Joshua 9
1 And it came to pass when all the kings who were on this side the Jordan, in the hill-country, and in the lowland, and along all the coast of the great sea as far as opposite to Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard [of it],
Basi ikawa wafalme wote waliokuwa magharibi mwa Yordani waliposikia juu ya haya yote, wale waliokuwa katika nchi ya vilima, upande wa magharibi mwa vilima na katika pwani yote ya hiyo Bahari Kuu, hadi kufikia Lebanoni (wafalme wa Wahiti, Waamori, Wakanaani, Waperizi, Wahivi na Wayebusi),
2 that they assembled together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.
wakajiunga pamoja ili kupigana vita dhidi ya Yoshua na Israeli.
3 And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai,
Hata hivyo, watu wa Gibeoni waliposikia juu ya hayo yote Yoshua aliyowatendea watu wa Yeriko na Ai,
4 then they also acted with craft, and they went prepared as on a journey, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine-flasks, old and rent and tied up;
nao wakaamua kufanya hila: Wakajifanya kama wajumbe wakiwa na punda waliobebeshwa mizigo wakiwa na magunia yaliyochakaa na viriba vya mvinyo vikuukuu vyenye nyufa zilizozibwa.
5 and old and patched sandals upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry [and] mouldy.
Walivaa miguuni mwao viatu vilivyoraruka na kushonwa kisha wakavaa nguo kuukuu. Chakula chao kilikuwa mkate uliokauka na kuingia koga.
6 And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said to him, and to the men of Israel, From a far country are we come; and now make a covenant with us.
Ndipo wakamwendea Yoshua kambini huko Gilgali wakamwambia yeye pamoja na watu wa Israeli, “Tumetoka katika nchi ya mbali, fanyeni mkataba nasi.”
7 And the men of Israel said to the Hivite, Perhaps thou dwellest in the midst of us, and how should I make a covenant with thee?
Basi watu wa Israeli wakawaambia hao Wahivi, “Lakini huenda mnakaa karibu nasi, twawezaje basi kufanya mapatano nanyi?”
8 And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said to them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?
Wakamwambia Yoshua, “Sisi ni watumishi wako.” Yoshua akawauliza, “Ninyi ni nani, nanyi mnatoka wapi?”
9 And they said to him, From a very far country are thy servants come, because of the name of Jehovah thy God; for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt,
Nao wakamjibu: “Watumishi wako wametoka nchi ya mbali sana kwa ajili ya umaarufu wa Bwana Mungu wenu. Kwa kuwa tumesikia taarifa zake: hayo yote aliyofanya huko Misri,
10 and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon the king of Heshbon, and to Og the king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth.
pia yale yote aliyowatendea wafalme wawili wa Waamori mashariki ya Yordani; huyo Sihoni mfalme wa Heshboni na Ogu mfalme wa Bashani, aliyetawala huko Ashtarothi.
11 And our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, Take victuals in your hand for the way, and go to meet them, and say to them, We are your servants, and now make a covenant with us.
Basi wazee wetu na wale wote wanaoishi katika nchi yetu walituambia, ‘Chukueni chakula cha safari; nendeni mkakutane na watu hao na kuwaambia, “Sisi tu watumishi wenu, fanyeni mapatano nasi.”’
12 This our bread we took warm for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you; and now, behold, it is dry, and is become mouldy.
Mkate huu wetu ulikuwa wa moto tulipoufunga siku tulipoanza safari kuja kwenu, lakini sasa angalia jinsi ulivyokauka na kuota ukungu.
13 And these flasks of wine which we filled new, behold, they are rent; and these our garments and our sandals are become old by reason of the very long journey.
Viriba hivi vya mvinyo vilikuwa vipya tulipovijaza, lakini ona jinsi vilivyo na nyufa. Nguo zetu na viatu vimechakaa kwa ajili ya safari ndefu.”
14 And the men took of their victuals, but they did not inquire at the mouth of Jehovah.
Basi watu wa Israeli wakavikagua vyakula vyao bila kupata shauri kutoka kwa Bwana.
15 And Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them, to let them live; and the princes of the assembly swore unto them.
Ndipo Yoshua akafanya mapatano ya amani pamoja nao kuwaacha waishi, nao viongozi wa kusanyiko wakathibitisha kwa kiapo.
16 And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they dwelt in their midst.
Siku ya tatu baada ya hao kufanya mapatano na Wagibeoni, Waisraeli wakapata habari kuwa hao watu ni jirani zao waliokuwa wanaishi karibu nao.
17 And the children of Israel journeyed, and came to their cities on the third day; and their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjath-jearim.
Ndipo wana wa Israeli wakasafiri na siku ya tatu wakafika kwenye miji yao ya Gibeoni, Kefira, Beerothi na Kiriath-Yearimu.
18 And the children of Israel did not smite them, because the princes of the assembly had sworn unto them by Jehovah the God of Israel. Then all the assembly murmured against the princes.
Lakini Waisraeli hawakuwashambulia kwa kuwa viongozi wa kusanyiko walikuwa wamewaapia kwa Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli. Kusanyiko lote likanungʼunika dhidi ya hao viongozi,
19 And all the princes said to all the assembly, We have sworn unto them by Jehovah the God of Israel, and now we may not touch them.
lakini viongozi wote wakawajibu, “Tumeshawaapia kwa Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, kwa hiyo hatuwezi kuwagusa sasa.
20 This we will do to them, and let them live, lest wrath come upon us, because of the oath which we swore unto them.
Hivi ndivyo tutakavyowafanyia: Tutawaacha waishi, ili ghadhabu isije juu yetu kwa kuvunja kiapo tulichowaapia.”
21 And the princes said to them, Let them live. And they were hewers of wood and drawers of water for all the assembly; as the princes had said to them.
Wakaendelea kusema, “Waacheni waishi, lakini wawe wapasua kuni na wachota maji kwa ajili ya jamii yote.” Hivyo ahadi waliyoweka viongozi kwao ikawa hivyo.
22 And Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, Why have ye deceived us, saying, We are very far from you; whereas ye dwell in our midst?
Kisha Yoshua akawaita Wagibeoni na kuwaambia, “Kwa nini mmetudanganya kwa kutuambia, ‘Tunaishi mbali nanyi,’ wakati ambapo ninyi mnaishi karibu nasi?
23 And now ye are cursed, and ye shall never cease to be bondmen, and hewers of wood, and drawers of water for the house of my God.
Sasa mko chini ya laana: Daima mtakuwa wapasua kuni na wachota maji kwa ajili ya nyumba ya Mungu wangu.”
24 And they answered Joshua and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants how that Jehovah thy God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; and we feared greatly for our lives because of you, and did this thing.
Wakamjibu Yoshua, “Watumwa wako waliambiwa waziwazi jinsi Bwana Mungu wenu alivyomwamuru mtumishi wake Mose kuwapa ninyi nchi hii yote na kuwaangamiza wakazi wake wote toka mbele zenu. Kwa hiyo tuliogopa mno kwa ajili ya uhai wetu kwa sababu yenu, ndiyo maana tukafanya neno hili.
25 And now behold, we are in thy hand: as it is good and right in thine eyes to do to us, do.
Sasa tupo mikononi mwako. Tufanyieni lolote mnaloona kuwa jema na haki kwako.”
26 And he did so to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, and they did not slay them.
Kwa hiyo Yoshua akawaokoa mikononi mwa Waisraeli, nao hawakuuawa.
27 And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the assembly, and for the altar of Jehovah, to this day, in the place which he should choose.
Siku hiyo Yoshua akawafanya Wagibeoni wapasua kuni na wachota maji kwa ajili ya jamii na kwa ajili ya madhabahu ya Bwana mahali pale ambapo Bwana angepachagua. Hivyo ndivyo walivyo hadi hivi leo.
