Mwanzo 44
1 Kisha Yosefu akampa yule msimamizi wa nyumbani mwake maagizo haya: “Jaza magunia ya watu hawa kiasi cha chakula ambacho wanaweza kuchukua, na uweke fedha ya kila mtu kwenye 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 Kisha weka kikombe changu kile cha fedha kwenye mdomo wa gunia la yule mdogo wa wote pamoja na fedha zake ambazo angenunulia nafaka yake.” Naye akafanya kama Yosefu 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 Kulipopambazuka, hao watu wakaruhusiwa kuondoka pamoja na punda zao.
As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their donkeys.
4 Kabla hawajafika mbali kutoka mjini, Yosefu akamwambia mtumishi wake, “Wafuatilie wale watu mara moja, utakapowakuta, waambie, ‘Kwa nini mmelipiza wema kwa ubaya?
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, kikombe hiki sicho anachonywea bwana wangu na pia hukitumia kwa kutabiri mambo yajayo? Hili ni jambo ovu mlilolitenda.’”
Isn’t this that from which my lord drinks, and by which he indeed divines? You have done evil in so doing.’”
6 Alipowafikia, akarudia maneno haya kwao.
He overtook them, and he spoke these words to them.
7 Lakini wakamwambia mtumishi, “Kwa nini bwana wangu anasema maneno kama haya? Liwe mbali na watumishi wako wasije wakafanya jambo kama hilo!
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 Hata hivyo tulikurudishia zile fedha kutoka nchi ya Kanaani ambazo tulizikuta kwenye midomo ya magunia yetu. Hivyo kwa nini tuibe fedha au dhahabu kutoka nyumbani kwa bwana wako?
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 Ikiwa yeyote miongoni mwa watumishi wako atapatikana nacho, auawe, na sisi wengine 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 Akajibu, “Vema sana; na iwe kama msemavyo. Yeyote atakayekutwa nacho atakuwa mtumwa wangu, lakini ninyi wengine mtakuwa hamna lawama.”
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 Kila mmoja wao akafanya haraka kushusha gunia lake chini na kulifungua.
Then they hurried, and each man took his sack down to the ground, and each man opened his sack.
12 Ndipo msimamizi akaendelea kutafuta, akianzia kwa mkubwa wa wote na akaishia kwa mdogo wa wote. Basi kikombe kikapatikana katika gunia la Benyamini.
He searched, beginning with the oldest, and ending at the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.
13 Kwa jambo hili, wakararua nguo zao. Ndipo wote wakapakiza mizigo yao juu ya punda zao na kurudi mjini.
Then they tore their clothes, and each man loaded his donkey, and returned to the city.
14 Yosefu alikuwa bado yuko nyumbani mwake wakati Yuda na kaka zake walipoingia, wote wakajitupa chini mbele yake.
Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, and he was still there. They fell on the ground before him.
15 Yosefu akawaambia, “Ni jambo gani hili mlilolifanya? Hamjui kuwa mtu kama mimi anaweza kufahamu mambo kwa njia ya kutabiri?”
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 akajibu, “Tutaweza kusema nini kwa bwana wangu? Tutaweza kuzungumza nini? Tutawezaje kuthibitisha kwamba hatuna hatia? Mungu amefunua hatia ya watumishi wako. Sasa sisi tu watumwa wa bwana wangu, sisi wenyewe pamoja na yule aliyepatikana na kikombe.”
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 Lakini Yosefu alisema, “Liwe mbali nami kufanya jambo kama hili! Mtu yule tu aliyekutwa na kikombe ndiye atakayekuwa mtumwa wangu. Ninyi wengine, rudini kwa baba yenu kwa amani.”
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 akamwendea na kumwambia: “Tafadhali bwana wangu, mruhusu mtumishi wako aseme neno kwa bwana wangu. Usimkasirikie mtumishi wako, ingawa wewe ni sawa na Farao mwenyewe.
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, ‘Mnaye baba au ndugu?’
My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father, or a brother?’
20 Nasi tukakujibu, ‘Tunaye baba yetu ambaye ni mzee; pia yupo mwanawe mdogo aliyezaliwa katika uzee wake. Ndugu yake amekufa, na huyu mdogo ndiye mwana pekee kwa mama yake aliyebaki, naye 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 “Ndipo ulipowaambia watumishi wako, ‘Mleteni kwangu ili niweze kumwona kwa macho yangu mwenyewe.’
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 baba yake; akimwacha, baba yake atakufa.’
We said to my lord, ‘The boy can’t leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’
23 Lakini ukawaambia watumishi wako, ‘Ndugu yenu mdogo asiposhuka 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 Tuliporudi nyumbani kwa mtumwa wako baba yangu, tulimwambia lile bwana wangu alilokuwa amesema.
When we came up to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.
25 “Ndipo baba yetu aliposema, ‘Rudini Misri mkanunue chakula kingine.’
Our father said, ‘Go again and buy us a little food.’
26 Lakini tukamwambia, ‘Hatuwezi kushuka Misri mpaka ndugu yetu mdogo awe pamoja nasi ndipo tutakapokwenda. Hatutaweza kuuona uso wa yule mtu mpaka ndugu yetu mdogo awe 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 “Mtumwa wako baba yangu alituambia, ‘Mnajua mke wangu alinizalia wana wawili.
Your servant, my father, said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons.
28 Mmojawapo alipotea, nami nikasema, “Hakika ameraruliwa vipande vipande.” Nami sijamwona tangu wakati huo.
One went out from me, and I said, “Surely he is torn in pieces;” and I haven’t seen him since.
29 Ikiwa mtaniondolea huyu tena na akapatwa na madhara, mtashusha kichwa changu chenye mvi kaburini nikiwa mwenye 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 “Hivyo sasa, kama kijana hatakuwa pamoja nasi nitakaporudi kwa mtumishi wako baba yangu, na kama baba yangu, ambaye maisha yake yamefungamanishwa na uhai wa kijana huyu,
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 akiona kijana hayupo nasi, atakufa. Watumishi wako watashusha kichwa chenye mvi cha baba yetu kaburini kwa huzuni. (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 Mtumwa wako alimhakikishia baba yangu usalama wa kijana. Nikamwambia, ‘Kama sikumrudisha kwako nitakuwa mwenye lawama mbele yako, baba yangu, maisha yangu yote!’
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 “Sasa basi, tafadhali mruhusu mtumishi abaki hapa kama mtumwa wa bwana wangu badala ya kijana, naye kijana umruhusu arudi 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 Ninawezaje kurudi kwa baba yangu kama kijana hatakuwa pamoja nami? La hasha! Usiniache nikaone huzuni ile itakayompata 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.”
