Mwanzo 42
1 Wakati Yakobo alipofahamu kuwa kuna nafaka huko Misri, akawaambia wanawe, “Mbona mnakaa tu hapa mnatazamana?”
Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt. And Jacob said to his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?
2 Akaendelea kuwaambia, “Nimesikia kuwa huko Misri kuna nafaka. Telemkeni huko mkanunue chakula kwa ajili yetu, ili tuweze kuishi wala tusife.”
And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Get you down there, and buy for us from there, that we may live, and not die.
3 Ndipo wale ndugu kumi wa Yosefu, wakateremka huko Misri kununua nafaka.
And Joseph's ten brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.
4 Lakini Yakobo hakumtuma Benyamini, ndugu yake Yosefu, pamoja na wengine, kwa sababu aliogopa asije akapatwa na madhara.
But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob did not send with his brothers, for he said, Lest perhaps harm befall him.
5 Hivyo wana wa Israeli walikuwa miongoni mwa wale waliokwenda Misri kununua nafaka, kwani njaa ilikuwa katika nchi ya Kanaani pia.
And the sons of Israel came to buy among those who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
6 Wakati huo Yosefu alikuwa mtawala wa nchi ya Misri, naye alikuwa ndiye aliwauzia watu wote nafaka. Kwa hiyo wakati ndugu zake Yosefu walipofika, wakamsujudia hadi nyuso zao zikagusa ardhi.
And Joseph was the governor over the land. It was he who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brothers came, and bowed down themselves to him with their faces to the earth.
7 Mara Yosefu alipowaona ndugu zake, akawatambua, lakini akajifanya mgeni na kuzungumza nao kwa ukali, akiwauliza, “Ninyi mnatoka wapi?” Wakamjibu, “Tumetoka katika nchi ya Kanaani kuja kununua chakula.”
And Joseph saw his brothers, and he knew them, but made himself foreign to them, and spoke roughly with them. And he said to them. From where come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.
8 Ingawa Yosefu aliwatambua ndugu zake, wao hawakumtambua.
And Joseph knew his brothers, but they did not know him.
9 Ndipo Yosefu alipokumbuka ndoto zake kuwahusu wao, akawaambia, “Ninyi ni wapelelezi! Mmekuja kuangalia mahali ambapo nchi yetu haina ulinzi.”
And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them. And said to them, Ye are spies; ye have come to see the nakedness of the land.
10 Wakamjibu, “Sivyo bwana wangu. Watumishi wako wamekuja kununua chakula.
And they said to him, No, my lord, but thy servants have come to buy food.
11 Sisi sote ni wana wa baba mmoja. Watumishi wako ni watu waaminifu, wala sio wapelelezi.”
We are all one man's sons. We are true men. Thy servants are no spies.
12 Akawaambia, “La hasha! Mmekuja kuangalia mahali ambapo nchi yetu haina ulinzi.”
And he said to them, No, but ye have come to see the nakedness of the land.
13 Lakini wakamjibu, “Watumishi wako walikuwa kumi na wawili, wana wa mtu mmoja ambaye anaishi katika nchi ya Kanaani. Sasa mdogo wetu wa mwisho yupo na baba yetu na mwingine alikufa.”
And they said, We thy servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. And, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not.
14 Yosefu akawaambia, “Ni sawa kabisa kama nilivyowaambia: Ninyi ni wapelelezi!
And Joseph said to them, This is that which I spoke to you, saying, Ye are spies.
15 Na hivi ndivyo mtakavyojaribiwa: Hakika kama Farao aishivyo, hamtaondoka mahali hapa mpaka ndugu yenu mdogo aje hapa.
By this ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth from here unless your youngest brother comes here.
16 Tumeni mmoja wenu akamlete huyo ndugu yenu, wengine mtawekwa gerezani, ili maneno yenu yajaribiwe kuona kama mnasema kweli. La sivyo, hakika kama Farao aishivyo ninyi ni wapelelezi!”
Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother. And ye shall be bound, that your words may be proved, whether there be truth in you, or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies.
17 Akawaweka wote chini ya ulinzi kwa siku tatu.
And he put them all together into ward three days.
18 Siku ya tatu Yosefu akawaambia, “Fanyeni hili nanyi mtaishi, kwa maana namwogopa Mungu:
And Joseph said to them the third day, This do, and live, for I fear God:
19 Ikiwa ninyi ni watu waaminifu, mmoja wa ndugu zenu na abaki kifungoni, nanyi wengine pelekeni nafaka kwa jamaa yenu wanaoteseka kwa njaa.
If ye be true men, let one of your brothers be bound in your prison house, but go ye, carry grain for the famine of your houses,
20 Lakini ni lazima mniletee ndugu yenu mdogo hapa, ili maneno yenu yathibitike na kwamba msife.” Wakakubali kufanya hivyo.
and bring your youngest brother to me. So shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.
21 Wakaambiana wao kwa wao, “Hakika tunaadhibiwa kwa sababu ya ndugu yetu. Tuliona jinsi alivyohuzunika alipokuwa anatusihi kuponya maisha yake, lakini hatukumsikiliza, hiyo ndiyo sababu dhiki hii imetupata.”
And they said one to another, We are truly guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul when he besought us, and we would not hear. Therefore this distress has come upon us.
22 Reubeni akawajibu, “Sikuwaambieni msitende dhambi dhidi ya kijana? Lakini hamkunisikiliza! Sasa ni lazima tuadhibiwe kwa ajili ya damu yake.”
And Reuben answered them, saying, Did I not speak to you, saying, Sin not against the child, and ye would not hear? Therefore also, behold, his blood is required.
23 Hawakujua kuwa Yosefu angewaelewa, kwa sababu alitumia mkalimani.
And they did not know that Joseph understood them, for there was an interpreter between them.
24 Yosefu akajitenga nao akaanza kulia, kisha akawarudia na kuzungumza nao tena. Akataka Simeoni akamatwe na kufungwa mbele yao.
And he turned himself around from them, and wept. And he returned to them, and spoke to them, and took Simeon from among them, and bound him before their eyes.
25 Yosefu akatoa amri ya kujaza magunia yao nafaka na kuweka fedha ya kila mmoja ndani ya gunia lake, kisha wapewe mahitaji ya njiani. Baada ya kufanyiwa hayo yote,
Then Joseph commanded to fill their vessels with grain, and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them provisions for the way. And thus it was done to them.
26 wakapakiza nafaka juu ya punda zao, wakaondoka.
And they loaded their donkeys with their grain, and departed from there.
27 Walipofika mahali pa kulala huko njiani mmoja wao akafungua gunia lake ili amlishe punda wake, akakuta fedha yake kwenye mdomo wa gunia lake.
And as one of them opened his sack to give his donkey provender in the lodging place, he saw his money, and, behold, it was in the mouth of his sack.
28 Akawaambia ndugu zake, “Fedha yangu imerudishwa. Iko ndani ya gunia langu.” Mioyo yao ikazimia, na kila mmoja akamgeukia mwenzake wakitetemeka, wakaulizana, “Ni nini hiki Mungu alichotufanyia?”
And he said to his brothers, My money is restored, and, lo, it is even in my sack. And their heart failed them, and they turned trembling one to another, saying, What is this that God has done to us?
29 Walipofika kwa Yakobo baba yao katika nchi ya Kanaani, wakamweleza mambo yote yaliyowapata. Wakasema,
And they came to Jacob their father to the land of Canaan, and told him all that had befallen them, saying,
30 “Huyo mtu ambaye ndiye bwana katika nchi hiyo alisema nasi kwa ukali, akatutendea kana kwamba sisi tulikuwa tunaipeleleza nchi.
The man, the lord of the land, spoke roughly with us, and took us for spies of the country.
31 Lakini tulimwambia, ‘Sisi ni watu waaminifu, sio wapelelezi.
And we said to him, We are true men, and we are no spies.
32 Tulizaliwa ndugu kumi na wawili, wana wa baba mmoja. Mmoja alikufa, na mdogo wetu wa mwisho yupo na baba yetu huko Kanaani.’
We are twelve brothers, sons of our father. One is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.
33 “Ndipo huyo mtu aliye bwana katika nchi hiyo alipotuambia, ‘Hivi ndivyo nitafahamu kuwa ninyi ni watu waaminifu: Mwacheni mmoja wa ndugu zenu pamoja nami hapa, kisha nendeni mpeleke chakula kwa ajili ya jamaa yenu inayoteseka kwa njaa.
And the man, the lord of the land, said to us, By this I shall know that ye are true men. Leave one of your brothers with me, and take grain for the famine of your houses, and go your way,
34 Lakini mleteni huyo ndugu yenu mdogo kwangu, ndipo nitajua kuwa ninyi sio wapelelezi, ila ni watu waaminifu. Kisha nitamrudisha ndugu yenu, nanyi mtaweza kufanya biashara katika nchi hii.’”
and bring your youngest brother to me. Then I shall know that ye are no spies, but that ye are true men. So I will deliver your brother to you, and ye shall trade in the land.
35 Walipokuwa wanamimina nafaka kutoka kwenye magunia yao, ndani ya gunia la kila mtu kulikuwa na mfuko wa fedha! Wakati wao na baba yao walipoona mifuko ya fedha, wakaogopa.
And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack. And when they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were afraid.
36 Yakobo baba yao akawaambia, “Ninyi mmenipokonya watoto wangu. Yosefu hayupo na Simeoni hayupo tena na sasa mnataka kumchukua Benyamini. Kila kitu ni kinyume nami!”
And Jacob their father said to them, Ye have bereaved me of my sons. Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away. All these things are against me.
37 Ndipo Reubeni akamwambia baba yake, “Waweza kuwaua wanangu wote wawili, ikiwa sitamrudisha Benyamini kwako. Mkabidhi Benyamini katika uangalizi wangu, nami nitamrudisha.”
And Reuben spoke to his father, saying, Kill my two sons if I do not bring him to thee. Deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again.
38 Lakini Yakobo akasema, “Mwanangu hatashuka huko pamoja nanyi; ndugu yake amekufa naye ndiye peke yake aliyebaki. Ikiwa atapatwa na madhara katika safari mnayoiendea, mtashusha kichwa changu chenye mvi kaburini kwa masikitiko.” (Sheol h7585)
And he said, My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he only is left. If harm befalls him by the way in which ye go, then ye will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
