Genesisi 37

₁Jakobe wachubeka wahlala eKhenani, live lapho bekuhlala khona uyise. ₂Lona-ke ngumlandvo wesitukulwane saJakobe.

Josefa, labesaneminyaka leli-17, abelusa timvu netimbuti kanye nabomnakabo bekutalwa nguBilha, naZilpha, bafati beyise. Josefa abeletsa umbiko kuyise ngaloko lokubi lababekwenta.

₃Israyeli abetsandza kakhulu Josefa kunawo onkhe emadvodzana akhe, sizatfu kwakukutsi wamtala asamdzala kakhulu. Ngako-ke wamtfungela ingubo lendze leyayinemikhono lemidze kantsi futsi ihlotjisiwe. ₄Batsi kube bomnakabo babone kutsi uyise umtsandza kakhulu kunabo bonkhe, base bayamtondza loJosefa, kangangekutsi babengasamkhulumisi kahle.

₅Ngalelinye lilanga Josefa wabhudza; watsi nakabatjela labomnakabo, bamtondza kakhulu futsi. ₆Watsi kubo: “Ase nilalele naku lengikubhudzile. ₇Ngibhudze sibopha titfungo ekhatsi nensimi, sitfungo sami sasukuma sema satsi mpo, leti tenu tase titungeleta lesi sami tasikhotsamela.”

₈Labomnakabo bambuta batsi: “Usho kutsi wena utawuba yinkhosi ubuse etikwetfu?” Bachubeka bamtondza kakhulu ngenca yemaphupho akhe nenkhulumo yakhe.

₉Josefa waphindze wabhudza, wabatjela watsi: “Ase nginitjele nali lelinye liphupho. Ngibhudze lilanga, nenyana, netinkhanyeti leti-11 tingikhotsamela.”

₁₀Kwatsi nakalitjela boyise nabomnakabo leliphupho, uyise wamtsetsisa watsi kuye: “Yini lena loyibhudzako wena? Ucabanga kutsi mine, nenyoko, nabomnakenu, sitakuta sitekukhotsama la kuwe?” ₁₁Bomnakabo baba nemona, kodvwa uyise wawagcina engcondvweni yakhe lamaphupho.

₁₂BomnakaboJosefa bahamba baya eShekhemu bayakwelusa timvu netimbuti teyise. ₁₃Israyeli wakhuluma kuJosefa, watsi: “Angitsi bomnakenu belusele eShekhemu? Kota-ke ngitekutfuma kubo.”

Waphendvula watsi: “Kulungile, babe.”

₁₄Uyise watsi: “Hamba-ke uyewuhlola kutsi bomnakenu basekahle yini, nekutsi timvu tisaphephile yini, bese uyabuya-ke utengitjela.” Wamtfuma esuka esigodzini saseHebroni.

₁₅Josefa wahamba waze wefika eShekhemu. Abesazulazula kuleyo ndzawo ngesikhatsi abona indvodza letsite leyambuta yatsi: “Ufunani lapha?”

₁₆Josefa wayiphendvula watsi: “Ngifuna bomnaketfu. Ngicela mane ungilayele lapho belusele ngakhona.”

₁₇Lendvodza yatsi: “Sebatfutsile lapha. Ngabeva bakhuluma batsi baya eDothani.” Josefa wabalandzela, wabakhandza khona eDothani.

₁₈Kodvwa bona bambona asesekhashane eta kubo, watsi asengakefiki, bavumelana ngekutsi bambulale. ₁₉Bakhuluma bodvwana batsi: “Nanso phela inkunzi yemaphupho ita. ₂₀Wotani simbulale, sidvumbu sakhe sisilahle kuleminye yalemigodzi. Sitabe sesitsi ubulewe tilwane tesiganga. Sitase sibone kutsi lamaphupho akhe atawugcinwa yini.”

₂₁Rubeni watsi nakuva lokuvumelana kwabo, wetama kumsindzisa ngekutsi atsi: “Cha, asisumbulala. ₂₂Asimhholokoshisele kulomgodzi lolapha ehlane, singayicitsi ingati yakhe.” Phela Rubeni abecondze kumkhipha kulomgodzi bese umbuyisela kuyise. ₂₃Josefa watsi nakefika kubomnakabo, bamkhumula lengubo yakhe leyayihlotjisiwe inemikhono lemidze. ₂₄Bambamba bamhholokoshisela emgodzini lowawute emanti.

₂₅Bahlala phansi badla. Batsi basadla babona ludvwendvwe lwema-Ishmayeli luchamuka kaGileyadi lwehlela eGibhithe. Emakamela abo abetfwele tinandzisi tekudla nemakha. ₂₆Juda wakhuluma kubomnakabo watsi: “Kusitani kutsi simbulale lomnaketfu bese sifihla lengati yakhe? ₂₇Wotani, sitemtsengisa kunankha ema-Ishmayeli, singambulali; empeleni, ungumnaketfu, uyinyama yenyama yetfu, nengati yengati yetfu.” Bomnakabo bamvumela. ₂₈Kwatsi nase kwendlula bahwebi bemaMidiyani, Josefa bamkhipha kulomgodzi, bamtsengisa kulama-Ishmayeli ngetinhlavu tesiliva letatingemashumi lamabili. Ema-Ishmayeli ahamba naye aya eGibhithe.

₂₉Rubeni watsi ubuyela kulomgodzi wakhandza Josefa angasekho, wadzabula timphahla takhe. ₃₀Waya kubomnakabo wafike watsi: “Umfana akasekho! Pho, mine ngitawutsini?”

₃₁Batsatsa ingubo yaJosefa, babulala siphongo, benya lengubo engatini yaso. ₃₂Base bayitfumela kuyise nemlayeto lowawutsi: “Naku lesikutfolile. Ase ubukisise kutsi akusiyo ingubo yendvodzana yakho yini.”

₃₃Wavele wayibona kutsi ngiyo, watsi: “Ngiyo! Silwane lesibi simdlile Josefa, indvodzana yami; udzatjulwe waba ticucwana.” ₃₄Jakobe wadzabuka wadzimate wadzabula timphahla takhe, wavunula emasaka, walilela lendvodzana yakhe emalanga lamanyenti. ₃₅Onkhe emadvodzana akhe ase eta kuye atekumdvudvuta. Kodvwa wala kudvudvutwa watsi: “Ngiyawuze ngehle ngiye endzaweni yalabafile, lapho kunendvodzana yami khona, seloku ngililela indvodzana yami.” Ngako-ke uyise wachubeka walila.

₃₆Lena eGibhithe, emaMidiyani afike atsengisa Josefa kuPhotifari, lomunye wetiphatsimandla taFaro; loPhotifari abeyindvuna yetingadzi tesigodlo.