Mwanzo 39
1 Yusufu akaletwa Misri. Potifa, aliyekuwa afisa wa Farao mkuu wa walinzi na Mmisri, akamnunua kutoka kwa Waishmaeli, waliokuwa wamempeleka pale.
Meanwhile, Joseph had been taken down to Egypt, where an Egyptian named Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there.
2 Yahwe alikuwa pamoja na Yusufu na akawa mtu aliyefanikiwa. Aliishi katika nyumba ya Mmisri bwana wake.
And the LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, serving in the household of his Egyptian master.
3 Bwana wake akaona kwamba Yahwe alikuwa pamoja naye na kwamba Yahwe alifanikisha kila kitu alichokifanya.
When his master saw that the LORD was with him and made him prosper in all he did,
4 Yusufu akapata kibali mbele zake. Akamtumikia Potifa. Potifa akamfanya msimamizi juu ya nyumba yake, na kila alichokimiliki, akakiweka chini ya uangalizi wake.
Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household and entrusted him with everything he owned.
5 Ikawa alipomfanya msimamizi juu ya nyumba yake na juu ya kila kitu alichomiliki, Yahwe akaibariki nyumba ya Mmisri kwa sababu ya Yusufu. Baraka za Yahwe zilikuwa juu ya kila kitu alichokuwa nacho Potifa nyumbani na shambani.
From the time that he put Joseph in charge of his household and all he owned, the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s household on account of him. The LORD’s blessing was on everything he owned, both in his house and in his field.
6 Potifa akaweka kila alichokuwa nacho chini ya uangalizi wa Yusufu. Hakuwa na haja ya kufikiri juu ya lolote isipokuwa chakula alichokula tu. Basi Yusufu alikuwa kijana mzuri na wa kuvutia.
So Potiphar left all that he owned in Joseph’s care; he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome,
7 Ikawa baada ya hayo mke wa bwana wake akamtamani Yusufu. Akamwambia, “Lala nami.”
and after some time his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph and said, “Sleep with me.”
8 Lakini yeye alikataa na kumwambia mke wa bwana wake, “Tazama, bwana wangu haangalii chochote nikifanyacho nyumbani, na ameweka kila kitu anachokimiliki chini ya uangalizi wangu.
But he refused. “Look,” he said to his master’s wife, “with me here, my master does not concern himself with anything in his house, and he has entrusted everything he owns to my care.
9 Hakuna mtu aliye mkuu katika nyumba hii kuliko mimi. Hajanidhuiria chochote isipokuwa wewe, kwa sababu wewe ni mkewe. Ni kwa namna gani basi naweza kufanya uovu mkuu namna hii na kumtenda dhambi Mungu?
No one in this house is greater than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do such a great evil and sin against God?”
10 Akamwambia Yusufu siku baada ya siku, lakini yeye akakataa kulala naye wala kuwa naye.
Although Potiphar’s wife spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be near her.
11 Ikawa siku moja aliingia ndani kufanya kazi yake. Hakuna mtu yeyote wa nyumbani aliyekuwepo pale ndani.
One day, however, Joseph went into the house to attend to his work, and not a single household servant was inside.
12 Akashika nguo zake na kusema, “Lala nami.” Akaacha nguo zake mikononi mwake, akakimbia, na kutoka nje.
She grabbed Joseph by his cloak and said, “Sleep with me!” But leaving his cloak in her hand, he escaped and ran outside.
13 Ikawa, alipoona kwamba ameziacha nguo zake mikononi mwake na kwamba amekimbia nje,
When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the house,
14 akawaita watu wa nyumbani mwake na kuwambia, “Tazama, Potifa ameleta Mwebrania huyu kutudhihaki. Aliingia kulala nami, na nikapiga kelele.
she called her household servants. “Look,” she said, “this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us. He came to me so he could sleep with me, but I screamed as loud as I could.
15 Ikawa aliponisikia nikipiga kelele, akaniacha na nguo yake, akakimbia, na kutoka nje.”
When he heard me scream for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.”
16 Akaweka nguo zake karibu naye hata bwana yake alipokuja nyumbani.
So Potiphar’s wife kept Joseph’s cloak beside her until his master came home.
17 Akamwambia maelelezo haya, “Yule mtumishi Mwebrania uliyemleta kwetu, aliingia kunidhihaki.
Then she told him the same story: “The Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me,
18 Ikawa nilipopiga kelele, akaacha nguo yake kwangu akakimbia nje.”
but when I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.”
19 Ikawa, bwana wake aliposikia maelezo aliyoambiwa na mkewe, “Hivi ndivyo mtumishi wako alivyonitenda,” alikasirika sana.
When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is what your slave did to me,” he burned with anger.
20 Bwana wa Yusufu akamchukua na kumweka gerezani, mahali walipowekwa wafungwa wa mfalme. Akawa pale kifungoni.
So Joseph’s master took him and had him thrown into the prison where the king’s prisoners were confined. While Joseph was there in the prison,
21 Lakini Yahwe alikuwa pamoja na Yusufu na kumwonyesha uaminifu wa agano. Akampa kibali mbele ya mlinzi wa gereza.
the LORD was with him and extended kindness to him, granting him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.
22 Mlinzi wa gereza akawaweka mikononi mwa Yusufu wafungwa wote waliokuwa gerezani. Chochote walichokifanya, kilikuwa chini ya uangalizi wa Yusufu.
And the warden put all the prisoners under Joseph’s care, so that he was responsible for all that was done in the prison.
23 Mlinzi wa gereza hakuwa na wasiwasi juu ya chochote kilichokuwa mkononi mwake, kwa sababu Yahwe alikuwa pamoja naye. Yahwe akafanikisha kila alichokifanya.
The warden did not concern himself with anything under Joseph’s care, because the LORD was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.
