Mwanzo 37
1 Yakobo akaishi katika nchi aliyokaa babaye, katika nchi ya Kanaani.
Now Jacob was living in the land where his father had made a place for himself, in 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.
These are the generations of Jacob: Joseph, a boy seventeen years old, was looking after the flock, together with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's wives; and Joseph gave their father a bad account of them.
3 Basi Israeli akampenda Yusufu kuliko wanawe wote kwa sababu alikuwa mwana wa uzee wake. Akamshonea vazi zuri.
Now the love which Israel had for Joseph was greater than his love for all his other children, because he got him when he was an old man: and he had a long coat made for him.
4 Ndugu zake wakaona kwamba baba yao alimpenda sana kuliko ndugu zake wote. Wakamchukia na hawakuongea naye vema.
And because his brothers saw that Joseph was dearer to his father than all the others, they were full of hate for him, and would not say a kind word to him.
5 Yusufu akaota ndoto, na akawambia ndugu zake. Wakamchukia zaidi.
Now Joseph had a dream, and he gave his brothers an account of it, which made their hate greater than ever.
6 Aliwambia, “Tafadhari sikilizeni ndoto hii niliyoiota.
And he said to them, Let me give you the story of my dream.
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 in the field, getting the grain stems together, and my grain kept upright, and yours came round and went down on the earth before mine.
8 Ndugu zake wakamwambia, “Je ni kweli utatutawala? Je utatutawala juu yetu? Hata wakamchukia zaidi kwa ajili ya ndoto zake na maneno yake.
And his brothers said to him, Are you to be our king? will you have authority over us? And because of his dream and his words, their hate for him became greater than ever.
9 Akaota ndoto nyingine na kuwasimulia ndugu zake. Alisema, “Tazama, nimeota ndoto nyingine: Jua na mwezi na nyota kumi na moja ziliniinamia.”
Then he had another dream, and gave his brothers an account of it, saying, I have had another dream: the sun and the moon and eleven stars gave honour 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?”
And he gave word of it to his father and his brothers; but his father protesting said, What sort of a dream is this? am I and your mother and your brothers to go down on our faces to the earth before you?
11 Ndugu zake wakamwonea wivu, lakini baba yake akaliwema jambo hilo moyoni.
And his brothers were full of envy; but his father kept his words in mind.
12 Ndugu zake wakaenda kulichunga kundi la baba yao huko Shekemu.
Now his brothers went to keep watch over their father's flock in Shechem.
13 Israeli akamwambia Yusufu, 'Je ndugu zako hawalichungi kundi huko Shekemu? Njoo, nami nitakutuma kwao.” Yusufu akamwambia, “nipo tayari.”
And Israel said to Joseph, Are not your brothers with the flock in Shechem? come, I will send you to them. And he said to him, Here am I.
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.
And he said to him, Go now, and see if your brothers are well and how the flock is; then come back and give me word. So he sent him out of the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.
15 Mtu mmoja akamwona Yusufu. Tazama, Yusufu alikuwa akizunguka kondeni. Yule mtu akamwuliza, “Unatafuta nini?”
And a man saw him wandering in the country, and said to him, What are you looking for?
16 Yusufu akamwambia, “Nawatafuta ndugu zangu. Tafadhari, niambie, wananalichunga wapi kundi.”
And he said, I am looking for my brothers; please give me word of where they are keeping their flock.
17 Yule mtu akasema, “Waliondoka mahali hapa, kwa maana niliwasikia wakisema, 'Haya twende Dothani.” Yusufu akawafuata ndugu zake na kuwaona huko Dothani.
And the man said, They have gone away from here, for they said in my hearing, Let us go to Dothan. So Joseph went after them and came up with them at Dothan.
18 Wakamwona kutokea mbali, na kabla hajawakaribia, wakapanga njama ya kumwua.
But they saw him when he was a long way off, and before he came near them they made a secret design against him to put him to death;
19 Ndugu zake wakaambiana wao kwa wao, “Tazama, mwotaji anakaribia.
Saying to one another, See, here comes this dreamer.
20 Njoni sasa, na tumwue na kumtupa katika mojawapo ya mashimo haya. Nasi tutasema, 'Mnyama mkali amemrarua.' Nasi tutaona ndoto zake zitakuwaje.”
Let us now put him to death and put his body into one of these holes, and we will say, An evil beast has put him to death: then we will see what becomes of his dreams.
21 Rubeni alilisikia hilo na kumwokoa kutoka katika mikono yao. Alisema, “Tusiuondoe uhai wake.”
But Reuben, hearing these words, got him out of their hands, saying, Let us not take his life.
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 put him to a violent death, but let him be placed in one of the holes; this he said to keep him safe from their hands, with the purpose of taking him back to his father again.
23 Ikawa Yusufu alipowafikia ndugu zake, walimvua vazi lake zuri.
So when Joseph came to his brothers, they took off his long coat which he had on;
24 Wakamchukua na kumtupa shimoni. Shimo lilikuwa tupu bila maji.
And they took him and put him in the hole: now the hole had 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.
Then seating themselves, they took their meal: and looking up, they saw a travelling band of Ishmaelites, coming from Gilead on their way to Egypt, with spices and perfumes on their camels.
26 Yuda akawambia ndugu zake, “Ni faida gani kama tutamwua ndugu yetu na kufunika damu yake?
And Judah said to his brothers, What profit is there in putting our brother to death and covering 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.
Let us give him to these Ishmaelites for a price, and let us not put violent hands on him, for he is our brother, our flesh. And his brothers gave ear to him.
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.
And some traders from Midian went by; so pulling Joseph up out of the hole, they gave him to the Ishmaelites for twenty bits of silver, and they took him to Egypt.
29 Rubeni akarudi kwenye shimo, na, tazama, Yusufu hakuwemo shimoni. Akararua mavazi yake.
Now when Reuben came back to the hole, Joseph was not there; and giving signs of grief,
30 Akarudi kwa ndugu zake na kusema, “Kijana yuko wapi? Na mimi, je niende wapi?”
He went back to his brothers, and said, The child is gone; what am I to do?
31 Wakachinja mbuzi na kisha wakalichukua vazi la Yusufu na kulichovya katika damu.
Then they took Joseph's coat, and put on it some of the blood from a young goat which they had put to death,
32 Kisha wakalipeleka kwa baba yao na kusema, “Tumeiona hii. Tafadhari angalia kwamba ni vazi la mwanao au hapana.”
And they took the coat to their father, and said, We came across this; is it your son's coat or not?
33 “Yakobo akaitambua na kusema, “Ni nguo ya mwanangu. Mnyama wa mwitu amemrarua. Bila shaka Yusufu ameraruliwa katika vipande.
And he saw that it was, and said, It is my son's coat; an evil beast has put him to death; without doubt Joseph has come to a cruel end.
34 Yakobo akararua mavazi yake na kuvaa mavazi ya magunia katika viuno vyake. Akaomboleza kwa ajili ya mwanawe siku nyingi.
Then Jacob, giving signs of grief, put on haircloth, and went on weeping for his son day after day.
35 Wanawe na binti zake wote wakainuka na kumfariji, lakini alikataa kufarijiwa. Akasema, “Hakika nitashuka kuzimu nikimwombolezea mwanangu.” Babaye akamlilia. (Sheol h7585)
And all his sons and all his daughters came to give him comfort, but he would not be comforted, saying with weeping, I will go down to the underworld to my son. So great was his father's sorrow for him. (Sheol h7585)
36 Wamidiani wakamwuza huko Misri kwa Potifa, afisa wa Farao, kepteni wa walinzi.
And in Egypt the men of Midian gave him for a price to Potiphar, a captain of high position in Pharaoh's house.
