Joshua 23
1 And it came to pass after many days after the Lord had given Israel rest from all his enemies round about, that Joshua was old and advanced in years.
Na baada ya siku nyingi, kipindi ambacho Yahweh alikuwa ameipa Israeli pumziko kutoka maadui zao waliowazunguka,
2 And Joshua called together all the children of Israel, and their elders, and their chiefs, and their judges, and their officers; and said to them, I am old and advanced in years.
Joshua alikuwa mzee sana. Yoshua aliwaita Waisraeli wote, na wazee wao, na viongozi, na waamuzi, na kwa maafisa, na kisha akawaambia, “Mimi nimezeeka sana.
3 And you have seen all that the Lord our God has done to all these nations before us; [for it] is the Lord your God who has fought for you.
Mmeshaona kila kitu ambacho Yahweh Mungu wenu ameshafanya kwa mataifa haya yote kwa ajili yenu, kwa kuwa ni Yahweh Mungu wenu ambaye amewapigania ninyi.
4 See, that I have given to you these nations that are left to you by lots to your tribes, all the nations beginning at Jordan; and [some] I have destroyed; and the boundaries shall be at the great sea westward.
Tazama! Nimeshawakabidhi kwenu mataifa yaliyosalia ili kuyateka kwa ajili ya kupata urithi ya makabila yenu, sambasamba na mataifa yote ambayo tayari nimeshayaangamiza, tangu Yordani hadi Bahari kuu katika upande wa magharibi.
5 And the Lord our God, he shall destroy them before us, until they utterly perish; and he shall send against them the wild beasts, until he shall have utterly destroyed them and their kings from before you; and you shall inherit their land, as the Lord our God said to you.
Yahweh Mungu wenu atayaondoa. Atayafukuzia mbali kutoka kwenu. Ataiteka nchi yao, nanyi mtaimiliki nchi yao, kama vile Yahweh Mungu wenu alivyowaahidi ninyi.
6 Do you therefore strive diligently to observe and do all things written in the book of the law of Moses, that you turn not to the right hand or to the left;
Hivyo, iweni jasiri, ili kwamba mtunze na kuyafanya yale yote yaliyoandikwa katika kitabu cha sheria ya Musa, msikengeuke upande wa kulia wala upande wa kushoto,
7 that you go not in among these nations that are left; and the names of their gods shall not be named among you, neither shall you serve them, neither shall you bow down to them.
basi msichanganyikane na mataifa haya ambayo yamesalia miongoni mwenu, wala msiyataje majina ya miungu yao, wala msiape kwayo, wala msiiabudu, wala msiipigie magoti.
8 But you shall cleave to the Lord our God, as you have done until this day.
Badala yake, mnatakiwa kumshika sana Yahweh Mungu wenu kama vile mlivyofanya siku hii ya leo.
9 And the Lord shall destroy them before you, [even] great and strong nations; and no one has stood before us until this day.
Kwa kuwa Yahweh ameyafukuzia mbali mbele yenu mataifa makubwa yenye nguvu. Hakuna hata mmoja aliyeweza kusimama mbele yenu hata siku hii ya leo.
10 One of you has chased a thousand, for the Lord our God, he fought for you, as he said to us.
Mtu yeyote mmoja wa kwenu atawafanya watu elfu wakimbie mbali, kwa kuwa Yahweh Mungu wenu, ndiye anayepigania ninyi, kama vile alivyowaahidi.
11 And take you great heed to love the Lord our God.
Zingatieni kwa uangalifu ili mmpende Yahweh Mungu wenu.
12 For if you shall turn aside and attach yourselves to these nations that are left with you, and make marriages with them, and become mingled with them and they with you,
Lakini kama mkiegeuka na kushikamana na watu walioalia wa mataifa haya waliobaki miongoni mwenu, au kuoana nao, au kama mkishirikiana pamoja nao, na wao pamoja nanyi,
13 know that the Lord will no more destroy these nations from before you; and they will be to you snares and stumbling blocks, and nails in your heels, and darts in your eyes, until you be destroyed from off this good land, which the Lord your God has given you.
jueni kwa hakika kwamba Yahweh Mungu wenu hatayafukuzia mbali mataifa haya yatoke kati yenu. Badala yake, watakuwa kitanzi na mtego kwenu, viboko migongoni mwenu na miiba machoni mwenu, mpaka pale mtakapoangamia katika nchi hii nzuri ambayo Yahweh Mungu wenu amewapeni ninyi.
14 But I hasten to go the way [of death], as all that are upon the earth also [do]: and you know in your heart and in your soul, that not one word has fallen [to the ground] of all the words which the Lord our God has spoken respecting all that concerns us; there has not one of them failed.
Na sasa ninaenda katika njia ya dunia yote, na mnajua kwa moyo na roho zenu zote kwamba hakuna hata neno moja ambalo halijatimia kati ya mambo yote mazuri ambayo Yahweh Mungu wenu aliyaahidi juu yenu. Vitu hivi vyote vimetokea kwa ajili yenu. Hakuna hata moja lililoshindikana.
15 And it shall come to pass, that as all the good things are come upon us which the Lord God will bring upon you all the evil things, until he shall have destroyed you from off this good land, which the Lord has given you,
Lakini kama kila neno ambalo Yahweh Mungu wenu alilowaahidi limekwisha kutimia, hivyo Yahweh atawaletea juu yenu mabaya yote mpaka pale atakapokuwa amewaangamiza katika nchi hii nzuri ambayo Yahweh Mungu wenu amewapeni ninyi.
16 when you transgress the covenant of the Lord our God, which he has charged us, and go and serve other gods, and bow down to them.
Atafanya hivi kama mtalivunja agano la Yahweh Mungu wenu, ambalo aliwaagizeni kulitunza. Kama mtaenda na kuiabudu miungu mingine na kuiinamia, ndipo hasira ya Yahweh itawaka kinyume nanyi, na ninyi mtaangamia upesi katika nchi nzuri ambayo amekwisha kuwapeni ninyi.”
