Mwanzo 37
1 Yakobo akaishi Kanaani katika nchi ambayo baba yake alikuwa ameishi.
Now Jacob lived in the land where his father had resided, the land of Canaan.
2 Zifuatazo ni habari za Yakobo. Yosefu, kijana wa miaka kumi na saba, alikuwa akichunga makundi ya kondoo na mbuzi pamoja na ndugu zake wa mama wengine, yaani wana wa Bilha na wana wa Zilpa wake za baba yake, naye akawa akimletea baba yake taarifa mbaya kuhusu hao ndugu zake.
This is the account of Jacob. When Joseph was seventeen years old, he was tending the flock with his brothers, the sons of his father’s wives Bilhah and Zilpah, and he brought their father a bad report about them.
3 Basi, Israeli akampenda Yosefu kuliko yeyote miongoni mwa kaka zake, kwani ni mwanawe wa uzeeni, akamshonea joho lililorembwa vizuri sana.
Now Israel loved Joseph more than his other sons, because Joseph had been born to him in his old age; so he made him a robe of many colors.
4 Ndugu zake walipoona kwamba baba yao anampenda Yosefu kuliko yeyote mwingine miongoni mwao, walimchukia na hawakusema naye neno lolote jema.
When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.
5 Yosefu akaota ndoto, naye alipowaeleza ndugu zake, wakamchukia zaidi.
Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more.
6 Akawaambia, “Sikilizeni ndoto niliyoota:
He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had:
7 Tulikuwa tukifunga miganda ya nafaka shambani, ghafula mganda wangu ukasimama wima, wakati miganda yenu ikiuzunguka na kuuinamia.”
We were binding sheaves of grain in the field, and suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to mine.”
8 Ndugu zake wakamwambia, “Wewe unakusudia kututawala? Hivi kweli wewe utatutawala sisi?” Wakaongeza kumchukia zaidi kwa sababu ya ndoto yake pamoja na yale aliyowaambia.
“Do you intend to reign over us?” his brothers asked. “Will you actually rule us?” So they hated him even more because of his dream and his statements.
9 Kisha akaota ndoto nyingine, akawaambia ndugu zake akisema, “Sikilizeni, nimeota ndoto nyingine, wakati huu jua, mwezi na nyota kumi na moja zilikuwa zinanisujudia.”
Then Joseph had another dream and told it to his brothers. “Look,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”
10 Alipomwambia baba yake pamoja na ndugu zake, baba yake akamkemea akisema, “Ni ndoto gani hii uliyoota? Hivi kweli mama yako na mimi na ndugu zako tutakuja kukusujudia wewe hadi nchi?”
He told his father and brothers, but his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream that you have had? Will your mother and brothers and I actually come and bow down to the ground before you?”
11 Ndugu zake wakamwonea wivu, lakini baba yake akaliweka jambo hilo moyoni.
And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept in mind what he had said.
12 Basi, ndugu zake walikuwa wamekwenda kuchunga makundi ya baba yao karibu na Shekemu,
Some time later, Joseph’s brothers had gone to pasture their father’s flocks near Shechem.
13 naye Israeli akamwambia Yosefu, “Kama ujuavyo, ndugu zako wanachunga makundi huko karibu na Shekemu. Njoo, nitakutuma kwao.” Yosefu akajibu, “Vema sana, niko tayari.”
Israel said to him, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flocks at Shechem? Get ready; I am sending you to them.” “I am ready,” Joseph replied.
14 Kwa hiyo akamwambia, “Nenda uone kama mambo yote ni salama kwa ndugu zako na makundi, kisha uniletee habari.” Ndipo akamtuma Yosefu kutoka Bonde la Hebroni. Yosefu alipofika Shekemu,
Then Israel told him, “Go now and see how your brothers and the flocks are faring, and bring word back to me.” So he sent him off from the Valley of Hebron. And when Joseph arrived in Shechem,
15 mtu mmoja akamkuta akizungukazunguka mashambani na akamuuliza, “Unatafuta nini?”
a man found him wandering in the field and asked, “What are you looking for?”
16 Akajibu, “Ninawatafuta ndugu zangu. Unaweza kuniambia wanachunga wapi makundi yao?”
“I am looking for my brothers,” Joseph replied. “Can you please tell me where they are pasturing their flocks?”
17 Yule mtu akajibu, “Wamehama hapa. Nilisikia wakisema, ‘Twende Dothani.’” Kwa hiyo Yosefu akawafuatilia ndugu zake na kuwakuta karibu na Dothani.
“They have moved on from here,” the man answered. “I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’” So Joseph set out after his brothers and found them at Dothan.
18 Ndugu zake walipomwona akiwa mbali, kabla hajawafikia, wakapanga shauri baya la kumuua.
Now Joseph’s brothers saw him in the distance, and before he arrived, they plotted to kill him.
19 Wakaambiana, “Yule mwota ndoto anakuja!
“Here comes that dreamer!” they said to one another.
20 Njooni sasa, tumuue na kumtupa katika shimo mojawapo na tuseme kwamba mnyama mkali amemrarua. Kisha tutaona matokeo ya ndoto zake.”
“Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. We can say that a vicious animal has devoured him. Then we shall see what becomes of his dreams!”
21 Reubeni aliposikia jambo hili, akajaribu kumwokoa kutoka mikononi mwao akasema, “Tusiutoe uhai wake.
When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue Joseph from their hands. “Let us not take his life,” he said.
22 Tusimwage damu yoyote. Mtupeni katika shimo lililoko hapa jangwani, lakini msimguse.” Reubeni alisema hivyo ili amwokoe kutoka mikononi mwao, kisha amrudishe nyumbani kwa baba yake.
“Do not shed his blood. Throw him into this pit in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him.” Reuben said this so that he could rescue Joseph from their hands and return him to his father.
23 Kwa hiyo Yosefu alipowafikia ndugu zake, walimvua lile joho lake, lile joho lililorembwa vizuri alilokuwa amevaa.
So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the robe of many colors he was wearing—
24 Kisha wakamchukua wakamtupa katika shimo. Wakati huo shimo lilikuwa tupu, halikuwa na maji ndani yake.
and they took him and threw him into the pit. Now the pit was empty, with no water in it.
25 Walipokaa ili wale chakula chao, wakainua macho wakaona msafara wa Waishmaeli ukija kutoka Gileadi. Ngamia wao walikuwa wamepakizwa mizigo ya vikolezo, uvumba na manemane, nao walikuwa njiani kuvipeleka Misri.
And as they sat down to eat a meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying spices, balm, and myrrh on their way down to Egypt.
26 Yuda akawaambia ndugu zake, “Tutafaidi nini ikiwa tutamuua ndugu yetu na kuificha damu yake?
Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood?
27 Njooni, tumuuze kwa hawa Waishmaeli. Tusimguse, kwa kuwa hata hivyo yeye ni ndugu yetu, nyama yetu na damu yetu wenyewe.” Ndugu zake wakakubali.
Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay a hand on him; for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And they agreed.
28 Kwa hiyo wale wafanyabiashara Wamidiani walipofika pale, ndugu zake wakamtoa Yosefu kutoka kwenye lile shimo, na kumuuza kwa shekeli ishirini za fedha kwa wale Waishmaeli, ambao walimpeleka Misri.
So when the Midianite traders passed by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.
29 Reubeni aliporudi kutazama kwenye lile shimo na kuona kwamba Yosefu hayupo, alirarua nguo zake.
When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes,
30 Akawarudia ndugu zake na kusema, “Kijana hayuko mle! Nielekee wapi sasa?”
returned to his brothers, and said, “The boy is gone! What am I going to do?”
31 Kisha wakalichukua lile joho la Yosefu, wakachinja mbuzi na kulichovya katika damu.
Then they took Joseph’s robe, slaughtered a young goat, and dipped the robe in its blood.
32 Wakalichukua lile joho lililorembwa vizuri na kulipeleka kwa baba yao na kusema, “Tumeliokota hili joho. Uchunguze uone kama ni la mwanao.”
They sent the robe of many colors to their father and said, “We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son’s robe or not.”
33 Baba yao akalitambua akasema, “Hili ni joho la mwanangu! Mnyama mkali amemrarua. Hakika Yosefu ameraruliwa vipande vipande.”
His father recognized it and said, “It is my son’s robe! A vicious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces!”
34 Kisha Yakobo akararua nguo zake, akavaa nguo ya gunia na kumwombolezea mwanawe kwa siku nyingi.
Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth around his waist, and mourned for his son many days.
35 Wanawe wote na binti zake wakaja kumfariji, lakini hakukubali kufarijiwa. Akasema, “Hapana, nitamwombolezea mwanangu mpaka nimfikie kaburini.” Kwa hiyo baba yake akaendelea kumlilia. (Sheol h7585)
All his sons and daughters tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “No,” he said. “I will go down to Sheol mourning for my son.” So his father wept for him. (Sheol h7585)
36 Wakati ule ule, Wamidiani wakamuuza Yosefu huko Misri kwa Potifa, mmojawapo wa maafisa wa Farao, aliyekuwa mkuu wa ulinzi.
Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard.
