Mwanzo 35
1 Kisha Mungu akamwambia Yakobo, “Panda uende Betheli ukakae huko na ukamjengee Mungu madhabahu huko, Yeye aliyekutokea ulipokuwa unamkimbia Esau ndugu yako.”
God said to Jacob [Supplanter], “Arise, go up to Beth-el [House of God], and live there. Make there an altar to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau [Hairy] your brother.”
2 Hivyo Yakobo akawaambia watu wa nyumbani mwake pamoja na wote waliokuwa naye, “Iondoeni miungu ya kigeni ile iliyoko katikati yenu, jitakaseni na mkabadilishe nguo zenu.
Then Jacob [Supplanter] said to his household, and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign deities that are among you, purify yourselves, change your garments.
3 Kisha njooni, twende Betheli, mahali nitakapomjengea Mungu madhabahu, aliyenijibu katika siku ya shida yangu, ambaye amekuwa pamoja nami popote nilipokwenda.”
Let us arise, and go up to Beth-el [House of God]. I will make there an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me on the way which I went.”
4 Kwa hiyo wakampa Yakobo miungu yote ya kigeni waliyokuwa nayo, pamoja na pete zilizokuwa masikioni mwao. Yakobo akavizika chini ya mti wa mwaloni huko Shekemu.
They gave to Jacob [Supplanter] all the foreign deities which were in their hands, and the rings which were in their ears; and Jacob [Supplanter] hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.
5 Kisha wakaondoka, na hofu ya Mungu ikawapata miji yote iliyowazunguka. Kwa hiyo hakuna aliyewafuatia wana wa Yakobo.
They traveled, and a terror of God was on the cities that were around them, and they didn’t pursue the sons of Jacob [Supplanter].
6 Yakobo na watu wote waliokuwa pamoja naye wakafika Luzu (ndio Betheli), katika nchi ya Kanaani.
So Jacob [Supplanter] came to Luz (that is, Beth-el [House of God]), which is in the land of Canaan [Humbled], he and all the people who were with him.
7 Huko akajenga madhabahu na akapaita mahali pale El-Betheli, kwa sababu mahali pale ndipo Mungu alipojifunua kwake alipokuwa akimkimbia ndugu yake.
He built an altar there, and called the place El Beit-El [God of House of God]; because there God was revealed to him, when he fled from the face of his brother.
8 Wakati huu Debora, mlezi wa Rebeka, akafa na akazikwa chini ya mti wa mwaloni ulioko chini ya Betheli. Kwa hiyo pakaitwa Alon-Bakuthi.
Deborah, Rebekah [Securely bound]’s nurse, died, and she was buried below Beth-el [House of God] under the oak; and its name was called Allon Bacuth.
9 Baada ya Yakobo kurudi kutoka Padan-Aramu, Mungu alimtokea tena na kumbariki.
God appeared to Jacob [Supplanter] again, when he came from Paddan Aram [Elevated], and blessed him.
10 Mungu akamwambia, “Jina lako ni Yakobo, lakini hutaitwa tena Yakobo, jina lako utakuwa Israeli.” Kwa hiyo akamwita Israeli.
God said to him, “Your name is Jacob [Supplanter]. Your name shall not be Jacob [Supplanter] any more, but your name will be Israel [God prevails].” He named him Israel [God prevails].
11 Mungu akamwambia, “Mimi ndimi Mungu Mwenyezi, ukazae na kuongezeka. Taifa na jamii ya mataifa itatoka kwako, nao wafalme watatoka viunoni mwako.
God said to him, “I am El Shaddai [God Almighty]. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations will be from you, and kings will come out of your body.
12 Nchi niliyowapa Abrahamu na Isaki nakupa wewe pia, nami nitawapa wazao wako baada yako.”
The land which I gave to Abraham [Father of a multitude] and Isaac [Laughter], I will give it to you, and to your offspring after you will I give the land.”
13 Kisha Mungu akapanda juu kutoka kwake mahali pale alipozungumza naye.
God went up from him in the place where he spoke with him.
14 Yakobo akasimamisha nguzo ya jiwe mahali pale Mungu alipozungumza naye, akamimina sadaka ya kinywaji juu yake, pia akamimina mafuta juu yake.
Jacob [Supplanter] set up a pillar in the place where he spoke with him, a pillar of stone. He poured out a drink offering on it, and poured oil on it.
15 Yakobo akapaita mahali pale Mungu alipozungumza naye Betheli.
Jacob [Supplanter] called the name of the place where God spoke with him “Beth-el [House of God]”.
16 Kisha wakaondoka Betheli. Walipokuwa umbali fulani kabla ya kufika Efrathi, Raheli akaanza kusikia uchungu na alipata shida kuu.
They traveled from Beth-el [House of God]. There was still some distance to come to Ephrath, and Rachel [Ewe sheep] travailed. She had hard labor.
17 Alipokuwa katika shida hii katika kujifungua, mkunga akamwambia, “Usiogope, kwa sababu umempata mwana mwingine.”
When she was in hard labor, the midwife said to her, “Don’t be afraid, for now you will have another son.”
18 Hapo alipopumua pumzi yake ya mwisho, kwa maana alikuwa akifa, akamwita mwanawe Benoni. Lakini babaye akamwita Benyamini.
As her soul was departing (for she died), she named him Benoni, but his father named him Benjamin [Son of right hand, Son of south].
19 Kwa hiyo Raheli akafa, akazikwa kando ya njia iendayo Efrathi (ndio Bethlehemu).
Rachel [Ewe sheep] died, and was buried on the way to Ephrath (also called Bethlehem [House of Bread]).
20 Juu ya kaburi lake, Yakobo akasimamisha nguzo, ambayo mpaka leo inatambulisha kaburi la Raheli.
Jacob [Supplanter] set up a pillar on her grave. The same is the Pillar of Rachel [Ewe sheep]’s grave to this day.
21 Israeli akaendelea tena na safari yake na kupiga hema mbele mnara wa Ederi.
Israel [God prevails] traveled, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Eder.
22 Wakati Israeli alipokuwa akiishi katika nchi ile, Reubeni mwanawe alikutana kimwili na suria wa baba yake aitwaye Bilha, naye Israeli akasikia jambo hili. Yakobo alikuwa na wana kumi na wawili:
While Israel [God prevails] lived in that land, Reuben [See, a son!] went and lay with Bilhah [Bashful], his father’s concubine, and Israel [God prevails] sh'ma ·heard obeyed· of it. Now the sons of Jacob [Supplanter] were twelve.
23 Wana wa Lea walikuwa: Reubeni mzaliwa wa kwanza wa Yakobo, Simeoni, Lawi, Yuda, Isakari na Zabuloni.
The sons of Leah [Weary]: Reuben [See, a son!] (Jacob [Supplanter]’s firstborn), Simeon [Hearing], Levi [United with], Judah [Praised], Issachar [Hire, Reward], and Zebulun [Living together].
24 Wana wa Raheli walikuwa: Yosefu na Benyamini.
The sons of Rachel [Ewe sheep]: Joseph [May he add] and Benjamin [Son of right hand, Son of south].
25 Wana waliozaliwa na Bilha mtumishi wa kike wa Raheli walikuwa: Dani na Naftali.
The sons of Bilhah [Bashful] (Rachel [Ewe sheep]’s servant): Dan [He judged] and Naphtali [My wrestling].
26 Wana waliozaliwa na Zilpa mtumishi wa kike wa Lea walikuwa: Gadi na Asheri. Hawa walikuwa wana wa Yakobo, waliozaliwa kwake akiwa Padan-Aramu.
The sons of Zilpah [Frailty] (Leah [Weary]’s servant): Gad [Good fortune] and Asher [Happy]. These are the sons of Jacob [Supplanter], who were born to him in Paddan Aram [Elevated].
27 Yakobo akarudi nyumbani kwa baba yake Isaki huko Mamre, karibu na Kiriath-Arba (yaani Hebroni), ambapo walikuwa wameishi Abrahamu na Isaki.
Jacob [Supplanter] came to Isaac [Laughter] his father, to Mamre [Bitter, Fatness], to Kiriath Arba (which is Hebron), where Abraham [Father of a multitude] and Isaac [Laughter] lived as foreigners.
28 Isaki aliishi miaka 180.
The days of Isaac [Laughter] were one hundred eighty years.
29 Kisha Isaki akapumua pumzi yake ya mwisho akafa, akakusanywa pamoja na watu wake akiwa mzee wa miaka mingi. Nao wanawe Esau na Yakobo wakamzika.
Isaac [Laughter] gave up the spirit, and died, and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. Esau [Hairy] and Jacob [Supplanter], his sons, buried him.
