Kutoka 5
1 Baadaye Mose na Aroni wakaenda kwa Farao, wakamwambia, “Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli: ‘Waruhusu watu wangu waende, ili waweze kunifanyia sikukuu huko jangwani.’”
After this Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and told him, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says, ‘Let my people go so they can hold a religious festival for me in the desert.’”
2 Farao akasema, “Huyo Bwana ni nani, hata nimtii na kuruhusu Israeli uende? Simjui huyo Bwana wala sitawaruhusu Israeli waende.”
“Who is this ‘Lord’ that I should listen to his request to let Israel go?” Pharaoh replied. “I don't know the Lord and I certainly won't let Israel leave!”
3 Ndipo Mose na Aroni wakasema, “Mungu wa Waebrania amekutana nasi. Sasa turuhusu tuwe na safari ya siku tatu ya jangwani ili tukamtolee Bwana Mungu wetu dhabihu, la sivyo aweza kutupiga sisi kwa tauni au kwa upanga.”
“The God of the Hebrews came to us,” they added. “Please allow us to go a three days journey into the desert and offer sacrifices to the Lord our God. Otherwise he'll kill us by disease or by the sword.”
4 Lakini mfalme wa Misri akasema, “Mbona ninyi Mose na Aroni mnawachukua watu waache kazi zao? Rudini kwenye kazi zenu!”
“Moses and Aaron, why are you trying to take people away from their assigned labor?” Pharaoh asked. “Get back to work!” he ordered.
5 Kisha Farao akasema, “Tazama, sasa watu hawa ni wengi, nanyi mnawazuia kufanya kazi.”
“Look here,” he went on. “There are many of your people here in our country and you are preventing them from doing their assigned labor.”
6 Siku iyo hiyo Farao akatoa amri hii kwa viongozi wa watumwa na wasimamizi wa watu akawaambia:
That very day he ordered the slave drivers and those in charge of the people:
7 “Tangu sasa msiwape hawa watu nyasi za kutengenezea matofali. Wao wakusanye nyasi zao wenyewe.
“Don't give them any more straw to make bricks like before. Have them go and collect the straw themselves.
8 Lakini watakeni kutengeneza matofali kiasi kile kile cha mwanzo, kiwango kisipunguzwe. Wao ni wavivu, ndiyo sababu wanalia, wakisema, ‘Turuhusiwe twende kumtolea Mungu wetu dhabihu.’
But still make them produce the same quantity of bricks as before. They're lazy people—that's why they're calling out, asking, ‘Please let us go and offer sacrifices to our god.
9 Fanyeni kazi kuwa ngumu zaidi kwa watu hao ili kwamba wakazane na kazi na kuacha kusikiliza uongo.”
Make their work harder so they can get on with it and not pay any attention to all these lies!”
10 Basi viongozi wa watumwa na wasimamizi wakaenda kuwaambia watu, “Hivi ndivyo Farao asemavyo: ‘Sitawapa tena nyasi.
So the slave drivers and those in charge went out and told the people, “This is what Pharaoh has ordered: ‘I won't give you any more straw.
11 Nendeni mkatafute nyasi wenyewe popote mnapoweza kuzipata, lakini kazi yenu haitapunguzwa hata kidogo.’”
Go and get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it, because your work quota won't be reduced.”
12 Basi watu wakatawanyika kote nchini Misri kukusanya mabua ya kutumia badala ya nyasi.
So the people went all over Egypt collecting stubble for straw.
13 Viongozi wa watumwa wakasisitiza, wakisema, “Timizeni kazi mnayotakiwa kwa kila siku, kama wakati ule mlipokuwa mkipewa nyasi.”
The slave drivers kept on forcing them, saying, “You still have to do the same work as you did when you had straw provided!”
14 Wasimamizi wa Kiisraeli waliochaguliwa na viongozi wa watumwa wa Farao walipigwa na kuulizwa, “Kwa nini hamkutimiza kiwango chenu cha kutengeneza matofali jana na leo, kama mwanzoni?”
They beat the Israelite supervisors they had put in charge, shouting at them, “Why haven't you met your quota of bricks as you did before?”
15 Ndipo wasimamizi wa Kiisraeli wakaenda kumlilia Farao, wakisema: “Mbona umewatendea watumishi wako hivi?
The Israelite supervisors went to Pharaoh to complain, saying, “Why are you treating us your servants like this?
16 Watumishi wako hawapewi nyasi, hata hivyo tumeambiwa, ‘Tengenezeni matofali!’ Watumishi wako wanapigwa, lakini kosa ni la watu wako wenyewe.”
You don't give us any straw but your slave drivers demand that we make bricks, and they beat us! Your people are treating us badly!”
17 Farao akasema, “Ninyi ni wavivu ndiyo sababu mnasema, ‘Turuhusu twende tukamtolee Bwana dhabihu.’
“No, you're just lazy, lazy people!” Pharaoh replied. “That's why you keep on asking, ‘Please let us go and offer sacrifices to the Lord.’
18 Sasa nendeni kazini. Hamtapewa nyasi zozote, nanyi ni lazima mtengeneze matofali.”
Now get out of here and go back to work! You won't be given any straw but you'll still have to produce the full quota of bricks!”
19 Wasimamizi wa Kiisraeli walitambua kuwa wako taabani walipoambiwa, “Hamtakiwi kupunguza idadi ya matofali mliotakiwa kutengeneza kila siku.”
The Israelite supervisors realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You must not reduce the daily production of bricks.”
20 Walipoondoka kwa Farao, wakawakuta Mose na Aroni wakingojea kukutana nao,
They went over to Moses and Aaron who were waiting for them after their meeting with Pharaoh,
21 wakawaambia Mose na Aroni, “Bwana na awaangalie awahukumu ninyi! Mmetufanya tunuke kwa Farao na maafisa wake, nanyi mmeweka upanga mikononi mwao ili kutuua sisi.”
and said, “May the Lord see what you have done and judge you accordingly! You have made us like a bad smell to Pharaoh and his officials. You have put a sword in their hands to kill us!”
22 Mose akarudi kwa Bwana na kumwambia, “Ee Bwana, mbona umewaletea watu hawa taabu? Kwa nini basi ukanituma mimi?
Moses went back to the Lord and complained, “Why have you caused all this trouble for your own people, Lord? Was this why you sent me?
23 Tangu nilipomwendea Farao kuzungumza naye kwa jina lako, amewaletea taabu watu hawa, nawe kamwe hujawakomboa watu wako.”
Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak for you, he has been even harder on your people, and you haven't done anything to save them!”
