Mwanzo 44
1 Kisha Yosefu akampa yule msimamizi wa nyumbani mwake maagizo haya: “Jaza magunia ya watu hawa kiasi cha chakula ambacho wanaweza kuchukua, na uweke fedha ya kila mtu kwenye mdomo wa gunia lake.
And he commanded him who was over his house, saying, Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry; and put every man's money in the mouth of his sack.
2 Kisha weka kikombe changu kile cha fedha kwenye mdomo wa gunia la yule mdogo wa wote pamoja na fedha zake ambazo angenunulia nafaka yake.” Naye akafanya kama Yosefu alivyosema.
And put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his grain-money. And he did according to the word of Joseph which he had spoken.
3 Kulipopambazuka, hao watu wakaruhusiwa kuondoka pamoja na punda zao.
In the morning, when it was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses.
4 Kabla hawajafika mbali kutoka mjini, Yosefu akamwambia mtumishi wake, “Wafuatilie wale watu mara moja, utakapowakuta, waambie, ‘Kwa nini mmelipiza wema kwa ubaya?
They were gone out of the city, [and] not [yet] far off, when Joseph said to him who was over his house, Up! follow after the men; and when thou overtakest them, thou shalt say to them, Why have ye rewarded evil for good?
5 Je, kikombe hiki sicho anachonywea bwana wangu na pia hukitumia kwa kutabiri mambo yajayo? Hili ni jambo ovu mlilolitenda.’”
Is not this [it] in which my lord drinks, and in which indeed he divines? Ye have done evil [in] what ye have done.
6 Alipowafikia, akarudia maneno haya kwao.
And he overtook them, and he spoke to them these words.
7 Lakini wakamwambia mtumishi, “Kwa nini bwana wangu anasema maneno kama haya? Liwe mbali na watumishi wako wasije wakafanya jambo kama hilo!
And they said to him, Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from thy servants to do such a thing!
8 Hata hivyo tulikurudishia zile fedha kutoka nchi ya Kanaani ambazo tulizikuta kwenye midomo ya magunia yetu. Hivyo kwa nini tuibe fedha au dhahabu kutoka nyumbani kwa bwana wako?
Behold, the money that we found in our sacks' mouths we have brought again to thee from the land of Canaan; and how should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold?
9 Ikiwa yeyote miongoni mwa watumishi wako atapatikana nacho, auawe, na sisi wengine tutakuwa watumwa wa bwana wangu.”
With whomsoever of thy servants it is found, let him die; and we also will be my lord's bondmen.
10 Akajibu, “Vema sana; na iwe kama msemavyo. Yeyote atakayekutwa nacho atakuwa mtumwa wangu, lakini ninyi wengine mtakuwa hamna lawama.”
And he said, Now also [let] it [be] according to your words: let him with whom it is found be my bondman, but ye shall be blameless.
11 Kila mmoja wao akafanya haraka kushusha gunia lake chini na kulifungua.
And they hasted and laid down every man his sack on the ground, and opened every man his sack.
12 Ndipo msimamizi akaendelea kutafuta, akianzia kwa mkubwa wa wote na akaishia kwa mdogo wa wote. Basi kikombe kikapatikana katika gunia la Benyamini.
And he searched carefully: he began at the eldest, and ended at the youngest; and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.
13 Kwa jambo hili, wakararua nguo zao. Ndipo wote wakapakiza mizigo yao juu ya punda zao na kurudi mjini.
Then they rent their clothes, and loaded every man his ass, and they returned to the city.
14 Yosefu alikuwa bado yuko nyumbani mwake wakati Yuda na kaka zake walipoingia, wote wakajitupa chini mbele yake.
And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house; and he was still there; and they fell down before him to the ground.
15 Yosefu akawaambia, “Ni jambo gani hili mlilolifanya? Hamjui kuwa mtu kama mimi anaweza kufahamu mambo kwa njia ya kutabiri?”
And Joseph said to them, What deed is this which ye have done? Did ye not know that such a man as I can certainly divine?
16 Yuda akajibu, “Tutaweza kusema nini kwa bwana wangu? Tutaweza kuzungumza nini? Tutawezaje kuthibitisha kwamba hatuna hatia? Mungu amefunua hatia ya watumishi wako. Sasa sisi tu watumwa wa bwana wangu, sisi wenyewe pamoja na yule aliyepatikana na kikombe.”
And Judah said, What shall we say to my lord? what shall we speak, and how justify ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of thy servants; behold, we are my lord's bondmen, both we, and he in whose hand the cup has been found.
17 Lakini Yosefu alisema, “Liwe mbali nami kufanya jambo kama hili! Mtu yule tu aliyekutwa na kikombe ndiye atakayekuwa mtumwa wangu. Ninyi wengine, rudini kwa baba yenu kwa amani.”
And he said, Far be it from me to do so! The man in whose hand the cup has been found, he shall be my bondman; but as for you, go up in peace to your father.
18 Ndipo Yuda akamwendea na kumwambia: “Tafadhali bwana wangu, mruhusu mtumishi wako aseme neno kwa bwana wangu. Usimkasirikie mtumishi wako, ingawa wewe ni sawa na Farao mwenyewe.
Then Judah came near to him, and said, Ah! my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant; for thou art even as Pharaoh.
19 Bwana wangu aliwauliza watumishi wake, ‘Mnaye baba au ndugu?’
My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother?
20 Nasi tukakujibu, ‘Tunaye baba yetu ambaye ni mzee; pia yupo mwanawe mdogo aliyezaliwa katika uzee wake. Ndugu yake amekufa, na huyu mdogo ndiye mwana pekee kwa mama yake aliyebaki, naye baba yake anampenda.’
And we said to my lord, We have an aged father, and a child born to him in his old age, [yet] young; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother; and his father loves him.
21 “Ndipo ulipowaambia watumishi wako, ‘Mleteni kwangu ili niweze kumwona kwa macho yangu mwenyewe.’
And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down to me, that I may set mine eye on him.
22 Nasi tukamwambia bwana wangu, ‘Kijana hawezi kumwacha baba yake; akimwacha, baba yake atakufa.’
And we said to my lord, The youth cannot leave his father: if he should leave his father, [his father] would die.
23 Lakini ukawaambia watumishi wako, ‘Ndugu yenu mdogo asiposhuka pamoja nanyi, hamtauona uso wangu tena.’
And thou saidst to thy servants, Unless your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more.
24 Tuliporudi nyumbani kwa mtumwa wako baba yangu, tulimwambia lile bwana wangu alilokuwa amesema.
And it came to pass when we came up to thy servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.
25 “Ndipo baba yetu aliposema, ‘Rudini Misri mkanunue chakula kingine.’
And our father said, Go again, buy us a little food.
26 Lakini tukamwambia, ‘Hatuwezi kushuka Misri mpaka ndugu yetu mdogo awe pamoja nasi ndipo tutakapokwenda. Hatutaweza kuuona uso wa yule mtu mpaka ndugu yetu mdogo awe pamoja nasi.’
But we said, We cannot go down: if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down; for we cannot see the man's face unless our youngest brother is with us.
27 “Mtumwa wako baba yangu alituambia, ‘Mnajua mke wangu alinizalia wana wawili.
And thy servant my father said to us, Ye know that my wife bore me two [sons];
28 Mmojawapo alipotea, nami nikasema, “Hakika ameraruliwa vipande vipande.” Nami sijamwona tangu wakati huo.
and the one went out from me, and I said, He must certainly have been torn in pieces; and I have not seen him [again] hitherto.
29 Ikiwa mtaniondolea huyu tena na akapatwa na madhara, mtashusha kichwa changu chenye mvi kaburini nikiwa mwenye huzuni.’ (Sheol h7585)
And if ye take this one also from me, and mischief should befall him, ye will bring down my grey hairs with misery to Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
30 “Hivyo sasa, kama kijana hatakuwa pamoja nasi nitakaporudi kwa mtumishi wako baba yangu, na kama baba yangu, ambaye maisha yake yamefungamanishwa na uhai wa kijana huyu,
And now, when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad is not with us, — seeing that his life is bound up with his life,
31 akiona kijana hayupo nasi, atakufa. Watumishi wako watashusha kichwa chenye mvi cha baba yetu kaburini kwa huzuni. (Sheol h7585)
it will come to pass when he sees that the lad is not [there], that he will die; and thy servants will bring down the grey hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
32 Mtumwa wako alimhakikishia baba yangu usalama wa kijana. Nikamwambia, ‘Kama sikumrudisha kwako nitakuwa mwenye lawama mbele yako, baba yangu, maisha yangu yote!’
For thy servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, If I bring him not to thee, then I shall be guilty toward my father all my days.
33 “Sasa basi, tafadhali mruhusu mtumishi abaki hapa kama mtumwa wa bwana wangu badala ya kijana, naye kijana umruhusu arudi na ndugu zake.
And now, let thy servant stay, I pray thee, instead of the lad a bondman to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brethren;
34 Ninawezaje kurudi kwa baba yangu kama kijana hatakuwa pamoja nami? La hasha! Usiniache nikaone huzuni ile itakayompata baba yangu.”
for how should I go up to my father if the lad were not with me? — lest I see the evil that would come on my father.
