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.
He commanded the steward of his house, saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in his sack’s mouth.
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 mouth of the youngest, with his grain money.” He did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.
3 Kukapambazuka asubuhi, na wale watu wakaruhusiwa kuondoka, wao na punda zao.
As soon as the morning was light, 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 had gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, “Up, follow after the men. When you overtake them, ask them, ‘Why have you rewarded evil for good?
5 Je hiki siyo kikombe ambacho bwana wangu hukinywea, na kikombe akitumiacho kwa uaguzi? Mmefanya vibaya, kwa jambo hili mlilolifanya.”
Isn’t this that from which my lord drinks, and by which he indeed divines? You have done evil in so doing.’”
6 Msimamizi wa nyumba akawapata na kuwambia maneno haya.
He overtook them, and he 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 lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants that they should 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?
Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks’ mouths, we brought again to you out of the land of Canaan. How then should we steal silver or gold out of your lord’s house?
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 lord’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.”
He said, “Now also let it be according to your words. He with whom it is found will be my slave; and you will be blameless.”
11 Kisha kila mtu akaharakisha na kulishusha gunia lake chini. na kila mtu akalifungua gunia lake.
Then they hurried, and each man took 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.
He searched, beginning with the oldest, and ending at the youngest. 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, and 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, and he was still there. They fell on the ground before him.
15 Yusufu akawambia, “Je ni nini hili mlilolifanya? Je hamjui kwamba mtu kama mimi anafanya uaguzi.
Joseph said to them, “What deed is this that you have done? Don’t you know that such a man as I can indeed do 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 will we tell my lord? What will we speak? How will we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants. Behold, we are my lord’s slaves, both we and he also in whose hand the cup is 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.”
He said, “Far be it from me that I should do so. The man in whose hand the cup is found, he will be my slave; but as for you, 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, “Oh, my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord’s ears, and don’t let your anger burn against your servant; for you are even as Pharaoh.
19 Bwana wangu aliwauliza watumishi wake, kusema, Je mnaye baba au ndugu?'
My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you 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 lord, ‘We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and 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.'
You said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.’
22 Nasi tukamwambia bwana wangu, 'Kijana hawezi kumwacha babaye. Kwani akimwacha babaye baba yake angekufa.'
We said to my lord, ‘The boy can’t 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.'
You said to your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will see my face no more.’
24 Na ikawa tulipokwenda kwa mtumishi wako baba yangu, tulimwambia maneno ya bwana wangu.
When we came up to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.
25 Na baba yetu akasema, Nendeni tena, mkatununulie chakula.'
Our father said, ‘Go again and buy us a little 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.'
We said, ‘We can’t go down. If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down: for we may not 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 went out from me, and I said, “Surely he is torn in pieces;” and I haven’t seen him since.
29 Nanyi mkimchukua huyu naye kutoka kwangu mabaya yanaweza kumpata, mtashusha mvi zangu kwa kaburini kwa huzuni. (Sheol h7585)
If you take this one also from me, and harm happens to him, you will bring down my grey hairs 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 boy 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 happen, when he sees that the boy is no more, that he will die. Your servants will bring down the grey hairs 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 collateral for the boy to my father, saying, ‘If I don’t bring him to you, then I will bear the blame 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, my lord’s slave; 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 will I go up to my father, if the boy isn’t with me?—lest I see the evil that will come on my father.”
