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.
And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there.
2 Mfalme wa Yeriko akaambiwa, “Tazama! Baadhi ya Waisraeli wamekuja huku usiku huu kuipeleleza nchi.”
And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in here to night of the children of Israel to search out the country.
3 Hivyo mfalme wa Yeriko akatuma huu ujumbe kwa Rahabu: “Watoe wale watu waliokujia na kuingia nyumbani mwako, kwa sababu wamekuja kuipeleleza nchi yote.”
And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to you, which are entered into your house: for they be come to search out all the country.
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 hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I know not whence they were:
5 Kulipoingia giza, wakati wa kufunga lango la mji, watu hao waliondoka. Sijui njia waliyoiendea. Wafuatilieni haraka. Huenda mkawapata.”
And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: where the men went I know not: pursue after them quickly; for all of you shall overtake them.
6 (Lakini alikuwa amewapandisha darini akawafunika kwa mabua ya kitani aliyokuwa ameyatandika darini.)
But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof.
7 Basi hao watu wakaondoka kuwafuatilia hao wapelelezi katika njia ile inayoelekea vivuko vya Yordani, mara tu wafuatiliaji walipotoka nje, lango likafungwa.
And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the fords: and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate.
8 Kabla wale wapelelezi hawajalala, Rahabu akawaendea huko juu darini,
And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon 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 she said unto the men, I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.
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 heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when all of you came out of Egypt; and what all of you did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom all of you utterly destroyed.
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 as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.
12 Sasa basi, tafadhali niapieni kwa Bwana, kwamba mtaitendea hisani jamaa ya baba yangu, kwa kuwa mimi nimewatendea hisani. Nipeni ishara ya uaminifu
Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have showed you kindness, that all of you will also show kindness unto my father's house, and give me a true token:
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 all of you will keep alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.
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 answered her, Our life for yours, if all of you utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the LORD has given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with you.
15 Kisha akawateremsha dirishani kwa kamba, kwa kuwa nyumba yake aliyokuwa anaishi ilikuwa sehemu ya ukuta wa mji.
Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall.
16 Alikuwa amewaambia, “Nendeni vilimani ili wale wafuatiliaji wasiwapate. Jificheni huko kwa siku tatu mpaka watakaporudi, hatimaye mwende zenu.”
And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: and afterward may all of you go your way.
17 Wale watu wakamwambia, “Hiki kiapo ulichotuapisha hakitatufunga,
And the men said unto her, We will be blameless of this your oath which you have made us swear.
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.
Behold, when we come into the land, you shall bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which you did let us down by: and you shall bring your father, and your mother, and your brethren, and all your father's household, home unto you.
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.
And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him.
20 Lakini ikiwa utatoa habari ya shughuli yetu tunayofanya, tutakuwa tumefunguliwa kutoka kwenye kiapo hiki ulichotufanya tuape.”
And if you utter this our business, then we will be quit of your oath which you have made us to swear.
21 Naye akajibu, “Nimekubali. Na iwe kama mnavyosema.” Kwa hiyo akaagana nao, nao wakaondoka. Yeye akaifunga ile kamba nyekundu dirishani.
And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line 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, and came unto the mountain, and abode there three days, until the pursuers were returned: and the pursuers sought them throughout all the way, but found them not.
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.
So the two men returned, and descended from the mountain, and passed over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all things that befell them:
24 Wakamwambia Yoshua, “Hakika Bwana ametupa nchi yote mikononi mwetu; watu wote wanayeyuka kwa hofu kwa sababu yetu.”
And they said unto Joshua, Truly the LORD has delivered into our hands all the land; for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us.
