< 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.’”
Afterward Moses [Drawn out] and Aaron [Light-bringer] came, and said to Pharaoh, “This is what Yahweh, Elohim Isra'el [He sustains breathing, God of God prevails], says, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’”
2 Farao akasema, “Huyo Bwana ni nani, hata nimtii na kuruhusu Israeli uende? Simjui huyo Bwana wala sitawaruhusu Israeli waende.”
Pharaoh said, “Who is Adonai, that I should sh'ma ·hear obey· his voice to let Israel [God prevails] go? I don’t know Adonai, and moreover I will not let Israel [God prevails] go.”
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.”
They said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to Adonai, our God, lest he fall on us with pestilence, or with the sword.”
4 Lakini mfalme wa Misri akasema, “Mbona ninyi Mose na Aroni mnawachukua watu waache kazi zao? Rudini kwenye kazi zenu!”
The king of Egypt [Abode of slavery] said to them, “Why do you, Moses [Drawn out] and Aaron [Light-bringer], take the people from their work? Get back to your burdens!”
5 Kisha Farao akasema, “Tazama, sasa watu hawa ni wengi, nanyi mnawazuia kufanya kazi.”
Pharaoh said, “Behold, the people of the land are now many, and you make them rest from their burdens.”
6 Siku iyo hiyo Farao akatoa amri hii kwa viongozi wa watumwa na wasimamizi wa watu akawaambia:
The same day Pharaoh enjoined the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,
7 “Tangu sasa msiwape hawa watu nyasi za kutengenezea matofali. Wao wakusanye nyasi zao wenyewe.
“You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick, as before. Let them go and gather straw for 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.’
The number of the bricks, which they made before, you require from them. You shall not diminish anything of it, for they are idle; therefore they cry, saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’
9 Fanyeni kazi kuwa ngumu zaidi kwa watu hao ili kwamba wakazane na kazi na kuacha kusikiliza uongo.”
Let heavier work be laid on the men, that they may labor therein; and don’t let them pay any attention to lying words.”
10 Basi viongozi wa watumwa na wasimamizi wakaenda kuwaambia watu, “Hivi ndivyo Farao asemavyo: ‘Sitawapa tena nyasi.
The taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I will not give you straw.
11 Nendeni mkatafute nyasi wenyewe popote mnapoweza kuzipata, lakini kazi yenu haitapunguzwa hata kidogo.’”
Go yourselves, get straw where you can find it, for nothing of your work shall be diminished.’”
12 Basi watu wakatawanyika kote nchini Misri kukusanya mabua ya kutumia badala ya nyasi.
So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt [Abode of slavery] to gather stubble for straw.
13 Viongozi wa watumwa wakasisitiza, wakisema, “Timizeni kazi mnayotakiwa kwa kila siku, kama wakati ule mlipokuwa mkipewa nyasi.”
The taskmasters were urgent saying, “Fulfill your work quota daily, as when there was straw!”
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?”
The officers of the children of Israel [God prevails], whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, “Why haven’t you fulfilled your chok ·statute· quote both yesterday and today, in making brick as before?”
15 Ndipo wasimamizi wa Kiisraeli wakaenda kumlilia Farao, wakisema: “Mbona umewatendea watumishi wako hivi?
Then the officers of the children of Israel [God prevails] came and cried to Pharaoh, saying, “Why do you deal this way with your servants?
16 Watumishi wako hawapewi nyasi, hata hivyo tumeambiwa, ‘Tengenezeni matofali!’ Watumishi wako wanapigwa, lakini kosa ni la watu wako wenyewe.”
No straw is given to your servants, and they tell us, ‘Make brick!’ and behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people.”
17 Farao akasema, “Ninyi ni wavivu ndiyo sababu mnasema, ‘Turuhusu twende tukamtolee Bwana dhabihu.’
But he said, “You are idle! You are idle! Therefore you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to Adonai.’
18 Sasa nendeni kazini. Hamtapewa nyasi zozote, nanyi ni lazima mtengeneze matofali.”
Go therefore now, and work, for no straw shall be given to you, yet you shall deliver the same number of bricks!”
19 Wasimamizi wa Kiisraeli walitambua kuwa wako taabani walipoambiwa, “Hamtakiwi kupunguza idadi ya matofali mliotakiwa kutengeneza kila siku.”
The officers of the children of Israel [God prevails] saw that they were in trouble, when it was said, “You shall not diminish anything from your daily quota of bricks!”
20 Walipoondoka kwa Farao, wakawakuta Mose na Aroni wakingojea kukutana nao,
They met Moses [Drawn out] and Aaron [Light-bringer], who stood in the way, as they came out from 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 they said to them, “May Adonai look at you, and judge, because you have made us a stench to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us.”
22 Mose akarudi kwa Bwana na kumwambia, “Ee Bwana, mbona umewaletea watu hawa taabu? Kwa nini basi ukanituma mimi?
Moses [Drawn out] teshuvah ·completely returned· to Adonai, and said, “Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Why is it that you have sent me?
23 Tangu nilipomwendea Farao kuzungumza naye kwa jina lako, amewaletea taabu watu hawa, nawe kamwe hujawakomboa watu wako.”
For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people; and you have not rescued your people at all.”

< Kutoka 5 >