Mwanzo 37
1 Yakobo akaishi Kanaani katika nchi ambayo baba yake alikuwa ameishi.
Now Jacob was living in the land where his father had made a place for himself, in 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.
These are the generations of Jacob: Joseph, a boy seventeen years old, was looking after the flock, together with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's wives; and Joseph gave their father a bad account of them.
3 Basi, Israeli akampenda Yosefu kuliko yeyote miongoni mwa kaka zake, kwani ni mwanawe wa uzeeni, akamshonea joho lililorembwa vizuri sana.
Now the love which Israel had for Joseph was greater than his love for all his other children, because he got him when he was an old man: and he had a long coat made for him.
4 Ndugu zake walipoona kwamba baba yao anampenda Yosefu kuliko yeyote mwingine miongoni mwao, walimchukia na hawakusema naye neno lolote jema.
And because his brothers saw that Joseph was dearer to his father than all the others, they were full of hate for him, and would not say a kind word to him.
5 Yosefu akaota ndoto, naye alipowaeleza ndugu zake, wakamchukia zaidi.
Now Joseph had a dream, and he gave his brothers an account of it, which made their hate greater than ever.
6 Akawaambia, “Sikilizeni ndoto niliyoota:
And he said to them, Let me give you the story of my dream.
7 Tulikuwa tukifunga miganda ya nafaka shambani, ghafula mganda wangu ukasimama wima, wakati miganda yenu ikiuzunguka na kuuinamia.”
We were in the field, getting the grain stems together, and my grain kept upright, and yours came round and went down on the earth before 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.
And his brothers said to him, Are you to be our king? will you have authority over us? And because of his dream and his words, their hate for him became greater than ever.
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 he had another dream, and gave his brothers an account of it, saying, I have had another dream: the sun and the moon and eleven stars gave honour 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?”
And he gave word of it to his father and his brothers; but his father protesting said, What sort of a dream is this? am I and your mother and your brothers to go down on our faces to the earth before you?
11 Ndugu zake wakamwonea wivu, lakini baba yake akaliweka jambo hilo moyoni.
And his brothers were full of envy; but his father kept his words in mind.
12 Basi, ndugu zake walikuwa wamekwenda kuchunga makundi ya baba yao karibu na Shekemu,
Now his brothers went to keep watch over their father's flock in 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.”
And Israel said to Joseph, Are not your brothers with the flock in Shechem? come, I will send you to them. And he said to him, Here am I.
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,
And he said to him, Go now, and see if your brothers are well and how the flock is; then come back and give me word. So he sent him out of the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.
15 mtu mmoja akamkuta akizungukazunguka mashambani na akamuuliza, “Unatafuta nini?”
And a man saw him wandering in the country, and said to him, What are you looking for?
16 Akajibu, “Ninawatafuta ndugu zangu. Unaweza kuniambia wanachunga wapi makundi yao?”
And he said, I am looking for my brothers; please give me word of where they are keeping their flock.
17 Yule mtu akajibu, “Wamehama hapa. Nilisikia wakisema, ‘Twende Dothani.’” Kwa hiyo Yosefu akawafuatilia ndugu zake na kuwakuta karibu na Dothani.
And the man said, They have gone away from here, for they said in my hearing, Let us go to Dothan. So Joseph went after them and came up with them at Dothan.
18 Ndugu zake walipomwona akiwa mbali, kabla hajawafikia, wakapanga shauri baya la kumuua.
But they saw him when he was a long way off, and before he came near them they made a secret design against him to put him to death;
19 Wakaambiana, “Yule mwota ndoto anakuja!
Saying to one another, See, here comes this dreamer.
20 Njooni sasa, tumuue na kumtupa katika shimo mojawapo na tuseme kwamba mnyama mkali amemrarua. Kisha tutaona matokeo ya ndoto zake.”
Let us now put him to death and put his body into one of these holes, and we will say, An evil beast has put him to death: then we will see what becomes of his dreams.
21 Reubeni aliposikia jambo hili, akajaribu kumwokoa kutoka mikononi mwao akasema, “Tusiutoe uhai wake.
But Reuben, hearing these words, got him out of their hands, saying, Let us not take his life.
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 put him to a violent death, but let him be placed in one of the holes; this he said to keep him safe from their hands, with the purpose of taking him back to his father again.
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 took off his long coat which he had on;
24 Kisha wakamchukua wakamtupa katika shimo. Wakati huo shimo lilikuwa tupu, halikuwa na maji ndani yake.
And they took him and put him in the hole: now the hole had 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.
Then seating themselves, they took their meal: and looking up, they saw a travelling band of Ishmaelites, coming from Gilead on their way to Egypt, with spices and perfumes on their camels.
26 Yuda akawaambia ndugu zake, “Tutafaidi nini ikiwa tutamuua ndugu yetu na kuificha damu yake?
And Judah said to his brothers, What profit is there in putting our brother to death and covering 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.
Let us give him to these Ishmaelites for a price, and let us not put violent hands on him, for he is our brother, our flesh. And his brothers gave ear to him.
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.
And some traders from Midian went by; so pulling Joseph up out of the hole, they gave him to the Ishmaelites for twenty bits of silver, and they took him to Egypt.
29 Reubeni aliporudi kutazama kwenye lile shimo na kuona kwamba Yosefu hayupo, alirarua nguo zake.
Now when Reuben came back to the hole, Joseph was not there; and giving signs of grief,
30 Akawarudia ndugu zake na kusema, “Kijana hayuko mle! Nielekee wapi sasa?”
He went back to his brothers, and said, The child is gone; what am I to do?
31 Kisha wakalichukua lile joho la Yosefu, wakachinja mbuzi na kulichovya katika damu.
Then they took Joseph's coat, and put on it some of the blood from a young goat which they had put to death,
32 Wakalichukua lile joho lililorembwa vizuri na kulipeleka kwa baba yao na kusema, “Tumeliokota hili joho. Uchunguze uone kama ni la mwanao.”
And they took the coat to their father, and said, We came across this; is it your son's coat or not?
33 Baba yao akalitambua akasema, “Hili ni joho la mwanangu! Mnyama mkali amemrarua. Hakika Yosefu ameraruliwa vipande vipande.”
And he saw that it was, and said, It is my son's coat; an evil beast has put him to death; without doubt Joseph has come to a cruel end.
34 Kisha Yakobo akararua nguo zake, akavaa nguo ya gunia na kumwombolezea mwanawe kwa siku nyingi.
Then Jacob, giving signs of grief, put on haircloth, and went on weeping for his son day after day.
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)
And all his sons and all his daughters came to give him comfort, but he would not be comforted, saying with weeping, I will go down to the underworld to my son. So great was his father's sorrow for him. (Sheol h7585)
36 Wakati ule ule, Wamidiani wakamuuza Yosefu huko Misri kwa Potifa, mmojawapo wa maafisa wa Farao, aliyekuwa mkuu wa ulinzi.
And in Egypt the men of Midian gave him for a price to Potiphar, a captain of high position in Pharaoh's house.
