1 Yakobo ankakhala mʼdziko la Kanaani kumene abambo ake ankakhala.

2 Mbiri ya banja la Yakobo ndi iyi:

Yosefe, mnyamata wa zaka 17 ankaweta nkhosa ndi abale ake, pamodzi ndi ana a Biliha ndi Zilipa, akazi a abambo ake. Tsono Yosefe ankabwera kudzawuza abambo ake zoyipa za abale ake.

3 Tsono Israeli ankakonda Yosefe koposa ana ake ena onse, chifukwa anali mwana wobadwa muukalamba wake. Ndipo anamusokera mkanjo wa manja aatali. 4 Pamene abale ake anaona kuti abambo awo ankakonda Yosefe kuposa aliyense wa iwo, anayamba kumuda Yosefe ndipo sankayankhula naye zamtendere.

5 Tsiku lina Yosefe analota maloto ndipo pamene anawuza abale ake za malotowo, iwo anawonjeza kumuda. 6 Iye anawawuza kuti, “Tamvani maloto amene ndinalota: 7 Ife timamanga mitolo ya tirigu ku munda ndipo mwadzidzidzi mtolo wanga unayimirira chilili, pamene mitolo yanu inazungulira mtolo wangawo nʼkumawugwadira.”

8 Abale ake aja anamufunsa nati, “Kodi ukuyesa kuti ungakhale mfumu yathu? Ungadzatilamuliredi iweyo?” Ndipo anamuda kuposa kale chifukwa cha maloto ake ndi zimene ankakonda kunena kwa abambo awo.

9 Tsiku lina analotanso maloto ena, ndipo anafotokozera abale ake za malotowo. Iye anati, “Tamverani, ndinalotanso maloto ena. Ulendo uno dzuwa ndi mwezi pamodzi ndi nyenyezi khumi ndi imodzi zimandigwadira.”

10 Atawuza abambo ake ndi abale ake malotowa, abambo ake anamukalipira nati, “Ndi maloto anji umalotawa? Kodi uganiza kuti ine, amayi ako pamodzi ndi abale ako onsewa tingadzabwere kudzakugwandira iwe?” 11 Abale ake anamuchitira nsanje, koma abambo ake anasunga nkhaniyi mu mtima.

12 Tsono abale ake anapita kukadyetsa ziweto za abambo awo ku Sekemu, 13 ndipo Israeli anati kwa Yosefe, “Tsono, ndikufuna kukutuma kwa abale ako.”

Iye anayankha nati, “Chabwino.”

14 Choncho anati kwa iye, “Pita ukaone ngati abale ako ali bwino. Ukaonenso nkhosa ngati zili bwino. Kenaka ubwere udzandiwuze.” Choncho Israeli anatuma Yosefe kuchokera ku chigwa cha Hebroni.

Yosefe atafika ku Sekemu, 15 munthu wina anamupeza akungozungulirazungulira mʼmunda ndipo anamufunsa, “Ukufunafuna chiyani?”

16 Iye anayankha, “Ndikufuna abale anga. Mungandiwuze kumene akudyetsa ziweto zawo?”

17 Munthuyo anayankha nati, “Anasamukako kuno. Ndinawamva akuti, ‘Tiyeni tipite ku Dotani.’ ”

Choncho Yosefe analondola abale ake ndipo anakawapeza ku Dotani. 18 Abale ake aja anamuonera patali. Ndipo asanafike nʼkomwe kumene kunali iwo kuja, anayamba kale kumupangira chiwembu choti amuphe.

19 Iwo anawuzana nati, “Uyo akubwera apo wamaloto uja. 20 Tsono tiyeni timuphe ndi kuponya thupi lake mu chimodzi mwa zitsime izi ndipo tidzati anadyedwa ndi nyama zakuthengo zolusa. Tsono timuonera zomwe ziti zichitike ndi maloto ake aja.”

21 Koma Rubeni atamva izi, anapulumutsa Yosefe. Iye anati kwa abale ake, “Ayi, tisamuphe, 22 tisakhetse magazi. Tiyeni timuponye mʼchitsime ku chipululu konkuno. Koma tisamuvulaze nʼkomwe. Rubeni ananena zonsezi kuti apulumutse Yosefe ndi kuti pambuyo pake akamupereke kwa abambo awo.”

23 Choncho Yosefe atafika kwa abale ake, iwo anamuvula mkanjo wake wamanja aatali uja umene anavala 24 ndipo anamutenga namuponya mʼchitsime chopanda madzi komanso mopanda chilichonse.

25 Atakhala pansi kuti adye chakudya, anatukula maso naona gulu la Aismaeli akubwera kuchokera ku Giliyadi. Ngamira zawo zinanyamula zonunkhiritsa bwino zakudya zamitundumitundu, ndipo zimenezi ankapita nazo ku Igupto.

26 Yuda anafunsa abale ake nati, “Kodi tidzapindula chiyani tikapha mʼbale wathuyu ndi kuphimbitsa magazi ake? 27 Bwanji timugulitse kwa Aismaeliwa, koma ife tisamuchite kanthu kalikonse. Ameneyu ndi mʼbale wathu thupi limodzi ndi ife.” Abale ake anavomereza zimenezi.

28 Amalonda ena a ku Midiyani ankadutsa pomwepo. Tsono abale ake a Yosefe anamutulutsa Yosefe uja mu chitsime chija ndipo anamugulitsa kwa Aismaeli aja pamtengo wa masekeli makumi awiri. Choncho anapita naye Yosefe ku Igupto.

29 Rubeni atabwerera ku chitsime kuja anapeza kuti Yosefe mulibe mʼchitsimemo. Pamenepo iye anangʼamba zovala zake 30 nabwerera kwa abale ake nati, “Mnyamata uja mulibemo! Nanga ndilowere kuti ine tsopano?”

31 Tsono anapha kamwana ka mbuzi, natenga mkanjo wa Yosefe ndi kuwunyika mʼmagazi ake. 32 Iwo anatenga mkanjo uja nabwerera nawo kwa abambo awo nati, “Ife tapeza mkanjowu. Tawuyangʼanitsitsani muone ngati uli wa mwana wanu.”

33 Iye anawuzindikira ndipo anati, “Ndi mkanjo wa mwana wanga umenewu! Nyama yakuthengo yolusa yamudya. Mosakayika, mwana wanga Yosefe wakhadzulidwa.”

34 Pamenepo Yakobo anangʼamba zovala zake, navala chisaka mʼchiwuno mwake. Iye analira maliro a mwana wake masiku ambiri. 35 Ngakhale kuti ana ake onse aamuna ndi aakazi anasonkhana kudzamutonthoza, iye anakana kutonthozedwa. Iye anati, “Ayi. Ndidzalira mpaka ndidzapite kwa mwana wanga ku manda.” Choncho Israeli anapitirirabe kulira mwana wake.

36 Amidiyani aja anagulitsa Yosefe kwa Potifara, mmodzi mwa nduna za Farao ku Igupto. Potifarayu anali mkulu wa asilikali olonda nyumba ya Farao.