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.
Joshua the son of Nun secretly sent two men out of Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, including Jericho.” They went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab, and slept there.
2 Mfalme wa Yeriko akaambiwa, “Tazama! Baadhi ya Waisraeli wamekuja huku usiku huu kuipeleleza nchi.”
The king of Jericho was told, “Behold, men of the children of Israel came in here tonight to spy 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.”
Jericho’s king sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered into your house; for they have come to spy out all the land.”
4 Lakini huyo mwanamke alikuwa amewachukua hao watu wawili na kuwaficha. Akasema, “Naam, watu hao walikuja kwangu, lakini sikujua walikotoka.
The woman took the two men and hid them. Then she said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I didn’t know where they came from.
5 Kulipoingia giza, wakati wa kufunga lango la mji, watu hao waliondoka. Sijui njia waliyoiendea. Wafuatilieni haraka. Huenda mkawapata.”
About the time of the shutting of the gate, when it was dark, the men went out. Where the men went, I don’t know. Pursue them quickly. You may catch up with them.”
6 (Lakini alikuwa amewapandisha darini akawafunika kwa mabua ya kitani aliyokuwa ameyatandika darini.)
But she had brought them up to the roof, and hidden them under the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof.
7 Basi hao watu wakaondoka kuwafuatilia hao wapelelezi katika njia ile inayoelekea vivuko vya Yordani, mara tu wafuatiliaji walipotoka nje, lango likafungwa.
The men pursued them along the way to the fords of the Jordan River. As soon as those who pursued them had gone out, they shut the gate.
8 Kabla wale wapelelezi hawajalala, Rahabu akawaendea huko juu darini,
Before they had lain down, 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.
She said to the men, “I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before 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 before you, when you came out of Egypt; and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and to Og, whom 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.
As soon as we had heard it, our hearts melted, and there wasn’t any more spirit in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and on 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, please swear to me by the LORD, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father’s house, and give me a true sign;
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 save alive my father, my mother, my brothers, and my sisters, and all that they have, and will 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.”
The men said to her, “Our life for yours, if you don’t talk about this business of ours; and it shall be, when the LORD gives 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 on the side of the wall, and she lived on the wall.
16 Alikuwa amewaambia, “Nendeni vilimani ili wale wafuatiliaji wasiwapate. Jificheni huko kwa siku tatu mpaka watakaporudi, hatimaye mwende zenu.”
She said to them, “Go to the mountain, lest the pursuers find you. Hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers have returned. Afterward, you may go your way.”
17 Wale watu wakamwambia, “Hiki kiapo ulichotuapisha hakitatufunga,
The men said to her, “We will be guiltless of this your oath which you’ve made us to 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, tie this line of scarlet thread in the window which you used to let us down. Gather to yourself into the house your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household.
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.
It shall be that whoever goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood will be on his head, and we will be guiltless. Whoever is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand is on him.
20 Lakini ikiwa utatoa habari ya shughuli yetu tunayofanya, tutakuwa tumefunguliwa kutoka kwenye kiapo hiki ulichotufanya tuape.”
But if you talk about this business of ours, then we shall be guiltless of your oath which you’ve made us to swear.”
21 Naye akajibu, “Nimekubali. Na iwe kama mnavyosema.” Kwa hiyo akaagana nao, nao wakaondoka. Yeye akaifunga ile kamba nyekundu dirishani.
She said, “Let it be as you have said.” She sent them away, and they departed. Then she tied 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.
They went and came to the mountain, and stayed there three days, until the pursuers had returned. The pursuers sought them all along the way, but didn’t find 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 returned, descended from the mountain, crossed the river, and came to Joshua the son of Nun. They told him all that had happened to them.
24 Wakamwambia Yoshua, “Hakika Bwana ametupa nchi yote mikononi mwetu; watu wote wanayeyuka kwa hofu kwa sababu yetu.”
They said to Joshua, “Truly the LORD has delivered all the land into our hands. Moreover, all the inhabitants of the land melt away before us.”
