Mwanzo 42
1 Wakati Yakobo alipofahamu kuwa kuna nafaka huko Misri, akawaambia wanawe, “Mbona mnakaa tu hapa mnatazamana?”
When Jacob found out grain was available in Egypt, he asked his sons, “Why do you keep on looking at each other to do something?
2 Akaendelea kuwaambia, “Nimesikia kuwa huko Misri kuna nafaka. Telemkeni huko mkanunue chakula kwa ajili yetu, ili tuweze kuishi wala tusife.”
I've heard there's grain in Egypt. Go there and buy some for us so we can stay alive—if not, we're going to die!”
3 Ndipo wale ndugu kumi wa Yosefu, wakateremka huko Misri kununua nafaka.
So ten of Joseph's brothers went to Egypt to buy grain.
4 Lakini Yakobo hakumtuma Benyamini, ndugu yake Yosefu, pamoja na wengine, kwa sababu aliogopa asije akapatwa na madhara.
But Jacob did not send Joseph's brother Benjamin with his other brothers, for he said, “I'm afraid something bad might happen to him.”
5 Hivyo wana wa Israeli walikuwa miongoni mwa wale waliokwenda Misri kununua nafaka, kwani njaa ilikuwa katika nchi ya Kanaani pia.
So Israel's sons went to buy grain along with everyone else, because there was famine in Canaan too.
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.
Joseph was the governor of the country and he sold grain to all the people there. So Joseph's brothers went to him, and bowed low before him with their faces to the ground.
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.”
Joseph recognized them as soon as he saw them, but he acted like a stranger towards them and spoke to them in a severe way, saying, “Where are you from?” “From the country of Canaan,” they replied. “We've come to buy food.”
8 Ingawa Yosefu aliwatambua ndugu zake, wao hawakumtambua.
Even though Joseph recognized his brothers, they didn't recognize him.
9 Ndipo Yosefu alipokumbuka ndoto zake kuwahusu wao, akawaambia, “Ninyi ni wapelelezi! Mmekuja kuangalia mahali ambapo nchi yetu haina ulinzi.”
Joseph thought back to the dreams he'd had about them, and told them, “No! You're spies! You've come to discover our country's weaknesses!”
10 Wakamjibu, “Sivyo bwana wangu. Watumishi wako wamekuja kununua chakula.
“That's not true, my lord!” they responded. “We, your servants, have just come to buy food.
11 Sisi sote ni wana wa baba mmoja. Watumishi wako ni watu waaminifu, wala sio wapelelezi.”
We're all the sons of one man and we're honest. We're not spies!”
12 Akawaambia, “La hasha! Mmekuja kuangalia mahali ambapo nchi yetu haina ulinzi.”
“No! You've come to find our country's weaknesses!” he insisted.
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.”
“Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man living in the country of Canaan,” they explained. “The youngest is right now with our father, and one has passed away.”
14 Yosefu akawaambia, “Ni sawa kabisa kama nilivyowaambia: Ninyi ni wapelelezi!
“As I said before, you're spies!” Joseph declared.
15 Na hivi ndivyo mtakavyojaribiwa: Hakika kama Farao aishivyo, hamtaondoka mahali hapa mpaka ndugu yenu mdogo aje hapa.
“This is how your story will be checked. I swear on Pharaoh's life that you'll never leave this country unless your younger 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!”
One of you go back and bring your other brother here. The others of you will be kept here in prison until it's clear that you're telling the truth. If not, then I swear on Pharaoh's life it proves you're spies!”
17 Akawaweka wote chini ya ulinzi kwa siku tatu.
So Joseph put all of them in prison for three days.
18 Siku ya tatu Yosefu akawaambia, “Fanyeni hili nanyi mtaishi, kwa maana namwogopa Mungu:
On the third day he told them, “Since I'm someone who respects God, do as I tell you and you'll live.
19 Ikiwa ninyi ni watu waaminifu, mmoja wa ndugu zenu na abaki kifungoni, nanyi wengine pelekeni nafaka kwa jamaa yenu wanaoteseka kwa njaa.
If you're truly honest, choose one of your brothers to stay here in prison. The rest of you can go back home with grain for your hungry families.
20 Lakini ni lazima mniletee ndugu yenu mdogo hapa, ili maneno yenu yathibitike na kwamba msife.” Wakakubali kufanya hivyo.
But you must bring your youngest brother here to me to prove what you're saying is true. If not, you will all die.” They agreed to do this.
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.”
“Clearly we're being punished for what we did to our brother,” they said to each other. “We watched him in agony pleading with us for mercy, but we refused to listen to him. That's why we're in all this trouble.”
22 Reubeni akawajibu, “Sikuwaambieni msitende dhambi dhidi ya kijana? Lakini hamkunisikiliza! Sasa ni lazima tuadhibiwe kwa ajili ya damu yake.”
Reuben said to them, “Didn't I tell you, ‘Don't harm the boy!’ But you didn't listen to me. Now we're paying the price for what we did to him.”
23 Hawakujua kuwa Yosefu angewaelewa, kwa sababu alitumia mkalimani.
They didn't realize that Joseph understood what they were saying because they were talking to him through an interpreter.
24 Yosefu akajitenga nao akaanza kulia, kisha akawarudia na kuzungumza nao tena. Akataka Simeoni akamatwe na kufungwa mbele yao.
Joseph stepped away from them because he started crying. He came back when he was able to speak to them again. He chose Simeon and had him tied up as they watched.
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,
Joseph gave the order to fill up their sacks with grain, and also to return the money they had paid by placing it in the sacks as well. He also ordered that they should be provided with food for their journey home. All this was done.
26 wakapakiza nafaka juu ya punda zao, wakaondoka.
The brothers loaded the grain onto their donkeys and then set off.
27 Walipofika mahali pa kulala huko njiani mmoja wao akafungua gunia lake ili amlishe punda wake, akakuta fedha yake kwenye mdomo wa gunia lake.
On their way they stopped for the night, and one of them opened up his sack to give his donkey something to eat and saw his money there at the top of the 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?”
He told his brothers, “My money's been returned to me. It's right here at the top of my sack!” They were horrified! Trembling with fear they asked each other, “What is this that God's done to us?”
29 Walipofika kwa Yakobo baba yao katika nchi ya Kanaani, wakamweleza mambo yote yaliyowapata. Wakasema,
When they arrived home in Canaan, they told their father Jacob everything that had happened.
30 “Huyo mtu ambaye ndiye bwana katika nchi hiyo alisema nasi kwa ukali, akatutendea kana kwamba sisi tulikuwa tunaipeleleza nchi.
“The man who is the country's governor spoke to us in a severe way, and accused us of spying on the land,” they explained.
31 Lakini tulimwambia, ‘Sisi ni watu waaminifu, sio wapelelezi.
“We told him, ‘We are honest men. We're not 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, the sons of one father. One has passed away and the youngest is right now with our father in the country 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.
Then the man who is the country's governor said to us, ‘This is how I'll find out if you're telling the truth: you are to leave one of your brothers here with me while the rest take grain home for your hungry families.
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.’”
Then bring your youngest brother to me. That way I'll know you're not spies but you're telling the truth. I'll release your brother to you, and you can stay in the country and trade.’”
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.
As they emptied their sacks, each one's money bag was there in his sack! When they and their father saw the money bags, they were horrified.
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!”
Jacob their father accused them, “You have taken Joseph from me—he's gone! Simeon is gone too! Now you want to take Benjamin away! I'm the one who's suffering from all of this!”
37 Ndipo Reubeni akamwambia baba yake, “Waweza kuwaua wanangu wote wawili, ikiwa sitamrudisha Benyamini kwako. Mkabidhi Benyamini katika uangalizi wangu, nami nitamrudisha.”
“You can kill my two sons if I don't bring him back to you,” Reuben assured him. “Trust me with him, and I will bring him home to you myself.”
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)
“My son won't go there with you!” Jacob declared. “His brother is dead, and he's the only one I have left. If anything bad happens to him on the journey you're planning, you'll send this old man to his grave in grief.” (Sheol h7585)
