< 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:
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 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: lay thee 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 So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai: and Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour, and sent them away by 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 he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in wait against the city, [even] behind the city: go not very far from the city, but 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 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 pamoja na watu wote walio pamoja nami tutaukaribia mji. Na wakati watakapokuja kutushambulia sisi, tutawakimbia kama tulivyofanya hapo mwanzo.
6 (For they will come out after us) till we have drawn them from the city; for they will say, They flee before us, as at the first: therefore we will flee before them.
Watatoka nje watukimbize mpaka hapo tutakapokuwa tumewavuta mbali sana na mji, watasema, “Wanatukimbia kama walivyofanya mara ya mwisho.' Hivyo tutawakimbia na kwenda mbali.
7 Then ye shall rise up from the ambush, and seize upon the city: for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand.
Kisha mtapanda kutoka sehemu mliyojificha, na mtauteka mji. Yahweh Mungu wenu atawapa mkononi mwenu.
8 And it shall be, when ye have taken the city, [that] ye shall set the city on fire: according to the commandment of the LORD shall ye do. See, I have commanded you.
Tazama nimewaamuru, mtakapouteka mji, mtauchoma moto. Mtayafanya haya wakati mtakapotii agizo lililotolewa katika neno la Yahweh.”
9 Joshua therefore sent them forth: and they went to lie in ambush, and abode between Beth-el and Ai, on the west side of Ai: but Joshua lodged that night among 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 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.
Yoshua aliamka asubuhi na mapema na akawaandaa tayari wanajeshi wake, Yoshua na wazee wa Israeli walishambuliwa watu wa Ai.
11 And all the people, [even the people] 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 them and Ai.
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 took about five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush between Beth-el and Ai, on the west side of the 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 And when they had set the people, [even] all the host that [was] on the north of the city, and their liers in wait on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into 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 it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw [it], that they hasted and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at a time appointed, before the plain; but he wist not that [there were] liers in ambush against him behind the city.
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 And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness.
Yoshua na Waisraeli wote walikubali wenyewe kushindwa mbele yenu, na wakakimbia kuelekea nyikani.
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 waliokuwa kwenye mji waliitwa kwa pamoja waende mbele yao, na walienda mbele ya Yoshua na kwa jinsi hiyo walivutwa 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.
Hapakuwa na mtu mme aliyesalia Ai na Betheli ambaye alikuwa hajaenda nje kuwafuatilia waisraeli. Na walipokuwa wanawafuatilia Waisraeli, Wakatoka na waliuacha mji wazi.
18 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Stretch out the spear that [is] in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thine hand. And Joshua stretched out the spear that [he had] in his hand toward the city.
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 the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand: and they entered into the city, and took it, and hasted and set the city 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 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 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 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 again, and slew the men of Ai.
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 the other issued 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.
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 the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua.
Lakini walimhifadhi mfalme wa Ai, ambaye walimteka akiwa hai, na kisha wakamleta kwa Yoshua.
24 And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness wherein they chased them, and when they were all fallen on the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all the Israelites returned unto Ai, and smote it with the edge of the sword.
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 [so] it was, [that] all that fell that day, both of men and women, [were] twelve thousand, [even] all the men of Ai.
Wale wote walikufa siku hiyo walikuwa watu elfu kumi na mbili elfu, wanaume na wanawake, wote ni watu wa Ai.
26 For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.
Yoshua hakuukunja mkono wake ambao alikuwa ameunyosha huku akishikilia mkuki wake, mpaka pale alipowateketeza kabisa watu wote wa 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.
Waisraeli walichukua tu wanyama na nyara kutoka katika mji kwa ajili yao wenyewe, kama Yahweh alivyokuwa amemwagiza Yoshua.
28 And Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever, [even] a desolation unto this day.
Yoshua aliichoma Ai na kuigeuza kuwa kichuguu cha mapango. Ni mahali palipoachwa ukiwa hata leo.
29 And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: and as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his carcase down from the tree, and cast it at the entering of the gate of the city, and raise thereon a great heap of stones, [that remaineth] unto this 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 Joshua built an altar unto the LORD God of Israel in mount Ebal,
Kisha Yoshua akajenga madhabahu kwa Yahweh, 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 whole stones, over which no man hath lift up [any] iron: and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto the LORD, and sacrificed 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 there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel.
Na huko aliandika juu ya mawe nakala ya sheria za Musa mbele ya watu wa Israeli.
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, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded before, that they should bless 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 And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law.
Baada ya hayo, Yoshua alisoma maneno yote ya sheria, baraka na laana, kama zilivyoandikwa katika kitabu cha sheria.
35 There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant 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.