Joshua 4
1 And it came to pass, when all the nation had made an end of passing over the Jordan, that Yahweh slake unto Joshua, saying:
Wakati taifa lote lilipokwisha kuvuka Mto Yordani, Bwana akamwambia Yoshua,
2 Take unto you, from among the people, twelve men, one man severally from each tribe;
“Chagua watu kumi na wawili miongoni mwa watu, kila kabila mtu mmoja,
3 and command ye them, saying, Take you up from hence, out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where stood the feet of the priests with firm footing, twelve stones; —and carry them over with you, and lay them down in the lodging-place where ye shall lodge, tonight.
nawe uwaambie wachukue mawe kumi na mawili katikati ya Mto Yordani, palepale makuhani waliposimama, wayachukue na kuyaweka mahali mtakapokaa usiku huu wa leo.”
4 So Joshua called unto the twelve men whom he had made ready, from among the sons of Israel, —one man severally out of each tribe;
Basi Yoshua akawaita watu kumi na wawili ambao alikuwa amewachagua kutoka miongoni mwa Waisraeli, mtu mmoja kutoka kila kabila,
5 and Joshua said unto them: Pass ye over, before the ark of Yahweh your God, into the midst of the Jordan, —and lift ye up, each man one stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel:
naye akawaambia, “Mtangulie mbele ya Sanduku la Bwana Mungu wenu, mwende katikati ya Mto Yordani. Kila mmoja wenu atainua jiwe begani mwake, kufuatana na hesabu ya makabila ya Waisraeli,
6 that this may be a sign in your midst, —for your sons will ask in time to come, saying, What mean these stones to you?
kuwa kama ishara katikati yenu. Siku zijazo, wakati watoto wenu watakapowauliza, ‘Ni nini maana ya mawe haya?’
7 Then shall ye say unto them—That the waters of the Jordan, were cut off, from before the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, when it passed into the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan, were cut off. So shall these stones become a memorial unto the sons of Israel, unto times age-abiding.
waambieni kwamba maji ya Mto Yordani yaliyokuwa yakitiririka yalitindika mbele ya Sanduku la Agano la Bwana. Wakati lilipovuka Yordani, maji ya Yordani yalitindika. Mawe haya yatakuwa kumbukumbu kwa watu wa Israeli milele.”
8 And the sons of Israel did so, as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of the Jordan, as spake Yahweh unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel, —and carried them with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down there.
Hivyo Waisraeli wakafanya kama Yoshua alivyowaagiza. Wakachukua mawe kumi na mawili kutoka katikati ya Mto Yordani, kulingana na hesabu ya kabila za Waisraeli kama Bwana alivyomwambia Yoshua, nao wakayabeba hadi kambini mwao, mahali walipoyatua chini.
9 Twelve stones also, did Joshua set up in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where stood the feet of the priests who were bearing the ark of the covenant, —and they have remained there until this day.
Yoshua akayasimamisha yale mawe kumi na mawili ambayo yalikuwa katikati ya Mto Yordani, mahali pale ambapo miguu ya makuhani waliobeba Sanduku la Agano iliposimama. Nayo yako huko mpaka leo.
10 Now, the priests who were bearing the ark, continued standing in the midst of the Jordan, until everything was finished which Yahweh commanded Joshua, to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua, —the people therefore hasted, and passed over.
Makuhani waliobeba lile Sanduku walibakia wakiwa wamesimama katikati ya Mto Yordani mpaka kila kitu Bwana alichomwamuru Yoshua kilipokuwa kimefanywa na watu, sawasawa na vile Mose alivyokuwa amemwamuru Yoshua. Watu wakafanya haraka kuvuka,
11 And so it was, as soon as all the people had made an end of passing over, —then passed over the ark of Yahweh, and the priests, in presence of the people.
na mara tu watu wote walipokwisha kuvuka, Sanduku la Bwana na makuhani wakavuka watu wakiwa wanatazama.
12 Also the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh, passed over, armed, before the sons of Israel, —as Moses had spoken unto them:
Wareubeni, Wagadi na nusu ya kabila la Manase wakavuka mbele ya Waisraeli, wakiwa wamevaa silaha, kama Mose alivyowaamuru.
13 about forty thousand, equipped for the war, passed over before Yahweh, to battle, into the waste plains of Jericho.
Kiasi cha watu 40,000 waliojiandaa kwa vita walivuka mbele za Bwana hadi nchi tambarare za Yeriko kwa ajili ya vita.
14 On that day, did Yahweh magnify Joshua in the eyes of all Israel, —and they revered him, as they revered Moses, all the days of his life.
Siku ile Bwana akamtukuza Yoshua mbele ya Israeli yote, nao wakamheshimu siku zote za maisha yake, kama vile walivyomheshimu Mose.
15 Then spake Yahweh unto Joshua, saying:
Basi Bwana akamwambia Yoshua,
16 Command the priests who are bearing the ark of testimony, —that they come up out of the Jordan.
“Waamuru hao makuhani wanaolibeba Sanduku la Ushuhuda, wapande kutoka ndani ya Mto Yordani.”
17 So Joshua commanded the priests, saying, —Come ye up out of the Jordan.
Kwa hiyo Yoshua akawaamuru hao makuhani akisema, “Pandeni kutoka ndani ya Mto Yordani.”
18 And it came to pass, when the priests who were bearing the ark of the covenant of Yahweh came up out of the midst of the Jordan, and the soles of the feet of the priests were withdrawn unto the dry ground, then returned the waters of the Jordan unto their place, and went, as before, over all his banks.
Nao makuhani wakapanda kutoka ndani ya Mto Yordani wakilibeba hilo Sanduku la Agano la Bwana. Mara tu walipoiweka miguu yao penye kingo, nje ya mto, maji ya Yordani yakarudi kufurika kama ilivyokuwa kabla.
19 So, the people, came up out of the Jordan, on the tenth of the first month, —and encamped in Gilgal, at the eastern end of Jericho.
Siku ya kumi ya mwezi wa kwanza watu walipanda kutoka Yordani na kupiga kambi huko Gilgali, kwenye mpaka wa mashariki ya Yeriko.
20 And, these twelve stones which they took out of the Jordan, did Joshua set up, in Gilgal.
Naye Yoshua akayasimamisha huko Gilgali yale mawe kumi na mawili ambayo walikuwa wameyachukua katikati ya Mto Yordani.
21 Then spake he unto the sons of Israel, saying, —When your sons shall ask, in time to come, of their fathers, saying, —What mean these stones?
Akawaambia Waisraeli, “Wazao wenu watakapowauliza baba zao siku zijazo wakisema, ‘Mawe haya maana yake ni nini?’
22 then shall ye let your sons know, saying, —On dry ground, came Israel over this Jordan;
Basi waambieni, ‘Israeli ilivukia mahali pakavu katika Mto Yordani.’
23 in that Yahweh your God dried up the waters of the Jordan, from before you, until ye had passed over, —as Yahweh your God had done unto the Red Sea, which he dried up from before us, until we had passed over:
Kwa maana Bwana Mungu wenu alikausha maji ya Yordani mbele yenu, hadi mlipomaliza kuvuka. Bwana Mungu wenu alifanya haya kwa Mto Yordani sawasawa na kile alichoifanyia Bahari ya Shamu wakati alipoikausha mbele yetu hadi tulipomaliza kuvuka.
24 that all the peoples of the earth might know the hand of Yahweh, that, firm, it is; that they might revere Yahweh your God, all the days.
Alifanya hivi ili kwamba mataifa yote ya dunia yapate kujua kuwa mkono wa Bwana ni wenye nguvu, na ili kwamba kila wakati mpate kumcha Bwana Mungu wenu.”
