengisa uJosefa kumaIshmayeli ngenhlamvu zesiliva ezingamatshumi amabili. Amusa-ke eGibhithe.
And there passed by Midianites, merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And they brought Joseph into Egypt.
29 Kwathi uRubeni ebuyela emgodini, khangela-ke, uJosefa wayengekho emgodini, wadabula izembatho zakhe.
And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.
30 Wasebuyela kubafowabo wathi: Umfana kakho; mina-ke, ngizakuya ngaphi?
And he returned unto his brethren, and said: 'The child is not; and as for me, whither shall I go?'
31 Basebethatha isigqoko sikaJosefa, bahlaba izinyane lembuzi, bagxamuza isigqoko egazini.
And they took Joseph's coat, and killed a he-goat, and dipped the coat in the blood;
32 Basebethumela isigqoko esilemibalabala, basisa kuyise, bathi: Lokhu sikuficile; akunanzelele ukuthi lesi yisigqoko sendodana yakho yini, loba hatshi.
and they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said: 'This have we found. Know now whether it is thy son's coat or not.'
33 Wasinanzelela wathi: Yisigqoko sendodana yami! Isilo esibi simdlile, isibili udatshulwe uJosefa.
And he knew it, and said: 'It is my son's coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt torn in pieces.'
34 UJakobe wasedabula izembatho zakhe, wafaka isaka ekhalweni lwakhe, wayililela indodana yakhe insuku ezinengi.
And Jacob rent his garments, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.
35 Njalo wonke amadodana akhe lamadodakazi akhe asukuma ukumduduza, kodwa wala ukududuzwa, wathi: Ngoba ngizakwehlela engcwabeni endodaneni yami ngilila. Uyise wamlilela njalo. (Sheol h7585)
And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said: 'Nay, but I will go down to the grave to my son mourning.' And his father wept for him. (Sheol h7585)
36 AmaMidiyani asemthengisa eGibhithe kuPotifa, umphathi kaFaro, induna yabalindi.
And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, the captain of the guard.
