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.'”

And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.

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.”

And Pharaoh said, Who [is] the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.

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.”

And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice to the LORD our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.

4 Lakini mfalme wa Misri aliwaambia, “Musa na Aruni, kwa nini mnawatoa watu kazini mwao? Nendeni kazini kwenu.”

And the king of Egypt said to them, Why do ye, Moses and Aaron, hinder the people from their works; go you to your burdens.

5 Pia alisema, “Sasa kuna Waebrania wengi nchini mwetu, na ninyi mnawafanya waache kazi zao.”

And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now [are] many, and ye make them rest from their burdens.

6 Siku ile ile, Farao alitoa amri kwa wasimamizi na wanyapara wa wale watu. Akasema,

And Pharaoh commanded the same day the task-masters of the people, and their officers, saying,

7 “Tofauti na ilivyokuwa mwanzo, “Tofauti ni ilivyokuwa awali, msiwapatie tena watu majani ya kutengenezea tofali. Waacheni wao waende kujitafutia majani wenyewe.

Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore; let them go and gather straw for 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.'

And the number of the bricks which they made heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish [aught] thereof; for they are idle: therefore they cry, saying, Let us go [and] sacrifice to our God.

9 Waongezeeni kazi wanaume ili wasipate tena muda wa kusikiliza maneno ya upotoshaji.”

Let more work be laid upon the men, that they may labor therein: and let them not regard vain words.

10 Kwa hiyo viongozi wa watu na waangalizi wao waliwajulisha watu. Walisema, “Hivi ndivyo farao amesema: 'Sitawapeni tena malighafi.

And the task-masters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw.

11 Nyinyi wenyewe mtaenda kutafuta majani popote mtakapopata, lakini kazi zenu hazitapunguzwa.

Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not aught of your work shall be diminished.

12 Basi watu hao wakatawanyika katika nchi yote ya Misri ili wapate kukusanya matakataka badala ya majani.

So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt, to gather stubble instead of straw.

13 Wasimamizi wao wakawahimiza na kusema, “Malizeni kazi zenu, sawa na wakati ule majani yalipokuwapo.”

And the task-masters hastened [them], saying, Fulfill your works, [your] daily tasks, as when there was straw.

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?”

And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh's task-masters had set over them, were beaten, [and] demanded, Why have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick, both yesterday and to-day, as heretofore?

15 Basi Wanyapara wa wana wa Israeli wakamwendea Farao na kumlilia. Walisema, “Kwanini unawatendea watumishi wako hivi?

Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, saying, Why dealest thou thus with thy servants?

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.”

There is no straw given to thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and behold, thy servants [are] beaten; but the fault [is] in thy own people.

17 Lakini Farao akasema, “Ninyi ni wavivu! Wavivu ninyi! Ninyi mwasema, 'Turuhusu twende kumtolea Yahwe sadaka.'

But he said, Ye [are] idle, [ye are] idle: therefore ye say, Let us go, [and] do sacrifice to the LORD.

18 Sasa rudini kazini. Hamtapewa majani tena, lakini mnapaswa kutengeneza idadi ile ile ya matofali.”

Go therefore now, [and] work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the number 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.”

And the officers of the children of Israel saw [that] they [were] in evil [case], after it was said, Ye shall not diminish [aught] from your bricks of your daily task.

20 Wakakutana na Musa na Haruni, waliokuwa wamesimama nje ya Ikulu wakati wanatoka kwa Farao.

And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from 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 they said to them, The LORD look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savor to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hands to slay us.

22 Musa akarudi kwa BWANA na kumwambia, “Bwana, kwanini umewatenda mabaya watu hawa? Kwanini kunituma mimi kwanza?

And Moses returned to the LORD, and said, Lord, why hast thou [so] ill treated this people? why [is] it [that] thou hast sent me?

23 Tangu nilipokuja kwa Farao kusema naye kwa jina lako, amewatenda mabaya watu hawa, wala hujawaokoa watu wako hata kidogo.”

For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.