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 Canaanite women.
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, and take a wife from there, one of the daughters of Laban, your mother's brother.
3 Mungu Mwenyezi na akubariki, akupe uzao na akuzidishe, hata uwe wingi wa watu.
May God Almighty bless you, make you fruitful and multiply you, so that you may become a multitude 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.”
May he give you the blessing of Abraham, to you, and to your descendants after you, that you may inherit the land where you have been living, 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.
So Isaac sent Jacob away. Jacob went to Paddan Aram, to Laban son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, 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 a wife from there. He also saw that Isaac had blessed him and given him a command, saying, “You must not take a wife from the women of Canaan.”
7 Esau pia akaona kwamba Yakobo alikuwa amemtii baba yake na mama yake, na alikuwa amekwenda Padani Aramu.
Esau also saw that Jacob had obeyed his father and his mother, and had gone to Paddan Aram.
8 Esau akaona kwamba wanawake wa Kanaani hawakumpendeza Isaka baba yake.
Esau saw that the women 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.
So he 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 left 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 in that place, 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.
He dreamed and saw a stairway set up on the earth. Its top reached to heaven and 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.
Behold, Yahweh stood above it and said, “I am Yahweh, the God of Abraham your father, 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 like the dust of the earth, and you will spread far out to the west, to the east, to the north, and to the south. 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.”
Behold, I am with you, and I will keep you wherever you go. I will bring you into this land again; for I will not leave you. I will do all that I have promised to you.”
16 Yakobo akaamka katika usingizi, na akasema, “Hakika Yahwe yupo mahali hapa, sikujua hili.”
Jacob awoke out of his sleep, and he said, “Surely Yahweh 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 terrifying is this place! This is none other than the house of God. 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.
Jacob arose early in the morning and took the stone that he had put under his head. He set it up as a pillar and poured oil upon the top of it.
19 Akapaita pale Betheli, lakini jina la kawaida la mji lilikuwa Luzu.
He called the name of that place Bethel, but the name of the city originally was Luz.
20 Yakobo akatoa nadhiri, kusema, “Ikiwa Mungu atakuwa nami na atanilinda katika njia nipitayo, na atanipa mkate wa kula, na mavazi ya kuvaa,
Jacob vowed a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will protect me on this road on which I am walking, and will give me bread to eat, and clothes to wear,
21 hata nikarudi salama katika nyumba ya baba yangu, ndipo Yahwe atakapokuwa Mungu wangu.
so that I return safely to my father's house, then Yahweh 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.”
Then this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be a sacred stone. From everything that you give me, I will surely give a tenth back to you.”
