< Numbers 18 >

1 Yahweh said to Aaron, “You and your sons and the other members of your father’s family are the ones (who will be punished/whom I will punish) [if anything bad happens to the things] inside the Sacred Tent. But only you and your sons will be punished if the priests do something bad.
Bwana akamwambia Aroni, “Wewe, wanao na jamaa ya baba yako mtawajibika kwa makosa dhidi ya mahali patakatifu, na wewe na wanao peke yenu ndio mtakaowajibika kwa makosa dhidi ya ukuhani.
2 Require that those who belong to your tribe, the tribe of Levi, must assist you and your sons while you perform your work at the Sacred Tent.
Walete Walawi wenzako kutoka kabila la baba zako ili waungane nanyi na kuwasaidia wakati wewe na wanao mnapohudumu mbele ya Hema la Ushuhuda.
3 But while they do that work, they must not go near the sacred items inside the tent or near the altar. If they do that, they will die, and you will die, too!
Watawajibika kwenu na watafanya kazi zote za Hema, lakini kamwe wasisogelee vifaa vya patakatifu au madhabahu, la sivyo wao na ninyi mtakufa.
4 They may assist you in doing all the work to take care of the Sacred Tent, but no one else is permitted to come near the place where you are working.
Watajiunga nanyi na watawajibika kwa utunzaji wa Hema la Kukutania, yaani kazi zote kwenye Hema, wala hakuna mtu mwingine yeyote atakayeweza kusogea karibu hapo mlipo.
5 “You are the ones who will do the sacred work inside the Sacred Tent and at the altar. If you obey these instructions, I will not become very angry with the Israeli people again.
“Mtawajibika katika utunzaji wa mahali patakatifu na madhabahu, ili kwamba ghadhabu isiwaangukie Waisraeli tena.
6 I myself have chosen the descendants of Levi from the other Israelis in order that they may be your special helpers. They are like a gift that I have given you to work at the Sacred Tent.
Mimi mwenyewe nimewachagua Walawi wenzenu kutoka miongoni mwa Waisraeli kama zawadi kwenu, waliowekwa wakfu kwa Bwana ili kufanya kazi katika Hema la Kukutania.
7 But it is you and your sons, who are the priests, who must perform all the rituals concerning the altar and with what happens inside the Very Holy Place. I am giving to you this work of serving as priests. So anyone else who tries to do that work must be executed.”
Lakini ni wewe tu na wanao mtakaoweza kutumika kama makuhani kuhusiana na kila kitu kwenye madhabahu na ndani ya pazia. Ninawapa utumishi wa ukuhani kama zawadi. Mtu mwingine yeyote atakayekaribia mahali patakatifu ni lazima auawe.”
8 Yahweh also said to Aaron, “I myself have appointed you to take care of all the sacred offerings that the Israeli people bring to me. I have given all these sacred offerings to you and to your sons. You and your descendants will get a share of these offerings permanently.
Kisha Bwana akamwambia Aroni, “Mimi mwenyewe nimekuweka kuwa mwangalizi wa sadaka zote zitakazotolewa kwangu; matoleo yote matakatifu Waisraeli wanayonipa ninakupa wewe na wanao kama sehemu yenu na fungu lenu la kawaida.
9 The parts of the offerings that are not completely burned on the altar belong to you. Those parts of the sacred offerings, including the offerings of grain, the offerings for sins and for the people to be forgiven for not giving me what they are required to give, are set apart, and are to be given to you and your sons.
Mtachukua sehemu ya yale matoleo matakatifu sana ambayo hayateketezwi kwa moto. Kutoka kwa matoleo yote wanayoniletea kama sadaka takatifu sana, ziwe za nafaka, au za dhambi, au za makosa, sehemu ile itakuwa yako na wanao.
10 You must eat those offerings in a sacred place, [near the Sacred Tent]. You and all of the other males [in your clan] may eat them, but you must consider those offerings to be holy/dedicated to me.
Mtaila kama kitu kilicho kitakatifu sana; kila mwanaume ataila. Ni lazima mtaiheshimu kama takatifu.
11 “The priests lift up high the sacred offerings while they are standing in front of the altar. All of those offerings that the Israelis offer to me belong to you and your sons and daughters. They will always be your share. All the members of your family who [have performed the rituals to cause them to] be acceptable to me are permitted to eat from these offerings.
“Hiki pia ni chako: chochote kilichotengwa kutoka kwenye matoleo yote ya sadaka za kuinuliwa za Waisraeli. Ninakupa wewe haya, wana na binti zako kama sehemu yenu ya kawaida. Kila mmoja wa nyumba yako ambaye ni safi kwa taratibu za ibada anaweza kuyala.
12 “am [also] giving to you the first food that people harvest each year and bring to me—the best [olive] oil and new wine and grain.
“Ninawapa mafuta ya zeituni yaliyo bora kuliko yote, na divai mpya iliyo bora kuliko zote na nafaka wanazompa Bwana kama malimbuko katika mavuno yao.
13 All of the first crops that people harvest and bring to me belong to you. Anyone in your family who has [performed the ritual to] become acceptable to me is permitted to eat that food.
Malimbuko yote ya nchi ambayo wanamletea Bwana yatakuwa yenu. Kila mmoja nyumbani kwako ambaye ni safi kwa taratibu za Ibada anaweza kula.
14 “Everything in Israel that is set apart to belong to me also belongs to you.
“Kila kitu katika Israeli ambacho kimetolewa kwa Bwana ni chenu.
15 The firstborn males, both humans and domestic animals, that are offered to me, will be yours. But people must buy back their firstborn sons and the firstborn animals that may not be used for sacrifices.
Kila mzaliwa wa kwanza wa mwanadamu na wa mnyama, ambaye ametolewa kwa Bwana ni wenu. Lakini ni lazima mtamkomboa kila mwana mzaliwa wa kwanza na kila mzaliwa wa kwanza wa kiume wa wanyama wasio safi.
16 They must buy them back when they are one month old. The price that they must pay [for each one] is five pieces of silver. They must weigh the silver on the scales that are in the Sacred Tent.
Watakapokuwa na umri wa mwezi mmoja, ni lazima mtawakomboa kwa bei ya ukombozi iliyowekwa, kwa shekeli tano za fedha, kulingana na shekeli ya mahali patakatifu, yenye uzito wa gera ishirini.
17 “But they are not permitted to buy back the firstborn cattle or sheep or goats. They are holy and have been set apart for me. [Slaughter them and] sprinkle their blood on the altar. Then completely burn the fat of those animals [on the altar] to be an offering to me. The smell as they burn will be very pleasing to me.
“Lakini kamwe usimkomboe mzaliwa wa kwanza wa maksai, kondoo au mbuzi; hawa ni watakatifu. Nyunyizia damu yao juu ya madhabahu na uchome mafuta yao kama sadaka itolewayo kwa moto, harufu nzuri inayompendeza Bwana.
18 The meat from those offerings will be yours, just like the breast and right thigh of animals that are presented to me to maintain fellowship with me as the priest lifts them up high in front of the altar are yours.
Nyama zao zitakuwa chakula chenu, kama ilivyokuwa kidari cha kuinuliwa na paja la mguu wa kulia.
19 Anything that the Israeli people present to me as holy/sacred gifts, I am giving to you. They are for you and your sons and daughters [to eat]. They will always be your share. This is an agreement that I am making with you, an agreement that will (last forever/never be changed). I am also making this agreement with your descendants.”
Chochote kitakachotengwa kutoka sadaka takatifu ambazo Waisraeli wanamtolea Bwana, ninakupa wewe, wanao na binti zako kama fungu lenu la kawaida. Ni Agano la milele la chumvi mbele za Bwana kwako na watoto wako.”
20 Yahweh also said to Aaron, “You priests will not receive any of the land or the property like the [other] Israeli people will receive. I am what you will receive.
Bwana akamwambia Aroni, “Hutakuwa na urithi wowote katika nchi yao, wala hutakuwa na sehemu miongoni mwao; Mimi ni fungu lako na urithi wako miongoni mwa Waisraeli.
21 “Then the Israeli people bring to me a tenth of all [the crops and of their newborn animals], I will give that to you descendants of Levi. That will be your payment for the work you do at the Sacred Tent.
“Ninawapa Walawi zaka yote katika Israeli kama urithi wao kuwa kama malipo kwa kazi wanayoifanya wakati wanapohudumu katika Hema la Kukutania.
22 The other Israelis must not go near that tent. If they go near it, [I will consider that their doing that is a sin, and] they will die for committing that sin.
Kuanzia sasa, kamwe Waisraeli wasisogelee karibu na Hema la Kukutania, la sivyo watabeba matokeo ya dhambi zao, nao watakufa.
23 Only the descendants of Levi are permitted to work at the Sacred Tent, and they will be punished if anything bad happens to it. That is a law that will never be changed. You descendants of Levi will not receive any land among the other Israeli people,
Ni Walawi watakaofanya kazi katika Hema la Kukutania na kubeba wajibu wa makosa dhidi yake. Hili ni agizo la kudumu kwa vizazi vijavyo. Hawatapokea urithi wowote miongoni mwa Waisraeli.
24 because I will give you one tenth of all the [crops and animals] that the Israelis bring to be offerings to me. That is why I said that you will not receive any land like the other Israelis will receive.”
Badala yake, ninawapa Walawi zaka zote zinazotolewa na Waisraeli kama sadaka kwa Bwana kuwa urithi wao. Hiyo ndiyo sababu nimesema hivi kuhusu wao: ‘Hawatakuwa na urithi miongoni mwa Waisraeli.’”
25 Yahweh said to Moses/me,
Bwana akamwambia Mose,
26 “Tell this to the descendants of Levi: ‘When you receive one tenth of all [the crops and animals] from the Israeli people, you must give one tenth of all that to me to be a sacred offering.
“Sema na Walawi na uwaambie: ‘Mtakapopokea zaka kutoka kwa Waisraeli ambayo ninawapa kama urithi wenu kutoka kwao, ni lazima mtoe sehemu ya kumi ya hiyo zaka kama sadaka kwa Bwana, iwe zaka ya hiyo zaka.
27 Just like the other Israelis give one tenth of the grain and wine that they produce,
Sadaka yenu itahesabiwa kwenu kama nafaka kutoka sakafu ya kupuria, au divai kutoka kwenye shinikizo la kukamulia zabibu.
28 you must give to me one tenth of all that you receive from them. That will be your sacred offering to me. You must present it to Aaron.
Kwa njia hii, ninyi pia mtatoa sadaka kwa Bwana kutoka zaka zote mtakazopokea kutoka kwa Waisraeli. Kutoka kwenye zaka hizi, ni lazima mtoe sehemu ya Bwana kwa Aroni, kuhani.
29 Select the best parts of the things that are given to you to give them to me.’
Ni lazima mtoe kama sehemu ya Bwana iliyo nzuri sana tena ile sehemu iliyo takatifu sana kuliko zote ya kile kitu mlichopewa.’
30 “Also, tell this to the descendants of Levi: ‘When you present those best portions of grain and wine as your offering to me, I will consider that those gifts are as though they came from your own grain fields and vineyards.
“Waambie Walawi: ‘Mtakapotoa sehemu zilizo bora sana, itahesabiwa kwenu kama mazao ya sakafu ya kupuria nafaka, au ya shinikizo la kukamulia zabibu.
31 You descendants of Levi and your families are permitted to eat [the rest of] that food, and you may eat it wherever [you want to], because it is your payment for the work that you do at the Sacred Tent.
Ninyi na watu wa nyumbani mwenu mnaweza kula sehemu iliyobaki mahali popote, kwani ndio ujira wenu kwa ajili ya kazi yenu katika Hema la Kukutania.
32 If you give to the priests the best portions of what you receive, you will not be punished [by me] for accepting one tenth of the gifts that the people bring to me. But you must consider those gifts to be sacred/holy. If you sin [by eating those things in ways that are contrary to these regulations that I have given to you], you will be executed.’”
Kwa kutoa sehemu zake zilizo bora sana, hamtakuwa na hatia katika jambo hili; ndipo hamtatia unajisi sadaka takatifu za Waisraeli, nanyi hamtakufa.’”

< Numbers 18 >