Torati 4

1 Sikia sasa, ee Israeli, amri na sheria nitakazokufundisha wewe. Zifuate ili upate kuishi na uingie kuimiliki nchi ambayo Bwana, Mungu wa baba zako anawapa.

People of Israel, pay attention to the rules and regulations I'm teaching you to observe. That way you can stay alive, and go in and take over the country the Lord, the God of your forefathers, is giving you.

2 Usiongeze wala usipunguze chochote ninachowaamuru ninyi, ila myashike maagizo ya Bwana Mungu wenu ambayo nawapa.

You are not to add to or take away from what I'm telling you, so that you can keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I'm ordering you to follow.

3 Mliona kwa macho yenu wenyewe kile Bwana alichokifanya kule Baal-Peori. Bwana Mungu wenu aliwaangamiza kutoka miongoni mwenu kila mmoja aliyemfuata Baali wa Peori,

You've seen for yourselves what the Lord did at Baal-peor where the Lord your God killed everyone among you who worshiped Baal of Peor.

4 lakini ninyi nyote mlioshikamana na Bwana kwa uthabiti, Mungu wenu, mko hai mpaka leo.

Those of you who were faithful to the Lord your God are still alive today, every one of you.

5 Tazama, nimewafundisha amri na sheria kama Bwana Mungu wangu alivyoniamuru mimi, ili mzifuate katika nchi mnayoiingia kuimiliki.

Listen, I have taught you the rules and regulations just as the Lord my God ordered me to do, so you can follow them in the country that you are about to enter and take over.

6 Zishikeni kwa uangalifu, kwa kuwa hii itaonyesha hekima na ufahamu wenu kwa mataifa, ambayo yatasikia kuhusu amri zote hizi, nao watasema, “Hakika taifa hili kubwa ni watu wenye hekima na ufahamu.”

Be careful to observe them, because this will demonstrate your wisdom and insight to the other people living there who are watching. They will find out about all these rules and say, “The people of this great nation are very wise and have good insight.”

7 Ni taifa gani jingine lililo kubwa kiasi cha kuwa na miungu yao iliyo karibu nao kama Bwana Mungu wetu alivyo karibu nasi wakati wowote tunapomwomba?

What nation is as great as us, having a god so close to them as the Lord our God is to us whenever we call on him?

8 Nalo ni taifa gani jingine lililo kubwa hivi lenye kuwa na amri na sheria za haki kama hizi ninazoweka mbele yenu leo?

What nation is as great as us, having such good rules and regulations like all these laws that I'm placing before you today?

9 Mwe waangalifu, na makini ili msije mkasahau mambo ambayo mliyaona kwa macho yenu, wala kuyaacha yaondoke moyoni mwenu siku zote za uhai wenu. Mwafundishe hayo watoto wenu na watoto wao baada yao.

Just make sure to be very careful, and really watch what you do, so you don't forget the things you've have seen. Keep them in mind as long as you live. Teach them to your children and grandchildren.

10 Kumbuka siku uliyosimama mbele za Bwana Mungu wako kule Horebu, wakati aliponiambia, “Wakutanishe watu mbele yangu wasikie maneno yangu ili kwamba waweze kujifunza kuniheshimu kwa muda wote watakaoishi katika nchi, nao waweze kuwafundisha watoto wao maneno hayo.”

That day when you stood in the presence of the Lord your God at Horeb, the Lord told me, “Have the people come to me and to hear what I have to say, so they may learn to have respect for me throughout their lives here on earth, and so they may teach this to their children.”

11 Mlisogea karibu na mkasimama chini ya mlima wakati ulipowaka moto mpaka mbinguni juu, pamoja na mawingu meusi na giza nene.

You gathered and stood at the foot of the mountain. The mountain was on fire, shooting out flames into the sky and producing thick dark clouds.

12 Ndipo Bwana alipozungumza nanyi kutoka moto. Mkasikia sauti ya maneno lakini hamkuona umbo, kulikuwa na sauti tu.

The Lord spoke to you from the fire. You heard the words, but you didn't see the form of anyone speaking—there was just a voice.

13 Aliwatangazia Agano lake na Amri Kumi, ambazo aliwaamuru mzifuate, kisha akaziandika juu ya vibao viwili vya mawe.

He explained to you his agreement, the Ten Commandments, which he ordered you to follow. He wrote them down on two tablets of stone.

14 Naye Bwana alinielekeza wakati huo kuwafundisha ninyi sheria na amri ambazo mnapaswa kuzifuata katika nchi ambayo mnavuka Yordani kuimiliki.

This was the time that the Lord ordered me to teach you the rules and regulations that you are to follow when you arrive in the country you're going to own once you've crossed the Jordan.

15 Hamkuona umbo la aina yoyote siku ambayo Bwana alizungumza nanyi kule Horebu kutoka kwenye moto. Kwa hiyo mjihadhari kwa uangalifu sana,

You didn't see any form when the Lord spoke to you from the fire at Horeb, so be very careful

16 ili msije mkajichafua na kujitengenezea sanamu au kinyago chenye umbo lolote kama la mwanaume au mwanamke,

that you don't spoil your relationship with the Lord by making an idol for yourselves in any shape or form, whether it looks like a male or female,

17 au kama mnyama aliye juu ya nchi au ndege yeyote arukaye angani,

or any land animal or bird that flies,

18 au kama kiumbe kitambaacho juu ya ardhi au samaki yeyote aliye ndani ya maji.

or of any animal that crawls on the ground or any fish in the deep sea.

19 Na utazamapo juu angani na ukaliona jua, mwezi na nyota na vyote vinavyoipamba mbingu, usije ukashawishiwa kuviinamia na kuviabudu vile ambavyo Bwana Mungu wenu alivyogawia mataifa yote chini ya mbingu.

When you look up at the sky and see the sun, moon, and stars—all the heavenly bodies—don't be tempted to bow down to them. Don't worship them like all the other nations on earth in the way that the Lord has allowed.

20 Lakini kwenu ninyi, Bwana amewatoa kutoka kwenye tanuru ya kuyeyushia chuma, katika Misri kuwa watu wa urithi wake kama mlivyo sasa.

Remember that the Lord took you and led you out of the iron furnace which was Egypt to be his own people, just as you are today.

21 Bwana alinikasirikia kwa sababu yenu na akaapa kwamba sitavuka Yordani kuingia katika nchi nzuri Bwana Mungu wenu anayowapa kuwa urithi wenu.

But the Lord was angry with me because of you, and he vowed that I wouldn't cross the Jordan to enter the good land that the Lord your God is giving you to own.

22 Nitakufa katika nchi hii; sitavuka Yordani, lakini ninyi ni karibu mvuke mkaimiliki ile nchi nzuri.

So I will not be crossing the Jordan, because I have to die here in this land. But you will cross over and occupy that good land.

23 Jihadharini msilisahau Agano la Bwana Mungu wenu lile alilofanya nanyi; msijitengenezee sanamu katika umbo la kitu chochote ambacho Bwana Mungu wenu amewakataza.

However, be careful not to forget the agreement of the Lord your God that he made with you. Don't make an idol for yourselves in the form of anything, because he has forbidden you to do this.

24 Kwa kuwa Bwana Mungu wenu ni moto ulao, Mungu mwenye wivu.

For the Lord your God is a fire that burns everything up. He is an exclusive God.

25 Baada ya kuwa na watoto na wajukuu na kuishi katika nchi hiyo siku nyingi, tena kama mkijichafua na kutengeneza sanamu ya aina yoyote, mkifanya maovu machoni pa Bwana Mungu wenu na kumfanya awe na hasira,

After you have been living in the country for a long time and have had children and grandchildren, if you then spoil the relationship you have with the Lord and make an idol in any form. The Lord your God sees this as evil makes him angry.

26 ninaziita mbingu na nchi kama mashahidi dhidi yenu siku hii kwamba mtaangamia mara moja kutoka nchi ile ambayo mnavuka Yordani kuimiliki. Hamtaishi kule kwa muda mrefu bali kwa hakika mtaangamizwa.

If you do this, I call on heaven and earth to be witnesses against you today that you will be completely wiped out from the country that you are crossing the Jordan to occupy. You will not live long there—you will be totally destroyed.

27 Bwana atawatawanya miongoni mwa mataifa, na ni wachache wenu tu watakaosalia miongoni mwa mataifa hayo ambayo Bwana atawafukuzia.

The Lord will scatter you among the other nations, and not many of you will survive in the countries where the Lord has exiled you.

28 Huko mtaabudu miungu ya miti na mawe iliyotengenezwa na watu, ambayo haiwezi kuona au kusikia wala kula au kunusa.

There you will worship gods of wood and stone made by human beings. These idols can't see or hear or eat or smell.

29 Lakini kama mtamtafuta Bwana Mungu wenu, mtampata; kama mtamtafuta kwa moyo wenu wote na kwa roho yote.

However, if while you're there you decide to come to the Lord your God, you will find him if you come to him whole-heartedly, with complete commitment.

30 Wakati mnapokuwa katika dhiki, nayo mambo haya yote yamewatokea siku hizo, ndipo mtamrudia Bwana Mungu wenu na kumtii.

When you are in trouble, after you've experienced all these things, then eventually you will return to the Lord your God and do what he says.

31 Kwa maana Bwana Mungu wenu ni Mungu mwenye huruma, hatawaacha au kuwaangamiza wala kusahau Agano alilofanya na baba zenu, alilowathibitishia kwa kiapo.

The Lord your God is a merciful God. He won't abandon you or destroy you or forget the agreement he made with your forefathers, confirmed by a solemn promise.

32 Sasa uliza kuhusu siku za zamani, zamani kabla ya wakati wako, tangu siku ile Mungu alipomuumba mtu juu ya nchi, uliza kutoka mwisho mmoja wa mbingu mpaka mwisho mwingine wa mbingu. Je, kumepata kutokea jambo jingine lililo kubwa kama hili, au kuna jambo jingine kama hilo limepata kusikiwa?

Think about it! Examine the whole of history from the beginning of time, long before you existed, when God made human beings, right up until now. Ask this question anywhere, from one end of the earth to the other: Has anything as amazing as this ever happened before; has anyone ever heard anything like this?

33 Je, kuna watu wengine wowote waliosikia sauti ya Mungu ikizungumza kwenye moto, kama mlivyosikia, nao wakaishi?

Has a people ever heard the voice of God speaking out of the fire, like you have, and survived?

34 Je, kuna mungu yeyote amepata kujaribu mwenyewe kuchukua taifa moja kutoka taifa lingine, kwa mapigo, kwa ishara za miujiza na maajabu, kwa vita, kwa mkono wenye nguvu na mkono ulionyooshwa au kwa matendo makuu ya kutisha, kama yale ambayo Bwana Mungu wenu aliyofanya kwa ajili yenu huko Misri mbele ya macho yenu?

Has any god tried to take a nation out of another nation and make them his own, using tests and signs and miracles and war—with his great power and incredible strength and terrifying actions—like the Lord your God did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes?

35 Mlionyeshwa mambo haya ili mpate kujua kuwa Bwana ndiye Mungu; hakuna mwingine ila yeye.

You were shown all this so you could be certain that the Lord is God and there is no one like him.

36 Kutoka mbinguni amewasikizisha sauti yake ili kuwaadilisha. Hapa duniani aliwaonyesha moto wake mkubwa, nanyi mlisikia maneno yake kutoka kwenye ule moto.

He made you hear his voice from heaven so you would obey him. On earth he revealed himself though blazing fire, and you heard him speak to you from the fire.

37 Kwa sababu aliwapenda baba zenu na alichagua wazao wao baada yao, aliwatoa katika nchi ya Misri kwa Uwepo wake na kwa uwezo wake mkuu,

Because he loved your forefathers, he chose you, their descendants. He himself led you out of Egypt by his great power,

38 aliwafukuza mbele yenu mataifa makubwa na yenye nguvu kuliko ninyi na kuwaleta ninyi katika nchi yao na akawapa ninyi kuwa urithi wenu, kama ilivyo leo.

driving out ahead of you nations that were greater and stronger than you, in order to lead you to their land and give it to you as yours to own, just as you do today.

39 Kubalini na mweke moyoni leo kuwa Bwana ndiye Mungu mbinguni juu na duniani chini. Hakuna mwingine.

So today be sure about this and never forget: the Lord is the only God in heaven above and on the earth below.

40 Mshike amri na maagizo yake ninayowapa leo, ili mpate kufanikiwa ninyi na watoto wenu baada yenu, na mpate kuishi maisha marefu katika nchi awapayo Bwana Mungu wenu siku zote.

Observe his rules and regulations that I'm giving you right now, so that you and your children will do well, and that you may have long lives in the country that the Lord your God is giving you for all time.

41 Kisha Mose akatenga miji mitatu mashariki ya Yordani,

Then Moses assigned three sanctuary towns to the east of the Jordan

42 ambayo mtu yeyote aliyemuua mtu angeweza kukimbilia ikiwa amemuua jirani yake bila kukusudia na bila kuwa na chuki naye siku zilizopita. Angeweza kukimbilia katika mmojawapo ya miji hii na kuokoa maisha yake.

where a person could run to after accidentally killing someone without deliberate hatred. To save their life they could run to one of these towns:

43 Miji hiyo ilikuwa: Bezeri katika tambarare ya jangwa kwa ajili ya Wareubeni; Ramothi katika nchi ya Gileadi kwa ajili ya Wagadi; nao mji wa Golani katika nchi ya Bashani kwa ajili ya Wamanase.

Bezer in the desert plain belonging to the tribe of Reuben; Ramoth in Gilead belonging to the tribe of Gad, or Golan in Bashan belonging to the tribe of Manasseh.

44 Hii ndiyo sheria Mose aliyoweka mbele ya Waisraeli.

This is the law that Moses placed before the Israelites.

45 Haya ndiyo masharti, amri na sheria Mose aliyowapa wana wa Israeli wakati walitoka Misri,

These are the laws, rules, and regulations Moses gave them after they had come out of Egypt.

46 nao walikuwa katika bonde karibu na Beth-Peori mashariki ya Yordani, katika nchi ya Sihoni mfalme wa Waamori, ambaye alitawala Heshboni, naye alishindwa na Mose na Waisraeli walipokuja toka Misri.

This was when they were in the valley to the east of the Jordan near Beth-peor in the country of Sihon king of the Amorites. He had ruled from Heshbon and had been defeated by Moses and the Israelites after they had left Egypt.

47 Waliimiliki nchi yake na nchi ya Ogu mfalme wa Bashani, wafalme wawili Waamori waliotawala mashariki ya Yordani.

They took over his country and the country of Og king of Bashan. (They were the two kings of the Amorites who previously ruled on the east side of the Jordan.)

48 Nchi hii ilienea kutoka Aroeri ukingoni mwa Bonde la Arnoni mpaka Mlima Sioni (yaani Hermoni),

The territory went from the town of Aroer on the edge of the Arnon Valley all the way to Mount Sirion, otherwise known as Mount Hermon,

49 pamoja na eneo lote la Araba mashariki ya Yordani, na kuenea mpaka Bahari ya Araba kwenye miteremko ya Pisga.

and included all the Arabah to the east of the Jordan down as far as the Dead Sea beside the slopes of Mount Pisgah.