1
Ikawa, baada ya mambo hayo, Yusufu akaambiwa, Tazama, baba yako hawezi; akawatwaa wanawe wawili, Manase na Efraimu, pamoja naye.
Some time later Joseph was told, “Your father is ill.” So he set out with his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
2
Naye akaarifiwa Yakobo ya kwamba, Angalia, mwanao Yusufu anakuja kwako. Israeli akajitia nguvu, akaketi juu ya kitanda.
When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel rallied his strength and sat up in bed.
3
Yakobo akamwambia Yusufu, Mungu Mwenyezi alinitokea huko Luzu, katika nchi ya Kanaani, akanibariki,
Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and there He blessed me
4
akaniambia, Mimi hapa, nitakuongezea uzao wako, na kukuzidisha, nami nitakufanya uwe kundi la mataifa; kisha nitawapa wazao wako nchi hii baada yako, iwe milki ya milele.
and told me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you; I will make you a multitude of peoples, and will give this land to your descendants after you as an everlasting possession.’
5
Basi sasa wanao wawili uliozaliwa katika nchi ya Misri kabla sijaja kwako Misri ni watoto wangu, yaani, Efraimu na Manase watakuwa wangu, kama Reubeni na Simeoni.
And now your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here shall be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine.
6
Na wazao wako utakaozaa baada ya hawa watakuwa wako; kwa jina la ndugu zao wataitwa katika urithi wao.
Any children born to you after them shall be yours, and they shall be called by the names of their brothers in the territory they inherit.
7
Na mimi nilipokuja kutoka Padan, Raheli akanifia katika nchi ya Kanaani, njiani, si mwendo mkubwa kabla ya kufika Efrathi. Nikamzika katika njia ya Efrathi, ndio Bethlehemu.
Now as for me, when I was returning from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died along the way in the land of Canaan, some distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem).
8
Israeli akawaona wana wa Yusufu, akasema, Ni nani hawa?
When Israel saw the sons of Joseph, he asked, “Who are these?”
9
Yusufu akamwambia babaye, Hawa ni wanangu, Mungu alionipa hapa. Akasema, Tafadhali uwalete kwangu nami nitawabariki.
Joseph said to his father, “They are the sons God has given me in this place.” So Jacob said, “Please bring them to me, that I may bless them.”
10
Na macho ya Israeli yalikuwa mazito kwa uzee, wala hakuweza kuona. Akawaleta kwake, naye akawabusu, na kuwakumbatia.
Now Israel’s eyesight was poor because of old age; he could hardly see. Joseph brought his sons to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them.
11
Israeli akamwambia Yusufu, Sikudhani ya kwamba nitakuona uso wako, na Mungu amenionyesha na uzao wako pia.
“I never expected to see your face again,” Israel said to Joseph, “but now God has let me see your children as well.”
12
Yusufu akawatoa katika magoti yake, naye akainama kifudifudi
Then Joseph removed his sons from his father’s knees and bowed facedown.
13
Yusufu akawaweka wote wawili, Efraimu katika mkono wake wa kuume, kuelekea mkono wa kushoto wa Israeli; na Manase katika mkono wake wa kushoto, kuelekea mkono wa kuume wa Israeli, akawasogeza karibu naye.
And Joseph took both of them—with Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel’s right hand—and brought them close to him.
14
Israeli akanyosha mkono wake wa kuume akauweka juu ya kichwa cha Efraimu, aliyekuwa mdogo, na mkono wake wa kushoto akauweka juu ya kichwa cha Manase, huku akijua atiavyo mikono; maana Manase ndiye aliyezaliwa kwanza.
But Israel stretched out his right hand and put it on the head of Ephraim, the younger; and crossing his hands, he put his left on Manasseh’s head, although Manasseh was the firstborn.
15
Akambariki Yusufu, akasema, Mungu ambaye baba zangu, Ibrahimu na Isaka, walienenda mbele zake, yeye Mungu aliyenilisha, maisha yangu yote, hata siku hii ya leo,
Then he blessed Joseph and said: “May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day,
16
naye Malaika aliyeniokoa na maovu yote, na awabariki vijana hawa; jina langu na litajwe juu yao, na jina la baba zangu, Ibrahimu na Isaka; na wawe wingi wa watu kati ya nchi.
the angel who has redeemed me from all harm—may He bless these boys. And may they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they grow into a multitude upon the earth.”
17
Yusufu alipoona kwamba babaye anaweka mkono wake wa kuume juu ya kichwa cha Efraimu, ikawa vibaya machoni pake. Akauinua mkono wa babaye auondoe katika kichwa cha Efraimu, ili auweke juu ya kichwa cha Manase.
When Joseph saw that his father had placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head, he was displeased and took his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s.
18
Yusufu akamwambia babaye, Sivyo, babangu, maana huyu ni mzaliwa wa kwanza; weka mkono wako wa kuume kichwani pake.
“Not so, my father!” Joseph said. “This one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”
19
Babaye akakataa, akasema, Najua, mwanangu najua, yeye naye atakuwa taifa, yeye naye atakuwa mkuu; lakini ndugu yake mdogo atakuwa mkubwa kuliko yeye, na uzao wake watakuwa wingi wa mataifa.
But his father refused. “I know, my son, I know!” he said. “He too shall become a people, and he too shall be great; nevertheless, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.”
20
Akawabariki siku ile akasema, Katika ninyi Waisraeli watabariki, wakisema, Mungu na akufanye kama Efraimu na Manase. Akamweka Efraimu mbele ya Manase.
So that day Jacob blessed them and said: “By you shall Israel pronounce this blessing: ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’” So he put Ephraim before Manasseh.
21
Israeli akamwambia Yusufu, Angalia, mimi ninakufa, lakini Mungu atakuwa pamoja nanyi, naye atawarudisha mpaka nchi ya baba zenu.
Then Israel said to Joseph, “Look, I am about to die, but God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers.
22
Nami nimekupa wewe sehemu moja zaidi kuliko ndugu zako, niliyoitwaa katika mikono ya Waamori, kwa upanga wangu na upinde wangu.
And to you, as one who is above your brothers, I give the ridge of land that I took from the Amorites with my sword and bow.”