1
Basi majina ya wana wa Israeli walioingia Misri ni haya; kila mtu pamoja na jamaa zake walikuja pamoja na Yakobo.
These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family:
2
Reubeni, na Simeoni na Lawi, na Yuda;
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah;
3
na Isakari, na Zabuloni, na Benyamini;
Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin;
4
na Dani, na Naftali, na Gadi, na Asheri.
Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher.
5
Na nafsi zile zote zilizotoka viunoni mwa Yakobo zilikuwa ni nafsi sabini; na huyo Yusufu alikuwa huko ndani ya Misri tangu hapo.
The descendants of Jacob numbered seventy in all, including Joseph, who was already in Egypt.
6
Yusufu akafa, na ndugu zake wote, na watu wote wa kizazi kile.
Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died,
7
Na wana wa Israeli walikuwa na uzazi sana, na kuongezeka mno, na kuzidi kuwa wengi, nao wakaendelea na kuongezeka nguvu; na ile nchi ilikuwa imejawa na wao.
but the Israelites were fruitful and increased rapidly; they multiplied and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them.
8
Basi akainuka mfalme mpya kutawala Misri, asiyemjua Yusufu.
Then a new king, who did not know Joseph, came to power in Egypt.
9
Akawaambia watu wake, Angalieni, watu wa wana wa Israeli ni wengi tena wana nguvu kuliko sisi.
“Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become too numerous and too powerful for us.
10
Haya! Na tuwatendee kwa akili, wasije wakaongezeka; tena, ikitokea vita, wao nao wasije wakashikamana na adui zetu na kupigana nasi, na kutoka katika nchi hii.
Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase even more; and if a war breaks out, they may join our enemies, fight against us, and leave the country.”
11
Basi wakaweka wasimamizi juu yao wawatese kwa mizigo yao. Nao wakamjengea Farao miji ya kuwekea akiba, Pithomu na Ramesesi.
So the Egyptians appointed taskmasters over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labor. As a result, they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh.
12
Lakini kwa kadiri ya walivyowatesa ndivyo walivyoongezeka na kuzidi kuenea. Nao walichukiwa kwa sababu ya wana wa Israeli.
But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and flourished; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites.
13
Wamisri wakawatumikisha wana wa Israeli kwa ukali;
They worked the Israelites ruthlessly
14
wakafanya maisha yao kuwa uchungu kwa kazi ngumu; kazi ya chokaa na ya matofali, na kila namna ya kazi ya mashamba; kwa kazi zao zote walizowatumikisha kwa ukali.
and made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar, and with all kinds of work in the fields. Every service they imposed was harsh.
15
Kisha mfalme wa Misri akasema na wazalisha wa Waebrania, mmoja jina lake aliitwa Shifra, na wa pili jina lake aliitwa Pua;
Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah,
16
akasema, Wakati mwazalishapo wanawake wa Kiebrania na kuwaona wa katika kuzaa, ikiwa ni mtoto mwanamume, basi mwueni, bali ikiwa ni mtoto mwanamke, na aishi.
“When you help the Hebrew women give birth, observe them on the birthstools. If the child is a son, kill him; but if it is a daughter, let her live.”
17
Lakini wale wazalisha walikuwa wakimcha Mungu, wasifanye kama walivyoamriwa na huyo mfalme wa Misri, lakini wakawahifadhi hai wale wanaume.
The midwives, however, feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had instructed; they let the boys live.
18
Basi mfalme wa Misri akawaita wale wazalisha na kuwauliza, Kwa nini kufanya jambo hili, na kuwahifadhi watoto waume wawe hai?
So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?”
19
Wazalisha wakamwambia Farao, Ni kwa sababu hao wanawake wa Kiebrania si kama wanawake wa Kimisri; kwa kuwa ni hodari hao, nao huzaa kabla mzalisha hajapata kuwafikilia.
The midwives answered Pharaoh, “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before a midwife arrives.”
20
Basi Mungu akawatendea mema wale wazalisha; na hao watu wakaongezeka sana, wakaendelea na kuzidi kuwa na nguvu nyingi.
So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied and became even more numerous.
21
Ilikuwa kwa sababu wale wazalisha walikuwa wakimcha Mungu, akawasimamishia nyumba.
And because the midwives feared God, He gave them families of their own.
22
Kisha huyo Farao akawaagiza watu wake, akisema, Kila mtoto mwanamume atakayezaliwa mtamtupa mtoni, na kila mtoto mwanamke mtamhifadhi hai.
Then Pharaoh commanded all his people: “Every son born to the Hebrews you must throw into the Nile, but every daughter you may allow to live.”