Mwanzo 43
1 Wakati huu njaa ilikuwa bado ni kali mno katika nchi.
But the famine prevailed in the land.
2 Hivyo wakati walikuwa wamemaliza kula nafaka yote waliyoileta kutoka Misri, Yakobo baba yao akawaambia, “Rudini Misri mkatununulie chakula kingine zaidi.”
And it came to pass, when they had finished eating the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, that their father said to them, Go again; buy us a little food.
3 Lakini Yuda akamwambia, “Mtu yule alituonya kwa msisitizo, ‘Hamtauona uso wangu tena mpaka mje na ndugu yenu.’
And Judas spoke to him, saying, The man, the lord of the country, positively testified to us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, unless your younger brother be with you.
4 Kama utakubali ndugu yetu aende pamoja nasi, tutakwenda kuwanunulia chakula.
If, then, thou send our brother with us, we will go down, and buy thee food;
5 Lakini ikiwa hutamruhusu aende, hatutakwenda, kwa sababu mtu yule alituambia, ‘Hamtauona uso wangu tena mpaka mje pamoja na ndugu yenu.’”
but if thou send not our brother with us, we will not go: for the man spoke to us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, unless your younger brother be with you.
6 Israeli akauliza, “Kwa nini mkaniletea taabu hii kwa kumwambia yule mtu mlikuwa na ndugu mwingine?”
And Israel said, Why did ye harm me, inasmuch as ye told the man that ye had a 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’?”
And they said, The man closely questioned us about our family also, saying, Does your father yet live, and have ye a brother? and we answered him according to this question: did we know that he would say to us, Bring your brother?
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.
And Judas said to his father Israel, Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and thou, and our store.
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.
And I engage for him; at my hand do thou require him; if I bring him not to thee, and place him before thee, I shall be guilty toward thee for ever.
10 Hakika, kama hatukuchelewa kuondoka, tungekuwa tumekwenda na kurudi mara mbili.”
For if we had not tarried, we should now have returned twice.
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.
And Israel, their father, said to them, If it be so, do this; take of the fruits of the earth in your vessels, and carry down to the man presents of gum and honey, and frankincense, and stacte, and turpentine, and walnuts.
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 hands, and the money that was returned in your sacks, carry back with you, lest peradventure it is a mistake.
13 Mchukueni ndugu yenu pia mrudi kwa huyo mtu mara moja.
And take your brother; and arise, go down 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.”
And my God give you favour in the sight of the man, and send away your other brother, and Benjamin, for I accordingly as I have been bereaved, 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.
And the men having taken these presents, and the double money, took in their hands also Benjamin; and they rose up and 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.”
And Joseph saw them and his brother Benjamin, born of the same mother; and he said to the steward of his household, Bring the men into the house, and slay beasts and make ready, for the men are to eat bread with me at noon.
17 Yule Msimamizi akafanya kama Yosefu alivyomwambia na akawachukua wale watu nyumbani kwa Yosefu.
And the man did as Joseph said; and he brought the men into the house of Joseph.
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.”
And the men, when they perceived that they were brought into the house of Joseph, said, We are brought in because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first; even in order to inform against us, and lay it to our charge; to take us for servants, and our asses.
19 Hivyo wakamwendea msimamizi wa nyumba wa Yosefu na kuzungumza naye kwenye ingilio la nyumbani.
And having approached the man who was over the house of Joseph, they spoke to him in the porch of the house,
20 Wakasema, “Tafadhali bwana, tulikuja hapa mara ya kwanza kununua chakula.
saying, We pray [thee], Sir; we came down at first 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.
And it came to pass, when we came to unlade, and opened our sacks, [there was] also this money of each in his sack; we have now brought back our money by weight in our hands.
22 Pia tumeleta fedha nyingine kwa ajili ya kununulia chakula. Hatujui ni nani aliziweka fedha hizo katika magunia yetu.”
And we have brought other money with us to buy food; we know not who put the money into 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.
And he said to them, [God deal] mercifully with you; be not afraid; your God, and the God of your fathers, has given you treasures in your sacks, and I have enough of your good money. And he brought Symeon out to them.
24 Msimamizi akawapeleka wale watu katika nyumba ya Yosefu, akawapa maji ya kunawa miguu na kuwapa punda wao majani.
And he brought water to wash their feet; and gave provender to their asses.
25 Wakaandaa zawadi zao ili wampe Yosefu wakati atakapofika adhuhuri, kwa kuwa walikuwa wamesikia kwamba watakula chakula huko.
And they prepared their gifts, until Joseph came at noon, for they heard that he was going to dine there.
26 Yosefu alipokuja nyumbani, walimkabidhi zile zawadi walizokuwa nazo, ambazo walikuwa wamezileta mle nyumbani, nao wakamsujudia hadi nchi.
And Joseph entered into the house, and they brought him the gifts which they had in their hands, into the house; and they did him reverence with their face to the ground.
27 Akawauliza kuhusu hali yao, kisha akawaambia, “Yule baba yenu mzee mliyeniambia habari zake, yu hali gani? Je, bado yu hai?”
And he asked them, How are ye? and he said to them, Is your father, the old man of whom ye spoke, well? Does he yet live?
28 Wakamjibu, “Mtumishi wako baba yetu bado anaishi na ni mzima.” Kisha wakainama chini kumpa heshima.
And they said, Thy servant our father is well; he is yet alive. And he said, Blessed be that man by God; —and they bowed, and did him reverence.
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.”
And Joseph lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, born of the same mother; and he said, Is this your younger brother, whom ye spoke of bringing to me? and he said, God have mercy on thee, 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.
And Joseph was troubled, for his bowels yearned over his brother, and he sought to weep; and he went into his chamber, and wept there.
31 Baada ya kunawa uso wake, akatoka nje na huku akijizuia akasema, “Pakueni chakula.”
And he washed his face and came out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.
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.
And they set on [bread] for him alone, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians feasting with him by themselves, for the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews, for it 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.
And they sat before him, the first-born according to his seniority, and the younger according to his youth; and the men looked with amazement every one at his brother.
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.
And they took their portions from him to themselves; but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as the portions of [the others]. And they drank and were filled with drink with him.
