Yoswa 3
1 Mu makya ennyo Yoswa n’Abayisirayiri bonna ne bagolokoka okuva e Sittimu, bwe baatuuka ku mugga Yoludaani ne basooka balindirira awo nga tebannagusomoka.
Joshua [and all the other Israelis] got up early [the next] morning. They left [their camp at] Acacia and went [down] to the Jordan [River]. They camped there for two nights.
2 Bwe waayitawo ennaku ssatu abakulembeze baabwe ne babayitaayitamu
Then the leaders went throughout the camp,
3 nga bwe babalagira nti, “Bwe munaalaba Essanduuko ey’Endagaano ya Mukama Katonda wammwe, bakabona Abaleevi nga bagisitudde ne mulyoka muva mu kifo kino ne mugigoberera,
telling the people, “You will see some of the priests, who are descendants of Levi, carrying the chest that contains the Ten Commandments that Yahweh our God gave us. When you see them, leave the places where you are camped and follow them.
4 kubanga lino ekkubo temuliyitangamu. Naye wakati wammwe nayo, mulekawo ebbanga nga lya fuuti enkumi ssatu muleme okugisemberera.”
You have not been (here/along this road) before, [so you must follow the priests]. But do not walk close to the chest. Stay (1,000 yards/900 meters) from the chest. [The chest is sacred, so (God will punish you/you will be punished) if you come close to it].”
5 Awo Yoswa n’agamba Abayisirayiri nti, “Mwetukuze kubanga enkya Mukama anaakola ebyamagero mu mmwe.”
Then Joshua told the people, “Perform the ceremonies needed to make yourselves acceptable to Yahweh, because tomorrow he is going to do things for you that will amaze you!”
6 Ate Yoswa n’agamba bakabona nti, “Musitule Essanduuko ey’Endagaano era mukulemberemu abantu babagoberere.” Bakabona nabo ne bakola nga Yoswa bwe yabalagira.
Then Joshua said to the priests, “Carry the chest and go in front of the [rest of the] people.” So they lifted up the chest and went ahead.
7 Mukama n’agamba Yoswa nti, “Olwa leero ŋŋenda okukugulumiza mu maaso g’Abayisirayiri bonna balyoke bamanye nti nga bwe nnali ne Musa, era bwe ntyo bwe ndi naawe.
Then Yahweh said to Joshua, “This is the day that I will begin to show all the Israeli people that you are a great leader. Then they will honor you, and know that I am with/helping you as I (was with/helped) Moses.
8 Bw’otyo onoolagira bakabona abasitula Essanduuko ey’Endagaano nti bwe mutuuka ku mugga Yoludaani, muyimirire buyimirizi.”
Tell the priests who are carrying the chest that contains the Ten Commandments, ‘When you come to the edge of the Jordan [River], stand in the water.’”
9 Yoswa n’ayita Abayisirayiri nti, “Musembere wano muwulire ebigambo bya Mukama Katonda wammwe.
Then Joshua said to the Israeli people, “Come close to me in order that you can listen to what Yahweh, your God, is saying.”
10 Olwa leero mugenda okutegeera nti Katonda omulamu ali mu mmwe, kubanga anaagobera ddala Abakanani, n’Abakiiti, n’Abakiivi, n’Abaperezi, n’Abagirugaasi, n’Abamoli, n’Abayebusi mmwe nga mulaba.
[When they came near], he said to them, “This is how you will know that God, who is all-powerful, is among you, and that he will expel for you the descendants of Canaan, Heth, Hiv, Periz, Girgash, Amor, and Jebus [who are now living in that land].
11 Laba, Essanduuko ey’Endagaano ya Mukama w’ensi zonna y’eneebakulemberamu nga musomoka omugga guno Yoludaani.
Keep in mind that Yahweh is the one who rules over all the earth. The chest belongs to him, and it will be carried into the Jordan River ahead of you.
12 Kale nno mulonde abasajja kkumi na babiri okuva mu bika bya Isirayiri nga buli kika mulondamu omu omu:
So choose twelve men, [one from each] of the tribes of Israel, [and I will tell you later what I want them to do].
13 Bakabona abasitudde Essanduuko ya Mukama w’ensi zonna, olunaalinnya ebigere byabwe mu mugga Yoludaani, amazzi agabadde gakulukuta gonna ganaayimirira ne geetuuma.”
As for the priests who are carrying the chest, as soon as they put their feet into the Jordan [River], the water will stop flowing. It will pile up because I will cause it to be blocked upstream.”
14 Awo Abayisirayiri ne basimbula weema zaabwe okusomoka Yoludaani nga bakulembeddwamu bakabona abasitudde Essanduuko y’Endagaano.
So when the [Israeli] people packed up their tents in order to cross the river, the priests who were carrying the chest containing the Ten Commandments went in front of them.
15 Omugga Yoludaani gwanjaala mu kiseera eky’amakungula kyonna. Mu kiseera ekyo bakabona abasitudde Essanduuko we baalinnyira ebigere byabwe ku Yoludaani.
[It was springtime], when people harvest their crops, [and] at that time the river floods over its banks. But as soon as the priests reached the edge of the river and stepped into the water,
16 Amangwago amazzi agaali gakulukuta ne gayimirira ne geetuuma eri ewala okuliraana ekibuga Adamu ku ludda lwa Zaresaani. N’ago agaali gaserengeta okweyiwa mu Araba Ennyanja ey’Omunnyo ne gasalikako, abantu ne basomokera Yoludaani ku ttaka ekkalu, mu maaso ga Yeriko.
the water stopped flowing. The water piled up far [upstream], at a town named Adam, near Zarethan. The water stopped flowing down to the Dead Sea. So the people were able to cross the river near Jericho.
17 Bakabona abasitudde Essanduuko ya Mukama ne bayimirira wakati mu Yoludaani awatakyali mazzi okutuusa Abayisirayiri bonna lwe baasomoka.
The priests who were carrying the chest containing the Ten Commandments that Yahweh [had given them] stood on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan [riverbed], while the rest of the Israeli people crossed the river [as though they were crossing] dry ground.
