Mwanzo 43
1 Njaa ilikuwa kali katika nchi.
But the famine, was severe in the land.
2 Ikawa walipokuwa wametumia chakula chote walichokitoa Misri, baba yao akawambia, “Nendeni tena; mtununulie chakula.”
So it came to pass when they had made an end of eating the corn which they had brought in out of Egypt, that their father said unto them, —Return buy for us a little food.
3 Yuda akamwambia, “Yule mtu alituonya kwa ukali, 'Hamtauona uso wangu ndugu yenu asipokuwa nanyi.'
Then spake Judah unto him saying, —The man, did protest, to us saying—Ye shall not see my face, except, your brother, is with you.
4 Ikiwa utamtuma ndugu yetu pamoja nasi, tutashuka na kuwanunulia chakula.
If thou art sending our brother with us, we will certainly go down, and buy for thee food;
5 Lakini usipompeleka, hatutashuka. Kwa maana yule mtu alitwambia, 'Hamtauona uso wangu ndugu yenu asipokuwa nanyi.”
but, if thou art not sending him, we will not go down, for the man, said unto us Ye shall not see my face, except, your brother, is with you.
6 Israeli akawambia, “Kwa nini mlinitendea mimi vibaya hivyo kwa kumwambia mtu huyo kwamba mnaye ndugu mwingine?”
And Israel said, Wherefore did ye ill to me, —to tell the man, there yet remained to you a brother?
7 Wakasema, “Yule mtu alituuliza habari zetu na familia yetu kwa kina. Akasema, 'Je baba yenu bado yuko hai? Je mnaye ndugu mwingine?'Tukamjibu kulingana na maswali haya. Tungejuaje kwamba angetwambia, 'Mleteni ndugu yenu?”
And they said, The man, did ask, concerning ourselves and concerning our kindred saying—Is your father yet alive? Have ye a brother? So we told him according to the tenor of these words. Could we, at all know, that he would say, Bring down your brother?
8 Yuda akamwambia Israeli baba yake, “Mtume kijana pamoja nami. Tutainuka na kwenda ili kwamba tuishi tusife, wote sisi, wewe, na hata watoto wetu.
Then said Judah unto Israel his father—Come! send thou down the young man with me that we may arise and go our way, —and live and not die, both we and thou and our little ones.
9 Mimi nitakuwa mdhamini wake. Utaniwajibisha mimi. Kama nisipomleta na kumweka mbele yako, basi nibebe lawama daima.
I, will be surety for him, at my hand, shalt thou require him, —as surely as I bring him not in unto thee, and set him down before thee, so surely will I be counted a sinner against thee all the days,
10 Kwani kama tusingekawia, bila shaka hata sasa tungekuwa tumekwisha rudi mara ya pili.”
For, if we had not lingered, surely now, had we come back here a second time.
11 Israeli baba yao akawambia, “Kama ni hivyo, basi fanyeni hivi. Chukueni baadhi ya mazao mazuri ya nchi katika mifuko yenu. Mchukulieni yule mtu zawadi: baadhi ya malhamu, asali, viungo na manemane, jozi na lozi.
Then Israel their father said unto them—If so, then do this, —Take of the song of the land in your vessels, and carry down to the man a present, —A little balsam and a little honey, tragacanth gum and cistus gum, pistachio nuts, and almonds.
12 Chukueni pesa mara mbili mikononi mwenu. Pesa iliyorudishwa katika magunia yenu, muichukue tena katika mikono yenu. Pengine walikosea.
And double silver, take in your hand, —also the silver that was put back in the mouth of your sacks, carry ye back in your hand, peradventure it was an error,
13 Mchukueni ndugu yenu pia. Inukeni na mwende tena kwa mtu yule.
Your brother also, take ye, —and arise go again unto the man.
14 Mungu Mwenyezi na awape kuona rehema mbele ya huyo mtu, hivyo kwamba awafungulie ndugu yenu mwingine na Benjamini. Kama nikipotelewa na watoto, nimepotelewa.”
And, God Almighty, give you compassion before the man, so shall he send with you, your other brother, and Benjamin. But, as for me, when I am bereaved, I am bereaved!
15 Watu wale wakachukua zawadi hii, na katika mikono yao wakachukua mara mbili ya kiasi cha pesa, pamoja na Benjamini. Wakaamka na kushuka Misri na kusimama mbele ya Yusufu.
So the men took this present, double silver also, took they in their hand and Benjamin, —and arose and went down into Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
16 Yusufu alipomwona Benjamini akiwa nao, akamwambia mtunzaji wa nyumba yake, “Walete watu hao ndani ya nyumba, chinja mnyama na umwandae, kwani watu hawa watakula chakula cha mchana pamoja nami.”
And Joseph saw—with them—Benjamin, so he said to him that was over his house Bring the men into the house, —and slay meat and make ready, for with me, shall the men eat at noon.
17 Mtunzaji wa nyumba akafanya kama Yusufu alivyosema. Akawaleta wale watu nyumbani kwa Yusufu.
So the men did as Joseph had said, and the man brought the men into Joseph’s house,
18 Wale ndugu wakaogopa kwa vile walivyoletwa katika nyumba ya Yusufu. Wakasema, “Ni kwa sababu ya pesa iliyorudishwa katika magunia yetu mara ya kwanza tulipoletwa ndani, kwamba atafute nafasi kinyume chetu. Kwamba aweze kutukamata na kutuchukua kama watumwa, na kuchukua punda wetu.” Wakamsogelea mtunzaji wa nyumba ya Yusufu,
Then were the men afraid because they had been brought into the house of Joseph, and they said—For the matter of the silver that came back in our sacks at the beginning, have, we, been brought in, —that he may turn round upon us and fall upon us, and take us for servants and our asses.
19 nao wakaongea naye mlangoni mwa nyumba,
So they drew near unto the man that was over Joseph’s house, —and spake unto him at the entrance of the house;
20 wakisema, “Bwana wangu, tulikuja mara ya kwanza kununua chakula.
and said, May it please my lord! We, did indeed come down, at the beginning to buy food.
21 Ikawa, tulipofika katika eneo la kupumzikia, tukafungua magunia yetu, na, tazama, pesa ya kila mtu ilikuwa katika gunia lake, pesa yetu kwa kiasi kamili. Tumeileta katika mikono yetu.
And it came to pass when we had entered into the inn, that we opened our sacks, and lo! the silver of each man, in the mouth of his sack, —our silver in its full weight, —so we have bought it back in our hand!
22 Tumekuja na pesa nyingine pia mikonon mwetu ili kununua chakula. Hatujui aliyeziweka pesa katika magunia yetu.”
And, more silver, have we brought down in our hand, to buy food, —we know not who put our silver in our sacks.
23 Mtunzaji wa nyumba akasema, “Amani iwe kwenu, msiogope. Mungu wenu na Mungu wa baba yenu ndiye aliyeweka pesa katika magunia yenu. Nilipokea pesa yenu.” Kisha mtunzaji wa nyumba akamleta Simoni kwao.
And he said—Peace to you do not fear! Your God, and the God of your father, hath given you secret treasure, in your sacks, as for your silver, it came in unto me. And he brought forth unto them Simeon.
24 Msimamizi wa nyumba akawapeleka watu hao katika nyumba ya Yusufu. Akawapa maji, nao wakaosha miguu yao. Akawalisha punda wao.
So the man brought the men into Joseph’s house, —and gave them water and they bathed their feet, and he gave them provender for their asses.
25 Wakaandaa zawadi kwa ajili ya Yusufu aliyekuwa akija mchana, kwani walikuwa wamesikia kwamba watakula pale.
And they made ready the present, against the coming in of Joseph at noon, —for they heard that it was there they should eat bread.
26 Yusufu alipokuja nyumbani, wakaleta nyumbani zawadi iliyokuwa mikononi mwao, nao wakainama mbele yake hata chini.
So when Joseph came into the house, they brought in to him the present which was in their hand into the house, —and bowed themselves down to him to the earth.
27 Akawauliza juu ya hali zao na kusema,”Je baba yenu hajambo, yule mzee mliyemnena? Je bado yu hai?”
Then asked he after their welfare, and said—Is it well with your aged father, of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive?
28 Wakasema, “Mtumishi wako baba yetu hajambo. Na bado yu hai” Wakajinyenyekeza na kuinama chini.
And they said—It is well with thy servant our father, he is yet alive. And they bent their heads and bowed them-selves down.
29 Alipoinua macho yake akamwona Benjamini ndugu yake, mwana wa mamaye, naye akasema, “Je huyu ndiye mdogo wenu mliyemsema?” Na kisha akasema, “Mungu na awe mwenye neema kwako, mwanangu.”
Then lifted he up his eyes, and saw Benjamin his brother son of his mother, and said—Is, this, your youngest brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God, grant thee favour my son!
30 Yusufu akaharakisha kutoka chumbani, kwani aliguswa sana kuhusu nduguye. Akatafuta mahali pa kulia. Akaingia chumbani mwake na kulia umo.
And Joseph made haste for his compassions towards his brother were pent up, and he sought to weep, —so he went into the inner chamber and wept there,
31 Akaosha uso wake na kutoka nje. Akajizuia mwenyewe, akasema, “karibuni chakula.”
Then bathed he his face and came forth, —and restrained himself, and said Set on bread!
32 Watumishi wakamhudumia Yusufu peke yake na wale ndugu peke yao. Wamisri pale wakala pamoja naye peke yao kwa sababu Wamisri hawakuweza kula mkate na Waebrania, kwani hilo ni chukizo kwa Wamisri.
So they set on for him—by himself, and for them—by themselves, —and for the Egyptians that were eating with him—by themselves, for the Egyptians might not eat, bread, with the Hebrews for an abomination, had that been to Egyptians.
33 Wale ndugu wakakaa mbele yake, mzaliwa wa kwanza kwa kulingana na haki yake ya uzaliwa, na mdogo kulingana na ujana wake. Wale watu wakashangaa wote.
So they took their seats before him, the firstborn, according to his birthright and the youngest, according to his youth, —and the men looked with amazement, each one at his companion.
34 Yusufu akapeleka sehemu kwao kutoka katika chakula kilichokuwa mbele yake. Lakini sehemu ya Benjamini ilikuwa mara tano zaidi ya kila ndugu zake. Wakanywa na wakamfurahia.
And he sent portions from before him unto them, and the portion of Benjamin exceeded the portions of them all, five-fold. And they drank and made merry with him.
