< Mwanzo 42 >

1 Wakati Yakobo alipofahamu kuwa kuna nafaka huko Misri, akawaambia wanawe, “Mbona mnakaa tu hapa mnatazamana?”
Then Iaakob saw that there was foode in Egypt, and Iaakob said vnto his sonnes, Why gaze ye one vpon an other?
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 haue heard that there is foode in Egypt, Get you downe thither, and bie vs foode thence, that we may liue and not die.
3 Ndipo wale ndugu kumi wa Yosefu, wakateremka huko Misri kununua nafaka.
So went Iosephs ten brethren downe to bye corne of the Egyptians.
4 Lakini Yakobo hakumtuma Benyamini, ndugu yake Yosefu, pamoja na wengine, kwa sababu aliogopa asije akapatwa na madhara.
But Beniamin Iosephs brother woulde not Iaakob send with his brethren: for he saide, Least death should 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 sonnes of Israel came to bye foode among them that came: for there was famine 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.
Now Ioseph was gouerner of the land, who solde to all the people of the lande: then Iosephs brethren came, and bowed their face to the groud before him.
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 when Ioseph sawe his brethren, hee knewe them, and made himselfe straunge toward them, and spake to them roughly, and saide vnto them, Whence come yee? Who answered, Out of the land of Canaan, to bye vitaile.
8 Ingawa Yosefu aliwatambua ndugu zake, wao hawakumtambua.
(Now Ioseph knewe his brethren, but they knew not him.
9 Ndipo Yosefu alipokumbuka ndoto zake kuwahusu wao, akawaambia, “Ninyi ni wapelelezi! Mmekuja kuangalia mahali ambapo nchi yetu haina ulinzi.”
And Ioseph remembred the dreames, which he dreamed of them) and he sayde vnto them, Ye are spies, and are come to see the weaknesse of the land.
10 Wakamjibu, “Sivyo bwana wangu. Watumishi wako wamekuja kununua chakula.
But they sayde vnto him, Nay, my lorde, but to bye vitayle thy seruants are come.
11 Sisi sote ni wana wa baba mmoja. Watumishi wako ni watu waaminifu, wala sio wapelelezi.”
Wee are all one mans sonnes: wee meane truely, and thy seruants are no spies.
12 Akawaambia, “La hasha! Mmekuja kuangalia mahali ambapo nchi yetu haina ulinzi.”
But he saide vnto them, Nay, but yee are come to see the weakenes 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 seruants are twelue brethren, the sonnes of one man in the lande of Canaan: and beholde, the yongest is this day with our father, and one is not.
14 Yosefu akawaambia, “Ni sawa kabisa kama nilivyowaambia: Ninyi ni wapelelezi!
Againe Ioseph sayde vnto them, This is it that I spake vnto you, saying, Ye are spies.
15 Na hivi ndivyo mtakavyojaribiwa: Hakika kama Farao aishivyo, hamtaondoka mahali hapa mpaka ndugu yenu mdogo aje hapa.
Hereby ye shall be proued: by the life of Pharaoh, ye shall not goe hence, except your yongest brother come hither.
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 which may fet your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proued, whether there bee trueth in you: or els by the life of Pharaoh ye are but spies.
17 Akawaweka wote chini ya ulinzi kwa siku tatu.
So he put them in warde three dayes.
18 Siku ya tatu Yosefu akawaambia, “Fanyeni hili nanyi mtaishi, kwa maana namwogopa Mungu:
Then Ioseph said vnto them the third day, This do, and liue: for I feare 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 brethren be bounde in your prison house, and goe ye, carie foode 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.
But bring your yonger brother vnto me, that your wordes may be tried, and that ye dye not: 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 haue verily sinned against our brother, in that we sawe the anguish of his soule, when he besought vs, and we would not heare him: therefore is this trouble come vpon vs.
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, Warned I not you, saying, Sinne not against the childe, and ye would not heare? and lo, his blood is now required.
23 Hawakujua kuwa Yosefu angewaelewa, kwa sababu alitumia mkalimani.
(And they were not aware that Ioseph vnderstoode them: for he spake vnto them by an interpreter.)
24 Yosefu akajitenga nao akaanza kulia, kisha akawarudia na kuzungumza nao tena. Akataka Simeoni akamatwe na kufungwa mbele yao.
Then he turned from them, and wept, and turned to them againe, and communed with them, and tooke Simeon from among them, and bounde 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,
So Ioseph commanded that they should fill their sackes with wheate, and put euery mans money againe in his sacke, and giue them vitaile for the iourney: and thus did he vnto them.
26 wakapakiza nafaka juu ya punda zao, wakaondoka.
And they layed their vitaile vpon their asses, and departed thence.
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 sacke for to giue his asse prouender in the ynne, he espyed his money: for lo, it was in his sackes mouth.
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?”
Then he sayde vnto his brethren, My money is restored: for loe, it is euen in my sacke. And their heart fayled them, and they were astonished, and sayde one to another, What is this, that God hath done vnto vs?
29 Walipofika kwa Yakobo baba yao katika nchi ya Kanaani, wakamweleza mambo yote yaliyowapata. Wakasema,
And they came vnto Iaakob their father vnto the lande of Canaan, and tolde 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, who is Lord of the lande, spake roughly to vs, and put vs in prison as spyes of the countrey.
31 Lakini tulimwambia, ‘Sisi ni watu waaminifu, sio wapelelezi.
And we sayd vnto him, We are true men, and 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 be twelue brethren, sonnes of our father: one is not, and the yongest 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.
Then the Lord of the countrey sayde vnto vs, Hereby shall I knowe if ye be true men: Leaue one of your brethren with me, and take foode for the famine of your houses and depart,
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 yongest brother vnto me, that I may knowe that ye are no spies, but true men: so will I deliuer you your brother, and yee shall occupie 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 as they emptied their sacks, behold, euery mans bundel of money was in his sacke: and when they and their father sawe the bundels of their money, they were afrayde.
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!”
Then Iaakob their father said to them, Ye haue robbed me of my children: Ioseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Beniamin: 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.”
Then Reuben answered his father, saying, Slay my two sonnes, if I bring him not to thee againe: deliuer him to mine hand, and I will bring him to thee againe.
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)
But he said, My sonne shall not go downe with you: for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if death come vnto him by the way which ye goe, then ye shall bring my gray head with sorow vnto the graue. (Sheol h7585)

< Mwanzo 42 >