< Kutoka 33 >

1 Kisha Bwana akamwambia Mose, “Ondoka mahali hapa, wewe pamoja na hao watu uliowapandisha kutoka Misri, mpande mpaka nchi niliyomwahidi Abrahamu, Isaki na Yakobo kwa kiapo, nikisema, ‘Nitawapa wazao wenu nchi hii.’
Then spake Yahweh unto Moses—Get thee away, go up from hence, thou, and the people whom thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, —into the land of which I sware to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob, saying, To thy seed, will I give it;
2 Nitamtuma malaika mbele yenu, naye atawafukuza Wakanaani, Waamori, Wahiti, Waperizi, Wahivi na Wayebusi.
And I will send before thee a messenger, -and will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite;
3 Pandeni mwende katika nchi itiririkayo maziwa na asali. Lakini mimi sitakwenda pamoja nanyi, kwa sababu ninyi ni watu wenye shingo ngumu, nisije nikawaangamiza njiani.”
into a land flowing with milk and honey, —for I will not go up in thy midst in that a stiff-necked people, thou art, lest I consume thee in the way.
4 Watu waliposikia habari hizo za huzuni, wakaanza kuomboleza wala hakuna mtu aliyevaa mapambo yoyote.
And when the people heard these evil tidings, they afflicted themselves, —and they put not, any man, his ornaments upon him.
5 Kwa kuwa Bwana alikuwa amemwambia Mose, “Waambie Waisraeli, ‘Ninyi ni watu wenye shingo ngumu. Kama ningefuatana nanyi hata kwa muda mfupi, ningewaangamiza. Sasa vueni mapambo yenu, nami nitaamua nitakalowatendea.’”
Then said Yahweh unto Moses—Say unto the sons of Israel, Ye, are a stiff-necked people, in one moment—if I should go up in thy midst, should I make an end of thee, —Now, therefore lay down thine ornaments from off thee, that I may see what I must do with thee.
6 Hivyo Waisraeli wakavua mapambo yao katika Mlima wa Horebu.
So then the sons of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments, [and moved on] from Mount Horeb.
7 Basi Mose alikuwa na desturi ya kuchukua hema na kuliweka wakfu nje ya kambi umbali kiasi, akaliita “Hema la Kukutania.” Kila aliyekuwa akiulizia shauri kwa Bwana, angelikwenda katika Hema la Kukutania nje ya kambi.
And, Moses, proceeded to take a tent, and pitch it by itself outside the camp, afar off from the camp, and he called it, The Tent of Meeting, —and so it came to pass that whosoever was seeking Yahweh went out unto the tent of meeting, which was on the outside of the camp.
8 Wakati wowote Mose alipokwenda kwenye Hema, watu wote waliinuka na kusimama kwenye maingilio ya mahema yao, wakimwangalia Mose mpaka aingie kwenye Hema.
And it came about, that, when Moses went out unto the tent, all the people used to rise up, and station themselves every man at the opening of his tent, —and they watched Moses, until he entered the tent.
9 Kila mara Mose alipoingia ndani ya hema, nguzo ya wingu ingeshuka chini na kukaa kwenye ingilio, wakati Mungu akizungumza na Mose.
And it came to pass that when Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud came down, and stood at the opening of the tent, —and spake with Moses.
10 Kila mara watu walipoona hiyo nguzo ya wingu ikiwa imesimama kwenye ingilio la hema, wote walisimama wakaabudu, kila mmoja kwenye ingilio la hema lake.
And when all the people beheld the pillar of cloud, standing at the opening of the tent, then all the people rose up and bowed themselves down, every man at the entrance of his tent.
11 Bwana angezungumza na Mose uso kwa uso, kama vile mtu azungumzavyo na rafiki yake. Kisha Mose angerudi kambini, lakini msaidizi wake kijana Yoshua mwana wa Nuni hakuondoka mle Hemani.
Thus Yahweh used to speak unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend, —and when he returned unto the camp, his attendant Joshua son of Nun, a young man, moved not from the midst of the tent.
12 Mose akamwambia Bwana, “Umekuwa ukiniambia, ‘Ongoza watu hawa,’ lakini hujanifahamisha ni nani utakayemtuma pamoja nami. Umesema, ‘Ninakujua wewe kwa jina lako, nawe umepata kibali mbele zangu.’
Then said Moses, unto Yahweh, See! thou art saying unto me—Take up this people, and yet thou hast no let me know whom thou wilt send with me, —though thou thyself, didst say—I acknowledge thee by name, Yea, moreover, thou hast found favour in mine eyes.
13 Ikiwa umependezwa nami, nifundishe njia zako ili nipate kukujua, nami nizidi kupata kibali mbele zako. Kumbuka kuwa taifa hili ni watu wako.”
Now, therefore, if, I pray thee, I have found favour in thine eyes, let me know, I beseech thee, thy way, that I may acknowledge thee, to the intent I may find favour in thine eyes, —see thou, therefore, that this nation is thine own people.
14 Bwana akajibu, “Uso wangu utakwenda pamoja nawe, nami nitakupa raha.”
So then he said, —Mine own presence, shall go on thus will I give thee rest.
15 Kisha Mose akamwambia, “Kama Uso wako hauendi pamoja nasi, usituondoe hapa.
And he said unto him, If thy presence is not going on, do not take us up from hence.
16 Mtu yeyote atajuaje kuwa mimi pamoja na watu wako tumepata kibali mbele zako, usipokwenda pamoja nasi? Ni nini kingine kitakachoweza kututofautisha mimi na watu wako miongoni mwa watu wengine wote walio katika uso wa dunia?”
Whereby, indeed, shall it be known then that I have found favour in thine eyes, I, and thy people? Shall it not be, by thy going on with us? So shall we be more distinguished, I, and thy people, than any people that are on the face of the ground.
17 Bwana akamwambia Mose, “Nitakufanyia jambo lile uliloomba, kwa sababu ninapendezwa nawe, nami ninakujua kwa jina lako.”
Then said Yahweh unto Moses: Even this thing, which thou hast spoken, will I do—For thou hast found favour in mine eyes, And I have acknowledged thee by name.
18 Kisha Mose akasema, “Basi nionyeshe utukufu wako.”
And he said, —Show me, I pray thee, thy glory.
19 Ndipo Bwana akasema, “Nitapitisha wema wangu wote mbele yako, nami nitalitangaza Jina langu, Bwana, mbele ya uso wako. Nitamrehemu yeye nimrehemuye, na pia nitamhurumia yeye nimhurumiaye.”
And he said, —I, will cause all my goodness to pass before thee. And will proclaim myself by the name Yahweh, before thee, And will show favour, unto whom I may show favour, And will have compassion on whom I may have compassion.
20 Lakini Mungu akasema, “Hutaweza kuuona uso wangu, kwa kuwa hakuna mtu yeyote awezaye kuniona akaishi.”
But he said—Thou canst not see my face, For no son of earth can see me, and live
21 Kisha Bwana akasema, “Kuna mahali karibu nami ambapo unaweza kusimama juu ya mwamba.
And Yahweh, said, Lo! a place near me, —So then thou shalt station thyself upon the rock:
22 Utukufu wangu unapopita, nitakuweka gengeni kwenye mwamba na kukufunika kwa mkono wangu mpaka nitakapokwisha kupita.
And it shall be while my glory passeth by, I will put thee in the cleft of the rock, —and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:
23 Kisha nitaondoa mkono wangu nawe utaona mgongo wangu; lakini kamwe uso wangu hautaonekana.”
Then will I take away my hand, and thou shalt see behind me, But, my face, must not be seen.

< Kutoka 33 >