Joshua 8
1 And the LORD said unto Joshua: 'Fear not, neither be thou dismayed; take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai; see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land.
Ndipo Bwana akamwambia Yoshua, “Usiogope, wala usivunjike moyo. Chukua jeshi lote la vita uende pamoja nalo kuishambulia Ai. Kwa kuwa nimeshamweka mikononi mwako mfalme wa Ai, pamoja na watu wake, mji wake na nchi yake.
2 And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king; only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves; set thee an ambush for the city behind it.'
Utafanya Ai na mfalme wake kama ulivyofanya kwa mji wa Yeriko na mfalme wake, isipokuwa mnaweza kuchukua mateka wake na mifugo wake, kwa ajili yenu. Weka waviziaji upande wa nyuma ya mji.”
3 So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up to Ai; and Joshua chose out thirty thousand men, the mighty men of valour, and sent them forth by night.
Basi Yoshua na jeshi lote wakainuka kushambulia Ai. Akachagua watu mashujaa elfu thelathini walio bora miongoni mwa wapiganaji wake, akawapeleka wakati wa usiku
4 And he commanded them, saying: 'Behold, ye shall lie in ambush against the city, behind the city; go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready.
akiwaagiza: “Sikilizeni kwa makini. Mtavizia nyuma ya mji. Msiende mbali sana na mji. Wote kuweni macho.
5 And I, and all the people that are with me, will approach unto the city; and it shall come to pass, when they come out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before them.
Mimi na watu walio pamoja nami, tutaukabili mji, kisha itakuwa hapo watu watakapotoka nje kupigana nasi, kama walivyofanya hapo kwanza, sisi tutawakimbia.
6 And they will come out after us, till we have drawn them away from the city; for they will say: They flee before us, as at the first; so we will flee before them.
Watatufuatilia mpaka tutakapokuwa tumewavuta mbali na mji kwa kuwa watasema, ‘Wanatukimbia, kama walivyofanya hapo awali.’ Hivyo tutakapowakimbia,
7 And ye shall rise up from the ambush, and take possession of the city; for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand.
ninyi inawapasa mwinuke mtoke huko mafichoni na kuuteka mji. Bwana Mungu wenu atautia mkononi mwenu.
8 And it shall be, when ye have seized upon the city, that ye shall set the city on fire; according to the word of the LORD shall ye do; see, I have commanded you.'
Mtakapokuwa mmeuteka mji, uteketezeni kwa moto. Fanyeni kama vile Bwana alivyoamuru. Angalieni, nimewaagiza.”
9 And Joshua sent them forth; and they went to the ambushment, and abode between Beth-el and Ai, on the west side of Ai; but Joshua lodged that night among the people.
Ndipo Yoshua akawatuma watu, nao wakaenda mahali pa kujificha, wakawa wanavizia kati ya Betheli na Ai, kuelekea upande wa magharibi wa Ai, lakini Yoshua akalala miongoni mwa watu usiku huo.
10 And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and numbered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.
Asubuhi na mapema siku iliyofuatia, Yoshua akawakutanisha watu wake, na yeye na viongozi wa Israeli wakawa mbele ya watu kwenda Ai.
11 And all the people, even the men of war that were with him, went up, and drew nigh, and came before the city, and pitched on the north side of Ai — now there was a valley between him and Ai.
Watu wote wa vita waliokuwa pamoja naye walipanda, wakakaribia na kufika mbele ya mji. Wakapiga kambi kaskazini mwa Ai, pakiwa na bonde kati yao na huo mji.
12 And he took about five thousand men, and set them in ambush between Beth-el and Ai, on the west side of Ai.
Yoshua alikuwa amewachukua watu wapatao elfu tano, akawaweka katika uavizi kati ya Betheli na Ai, upande wa magharibi wa mji.
13 So the people set themselves in array, even all the host that was on the north of the city, their rear lying in wait on the west of the city; and Joshua went that night into the midst of the vale.
Wakawaweka askari katika maeneo yao: wale wote waliokuwa kambini wakawa kaskazini ya mji na wale waliokuwa wakivizia wakawa upande wa magharibi. Usiku huo Yoshua akaenda katika lile bonde.
14 And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it, that the men of the city hastened and rose up early and went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at the time appointed, in front of the Arabah; but he knew not that there was an ambush against him behind the city.
Mfalme wa Ai alipoona jambo hili, yeye pamoja na watu wote wa mji wakatoka kwa haraka asubuhi na mapema, ili kukutana na Israeli katika vita mahali fulani panapotazamana na Araba. Lakini hakujua kwamba kulikuwa kumewekwa waviziaji dhidi yake nyuma ya mji.
15 And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness.
Yoshua na Israeli wote wakaruhusu kurudishwa nyuma mbele yao, na kuelekea jangwani.
16 And all the people that were in Ai were called together to pursue after them; and they pursued after Joshua, and were drawn away from the city.
Watu wote wa Ai wakaitwa ili kuwafuatia, nao wakavutwa kumfuatia Yoshua mbali na mji.
17 And there was not a man left in Ai or Beth-el, that went not out after Israel; and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.
Hakuna hata mwanaume mmoja aliyebakia Ai wala Betheli ambaye hakufuatia Israeli. Wakauacha mji wazi na kuwafuatia Israeli.
18 And the LORD said unto Joshua: 'Stretch out the javelin that is in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thy hand.' And Joshua stretched out the javelin that was in his hand toward the city.
Ndipo Bwana akamwambia Yoshua, “Inua huo mkuki ulio mkononi mwako kuuelekeza Ai, kwa kuwa nitautia huo mji mkononi mwako.” Hivyo Yoshua akauelekeza mkuki wake Ai.
19 And the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand, and entered into the city, and took it; and they hastened and set the city on fire.
Mara tu alipofanya hivi, wale watu waliokuwa mavizioni wakaondoka upesi kutoka mahali pao na kukimbilia mbele. Wakaingia ndani ya mji, wakauteka na kuutia moto kwa haraka.
20 And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way; and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers.
Watu wa Ai wakaangalia nyuma, wakauona moshi wa huo mji ukielekea angani lakini hawakuwa na nafasi ya kutoroka kwa upande wowote, kwa kuwa wale Waisraeli waliokuwa wanawakimbia kuelekea jangwani walikuwa wamegeuka nyuma kuwakabili wakimbizaji wao.
21 And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city, and that the smoke of the city ascended, then they turned back, and slew the men of Ai.
Basi Yoshua na Israeli wote walipoona kwamba waviziaji wameshauteka mji na moshi ulikuwa unapaa juu kutoka kwenye mji, wakawageukia watu wa Ai na kuwashambulia.
22 And the other came forth out of the city against them; so they were in the midst of Israel, some on this side, and some on that side; and they smote them, so that they let none of them remain or escape.
Wale waviziaji nao pia wakatoka nje ya mji dhidi yao, hivi kwamba wakashikiwa katikati, Waisraeli wakiwa pande zote mbili. Israeli wakawaua, bila kuwaachia yeyote aliyenusurika wala aliyetoroka.
23 And the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua.
Lakini wakamchukua mfalme wa Ai akiwa hai na kumleta kwa Yoshua.
24 And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, even in the wilderness wherein they pursued them, and they were all fallen by the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all Israel returned unto Ai, and smote it with the edge of the sword.
Israeli ilipomaliza kuwaua wanaume wote wa Ai katika mashamba na jangwani walipokuwa wamewafukuzia, na baada ya kila mmoja wao kuuawa kwa upanga, Waisraeli wote wakarudi Ai na kuwaua wale waliokuwa wamebakia mjini.
25 And all that fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve thousand, even all the men of Ai.
Watu kumi na mbili elfu, waume kwa wake, waliangamia siku ile, yaani watu wote wa Ai.
26 For Joshua drew not back his hand, wherewith he stretched out the javelin, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.
Kwa maana Yoshua hakuurudisha ule mkono wake uliokuwa umeuinua mkuki hadi alipomaliza kuwaangamiza wote walioishi Ai.
27 Only the cattle and the spoil of that city Israel took for a prey unto themselves, according unto the word of the LORD which He commanded Joshua.
Lakini Israeli wakajichukulia mifugo na nyara za mji huu, kama vile Bwana alivyokuwa amemwagiza Yoshua.
28 So Joshua burnt Ai, and made it a heap for ever, even a desolation, unto this day.
Kwa hiyo Yoshua akauchoma moto mji wa Ai na kuufanya kuwa lundo la magofu la kudumu, mahali pa ukiwa hadi leo.
29 And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until the eventide; and at the going down of the sun Joshua commanded, and they took his carcass down from the tree, and cast it at the entrance of the gate of the city, and raised thereon a great heap of stones, unto this day.
Akamwangika mfalme wa Ai kwenye mti na kumwacha hapo mpaka jioni. Wakati wa jua kutua, Yoshua akawaamuru wautoe mwili wake kwenye mti na kuutupa kwenye ingilio la lango la mji. Kisha wakalundika mawe makubwa mengi juu yake, ambayo yamesalia mpaka leo.
30 Then Joshua built an altar unto the LORD, the God of Israel, in mount Ebal,
Kisha Yoshua akajenga madhabahu ya Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, katika Mlima wa Ebali,
31 as Moses the servant of the LORD commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of unhewn stones, upon which no man had lifted up any iron; and they offered thereon burnt-offerings unto the LORD, and sacrificed peace-offerings.
kama Mose mtumishi wa Bwana alivyokuwa amewaamuru Waisraeli. Akaijenga sawasawa na ilivyoandikwa katika Kitabu cha Sheria ya Mose: madhabahu ya mawe yasiyochongwa, ambayo juu yake hakuna chombo cha chuma kilichotumika. Hapo juu yake wakamtolea Bwana sadaka za kuteketezwa na kutoa sadaka za amani.
32 And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote before the children of Israel.
Pale, mbele ya Waisraeli Yoshua akanakili juu ya hayo mawe sheria ya Mose, aliyokuwa ameiandika.
33 And all Israel, and their elders and officers, and their judges, stood on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, that bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD, as well the stranger as the home-born; half of them in front of mount Gerizim and half of them in front of mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded at the first, that they should bless the people of Israel.
Israeli yote, wageni na wazawa sawasawa, wakiwa na wazee wao, maafisa na waamuzi, walikuwa wamesimama pande zote mbili za Sanduku la Agano la Bwana, wakiwaelekea wale waliokuwa wamelichukua, yaani makuhani, ambao ni Walawi. Nusu ya watu ilisimama mbele ya Mlima Gerizimu na nusu hiyo ingine ikasimama mbele ya Mlima Ebali, kama vile Mose mtumishi wa Bwana alivyokuwa ameamuru hapo mwanzo alipotoa maagizo ya kuwabariki watu wa Israeli.
34 And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the book of the law.
Hatimaye, Yoshua akasoma maneno yote ya sheria, yaani baraka na laana, kama vile ilivyoandikwa katika Kitabu cha Sheria.
35 There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the assembly of Israel, and the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that walked among them.
Hakuna neno lolote katika yale yote ambayo Mose alikuwa ameamuru ambalo Yoshua hakulisomea kusanyiko lote la Israeli, ikiwa ni pamoja na wanawake na watoto, na wageni walioishi miongoni mwao.
