Mwanzo 44

1 Yusufu akamwamru msimamizi wa nyumba yake, akisema, “Jaza magunia ya watu hawa kwa chakula, kiasi wawezacho kubeba, na uweke pesa ya kila mtu katika mdomo wa gunia lake.

Joseph commanded the steward of his house, saying, “Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's money in his sack's opening.

2 Uweke kikombe changu, cha fedha, katika mdomo wa gunia la mdogo, na pesa yake ya chakula pia.” Msimamizi akafanya kama Yusufu alivyosema.

Put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's opening of the youngest, and also his money for the grain.” The steward did as Joseph had said.

3 Kukapambazuka asubuhi, na wale watu wakaruhusiwa kuondoka, wao na punda zao.

The morning dawned, and the men were sent away, they and their donkeys.

4 Walipokuwa wametoka mjini lakini hawajafika mbali, Yusufu akamwambia msimamizi wa nyumba yake, “Inuka, uwafuatie wale watu, na utakapowapata, wambie, 'Kwa nini mmelipa uovu badala ya mema?

When they were out of the city but were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, “Get up, follow after the men, and when you overtake them, say to them, 'Why have you returned evil for good?

5 Je hiki siyo kikombe ambacho bwana wangu hukinywea, na kikombe akitumiacho kwa uaguzi? Mmefanya vibaya, kwa jambo hili mlilolifanya.”

Is this not the cup from which my master drinks, and the cup that he uses for divination? You have done evil, this thing that you have done.'”

6 Msimamizi wa nyumba akawapata na kuwambia maneno haya.

The steward overtook them and spoke these words to them.

7 Wakasema, “Kwa nini bwana wetu anasema maneno kama haya? Na iwe mbali na watumishi wako kwamba wanaweza kufanya jambo hili.

They said to him, “Why does my master speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants that they would do such a thing.

8 Tazama, pesa tulizozikuta katika midomo ya magunia yetu, tulizileta kwako kutoka katika nchi ya Kanaani. Ni kwa jinsi gani basi tunaweza kuiba katika nyumba ya bwana wako fedha au dhahabu?

Look, the money that we found in our sacks' openings, we brought again to you out of the land of Canaan. How then could we steal out of your master's house silver or gold?

9 Yeyote kitakayeonekana kwake miongoni mwa watumishi wako, atakufa, nasi sote tutakuwa watumwa wa bwana wangu.”

With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my master's slaves.”

10 Msimamizi akasema, “Basi na iwe kwa kadili ya maneno yenu. Yeye ambaye kikombe kitaonekana kwake atakuwa mtumwa wangu, nanyi wengine mtakuwa bila hatia.”

The steward said, “Now also let it be according to your words. He with whom the cup is found will be my slave, and you others will be innocent.”

11 Kisha kila mtu akaharakisha na kulishusha gunia lake chini. na kila mtu akalifungua gunia lake.

Then each man hurried and brought his sack down to the ground, and each man opened his sack.

12 Msimamizi akatafuta. akaanza na mkubwa wa wote na kumaliza kwa mdogo wa wote, na kikombe kikaonekana katika gunia la Benjamini.

The steward searched. He began with the oldest and finished with the youngest, and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.

13 Wakararua mavazi yao. Kila mtu akapakia juu ya punda wake nao wakarudi mjini.

Then they tore their clothes. Each man loaded his donkey and returned to the city.

14 Yuda na ndugu zake wakaja katika nyumba ya Yusufu. Bado alikuwepo pale, nao wakainama mbele zake hata chini.

Judah and his brothers came to Joseph's house. He was still there, and they bowed before him to the ground.

15 Yusufu akawambia, “Je ni nini hili mlilolifanya? Je hamjui kwamba mtu kama mimi anafanya uaguzi.

Joseph said to them, “What is this that you have done? Do you not know that a man like me practices divination?”

16 Yuda akasema, “Je tunaweza kumwambia nini bwana wangu? Tuseme nini? au ni jinsi gani twaweza kujithibitisha wenyewe? Mungu ameona uovu wa watumishi wako. Tazama, sisi ni watumwa wa bwana wangu, wote sisi na yule ambaye kikombe kimeonekana mkononi mwake.”

Judah said, “What can we say to my master? What can we speak? Or how can we justify ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants. Look, we are my master's slaves, both we and he also in whose hand the cup was found.”

17 Yusufu akasema, “Na iwe mbali nami kwamba naweza kufanya hivyo. Mtu ambaye kikombe kimeonekana mkononi mwake, huyu ndiye atakuwa mtumwa wangu, lakini ninyi wengine, nendeni kwa amani kwa baba yenu.”

Joseph said, “Far be it from me that I should do so. The man in whose hand the cup was found, that person will be my slave, but as for you others, go up in peace to your father.”

18 Ndipo Yuda alipomkaribia na kusema, “Bwana wangu, tafadhari mwache mtumishi wako aseme neno katika masikio ya bwana wangu, na usiziache hasira zako kuwaka dhidi ya mtumishi wako, kwani wewe ni kama Farao.

Then Judah came near to him and said, “My master, please let your servant speak a word in my master's ears, and do let your anger burn against your servant, for you are just like Pharaoh.

19 Bwana wangu aliwauliza watumishi wake, kusema, Je mnaye baba au ndugu?'

My master asked his servants, saying, 'Do you have a father or a brother?'

20 Nasi tukamwambia bwana wangu, 'Tunaye baba, ni mzee, na mwana wa uzee wake, ni mdogo. Na ndugu yake alishakufa, na yeye peke yake ndiye amebaki kwa mama yake, na baba yake anampenda.'

We said to my master, 'We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one. But his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loves him.'

21 Nawe ukawambia matumishi wako, 'Mleteni ili nimwone.'

Then you said to your servants, 'Bring him down to me that I may see him.'

22 Nasi tukamwambia bwana wangu, 'Kijana hawezi kumwacha babaye. Kwani akimwacha babaye baba yake angekufa.'

After that, we said to my master, 'The boy cannot leave his father. For if he should leave his father his father would die.'

23 Na ukawambia watumishi wako, 'Mdogo wenu asipokuja pamoja nanyi, hamtauona uso wangu tena.'

Then you said to your servants, 'Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.'

24 Na ikawa tulipokwenda kwa mtumishi wako baba yangu, tulimwambia maneno ya bwana wangu.

Then it came about when we went up to your servant my father, we told him the words of my master.

25 Na baba yetu akasema, Nendeni tena, mkatununulie chakula.'

Our father said, 'Go again, buy us some food.'

26 Nasi tukasema, “Hatuwezi kushuka. Ikiwa mdogo wetu atakuwa nasi, ndipo tutakaposhuka, kwani hatuwezi kuuona uso wa mtu yule mdogo wetu asipokuwa pamoja nasi.'

Then we said, 'We cannot go down. If our youngest brother is with us, then will we go down, for we will not be able to see the man's face unless our youngest brother is with us.'

27 Mtumishi wako baba yetu akatwambia, 'Mnajua kwamba mke wangu alinizalia wana wawili.

Your servant my father said to us, 'You know that my wife bore me two sons.

28 Na mmoja akatoka kwangu nami nikasema, “Bila shaka ameraruliwa vipande, na tangu hapo sijamwona.”

One of them went out from me and I said, “Surely he is torn in pieces, and I have not seen him since.”

29 Nanyi mkimchukua huyu naye kutoka kwangu mabaya yanaweza kumpata, mtashusha mvi zangu kwa kaburini kwa huzuni. (Sheol h7585)

Now if you also take this one from me, and harm comes to him, you will bring down my gray hair with sorrow to Sheol.' (Sheol h7585)

30 Kwa hiyo, basi, nitapokuja kwa mtumishi wako baba yangu, na kijana hayupo nasi, kwa kuwa uhai wake umefungamanishwa katika uhai wa kijana,

Now, therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, since his life is bound up in the boy's life,

31 itakuwa, atakapoona kwamba kijana hayupo nasi atakufa. Na watumishi wako watazishusha mvi za mtumishi wako baba yetu kaburini kwa masikitiko. (Sheol h7585)

it will come about, when he sees the boy is not with us, he will die. Your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father with sorrow to Sheol. (Sheol h7585)

32 Kwani mtumishi wako alikuwa mdhamini wa kijana kwa baba yangu na alisema, 'Ikiwa sitamleta kwako, ndipo nitakapokuwa mwenye hatia kwa baba yangu daima.”

For your servant became a guarantee for the boy to my father and said, 'If I do not bring him to you, then I will bear the guilt to my father forever.'

33 Kwa hiyo sasa, tafadhari mwache mtumishi wake akae kama mtumwa kwa bwana wangu badala ya kijana, na umwache kijana aende na ndugu zake.

Now therefore, please let your servant stay instead of the boy as slave to my master, and let the boy go up with his brothers.

34 Kwa maana nitakwenda jinsi gani kwa baba yangu ikiwa kijana hayupo nami? Ninaogopa kuona mabaya yatakayompata baba yangu.”

For how can I go up to my father if the boy is not with me? I am afraid to see the evil that would come on my father.”