< Mwanzo 38 >

1 Ikawa wakati ule Yuda akawaacha ndugu zake na kukaa na Mwadulami fulani, jina lake Hira.
And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brothers, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.
2 Pale akakutana na binti Mkanaani jina lake Shua. Akamwoa na kulala naye.
And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua. And he took her, and went in to her.
3 Akawa mjamzito na kuzaa mwana. Akaitwa Eri.
And she conceived, and bore a son, and he called his name Er.
4 Akawa mjamzito tena na kuzaa mwana tena. Akamwita jina lake Onani.
And she conceived again, and bore a son, and she called his name Onan.
5 Akazaa mwana mwingine akamwita jina lake Shela. Alikuwa huko Kezibu alipomzaa.
And she yet again bore a son, and called his name Shelah. And he was at Chezib, when she bore him.
6 Yuda akaona mke kwa ajili ya Eri, mzaliwa wake wa kwanza. Jina lake Tamari.
And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.
7 Eri, mzaliwa wa kwanza wa Yuda, alikuwa mwovu mbele za Yahwe. Yahwe akamwua.
And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of Jehovah, and Jehovah killed him.
8 Yuda akamwambia Onani, “Lala na mke wa nduguyo. Fanya wajibu wa shemeji kwake, na umwinulie nduguyo mwana.”
And Judah said to Onan, Go in to thy brother's wife, and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her, and raise up seed to thy brother.
9 Onani alijua kwamba mtoto asingekuwa wake. Pindi alipolala na mke wa kaka yake, alimwaga mbegu juu ya ardhi ili kwamba asimpatie nduguye mtoto.
And Onan knew that the seed would not be his. And it came to pass, when he went in to his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest he should give seed to his brother.
10 Alilolifanya lilikuwa ovu mbele za Yahwe. Yahwe akamwua pia.
And the thing which he did was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and he killed him also.
11 Kisha Yuda akamwambia Tamari, mkwewe, “Ukakae mjane katika nyumb aya baba yako hadi Shela, mwanangu, atakapokuwa.” Kwani aliogopa, “Asije akafa pia, kama nduguze.” Tamari akaondoka na kuishi katika nyumba ya babaye.
Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, Remain a widow in thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown up, for he said, Lest he also die, like his brothers. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house.
12 Baada ya muda mrefu, binti Shua, mkewe Yuda, alikufa. Yuda akafarijika na kwenda kwa wakatao kondoo wake manyoya huko Timna, yeye na rafiki yake, Hira Mwadulami.
And in process of time Shua's daughter, the wife of Judah, died. And Judah was comforted, and went up to his sheep shearers to Timnah, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.
13 Tamari akaambiwa, “Tazama, mkweo anakwenda Timna kukata kondoo wake manyoya.”
And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold, thy father-in-law goes up to Timnah to shear his sheep.
14 Akavua mavazi yake ya ujane na akajifunika kwa ushungi. Akakaa katika lango la Enaimu, lililoko kando ya njia iendayo Timna. Kwa maana aliona kwamba Shela amekua lakini akupewe kuwa mke wake.
And she put the garments of her widowhood off from her, and covered herself with her veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in the gate of Enaim, which is by the way to Timnah, for she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she was not given to him to wife.
15 Yuda alipomwona alidhani ni kahaba kwa maana alikuwa amefunika uso wake.
When Judah saw her, he thought her to be a harlot, for she had covered her face.
16 Akamwendea kando ya njia na kusema, “Njoo, tafadhari uniruhusu kulala nawe” - kwani hakujua kwamba alikuwa ni mkwewe - naye akasema, “Utanipa nini ili ulale nami?
And he turned to her by the way, and said, Come, I pray thee, let me come in to thee, for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, What will thou give me, that thou may come in to me?
17 Akasema, “Nitakuletea mwana mbuzu wa kundi.” Akasema, “Je utanipa rehani hata utakapo leta?”
And he said, I will send thee a kid of the goats from the flock. And she said, Will thou give me a pledge, till thou send it?
18 Akasema, “Nikupe rehani gani?” Naye akasema, “Mhuri wako na mshipi, na fimbo iliyo mkononi mwako.” Akampa na kulala naye. Akawa mjamzito.
And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet and thy cord, and thy staff that is in thy hand. And he gave them to her, and came in to her, and she conceived by him.
19 Akaamka na kuondoka. Akavua ushungi wake na kuvaa vazi la ujane wake.
And she arose, and went away, and put off her veil from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.
20 Yuda akatuma mwana mbuzi kutoka kundini kwa mkono wa rafiki yake Mwadulami ili aichukue rehani kutoka katika mkono wa mwanamke, lakini hakumwona.
And Judah sent the kid of the goats by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive the pledge from the woman's hand, but he did not find her.
21 Kisha Mwadulami akauliza watu wa sehemu hiyo,”Yupo wapi kahaba aliyekuwa Enaimu kando ya njia?” Wakasema, hapajawai tokea kahaba hapa.”
Then he asked the men of her place, saying, Where is the prostitute, who was at Enaim by the wayside? And they said, There has been no prostitute here.
22 Akarudi kwa Yuda na kusema, “Sikumwona. Pia watu wa eneo hilo wamesema, 'Hajawai kuwapo kahaba hapa.”
And he returned to Judah, and said, I have not found her, and also the men of the place said, There has been no prostitute here.
23 Yuda akasema, “Mwache akae na vitu, tusije tukaaibika. Hakika, nimemletea mwanambuzi, lakini hukumwona.”
And Judah said, Let her take it to her, lest we be put to shame. Behold, I sent this kid, and thou have not found her.
24 Ikawa baada ya miezi mitatu Yuda akaambiwa, “Tamari mkweo amefanya ukahaba, na kwa hakika, yeye ni mjamzito.” Yuda akasema, “Mleteni hapa ili achomwe.”
And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter-in-law has played the harlot, and moreover, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.
25 Alipoletwa nje, alipeleka ujumbe kwa mkwewe, “Mimi ni mjamzito kwa mtu mwenye vitu hivi.” Akasema, “Tambua tafadhari, mhuri huu na mshipi na fimbo ni vya nani.”
When she was brought forth, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, By the man, whose these are, I am with child. And she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose these are, the signet, and the cords, and the staff.
26 Yuda akavitambua na kusema, “Yeye ni mwenye haki kuliko mimi, kwani sikumpa Shela, mwanangu awe mme wake.” Hakulala naye tena.
And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She is more righteous than I, inasmuch as I did not give her to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.
27 Muda wake wa kujifungua ukafika, tazama, mapacha walikuwa tumboni mwake.
And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb.
28 Ikawa alipokuwa akijifungua mmoja akatoa mkono nje, na mkunga akachukua kitambaa cha rangi ya zambarau na kukifunga katika mkono wake na kusema, “Huyu ametoka wa kwanza.”
And it came to pass, when she travailed, that one put out a hand. And the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first.
29 Ikawa aliporudisha mkono wake, tazama, ndugu yake akatoka kwanza. Mkunga akasema, “Umetokaje” Na akaitwa Peresi.
And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out. And she said, Why have thou made a breach for thyself? Therefore his name was called Perez.
30 Kisha ndugu yake akatoka, akiwa na utepe wa zambarau juu ya mkono wake, naye akaitwa Zera.
And afterward his brother came out, who had the scarlet thread upon his hand. And his name was called Zerah.

< Mwanzo 38 >