Joshua 23
1 A long time later, after the Lord had given peace to the Israelites from conflict with their enemies around them, Joshua, by now really old,
Baada ya muda mrefu kupita, naye Bwana akawa amewapa Israeli pumziko mbele ya adui zao wote waliowazunguka, Yoshua, wakati huo akiwa mzee na umri ukiwa umeendelea sana,
2 summoned all the Israelites—the elders, leaders, judges, and officials—and told them, “I'm old, getting on in years.
akawaita Israeli wote, wazee wao, viongozi, waamuzi na maafisa Yoshua akawaambia: “Mimi ni mzee na umri wangu umeendelea sana.
3 You've seen everything the Lord your God has done to all the nations on your behalf—the Lord your God has been fighting for you.
Ninyi wenyewe mmeona kila kitu Bwana Mungu wenu, alichowatendea mataifa haya yote kwa ajili yenu. Ilikuwa ni Bwana Mungu wenu aliyewapigania.
4 I have allotted the land of the remaining nations for you to own, as well as the nations already conquered, from the Jordan to the Mediterranean Sea.
Kumbukeni jinsi nilivyowagawia kama urithi kwa makabila yenu yote nchi ya mataifa yaliyobaki, yaani mataifa niliyowashinda, kati ya Mto Yordani na Bahari kuu upande wa magharibi.
5 The Lord your God will make them retreat from you. He will drive them out before you and you will take possession of their land, as the Lord your God promised you.
Bwana Mungu wenu mwenyewe atawaondoa watoke mbele yenu. Atawafukuza mbele yenu, nanyi mtamiliki nchi yao, kama vile Bwana Mungu wenu alivyowaahidi.
6 Be sure to observe everything that is written in the book of the Law of Moses. Don't stray from it, either to the left or to the right.
“Kuweni hodari sana, kuweni waangalifu kutii yote yaliyoandikwa katika kitabu cha Sheria ya Mose, pasipo kugeuka upande wa kuume au kushoto.
7 Don't associate with the nations that are left. Don't mention the names of their gods, and don't swear by them, worship them, or bow down to them.
Msishirikiane na mataifa yaliyobakia katikati yenu, wala msiombe kwa majina ya miungu yao au kuapa kwayo. Msiitumikie wala kuisujudia.
8 Stay close to the Lord your God, as you have done up to now.
Bali mtashikamana kwa uthabiti na Bwana, Mungu wenu, kama vile ambavyo mmefanya mpaka sasa.
9 The Lord has driven out strong, powerful nations before you. No one has been able to stand up to you to this day.
“Bwana amewafukuza mbele yenu mataifa makubwa na yenye nguvu, mpaka siku ya leo hakuna yeyote aliyeweza kusimama mbele yenu.
10 Just one of you can chase away a thousand enemies, for the Lord your God is fighting for you, as he promised you.
Mtu mmoja miongoni mwenu anafukuza watu elfu, kwa kuwa Bwana Mungu wenu anawapigania, kama alivyoahidi.
11 Take great care to love the Lord your God.
Kwa hiyo kuweni waangalifu sana kumpenda Bwana Mungu wenu.
12 For if you do turn from him, and adopt the ways of the nations that are left, if you intermarry with them, associating with one other,
“Lakini ikiwa mtageuka na kushikamana na mabaki ya mataifa haya yaliyosalia katikati yenu na kama mtaoana na kushirikiana nao,
13 you can be absolutely sure that the Lord your God will definitely not drive out these nations before you. On the contrary, they will be a trap and a snare to you, a whip on you back and thorns in your eyes until you die out completely from this good land the Lord your God has given you.
basi mwe na hakika kuwa Bwana Mungu wenu hatawafukuza tena mataifa hayo mbele yenu. Badala yake, watakuwa tanzi na mitego kwenu, mijeledi migongoni mwenu, na miiba machoni mwenu, mpaka mwangamie kutoka nchi hii nzuri, ambayo Bwana Mungu wenu amewapa.
14 Now I am about to die, the fate of every living thing on the earth. Deep down you know that not a single one of the Lord's good promises has failed. Everything has come true. Not one has failed.
“Sasa mimi ninakaribia kwenda katika njia ya watu wote wa dunia. Mnajua kwa mioyo yenu na roho zenu kwamba hakuna ahadi zozote njema Bwana Mungu wenu alizowaahidia, ambazo hazikutimia. Kila ahadi imetimizwa, hakuna hata moja ambayo haikutimia.
15 But in the same way that you received all the good things that the Lord you God promised, the Lord will bring on you all the bad things he has threatened until you're completely wiped out from this good land the Lord your God has given you.
Lakini kama vile kila ahadi njema ya Bwana Mungu wenu imekuwa kweli, vivyo hivyo Bwana ataleta maovu yote kama alivyo onya, mpaka awe amewaangamiza kutoka nchi hii nzuri aliyowapa.
16 If you break the agreement the Lord your God made with you, and you go and worship other gods, bowing down before them, then the Lord will become angry with you, and you will be quickly wiped out from the good land he has given you.”
Kama mkilivunja agano la Bwana Mungu wenu, ambalo aliwaamuru ninyi, mkaenda na kuitumikia miungu mingine na kuisujudia, hasira ya Bwana itawaka dhidi yenu, nanyi mtaangamia kutoka nchi nzuri aliyowapa ninyi.”
