Mwanzo 37
1 Yakobo akaishi katika nchi aliyokaa babaye, katika nchi ya Kanaani.
Now Jacob lived in the land where his father had resided, the land of Canaan.
2 Haya ndiyo matukio yaliyomhusu Yakobo. Yusufu, aliyekuwa kijana wa miaka kumi na saba, alikuwa akilichunga kundi pamoja na ndugu zake. Alikuwa pamoja na wana wa Bilha na pamoja na wana wa Zilpa, wake wa baba yake. Yusufu akaleta taarifa yao mbaya kwa baba yao.
This is the account of Jacob. When Joseph was seventeen years old, he was tending the flock with his brothers, the sons of his father’s wives Bilhah and Zilpah, and he brought their father a bad report about them.
3 Basi Israeli akampenda Yusufu kuliko wanawe wote kwa sababu alikuwa mwana wa uzee wake. Akamshonea vazi zuri.
Now Israel loved Joseph more than his other sons, because Joseph had been born to him in his old age; so he made him a robe of many colors.
4 Ndugu zake wakaona kwamba baba yao alimpenda sana kuliko ndugu zake wote. Wakamchukia na hawakuongea naye vema.
When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.
5 Yusufu akaota ndoto, na akawambia ndugu zake. Wakamchukia zaidi.
Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more.
6 Aliwambia, “Tafadhari sikilizeni ndoto hii niliyoiota.
He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had:
7 Tazama, tulikuwa tukifunga miganda ya nafaka shambani na tazama, mganda wangu ukainuka na kusimama wima, na tazama, miganda yenu ikasogea na kuuinamia mganda wangu”
We were binding sheaves of grain in the field, and suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to mine.”
8 Ndugu zake wakamwambia, “Je ni kweli utatutawala? Je utatutawala juu yetu? Hata wakamchukia zaidi kwa ajili ya ndoto zake na maneno yake.
“Do you intend to reign over us?” his brothers asked. “Will you actually rule us?” So they hated him even more because of his dream and his statements.
9 Akaota ndoto nyingine na kuwasimulia ndugu zake. Alisema, “Tazama, nimeota ndoto nyingine: Jua na mwezi na nyota kumi na moja ziliniinamia.”
Then Joseph had another dream and told it to his brothers. “Look,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”
10 Akamwambia baba yake vile vile alivyowambia ndugu zake, na baba yake akamkemea. Akamwambia, Je umeota ndoto ya namna gani hii? Je mama yako na mimi na ndugu zako kweli tutakuja kukuinamia mpaka chini?”
He told his father and brothers, but his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream that you have had? Will your mother and brothers and I actually come and bow down to the ground before you?”
11 Ndugu zake wakamwonea wivu, lakini baba yake akaliwema jambo hilo moyoni.
And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept in mind what he had said.
12 Ndugu zake wakaenda kulichunga kundi la baba yao huko Shekemu.
Some time later, Joseph’s brothers had gone to pasture their father’s flocks near Shechem.
13 Israeli akamwambia Yusufu, 'Je ndugu zako hawalichungi kundi huko Shekemu? Njoo, nami nitakutuma kwao.” Yusufu akamwambia, “nipo tayari.”
Israel said to him, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flocks at Shechem? Get ready; I am sending you to them.” “I am ready,” Joseph replied.
14 Akamwambia, “Basi nenda, uwaone ndugu zako na kundi wanaendeleaje, na uniletee neno.” Hivyo Yakobo akamtuma kutoka katika bonde la Hebroni, na Yusufu akaenda Shekemu.
Then Israel told him, “Go now and see how your brothers and the flocks are faring, and bring word back to me.” So he sent him off from the Valley of Hebron. And when Joseph arrived in Shechem,
15 Mtu mmoja akamwona Yusufu. Tazama, Yusufu alikuwa akizunguka kondeni. Yule mtu akamwuliza, “Unatafuta nini?”
a man found him wandering in the field and asked, “What are you looking for?”
16 Yusufu akamwambia, “Nawatafuta ndugu zangu. Tafadhari, niambie, wananalichunga wapi kundi.”
“I am looking for my brothers,” Joseph replied. “Can you please tell me where they are pasturing their flocks?”
17 Yule mtu akasema, “Waliondoka mahali hapa, kwa maana niliwasikia wakisema, 'Haya twende Dothani.” Yusufu akawafuata ndugu zake na kuwaona huko Dothani.
“They have moved on from here,” the man answered. “I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’” So Joseph set out after his brothers and found them at Dothan.
18 Wakamwona kutokea mbali, na kabla hajawakaribia, wakapanga njama ya kumwua.
Now Joseph’s brothers saw him in the distance, and before he arrived, they plotted to kill him.
19 Ndugu zake wakaambiana wao kwa wao, “Tazama, mwotaji anakaribia.
“Here comes that dreamer!” they said to one another.
20 Njoni sasa, na tumwue na kumtupa katika mojawapo ya mashimo haya. Nasi tutasema, 'Mnyama mkali amemrarua.' Nasi tutaona ndoto zake zitakuwaje.”
“Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. We can say that a vicious animal has devoured him. Then we shall see what becomes of his dreams!”
21 Rubeni alilisikia hilo na kumwokoa kutoka katika mikono yao. Alisema, “Tusiuondoe uhai wake.”
When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue Joseph from their hands. “Let us not take his life,” he said.
22 Rubeni aliwambia, “Msimwage damu. Mtupeni katika shimo hili lililopo nyikani, lakini msiweke mikono yenu juu yake” - ili kwamba aweze kumwokoa katika mikono yao na kumrudisha kwa baba yake.
“Do not shed his blood. Throw him into this pit in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him.” Reuben said this so that he could rescue Joseph from their hands and return him to his father.
23 Ikawa Yusufu alipowafikia ndugu zake, walimvua vazi lake zuri.
So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the robe of many colors he was wearing—
24 Wakamchukua na kumtupa shimoni. Shimo lilikuwa tupu bila maji.
and they took him and threw him into the pit. Now the pit was empty, with no water in it.
25 Wakakaa chini kula mkate. Walipoinua macho yao na kuangalia, na, tazama, msafara wa Waishmaeli ulikuwa ukija kutoka Gileadi, pamoja na ngamia wao waliochukua viungo, malhamu na manemane. Walikuwa wakisafiri kuvichukua kuelekea Misri.
And as they sat down to eat a meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying spices, balm, and myrrh on their way down to Egypt.
26 Yuda akawambia ndugu zake, “Ni faida gani kama tutamwua ndugu yetu na kufunika damu yake?
Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood?
27 Haya, na tumwuze kwa Waishmaeli na wala tusiweke mikono yetu juu yake. Kwani yeye ni ndugu yetu, nyama yetu.” Ndugu zake wakamsikiliza.
Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay a hand on him; for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And they agreed.
28 Wafanyabiashara wa Kimidiani wakapita. Ndugu zake wakamwinua na kumtoa Yusufu shimoni. Wakamwuza Yusufu kwa Waishmaeli kwa vipande ishirini vya fedha. Waishmaeli wakamchukua Yusufu mpaka Misri.
So when the Midianite traders passed by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.
29 Rubeni akarudi kwenye shimo, na, tazama, Yusufu hakuwemo shimoni. Akararua mavazi yake.
When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes,
30 Akarudi kwa ndugu zake na kusema, “Kijana yuko wapi? Na mimi, je niende wapi?”
returned to his brothers, and said, “The boy is gone! What am I going to do?”
31 Wakachinja mbuzi na kisha wakalichukua vazi la Yusufu na kulichovya katika damu.
Then they took Joseph’s robe, slaughtered a young goat, and dipped the robe in its blood.
32 Kisha wakalipeleka kwa baba yao na kusema, “Tumeiona hii. Tafadhari angalia kwamba ni vazi la mwanao au hapana.”
They sent the robe of many colors to their father and said, “We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son’s robe or not.”
33 “Yakobo akaitambua na kusema, “Ni nguo ya mwanangu. Mnyama wa mwitu amemrarua. Bila shaka Yusufu ameraruliwa katika vipande.
His father recognized it and said, “It is my son’s robe! A vicious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces!”
34 Yakobo akararua mavazi yake na kuvaa mavazi ya magunia katika viuno vyake. Akaomboleza kwa ajili ya mwanawe siku nyingi.
Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth around his waist, and mourned for his son many days.
35 Wanawe na binti zake wote wakainuka na kumfariji, lakini alikataa kufarijiwa. Akasema, “Hakika nitashuka kuzimu nikimwombolezea mwanangu.” Babaye akamlilia. (Sheol h7585)
All his sons and daughters tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “No,” he said. “I will go down to Sheol mourning for my son.” So his father wept for him. (Sheol h7585)
36 Wamidiani wakamwuza huko Misri kwa Potifa, afisa wa Farao, kepteni wa walinzi.
Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard.
