< Joshua 9 >

1 And it came to pass, when all the kings that were on this side of the Jordan, in the mountain, and in the lowlands, and in all the coast of the great sea opposite Lebanon, the Hittites, and the Emorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, heard this,
Kisha wafalme wote walioishi ng'ambo ya mto Yordani katika nchi ya milima, na katika nchi za chini katika pwani za Bahari Kuu mbele ya Lebanoni - Wahiti, Waamori, Wakanaani, Waperizi, Wahivi na Wayebusi -
2 That they assembled themselves all together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.
hawa waliungana pamoja chini ya amri moja kuinua vita dhidi ya Yoshua na Israeli.
3 And when the inhabitants of Gib'on heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and unto 'Ai,
Waliposikia wenyeji wa Gibeoni juu ya mambo aliyoyafanya Yoshua katika Yeriko na Ai,
4 They also did work wilily, and went and feigned to be messengers, and took old sacks for their asses, and wine-bottles, old, and rent, and bound up;
walipanga mpango wa udanganyifu. Walienda kama wajumbe. Walichukua magunia yaliyochakaa na kuyaweka juu ya punda. Walichukua pia viriba vilivyochakaa na kuchanika chanika na vilivyozibwa zibwa.
5 And [put] old and patched-up shoes upon their feet, and old garments upon themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.
Walivaa miguuni mwao viatu vilivyozeeka na kutoboka toboka, na walivaa nguo kuukuu, zilichanika chanika. Na mikate yote katika chombo ilikuwa mikavu na yenye uvundo.
6 And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We are come from a far-off country; and now make ye a covenant with us.
Kisha wakamwendea Yoshua katika kambi huko Giligali na wakamwambia yeye pamoja wa watu wa Israeli wakisema, “
7 And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell in the midst of us; and how can we make a covenant with you:
Tumesafiri kutoka nchi ya mbali, basi fanyeni agano nasi.” Watu wa Israeli wakawaamba Wahivi, “Huenda mnaishi karibu nasi. Twawezeje kufanya agano nanyi?”
8 And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and whence come ye!
Wakamwambia Yoshua, “Sisi ni watumishi wako.”Yoshua akawauliza, “Ninyi ni akina nani? Mnatokea wapi?
9 And they said unto him, From a very far-off country are thy servants come, because of the name of the Lord thy God; for we have heard his fame, and all that he hath done in Egypt;
Wakamwambia, “Watumishi wako wamekuja hapa kutokea nchi ya mbali, kwasababu ya jina la Yahweh Mungu wako. Tumesikia habari kumhusu na kuhusu kila kitu alichokifanya Misri -
10 And all that he hath done to the two kings of the Emorites, that were beyond the Jordan, to Sichon the king of Cheshbon, and to 'Og the king of Bashan, who was at 'Ashtaroth.
na kila kitu alichokifanya kwa wafalme wawili wa Waamori katika upande mwingine wa Yordani - kwa mfalme Sihoni wa Heshiboni, na kwa Ogu wa Bashani aliyekuwa katika Ashitarothi.
11 Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country said to us, as followeth, Take provisions with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, Your servants are we: and now make ye with us a covenant.
Wazee wetu na wenyeji wote wa nchi yetu walituambia,” Chukueni chakula mikononi mwenu kwa ajili ya safari. Nendeni mkakutane nao, na kisha muwambie, “Sisi ni watumishi wenu. Fanyeni agano pamoja nasi.”
12 This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you; and now, behold, it is dry, and it is become mouldy:
Huu ni mkate wetu, ulikuwa wa moto tulipouchukua kutoka katika nyumba zetu katika siku ile tulipotoka kuja kwenu. Lakini sasa, tazama, imekuwa kavu na yenye ukungu.
13 And these wine-bottles, which we filled, when new, — but behold, they are now become rent; and these our garments and our shoes are become worn out by reason of the very long journey.
Viriba hivi vilikuwa vipya tulipovijaza, na tazama, sasa vinavuja. Nguo zetu na viatu vyetu vimechakaa na kuwa vikuukuu kwasababu ya safari ndefu.”
14 And the men took of their provisions, but the decision of the Lord they did not ask.
kwahiyo, Waisraeli wakatwaa sehemu ya vyakula vyao, lakini walifanya hivyo bila ya kumwuliza Yahweh ili awaongoze.
15 And Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them, to let them live; and the princes of the congregation swore unto them.
Yoshua akafanya amani pamoja nao na kufanya agano pamoja nao ili waishi. Viongozi wa watu nao pia wakawaapia.
16 And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were their neighbors, and that they dwelt in the midst of them.
Siku tatu baada ya Waisraeli kufanya agano pamoja nao, waligundua kuwa walikuwa ni majirani zao na ya kwamba waliishi karibu nao.
17 And the children of Israel broke up, and came unto their cities on the third day; and their cities were Gib'on, and Kephirah, and Beeroth, and Kiryath-ye'arim.
Kisha watu wa Israeli walisafiri na kufika katika miji yao katika siku ya tatu. Miji yao ilikuwa Gibeoni, Kefira, Beerothi, na Kiriathi Yearimu.
18 And the children of Israel smote them not; because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the Lord, the God of Israel; but all the congregation murmured against the princes.
Watu wa Israeli wahakushambulia kwasababu viongozi wao walikuwa wamewaapia mbele za Yahweh, Mungu wa Israeli. Waisraeli wote walikuwa wananung'unika kinyume na viongozi wao.
19 And all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the Lord the God of Israel: and now we cannot touch them.
Lakini viongozi wote waliawaambia watu wote wa Israeli, “Tumeapa kwa Yahweh, Mungu wa Israeli kwa ajili yao, na sasa hatuwezi kuwadhuru.
20 This will we do to them, and we will let them live, that there be no wrath upon us, on account of the oath which we have sworn unto them.
Hiki ndicho tutakachowafanyia: Tutawaacha waishi ili tuepuke ghadhabu ambayo yaweza kuja juu yetu kwasababu ya kiapo tulichowaapia.”
21 And the princes said unto them, Let them live: and they became hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation, as the princes had spoken unto them.
Viongozi wakawaambia watu, “Waacheni waishi.” Hivyo Wagibeoni wakawa wakata kuni na wachota maji wa Waisraeli wote, kama vile viongozi walivyosema juu yao.
22 And Joshua called for them, and he spoke unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye deceived us, saying, We are very far from you: whereas ye dwell in the midst of us?
Yoshua aliwaita na kuwaambia, “Kwanini mlitudanya wakati mliposema, “Tuko mbali sana nanyi' wakati mnaishi hapa hapa miongoni mwetu?
23 And now be ye cursed, and there shall not cease to be of you servants and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.
Na kwasababu hii, mmelaaniwa na baadhi yenu mtakuwa watumwa siku zote, wenye kukata kuni na kuchota maji kwa ajli ya nyumba ya Mungu wangu.”
24 And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants, how that the Lord thy God had commanded his servant Moses to give unto you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; wherefore we were sore afraid for our lives because of you, and we have done this thing.
Walimjibu Yoshua na kusema, “Ni kwasababu watumishi wako waliambiwa kwamba Yahweh Mungu wenu alimwagiza Musa mtumishi wake kuwapa ninyi nchi yote, na kuwateteza wenyeji wote wa nchi mbele yenu - hivyo tuliogopa kwasababu yenu kwa ajili ya maisha yetu. Ndio maana tulifanya jambo hili.
25 And now, behold, we are in thy hand; as it seemeth good and right in thy eyes to do unto us, so do.
Tazama sasa, mnatumiliki chini ya utawala wenu. Chochote kilichochema na haki kwenu kutufanyia, fanyeni.”
26 And he did unto them thus; and he delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, and they slew them not.
Basi Yoshua aliwafanyia hivi: aliwaondoa katika mamlaka ya watu wa Israeli, na Waisraeli hawakuwaua.
27 And Joshua appointed them on that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the Lord, even unto this day, for the place which he should choose.
Siku hiyo Yoshua aliwafanya Wagibeoni kuwa wakata kuni na wachotaji wa maji kwa jamii, na kwa madhabahu ya Yahweh hadi leo katika sehemu ambayo Yahweh huichagua.

< Joshua 9 >