< Joshua 4 >

1 It happened, when all the nation had completely passed over the Jordan, that the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying,
Watu wote walipokwisha kuvuka Yordani, Yahweh akamwambia Yoshua,
2 "Take twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man,
“Chagueni wenyewe watu waume kumi na wawili, mmoja katika kila kabila.
3 and command them, saying, 'Take up for yourselves from here, from the middle of the Jordan from the place where the feet of the priests stood firm, twelve stones, and carry them over with you, and lay them down in the lodging place, where you will lodge tonight.'"
Wape agizo hilo: 'Chukueni mawe kumi na mbili kutoka katikati ya Yordani mahali wanaposimama makuhani katika nchi kavu, na wayalete na kuyaweka chini katika sehemu ambapo mtalala usiku wa leo.
4 Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man.
Kisha Yoshua akawaita wanaume kumi na wawili ambao aliwachagua kutoka katika makabila ya Israeli, mmoja kutoka kila kabila.
5 Joshua said to them, "Pass over before me in the presence of the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you pick up a stone and put it on your shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel;
Yoshua akawaambia, “Nendeni mbele za sanduku la Yahweh Mungu wenu katikati ya Yordani. Kila mmoja wenu achukue jiwe moja mabegani mwake, kulingana na hesabu ya makabila ya watu wa Israeli.
6 that this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask in time to come, saying, 'What do you mean by these stones?'
Hii itakuwa ni ishara miongoni mwenu kwa ajili yenu wakati watoto wenu watakapowauliza katika siku zijazo, 'Nini maana ya mawe haya kwenu?'
7 then you shall tell them, 'Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.'"
Ndipo mtakapowaambia, 'Maji ya Yordani yalitengwa mbele ya sanduku la Yahweh. Lililpopitishwa katika Yordani, maji ya Yordani yalisimamishwa. Hivyo, mawe haya yatakuwa kumbukumbu kwa watu wa Israeli milele.'”
8 The children of Israel did as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the middle of the Jordan, as the LORD spoke to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel; and they carried them over with them to the place where they lodged, and laid them down there.
Watu waisraeli walifanya kama Yoshua alivyowaagiza, na walichukua mawe kumi na mbili kutoka katikati ya Yordani, kama Yahweh alivyomwambia Yoshua, walipangwa sawa sawa na hesabu ya makabila ya watu wa Israeli. Waliyachukua mawe mpaka mahali walipolala na wakayaweka chini huko.
9 Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood; and they are there to this day.
Kisha Yoshua akayapanga mawe kumi na mbili katikati ya Yordani, katika sehemu ambapo ilisimama miguu ya makuhani waliolichukua sanduku la agano. Na kumbukumbu hiyo ipo hadi leo.
10 For the priests who bore the ark stood in the middle of the Jordan, until everything was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua; and the people hurried and passed over.
Makuhani waliolichukua sanduku walisimama katikati ya Yordani mpaka pale kila kitu ambacho Yahweh alimwamuru Yoshua kuwaambia watu kilipokamilika, sawa sawa na yote ambayo Musa alimwagiza Yoshua. Watu walifanya haraka na wakavuka.
11 It happened, when all the people had completely passed over, that the ark of the LORD passed over, with the priests, in the presence of the people.
Wakati watu wote walipokwisha kuvuka, sanduku la Yahweh pamoja na makuhani walivuka mbele za watu.
12 The descendants of Reuben, and the descendants of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spoke to them.
Kabila la Rubeni, kabila la Gadi, na nusu ya kabila la Manase walipita kama jeshi mbele ya watu wa Israeli, kama ambavyo Musa alivyowaambia.
13 About forty thousand men, ready and armed for war passed over before the LORD to battle, to the plains of Jericho.
Yapata watu watu elfu arobaini walioandaliwa kwa vita walipita mbele za Yahweh, kwa ajili ya vita katika uwanda wa Yeriko.
14 On that day, the LORD magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.
Katika siku hiyo Yahweh alimfanya Yoshua kuwa mkuu katika macho ya watu wote wa Israeli. Walimheshimu - kama walivyomheshimu Musa - siku zake zote.
15 The LORD spoke to Joshua, saying,
Kisha Yahweh akamwambia Yoshua,
16 "Command the priests who bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of the Jordan."
“Waamuru makuhani wanaolibeba sanduku la ushuhuda watoke katika Yordani.”
17 Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, "Come up out of the Jordan."
Hivyo Yoshua akawaamuru makuhani, '' pandeni mtoke Yordani.”
18 It happened, when the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD had come up out of the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up to the dry ground, that the waters of the Jordan returned to their place, and went over all its banks, as before.
Wakati makuhani wenye kulibeba sanduku la agano la Yahweh walitoka katikati ya Yordani, na nyayo za miguu yao ilikuwa imeinuliwa katika nchi kavu, kisha maji ya Yordani yalirudi katika sehemu zake na kujaa hadi katika kingo zake kama ilivyokuwa siku nne zilizopita.
19 The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and camped in Gilgal, on the east border of Jericho.
Katika siku ya kumi ya mwezi wa kwanza, watu walikwea kutoka Yordani. Wakakaa huko Gilgali, mashariki mwa Yeriko.
20 Joshua set up those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, in Gilgal.
Mawe kumi na mawili ambayo yalichukuliwa katika Yordani, Yoshuua aliyasimamisha hapo Gilgali.
21 He spoke to the children of Israel, saying, "When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, 'What do these stones mean?'
Aliwaambia watu wa Israeli, “wakati watoto wenu watakapowauliza baba zao katika wakai ujao, 'Mawe haya ni ya nini?'
22 Then you shall let your children know, saying, 'Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.
Waambieni watoto wenu, 'Hapa ndipo Waisraeli walivuka Yordani katika nchi kavu.
23 For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan from before you, until you had passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up from before us, until we had passed over;
Yahweh Mungu wenu aliyakausha maji ya Yordani, mpaka hapo Yahweh Mungu wako aliyoyafanya katika bahari ya mianzi, ambayo aliikausha kwa ajili yetu ili tupite juu yakes,
24 that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty; that you may fear the LORD your God forever.'"
ili kwamba watu wote wa nchi wajue kwamba mkono wa Yahweh ni nguvu, na kwamba mtamweshimu Yahweh Mungu wenu milele.''

< Joshua 4 >