Mwanzo 42
1 Basi Yakobo akafahamu kwamba kuna nafaka huko Misri. Akawambia wanawe, “Kwa nini mnatazamana?
And Jacob hearing that food was sold in Egypt, said to his sons: Why are ye careless?
2 Akasema, “Tazama, nimesikia kwamba kuna nafaka huko Misri. Shukeni huko mkatununulie chakula ili tuishi wala tusife.”
I have heard that wheat is sold in Egypt: go ye down, and buy us necessaries, that we may live, and not be consumed with want.
3 Ndugu kumi wa Yusufu wakashuka Misri kununua chakula.
So the ten brethren of Joseph went down, to buy corn in Egypt:
4 Lakini Benjamini, ndugu wa Yusufu, Yakobo hakumtuma na ndugu zake, kwani alihofu kwamba madhara yaweza kumpata.
Whilst Benjamin was kept at home by Jacob, who said to his brethren: Lest perhaps he take any harm in the journey.
5 Wana wa Israeli wakaja kununua miongoni mwao waliokuja, kwani njaa ilikuwapo katika nchi ya Kanaani.
And they entered into the land of Egypt with others that went to buy. For the famine was in the land of Chanaan.
6 Basi Yusufu alikuwa mtawala juu ya nchi. Ndiye aliyekuwa akiwauzia watu wote wa nchi. Ndugu zake Yusufu wakaja na kumwinamia na nyuso zao hata chini.
And Joseph was governor in the land of Egypt, and corn was sold by his direction to the people. And when his brethren had bowed down to him,
7 Yusufu akawaona ndugu zake na kuwatambua, lakini alijibadili kwao na kuongea nao kwa ukali. Akawambia, “Mmetoka wapi?” Wakasema, “Kutoka nchi ya Kanaani ili kununua chakula.”
And he knew them, he spoke as it were to strangers somewhat roughly, asking them: Whence came you? They answered: From the land of Chanaan, to buy necessaries of life.
8 Yusufu akawatambua ndugu zake, lakini wao hawakumtambua.
And though he knew his brethren, he was not known by them.
9 Yusufu akazikumbuka ndoto aliyoziota kuhusu wao. Akawambia, “Ninyi ni wapelelezi. Mmekuja kuona sehemu za nchi zisizolindwa.”
And remembering the dreams, which formerly he had dreamed, he said to them: You are spies. You are come to view the weaker parts of the land.
10 Wakamwambia, “Hapana, bwana wangu. Watumishi wako wamekuja kununua chakula.
But they said: It is not so, my lord, but thy servants are come to buy food.
11 Sisi sote ni wana wa baba mmoja. Ni watu wa kweli. Watumishi wako siyo wapelelezi.”
We are all the sons of one man: we are come as peaceable men, neither do thy servants go about any evil.
12 Akawambia, “Hapana, mmekuja kuangalia sehemu za nchi zisizolindwa.”
And he answered them: It is otherwise: you are come to consider the unfenced parts of this land.
13 Wakasema, “Sisi watumishi wako tupo ndugu kumi na wawili, wana wa baba mmoja katika nchi ya Kanaani. Tazama, mdogo yupo na baba yetu, na mwingine hayupo hai tena.”
But they said: We thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Chanaan: the youngest is with our father, the other is not living.
14 Yusufu akawambia, “Ndivyo nilivyowambia; ninyi ni wapelelezi.
He saith: This is it that I said: You are spies.
15 Mtajaribiwa kwa njia hii. Kama aishivyo Farao, hamtaondoka hapa, mdogo wenu asipokuja hapa.
I shall now presently try what you are: by the health of Pharao you shall not depart hence, until your youngest brother come.
16 Mtumeni mmoja wenu amlete mdogo wenu. Mtabaki gerezani, hata maneno yenu yatakapothibitishwa, kwamba kuna ukweli ndani yenu.”
Send one of you to fetch him: and you shall be in prison, till what you have said be proved, whether it be true or false: or else by the health of Pharao you are spies.
17 Akawaweka kifungoni kwa siku tatu.
So he put them in prison three days.
18 Katika siku ya tatu Yusufu akaongea nao, “Fanyeni hivi nanyi mtaishi, kwani ninamcha Mungu.
And the third day he brought them out of prison, and said: Do as I have said, and you shall live: for I fear God.
19 Kama ninyi ni watu wa kweli, mmoja wenu atazuiliwa hapa gerezani, lakini ninyi nendeni, chukueni nafaka kwa ajili ya nyumba zenu.
If you be peaceable men, let one of your brethren be bound in prison: and go ye your ways and carry the corn that you have bought, unto your houses.
20 Mleteni mdogo wenu kwangu ili kwamba maneno yenu yathibitishwe nanyi hamtakufa.” Wakafanya hivyo.
And bring your youngest brother to me, that I may find your words to be true, and you may not die. They did as he had said.
21 Wakasemezana wao kwa wao, “Kwa kweli tuna hatia juu ya ndugu yetu kwani tuliona tabu ya nafsi yake alipotusihi nasi hatukusikia. Kwa hiyo taabu hii imeturudia.”
And they talked one to another: We deserve to suffer these things, because we have sinned against our brother, seeing the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear: therefore is this affliction come upon us.
22 Rubeni akawajibu, “Je sikuwambia, 'Msitende dhambi juu ya kijana,' lakini hamkusikia? Basi, tazama, damu yake inatakiwa juu yetu.”
And Ruben one of them, said: Did not I say to you: Do not sin against the boy: and you would not hear me? Behold his blood is required.
23 Lakini hawakuja kwamba Yusufu anawaelewa, kwani kulikuwa na mkalimani kati yao.
And they knew not that Joseph understood, because he spoke to them by an interpreter.
24 Akatoka kwao na kulia. Akarudi kwao na kuongea nao. Akamchukua Simoni miongoni mwao na kumfunga mbele ya macho yao.
And he turned himself away a little while, and wept: and returning he spoke to them.
25 Kisha Yusufu akaagiza watumishi kujaza mifuko yao kwa nafaka, na kurudisha pesa ya kila mmoja katika gunia lake, nakuwapa mahitaji kwa safari. Wakatendewa hivyo.
And taking Simeon, and binding him in their presence, he commanded his servants to fill their sacks with wheat, and to put every man’s money again in their sacks, and to give them besides provisions for the way: and they did so.
26 Hawa ndugu wakapandisha chakula chao juu ya punda zao na kuondoka pale.
But they having loaded their asses with the corn, went their way.
27 Mmoja wao alipofungua gunia lake ili kumlisha punda wao katika sehemu waliyokuwa, akaona pesa yake. Tazama, ilikuwa mdomoni mwa gunia lake.
And one of them opening his sack, to give his beast provender in the inn, saw the money in the sack’s mouth;
28 Akawambia ndugu zake, “Pesa yangu imerudishwa. Tazama, imo katika gunia langu.”Mioyo yao ikazimia na wakageukiana kila mmoja huku wakitetemeka. Wakasema, “Ni nini hiki alichotutendea Mungu?”
And said to his brethren: My money is given me again, behold it is in the sack. And they were astonished, and troubled, and said to one another: What is this that God hath done unto us?
29 Wakaenda kwa Yakobo, baba yao katika nchi ya Kanaani na kumwambia yote yaliyowapata.
And they came to Jacob their father in the land of Chanaan, and they told him all things that had befallen them, saying:
30 Wakasema, “Yule mtu, bwana wa nchi, aliongea nasi kwa ukali na kutudhania kuwa wapelelezi katika nchi.
The lord of the land spoke roughly to us, and took us to be spies of the country.
31 Tukamwambia, 'Tu watu wa kweli sisi. Sisi siyo wapelelezi.
And we answered him: We are peaceable men, and we mean no plot.
32 Tupo ndugu kumi na wawili, wana wa baba yetu. Mmoja hayupo hai tena, na mdogo yupo na baba yetu katika nchi ya Kanaani.”
We are twelve brethren born of one father: one is not living, the youngest is with our father in the land of Chanaan.
33 Yule mtu, bwana wa nchi, akatwambia, 'Kwa hili nitajua kwamba ni watu wa kweli ninyi. Mwacheni mmojawapo wa ndugu zenu, chukueni chakula kwa ajili ya njaa katika nyumba zenu, na mwondoke.
And he said to us: Hereby shall I know that you are peaceable men: Leave one of your brethren with me, and take ye necessary provision for your houses, and go your ways.
34 Mleteni mdogo wenu kwangu. Ndipo nitakapojua kwamba ninyi si wapelelezi, lakini ni watu wa kweli. Kisha nitamwachilia ndugu yenu, na mtafanya biashara katika nchi.”
And bring your youngest brother to me, that I may know you are not spies: and you may receive this man again, that is kept in prison: and afterwards may have leave to buy what you will.
35 Ikawa walipoyafungua magunia yao, na tazama, kila mfuko wa fedha wa mmojawao ulikuwa katika gunia lake. Wakati wao na baba yao walipoona mifuko yao ya fedha, wakaogopa.
When they had told this, they poured out their corn and every man found his money tied in the mouth of his sack: and all being astonished together,
36 Yakobo baba yao akawambia, “Mmeniharibia watoto wao. Yusufu hayupo hai tena, Simoni ameondoka, nanyi mmpeleke Benjamini naye. Mambo haya yote ni kunyume changu.”
Their father Jacob said: You have made me to be without children: Joseph is not living, Simeon is kept in bonds, and Benjamin you will take away: all these evils are fallen upon me.
37 Rubeni akamwambia baba yake, kusema, “Unaweza kuwaua wanangu wawili nisipomrudisha Benjamini kwako. Mweke mikononi mwangu, nami nitamrudisha tena kwako.”
And Ruben answered him: Kill my two sons if I bring him not again to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will restore him to thee.
38 Yakobo akasema, “Mwanangu atashuka pamoja nanyi. Kwani ndugu yake amekufa na yeye peke yake amebaki. Ikiwa madhara yatampata katika njia mnayoiendea, ndipo mtakapozishusha mvi zangu kaburini kwa huzuni.” (Sheol h7585)
But he said: My son shall not go down with you: his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if any mischief befall him in the land to which you go, you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to hell. (Sheol h7585)
