Kutoka 5
1 Baada ya mambo haya kutokea, Musa na Aruni walienda kwa Farao na kumwambia, ““Hivi ndivyo Yahwe, Mungu wa Israeli anasema: 'Waache watu wangu waende, ili wapate kunifanyia karamu jangwani.'”
After this Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and told him, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says, ‘Let my people go so they can hold a religious festival for me in the desert.’”
2 Farao akasema, “Yahwe ni nani? Kwa nini mimi nisikiliz sauti yake na kuwaacha Israeli waende? Mimi simjui Yahwe; na la zaidi, sitawaacha Israeli waende.”
“Who is this ‘Lord’ that I should listen to his request to let Israel go?” Pharaoh replied. “I don't know the Lord and I certainly won't let Israel leave!”
3 Wakasema, “Mungu wa Waebrania amekutana nasi. Tuache twende safari jangwani kwa siku tatu ili tutoe sadaka kwa Yahwe Mungu wetu ili asituadhibu kwa mapigo au kwa upanga.”
“The God of the Hebrews came to us,” they added. “Please allow us to go a three days journey into the desert and offer sacrifices to the Lord our God. Otherwise he'll kill us by disease or by the sword.”
4 Lakini mfalme wa Misri aliwaambia, “Musa na Aruni, kwa nini mnawatoa watu kazini mwao? Nendeni kazini kwenu.”
“Moses and Aaron, why are you trying to take people away from their assigned labor?” Pharaoh asked. “Get back to work!” he ordered.
5 Pia alisema, “Sasa kuna Waebrania wengi nchini mwetu, na ninyi mnawafanya waache kazi zao.”
“Look here,” he went on. “There are many of your people here in our country and you are preventing them from doing their assigned labor.”
6 Siku ile ile, Farao alitoa amri kwa wasimamizi na wanyapara wa wale watu. Akasema,
That very day he ordered the slave drivers and those in charge of the people:
7 “Tofauti na ilivyokuwa mwanzo, “Tofauti ni ilivyokuwa awali, msiwapatie tena watu majani ya kutengenezea tofali. Waacheni wao waende kujitafutia majani wenyewe.
“Don't give them any more straw to make bricks like before. Have them go and collect the straw themselves.
8 Ingawa wanapaswa kuleta hesabu sawa ya matofali watakayotengeneza kama ilivyokuwa awali. Msipokee pungufu, kwasababu wao ni wavivu. Ndiyo maana wanapiga kelele na kusema, 'turuhusu tuende tukamtolee sadaka Mungu wetu.'
But still make them produce the same quantity of bricks as before. They're lazy people—that's why they're calling out, asking, ‘Please let us go and offer sacrifices to our god.
9 Waongezeeni kazi wanaume ili wasipate tena muda wa kusikiliza maneno ya upotoshaji.”
Make their work harder so they can get on with it and not pay any attention to all these lies!”
10 Kwa hiyo viongozi wa watu na waangalizi wao waliwajulisha watu. Walisema, “Hivi ndivyo farao amesema: 'Sitawapeni tena malighafi.
So the slave drivers and those in charge went out and told the people, “This is what Pharaoh has ordered: ‘I won't give you any more straw.
11 Nyinyi wenyewe mtaenda kutafuta majani popote mtakapopata, lakini kazi zenu hazitapunguzwa.
Go and get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it, because your work quota won't be reduced.”
12 Basi watu hao wakatawanyika katika nchi yote ya Misri ili wapate kukusanya matakataka badala ya majani.
So the people went all over Egypt collecting stubble for straw.
13 Wasimamizi wao wakawahimiza na kusema, “Malizeni kazi zenu, sawa na wakati ule majani yalipokuwapo.”
The slave drivers kept on forcing them, saying, “You still have to do the same work as you did when you had straw provided!”
14 Wanyapara wa Farao wakawapiga wasimamizi wa Waisraeli, watu walewale ambao waliwaweka kuwa wasimamizi wa watumishi. Wale Wanyapara wakakazana kuwauliza, “Kwanini hamjatimiza idadi ya matofali inayotakiwa kwenu, siku ya jana na hata leo kama ambavyo mlifanya siku za nyuma?”
They beat the Israelite supervisors they had put in charge, shouting at them, “Why haven't you met your quota of bricks as you did before?”
15 Basi Wanyapara wa wana wa Israeli wakamwendea Farao na kumlilia. Walisema, “Kwanini unawatendea watumishi wako hivi?
The Israelite supervisors went to Pharaoh to complain, saying, “Why are you treating us your servants like this?
16 Sisi watumishi wako hatupewi majani tena, lakini bado wanatuambia sisi, “Tengenezeni tofali!' Sisi watumwa wako tunapigwa sasa, lakini kosa hilo ni la watu wako.”
You don't give us any straw but your slave drivers demand that we make bricks, and they beat us! Your people are treating us badly!”
17 Lakini Farao akasema, “Ninyi ni wavivu! Wavivu ninyi! Ninyi mwasema, 'Turuhusu twende kumtolea Yahwe sadaka.'
“No, you're just lazy, lazy people!” Pharaoh replied. “That's why you keep on asking, ‘Please let us go and offer sacrifices to the Lord.’
18 Sasa rudini kazini. Hamtapewa majani tena, lakini mnapaswa kutengeneza idadi ile ile ya matofali.”
Now get out of here and go back to work! You won't be given any straw but you'll still have to produce the full quota of bricks!”
19 Wanyapara wa wana wa Israeli wakagundua ya kuwa walikuwa kwenye shida kubwa mara walipoambiwa, “Hamtapunguza kamwe idadi ya matofali mnayotengeneza kila siku.”
The Israelite supervisors realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You must not reduce the daily production of bricks.”
20 Wakakutana na Musa na Haruni, waliokuwa wamesimama nje ya Ikulu wakati wanatoka kwa Farao.
They went over to Moses and Aaron who were waiting for them after their meeting with Pharaoh,
21 Wakawaambia Musa na Haruni, “Yahwe awatazame ninyi na kuwaadhibu, kwa sababu mmetufanya sisi kuonekana wabaya mbele ya Farao na watumishi wake. Mmetia upanga mikononi mwao ili watuue.”
and said, “May the Lord see what you have done and judge you accordingly! You have made us like a bad smell to Pharaoh and his officials. You have put a sword in their hands to kill us!”
22 Musa akarudi kwa BWANA na kumwambia, “Bwana, kwanini umewatenda mabaya watu hawa? Kwanini kunituma mimi kwanza?
Moses went back to the Lord and complained, “Why have you caused all this trouble for your own people, Lord? Was this why you sent me?
23 Tangu nilipokuja kwa Farao kusema naye kwa jina lako, amewatenda mabaya watu hawa, wala hujawaokoa watu wako hata kidogo.”
Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak for you, he has been even harder on your people, and you haven't done anything to save them!”
