Numbers 8
1 Yahweh said to Moses/me,
Bwana akamwambia Mose,
2 “Tell Aaron to put the seven lamps on the lampstand and place them in such a way that they shine toward the front of the lampstand.”
“Sema na Aroni umwambie, ‘Wakati utakapoziweka zile taa saba, zinatakiwa kuangaza eneo lililo mbele ya kinara cha taa.’”
3 So [Moses/I told him what Yahweh said], and he did that.
Aroni akafanya hivyo; akaziweka zile taa ili zielekee mbele kwenye kinara cha taa, kama vile Bwana alivyomwamuru Mose.
4 The lampstand had been made from gold that had been hammered [from one large lump of gold], from its base to the decorations at the top [that resembled] flowers. The lampstand was made exactly like Yahweh had told Moses/me that it should be made.
Hivi ndivyo kinara cha taa kilivyotengenezwa: Kilitengenezwa kwa dhahabu iliyofuliwa, kuanzia kwenye kitako chake hadi kwenye maua yake. Kinara cha taa kilitengenezwa sawasawa kabisa na kielelezo ambacho Bwana alikuwa amemwonyesha Mose.
5 Yahweh also said to Moses/me,
Bwana akamwambia Mose:
6 “You must cause the descendants of Levi to be acceptable to me by setting them apart from the other Israeli people.
“Watwae Walawi kutoka miongoni mwa Waisraeli wengine na uwatakase kwa kawaida ya ibada.
7 Do that by sprinkling them with water [which will symbolize] their being freed/cleansed from [the guilt of] their sins. Then they must shave [off all the hair on] their bodies and wash their clothes.
Ili kuwatakasa fanya hivi: Nyunyizia maji ya utakaso juu yao; kisha uwaambie wanyoe nywele kwenye mwili mzima, wafue nguo zao na hivyo wajitakase wenyewe.
8 Then they must bring to the Sacred Tent one bull and some grain mixed with [olive] oil. [Those things will be burned] as sacrifices. They must also bring another bull [that will enable me to forgive them] for the sins they have committed.
Waambie wamchukue fahali mchanga pamoja na sadaka yake ya nafaka ya unga laini uliochanganywa na mafuta; kisha utamchukua fahali mchanga wa pili kwa ajili ya sadaka ya dhambi.
9 Then you must summon all the Israeli people to come together in front of the Sacred Tent, to [gather around] the descendants of Levi.
Walete Walawi mbele ya Hema la Kukutania na ukusanye jumuiya yote ya Waisraeli.
10 Then the Israeli people must lay their hands on the descendants of Levi.
Utawaleta Walawi mbele za Bwana, na Waisraeli wataweka mikono yao juu ya Walawi.
11 Aaron must then present them to me to be a gift from the Israeli people, in order that they can work for me [at the Sacred Tent].
Aroni atawaweka Walawi mbele za Bwana kama sadaka ya kuinua kutoka kwa Waisraeli, ili kwamba wawe tayari kuifanya kazi ya Bwana.
12 “After that, the descendants of Levi must place their hands on the heads of the two bulls. Then the bulls will be [killed and] burned on the altar. One will be an offering to enable me [to forgive them for] sins they have committed, and the other will be completely burned [to please me].
“Baada ya Walawi kuweka mikono yao juu ya vichwa vya hao mafahali wawili, tumia mmoja kwa ajili ya sadaka ya dhambi kwa Bwana, na mwingine kuwa sadaka ya kuteketezwa, ili kufanya upatanisho kwa ajili ya Walawi.
13 The descendants of Levi must stand [at the altar] in front of Aaron and his sons, and you must then dedicate to me the descendants of Levi.
Waambie hao Walawi wasimame mbele ya Aroni na wanawe, kisha wawatoe kama sadaka ya kuinuliwa kwa Bwana.
14 This ritual will show that the descendants of Levi are set apart from the other Israelis and that they belong to me.
Kwa njia hii utakuwa umewatenga Walawi kutoka kwa Waisraeli wengine, nao Walawi watakuwa wangu.
15 “After the descendants of Levi have been made acceptable to me, and presented to me like a special offering, they may start to work at the Sacred Tent.
“Utakapokuwa umekwisha kuwatakasa Walawi na kuwatoa kama sadaka ya kuinuliwa, watakuja kufanya kazi yao katika Hema la Kukutania.
16 They will belong to me. They will work for me as substitutes for the firstborn males of all the Israelis, [who also belong to me].
Wao ndio Waisraeli ambao watatolewa kabisa kwangu. Nimewatwaa kama mali yangu mwenyewe badala ya mzaliwa wa kwanza, mzaliwa wa kwanza wa kiume kutoka kwa kila mwanamke wa Kiisraeli.
17 All the firstborn males in Israel, both the people and the animals, are mine. When I caused all the firstborn sons of the people of Egypt to die, [I (spared/did not kill) the firstborn males of the Israelis]. I set them apart to belong to me. I said that the firstborn males of all their domestic animals would also belong to me.
Kila mzaliwa wa kwanza wa kiume katika Israeli, awe wa mwanadamu au mnyama, ni wangu. Wakati nilipowaua wazaliwa wote wa kwanza huko Misri, niliwatenga kwa ajili yangu mwenyewe.
18 But now I have chosen the descendants of Levi to take the places of the firstborn males of other Israelis.
Nami nimewatwaa Walawi badala ya wazaliwa wote wa kwanza wa kiume katika Israeli.
19 I have appointed the descendants of Levi to help Aaron and his sons at the Sacred Tent, as Aaron and his sons offer the sacrifices so that the Israeli people’s sins will be forgiven, and to prevent the Israelis from coming close to the tent with the result that a plague would cause many of them to become sick and die.”
Kati ya Waisraeli wote, nimempa Aroni na wanawe Walawi kama zawadi ili wafanye kazi katika Hema la Kukutania kwa niaba ya Waisraeli, na kufanya upatanisho kwa ajili yao ili pasiwepo na pigo lolote litakalowapata Waisraeli wakati watakapokaribia mahali patakatifu.”
20 Aaron and Moses/I and the other Israelis helped the descendants of Levi to do everything that Yahweh had commanded.
Mose, Aroni na jumuiya yote ya Waisraeli wakawafanyia Walawi kama Bwana alivyomwamuru Mose.
21 The descendants of Levi [sprinkled themselves with water to symbolize that] they had been freed/cleansed from [the guilt of] their sins, and they washed their clothes. Then Aaron brought them to [the altar to] present them to Yahweh, and he offered sacrifices to cleanse them from [the guilt of] their sins and cause them to become acceptable to Yahweh.
Walawi wakajitakasa wenyewe na wakafua nguo zao. Kisha Aroni akawasogeza mbele za Bwana kuwa sadaka ya kuinuliwa, na kufanya upatanisho kwa ajili yao ili kuwatakasa.
22 After that, the descendants of Levi started to work at the Sacred Tent to assist Aaron and his sons. They did that just as Yahweh had commanded Moses/me.
Baada ya hayo, Walawi walikuja kufanya kazi yao katika Hema la Kukutania chini ya usimamizi wa Aroni na wanawe. Waliwafanyia Walawi kama vile Bwana alivyomwamuru Mose.
23 Yahweh also said this to Moses/me:
Bwana akamwambia Mose,
24 “The descendants of Levi who are between 25 and 50 years old will work at the Sacred Tent.
“Hili linawahusu Walawi: Wanaume wenye umri wa miaka ishirini na mitano au zaidi watakuja kushiriki katika kazi kwenye Hema la Kukutania,
25 But after they become 50 years old, they must (retire/not do that work any more).
lakini watakapofika umri wa miaka hamsini, ni lazima waache kazi zao za kawaida wala wasiendelee.
26 They may help the other descendants of Levi to do their work at the Sacred Tent, but they must not do the work themselves. That is what you must tell them about the work they will do.”
Wanaweza kuwasaidia ndugu zao kufanya wajibu wao katika Hema la Kukutania, lakini wao wenyewe kamwe hawatafanya hiyo kazi. Basi, hivi ndivyo utakavyogawa wajibu kwa Walawi.”
