1
Akamwamuru yule msimamizi wa nyumba yake akisema, Jaza magunia ya watu hawa chakula kwa kadiri wawezavyo kuchukua, utie na fedha ya kila mtu kinywani mwa gunia lake.
Then Joseph instructed his steward: “Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each one’s silver in the mouth of his sack.
2
Na kikombe changu, kikombe kile cha fedha, ukitie kinywani mwa gunia la yule mdogo pamoja na fedha ya nafaka yake. Akafanya kama vile alivyomwambia Yusufu.
Put my cup, the silver one, in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the silver for his grain.” So the steward did as Joseph had instructed.
3
Asubuhi kulipopambazuka, hao watu wakapewa ruhusa, wao na punda zao.
At daybreak, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys.
4
Na walipotoka mjini, wala hawajaendelea sana, Yusufu akamwambia yule msimamizi wa nyumba yake, Ondoka, uwafuate watu hawa, nawe utakapowapata, waambie, Kwa nini mmelipa mabaya kwa mema?
They had not gone far from the city when Joseph told his steward, “Pursue the men at once, and when you overtake them, ask, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil?
5
Je! Kikombe hiki, sicho anyweacho bwana wangu? Naye hufanya uaguzi kwa hicho. Mmefanya vibaya kwa kufanya hivi.
Is this not the cup my master drinks from and uses for divination? What you have done is wicked!’”
6
Akawafuata, akawapata, na kuwaambia maneno hayo.
When the steward overtook them, he relayed these words to them.
7
Wakamwambia, Kwa nini bwana wangu anasema maneno kama haya?
“Why does my lord say these things?” they asked. “Your servants could not possibly do such a thing.
8
Hasha! Watumwa wako wasifanye hivi; tazama, hizo fedha mlizoziona kinywani mwa magunia yetu, tumekuletea tena kutoka nchi ya Kanaani. Tuwezeje sisi kuiba nyumbani mwa bwana wako fedha au dhahabu?
We even brought back to you from the land of Canaan the silver we found in the mouths of our sacks. Why would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house?
9
Atakayeonekana kuwa nacho miongoni mwa watumwa wako, na afe, na sisi nasi tutakuwa watumwa wa bwana wangu.
If any of your servants is found to have it, he must die, and the rest will become slaves of my lord.”
10
Akasema, Basi na iwe hivyo kama mlivyosema, Mtu atakayeonekana kuwa nacho atakuwa mtumwa wangu, na ninyi mtakuwa hamna hatia.
“As you say,” replied the steward. “But only the one who is found with the cup will be my slave, and the rest of you shall be free of blame.”
11
Wakafanya haraka, wakashusha kila mtu gunia lake, na kufungua kila mtu gunia lake.
So each one quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it.
12
Naye akatafuta, akaanza kwa mkubwa na kuisha kwa mdogo. Kikombe kikaonekana katika gunia la Benyamini.
The steward searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest—and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.
13
Wakararua nguo zao, wakaweka kila mtu mzigo wake juu ya punda wake, wakarudi mjini.
Then they all tore their clothes, loaded their donkeys, and returned to the city.
14
Akaja Yuda na ndugu zake nyumbani kwa Yusufu, naye mwenyewe alikuwamo, nao wakamwangukia kifudifudi.
When Judah and his brothers arrived at Joseph’s house, he was still there, and they fell to the ground before him.
15
Yusufu akawaambia, Ni tendo gani hili mlilolitenda? Hamkujua ya kwamba mtu kama mimi naweza kufanya uaguzi?
“What is this deed you have done?” Joseph declared. “Do you not know that a man like me can surely divine the truth?”
16
Yuda akasema, Tumwambie nini bwana wangu? Tusemeje! Tujivutieje haki? Mungu ameona uovu wa watumwa wako. Tazama, sisi ni watumwa wa bwana wangu, sisi na yeye ambaye kikombe kilionekana mkononi mwake.
“What can we say to my lord?” Judah replied. “How can we plead? How can we justify ourselves? God has exposed the iniquity of your servants. We are now my lord’s slaves—both we and the one who was found with the cup.”
17
Akasema, Hasha! Nisifanye hivi; mtu ambaye kikombe kilionekana mkononi mwake, ndiye atakayekuwa mtumwa wangu. Nanyi enendeni zenu kwa amani kwa baba yenu.
But Joseph replied, “Far be it from me to do this. The man who was found with the cup will be my slave. The rest of you may return to your father in peace.”
18
Ndipo Yuda akamkaribia, akasema, Tafadhali, bwana wangu, mtumwa wako na aseme neno moja masikioni mwa bwana wangu, wala hasira yako isimwakie mtumwa wako, maana wewe u kama Farao.
Then Judah approached Joseph and said, “Sir, please let your servant speak personally to my lord. Do not be angry with your servant, for you are equal to Pharaoh himself.
19
Wewe, bwana wangu, ulituuliza watumwa wako, ukisema, Je! Mnaye baba, au ndugu?
My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’
20
Tukakuambia wewe, bwana wangu, Tunaye baba, naye ni mzee, na mwana wa uzee wake ni mdogo, na nduguye amekufa; amebaki yeye peke yake wa katika tumbo la mamaye, na baba yake anampenda.
And we answered, ‘We have an elderly father and a younger brother, the child of his old age. The boy’s brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother’s sons left, and his father loves him.’
21
Ukatuambia watumwa wako, Mleteni kwangu, ili macho yangu yamwangalie.
Then you told your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so that I can see him for myself.’
22
Tukakuambia, bwana wangu, Kijana hawezi kumwacha babaye, maana akimwacha babaye, babaye atakufa.
So we said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father. If he were to leave, his father would die.’
23
Ukatuambia watumwa wako, Asiposhuka ndugu yenu mdogo pamoja nanyi, hamtaniona uso wangu tena
But you said to your servants, ‘Unless your younger brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.’
24
Ikawa tulipokwenda kwa mtumwa wako, baba yangu, tukamwarifu maneno yako, bwana wangu.
Now when we returned to your servant my father, we relayed your words to him.
25
Kisha baba yetu akanena, Rudini huko, mkatununulie chakula kidogo.
Then our father said, ‘Go back and buy us some food.’
26
Tukasema, Hatuwezi kwenda; ndugu yetu mdogo akiwapo pamoja nasi, tutashuka, maana hatutaweza kuuona uso wa mtu huyo, ndugu yetu mdogo asipokuwa pamoja nasi.
But we answered, ‘We cannot go down there unless our younger brother goes with us. So if our younger brother is not with us, we cannot see the man.’
27
Mtumwa wako, baba yangu, akatuambia, Mnajua ya kuwa mke wangu alinizalia wana wawili;
And your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons.
28
mmoja alitoka kwangu, nikasema, Bila shaka ameraruliwa, wala sikumwona tangu hapo.
When one of them was gone, I said: “Surely he has been torn to pieces.” And I have not seen him since.
29
Na mkiniondolea huyu naye, na madhara yakimpata, mtashusha mvi zangu na msiba kaburini.
Now if you also take this one from me and harm comes to him, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.’
30
Basi, nikienda kwa mtumwa wako, baba yangu, na huyu kijana hayupo pamoja nasi, iwapo roho yake imeshikamana na roho ya kijana;
So if the boy is not with us when I return to your servant, and if my father, whose life is wrapped up in the boy’s life,
31
itakuwa atakapoona ya kwamba huyu kijana hayuko, atakufa; na watumwa wako watashusha mvi za mtumwa wako, baba yetu, kwa huzuni kaburini.
sees that the boy is not with us, he will die. Then your servants will have brought the gray hair of your servant our father down to Sheol in sorrow.
32
Kwa maana mtumwa wako alijifanya mdhamini wa huyu kijana kwa baba yangu, nikisema, Nisipomrudisha kwako, nitakuwa na hatia kwa baba yangu sikuzote.
Indeed, your servant guaranteed the boy’s safety to my father, saying, ‘If I do not return him to you, I will bear the guilt before you, my father, all my life.’
33
Basi, sasa nakusihi, uniache mimi mtumwa wako nikae badala ya huyu kijana kuwa mtumwa wa bwana wangu; na huyu kijana umwache aende pamoja na nduguze.
Now please let your servant stay here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy. Let him return with his brothers.
34
Kwa maana nitawezaje kumwendea baba yangu, na huyu kijana hayuko pamoja nami? Nisije nikayaona mabaya yatakayompata baba yangu.
For how can I go back to my father without the boy? I could not bear to see the misery that would overwhelm him.”