Kutoka 1
1 Haya ndiyo majina ya wana wa Israeli ambao walikwenda Misri na Yakobo, kila mmoja akiwa pamoja na jamaa yake:
And these are the names of the sons of Israel who had come into Egypt; with Jacob had they come, each with his household:
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.
And all the souls that had come out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls; and Joseph was in Egypt.
6 Basi Yosefu na kaka zake wote na kizazi kile chote walikufa,
And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.
7 lakini Waisraeli walikuwa wamezaana na kuongezeka sana, idadi yao ikawa kubwa mno, kwa hiyo wakaijaza nchi.
And the children of Israel were fruitful, and swarmed and multiplied, and became exceeding strong; and the land was full of them.
8 Kisha mfalme mpya ambaye hakufahamu habari za Yosefu akatawala Misri.
And 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.
And he said to his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more numerous and stronger 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 on, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it come to pass that, if war occur, they take side with our enemies and fight against us, and go up 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.
And they set over them service-masters to oppress them with their burdens. And they built store-cities for Pharaoh, Pithom and Rameses.
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 spread; and they were distressed because of the children of Israel.
13 kwa hiyo wakawatumikisha kwa ukatili.
And the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with harshness;
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 embittered their life with hard labour in clay and bricks, and in all manner of labour in the field: all their labour with which they made them serve was with harshness.
15 Mfalme wa Misri akawaambia wakunga wa Kimisri waliowazalisha wanawake wa Kiebrania, ambao majina yao ni Shifra na Pua,
And the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives — of whom the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other was Puah —
16 “Mtakapowazalisha wanawake wa Kiebrania, chunguzeni wanapojifungua. Ikiwa ni mtoto wa kiume, muueni, lakini ikiwa ni msichana, mwacheni aishi.”
and he said, When ye help the Hebrew women in bearing, and see [them] on the stool, if it be a son, then ye shall kill him, but if 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 as the king of Egypt had said to them, but saved the male children alive.
18 Ndipo mfalme wa Misri akawaita hao wakunga, akawauliza, “Kwa nini mmefanya hivi? Mbona mmeacha watoto wa kiume waishi?”
And the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, Why have ye done this, and saved the male children alive?
19 Wakunga wakamjibu Farao, “Wanawake wa Kiebrania ni tofauti na wanawake wa Kimisri; wao wana nguvu, nao hujifungua watoto kabla wakunga hawajafika.”
And the midwives said to Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian; for they are strong, and they have borne before the midwife comes to them.
20 Kwa hiyo Mungu akawatendea mema wakunga hao. Waisraeli wakaongezeka na kuendelea kuwa wengi zaidi.
And God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied and became very strong.
21 Kwa vile hao wakunga walimcha Mungu, Mungu akawajalia kuwa na jamaa zao wenyewe.
And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.
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.”
Then Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, but every daughter ye shall save alive.
