< Joshua 24 >
1 Joshua kpọkọtara ebo Izrel niile na Shekem. Ọ kpọrọ ndị okenye Izrel na ndịisi ha na ndị ikpe ha na ndị nlekọta ha. Ha niile bịara chee onwe ha nʼihu Chineke.
And Joshua gathered together all the tribes of Israel at Shechem, and he called those greater by birth, and the leaders and judges and teachers. And they stood in the sight of the Lord.
2 Mgbe ahụ, Joshua gwara ndị Izrel niile sị, “Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị, Chineke nke Izrel kwuru, ‘Nna nna unu ochie ha, nke bụ Tera, nna Ebraham, na Nahọ, bikwara nʼakụkụ ọwụwa anyanwụ nke ofe osimiri Yufretis, ebe ha nọ fee chi ndị ọzọ ofufe.
And he spoke to the people in this way: “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘Your fathers lived, in the beginning, across the river: Terah, the father of Abraham, and Nahor. And they served strange gods.
3 Ma mụ onwe m kpọpụtara nna nna unu Ebraham site nʼala ahụ dị nʼofe osimiri dubata ya nʼala Kenan, nye ya ọtụtụ ụmụ ụmụ, site na nwa ya bụ Aịzik.
Then I brought your father Abraham from the parts of Mesopotamia, and I led him into the land of Canaan. And I multiplied his offspring,
4 Ụmụ m nyere Aịzik bụ Jekọb na Ịsọ. Ịsọ ka m nyere ala ugwu ugwu Sia, ka o nweta ma Jekọb na ezinaụlọ ya gara nʼala Ijipt.
and I gave to him Isaac. And to him, I gave again Jacob and Esau. And I gave mount Seir to Esau as a possession. Yet truly, Jacob and his sons descended into Egypt.
5 “‘Emesịa, ezigara m Mosis na Erọn, ma wetara ndị Ijipt ihe otiti ọjọọ niile dị iche iche site nʼihe m mere nʼebe ahụ. Nʼikpeazụ, akpọpụtara m ndị m site nʼala Ijipt.
And I sent Moses and Aaron, and I struck Egypt with many signs and portents.
6 Ma mgbe unu rutere nʼOsimiri Uhie, ndị agha Ijipt gbapụtara chịrị ụgbọ agha ha na ndị agha na-agba ịnyịnya ha chụwa unu ọsọ.
And I led you and your fathers away from Egypt, and you arrived at the sea. And the Egyptians pursued your fathers with chariots and horsemen, as far as the Red Sea.
7 Mgbe ndị Izrel hụrụ ha, ha tiri mkpu kpọkuo Onyenwe anyị. O tinyere oke ọchịchịrị nʼetiti unu na ndị Ijipt. O mere ka oke osimiri kpuchie ha, mee ka ha mikpuo nʼosimiri ahụ. Unu niile hụkwara ihe m mere ndị Ijipt. Emesịa, unu bikwara nʼọzara ọtụtụ afọ.
Then the sons of Israel cried out to the Lord. And he stationed a darkness between you and the Egyptians, and he led the sea over them, and he covered them. Your eyes saw all that I did in Egypt, and you lived in the wilderness for a long time.
8 “‘Ma emesịa, emere m ka unu bata nʼime ala ndị Amọrait, ndị bi nʼakụkụ ọwụwa anyanwụ osimiri Jọdan. Ha lụsoro unu ọgụ, ma eweere m ha nyefee unu nʼaka. E bibiri m ha nʼihu unu, ma unu nwetara ala ha.
And I led you into the land of the Amorite, who was living beyond the Jordan. And when they fought against you, I delivered them into your hands, and you possessed their land, and you put them to death.
9 Mgbe Balak nwa Zipoa, eze Moab, jikeere ibuso Izrel agha, o zigaara Belam, nwa Beoa ozi ka ọ bịa bụọ unu ọnụ.
Then Balak, the son of Zippor, the king of Moab, rose up and fought against Israel. And he sent and called for Balaam, the son of Beor, so that he might curse you.
10 Ma egeghị m Belam ntị. Kama emere m ya ka ọ gọzie unu. Anapụtara m unu site nʼaka ya.
And I was not willing to listen to him, but on the contrary, I blessed you through him, and I freed you from his hand.
11 “‘Emesịa, unu gafere osimiri Jọdan bịaruo Jeriko. Ndị ikom Jeriko busoro unu agha, otu a kwa ka ndị Amọrait, na ndị Periz, na ndị Kenan, na ndị Het, na ndị Gigash, na ndị Hiv, na ndị Jebus. Ma eweere m ha niile nyefee unu nʼaka.
And you crossed over the Jordan, and you arrived at Jericho. And the men of that city fought against you: the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Girgashite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite. And I delivered them into your hands.
12 E zigara m ebu nʼihu unu nke chụpụrụ ha nʼihu unu, bụ eze abụọ ndị Amọrait. Ọ bụghị mma agha na ụta unu ka unu ji mee nke a.
And I sent wasps before you. And I drove them from their places, the two kings of the Amorites, but not by your sword, and not by your bow.
13 Ya mere enyere m unu ala ahụ, nke unu na-adọgbughị onwe unu nʼihi ya, nyekwa unu ọtụtụ obodo nke unu na-ewughị, bụ ala ndị a unu bi nʼime ya ugbu a. Enyere m unu ubi vaịnị na ubi oliv nke unu na-akụghị, nke unu na-eri mkpụrụ ha.’
And I gave you a land, in which you did not labor, and cities, which you did not build, so that you might live in them, and vineyards and olive groves, which you did not plant.’
14 “Ya mere ugbu a, tụọnụ egwu Onyenwe anyị, feekwanụ ya ofufe nʼụzọ ikwesi ntụkwasị obi na nʼeziokwu. Wezuganụ chi ndị ahụ niile nna nna unu ha fere ofufe nʼofe osimiri Yufretis ahụ, na nʼIjipt. Feenụ naanị Onyenwe anyị ofufe.
Now therefore, fear the Lord, and serve him with a perfect and very sincere heart. And take away the gods that your fathers served in Mesopotamia and in Egypt, and serve the Lord.
15 Ọ bụrụkwanụ na ọ masịghị unu ife Onyenwe anyị, họpụtaranụ onwe unu taa onye unu ga-efe. Ma ọ bụ chi ndị ahụ nna nna unu ha fere nʼofe ọzọ nke osimiri, maọbụ chi ndị Amọrait, ndị unu bi nʼala ha. Ma nʼebe mụ onwe m na ezinaụlọ m nọ, anyị ga-efe Onyenwe anyị.”
But if it seems evil to you that you would serve the Lord, a choice is given to you. Choose today what pleases you, and whom you ought to serve above all else, either the gods that your fathers served in Mesopotamia, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
16 Ndị Izrel niile zara sị ya, “O nweghị ihe ga-eme ka anyị hapụ Onyenwe anyị fee chi ndị ọzọ!
And the people responded, and they said: “Far be it from us that we would forsake the Lord, and serve foreign gods.
17 Ọ bụ Onyenwe anyị Chineke anyị, ya onwe ya si nʼala Ijipt, ebe anyị bụ ndị ohu, kpọpụta anyị na nna anyị ha. Ọ rụrụ ọrụ ịrịbama ndị ahụ niile dị oke egwu nʼihu anyị. O chebere anyị nʼije anyị niile nʼetiti mba ndị ahụ niile anyị si nʼala ha gafee.
The Lord our God himself led us and our fathers away from the land of Egypt, from the house of servitude. And he accomplished immense signs in our sight, and he preserved us along the entire way by which we journeyed, and among all the people through whom we passed.
18 Ọ bụ Onyenwe anyị chụpụrụ ndị Amọrị na ọtụtụ mba ndị ọzọ bi nʼala a. E, anyị onwe anyị ga-efe Onyenwe anyị, nʼihi na ọ bụ Chineke anyị.”
And he cast out all the nations, the Amorite, the inhabitant of the land that we entered. And so, we will serve the Lord, for he is our God.”
19 Joshua zaghachiri ndị Izrel sị, “Unu apụghị ife Onyenwe anyị ofufe; nʼihi na ọ bụ Chineke dị nsọ, bụrụkwa Chineke ekworo. Ọ gaghị agbaghara unu nnupu isi unu na mmehie unu niile.
And Joshua said to the people: “You will not be able to serve the Lord. For he is a holy and powerful God, and he is jealous, and he will not ignore your wickedness and sins.
20 Ọ bụrụ na unu agbakụta Onyenwe anyị azụ, fee chi ala ọzọ ofufe, ọ ga-echigharị laa unu nʼiyi, nʼagbanyeghị na ọ nọnyerela unu ụbọchị ndị a niile.”
If you leave behind the Lord, and you serve foreign gods, he will turn himself, and he will afflict you, and he will overthrow you, after all the good that he has offered to you.”
21 Ma ndị Izrel sịrị Joshua, “Mba, kama Onyenwe anyị ka anyị ga-efe ofufe.”
And the people said to Joshua, “By no means will it be as you are saying, but we will serve the Lord.”
22 Mgbe ahụ, Joshua sịrị, “Unu bụ ndị ama megide onwe unu na unu ahọrọla ife Onyenwe anyị ofufe.” Ha zara sị, “E, anyị bụ ndị akaebe.”
And Joshua said to the people, “You yourselves are witnesses, that you have chosen the Lord so that you may serve him.” And they answered, “We are witnesses.”
23 Joshua sịrị, “Ugbu a, wezuganụ chi ndị mba ọzọ niile dị nʼetiti unu. Werekwanụ obi unu nye maka irubere Onyenwe anyị Chineke Izrel isi.”
“Now therefore,” he said, “take away strange gods from among yourselves, and incline your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.”
24 Ndị ahụ sịrị Joshua, “Anyị ga-efe Onyenwe anyị Chineke anyị ofufe. Anyị ga-egekwa ntị nʼolu ya, mee ihe o nyere nʼiwu.”
And the people said to Joshua, “We will serve the Lord our God, and we will be obedient to his precepts.”
25 Ya mere, Joshua na ndị Izrel gbara ndụ nʼụbọchị ahụ na Shekem. O nyere ha iwu na ụkpụrụ ha ga-edebe.
Therefore, on that day, Joshua struck a covenant, and he set before the people at Shechem the precepts and the judgments.
26 Joshua dere iwu ndị a ụmụ Izrel kwere na ha ga-eme nʼAkwụkwọ Iwu Chineke. Emesịa, o bupụtara otu nkume buru ibu guzo ya nʼokpuru osisi ukwu ook dị nʼakụkụ ebe nsọ Onyenwe anyị.
He also wrote all these things in the volume of the law of the Lord. And he took a very great stone, and he stationed it under the oak that was in the Sanctuary of the Lord.
27 Joshua sịrị ndị ahụ niile, “Lee, nkume a ga-abụ ihe ama megide anyị. Nʼihi na ọ nụla okwu niile nke Onyenwe anyị gwara anyị. Ọ ga-abụkwa ihe ama megide unu, ma ọ bụrụ na unu mee ihe mmekpu megide Chineke unu.”
And he said to all the people, “Lo, this stone shall be to you as a testimony, which has heard all the words of the Lord that he has spoken to you, lest perhaps, afterward, you might choose to deny it, and to lie to the Lord your God.”
28 Emesịa, Joshua zilara onye ọbụla, ka ha laa nʼihe nketa nke aka ha.
And he dismissed the people, each one to their own possession.
29 Ọ dịghị anya, mgbe ihe ndị a gasịrị, Joshua nwa Nun, odibo Onyenwe anyị nwụrụ, mgbe ọ gbara narị afọ na iri.
And after these things, Joshua, the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being one hundred and ten years old.
30 E liri ya nʼoke ala nke ihe nketa ya, na Timnat Sera, nʼime ala ugwu ugwu Ifrem, nʼakụkụ ugwu dị nʼala Gaash.
And they buried him within the borders of his possession at Timnath-Serah, which is situated on mount Ephraim, before the northern side of mount Gaash.
31 Ndị Izrel fere Onyenwe anyị ofufe ụbọchị niile nke ndụ Joshua, na nke ndụ ndị okenye ahụ, bụ ndị gara nʼihu bie ndụ mgbe ọ nwụsịrị, ndị maakwara ihe niile nke Onyenwe anyị rụụrụ ndị Izrel.
And Israel served the Lord during all the days of Joshua, and of the elders who lived for a long time after Joshua, and who had known all the works of the Lord that he had accomplished in Israel.
32 Ọkpụkpụ Josef ndị Izrel chịtara mgbe ha si nʼala Ijipt pụta, ka ha liri na Shekem, nʼime ala ahụ Jekọb zụrụ narị mkpụrụ ọlaọcha nʼaka ụmụ Hamọ nna Shekem. Ala a ghọrọ nʼihe nketa ụmụ Josef.
And the bones of Joseph, which the sons of Israel had brought from Egypt, they buried at Shechem, in a portion of the field that Jacob had purchased from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem, for one hundred young female sheep, and so it was in the possession of the sons of Joseph.
33 Elieza nwa Erọn, nwụkwara. E liri ya nʼala ugwu ugwu ndị Ifrem, na Gibea, obodo e nyere nwa ya bụ Finehaz.
Likewise, Eleazar, the son of Aaron, died. And they buried him at Gibeah, which belongs to Phinehas, his son, and which was given to him on mount Ephraim.