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.

Then he instructed the manager of his house, saying, "Fill the men's sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each man's silver 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.

Put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, along with the silver for his grain." So he did according to the word that Joseph had told him.

3 Kulipopambazuka, hao watu wakaruhusiwa kuondoka pamoja na punda zao.

As soon as the morning dawned, the men were sent off along with their donkeys.

4 Kabla hawajafika mbali kutoka mjini, Yosefu akamwambia mtumishi wake, “Wafuatilie wale watu mara moja, utakapowakuta, waambie, ‘Kwa nini mmelipiza wema kwa ubaya?

When they were far from the city, Joseph said to his manager, "Up, go after the men, and when you overtake them, ask them, 'Why have you repaid evil for good?

5 Je, kikombe hiki sicho anachonywea bwana wangu na pia hukitumia kwa kutabiri mambo yajayo? Hili ni jambo ovu mlilolitenda.’”

Why have you stolen my silver cup? Isn't it from this that my lord drinks and by which he indeed uses for divination? You have done evil in doing this.'"

6 Alipowafikia, akarudia maneno haya kwao.

And he caught up with them and spoke these words to them.

7 Lakini wakamwambia mtumishi, “Kwa nini bwana wangu anasema maneno kama haya? Liwe mbali na watumishi wako wasije wakafanya jambo kama hilo!

But they said to him, "Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants that they should 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?

Look, the money that we found in the mouths of our sacks we brought back to you from the land of Canaan. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord's house?

9 Ikiwa yeyote miongoni mwa watumishi wako atapatikana nacho, auawe, na sisi wengine tutakuwa watumwa wa bwana wangu.”

With whomever of your servants it is found, he must die, and we also will be my lord's slaves."

10 Akajibu, “Vema sana; na iwe kama msemavyo. Yeyote atakayekutwa nacho atakuwa mtumwa wangu, lakini ninyi wengine mtakuwa hamna lawama.”

And he said, "Very well, then, it will be as you say. The one with whom it is found will be my slave, but you will be blameless."

11 Kila mmoja wao akafanya haraka kushusha gunia lake chini na kulifungua.

Then they hurried, and each man lowered his sack to the ground, and each man opened 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, beginning with the oldest, and ending 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 tore their clothes, and each man loaded his donkey and returned to the city.

14 Yosefu alikuwa bado yuko nyumbani mwake wakati Yuda na kaka zake walipoingia, wote wakajitupa chini mbele yake.

So Judah and his brothers came to Joseph's house, and he was still there, and they fell to the ground before him.

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 is this deed that you have done? Didn't you know that a man like me can indeed practice divination?"

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.”

Then Judah said, "What can we say to my lord? What can we speak? And how can we clear ourselves? God has uncovered the guilt of your servants. Look, we are my lord's slaves, both we, and the one in whose possession the cup was 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.”

But he said, "Far be it from me that I should do so. The man in whose possession the cup was found, he will be my slave. But as for you, go up to your father in peace."

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 approached him, and said, "My lord, please allow your servant to speak a word in the ears of my lord, and do not become angry with your servant, for you are like Pharaoh himself.

19 Bwana wangu aliwauliza watumishi wake, ‘Mnaye baba au ndugu?’

My lord asked his servants, saying, 'Do you have 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 a father, an old man, and a child born when he was old, a little one, and his brother is dead, and he is his mother's only child, and his father loves him.'

21 “Ndipo ulipowaambia watumishi wako, ‘Mleteni kwangu ili niweze kumwona kwa macho yangu mwenyewe.’

Then you said to your servants, 'Bring him down to me, so that I can see him myself.'

22 Nasi tukamwambia bwana wangu, ‘Kijana hawezi kumwacha baba yake; akimwacha, baba yake atakufa.’

And we said to my lord, 'The boy can't leave his father: for 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.’

But you said to your servants, 'Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.'

24 Tuliporudi nyumbani kwa mtumwa wako baba yangu, tulimwambia lile bwana wangu alilokuwa amesema.

And it happened when we came up to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.

25 “Ndipo baba yetu aliposema, ‘Rudini Misri mkanunue chakula kingine.’

But 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.’

We said, 'We can't go down. If our youngest brother is with us, then we will 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.

Then your servant my father said to us, 'You 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 disappeared from me, and I said, "Surely he is torn in pieces." And I haven't seen him since.

29 Ikiwa mtaniondolea huyu tena na akapatwa na madhara, mtashusha kichwa changu chenye mvi kaburini nikiwa mwenye huzuni.’ (Sheol h7585)

If you take this one also from me, and harm happens to him, you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow 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,

So now, when I come to your servant my father and the boy is not with us, since his life is bound up in the boy's life,

31 akiona kijana hayupo nasi, atakufa. Watumishi wako watashusha kichwa chenye mvi cha baba yetu kaburini kwa huzuni. (Sheol h7585)

it will happen, when he sees that the boy is not with us, that he will die. Your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your 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 your servant became collateral for the boy to my father, saying, 'If I do not bring him to you, then I will bear the blame to my father forever.'

33 “Sasa basi, tafadhali mruhusu mtumishi abaki hapa kama mtumwa wa bwana wangu badala ya kijana, naye kijana umruhusu arudi na ndugu zake.

So now, please let your servant remain instead of the boy, a slave to my lord, and let the boy go up with his brothers.

34 Ninawezaje kurudi kwa baba yangu kama kijana hatakuwa pamoja nami? La hasha! Usiniache nikaone huzuni ile itakayompata baba yangu.”

For how will I go up to my father if the boy isn't with me? I could not bear to see the misery that would come on my father."