< Mwanzo 39 >
1 Wakati huu Yosefu alikuwa amechukuliwa mpaka Misri. Mmisri aliyeitwa Potifa aliyekuwa mmojawapo wa maafisa wa Farao, mkuu wa ulinzi, akamnunua Yosefu kutoka kwa Waishmaeli waliomleta Misri.
Meanwhile, Joseph had been taken down to Egypt, where an Egyptian named Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.
2 Bwana alikuwa pamoja na Yosefu, naye akastawi, Yosefu akaishi nyumbani kwa bwana wake Mmisri.
And the LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, serving in the household of his Egyptian master.
3 Potifa alipoona kuwa Bwana alikuwa pamoja na Yosefu na kwamba Bwana alimfanikisha kwa kila kitu alichokifanya,
When his master saw that the LORD was with him and made him prosper in all he did,
4 Yosefu alipata kibali machoni pa Potifa, akamfanya mhudumu wake. Potifa akamweka kuwa msimamizi wa nyumba yake, naye akamkabidhi kuwa mwangalizi wa kila kitu alichokuwa nacho.
Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household and entrusted him with everything he owned.
5 Kuanzia wakati huo Potifa alipomweka Yosefu kuwa msimamizi wa nyumba na mali zake zote alizokuwa nazo, Bwana aliibariki nyumba ya Mmisri huyo kwa sababu ya Yosefu. Baraka ya Bwana ilikuwa juu ya kila kitu alichokuwa nacho Potifa, nyumbani na shambani.
From the time that he put Joseph in charge of his household and all he owned, the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s household on account of him. The LORD’s blessing was on everything he owned, both in his house and in his field.
6 Kwa hiyo Potifa akamwachia Yosefu uangalizi wa kila kitu alichokuwa nacho, Yosefu alipokuwa katika uongozi, Potifa hakuwa na sababu ya kujishughulisha na kitu chochote isipokuwa chakula alichokula. Yosefu alikuwa mwenye umbo zuri na sura ya kuvutia;
So Potiphar left all that he owned in Joseph’s care; he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome,
7 baada ya kitambo mke wa Potifa akamtamani Yosefu, akamwambia, “Njoo, ukutane nami kimwili!”
and after some time his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph and said, “Sleep with me.”
8 Lakini Yosefu akakataa. Akamwambia yule mwanamke, “Mimi nikiwa katika uongozi, bwana wangu hahusiki na kitu chochote katika nyumba hii, kila kitu alicho nacho amenikabidhi.
But he refused. “Look,” he said to his master’s wife, “with me here, my master does not concern himself with anything in his house, and he has entrusted everything he owns to my care.
9 Hapa nyumbani hakuna aliye mkuu kuliko mimi. Bwana wangu hakunizuilia kitu chochote isipokuwa wewe, kwa kuwa wewe ni mke wake. Nitawezaje basi kufanya uovu huu na kutenda dhambi dhidi ya Mungu?”
No one in this house is greater than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do such a great evil and sin against God?”
10 Ingawa yule mwanamke aliendelea kumshawishi Yosefu siku baada ya siku, Yosefu alikataa kukutana naye kimwili wala kukaa karibu naye.
Although Potiphar’s wife spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be near her.
11 Siku moja Yosefu akaingia ndani ya nyumba kufanya kazi zake, wala hapakuwepo na mfanyakazi yeyote ndani ya nyumba.
One day, however, Joseph went into the house to attend to his work, and not a single household servant was inside.
12 Mke wa Potifa akashika vazi Yosefu alilokuwa amevaa, akamwambia, “Njoo tukutane kimwili!” Lakini Yosefu akaacha vazi lake mkononi mwa huyo mwanamke, akatoka nje ya nyumba akikimbia.
She grabbed Joseph by his cloak and said, “Sleep with me!” But leaving his cloak in her hand, he escaped and ran outside.
13 Yule mwanamke alipoona kwamba Yosefu amemwachia vazi lake mkononi na kukimbilia nje ya nyumba,
When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the house,
14 akawaita watumishi wake wa nyumbani, akawaambia, “Tazameni! Huyu Mwebrania ameletwa hapa kutudhihaki! Aliingia hapa ndani ili akutane nami kimwili, lakini nikapiga kelele.
she called her household servants. “Look,” she said, “this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us. He came to me so he could sleep with me, but I screamed as loud as I could.
15 Aliposikia kelele za kuomba msaada, akaacha vazi lake kando yangu akakimbilia nje.”
When he heard me scream for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.”
16 Yule mwanamke akaliweka lile vazi karibu naye mpaka Potifa aliporudi nyumbani.
So Potiphar’s wife kept Joseph’s cloak beside her until his master came home.
17 Ndipo akamweleza kisa hiki, akisema: “Yule mtumwa wa Kiebrania uliyetuletea alinijia ili kunidhihaki.
Then she told him the same story: “The Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me,
18 Lakini mara nilipopiga kelele kuomba msaada, akaliacha vazi lake kando yangu akakimbia nje ya nyumba.”
but when I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.”
19 Potifa aliposikia kisa hiki mkewe alichomweleza, akisema, “Hivi ndivyo mtumwa wako alivyonitenda.” Hasira ya Potifa ikawaka.
When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is what your slave did to me,” he burned with anger.
20 Potifa akamchukua Yosefu na kumweka gerezani, mahali ambapo wahalifu wa mfalme walikuwa wamefungwa. Lakini wakati Yosefu alipokuwa huko gerezani,
So Joseph’s master took him and had him thrown into the prison where the king’s prisoners were confined. While Joseph was there in the prison,
21 Bwana alikuwa pamoja naye, akamhurumia na kumpa kibali mbele ya msimamizi wa gereza.
the LORD was with him and extended kindness to him, granting him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.
22 Kwa hiyo msimamizi wa gereza akamweka Yosefu awe mkuu wa wafungwa pamoja na kusimamia yote ambayo yalitendeka mle gerezani.
And the warden put all the prisoners under Joseph’s care, so that he was responsible for all that was done in the prison.
23 Msimamizi wa gereza hakujishughulisha tena na kitu chochote kilichokuwa chini ya uangalizi wa Yosefu, kwa sababu Bwana alikuwa pamoja na Yosefu akimfanikisha kwa kila alichofanya.
The warden did not concern himself with anything under Joseph’s care, because the LORD was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.