1
Njaa ikawa nzito katika nchi.
Now the famine was still severe in the land.
2
Ikawa walipokwisha kula nafaka waliyoileta kutoka Misri, baba yao akawaambia, Rudini huko, mkatununulie chakula kidogo.
So when Jacob’s sons had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little more food.”
3
Yuda akamwambia akisema, Yule mtu alituagizia sana akisema, Hamtaniona uso wangu, ndugu yenu asipokuwa pamoja nanyi.
But Judah replied, “The man solemnly warned us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’
4
Ukimpeleka ndugu yetu pamoja nasi, tutashuka na kukununulia chakula.
If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for you.
5
Ila usipompeleka, hatushuki, maana mtu yule alituambia, Hamtaniona uso wangu, ndugu yenu asipokuwa pamoja nanyi.
But if you will not send him, we will not go; for the man told us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’”
6
Israeli akasema, Mbona mmenitendea vibaya hata mkamwarifu mtu yule ya kwamba mna ndugu mwingine?
“Why did you bring this trouble upon me?” Israel asked. “Why did you tell the man you had another brother?”
7
Wakasema, Mtu yule alituhoji sana habari zetu na za jamaa yetu, akisema, Baba yenu angali hai? Mnaye ndugu mwingine? Nasi tukamjibu sawasawa na maswali hayo. Je! Tuliweza kujua ya kwamba atasema, Shukeni pamoja na ndugu yenu?
They replied, “The man questioned us in detail about ourselves and our family: ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ And we answered him accordingly. How could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother here’?”
8
Yuda akamwambia Israeli babaye, Mpeleke kijana pamoja nami, tuondoke, tuende zetu, ili tupate kuishi, wala tusife, sisi na wewe na watoto wetu.
And Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me, and we will go at once, so that we may live and not die—neither we, nor you, nor our children.
9
Mimi nitakuwa mdhamini wake, umtake mkononi mwangu. Nisipomleta tena kwako, na kumweka mbele yako, nitakuwa mwenye hatia mbele yako daima;
I will guarantee his safety. You may hold me personally responsible. If I do not bring him back and set him before you, then may I bear the guilt before you all my life.
10
maana kama hatungalikawia, hakika tungaliisha kurudi mara ya pili.
If we had not delayed, we could have come and gone twice by now.”
11
Israeli, baba yao, akawaambia, Kama ndivyo, fanyeni hivi; twaeni tunu za nchi katika vyombo vyenu, mkamchukulie mtu huyo zawadi, zeri kidogo, na asali kidogo, ubani, na manemane, na jozi, na lozi.
Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your packs and carry them down as a gift for the man—a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachios and almonds.
12
Mkatwae fedha maradufu mikononi mwenu, na fedha zile zilizorudishwa kinywani mwa magunia yenu zirudisheni mikononi mwenu; labda zilisahauliwa.
Take double the silver with you so that you may return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake.
13
Mtwaeni na ndugu yenu, mwondoke na kurudi kwa mtu yule.
Take your brother as well, and return to the man at once.
14
Mungu Mwenyezi na awape rehema usoni pa mtu yule ili awafungulie ndugu yenu huyo mwingine, na Benyamini. Nami nikifiwa na watoto wangu, nimefiwa.
May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother along with Benjamin. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”
15
Basi hao watu wakatwaa zawadi ile, wakatwaa na fedha maradufu mikononi mwao, na Benyamini; wakaondoka, wakashuka mpaka Misri, wakasimama mbele ya Yusufu.
So the men took these gifts, along with double the amount of silver, and Benjamin as well. Then they hurried down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.
16
Naye Yusufu alipomwona Benyamini pamoja nao, akamwambia msimamizi wa nyumba yake, Uwalete watu hawa nyumbani, ukachinje na kuandalia, maana watu hawa watakula pamoja nami adhuhuri.
When Joseph saw Benjamin with his brothers, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for they shall dine with me at noon.”
17
Yule mtu akafanya kama Yusufu alivyomwambia Naye akawaleta watu hao nyumbani mwa Yusufu.
The man did as Joseph had commanded and took the brothers to Joseph’s house.
18
Lakini watu hao wakaogopa kwa sababu wameletwa nyumbani mwa Yusufu, wakasema, Kwa sababu ya fedha zile zilizorudishwa katika magunia yetu mara ya kwanza tumeletwa humu; apate kutushitaki, na kutuangukia, atutwae sisi kuwa watumwa, na punda zetu.
But the brothers were frightened that they had been taken to Joseph’s house. “We have been brought here because of the silver that was returned in our bags the first time,” they said. “They intend to overpower us and take us as slaves, along with our donkeys.”
19
Wakamkaribia yule msimamizi wa nyumba ya Yusufu, wakasema naye mlangoni pa nyumba.
So they approached Joseph’s steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house.
20
Wakamwambia, Tazama, bwana, kweli tulishuka mara ya kwanza ili tununue chakula.
“Please, sir,” they said, “we really did come down here the first time to buy food.
21
Ikawa, tulipofika nyumba ya wageni, tukafungua magunia yetu, kumbe! Fedha za kila mtu zilikuwako kinywani mwa gunia lake, fedha zetu kwa uzani wake kamili; nasi tumezileta tena mikononi mwetu.
But when we came to the place we lodged for the night, we opened our sacks and, behold, each of us found his silver in the mouth of his sack! It was the full amount of our silver, and we have brought it back with us.
22
Nasi tumeleta fedha nyingine mikononi mwetu ili tununue chakula; hatujui ni nani aliyezitia fedha zetu katika magunia yetu.
We have brought additional silver with us to buy food. We do not know who put our silver in our sacks.”
23
Akawaambia, Amani iwe kwenu, msiogope; Mungu wenu, naye ni Mungu wa baba yenu, amewapa akiba katika magunia yenu; fedha zenu ziliniwasilia. Kisha akawatolea Simeoni.
“It is fine,” said the steward. “Do not be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, gave you the treasure that was in your sacks. I received your silver.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.
24
Mtu yule akawaleta wale watu nyumbani mwa Yusufu, akawapa maji, wakatawadha miguu, akawapa punda zao chakula.
And the steward took the men into Joseph’s house, gave them water to wash their feet, and provided food for their donkeys.
25
Wakaiweka tayari ile zawadi hata atakapokuja Yusufu adhuhuri, maana wamesikia ya kwamba watakula chakula huko.
Since the brothers had been told that they were going to eat a meal there, they prepared their gift for Joseph’s arrival at noon.
26
Alipokuja Yusufu nyumbani, wakamletea ile zawadi iliyokuwa mikononi mwao nyumbani mwake, wakamwinamia mpaka nchi.
When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought, and they bowed to the ground before him.
27
Akawaulizia hali yao, akasema, Je! Baba yenu, yule mzee mliyemnena, hajambo? Angali hai?
He asked if they were well, and then he asked, “How is your elderly father you told me about? Is he still alive?”
28
Wakasema, Mtumwa wako baba yetu hajambo, angali hai; wakainama, wakasujudu.
“Your servant our father is well,” they answered. “He is still alive.” And they bowed down to honor him.
29
Akainua macho yake, akamwona Benyamini, nduguye, mwana wa mamake, akasema, Huyu ndiye ndugu yenu mdogo, mliyeniambia habari zake? Akasema, Mungu akufadhili, mwanangu.
When Joseph looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son, he asked, “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” Then he declared, “May God be gracious to you, my son.”
30
Yusufu akafanya haraka, kwa sababu moyo wake ulimwonea shauku nduguye, akatafuta pa kulia, akaingia chumbani mwake, akalia humo.
Joseph hurried out because he was moved to tears for his brother, and he went to a private room to weep.
31
Akanawa uso, akatoka, akajizuia, akasema, Leteni chakula.
Then he washed his face and came back out. Regaining his composure, he said, “Serve the meal.”
32
Wakamwandalia yeye peke yake, na wao peke yao, na wale Wamisri waliokula pamoja naye peke yao; maana Wamisri hawawezi kula pamoja na Waebrania, kwa kuwa ni chukizo kwa Wamisri.
They separately served Joseph, his brothers, and the Egyptians. They ate separately because the Egyptians would not eat with the Hebrews, since that was detestable to them.
33
Wakaketi mbele yake, mzaliwa wa kwanza kwa cheo cha kuzaliwa kwake, na mdogo kwa udogo wake; watu hao wakastaajabu wao kwa wao.
They were seated before Joseph in order by age, from the firstborn to the youngest, and the men looked at one another in astonishment.
34
Wakapelekewa sehemu za chakula kutoka mezani pake, lakini akazidisha sehemu ya Benyamini iwe kubwa mara tano kuliko zao. Wakanywa, wakafanya furaha pamoja naye.
When the portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, Benjamin’s portion was five times larger than any of the others. So they feasted and drank freely with Joseph.