Mwanzo 42
1 Basi Yakobo akafahamu kwamba kuna nafaka huko Misri. Akawambia wanawe, “Kwa nini mnatazamana?
Now Jacob became aware that there was grain in Egypt. He said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?”
2 Akasema, “Tazama, nimesikia kwamba kuna nafaka huko Misri. Shukeni huko mkatununulie chakula ili tuishi wala tusife.”
He said, “See here, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy for us from there so we may live and not die.”
3 Ndugu kumi wa Yusufu wakashuka Misri kununua chakula.
Joseph's ten brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.
4 Lakini Benjamini, ndugu wa Yusufu, Yakobo hakumtuma na ndugu zake, kwani alihofu kwamba madhara yaweza kumpata.
But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob did not send with his brothers, for he feared that harm might come to him.
5 Wana wa Israeli wakaja kununua miongoni mwao waliokuja, kwani njaa ilikuwapo katika nchi ya Kanaani.
The sons of Israel came to buy among those who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
6 Basi Yusufu alikuwa mtawala juu ya nchi. Ndiye aliyekuwa akiwauzia watu wote wa nchi. Ndugu zake Yusufu wakaja na kumwinamia na nyuso zao hata chini.
Now Joseph was the governor over the land. He was the one who sold to all the people of the land. Joseph's brothers came and bowed down to him with their faces to the ground.
7 Yusufu akawaona ndugu zake na kuwatambua, lakini alijibadili kwao na kuongea nao kwa ukali. Akawambia, “Mmetoka wapi?” Wakasema, “Kutoka nchi ya Kanaani ili kununua chakula.”
Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he disguised himself to them and spoke harshly with them. He said to them, “Where have you come from?” They said, “From the land of Canaan to buy food.”
8 Yusufu akawatambua ndugu zake, lakini wao hawakumtambua.
Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him.
9 Yusufu akazikumbuka ndoto aliyoziota kuhusu wao. Akawambia, “Ninyi ni wapelelezi. Mmekuja kuona sehemu za nchi zisizolindwa.”
Then Joseph remembered the dreams he had dreamed about them, and he said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see the undefended parts of the land.”
10 Wakamwambia, “Hapana, bwana wangu. Watumishi wako wamekuja kununua chakula.
They said to him, “No, my master. Your servants have come to buy food.
11 Sisi sote ni wana wa baba mmoja. Ni watu wa kweli. Watumishi wako siyo wapelelezi.”
We are all one man's sons. We are honest men. Your servants are not spies.”
12 Akawambia, “Hapana, mmekuja kuangalia sehemu za nchi zisizolindwa.”
He said to them, “No, you have come to see the undefended parts of the land.”
13 Wakasema, “Sisi watumishi wako tupo ndugu kumi na wawili, wana wa baba mmoja katika nchi ya Kanaani. Tazama, mdogo yupo na baba yetu, na mwingine hayupo hai tena.”
They said, “We your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. See, the youngest is this day with our father, and one brother is no longer alive.”
14 Yusufu akawambia, “Ndivyo nilivyowambia; ninyi ni wapelelezi.
Joseph said to them, “It is what I said to you; you are spies.
15 Mtajaribiwa kwa njia hii. Kama aishivyo Farao, hamtaondoka hapa, mdogo wenu asipokuja hapa.
By this you will be tested. By the life of Pharaoh, you will not leave here, unless your youngest brother comes here.
16 Mtumeni mmoja wenu amlete mdogo wenu. Mtabaki gerezani, hata maneno yenu yatakapothibitishwa, kwamba kuna ukweli ndani yenu.”
Send one of yourselves and let him get your brother. You will remain in prison, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you.”
17 Akawaweka kifungoni kwa siku tatu.
He put them all in custody for three days.
18 Katika siku ya tatu Yusufu akaongea nao, “Fanyeni hivi nanyi mtaishi, kwani ninamcha Mungu.
Joseph said to them on the third day, “Do this and live, for I fear God.
19 Kama ninyi ni watu wa kweli, mmoja wenu atazuiliwa hapa gerezani, lakini ninyi nendeni, chukueni nafaka kwa ajili ya nyumba zenu.
If you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined in this prison, but you go, carry grain for the famine of your houses.
20 Mleteni mdogo wenu kwangu ili kwamba maneno yenu yathibitishwe nanyi hamtakufa.” Wakafanya hivyo.
Bring your youngest brother to me so your words will be verified and you will not die.” So they did so.
21 Wakasemezana wao kwa wao, “Kwa kweli tuna hatia juu ya ndugu yetu kwani tuliona tabu ya nafsi yake alipotusihi nasi hatukusikia. Kwa hiyo taabu hii imeturudia.”
They said to one another, “We are truly guilty concerning our brother in that we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us and we would not listen. Therefore this distress has come upon us.”
22 Rubeni akawajibu, “Je sikuwambia, 'Msitende dhambi juu ya kijana,' lakini hamkusikia? Basi, tazama, damu yake inatakiwa juu yetu.”
Reuben answered them, “Did I not tell you, 'Do not sin against the boy,' but you would not listen? Now, see, his blood is required of us.”
23 Lakini hawakuja kwamba Yusufu anawaelewa, kwani kulikuwa na mkalimani kati yao.
They did not know that Joseph understood them, for there was an interpreter between them.
24 Akatoka kwao na kulia. Akarudi kwao na kuongea nao. Akamchukua Simoni miongoni mwao na kumfunga mbele ya macho yao.
He turned from them and wept. He returned to them and spoke to them. He took Simeon from among them and bound him before their eyes.
25 Kisha Yusufu akaagiza watumishi kujaza mifuko yao kwa nafaka, na kurudisha pesa ya kila mmoja katika gunia lake, nakuwapa mahitaji kwa safari. Wakatendewa hivyo.
Then Joseph commanded his servants to fill his brothers' bags with grain, and to put every man's money back into his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. It was done for them.
26 Hawa ndugu wakapandisha chakula chao juu ya punda zao na kuondoka pale.
The brothers loaded their donkeys with their grain and departed from there.
27 Mmoja wao alipofungua gunia lake ili kumlisha punda wao katika sehemu waliyokuwa, akaona pesa yake. Tazama, ilikuwa mdomoni mwa gunia lake.
As one of them opened his sack to give his donkey feed in the lodging place, he saw his money. Behold, it was in the opening of his sack.
28 Akawambia ndugu zake, “Pesa yangu imerudishwa. Tazama, imo katika gunia langu.”Mioyo yao ikazimia na wakageukiana kila mmoja huku wakitetemeka. Wakasema, “Ni nini hiki alichotutendea Mungu?”
He said to his brothers, “My money has been put back. Look at it; it is in my sack.” Their hearts sank and they turned trembling to one another, saying, “What is this that God has done to us?”
29 Wakaenda kwa Yakobo, baba yao katika nchi ya Kanaani na kumwambia yote yaliyowapata.
They went to Jacob, their father in the land of Canaan and told him all that had happened to them. They said,
30 Wakasema, “Yule mtu, bwana wa nchi, aliongea nasi kwa ukali na kutudhania kuwa wapelelezi katika nchi.
“The man, the lord of the land, spoke roughly with us and thought that we were spies in the land.
31 Tukamwambia, 'Tu watu wa kweli sisi. Sisi siyo wapelelezi.
We said to him, 'We are honest men. We are not spies.
32 Tupo ndugu kumi na wawili, wana wa baba yetu. Mmoja hayupo hai tena, na mdogo yupo na baba yetu katika nchi ya Kanaani.”
We are twelve brothers, sons of our father. One is no longer alive, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.'
33 Yule mtu, bwana wa nchi, akatwambia, 'Kwa hili nitajua kwamba ni watu wa kweli ninyi. Mwacheni mmojawapo wa ndugu zenu, chukueni chakula kwa ajili ya njaa katika nyumba zenu, na mwondoke.
The man, the lord of the land, said to us, 'By this I will know that you are honest men. Leave one of your brothers with me, take grain for the famine in your houses, and go your way.
34 Mleteni mdogo wenu kwangu. Ndipo nitakapojua kwamba ninyi si wapelelezi, lakini ni watu wa kweli. Kisha nitamwachilia ndugu yenu, na mtafanya biashara katika nchi.”
Bring your youngest brother to me. Then I will know that you are not spies, but that you are honest men. Then I will release your brother to you, and you will trade in the land.'”
35 Ikawa walipoyafungua magunia yao, na tazama, kila mfuko wa fedha wa mmojawao ulikuwa katika gunia lake. Wakati wao na baba yao walipoona mifuko yao ya fedha, wakaogopa.
It came about as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man's bag of silver was in his sack. When they and their father saw their bags of silver, they were afraid.
36 Yakobo baba yao akawambia, “Mmeniharibia watoto wao. Yusufu hayupo hai tena, Simoni ameondoka, nanyi mmpeleke Benjamini naye. Mambo haya yote ni kunyume changu.”
Jacob their father said to them, “You have bereaved me of my children. Joseph is no longer alive, Simeon is gone, and you will take Benjamin away. All these things are against me.”
37 Rubeni akamwambia baba yake, kusema, “Unaweza kuwaua wanangu wawili nisipomrudisha Benjamini kwako. Mweke mikononi mwangu, nami nitamrudisha tena kwako.”
Reuben spoke to his father, saying, “You may kill my two sons if I do not bring Benjamin back to you. Put him in my hands, and I will bring him to you again.”
38 Yakobo akasema, “Mwanangu atashuka pamoja nanyi. Kwani ndugu yake amekufa na yeye peke yake amebaki. Ikiwa madhara yatampata katika njia mnayoiendea, ndipo mtakapozishusha mvi zangu kaburini kwa huzuni.” (Sheol h7585)
Jacob said, “My son will not go down with you. For his brother is dead and he alone is left. If harm comes to him on the road in which you go, then you will bring down my gray hair with sorrow to Sheol.” (Sheol h7585)
