Yoshua 2
1 Kisha Yoshua mwana wa Nuni kwa siri akawatuma wapelelezi wawili kutoka Shitimu, akawaambia, “Nendeni mkaikague hiyo nchi, hasa Yeriko.” Kwa hiyo wakaenda na kuingia kwenye nyumba ya kahaba mmoja jina lake Rahabu na kukaa humo.
Then Joshua, the son of Nun, sent two men from Shittim secretly, with the purpose of searching out the land, and Jericho. So they went and came to the house of a loose woman of the town, named Rahab, where they took their rest for the night.
2 Mfalme wa Yeriko akaambiwa, “Tazama! Baadhi ya Waisraeli wamekuja huku usiku huu kuipeleleza nchi.”
And it was said to the king of Jericho, See, some men have come here tonight from the children of Israel with the purpose of searching out the land.
3 Hivyo mfalme wa Yeriko akatuma huu ujumbe kwa Rahabu: “Watoe wale watu waliokujia na kuingia nyumbani mwako, kwa sababu wamekuja kuipeleleza nchi yote.”
Then the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, Send out the men who have come to you and are in your house; for they have come with the purpose of searching out all the land.
4 Lakini huyo mwanamke alikuwa amewachukua hao watu wawili na kuwaficha. Akasema, “Naam, watu hao walikuja kwangu, lakini sikujua walikotoka.
And the woman took the two men and put them in a secret place; then she said, Yes, the men came to me, but I had no idea where they came from;
5 Kulipoingia giza, wakati wa kufunga lango la mji, watu hao waliondoka. Sijui njia waliyoiendea. Wafuatilieni haraka. Huenda mkawapata.”
And when it was the time for shutting the doors at dark, they went out; I have no idea where the men went: but if you go after them quickly, you will overtake them.
6 (Lakini alikuwa amewapandisha darini akawafunika kwa mabua ya kitani aliyokuwa ameyatandika darini.)
But she had taken them up to the roof, covering them with the stems of flax which she had put out in order there.
7 Basi hao watu wakaondoka kuwafuatilia hao wapelelezi katika njia ile inayoelekea vivuko vya Yordani, mara tu wafuatiliaji walipotoka nje, lango likafungwa.
So the men went after them on the road to Jordan as far as the river-crossing: and when they had gone out after them, the door into the town was shut.
8 Kabla wale wapelelezi hawajalala, Rahabu akawaendea huko juu darini,
And before the men went to rest, she came up to them on the roof,
9 akawaambia, “Ninajua kuwa Bwana amewapa nchi hii na hofu kuu imetuangukia kwa sababu yenu, kiasi kwamba wote waishio katika nchi hii wanayeyuka kwa hofu kwa sababu yenu.
And said to them, It is clear to me that the Lord has given you the land, and that the fear of you has come on us;
10 Tumesikia jinsi Bwana alivyokausha maji ya Bahari ya Shamu kwa ajili yenu mlipotoka Misri, pia lile mlilowatendea Sihoni na Ogu, wafalme wawili wa Waamori mashariki mwa Yordani, ambao mliwaangamiza kabisa.
For we have had news of how the Lord made the Red Sea dry before you when you came out of Egypt; and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites, on the other side of Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you gave up to the curse.
11 Tuliposikia juu ya hili, mioyo yetu iliyeyuka na kila mmoja alikosa ujasiri kwa sababu yenu, kwa maana Bwana Mungu wenu ni Mungu juu mbinguni na duniani chini.
And because of this news, our hearts became like water, and there was no more spirit in any of us because of you; for the Lord your God is God in heaven on high and here on earth.
12 Sasa basi, tafadhali niapieni kwa Bwana, kwamba mtaitendea hisani jamaa ya baba yangu, kwa kuwa mimi nimewatendea hisani. Nipeni ishara ya uaminifu
So now, will you give me your oath by the Lord, that, because I have been kind to you, you will be kind to my father's house,
13 kwamba mtayahifadhi maisha ya baba yangu na mama yangu, ndugu zangu wa kiume na wa kike, pamoja na wale wote walio wa kwao na kwamba mtatuokoa na kifo.”
And that you will keep safe my father and mother and my brothers and sisters and all they have, so that death may not come on us?
14 Wale watu wakamhakikishia Rahabu, “Uhai wetu kwa uhai wenu! Ikiwa hutatoa habari ya nini tunachofanya, wakati Bwana atakapotupa nchi hii, tutawatendea kwa hisani na kwa uaminifu.”
And the men said to her, Our life for yours if you keep our business secret; and when the Lord has given us the land, we will keep faith and be kind to you.
15 Kisha akawateremsha dirishani kwa kamba, kwa kuwa nyumba yake aliyokuwa anaishi ilikuwa sehemu ya ukuta wa mji.
Then she let them down from the window by a cord, for the house where she was living was on the town wall.
16 Alikuwa amewaambia, “Nendeni vilimani ili wale wafuatiliaji wasiwapate. Jificheni huko kwa siku tatu mpaka watakaporudi, hatimaye mwende zenu.”
And she said to them, Get away into the hill-country, or the men who have gone after you will overtake you; keep yourselves safe there for three days, till the searchers have come back, and then go on your way.
17 Wale watu wakamwambia, “Hiki kiapo ulichotuapisha hakitatufunga,
And the men said to her, We will only be responsible for this oath which you have made us take,
18 isipokuwa, hapo tutakapoingia katika nchi hii, utakuwa umefunga hii kamba nyekundu dirishani pale ulipotuteremshia na kama utakuwa umewaleta baba yako na mama yako, ndugu zako na jamaa yako yote ndani ya nyumba yako.
If, when we come into the land, you put this cord of bright red thread in the window from which you let us down; and get your father and mother and your brothers and all your family into the house;
19 Ikiwa mtu yeyote atatoka nje ya nyumba yako akaenda mtaani, damu yake itakuwa juu ya kichwa chake mwenyewe, hatutawajibika. Lakini yule ambaye atakuwa ndani pamoja nawe, kama mkono wa mtu yeyote ukiwa juu yake damu yake itakuwa juu ya vichwa vyetu.
Then if anyone goes out of your house into the street, his blood will be on his head, we will not be responsible; but if any damage comes to anyone in the house, his blood will be on our heads.
20 Lakini ikiwa utatoa habari ya shughuli yetu tunayofanya, tutakuwa tumefunguliwa kutoka kwenye kiapo hiki ulichotufanya tuape.”
But if you say anything about our business here, then we will be free from the oath you have made us take.
21 Naye akajibu, “Nimekubali. Na iwe kama mnavyosema.” Kwa hiyo akaagana nao, nao wakaondoka. Yeye akaifunga ile kamba nyekundu dirishani.
And she said, Let it be as you say. Then she sent them away, and they went; and she put the bright red cord in the window.
22 Walipoondoka, wakaelekea vilimani na kukaa huko siku tatu, hadi wale waliokuwa wakiwafuatilia wakawa wamewatafuta njia nzima na kurudi pasipo kuwapata.
And they went into the hill-country and were there three days, till the men who had gone after them had come back; and those who went after them were searching for them everywhere without coming across them.
23 Ndipo wale watu wawili wakaanza kurudi. Wakashuka kutoka kule vilimani, wakavuka mto na kuja kwa Yoshua mwana wa Nuni, na kumweleza kila kitu kilichowapata.
Then the two men came down from the hill-country and went over and came back to Joshua, the son of Nun; and they gave him a complete account of what had taken place.
24 Wakamwambia Yoshua, “Hakika Bwana ametupa nchi yote mikononi mwetu; watu wote wanayeyuka kwa hofu kwa sababu yetu.”
And they said to Joshua, Truly, the Lord has given all the land into our hands; and all the people of the land have become like water because of us.
