< Joshua 3 >

1 And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they broke up from Shittim, and came close to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel; and they lodged there before they passed over.
Yoshua aliamka asubuhi na mapema, nao walisafiri kutoka Shitimu. Walifika Yordani, yeye na watu wote wa Israeli, na wakapiga kambi hapo kabla hawajavuka ng'ambo.
2 And it came to pass at the end of three days, that the officers passed through the midst of the camp.
Baada ya siku tatu, maafisa walienda katika kambi, wakawaagiza watu,
3 And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then shall ye break up from your place, and go after it.
“Mtakapoona sanduku la agano la Yahweh Mungu wenu, na makuhani kutoka miongoni mwa Walawi wamelibeba, ni lazima muondoke sehemu hii na kulifuata.
4 Nevertheless there shall be a space between you and it, of about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, in order that ye may know the way by which ye must go; for ye have not passed this way heretofore.
Lazima kuwe na umbali wa dhiraa elfu moja kati yenu na sanduku. Msilisogelee karibu, ili muweze kuiona njia ya kupitia, kwakuwa hamjawahi kupita njia hii kabla.
5 And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves; for tomorrow will the Lord do wonders in the midst of you.
Yoshua akawaambia watu, “Jitakaseni ninyi wenyewe keso, kwa kuwa Yahweh atafanya maajabu miongoni mwenu.”
6 And Joshua said unto the priests, as followeth, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.
Kisha Yoshua akawaambia makuhani, “Chukueni sanduku la agano, na kulipitisha mbele za watu.” Hivyo, wakalichukua sanduku la agano na wakaenda mbele za watu.
7 And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to make thee great in the eyes of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so will I be with thee.
Yahweh akamwambia Yoshua, “Siku hii nitakufanya kuwa mtu mkubwa katika macho ya Waisraeli wote. Watajua kuwa kama nilivyokuwa na Musa ndivyo nitakavyokuwa pamoja na wewe.
8 And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, ye shall stand still in the Jordan.
Utawaamuru makuhani ambao hulibeba sanduku la agano, 'Mtakapofika katika ukingo wa maji ya Yordani, ni lazima msimame katika Mto Yordani.'”
9 And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Approach hither, and hear the words of the Lord your God.
Kisha Yoshu akawaambia watu wa Israeli, “Njooni hapa na msikilize maneno ya Yahweh Mungu wenu.
10 And Joshua said, Hereby shall ye know that the living God is in the midst of you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Emorites, and the Jebusites.
Kwa hili mtajua kwamba Mungu aliye hai yuko miongoni mwenu na kwamba atawaondosha mbele yenu Wakanaani, Wahiti, Wahivi, Waperizi, Wagrigashi, Waamori na Wayebusi.
11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into the Jordan.
Tazama! Sanduku la agano la Bwana wa nchi yote litavuka mbele yenu katika Yordani.
12 And now take yourselves twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, one man each out of every tribe.
Sasa chagueni wanaume kumi na wawili kutoka katika makabila ya Israeli, mmoja katika kila kabila.
13 And it shall come to pass, that as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, namely, the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand up as a wall.
Wakati nyayo za miguu ya makuhani walichukualo sanduku la Yahweh, Bwana wa nchi yote, zitakapogusa maji ya Yordani, maji ya Yordani yatatindika, na hata maji yatiririkayo kutoka juu yatakoma kutiririka nayo yatasimama kama chuguu.
14 And it came to pass, when the people broke up from their tents, to pass over the Jordan, and the priests the bearers of the ark of the covenant were before the people;
Hivyo wakati watu walipotoka ili kuvuka Yordani, makuhani waliobeba sanduku la agano waende mbele ya watu.
15 And as they that bore the ark were come up to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bore the ark were dipped in the edge of the water, [the Jordan, however, had overflowed all its banks all the time of harvest, ]
Mara tu wale walichukuao sanduku wakiisha kufika Yordani, na miguu ya watu wale waliobeba sanduku itakapotiwa katika ukingo wa maji (maana sasa Yordani hujaa hadi katika kingo zake zote katika kipindi chote cha mavuno),
16 That the waters which came down from above stood still and rose up as a wall, very far from the city Adam, which is beside Zarethan; and those that ran down toward the sea of the plain, the salt sea, failed, were cut off; and the people passed over opposite to Jericho.
maji yote yaliyotiririka kutoka juu yalisimama katika chuguu kimoja. Maji yakakoma kutiririka kutoka katika umbali mrefu. Maji yaliacha kutiririka kutoka Adam, mji ulio karibu na Zarethani, hadi bahari ya Negevu, Bahari ya Chumvi. Na watu walivuka ng'ambo karibu na Yeriko.
17 And the priests that bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people had finished passing over the Jordan.
Makuhani waliolibeba sanduku la agano la Yahweh walisimama katika nchi kavu katikati ya Yordani mpaka watu wote wa Israeli walipokwisha kuvuka katika nchi kavu.

< Joshua 3 >