Mwanzo 28
1 Isaka akamwita Yakobo, akambariki, na kumwagiza, “Usichukuwe mwanamke katika wanawake wa Kikanaani.
Isaac called Jacob, blessed him, and commanded him, "You must not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan.
2 Inuka, nenda Padani Aramu, katika nyumba ya Bethueli baba wa mama yako, na uchukue mwanamke pale, mmojawapo wa binti za Labani, kaka wa mama yako.
Arise, go to Paddan Aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother's father. Take a wife from there from the daughters of Laban, your mother's brother.
3 Mungu Mwenyezi na akubariki, akupe uzao na akuzidishe, hata uwe wingi wa watu.
May El Shaddai bless you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, that you may be a company of peoples,
4 Na akupe baraka ya Ibrahimu, wewe, na uzao wako baada yako, kwamba uweze kumilki nchi ambapo umekuwa ukiishi, ambayo Mungu alimpa Ibrahimu.”
and give you the blessing of Abraham, to you, and to your descendants with you, that you may inherit the land where you travel, which God gave to Abraham."
5 Hivyo Isaka akamwondoa Yakobo. Yakobo akaenda Padani Aramu, kwa Labani mwana wa Bethueli Mwaramu, kaka wa Rebeka, mama yao Yakobo na Esau.
Isaac sent Jacob away. He went to Paddan Aram to Laban, son of Bethuel the Aramean, Rebekah's brother, Jacob's and Esau's mother.
6 Basi Esau alipoona kwamba Isaka amembariki Yakobo na kumpeleka Padani Aramu, kuchukua mke kutoka pale. Lakini pia akaona kwamba Isaka alikuwa amembariki na kumwagiza, akisema, “Usichukue mke katika wanawake wa Kanaani.”
Now Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Paddan Aram, to take him a wife from there, and that as he blessed him he gave him a command, saying, "You must not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan,"
7 Esau pia akaona kwamba Yakobo alikuwa amemtii baba yake na mama yake, na alikuwa amekwenda Padani Aramu.
and that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and left for Paddan Aram.
8 Esau akaona kwamba wanawake wa Kanaani hawakumpendeza Isaka baba yake.
Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan did not please Isaac, his father.
9 Hivyo akaenda kwa Ishmaeli, na kuchukua, mbali na wake aliokuwa nao, Mahalathi binti Ishmaeli, mwana wa Ibrahimu, dada wa Nebayothi, kuwa mke wake.
Esau went to Ishmael, and took, besides the wives that he had, Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's son, the sister of Nebaioth, to be his wife.
10 Yakobo akatoka Beersheba na akaelekea Harani.
Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran.
11 Akaja mahali fulani na akakaa pale usiku kucha, kwa kuwa jua lilikuwa limekuchwa. Akachukua mojawapo ya mawe katika eneo hilo, akaliweka chini ya kichwa chake, na akalala usingizi katika eneo hilo.
He came to a certain place, and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. He took one of the stones of the place, and put it under his head, and lay down in that place to sleep.
12 Akaota na kuona ngazi imewekwa juu ya nchi. Ncha yake ilifika hata mbinguni na malaika wa Mungu walikuwa wakishuka na kupanda juu yake.
And he dreamed. And look, a stairway was set upon the earth, and its top reached to heaven. And look, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
13 Tazama, Yahwe amesimama juu yake na kusema, “Mimi ni Yahwe, Mungu wa Ibrahimu baba yako, na Mungu wa Isaka. Nchi uliyolala juu yake, nitakupa wewe na uzao wako.
And God stood above it, and said, "I am the God of Abraham your grandfather, and the God of Isaac. The land on which you are lying I will give to you and to your descendants.
14 Uzao wako utakuwa kama mavumbi ya ardhi, na utaenea mbali kuelekea magharibi, mashariki, kaskazini, na kusini. Kupitia kwako na kupitia uzao wako familia zote za dunia zitabarikiwa.
Your descendants will be as the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south. And through you and through your descendants will all the families of the earth be blessed.
15 Tazama, mimi nipo nawe, na nitakulinda kila uendako, Nitakurudisha katika nchi hii tena; kwani sitakuacha. Nitafanya kila nililokuahidi.”
And look, I am with you, and will watch over you wherever you go, and will bring you again into this land. For I will not leave you, until I have done that which I have spoken of to you."
16 Yakobo akaamka katika usingizi, na akasema, “Hakika Yahwe yupo mahali hapa, sikujua hili.”
Then Jacob woke up from his sleep, and said, "Surely God is in this place, and I did not know it."
17 Akaogopa na kusema, “Eneo hili linatisha kama nini! Hili sio kingine zaidi ya nyumba ya Mungu. Hili ni lango la mbinguni.”
He was afraid, and said, "How awesome is this place. This is none other than God's house, and this is the gate of heaven."
18 Yakobo akaamka mapema asubuhi na akachukua jiwe alilokuwa ameliweka chini ya kichwa chake. Akaliweka kama nguzo na kumimina mafuta juu yake.
And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put under his head, and set it up as a standing-stone, and poured oil on top of it.
19 Akapaita pale Betheli, lakini jina la kawaida la mji lilikuwa Luzu.
He called the name of that place Bethel, though previously the city was named Luz.
20 Yakobo akatoa nadhiri, kusema, “Ikiwa Mungu atakuwa nami na atanilinda katika njia nipitayo, na atanipa mkate wa kula, na mavazi ya kuvaa,
Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me, and will watch over me on this journey I am taking, and will give me food to eat, and clothing to put on,
21 hata nikarudi salama katika nyumba ya baba yangu, ndipo Yahwe atakapokuwa Mungu wangu.
so that I return to my father's house safely, then he will be my God,
22 Kisha jiwe hili nililoliweka kama nguzo litakuwa jiwe takatifu. Kutoka katika kila utakachonipa, kwa hakika nitakupa tena sehemu ya kumi.”
and this stone, which I have set up as a standing-stone, will be God's house. Of all that you will give me I will surely give the tenth to you."
