< Exodus 33 >
1 And Jehovah said to Moses, Depart, go up hence, thou and the people that thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, into the land that I swore unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, Unto thy seed will I give it,
Kisha Bwana akamwambia Mose, “Ondoka mahali hapa, wewe pamoja na hao watu uliowapandisha kutoka Misri, mpande mpaka nchi niliyomwahidi Abrahamu, Isaki na Yakobo kwa kiapo, nikisema, ‘Nitawapa wazao wenu nchi hii.’
2 (and I will send an angel before thee, and dispossess the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, )
Nitamtuma malaika mbele yenu, naye atawafukuza Wakanaani, Waamori, Wahiti, Waperizi, Wahivi na Wayebusi.
3 into a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in the midst of thee, for thou art a stiff-necked people, — lest I consume thee on the way.
Pandeni mwende katika nchi itiririkayo maziwa na asali. Lakini mimi sitakwenda pamoja nanyi, kwa sababu ninyi ni watu wenye shingo ngumu, nisije nikawaangamiza njiani.”
4 And when the people heard this evil word, they mourned; and no man put on his ornaments.
Watu waliposikia habari hizo za huzuni, wakaanza kuomboleza wala hakuna mtu aliyevaa mapambo yoyote.
5 Now Jehovah had said to Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiff-necked people: in one moment I will come up into the midst of thee and will consume thee. And now put off thine ornaments from thee, and I will know what I will do unto thee.
Kwa kuwa Bwana alikuwa amemwambia Mose, “Waambie Waisraeli, ‘Ninyi ni watu wenye shingo ngumu. Kama ningefuatana nanyi hata kwa muda mfupi, ningewaangamiza. Sasa vueni mapambo yenu, nami nitaamua nitakalowatendea.’”
6 And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments at mount Horeb.
Hivyo Waisraeli wakavua mapambo yao katika Mlima wa Horebu.
7 And Moses took the tent, and pitched it outside the camp, far from the camp, and called it the Tent of meeting. And it came to pass [that] every one who sought Jehovah went out to the tent of meeting which was outside the camp.
Basi Mose alikuwa na desturi ya kuchukua hema na kuliweka wakfu nje ya kambi umbali kiasi, akaliita “Hema la Kukutania.” Kila aliyekuwa akiulizia shauri kwa Bwana, angelikwenda katika Hema la Kukutania nje ya kambi.
8 And it came to pass, when Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose up, and stood every man at the entrance of his tent, and they looked after Moses until he entered into the tent.
Wakati wowote Mose alipokwenda kwenye Hema, watu wote waliinuka na kusimama kwenye maingilio ya mahema yao, wakimwangalia Mose mpaka aingie kwenye Hema.
9 And it came to pass when Moses entered into the tent, the pillar of cloud descended, and stood at the entrance of the tent, and [Jehovah] talked with Moses.
Kila mara Mose alipoingia ndani ya hema, nguzo ya wingu ingeshuka chini na kukaa kwenye ingilio, wakati Mungu akizungumza na Mose.
10 And all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent; and all the people rose and worshipped, every man at the entrance of his tent.
Kila mara watu walipoona hiyo nguzo ya wingu ikiwa imesimama kwenye ingilio la hema, wote walisimama wakaabudu, kila mmoja kwenye ingilio la hema lake.
11 And Jehovah spoke with Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. And he returned to the camp; but his attendant, Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, departed not from within the tent.
Bwana angezungumza na Mose uso kwa uso, kama vile mtu azungumzavyo na rafiki yake. Kisha Mose angerudi kambini, lakini msaidizi wake kijana Yoshua mwana wa Nuni hakuondoka mle Hemani.
12 And Moses said to Jehovah, Behold, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people; but thou dost not let me know whom thou wilt send with me; and thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in mine eyes.
Mose akamwambia Bwana, “Umekuwa ukiniambia, ‘Ongoza watu hawa,’ lakini hujanifahamisha ni nani utakayemtuma pamoja nami. Umesema, ‘Ninakujua wewe kwa jina lako, nawe umepata kibali mbele zangu.’
13 And now, if indeed I have found grace in thine eyes, make me now to know thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thine eyes; and consider that this nation is thy people!
Ikiwa umependezwa nami, nifundishe njia zako ili nipate kukujua, nami nizidi kupata kibali mbele zako. Kumbuka kuwa taifa hili ni watu wako.”
14 And he said, My presence shall go, and I will give thee rest.
Bwana akajibu, “Uso wangu utakwenda pamoja nawe, nami nitakupa raha.”
15 And he said to him, If thy presence do not go, bring us not up hence.
Kisha Mose akamwambia, “Kama Uso wako hauendi pamoja nasi, usituondoe hapa.
16 And how shall it be known then that I have found grace in thine eyes — I and thy people? [Is it] not by thy going with us? so shall we be distinguished, I and thy people, from every people that is on the face of the earth.
Mtu yeyote atajuaje kuwa mimi pamoja na watu wako tumepata kibali mbele zako, usipokwenda pamoja nasi? Ni nini kingine kitakachoweza kututofautisha mimi na watu wako miongoni mwa watu wengine wote walio katika uso wa dunia?”
17 And Jehovah said to Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast said; for thou hast found grace in mine eyes, and I know thee by name.
Bwana akamwambia Mose, “Nitakufanyia jambo lile uliloomba, kwa sababu ninapendezwa nawe, nami ninakujua kwa jina lako.”
18 And he said, Let me, I pray thee, see thy glory.
Kisha Mose akasema, “Basi nionyeshe utukufu wako.”
19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thy face, and I will proclaim the name of Jehovah before thee; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.
Ndipo Bwana akasema, “Nitapitisha wema wangu wote mbele yako, nami nitalitangaza Jina langu, Bwana, mbele ya uso wako. Nitamrehemu yeye nimrehemuye, na pia nitamhurumia yeye nimhurumiaye.”
20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face; for Man shall not see me, and live.
Lakini Mungu akasema, “Hutaweza kuuona uso wangu, kwa kuwa hakuna mtu yeyote awezaye kuniona akaishi.”
21 And Jehovah said, Behold, [there is] a place by me: there shalt thou stand on the rock.
Kisha Bwana akasema, “Kuna mahali karibu nami ambapo unaweza kusimama juu ya mwamba.
22 And it shall come to pass, when my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand, until I have passed by.
Utukufu wangu unapopita, nitakuweka gengeni kwenye mwamba na kukufunika kwa mkono wangu mpaka nitakapokwisha kupita.
23 And I will take away my hand, and thou shalt see me from behind; but my face shall not be seen.
Kisha nitaondoa mkono wangu nawe utaona mgongo wangu; lakini kamwe uso wangu hautaonekana.”