Kutoka 1
1 Haya ndiyo majina ya wana wa Israeli waliokuja Misri pamoja na Yakobo kila moja na familia yake:
These are the names of the children of Israel, that went into Egypt with Jacob: they went in, every man with his household:
2 Rubeni, Simioni, Lawi, na Yuda,
Ruben, Simeon, Levi, Juda,
3 Isakari, Zebuluni, na Benjamini,
Issachar, Zabulon, and Benjamin,
4 Dani, Naftali, Gadi, na Asheri.
Dan, and Nephtali, Gad and Aser.
5 Jumla ya watu wa ukoo wa Yakobo walikuwa sabini. Yusufu alikuwa Misri tayari.
And all the souls that came out of Jacob’s thigh, were seventy: but Joseph was in Egypt.
6 Ndipo Yusufu, pamoja na kaka zake wote, na kizazi chote wakafa.
After he was dead, and all his brethren, and all that generation,
7 Waisraeli walifanikiwa sana, wakaongezeka sana idadi yao, na wakawa na nguvu maana nchi ilijazwa na wao.
The children of Israel increased, and sprung up into multitudes, and growing exceedingly strong they filled the land.
8 Wakati huu sasa mfalme mpya asiyemjua Yusufu aliinuka katika Misri.
In the mean time there arose a new king over Egypt, that knew not Joseph:
9 Akawaambia watu wake, “Tazama, hawa Waisraeli ni wengi na wenye nguvu kuliko sisi.
And he said to his people: Behold the people of the children of Israel are numerous and stronger than we.
10 Njooni na tukae nao kwa akili, ama sivyo wataendelea kuongezeka na kama vita ikiibuka, wataungana na adui zetu, watapigana nasi, na kisha wataondoka.”
Come, let us wisely oppress them, lest they multiply: and if any war shall rise against us, join with our enemies, and having overcome us, depart out of the land.
11 Hivyo wakawekea walinzi ambao waliwatesa kwa kuwatumikisha kazi ngumu. Waisraeli walijenga maghala ya miji kwa ajili ya Farao: Pishoni na Ramsei.
Therefore he set over them masters of the works, to afflict them with burdens, and they built for Pharao cities of tabernacles, Phithom and Ramesses.
12 Lakini kadiri Wamisri walivyowatesa, ndivyo Waisraeli waliendelea kuongezeka na kusambaa. Hivyo Wamisri wakaanza kuwaogopa Waisraeli.
But the more they oppressed them, the more they were multiplied, and increased:
13 Wamisri waliwafanya Waisraeli wafanye kazi kwa nguvu nyingi.
And the Egyptians hated the children of Israel, and afflicted them and mocked them:
14 Waliyafanya maisha yao kuwa machungu kwa kuwafanyisha kazi ngumu kwa vinu na matofali na kwa kila aina ya kazi za shambani. Kazi zao zote zilikuwa ngumu.
And they made their life bitter with hard works in clay, and brick, and with all manner of service, wherewith they were overcharged in the works of the earth.
15 Kisha mfalme wa Misri akawaambia wakunga wa Kiebrania; mmoja wao aliitwa jina lake Shifra, na mwingine aliitwa Puha.
And the king of Egypt spoke to the midwives of the Hebrews: of whom one was called Sephora, the other Phua,
16 Akasema, “Wakati mnapowasaidia wanawake wa Kiebrania wanapojifungua, chunguzeni wanapozaa. Ikiwa ni mtoto wa kiume, basi muueni; bali ikiwa ni mtoto wa kike, basi mwacheni aishi.”
Commanding them: When you shall do the office of midwives to the Hebrew women, and the time of delivery is come: if it be a man child, kill it: if a woman, keep it alive.
17 Lakini wale Wakunga walimwogopa Mungu na hawakufanya kama mfalme wa Misri alivyowaagiza; badala yake waliwaacha watoto wa kiume waishi.
But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded, but saved the men children.
18 Mfalme wa Misri akawaita Wakunga na kuwaambia, “Kwanini mmefanya haya, na kuwaacha watoto wa kiume wakaishi?”
And the king called for them and said: What is that you meant to do, that you would save the men children?
19 Wale Wakunga wakamjibu Farao, “Hawa wanawake wa Kiebrania siyo kama wanawake wa Kimisri. Hawa wana nguvu na jasiri sana maana wao humaliza kuzaa kabla hata mkunga hajafika.”
They answered: The Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women: for they themselves are skillful in the office of a midwife; and they are delivered before we come to them.
20 Mungu aliwalinda hawa Wakunga. Watu waliongezeka kwa idadi na kuwa na nguvu sana.
Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied and grew exceedingly strong.
21 Kwa sababu wale Wakunga walimwogopa Mungu, aliwapa familia.
And because the midwives feared God, he built them houses.
22 Farao akawaagiza watu wote, “Lazima mmutupe kila mtoto wa kiume anayezaliwa katika mto, lakini kila mtoto wa kike wamwache aishi.”
Pharao therefore charged all his people, saying: Whatsoever shall be born of the male sex, ye shall cast into the river: whatsoever of the female, ye shall save alive.
