< Joshua 8 >
1 And the Lord said to Josue: Fear not, nor be thou dismayed: take with thee all the multitude of fighting men, arise and go up to the town of Hai. Behold I have delivered into thy hand the king thereof, and the people, and the city, and the land.
Yahweh akamwambia Yoshua, “Usiogope; usivunjike moyo. Chukua pamoja nawe watu wa vita. Pandeni kwenda Ai. Tazama nimemtia mkononi mwako mfalme wa Ai, watu wake, mji wake na nchi yake.
2 And thou shalt do to the city of Hai, and to the king thereof, as thou hast done to Jericho, and to the king thereof: but the spoils and all the cattle you shall take for a prey to yourselves: lay an ambush for the city behind it.
Mtafanya hivyo pia huko Ai na mfalme wake kama mlivyofanya kwa Yeriko na mfalme wake, isipokuwa mtachukua nyara na mifugo kwa ajili yenu. Pangeni mashambulizi ya uviziaji nyuma ya mji.”
3 And Josue arose, and all the army of the fighting men with him, to go up against Hai: and he sent thirty thousand chosen valiant men in the night,
Basi Yoshua aliinuka na akawachukua kwenda Ai watu wote wa vita. Kisha Yoshua akachagua watu elfu thelathini - wenye nguvu na ujasiri - na aliwatuma waende wakati wa usiku.
4 And commanded them, saying: Lay an ambush behind the city: and go not very far from it: and be ye all ready.
Aliwaamuru, “Tazama, mtalala katika hali ya mashambulizi ya uviziaji dhidi ya mji, kwa nyuma yake. Usiende mbali sana na mji, lakini ninyi nyote muwe tayari.
5 But I and the rest of the multitude which is with me; will approach on the contrary side against the city. And when they shall come out against us, we will flee, and turn our backs, as we did before:
Mimi pamoja na watu wote walio pamoja nami tutaukaribia mji. Na wakati watakapokuja kutushambulia sisi, tutawakimbia kama tulivyofanya hapo mwanzo.
6 Till they pursuing us be drawn farther from the city: for they will think that we flee as before.
Watatoka nje watukimbize mpaka hapo tutakapokuwa tumewavuta mbali sana na mji, watasema, “Wanatukimbia kama walivyofanya mara ya mwisho.' Hivyo tutawakimbia na kwenda mbali.
7 And whilst we are fleeing, and they pursuing, you shall arise out of the ambush, and shall destroy the city: and the Lord your God will deliver it into our hands.
Kisha mtapanda kutoka sehemu mliyojificha, na mtauteka mji. Yahweh Mungu wenu atawapa mkononi mwenu.
8 And when you shall have taken it, set it on fire, and you shall do all things so as I have commanded.
Tazama nimewaamuru, mtakapouteka mji, mtauchoma moto. Mtayafanya haya wakati mtakapotii agizo lililotolewa katika neno la Yahweh.”
9 And he sent them away, and they went on to the place of the ambush, and abode between Bethel and Hai, on the west side of the city of Hai. But Josue stayed that night in the midst of the people,
Yoshua akawatuma, na wakaenda sehemu ya uviziajia, na wakajificha kati ya Betheli na Ai sehemu ya magharibi ya Ai. Yoshua akalala miongoni mwa watu usiku ule.
10 And rising early in the morning, he mustered his soldiers, and went up with the ancients in the front of the army environed with the aid of the fighting men.
Yoshua aliamka asubuhi na mapema na akawaandaa tayari wanajeshi wake, Yoshua na wazee wa Israeli walishambuliwa watu wa Ai.
11 And when they were come, and were gone up over against the city, they stood on the north side of the city, between which and them there was a valley in the midst.
Watu wote wa vita waliokuwa pamoja naye walipanda na kuukaribia mji. Walisogea karibu na mji na wakapiga kambi sehemu ya kasikazini mwa Ai. Kulikuwa na bonde kati yao na Ai.
12 And he had chosen five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush between Bethel and Hai, on the west side of the same city:
Alichukua watu wapatao elfu tano hivi na akawaweka katika hali ya kuvizia katika upande wa magharibi mwa mji kati ya Betheli na Ai.
13 But all the rest of the army went in battle array on the north side, so that the last of that multitude reached to the west side of the city. So Josue went that night, and stood in the midst of the valley.
Waliwapanga wanajeshi wote, jeshi kuu katika upande wa kasikazini mwa mji, na walinzi wa nyuma upande wa magharibi mwa mji. Yoshua alilala bondeni usiku ule.
14 And when the king of Hai saw this, he made haste in the morning, and went out with all the army of the city, and set it in battle array toward the desert, not knowing that there lay an ambush behind his back.
Na ilikuwa alipoona hilo mfalme wa Ai, yeye pamoja na jeshi lake, waliamka asubuhi na mapema na walitoka kwa haraka kwenda kuwashambulia Israeli katika eneo linalokabili bonde la Mto Yordani. Hakujua kuwa kulikuwa na shambulizi la kuvizia lilikuwa linasubiria kushambulia kutokea kwa nyuma ya mji.
15 But Josue, and all Israel gave back, making as if they were afraid, and fleeing by the way of the wilderness.
Yoshua na Waisraeli wote walikubali wenyewe kushindwa mbele yenu, na wakakimbia kuelekea nyikani.
16 But they shouting together, and encouraging one another, pursued them. And when they were come from the city,
Watu wote waliokuwa kwenye mji waliitwa kwa pamoja waende mbele yao, na walienda mbele ya Yoshua na kwa jinsi hiyo walivutwa mbali na mji.
17 And not one remained in the city of Hai and of Bethel, that did not pursue after Israel, leaving the towns open as they had rushed out,
Hapakuwa na mtu mme aliyesalia Ai na Betheli ambaye alikuwa hajaenda nje kuwafuatilia waisraeli. Na walipokuwa wanawafuatilia Waisraeli, Wakatoka na waliuacha mji wazi.
18 The Lord said to Josue: Lift up the shield that is in thy hand, towards the city of Hai, for I will deliver it to thee.
Yahweh akamwambia Yoshua, “Nyosha mkuki huo ulio mkononi mwako kuelekea Ai, kwa kuwa nitaitia Ai mikononi mwako.” Yoshua akaunyosha mkuki uliokuwa mkononi mwake kuuelekea mji.
19 And when he had lifted up his shield towards the city, the ambush that lay hid, rose up immediately: and going to the city, took it and set it on fire.
Wanajeshi waliojificha katika hali ya kuvizia walitoka upesi katika eneo lao mara tu alipounyosha mkono wake. Walikimbia mbio na kuuingia mji na kuuteka. Na kwa haraka wakauchoma moto mji.
20 And the men of the city, that pursued after Josue, looking back and seeing the smoke of the city rise up to heaven, had no more power to flee this way or that way: especially as they that had counterfeited flight, and were going toward the wilderness, turned back most valiantly against them that pursued.
Watu wa Ai waligeuka na kuangalia nyuma. Waliona moshi kutoka katika mji ukipanda kwenda angani, na hawakuweza kutoroka kwa njia hii au ile. Kwa kuwa wanajeshi wa Israelei waliokuwa wamekimbia katika nyika, sasa walirudi kuwakabili wale waliokuwa wanawafuatilia.
21 So Josue and all Israel seeing that the city was taken, and that the smoke of the city rose up, returned and slew the men of Hai.
Na wakati Yoshua na Israeli wote walipoona kuwa wale watu wa kuvizia wameuteka mji kwa ule moshi uliokuwa ukipanda, waligeuka nyuma na kuwaua watu wa Ai.
22 And they also that had taken and set the city on fire, issuing out of the city to meet their own men, began to cut off the enemies who were surrounded by them. So that the enemies being cut off on both sides, not one of so great a multitude was saved.
Na wanajeshi wengine wa Israeli, wale waliokuwa wameingia ndani ya mji, walitoka nje ili kuwashambulia. Hivyo, watu wa Ai walikamatwa katikati ya majeshi ya Israeli, baadhi katika upande huu na wengine katika upande ule.
23 And they took the king of the city of Hai alive, and brought him to Josue.
Lakini walimhifadhi mfalme wa Ai, ambaye walimteka akiwa hai, na kisha wakamleta kwa Yoshua.
24 So all being slain that had pursued after Israel in his flight to the wilderness, and tailing by the sword in the same place, the children of Israel returned and laid waste the city.
Ilikuwa baada ya Israeli walipokuwa wamemaliza kuuwaua wenyeji wote wa Ai katika uwanda kariibu na nyika mahali walipowafuata, na baada ya wao wote, hata yule wa mwisho, walipokuwa wamekwisha kulala kwa ncha ya upanga, Waisraeli wote walirudi Ai. Waliuteka mji kwa ncha ya upanga.
25 And the number of them that fell that day, both of men and women, was twelve thousand persons all of the city of Hai.
Wale wote walikufa siku hiyo walikuwa watu elfu kumi na mbili elfu, wanaume na wanawake, wote ni watu wa Ai.
26 But Josue drew not back his hand, which he had stretched out on high, holding the shield, till all the inhabitants of Hai were slain.
Yoshua hakuukunja mkono wake ambao alikuwa ameunyosha huku akishikilia mkuki wake, mpaka pale alipowateketeza kabisa watu wote wa Ai.
27 And the children of Israel divided among them the cattle and the prey of the city, as the Lord had commanded Josue.
Waisraeli walichukua tu wanyama na nyara kutoka katika mji kwa ajili yao wenyewe, kama Yahweh alivyokuwa amemwagiza Yoshua.
28 And he burned the city, and made it a heap for ever:
Yoshua aliichoma Ai na kuigeuza kuwa kichuguu cha mapango. Ni mahali palipoachwa ukiwa hata leo.
29 And he hung the king thereof on a gibbet until the evening and the going down of the sun. Then Josue commanded, and they took down his carcass from the gibbet: and threw it in the very entrance of the city, heaping upon it a great heap of stones, which remaineth until this present day.
Alimtundika mfalme wa Ai juu ya mti mpaka jioni. Na jua lilipokuwa linaenda kuzama, Yoshua aliwaagiza na wakautoa mwili wa mfalme wakaushusha chini ya mti na kuutupa mbele ya malango ya mji. Huko wakaweka kichuguu kikubwa cha mawe juu yake. Kichuguu hicho kimebaki huko hata leo.
30 Then Josue built an altar to the Lord the God of Israel in mount Hebal,
Kisha Yoshua akajenga madhabahu kwa Yahweh, Mungu wa Israeli katika Mlima wa Ebali,
31 As Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the children of Israel, and it is written in the book of the law of Moses: an altar of unhewn stones which iron had not touched: and he offered upon it holocausts to the Lord, and immolated victims of peace offerings.
kama vile Musa mtumishi wa Yahweh alivyowaagiza watu wa Israeli, kama ilivyoandikwa katika kitabu cha sheria ya Musa: “Madhabahu ya mawe yasiyochongwa, ambayo juu yake hakuna mtu yeyote aliyetumia zana ya chuma.” Na allimtolea Yahweh sadaka ya kuteketezwa juu yake na wakatoa sadaka ya amani.
32 And he wrote upon stones the Deuteronomy of the law of Moses, which he had ordered before the children of Israel.
Na huko aliandika juu ya mawe nakala ya sheria za Musa mbele ya watu wa Israeli.
33 And all the people, and the ancients, and the princes and judges stood on both sides of the ark, before the priests that carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, both the stranger and he that was born among them, half of them by mount Garizim, and half by mount Hebal, as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded. And first he blessed the people of Israel.
Waisraeli wote, wazee wao, maafisa, na waamuzi wao walisimama katika sehemu mbili za sanduku mbele ya makuhani na Walawi ambao hulibeba sanduku la Agano la Yahweh - wageni pamoja na wazalia, nusu yao walisimama mbele ya Mlima Gerizimu na nusu walisimama mbele ya Mlima Ebali. Waliwabariki watu wa Israeli kama Musa mtumishi wa Yahweh alivyowaagiza hapo mwanzo.
34 After this he read all the words of the blessing and the cursing and all things that were written in the hook of the law.
Baada ya hayo, Yoshua alisoma maneno yote ya sheria, baraka na laana, kama zilivyoandikwa katika kitabu cha sheria.
35 He left out nothing of those things which Moses had commanded, but he repeated all before all the people of Israel, with the women and children and strangers that dwelt among them.
Halikusalia hata neno moja katika yote ambayo Musa alimwagiza Yoshua ambalo halikusomwa mbele ya kusanyiko la Waisraeli lilojumuisha wanawake, watoto wadogo na wageni walioishi miongoni mwao.