< 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.
Now Joseph was taken down to Egypt; and Potiphar the Egyptian, a captain of high position in Pharaoh's house, got him for a price 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 did well; and he was living in the house of his master the Egyptian.
3 Potifa alipoona kuwa Bwana alikuwa pamoja na Yosefu na kwamba Bwana alimfanikisha kwa kila kitu alichokifanya,
And his master saw that the Lord was with him, making everything he did go well.
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.
And having a high opinion of Joseph as his servant, he made him the overseer of his house and gave him control over all he had.
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.
And from the time when he made him overseer and gave him control of all his property, the blessing of the Lord was with the Egyptian, because of Joseph; the blessing of the Lord was on all he had, in the house and in the 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;
And he gave Joseph control of all his property, keeping no account of anything, but only the food which was put before him. Now Joseph was very beautiful in form and face.
7 baada ya kitambo mke wa Potifa akamtamani Yosefu, akamwambia, “Njoo, ukutane nami kimwili!”
And after a time, his master's wife, looking on Joseph with desire, said to him, Be my lover.
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 would not, and said to her, You see that my master keeps no account of what I do in his house, and has put all his property in my control;
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?”
So that no one has more authority in this house than I have; he has kept nothing back from me but you, because you are his wife; how then may I do this great wrong, sinning against God?
10 Ingawa yule mwanamke aliendelea kumshawishi Yosefu siku baada ya siku, Yosefu alikataa kukutana naye kimwili wala kukaa karibu naye.
And day after day she went on requesting Joseph to come to her and be her lover, but he would not give ear to her.
11 Siku moja Yosefu akaingia ndani ya nyumba kufanya kazi zake, wala hapakuwepo na mfanyakazi yeyote ndani ya nyumba.
Now one day he went into the house to do his work; and not one of the men of the house 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.
And pulling at his coat, she said, Come to my bed; but slipping out of his coat, he went running away.
13 Yule mwanamke alipoona kwamba Yosefu amemwachia vazi lake mkononi na kukimbilia nje ya nyumba,
And when she saw that he had got away, letting her keep his coat,
14 akawaita watumishi wake wa nyumbani, akawaambia, “Tazameni! Huyu Mwebrania ameletwa hapa kutudhihaki! Aliingia hapa ndani ili akutane nami kimwili, lakini nikapiga kelele.
She sent for the men of her house and said to them, See, he has let a Hebrew come here and make sport of us; he came to my bed, and I gave a loud cry;
15 Aliposikia kelele za kuomba msaada, akaacha vazi lake kando yangu akakimbilia nje.”
And hearing it he went running out without his coat.
16 Yule mwanamke akaliweka lile vazi karibu naye mpaka Potifa aliporudi nyumbani.
And she kept his coat by her, till his master came back.
17 Ndipo akamweleza kisa hiki, akisema: “Yule mtumwa wa Kiebrania uliyetuletea alinijia ili kunidhihaki.
Then she gave him the same story, saying, The Hebrew servant whom you have taken into our house came in to make sport of me;
18 Lakini mara nilipopiga kelele kuomba msaada, akaliacha vazi lake kando yangu akakimbia nje ya nyumba.”
And when I gave a loud cry he went running out without his coat.
19 Potifa aliposikia kisa hiki mkewe alichomweleza, akisema, “Hivi ndivyo mtumwa wako alivyonitenda.” Hasira ya Potifa ikawaka.
And hearing his wife's account of what his servant had done, he became very angry.
20 Potifa akamchukua Yosefu na kumweka gerezani, mahali ambapo wahalifu wa mfalme walikuwa wamefungwa. Lakini wakati Yosefu alipokuwa huko gerezani,
And Joseph's master took him and put him in prison, in the place where the king's prisoners were kept in chains, and he was there in the prison-house.
21 Bwana alikuwa pamoja naye, akamhurumia na kumpa kibali mbele ya msimamizi wa gereza.
But the Lord was with Joseph, and was good to him, and made the keeper of the prison his friend.
22 Kwa hiyo msimamizi wa gereza akamweka Yosefu awe mkuu wa wafungwa pamoja na kusimamia yote ambayo yalitendeka mle gerezani.
And the keeper of the prison put all the prisoners under Joseph's control, and he was responsible for whatever was done there.
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.
And the keeper of the prison gave no attention to anything which was under his care, because the Lord was with him; and the Lord made everything he did go well.