< Ndari 17 >

1 Nake Jehova akĩĩra Musa atĩrĩ,
The Lord told Moses,
2 “Arĩria andũ a Isiraeli, wĩtie thanju ikũmi na igĩrĩ, rũmwe kuuma kũrĩ o mũtongoria wa mĩhĩrĩga ya maithe mao. Andĩka rĩĩtwa rĩa o mũndũ rũthanju-inĩ rwake.
“Tell the Israelites to bring twelve walking sticks, one from the leader of each tribe. Write the name of each man on the walking stick,
3 Rũthanju rwa Lawi ũrwandĩke rĩĩtwa rĩa Harũni, nĩ ũndũ no nginya kũgĩe na rũthanju rũmwe rwa mũtongoria wa o mũhĩrĩga wa maithe mao ma tene.
and write Aaron's name on the walking stick of the tribe of Levi, because there has to be a walking stick for the head of each tribe.
4 Igaai thanju icio thĩinĩ wa Hema-ya-Gũtũnganwo hau mbere ya ithandũkũ rĩa Ũira, harĩa ndũnganaga nawe.
Place the walking sticks in the Tent of Meeting in front of the Testimony where I meet with you.
5 Rũthanju rwa mũndũ ũrĩa niĩ ngaathuura nĩrũgũthundũka, na niĩ ndĩyehererie kũnuguna gũkũ ũnugunagĩrwo hĩndĩ ciothe nĩ andũ a Isiraeli.”
The walking stick that belongs to the man I choose will sprout buds, and I will put a stop to the Israelites' constant complaints against you.”
6 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Musa akĩarĩria andũ a Isiraeli, nao atongoria ao makĩmũnengera thanju ikũmi na igĩrĩ, o rũmwe kuuma mũtongoria wa o mũhĩrĩga wa maithe mao ma tene, naruo rũthanju rwa Harũni rwarĩ hamwe nacio.
Moses explained this to the Israelites, and each of their leaders gave him a walking stick, one for each of the leaders of their tribes. So there were twelve walking sticks including the one belonging to Aaron.
7 Nake Musa akĩiga thanju icio mbere ya Jehova kũu Hema-inĩ-ya-Ũira.
Moses placed the walking sticks before the Lord in the Tent of the Testimony.
8 Mũthenya ũyũ ũngĩ-rĩ, Musa agĩtoonya thĩinĩ wa Hema-ya-Ũira akĩona atĩ rũthanju rwa Harũni, rũrĩa rwarũgamĩrĩire nyũmba ya Lawi, to gũthundũra rwathundũrĩte, no nĩ rwathuunĩte rũkaruta kĩro, na rũgaciara ndothi.
The next day Moses went into the Tent of the Testimony and saw that Aaron's walking stick that represented the tribe of Levi, had sprouted and developed buds, flowered and produced almonds.
9 Nake Musa akĩruta thanju icio nja, kuuma hau mbere ya Jehova, agĩciiga mbere ya andũ a Isiraeli othe. Nao magĩcirora, o mũndũ akĩoya rũthanju rwake mwene.
Moses took all the walking sticks from the presence of the Lord and showed them to all the Israelites. They saw them, and each man collected his own walking stick.
10 Ningĩ Jehova akĩĩra Musa atĩrĩ, “Cookia rũthanju rwa Harũni hau mbere ya Ithandũkũ rĩa Ũira, rũigwo rũrĩ kĩmenyithia kũrĩ andũ acio aremi. Ũndũ ũyũ nĩguo ũkaaniina kũnuguna kwao kũrĩ niĩ, nĩgeetha matigakue.”
The Lord told Moses, “Put Aaron's walking stick back in front of the Testimony, to be kept there as a reminder to warn anyone who wants to rebel, so that you may stop their complaining against me. Otherwise they'll die.”
11 Nake Musa agĩĩka o ta ũrĩa Jehova aamwathĩte.
Moses did what the Lord ordered him to do.
12 Andũ a Isiraeli makĩĩra Musa atĩrĩ, “Nĩtũgũkua! Ithuothe nĩtũũrĩte!
Then the Israelites came and told Moses, “Can't you see we're all going to die? We'll be destroyed! We're all going to be killed!
13 Mũndũ o wothe o na ũngĩkuhĩrĩria Hema-ĩyo-Nyamũre ya Jehova nĩegũkua. Kaĩ tũgũgĩkua ithuothe?”
Anyone who dares to approach the Tabernacle of the Lord will die. Are we all going to be completely wiped out?”

< Ndari 17 >