Mwanzo 47
1 Kisha Yusufu akaingia kwa Farao na kumwambia, “Baba yangu na ndugu zangu, kondoo wao, mbuzi wao, na yote waliyonayo, wamefika kutoka katika nchi ya Kanaani. Tazama, wapo katika nchi ya Gosheni.”
Then Joseph went in and told Pharao, saying: My father and brethren, their sheep and their herds, and all that they possess, are come out of the land of Chanaan: and behold they stay in the land of Gessen.
2 Akawachukua watano katika ndugu zake na kuwatambulisha kwa Farao.
Five men also the last of his brethren, he presented before the king:
3 Farao akawambia ndugu zake, “Kazi yenu ni nini?” Wakamwambia Farao, “Watumishi wako ni wafugaji, kama mababu zetu.”
And he asked them: What is your occupation? They answered: We thy servants are shepherds, both we, and our fathers.
4 Kisha wakamwambia Farao, “Tumekuja kukaa kwa muda katika nchi. Hakuna malisho kwa ajili ya makundi ya watumishi wako, kwa maana njaa ni kali sana katika nchi ya Kanaani. Hivyo, tafadhari waache watumishi wako wakae katika nchi ya Gosheni.”
We are come to sojourn in thy land, because there is no grass for the flocks of thy servants, the famine being very grievous in the land of Chanaan: and we pray thee to give orders that we thy servants may be in the land of Gessen.
5 Kisha Farao akamwambia Yusufu, kusema, “Baba yako na ndugu zako wamekuja kwako.
The king therefore said to Joseph: Thy father and thy brethren are come to thee.
6 Nchi ya Misri iko mbele yako. Mkalishe baba yako na ndugu zako katika eneo zuri, nchi ya Gosheni. Ikiwa unafahamu watu wenye uwezo miongoni mwao, uwaweke kuwatunza wanyama wangu.”
The land of Egypt is before thee: make them dwell in the best place, and give them the land of Gessen. And if thou knowest that there are industrious men among them, make them rulers over my cattle.
7 Kisha Yusufu akamwingiza Yakobo baba yake na kumweka mbele ya Farao. Yakobo akambariki Farao.
After this Joseph brought in his father to the king, and presented him before him: and he blessed him.
8 Farao akamwambia Yakobo, “Umeishi kwa muda gani?”
And being asked by him: How many are the days of the years of thy life?
9 Yakobo akamwambia Farao, “Miaka ya safari zangu ni mia moja na thelathini. Miaka ya maisha yangu imekuwa mifupi na ya maumivu. Siyo kama miaka ya baba zangu.”
He answered: The days of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty years, few, and evil, and they are not come up to the days of the pilgrimage of my fathers.
10 Kisha Yakobo akambariki Farao na kuondoka mbele zake.
And blessing the king, he went out.
11 Kisha Yusufu akamweka baba yake na ndugu zake. Akawapa eneo katika nchi ya Misri, sehemu nzuri sana ya nchi, katika eneo la Ramesesi, kama Farao alivyokuwa ameagiza.
But Joseph gave a possession to his father and his brethren in Egypt, in the best place of the land, in Ramesses, as Pharao had commanded.
12 Yusufu akamhudumia baba yake kwa chakula, ndugu zake, na nyumba yote ya baba yake, kulingana na hesabu ya wahitaji wao.
And he nourished them, and all his father’s house, allowing food to every one.
13 Basi hakukuwa na chakula katika nchi yote; kwani njaa ilikuwa kali sana. Nchi ya Misri na nchi ya Kanaani ikaharibika kwa sababu ya njaa.
For in the whole world there was want of bread, and a famine had oppressed the land: more especially of Egypt and Chanaan.
14 Yusufu akakusanya pesa yote iliyokuwa katika nchi ya Misri na nchi ya Kanaani, kwa kuwauzia wakaaji wake chakula. Kisha Yusufu akaleta ile pesa katika kasri la Farao.
Out of which he gathered up all the money for the corn which they bought, and brought it into the king’s treasure.
15 Pesa yote ya nchi za Misri na Kanaani ilipokwisha, Wamisri wote wakaja kwa Yusufu wakisema, “Tupe chakula! Kwa nini tufe mbele zako kwa maana pesa yetu imekwisha?”
And when the buyers wanted money, all Egypt came to Joseph, saying: Give us bread: why should we die in thy presence, having now no money.
16 Yusufu akasema, “Ikiwa pesa yenu imekwisha, leteni wanyama wenu nami nitawapa chakula badala ya wanyama wenu.”
And he answered them: Bring me your cattle, and for them I will give you food, if you have no money.
17 Hivyo wakaleta wanyama wao kwa Yusufu. Yusufu akawapa chakula kwa kubadilishana na farasi, kondoo, mbuzi na kwa punda. Akawalisha kwa mkate kwa kubadilisha na wanyama wao mwaka ule.
And when they had brought them, he gave them food in exchange for their horses, and sheep, and oxen, and asses and he maintained them that year for the exchange of their cattle.
18 Mwaka ule ulipokwisha, wakaja kwake mwaka uliofuata na kumwambia, “Hatutaficha kwa bwana wangu kwamba pesa yetu yote imekwisha, na wanyama ni wa bwana wangu. Hakuna kilichobaki mbele za bwana wangu, isipokuwa miili yetu na nchi yetu.
And they came the second year, and said to him: We will not hide from our lord, how that our money is spent, and our cattle also are gone: neither art thou ignorant that we have nothing now left but our bodies and our lands.
19 Kwa nini tufe mbele za macho yake, sisi na nchi yetu? Utununue sisi na nchi yetu badala ya chakula, na sisi na nchi yetu tutakuwa watumishi wa Farao. Tupe mbegu ili kwamba tuishi na tusife, na kwamba nchi isiwe tupu bila watu.
Why therefore shall we die before thy eyes? we will be thine, both we and our lands: buy us to be the king’s servants, and give us seed, lest for want of tillers the land be turned into a wilderness.
20 Hivyo Yusufu akamnunulia Farao nchi yote ya Misri. Kwani kila Mmisri akauza shamba lake, kwa sababu njaa ilikuwa kali sana. Kwa njia hii, nchi ikawa mali ya Farao.
So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt, every man selling his possessions, because of the greatness of the famine. And he brought it into Pharao’s hands:
21 Na watu, akawafanya kuwa watumwa kutoka mpaka mmoja wa Misri hata mkapa mwingine.
And all its people from one end of the borders of Egypt, even to the other end thereof,
22 Ilikuwa ni nchi ya makuhani pekee ambayo Yusufu hakuinunua, kwa maana makuhani walikuwa wakipewa posho. Walikula katika sehemu aliyowapa Farao. Kwa hiyo hawakuuza nchi yao.
Except the land of the priests, which had been given them by the king: to whom also a certain allowance of food was given out of the public stores, and therefore they were not forced to sell their possessions.
23 Kisha Yusufu akawambia watu, “Tazama, nimewanunua ninyi na nchi yenu leo kwa ajili ya Farao. Basi mbegu hii hapa kwa ajili yenu, nanyi mtapanda katika nchi.
Then Joseph said to the people: Behold as you see, both you and your lands belong to Pharao: take seed and sow the fields,
24 Wakati wa mavuno, mtampa Farao sehemu ya tano, na sehemu nne zitakuwa zenu, kwa mbegu za shamba na kwa chakula cha nyumba zenu na watoto wenu.”
That you may have corn. The fifth part you shall give to the king: the other four you shall have for seed, and for food for your families and children.
25 Wakasema, “Umeokoa maisha yetu. Na tupate kibali machoni pako. Tutakuwa watumishi wa Farao.”
And they answered: Our life is in thy hand: only let my lord look favourably upon us, and we will gladly serve the king.
26 Hivyo Yusufu akaifanya kuwa sheria inayofanya kazi hata leo katika nchi ya Misri, kwamba moja ya tano ni ya Farao. Eneo la makuhani peke yake ndo halikufanywa kuwa la Farao.
From that time unto this day, in the whole land of Egypt, the fifth part is paid to the king, and it is become as a law, except the land of the priests, which was free from this covenant.
27 Hivyo Israeli akaishi katika nchi ya Misri, katika eneo la Gosheni. Watu wake wakapata umiliki pale. Walikuwa wenye kuzaa na kuongezeka sana.
So Israel dwelt in Egypt, that is, in the land of Gessen, and possessed it: and grew, and was multiplied exceedingly.
28 Yakobo akaishi katika nchi ya Misri miaka kumi na saba, kwa hiyo miaka ya maisha ya Yakobo ilikuwa miaka mia moja arobaini na saba.
And he lived in it seventeen years: and all the days of his life came to a hundred and forty-seven years.
29 Wakati wa kufa kwake Yakobo ulipokaribia, alimwita Yusufu mwanaye na kumwambia, “Ikiwa nimepata kibali mbele zako, weka mkono wako chini ya paja langu, na unitendee kwa uaminifu na kweli. Tafadhari usinizike Misri.
And when he saw that the day of his death drew nigh, he called his son Joseph, and said to him: If I have found favour in thy sight, put thy hand under my thigh; and thou shalt shew me this kindness and truth, not to bury me in Egypt:
30 Nitakapolala na baba zangu, utanitoa Misri na kunizika katika eneo la kuzikia la baba zangu.” Yusufu akasema, “Nitafanya kama ulivyosema.”
But I will sleep with my fathers, and thou shalt take me away out of this land, and bury me in the burying place of my ancestors. And Joseph answered him: I will do what thou hast commanded.
31 Israeli akasema, “Niapie,” na Yusufu akamwapia. Kisha Israeli akainama chini mbele ya kitanda chake.
And he said: Swear then to me. And as he was swearing, Israel adored God, turning to the bed’s head.
