Mwanzo 37
1 Yakobo akaishi Kanaani katika nchi ambayo baba yake alikuwa ameishi.
Jacob lived in the land of his father’s travels, 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.
This is the history of the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. Joseph brought an evil report of them to their father.
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 all his children, because he was the son of his old age, and he made him a tunic of many colours.
4 Ndugu zake walipoona kwamba baba yao anampenda Yosefu kuliko yeyote mwingine miongoni mwao, walimchukia na hawakusema naye neno lolote jema.
His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, and they hated him, and couldn’t speak peaceably to him.
5 Yosefu akaota ndoto, naye alipowaeleza ndugu zake, wakamchukia zaidi.
Joseph dreamt a dream, and he told it to his brothers, and they hated him all the more.
6 Akawaambia, “Sikilizeni ndoto niliyoota:
He said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamt:
7 Tulikuwa tukifunga miganda ya nafaka shambani, ghafula mganda wangu ukasimama wima, wakati miganda yenu ikiuzunguka na kuuinamia.”
for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and behold, your sheaves came around, and bowed down to my sheaf.”
8 Ndugu zake wakamwambia, “Wewe unakusudia kututawala? Hivi kweli wewe utatutawala sisi?” Wakaongeza kumchukia zaidi kwa sababu ya ndoto yake pamoja na yale aliyowaambia.
His brothers asked him, “Will you indeed reign over us? Will you indeed have dominion over us?” They hated him all the more for his dreams and for his words.
9 Kisha akaota ndoto nyingine, akawaambia ndugu zake akisema, “Sikilizeni, nimeota ndoto nyingine, wakati huu jua, mwezi na nyota kumi na moja zilikuwa zinanisujudia.”
He dreamt yet another dream, and told it to his brothers, and said, “Behold, I have dreamt yet another dream: and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars bowed 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 it to his father and to his brothers. His father rebuked him, and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamt? Will I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves down to the earth before you?”
11 Ndugu zake wakamwonea wivu, lakini baba yake akaliweka jambo hilo moyoni.
His brothers envied him, but his father kept this saying in mind.
12 Basi, ndugu zake walikuwa wamekwenda kuchunga makundi ya baba yao karibu na Shekemu,
His brothers went to feed 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.”
Israel said to Joseph, “Aren’t your brothers feeding the flock in Shechem? Come, and I will send you to them.” He said to him, “Here I am.”
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,
He said to him, “Go now, see whether it is well with your brothers, and well with the flock; and bring me word again.” 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?”
A certain man found him, and behold, he was wandering in the field. The man asked him, “What are you looking for?”
16 Akajibu, “Ninawatafuta ndugu zangu. Unaweza kuniambia wanachunga wapi makundi yao?”
He said, “I am looking for my brothers. Tell me, please, where they are feeding the flock.”
17 Yule mtu akajibu, “Wamehama hapa. Nilisikia wakisema, ‘Twende Dothani.’” Kwa hiyo Yosefu akawafuatilia ndugu zake na kuwakuta karibu na Dothani.
The man said, “They have left here, for I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.’” Joseph went after his brothers, and found them in Dothan.
18 Ndugu zake walipomwona akiwa mbali, kabla hajawafikia, wakapanga shauri baya la kumuua.
They saw him afar off, and before he came near to them, they conspired against him to kill him.
19 Wakaambiana, “Yule mwota ndoto anakuja!
They said to one another, “Behold, this dreamer comes.
20 Njooni sasa, tumuue na kumtupa katika shimo mojawapo na tuseme kwamba mnyama mkali amemrarua. Kisha tutaona matokeo ya ndoto zake.”
Come now therefore, and let’s kill him, and cast him into one of the pits, and we will say, ‘An evil animal has devoured him.’ We will see what will become of his dreams.”
21 Reubeni aliposikia jambo hili, akajaribu kumwokoa kutoka mikononi mwao akasema, “Tusiutoe uhai wake.
Reuben heard it, and delivered him out of their hand, and said, “Let’s 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.
Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood. Throw him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but lay no hand on him”—that he might deliver him out of their hand, to restore him to his father.
23 Kwa hiyo Yosefu alipowafikia ndugu zake, walimvua lile joho lake, lile joho lililorembwa vizuri alilokuwa amevaa.
When Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the tunic of many colours that was on him;
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. The pit was empty. There was 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.
They sat down to eat bread, and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing spices and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.
26 Yuda akawaambia ndugu zake, “Tutafaidi nini ikiwa tutamuua ndugu yetu na kuificha damu yake?
Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal 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, and let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites, and not let our hand be on him; for he is our brother, our flesh.” His brothers listened 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.
Midianites who were merchants passed by, and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. The merchants brought Joseph into Egypt.
29 Reubeni aliporudi kutazama kwenye lile shimo na kuona kwamba Yosefu hayupo, alirarua nguo zake.
Reuben returned to the pit, and saw that Joseph wasn’t in the pit; and he tore his clothes.
30 Akawarudia ndugu zake na kusema, “Kijana hayuko mle! Nielekee wapi sasa?”
He returned to his brothers, and said, “The child is no more; and I, where will I go?”
31 Kisha wakalichukua lile joho la Yosefu, wakachinja mbuzi na kulichovya katika damu.
They took Joseph’s tunic, and killed a male goat, and dipped the tunic in the blood.
32 Wakalichukua lile joho lililorembwa vizuri na kulipeleka kwa baba yao na kusema, “Tumeliokota hili joho. Uchunguze uone kama ni la mwanao.”
They took the tunic of many colours, and they brought it to their father, and said, “We have found this. Examine it, now, and see if it is your son’s tunic or not.”
33 Baba yao akalitambua akasema, “Hili ni joho la mwanangu! Mnyama mkali amemrarua. Hakika Yosefu ameraruliwa vipande vipande.”
He recognised it, and said, “It is my son’s tunic. An evil animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn in pieces.”
34 Kisha Yakobo akararua nguo zake, akavaa nguo ya gunia na kumwombolezea mwanawe kwa siku nyingi.
Jacob tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on 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 all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. He said, “For I will go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.” 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.
The Midianites sold him into Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, the captain of the guard.
