Mwanzo 43
1 Wakati huu njaa ilikuwa bado ni kali mno katika nchi.
The famine was severe in the land.
2 Hivyo wakati walikuwa wamemaliza kula nafaka yote waliyoileta kutoka Misri, Yakobo baba yao akawaambia, “Rudini Misri mkatununulie chakula kingine zaidi.”
When they had eaten up the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again, buy us a little more food.”
3 Lakini Yuda akamwambia, “Mtu yule alituonya kwa msisitizo, ‘Hamtauona uso wangu tena mpaka mje na ndugu yenu.’
Judah spoke to him, saying, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’
4 Kama utakubali ndugu yetu aende pamoja nasi, tutakwenda kuwanunulia chakula.
If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food;
5 Lakini ikiwa hutamruhusu aende, hatutakwenda, kwa sababu mtu yule alituambia, ‘Hamtauona uso wangu tena mpaka mje pamoja na ndugu yenu.’”
but if you do not send him, we will not go down, for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’”
6 Israeli akauliza, “Kwa nini mkaniletea taabu hii kwa kumwambia yule mtu mlikuwa na ndugu mwingine?”
Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly, telling the man that you had another brother?”
7 Wakamjibu, “Yule mtu alituhoji kwa undani sana habari zetu na za jamaa yetu. Alituuliza, ‘Je, baba yenu bado yungali hai? Je mnaye ndugu mwingine?’ Sisi tulimjibu maswali yake tu. Tungewezaje kujua kwamba angesema, ‘Mleteni mdogo wenu hapa’?”
They said, “The man asked directly concerning ourselves, and concerning our relatives, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ We just answered his questions. Is there any way we could know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?”
8 Ndipo Yuda akamwambia baba yake Israeli, “Mtume kijana pamoja nami, nasi tutaondoka mara, ili sisi na wewe pamoja na watoto wetu tuweze kuishi, wala tusife.
Judah said to Israel, his father, “Send the boy with me, and we will get up and go, so that we may live, and not die, both we, and you, and also our little ones.
9 Mimi mwenyewe nitakuhakikishia usalama wake, mimi mwenyewe nitawajibika kumrudisha. Ikiwa sitamrudisha kwako na kumweka mbele yako, nitakuwa mwenye lawama mbele yako maisha yangu yote.
I will be collateral for him. From my hand will you require him. If I do not bring him to you, and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever;
10 Hakika, kama hatukuchelewa kuondoka, tungekuwa tumekwenda na kurudi mara mbili.”
for if we had not delayed, surely we would have returned a second time by now.”
11 Basi baba yao Israeli akawaambia, “Kama ni lazima iwe hivyo, basi fanyeni hivi: Wekeni baadhi ya mazao bora ya nchi katika mifuko yenu na mpelekeeni yule mtu kama zawadi, zeri kidogo, asali kidogo, vikolezo, manemane, kungu na lozi.
Their father, Israel, said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Take from the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry down a present for the man, a little balm, a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts, and almonds;
12 Chukueni fedha mara mbili, kwa kuwa mtazirudisha zile fedha zilizowekwa midomoni mwa magunia yenu. Labda ziliwekwa kwa makosa.
and take double money in your hand, and take back the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight.
13 Mchukueni ndugu yenu pia mrudi kwa huyo mtu mara moja.
Take your brother also, get up, and return to the man.
14 Naye Mungu Mwenyezi awajalieni rehema mbele ya huyo mtu ili apate kumwachia yule ndugu yenu na Benyamini mweze kurudi pamoja. Kwangu mimi kama nikufiwa nimefiwa.”
May God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.”
15 Basi hao watu wakazichukua zile zawadi na zile fedha mara mbili pamoja na Benyamini. Wakafanya haraka kwenda Misri na walipofika wakajionyesha kwa Yosefu.
The men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and got up, went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
16 Yosefu alipomwona Benyamini pamoja nao, akamwambia msimamizi wa nyumba yake, “Wachukue watu hawa nyumbani kwangu, mchinje mnyama na kuandalia chakula kwa kuwa watakula chakula cha mchana pamoja nami.”
When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Bring the men into the house, and butcher an animal, and prepare; for the men will dine with me at noon.”
17 Yule Msimamizi akafanya kama Yosefu alivyomwambia na akawachukua wale watu nyumbani kwa Yosefu.
The man did as Joseph commanded, and the man brought the men to Joseph’s house.
18 Basi watu hao wakaogopa walipopelekwa nyumbani kwa Yosefu. Wakafikiri, “Tumeletwa hapa kwa ajili ya zile fedha zilizorudishwa katika magunia yetu mara ile ya kwanza. Anataka kutushambulia na kutushinda, atuchukue sisi kama watumwa, na atwae hawa punda zetu.”
The men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph’s house; and they said, “Because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time, we are brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, attack us, and seize us as slaves, along with our donkeys.”
19 Hivyo wakamwendea msimamizi wa nyumba wa Yosefu na kuzungumza naye kwenye ingilio la nyumbani.
They came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they spoke to him at the door of the house,
20 Wakasema, “Tafadhali bwana, tulikuja hapa mara ya kwanza kununua chakula.
and said, “Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food.
21 Lakini mahali pale tulipotua wakati wa jioni tulifungua magunia yetu, na kila mmoja wetu akakuta fedha zake, kwenye mdomo wa gunia lake kiasi kile kile tulicholeta. Kwa hiyo tumezirudisha.
When we came to the lodging place, we opened our sacks, and behold, each man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. We have brought it back in our hand.
22 Pia tumeleta fedha nyingine kwa ajili ya kununulia chakula. Hatujui ni nani aliziweka fedha hizo katika magunia yetu.”
We have brought down other money in our hand to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks.”
23 Akawaambia, “Vema, msiogope. Mungu wenu, Mungu wa baba yenu, amewapa ninyi hazina katika magunia yenu; mimi nilipokea fedha yenu.” Ndipo akawaletea Simeoni.
He said, “Peace be to you. Do not be afraid. Your God, and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks. I received your money.” He brought Simeon out to them.
24 Msimamizi akawapeleka wale watu katika nyumba ya Yosefu, akawapa maji ya kunawa miguu na kuwapa punda wao majani.
The man brought the men into Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet. He gave their donkeys fodder.
25 Wakaandaa zawadi zao ili wampe Yosefu wakati atakapofika adhuhuri, kwa kuwa walikuwa wamesikia kwamba watakula chakula huko.
They prepared the present for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there.
26 Yosefu alipokuja nyumbani, walimkabidhi zile zawadi walizokuwa nazo, ambazo walikuwa wamezileta mle nyumbani, nao wakamsujudia hadi nchi.
When Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves down to the earth before him.
27 Akawauliza kuhusu hali yao, kisha akawaambia, “Yule baba yenu mzee mliyeniambia habari zake, yu hali gani? Je, bado yu hai?”
He asked them of their welfare, and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he yet alive?”
28 Wakamjibu, “Mtumishi wako baba yetu bado anaishi na ni mzima.” Kisha wakainama chini kumpa heshima.
They said, “Your servant, our father, is well. He is still alive.” They bowed down humbly.
29 Alipotazama na kumwona Benyamini ndugu yake, mwana wa mama yake hasa, akauliza, “Je, huyu ndiye ndugu yenu wa mwisho, ambaye mlinieleza habari zake?” Ndipo akasema, “Mungu na akufadhili, mwanangu.”
He lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin, his brother, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?” He said, “God be gracious to you, my son.”
30 Akiwa ameguswa sana kwa kumwona ndugu yake, Yosefu akatoka nje kwa haraka na kutafuta mahali pa kulilia. Akaingia kwenye chumba chake cha pekee na kulilia humo.
Joseph hurried, for his heart yearned over his brother; and he sought a place to weep. He entered into his room, and wept there.
31 Baada ya kunawa uso wake, akatoka nje na huku akijizuia akasema, “Pakueni chakula.”
He washed his face, and came out. He controlled himself, and said, “Serve the meal.”
32 Wakampakulia Yosefu peke yake, ndugu zake peke yao na Wamisri waliokula pamoja naye peke yao, kwa sababu Wamisri wasingeweza kula pamoja na Waebrania, kwa maana ilikuwa ni chukizo kwa Wamisri.
They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians do not eat with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.
33 Watu hao walikuwa wameketi mbele yake kwa mfuatano wa umri wao, kuanzia mzaliwa wa kwanza hadi mzaliwa wa mwisho, wakatazamana wao kwa wao kwa mshangao.
They sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth, and the men marveled with one another.
34 Wakati walipelekewa sehemu ya chakula kutoka mezani mwa Yosefu, sehemu ya Benyamini ilikuwa mara tano zaidi ya sehemu ya wale wengine. Kwa hiyo wakanywa na kufurahi pamoja naye.
He sent portions to them from before him, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. They drank, and were merry with him.
