Mwanzo 48
1 Ikawa baada ya mambo haya, mmojawapo akamwambia Yusufu, “Tazama, baba yako ni mgonjwa.” Hivyo akaondoka pamoja na wanawe wawili, Manase na Efrahimu.
Some time later Joseph was told, “Your father is ill.” So he set out with his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
2 Yakobo alipoambiwa, “Tazama, mwanao Yusufu amekuja kukuona,” Israeli akakusanya nguvu na kukaa juu ya kitanda.
When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel rallied his strength and sat up in bed.
3 Yakobo akamwambia Yusufu, Mungu Mwenyezi alinitokea huko Luzu katika nchi ya Kanaani. Akanibariki na
Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and there He blessed me
4 kuniambia, 'Tazama, nitakupa uzao mwingi, na kukuzidisha. Nitakufanya kuwa kusanyiko la mataifa. Nitakupa nchi hii wewe na uzao wako kuwa milki ya milele.'
and told me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you; I will make you a multitude of peoples, and will give this land to your descendants after you as an everlasting possession.’
5 Na sasa wanao wawili, waliozaliwa kwako katika nchi ya Misri kabla sijaja Misri, ni wangu. Efrahimu na Manase watakuwa wangu, kama walivyo Rubeni na Simioni.
And now your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here shall be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine.
6 Watoto utakaowapata baada ya hapo ni wako; watahesabiwa katika majina ya ndugu zao katika urithi wao.
Any children born to you after them shall be yours, and they shall be called by the names of their brothers in the territory they inherit.
7 Lakini kwangu mimi, nilipokuja kutoka Padani, kwa uzuni yangu Raheli alikufa njiani katika nchi ya Kanaani, wakati kungalipo kitambo kwenda Efrathi. Nilimzika pale katika njia iendayo Efrathi” (ndio, Bethlehemu).
Now as for me, when I was returning from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died along the way in the land of Canaan, some distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem).
8 Israeli alipowaona wana wa Yusufu, akasema, “Ni nani hawa?”
When Israel saw the sons of Joseph, he asked, “Who are these?”
9 Yusufu akamwambia baba yake, “Hawa ni wanangu, Mungu alionipa hapa:” Israeli akasema, “Walete kwangu, kwamba niwabariki.”
Joseph said to his father, “They are the sons God has given me in this place.” So Jacob said, “Please bring them to me, that I may bless them.”
10 Basi macho ya Israeli yalikuwa yanashindwa kwa ajili ya umri wake, hivyo hakuweza kuona. Hivyo Yusufu akawasogeza karibu yake, na akawabusu na kuwakumbatia.
Now Israel’s eyesight was poor because of old age; he could hardly see. Joseph brought his sons to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them.
11 Israeli akamwambia Yusufu, “Sikutazamia kuuona uso wako tena, Lakini Mungu ameniruhusu kuwaona hata wanao.”
“I never expected to see your face again,” Israel said to Joseph, “but now God has let me see your children as well.”
12 Yusufu akawaondoa kati ya magoti ya Israeli, na kisha akainama na uso wake juu ya nchi.
Then Joseph removed his sons from his father’s knees and bowed facedown.
13 Yusufu akawachukua wote wawili, Efrahimu katika mkono wake wa kulia kuelekea mkono wa kushoto wa Israeli, na Manase katika mkono wake wa kulia kuelekea mkono wa kulia wa Israeli, na akawasogeza kwake.
And Joseph took both of them—with Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel’s right hand—and brought them close to him.
14 Israeli akainua mkono wake wa kulia na kuuweka juu ya kichwa cha Efrahimu, aliyekuwa mdogo, na mkono wake wa kushoto juu ya kichwa cha Manase. Akaipishanisha mikono yake, kwani Manase ndiye alikuwa mzaliwa wa kwanza.
But Israel stretched out his right hand and put it on the head of Ephraim, the younger; and crossing his hands, he put his left on Manasseh’s head, although Manasseh was the firstborn.
15 Israeli akambariki Yusufu, akisema, Mungu ambaye mbele zake baba zangu Ibrahimu na Isaka walitembea, Mungu aliyenilinda hata leo,
Then he blessed Joseph and said: “May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day,
16 malaika walionilinda na madhara yote, awabariki vijana hawa. Jina langu na litajwe kwao, na majina ya baba zangu Ibrahimu na Isaka. Na wawe makutano ya watu juu ya nchi.”
the angel who has redeemed me from all harm— may He bless these boys. And may they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they grow into a multitude upon the earth.”
17 Yusufu alipoona baba yake ameweka mkono wake wa kulia juu ya kichwa cha Efrahimu, haikumpendeza. Akauchukuwa mkono wa baba yake auweke katika kichwa cha Manase.
When Joseph saw that his father had placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head, he was displeased and took his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s.
18 Yusufu akamwambia baba yake, “Sivyo babangu; kwani huyu ndiye mzaliwa wa kwanza. Uweke mkono wako juu ya kichwa chake.”
“Not so, my father!” Joseph said. “This one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”
19 Baba yake akakataa na kusema, “Ninafahamu, mwanangu, nafahamu. Yeye naye atakuwa watu, naye pia atakuwa mkuu. Lakini mdogo wake atakuwa mkuu kuliko yeye, na uzao wake utakuwa wingi wa mataifa.”
But his father refused. “I know, my son, I know!” he said. “He too shall become a people, and he too shall be great; nevertheless, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.”
20 Israeli akawabariki siku hiyo kwa maneno haya, “Watu wa Israeli watatamka baraka kwa majina yenu wakisema, Mungu na akufanye kama Efrahimu na kama Manase'. “Kwa njia hii, Israeli akamweka Efrahimu mbele ya Manase.
So that day Jacob blessed them and said: “By you shall Israel pronounce this blessing: ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’” So he put Ephraim before Manasseh.
21 Israeli akamwambia Yusufu, “Tazama, ninakaribia kufa, lakini Mungu atakuwa nanyi, na atawarudisha katika nchi ya baba zenu.
Then Israel said to Joseph, “Look, I am about to die, but God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers.
22 Kwako wewe, kwa kuwa uko juu ya ndugu zako, ninakupa mtelemko wa mlima niliouchukuwa kutoka kwa Waamori kwa upanga wangu na upinde wangu.”
And to you, as one who is above your brothers, I give the ridge of land that I took from the Amorites with my sword and bow.”
