< Joshua 3 >

1 So then Joshua rose early in the morning, and they brake up from The Acacias and came as far as the Jordan, he and all the sons 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, after three days, that the officers went through the midst of the camp,
Baada ya siku tatu, maafisa walienda katika kambi, wakawaagiza watu,
3 and commanded the people saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of Yahweh your God, and, the priests the Levites, bearing it, ye also, shall break up out of your place, and come 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 Yet shall there be, a distance, between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure, —do not come near unto it that ye may get to 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 Then said Joshua unto the people, Hallow yourselves, —for, to-morrow, will Yahweh do in your midst, wonderful things.
Yoshua akawaambia watu, “Jitakaseni ninyi wenyewe keso, kwa kuwa Yahweh atafanya maajabu miongoni mwenu.”
6 And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take ye up the ark of the covenant, and pass on before the people. So they took up the ark of the covenant, and went on 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 Then said Yahweh unto Joshua: This day, will I begin to magnify thee in the eyes of all Israel, —who shall know, that, as I was with Moses, I will 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 Thou, therefore, shalt command the priests who am bearing the ark of the covenant, saying, —When ye are come as far as the edge of the waters of the Jordan, in the Jordan, shall ye stand.
Utawaamuru makuhani ambao hulibeba sanduku la agano, 'Mtakapofika katika ukingo wa maji ya Yordani, ni lazima msimame katika Mto Yordani.'”
9 Then said Joshua, unto the sons of Israel, —Draw near hither, and hear ye the words of Yahweh 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 a Living GOD is in your midst, —and that he will, certainly dispossess, from before you, the Canaanite and the Hittite, and the Hivite and the Perizzite, and the Girgashite, and the Amorite, and the Jebusite.
Kwa hili mtajua kwamba Mungu aliye hai yuko miongoni mwenu na kwamba atawaondosha mbele yenu Wakanaani, Wahiti, Wahivi, Waperizi, Wagrigashi, Waamori na Wayebusi.
11 Lo! the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth, is about to pass before you into the Jordan.
Tazama! Sanduku la agano la Bwana wa nchi yote litavuka mbele yenu katika Yordani.
12 Now, therefore, take you twelve men, out of the tribes of Israel, —one man severally for each tribe;
Sasa chagueni wanaume kumi na wawili kutoka katika makabila ya Israeli, mmoja katika kila kabila.
13 and it shall be, when the soles of the feet of the priests who are bearing the ark of Yahweh, Lord of all the earth, do rest, in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan, shall be cut off, the waters that are coming down from above, —and shall stand in one mound.
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 set out from their tents, to cross the Jordan, —with the priests, bearing the ark of the covenant before the people,
Hivyo wakati watu walipotoka ili kuvuka Yordani, makuhani waliobeba sanduku la agano waende mbele ya watu.
15 then, as the bearers of the ark came as far as the Jordan, and, the feet of the priests who were bearing the ark, were dipped in the edge of the waters, —the Jordan being full over all his banks, all the days 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 were coming down from above, stood—rose up in one mound, a great way off, by the city Adam, which is beside Zarethan, and, they which were going down to the sea of the waste plain, the salt sea, failed—were cut off, —and, the people, passed over, right against 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 who were bearing the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, stood on dry ground, in the midst of the Jordan, with firm footing, —while all Israel were passing over on dry ground, until all the nation had made an end of 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 >