Mwanzo 43
1 Njaa ilikuwa kali katika nchi.
And the famine was sore in the land.
2 Ikawa walipokuwa wametumia chakula chote walichokitoa Misri, baba yao akawambia, “Nendeni tena; mtununulie chakula.”
And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food.
3 Yuda akamwambia, “Yule mtu alituonya kwa ukali, 'Hamtauona uso wangu ndugu yenu asipokuwa nanyi.'
And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.
4 Ikiwa utamtuma ndugu yetu pamoja nasi, tutashuka na kuwanunulia chakula.
If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food:
5 Lakini usipompeleka, hatutashuka. Kwa maana yule mtu alitwambia, 'Hamtauona uso wangu ndugu yenu asipokuwa nanyi.”
but if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down: for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.
6 Israeli akawambia, “Kwa nini mlinitendea mimi vibaya hivyo kwa kumwambia mtu huyo kwamba mnaye ndugu mwingine?”
And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?
7 Wakasema, “Yule mtu alituuliza habari zetu na familia yetu kwa kina. Akasema, 'Je baba yenu bado yuko hai? Je mnaye ndugu mwingine?'Tukamjibu kulingana na maswali haya. Tungejuaje kwamba angetwambia, 'Mleteni ndugu yenu?”
And they said, The man asked straitly concerning ourselves, and concerning our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye [another] brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we in any wise know that he would say, Bring your brother down?
8 Yuda akamwambia Israeli baba yake, “Mtume kijana pamoja nami. Tutainuka na kwenda ili kwamba tuishi tusife, wote sisi, wewe, na hata watoto wetu.
And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones.
9 Mimi nitakuwa mdhamini wake. Utaniwajibisha mimi. Kama nisipomleta na kumweka mbele yako, basi nibebe lawama daima.
I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever:
10 Kwani kama tusingekawia, bila shaka hata sasa tungekuwa tumekwisha rudi mara ya pili.”
for except we had lingered, surely we had now returned a second time.
11 Israeli baba yao akawambia, “Kama ni hivyo, basi fanyeni hivi. Chukueni baadhi ya mazao mazuri ya nchi katika mifuko yenu. Mchukulieni yule mtu zawadi: baadhi ya malhamu, asali, viungo na manemane, jozi na lozi.
And their father Israel said unto them, If it be so now, do this; take of the choice fruits of the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spicery and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:
12 Chukueni pesa mara mbili mikononi mwenu. Pesa iliyorudishwa katika magunia yenu, muichukue tena katika mikono yenu. Pengine walikosea.
and take double money in your hand; and the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks carry again in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight:
13 Mchukueni ndugu yenu pia. Inukeni na mwende tena kwa mtu yule.
take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man:
14 Mungu Mwenyezi na awape kuona rehema mbele ya huyo mtu, hivyo kwamba awafungulie ndugu yenu mwingine na Benjamini. Kama nikipotelewa na watoto, nimepotelewa.”
and God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release unto you your other brother and Benjamin. And if I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.
15 Watu wale wakachukua zawadi hii, na katika mikono yao wakachukua mara mbili ya kiasi cha pesa, pamoja na Benjamini. Wakaamka na kushuka Misri na kusimama mbele ya Yusufu.
And the men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
16 Yusufu alipomwona Benjamini akiwa nao, akamwambia mtunzaji wa nyumba yake, “Walete watu hao ndani ya nyumba, chinja mnyama na umwandae, kwani watu hawa watakula chakula cha mchana pamoja nami.”
And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, Bring the men into the house, and slay, and make ready; for the men shall dine with me at noon.
17 Mtunzaji wa nyumba akafanya kama Yusufu alivyosema. Akawaleta wale watu nyumbani kwa Yusufu.
And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men into Joseph’s house.
18 Wale ndugu wakaogopa kwa vile walivyoletwa katika nyumba ya Yusufu. Wakasema, “Ni kwa sababu ya pesa iliyorudishwa katika magunia yetu mara ya kwanza tulipoletwa ndani, kwamba atafute nafasi kinyume chetu. Kwamba aweze kutukamata na kutuchukua kama watumwa, na kuchukua punda wetu.” Wakamsogelea mtunzaji wa nyumba ya Yusufu,
And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph’s house; and they said, Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses.
19 nao wakaongea naye mlangoni mwa nyumba,
And they came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they spake unto him at the door of the house,
20 wakisema, “Bwana wangu, tulikuja mara ya kwanza kununua chakula.
and said, Oh my lord, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food:
21 Ikawa, tulipofika katika eneo la kupumzikia, tukafungua magunia yetu, na, tazama, pesa ya kila mtu ilikuwa katika gunia lake, pesa yetu kwa kiasi kamili. Tumeileta katika mikono yetu.
and it came to pass, when we came to the lodging place, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight: and we have brought it again in our hand.
22 Tumekuja na pesa nyingine pia mikonon mwetu ili kununua chakula. Hatujui aliyeziweka pesa katika magunia yetu.”
And other money have we brought down in our hand to buy food: we know not who put our money in our sacks.
23 Mtunzaji wa nyumba akasema, “Amani iwe kwenu, msiogope. Mungu wenu na Mungu wa baba yenu ndiye aliyeweka pesa katika magunia yenu. Nilipokea pesa yenu.” Kisha mtunzaji wa nyumba akamleta Simoni kwao.
And he said, Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money. And he brought Simeon out unto them.
24 Msimamizi wa nyumba akawapeleka watu hao katika nyumba ya Yusufu. Akawapa maji, nao wakaosha miguu yao. Akawalisha punda wao.
And the man brought the men into Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their asses provender.
25 Wakaandaa zawadi kwa ajili ya Yusufu aliyekuwa akija mchana, kwani walikuwa wamesikia kwamba watakula pale.
And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there.
26 Yusufu alipokuja nyumbani, wakaleta nyumbani zawadi iliyokuwa mikononi mwao, nao wakainama mbele yake hata chini.
And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed down themselves to him to the earth.
27 Akawauliza juu ya hali zao na kusema,”Je baba yenu hajambo, yule mzee mliyemnena? Je bado yu hai?”
And he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive?
28 Wakasema, “Mtumishi wako baba yetu hajambo. Na bado yu hai” Wakajinyenyekeza na kuinama chini.
And they said, Thy servant our father is well, he is yet alive. And they bowed the head, and made obeisance.
29 Alipoinua macho yake akamwona Benjamini ndugu yake, mwana wa mamaye, naye akasema, “Je huyu ndiye mdogo wenu mliyemsema?” Na kisha akasema, “Mungu na awe mwenye neema kwako, mwanangu.”
And he lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin his brother, his mother’s son, and said, Is this your youngest brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son.
30 Yusufu akaharakisha kutoka chumbani, kwani aliguswa sana kuhusu nduguye. Akatafuta mahali pa kulia. Akaingia chumbani mwake na kulia umo.
And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there.
31 Akaosha uso wake na kutoka nje. Akajizuia mwenyewe, akasema, “karibuni chakula.”
And he washed his face, and came out; and he refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.
32 Watumishi wakamhudumia Yusufu peke yake na wale ndugu peke yao. Wamisri pale wakala pamoja naye peke yao kwa sababu Wamisri hawakuweza kula mkate na Waebrania, kwani hilo ni chukizo kwa Wamisri.
And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians.
33 Wale ndugu wakakaa mbele yake, mzaliwa wa kwanza kwa kulingana na haki yake ya uzaliwa, na mdogo kulingana na ujana wake. Wale watu wakashangaa wote.
And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marveled one with another.
34 Yusufu akapeleka sehemu kwao kutoka katika chakula kilichokuwa mbele yake. Lakini sehemu ya Benjamini ilikuwa mara tano zaidi ya kila ndugu zake. Wakanywa na wakamfurahia.
And he took [and sent] messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin’s mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.
