Mwanzo 43
1 Wakati huu njaa ilikuwa bado ni kali mno katika nchi.
And the famine was grievous 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 grain which they had brought from 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 Judah spoke to him, saying, The man did positively testify to us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, unless your brother be with you.
4 Kama utakubali ndugu yetu aende pamoja nasi, tutakwenda kuwanunulia chakula.
If thou wilt 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 do not send [him], we will not go down, for the man said to us, Ye shall not see my face, unless your 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 deal [so] ill with me [as] to tell the man whether ye had yet 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 asked very closely after us, and after our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye a brother? And we told him according to the tenor of these words. Could we at all 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.
And Judah said to Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live, and not die, both we and thou and 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 surety for him: of my hand shalt thou require him; if I bring him not to thee, and set him before thy face, then shall I be guilty toward thee for ever.
10 Hakika, kama hatukuchelewa kuondoka, tungekuwa tumekwenda na kurudi mara mbili.”
For had we not lingered, we should now certainly have returned already 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 their father Israel said to them, If it is then so, do this: take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a gift: a little balsam and a little honey, tragacanth and ladanum, pistacia-nuts and almonds.
12 Chukueni fedha mara mbili, kwa kuwa mtazirudisha zile fedha zilizowekwa midomoni mwa magunia yenu. Labda ziliwekwa kwa makosa.
And take other money in your hand, and the money that was returned to you in the mouth of your sacks, carry back in your hand: perhaps it is an oversight.
13 Mchukueni ndugu yenu pia mrudi kwa huyo mtu mara moja.
And take your brother, and arise, go again 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 the Almighty God give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother and Benjamin! And I, if I be bereaved of children, 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 took that gift, and took double money in their hand, and Benjamin, and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and came 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 Benjamin with them, and said to the [man] who was over his house, Bring the men into the house, and slaughter cattle, and make ready; for the men shall eat with me at noon.
17 Yule Msimamizi akafanya kama Yosefu alivyomwambia na akawachukua wale watu nyumbani kwa Yosefu.
And the man did as Joseph had said; and the man brought the men into 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.”
And the men were afraid because they were brought into Joseph's house, and said, Because of the money that was returned to us in our sacks at the beginning are we brought in, that he may turn against us, and fall upon us and take us for bondmen, and our asses.
19 Hivyo wakamwendea msimamizi wa nyumba wa Yosefu na kuzungumza naye kwenye ingilio la nyumbani.
And they came up to the man that was over 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, Ah! my lord, we came indeed down at the 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 the inn, that we opened our sacks, and behold, [every] man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money according to its weight; and we have brought it again in our hand.
22 Pia tumeleta fedha nyingine kwa ajili ya kununulia chakula. Hatujui ni nani aliziweka fedha hizo katika magunia yetu.”
And other money have we brought down 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.
And he said, Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks; your money came to me. And 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.
And the man brought the men into Joseph's house, and gave water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their asses food.
25 Wakaandaa zawadi zao ili wampe Yosefu wakati atakapofika adhuhuri, kwa kuwa walikuwa wamesikia kwamba watakula chakula huko.
And they made ready the gift for Joseph's coming at noon; for they had 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 gift that was in their hand, into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth.
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 of their welfare, and said, Is your father well — the old man of whom ye spoke? Is he yet alive?
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 they bowed, and made obeisance.
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 he lifted up his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, Is this your younger brother of whom ye spoke to me? And he said, God be gracious to 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 made haste, for his bowels burned for his brother; and he sought [a place] to weep, and he went into the 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 controlled 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 for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves; because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination unto 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 firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth; and the men marvelled one at 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.
And he had portions carried to them from before him. And Benjamin's portion was five times greater than the portions of them all. And they drank, and made merry with him.
