1Zvino Jakove akagara munyika youtorwa hwababa vake, munyika yeKanani.
2Marudzi aJakove ndiwo: Josefa akanga ana makore ane gumi namanomwe, akafudza makwai pamwechete navakoma vake; akanga achiri mukomana pamwechete navanakomana vaBhiriha, navanakomana vaZiripa, vakadzi vababa vake; Josefa akasivaudzira kuna baba vavo.
3Zvino Isiraeri akanga achida Josefa kupfuura vana vake vose, nekuti aiva mwanakomana woutana hwake; akamuitira nguvo yakanga yakareba ina maoko.
4Vakoma vake vakaona kuti baba vavo vanomuda kupfuura vakoma vake vose; vakamuvenga, vakasagona kutaura naye nomufaro.
5Zvino Josefa akarota hope, akaudza vakoma vake, ipapo vakanyanya kumuvenga.
6Akati kwavari, Inzwaiwo hope dzangu dzandarota.
7Tarirai, takanga tichisunga zvisote mumunda, onei chisote changu chikasimuka, chikaramba chimire; ndikaona zvisote zvenyu zvichikomba changu, zvikakotama pamberi pechisote changu.
8Vakoma vake vakati kwaari, Ko iwe uchabata ushe pamusoro pedu kanhi? Ko iwe uchava nesimba pamusoro pedu kanhi? Vakanyanya kumuvenga nokuda kokurota kwake nokwamashoko ake.
9Akapamha kurotazve, akaudza vakoma vake, akati, Tarirai, ndarotazve dzimwe hope; ndakaona zuva, nomwedzi, nenyeredzi dzine gumi neimwe, dzichikotamira pamberi pangu.
10Akaudza baba vake navakoma vake izvozvo; baba vake vakamutuka, vakati kwaari, Kurota kwako uku kwawarota kurota kunyi? Ini namai vako navakoma vako tichauya tikakotama pasi pamberi pako kanhi?
11Vakoma vake vakamugodora; asi baba vake vakachengeta shoko iro.
12Zvino vakoma vake vakandofudza makwai ababa vavo paShekemu.
13Isiraeri akati kuna Josefa, Vakoma vako havafudzi makwai paShekemu here? Uya ndikutumire kwavari. Iye akati, Ndiri pano hangu.
14Akati kwaari, Zvino chienda undotarira kana vakoma vako vakafara, namakwai kana akafarawo; ugodzoka kuzondiudza. Naizvozvo akamutuma, ari pamupata weHebhuroni, akandosvika Shekemu.
15Zvino mumwe murume akamuwana achidzungaira musango; murume akamubvunza, akati, Unotsvakeiko?
16Iye akati, Ndinotsvaka vakoma vangu; dondiudza hako kwavanofudza makwai.
17Murume akati, Vabva pano, nokuti ndakavanzwa vachiti, Ngatiende Dhotani. Josefa akatevera vakoma vake, akandovawana paDhotani.
18Ivo vakamuona achiri kure; zvino asati asvika kwavari, vakarangana kuti vamuuraye.
19Vakataurirana, vachiti, Hoyo muroti uya wauya.
20Uyai zvino timuuraye, timukandire mune rimwe ramakomba aya, tigoti, Wadyiwa nechikara; tigoona kuti kurota kwake kuchazoitwa seiko.
21Rubheni akazvinzwa, akamurwira mumaoko avo, akati, Ngatirege kumuuraya.
22Rubheni akati kwavari, Musadurura ropa; mukandirei mugomba iri riri musango, asi regai kutambanudza maoko enyu kwaari; kuti amurwire pamaoko avo, agomudzosera kuna baba vake.
23Zvino Josefa akati asvika kuvakoma vake, vakabvisira Josefa nguvo yake, nguvo iya yakanga yakareba ina maoko, yaakanga akafuka;
24vakamutora, vakamukandira mugomba; gomba rakanga risina chinhu, makanga musina mvura.
25Vakagara pasi, vakadya zvokudya; zvino vakasimudza meso avo, vakatarira, vakaona boka ravaIshimaeri vachifamba, vachibva Giriyadhi, makamera avo akatakura zvinhu zvinonhuhwira, nebarisami, nemura, vachindozviisa Egipita.
26Zvino Judha akati kuvana vababa vake, Tingawaneiko kana tikauraya munin'ina wedu tichivanza ropa rake?
27Uyai timutengese kuvaIshimaeri; maoko edu arege kuva kwaari; nekuti munun una wedu, nyama imwe nesu. Vana vababa vake vakamuteerera.
28Zvino vatengesi vavaMidhiani vakapfuurapo, vakakwidza Josefa vachimubudisa mugomba, vakatengesa Josefa kuvaIshimaeri namashekeri ana makumi maviri; ivo vakaisa Josefa Egipita.
29Zvino Rubheni akadzokera kugomba, akawana Josefa asisimo mugomba; akabvarura nguvo dzake.
30Akadzokera kuvanin'ina vake, akati, Mwana haachipo; ini zvino ndichaendepiko?
31Zvino vakatora nguvo yaJosefa, vakauraya nhongo yembudzi, vakanyika nguvo muropa;
32vakatumira nguvo iyo yakareba ina maoko kuna baba vavo, vakati, Tanonga chinhu ichi; fananidzai zvakanaka kana iri nguvo yomwanakomana wenyu, kana isati iri iyo.
33Ivo vakafananidza vakati, Inguvo yomwanakomana wangu; wadyiwa nechikara; Josefa zvirokwazvo waparadzwa.
34Jakove akabvarura nguvo dzake, akasimira madhumbu pachiuno chake, akachema mwanakomana wake mazuva mazhinji.
35Vanakomana vake vose navakunda vake vose vakasimuka vakamunyaradza; asi akaramba kunyaradzwa, akati, Ndichaburukira kuguva kumwanakomana wangu, ndichichema. Baba vake vakamuwungudzira.
36Zvino vaMidhiani vakandomutengesa Egipita kuna Potifari, muranda waFarao, mukuru wavarindi.