Deuteronomy 4
1 Now, therefore, O Israel, hearken thou unto the statutes, and unto the regulations, which, I, am teaching you, to do [them], —to the end ye may live and enter and possess the land, which, Yahweh, the God of your fathers, is giving unto you.
Sasa, Israeli, sikiliza sheria na amri ambayo niko karibu kukufundisha, kuzifanya, ili kwamba uweze kuishi na kuingia ndani na kumiliki nchi ambayo Yahwe, Mungu wa baba zako, anakupa.
2 Ye shall not add unto the word which, I, am commanding you, neither shall ye take away therefrom, —that ye may keep the commandments of Yahweh your God, which, I, am commanding you.
Hautaongeza maneno ambayo nakuamuru, wala hautayapunguza, ili kwamba uweze kushika amri ya Yahwe Mungu wako ambazo naenda kukuamuru.
3 Yours are the eyes, that have seen what Yahweh did in Baal-peor, for every man who went after Baal-peor, did Yahweh thy God destroy out of thy midst;
Macho yako yamekwisha ona nini Yahwe alifanya kwa sababu ya Baal Peor, kwa kuwa watu wote waliomfuata Baali Peor, Yahwe Mungu wenu amekwisha kuwaangamiza kutoka miongoni mwenu.
4 but, ye who kept on cleaving unto Yahweh your God, alive, are ye all to-day.
Lakini walioambatana na Yahwe Mungu wenu wako hai leo, kila moja wenu.
5 See! I have taught you statutes, and regulations, as Yahweh my God commanded me, —that ye should do so, in the midst of the land whereinto ye are entering to possess it.
Tazama, nimewafundisha sheria na amri, kama Yahwe Mungu wangu alivyoniamuru mimi, ila kwamba mfanye hivyo katikati mwa nchi ambayo mnaiendea ili kusudi muimiliki.
6 Therefore shall ye observe, and do [them], for that, will be your wisdom, and discernment, in the eyes of the peoples, —who will hear all these statutes, and will say—Nevertheless, a people wise and discerning, is this great nation.
Kwa hiyo washikilieni na kuwafanya, kwa kuwa hii ni hekima yenu na uelewa wenu mbele ya macho ya watu watakaosikia amri hizi zote na kusema, “Hakika taifa hili kubwa lina watu wa hekima na uelewa.'
7 For what great nation is there which hath gods nigh unto it, —like Yahweh our God, whensoever we have cried out unto him.
Kuna taifa gani jingine la vile liko hapo lina mungu karibu nao, kama Yahwe Mungu wetu tunapomwita wakati wowote?
8 Or what great nation which hath righteous statutes and regulations, like all this law, which, I, am setting before you to-day?
Kuna taifa kubwa gani jingine liko hapo ambalo lina sheria na amri ili kwamba haki pamoja na sheria ambayo ninaweka mbele yenu leo?
9 Only take thou heed to thyself and keep thy soul diligently, so that thou forget not the things which thine own eyes have seen, and so that they go not out of thy heart, all the days of thy life, —but thou shalt make them known unto thy sons and unto thy sons’ sons: —
Zingatia peke na kuwa makini kujilinda, ili usisahau mambo ambayo macho yako yameona, ili kwamba yasiuwache moyo wako kwa siku zote za maisha yako. Badala yake, yafanye yajulikane kwa watoto wako na wana watoto wako.
10 What day thou didst stand before Yahweh thy God, in Horeb, when Yahweh said unto me, Gather unto me the people, that I may let them hear my words, —which they must learn that they may revere me all the days which they are living upon the soil, their children also, must they teach.
Kuhusu siku ile uliyosimama mbele ya Yahwe Mungu wako katika Horeb, wakati Yahwe alisema nami, 'Nikusanyie watu, na nitawafanya wasikia maneno yangu, ili kwamba waweze kujifunza kuniogopa mimi siku zote ambazo wanazoishi duniani, na kwamba waweze kuwafundisha watoto wao.
11 So ye drew near and stood, under the mountain. Now, the mountain, was burning with fire, up to the midst of the heavens, —darkness, cloud, and thick gloom.
Mlikuja karibu na kusimama katika wayo wa mlima. Mlima uliwaka moto kwenye moyo wa mbinguni, pamoja na giza, mawingu na giza jembamba.
12 Then spake Yahweh unto you out of the midst of the fire, —a voice of words, ye were hearing, no form, were ye seeing, there was only a voice.
Yahwe alizungumza katikati ya moto, ulisikia suati pamoja na maneno yake, lakini hakuona umbo, ila ulisikia sauti peke.
13 Then declared he unto you his covenant which he commanded you to do, the ten words, —and wrote them upon two tables of stone.
Alitangaza kwenu agano lake ambalo aliwaamuru ninyi kulifanya, amri kumi. Aliziandika kwenye vibao viwili vya mawe.
14 And unto me, gave Yahweh command, at that time, to teach you statutes and regulations, —that ye should do them, in the land whereinto ye are passing over to possess it.
Yahwe aliniamuru mimi kwa wakati huo kuwafundisha sheria na amri, ili kwamba muweze kuzifanya katika nchi mnaoivuka kwenda kuimiliki.
15 Ye must take diligent heed, therefore unto your own souls, for ye saw no manner of form, on the day Yahweh spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire;
Basi iweni waangalifu ninyi wenyewe - kwa kuwa mliona hakuna namna ya umbo siku hiyo ambapo Yahweh alizungumza nanyi huko Horeb kutoka katikati mwa moto,
16 lest ye should break faith, and make you an image, a form of any likeness, —a model of male or female;
ili kwamba usiharibike na kuchonga umbo katika sura ya kiumbe chochote, umbo la mwanaume au mtu wa kike,
17 a model of any beast that is in the earth, —a model of any winged bird, that flieth in the heavens;
au sura ya mnyama aliye katika nchi, au sura ya ndege yoyote wa mabawa arukae katika anga, au
18 a model of any thing that creepeth on the ground, —a model of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth;
sura ya kitu chochote kitambaacho katika ardhi, au sura ya samaki yoyote katika maji chini ya ardhi.
19 or lest thou shouldest lift up thine eyes towards the heavens and see the sun and the moon, and the stars—all the host of the heavens, and shouldest be seduced, and shouldest bow thyself down to them and he led to serve them, —the which Yahweh thy God hath assigned unto all the peoples under all the heavens;
Hautainua macho yako juu mbinguni na kutazama jua, mwezi, au nyota - jeshi lote la mbinguni- ukusogezwa na kuviabudu na kuvisujudia- vile vyote ambavyo Yahwe Mungu wenu amewapa hisa watu wote walio chini ya anga lote.
20 whereas you, hath Yahweh taken, and brought you forth out of a smelting-pot of iron, out of Egypt, —that ye might become his own inherited people as at this day.
Lakini Yahwe amewatoa ninyi na kuwaleta nje ya tanuru la chuma, nje ya Misri, kuwa kwake watu wa urithi wake, kama mlivyo leo.
21 But, Yahweh shewed himself angry with me, for your sakes, —and sware that I should not pass over the Jordan, and that I should not enter into the good land, which, Yahweh thy God, is giving unto thee as an inheritance;
Yahwe alinikasirikia mimi kwa sababu yenu; aliapa kwamba nisiende ng'ambo ya Yordani, na kwamba nisiende kwenye nchi nzuri, nchi ambayo Yahwe Mungu wenu anawapa ninyi kama urithi.
22 for, I, am about to die in this land, I am not to pass over the Jordan, —but, ye, are to pass over, and possess this good land.
Badala yake, ninapaswa kufa katika nchi hii, sipaswi kwenda ng'ambo ya Yordani, lakini mtaenda ng'ambo na kuimiliki nchi nzuri
23 Take heed to yourselves lest ye forget the covenant of Yahweh your God, which he hath solemnised with you, —and so make for yourselves an image, the form of anything, the which Yahweh thy God hath forbidden thee;
Zingatia ninyi wenyewe, ili kwamba msisahau agano la Yahwe Mungu wenu, alilolifanya pamoja nanyi, na kujichongea mfano wa sanamu katika uombo la kitu chochote ambacho Yahwe Mungu wenu amewakataza kufanya.
24 seeing that as for Yahweh thy God, a consuming fire, he is, —a jealous GOD.
Kwa kuwa Yahwe Mungu wenu ni moto ulao, Mungu wa wivu.
25 When thou shalt beget sons, and sons’ sons, and become careless in the land and break faith and make an image the form of any thing, and shalt do the thing that is wicked in the eyes of Yahweh thy God provoking him to anger,
Wakati mnapozaa watoto na wana watoto, na wakati mtakapo kuwa katika nchi kwa muda mrefu, na kama mtaharibikiwa ninyi na kuchonga umbo la umbo lolote, na kufanya uovu machoni pa Yahwe Mungu wenu, kumchoche katika hasira-
26 I take both the heavens and the earth to witness against you to-day, that ye shall, perish, speedily, from off the land which ye are passing over the Jordan to possess, —ye shall not prolong your days thereupon; for, ye shall surely be laid waste;
Nitaita nchi na mbingu kushuhudia dhidi yenu leo kwa kuwa mapema kabisa mtaangamia kutoka katika nchi ambayo mnaiendea huko ng'ambo ya Yordani kuimiliki, hamtazidisha siku zenu ndani yake, lakini mtaangamizwa kabisa.
27 and Yahweh will scatter you among the peoples, —and ye shall have left remaining of you men easily counted, among the nations whither Yahweh will drive you;
Yahwe atawatawanyisha ninyi miongoni mwa watu, na mtabaki wachache ki-idadi miongoni mwa mataifa, ambapo Yahwe atawaongoza mbali.
28 and ye will serve there gods made by the hands of man, —wood or stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell.
Huko mtatumikia miungu mingine, kazi ya mikono ya watu, mbao na mawe, ambayo wala haioni, kusikia, wala kunusa.
29 If thou shalt seek from thence, Yahweh thy God, then shalt thou find him, —when thou shalt search after him with all thy heart, and with all thy soul.
Lakini kuanzia hapo mtamtafuta Yahwe Mungu wenu, na mtampata, wakati mtakapomtafuta kwa moyo wenu wote na roho zenu zote.
30 In thy distress, when all these things have found thee out—in the afterpart of the days, thou wilt return unto Yahweh thy God, and wilt hearken to his voice.
Wakati mnakuwa katika dhiki, na wakati haya yote yatakuwa yamekuja kwenu, katika siku za badae mtamrudia Yahwe Mungu wenu na kusikia sauti yake.
31 For, a GOD of compassion, is Yahweh thy God, he will not forsake thee neither will he destroy thee, —nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.
Kwa kuwa Yahwe Mungu wenu ni Mungu wa rehema; hatawaangusha wala kuwaangamiza ninyi, wala kusahau agano la baba zenu ambalo aliapa kwao.
32 For ask, I pray you, of the former days which were before thee, even from the day when God created man upon the earth, yea from one end of the heavens even to the other end of the heavens, —whether aught was ever brought to pass, like this great thing, or was ever heard of like it:
Kwa ajili ya kuuliza sasa kuhusu siku zilizopita ambazo zilikuwa mbele yenu: tangu siku ile ambayo Mungu alimuumba mtu katika nchi, kutoka pande moja ya mbingu hadi nyingine, uliza kama kumekuwepo chochote kama hiki kikubwa, au chochote kama hicho imewahi kusikiwa?
33 Did a people ever hear the voice of a god speaking out of the midst of fire, as, thou, didst hear, and yet live?
Ilishawahi kutokea watu kusikia sauti ya Mungu kuongea katikati ya moto, kama mlivyosikia, na kuishi?
34 Or did a god ever make trial of entering in to take unto him a nation out of the midst of a nation, by provings, by signs and by wonders and by fighting, and by a firm hand and by a stretched-out arm, and by great terrors, —according to all that Yahweh your God did for you in Egypt, before your eyes?
Au Mungu ameshawahi kujaribu kwenda na kujichukulia kwa ajili yake taifa kutoka miongoni mwa taifa, kwa majaribu, ishara na maajabu na kwa vita, na mkono wa nguvu, na mkono ulionyoshwa, na magaidi wakuu, vile vyovyote ambavyo Yahwe Mungu wenu alifanya kwa ajili yenu Misri mbele ya macho yenu?
35 Thou, wast allowed to see that thou mightest know, that Yahweh, he is God, there is none other than he alone.
Kwenu haya yalioneshwa, ili muweze kujua kuwa Yahwe ni Mungu, na kwamba hakuna mwingine zaidi yake.
36 Out of the heavens, he let thee hear his voice to instruct thee, —and, upon the earth, he let thee see his great fire, and his own words, thou didst hear out of the midst of the fire.
Toka mbinguni alifanya msikie sauti yake, ili kwamba aweze kuwaelekeza, juu ya nchi aliwafanya muone moto wake mkuu, mlisikia maneno yake toka katikati ya moto.
37 And because that he loved thy fathers, therefore chose he his seed after him, —and brought thee forth with his presence with his great might, out of Egypt;
Kwa sababu aliwapenda baba zenu, alichagua wazao wao baada yao, na kuwatoa ninyi Misri kwa uwepo wake, kwa nguvu yake kubwa,
38 to dispossess nations, greater and stronger than thou from before thee, —to bring thee in. to give unto thee their land for an inheritance: As at this day.
ili kusudi awatowe kutoka mbele ya mataifa makubwa na yenye nguvu kuliko ninyi, kuwaleta ndani, kuwapa ninyi nchi yao kama urithi, hivi leo.
39 So then thou must consider to-day, and bring it back to thy heart, that, Yahweh, he is God in the heavens above and upon the earth beneath, —there is none other.
Tambua hivi leo, weka kwenye moyo wako, Yahwe ni Mungu juu ya mbingu na chini ya dunia, hakuna mwingine yeyote.
40 So shalt thou keep his statutes and his commandments which, I, am commanding thee to-day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy sons after thee, —and to the end thou mayest prolong thy days upon the soil, which Yahweh thy God, is giving thee, all the days.
Mtazishika sheria zake na amri zake ambazo nawaamuru leo, ili kwamba iweze kuwa vizuri kwenu na watoto wenu baada yenu, na kwamba muweze kuongeza siku zenu katika nchi ambayo Yahwe Mungu wenu amewapa milele.”
41 Then, did Moses set apart three cities, over the Jordan, —towards the rising of the sun:
Kisha Musa alichagua miji mitatu mashariki mwa Yordani,
42 that the manslayer might flee thither who should slay his neighbour unawares, he, not having hated him, aforetime, —and might flee unto one of these cities, and live:
ili kwamba yoyote aweze kukimbia kati ya moja yao kama imemuua mtu mwingine kwa ajili, pasipo kuwa adui hapo awali. Kwa kukimbilia kwenye moja ya miji hii, atakuwa amenusurika.
43 namely Bezer, in the desert of the table-land, for the Reubenites, —and Ramoth in Gilead for the Gadites, and Golan in Bashan, for the Manassites.
Walikuwa: Bezeri katika jangwa, nchi tambarare, kwa Warubenites; Ramothi huko Gileadi, kwa Gadites; na Golani huko Bashani, kwa Manassites.
44 This, then is the law which Moses set before the sons of Israel:
Hii ni sheria ambayo Musa aliweka mbele ya watu wa Israeli,
45 These, are the testimonies, and the statutes and the regulations, —which Moses spake unto the sons of Israel when they came forth out of Egypt:
hizi ni amri za agano, sheria, na amri zingine alizungumza na watu wa Israeli wakati walipotoka Misri,
46 over the Jordan in the valley over against Beth-peor, in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon, —whom Moses and the sons of Israel smote, when they came forth out of Egypt:
pindi walikuwa Mashariki mwa Yordani, katika bonde mkabala wa Beth Peori, katika nchi ya Sihoni, mfalme wa Amorites, aliyewahi kuishi Heshbon, ambaye Musa na watu wa Israeli waliwahi kumshinda wakati walipotoka Misri.
47 so they took possession of his land, and the land of Og king of Bashan the two kings of the Amorites, who were over the Jordan, —towards the rising of the sun;
Walichukua nchi yake kama urithi, na nchi ya Ogi mfalme wa Bashani- hawa, wafalme wawili wa Amorites, waliokuwa ng'ambo ya pili ya Yordani kuelekea Mashariki.
48 from Aroer which is on the edge of the ravine of Arnon, even unto Mount Sion, the same, is Hermon;
Himaya hii ilienda kutoka Aroer, katika ukingo wa bonde la Arnon, kwa mlima wa Sion (mlima Hermon),
49 and all the waste plain over the Jordan, towards sunrise, even unto the sea of the waste plain, —under the slopes of the Pisgah.
na ilijumuisha tambarare zote za bonde la mto Yordani, Mashariki mwa ng'ambo ya pili ya Yordani, kuelekea bahari ya Arabah, kuelekea miteremko ya mlima Pisgah.
