Kutoka 1
1 Haya ndiyo majina ya wana wa Israeli ambao walikwenda Misri na Yakobo, kila mmoja akiwa pamoja na jamaa yake:
Now these are the names of the sons of Israel, who came into Egypt (every man and his household came with Jacob):
2 Reubeni, Simeoni, Lawi na Yuda;
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,
3 Isakari, Zabuloni na Benyamini;
Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,
4 Dani na Naftali, Gadi na Asheri.
Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.
5 Wazao wote wa Yakobo walikuwa watu sabini; Yosefu alikuwa tayari yuko Misri.
All the souls who came out of Jacob’s body were seventy souls, and Joseph was in Egypt already.
6 Basi Yosefu na kaka zake wote na kizazi kile chote walikufa,
Joseph died, as did all his brothers, and all that generation.
7 lakini Waisraeli walikuwa wamezaana na kuongezeka sana, idadi yao ikawa kubwa mno, kwa hiyo wakaijaza nchi.
The children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them.
8 Kisha mfalme mpya ambaye hakufahamu habari za Yosefu akatawala Misri.
Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.
9 Akawaambia watu wake, “Tazameni, Waisraeli wamekuwa wengi mno kwa idadi kutuliko sisi.
He said to his people, “Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we.
10 Njooni, ni lazima tuwashughulikie kwa uangalifu, la sivyo watazidi kuwa wengi zaidi, na ikiwa patatokea vita, watajiunga na adui zetu kupigana dhidi yetu na kuondoka katika nchi hii.”
Come, let’s deal wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it happen that when any war breaks out, they also join themselves to our enemies and fight against us, and escape out of the land.”
11 Basi Wamisri wakaweka wasimamizi wa kuwasimamia na kuwatesa Waisraeli kwa kazi ngumu, nao wakajenga miji ya Pithomu na Ramesesi ya kuweka akiba ya Farao.
Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. They built storage cities for Pharaoh: Pithom and Raamses.
12 Lakini walivyozidi kuteswa ndivyo walivyozidi kuongezeka na kuenea katika nchi; Wamisri wakawaogopa Waisraeli,
But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread out. They started to dread the children of Israel.
13 kwa hiyo wakawatumikisha kwa ukatili.
The Egyptians ruthlessly made the children of Israel serve,
14 Wakafanya maisha ya Waisraeli kuwa machungu kwa kufanya kazi ngumu ya kutengeneza lami na kufyatua matofali, na kazi zote za mashambani; katika kazi zao zote ngumu, Wamisri waliwatumia Waisraeli kwa ukatili.
and they made their lives bitter with hard service in mortar and in brick, and in all kinds of service in the field, all their service, in which they ruthlessly made them serve.
15 Mfalme wa Misri akawaambia wakunga wa Kimisri waliowazalisha wanawake wa Kiebrania, ambao majina yao ni Shifra na Pua,
The king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah,
16 “Mtakapowazalisha wanawake wa Kiebrania, chunguzeni wanapojifungua. Ikiwa ni mtoto wa kiume, muueni, lakini ikiwa ni msichana, mwacheni aishi.”
and he said, “When you perform the duty of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them on the birth stool, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.”
17 Lakini hao wakunga walimcha Mungu na hawakufanya kile mfalme wa Misri alichowaambia kufanya, bali wakawaacha watoto wa kiume waishi.
But the midwives feared God, and did not do what the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the baby boys alive.
18 Ndipo mfalme wa Misri akawaita hao wakunga, akawauliza, “Kwa nini mmefanya hivi? Mbona mmeacha watoto wa kiume waishi?”
The king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said to them, “Why have you done this thing and saved the boys alive?”
19 Wakunga wakamjibu Farao, “Wanawake wa Kiebrania ni tofauti na wanawake wa Kimisri; wao wana nguvu, nao hujifungua watoto kabla wakunga hawajafika.”
The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.”
20 Kwa hiyo Mungu akawatendea mema wakunga hao. Waisraeli wakaongezeka na kuendelea kuwa wengi zaidi.
God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied, and grew very mighty.
21 Kwa vile hao wakunga walimcha Mungu, Mungu akawajalia kuwa na jamaa zao wenyewe.
Because the midwives feared God, he gave them families.
22 Kisha Farao akatoa agizo hili kwa watu wake wote: “Kila mtoto wa kiume atakayezaliwa kwa Waebrania lazima atupwe katika Mto Naili, bali kila mtoto wa kike aachwe aishi.”
Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “You shall cast every son who is born into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive.”
