< Yoshua 22 >

1 Ndipo Yoshua akawaita Wareubeni, Wagadi na nusu ya kabila la Manase,
Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh,
2 naye akawaambia, “Mmeshafanya yale yote Mose mtumishi wa Bwana aliyowaamuru, nanyi mmenitii kwa kila jambo nililowaamuru.
And said unto them, Ye have kept all that Moses the servant of Yhwh commanded you, and have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you:
3 Kwa muda mrefu sasa, hadi siku hii ya leo, hamkuwaacha ndugu zenu, bali ninyi mmetimiza ile kazi Bwana Mungu wenu aliyowapa.
Ye have not left your brethren these many days unto this day, but have kept the charge of the commandment of Yhwh your God.
4 Sasa kwa kuwa Bwana Mungu wenu amewapa ndugu zenu pumziko kama alivyoahidi, rudini nyumbani mwenu katika nchi ile ambayo Mose mtumishi wa Bwana aliwapa ngʼambo ya Yordani.
And now Yhwh your God hath given rest unto your brethren, as he promised them: therefore now return ye, and get you unto your tents, and unto the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of Yhwh gave you on the other side Jordan.
5 Lakini mwe waangalifu sana kushika amri na sheria zile Mose mtumishi wa Bwana alizowapa: yaani kumpenda Bwana Mungu wenu na kuenenda katika njia zake zote, kutii amri zake, kushikamana naye kwa uthabiti na kumtumikia kwa moyo wenu wote na roho yenu yote.”
But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of Yhwh charged you, to love Yhwh your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.
6 Ndipo Yoshua akawabariki na kuwaaga waende zao, nao wakaenda nyumbani mwao.
So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away: and they went unto their tents.
7 (Kwa nusu ya kabila la Manase Mose alikuwa amewapa eneo katika Bashani na ile nusu nyingine ya hilo kabila Yoshua aliwapa eneo upande wa magharibi ya Yordani pamoja na ndugu zao). Yoshua alipowaaga waende zao nyumbani, aliwabariki,
Now to the one half of the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given possession in Bashan: but unto the other half thereof gave Joshua among their brethren on this side Jordan westward. And when Joshua sent them away also unto their tents, then he blessed them,
8 akisema, “Rudini nyumbani mwenu na utajiri wenu mwingi, yaani makundi makubwa ya mifugo, mkiwa na fedha, dhahabu, shaba na chuma, pia wingi wa nguo, nanyi mkagawane na ndugu zenu hizo nyara zilizotoka kwa adui zenu.”
And he spake unto them, saying, Return with much riches unto your tents, and with very much cattle, with silver, and with gold, and with brass, and with iron, and with very much raiment: divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren.
9 Kwa hiyo Wareubeni, Wagadi na hiyo nusu ya kabila la Manase wakawaacha Waisraeli huko Shilo katika nchi ya Kanaani ili kurudi Gileadi, nchi yao wenyewe waliyoipata sawasawa na agizo la Bwana kupitia Mose.
And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of Israel out of Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go unto the country of Gilead, to the land of their possession, whereof they were possessed, according to the word of Yhwh by the hand of Moses.
10 Walipofika Gelilothi karibu na Yordani, katika nchi ya Kanaani, Wareubeni, Wagadi na nusu ya kabila la Manase wakajenga madhabahu ya fahari kubwa huko kando ya Yordani.
And when they came unto the borders of Jordan, that are in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by Jordan, a great altar to see to.
11 Waisraeli wengine waliposikia kwamba Wareubeni, Wagadi na ile nusu ya kabila la Manase walikuwa wamejenga madhabahu kwenye mpaka wa Kanaani huko Gelilothi karibu na Yordani kwenye upande wa Israeli,
And the children of Israel heard say, Behold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh have built an altar over against the land of Canaan, in the borders of Jordan, at the passage of the children of Israel.
12 kusanyiko lote la Israeli wakakusanyika huko Shilo ili wakapigane vita dhidi yao.
And when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up to war against them.
13 Kwa hiyo Waisraeli wengine wakamtuma Finehasi mwana wa kuhani Eleazari katika nchi ya Gileadi, kwa Wareubeni, Wagadi na hiyo nusu ya kabila la Manase.
And the children of Israel sent unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest,
14 Wakatuma pamoja naye watu kumi ambao ni viongozi, mmoja kwa kila kabila la Israeli, kila mmoja aliyekuwa kiongozi katika mgawanyiko wa jamaa miongoni mwa koo za Israeli.
And with him ten princes, of each chief house a prince throughout all the tribes of Israel; and each one was an head of the house of their fathers among the thousands of Israel.
15 Walipofika Gileadi, kwa Wareubeni, Wagadi na nusu ya kabila la Manase, wakawaambia:
And they came unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, unto the land of Gilead, and they spake with them, saying,
16 “Kusanyiko lote la Bwana lasema: ‘Je, mmewezaje kuacha kumwamini Mungu wa Israeli jinsi hii? Mmewezaje kumwacha Bwana na kujijengea madhabahu dhidi yake na kumwasi?
Thus saith the whole congregation of Yhwh, What trespass is this that ye have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following Yhwh, in that ye have builded you an altar, that ye might rebel this day against Yhwh?
17 Je, dhambi ya Peori haikutosha? Hata ingawa kulikuja tauni juu ya kusanyiko la Bwana, mpaka leo hii hatujatakasika kutokana na dhambi hiyo!
Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we are not cleansed until this day, although there was a plague in the congregation of Yhwh,
18 Je, sasa ndiyo mnamwacha Bwana? “‘Kama mkimwasi Bwana leo, kesho atalikasirikia kusanyiko lote la Israeli.
But that ye must turn away this day from following Yhwh? and it will be, seeing ye rebel to day against Yhwh, that to morrow he will be wroth with the whole congregation of Israel.
19 Kama nchi mnayomiliki imenajisika, vukeni mje katika nchi ya Bwana, mahali Maskani ya Bwana ilipo, nanyi mkajitwalie sehemu miongoni mwetu, lakini msije mkaasi dhidi ya Bwana wala dhidi yetu sisi kwa kujijengea madhabahu, zaidi ya madhabahu ya Bwana Mungu wetu.
Notwithstanding, if the land of your possession be unclean, then pass ye over unto the land of the possession of Yhwh, wherein Yhwh's tabernacle dwelleth, and take possession among us: but rebel not against Yhwh, nor rebel against us, in building you an altar beside the altar of Yhwh our God.
20 Wakati Akani mwana wa Zera alipokosa uaminifu kwa vitu vilivyowekwa wakfu, je, ghadhabu haikulipata kusanyiko lote la Israeli? Hakuwa yeye peke yake aliyekufa kwa ajili ya dhambi yake.’”
Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? and that man perished not alone in his iniquity.
21 Ndipo Wareubeni, Wagadi na nusu ya kabila la Manase walipowajibu viongozi wa koo za Israeli, wakisema:
Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh answered, and said unto the heads of the thousands of Israel,
22 “Yeye Mwenye Nguvu, Mungu, Bwana! Yeye Mwenye Nguvu, Mungu, Bwana! Yeye anajua! Israeli na wajue! Kama huu umekuwa ni uasi au kukosa utii kwa Bwana, msituache hai siku hii ya leo.
Yhwh God of gods, Yhwh God of gods, he knoweth, and Israel he shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in transgression against Yhwh, ( save us not this day, )
23 Kama tumejijengea madhabahu yetu wenyewe ili kumwacha Bwana na kutoa sadaka za kuteketezwa na sadaka za nafaka, au kutoa sadaka za amani juu yake, Bwana mwenyewe na atupatilize leo.
That we have built us an altar to turn from following Yhwh, or if to offer thereon burnt offering or grain offering, or if to offer peace offerings thereon, let Yhwh himself require it;
24 “Sivyo! Tulifanya hivyo kwa hofu kwamba siku zijazo wazao wenu wanaweza wakawaambia wazao wetu, ‘Mna uhusiano gani na Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli?
And if we have not rather done it for fear of this thing, saying, In time to come your children might speak unto our children, saying, What have ye to do with Yhwh God of Israel?
25 Bwana ameifanya Yordani kuwa mpaka kati yetu na ninyi, ninyi Wareubeni na Wagadi! Hamna fungu kwa Bwana.’ Kwa hiyo wazao wenu wanaweza wakawasababisha wazao wetu wakaacha kumcha Bwana.
For Yhwh hath made Jordan a border between us and you, ye children of Reuben and children of Gad; ye have no part in Yhwh: so shall your children make our children cease from fearing Yhwh.
26 “Hii ndiyo sababu tulisema, ‘Tujiweke tayari na tujenge madhabahu, lakini si kwa ajili ya sadaka za kuteketezwa au dhabihu.’
Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice:
27 Badala yake, itakuwa ni ushahidi kati yetu na ninyi na vizazi vijavyo, kwamba tutamwabudu Bwana katika mahali patakatifu pake pamoja na sadaka zetu za kuteketezwa, dhabihu na sadaka za amani. Ndipo katika siku zijazo, wazao wenu hawataweza kuwaambia wazao wetu, ‘Ninyi hamna fungu katika Bwana.’
But that it may be a witness between us, and you, and our generations after us, that we might do the service of Yhwh before him with our burnt offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings; that your children may not say to our children in time to come, Ye have no part in Yhwh.
28 “Nasi tulisema, ‘Ikiwa wakati wowote watatuambia hilo, au kuwaambia uzao wetu, tutawajibu hivi: Angalieni nakala hii ya madhabahu ya Bwana, ambayo baba zetu waliijenga, si kwa ajili ya sadaka za kuteketezwa na dhabihu, bali kama ushahidi kati yetu na ninyi.’
Therefore said we, that it shall be, when they should so say to us or to our generations in time to come, that we may say again, Behold the pattern of the altar of Yhwh, which our fathers made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifices; but it is a witness between us and you.
29 “Hili jambo la kumwasi Bwana na kumwacha siku hii ya leo kwa kujenga madhabahu kwa ajili ya sadaka za kuteketezwa, sadaka za nafaka na dhabihu, zaidi ya madhabahu ya Bwana Mungu wetu iliyo mbele ya maskani yake na liwe mbali nasi.”
God forbid that we should rebel against Yhwh, and turn this day from following Yhwh, to build an altar for burnt offerings, for grain offerings, or for sacrifices, beside the altar of Yhwh our God that is before his tabernacle.
30 Wakati kuhani Finehasi na viongozi wa kusanyiko na wakuu wa koo za Israeli, waliposikia hayo waliyosema Wareubeni, Wagadi na Manase, wakaridhika.
And when Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the congregation and heads of the thousands of Israel which were with him, heard the words that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh spake, it pleased them.
31 Naye Finehasi mwana wa kuhani Eleazari, akawaambia Wareubeni, Wagadi na Manase, “Leo tunajua kwamba Bwana yuko pamoja nasi, kwa sababu hamkukosa uaminifu kwa Bwana katika jambo hili. Sasa mmewaokoa Waisraeli na mkono wa Bwana.”
And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the children of Manasseh, This day we perceive that Yhwh is among us, because ye have not committed this trespass against Yhwh: now ye have delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of Yhwh.
32 Ndipo Finehasi, mwana wa kuhani Eleazari na viongozi wakarudi Kanaani kutoka kwenye kukutana kwao na Wareubeni na Wagadi huko Gileadi nao wakatoa taarifa kwa Waisraeli.
And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the princes, returned from the children of Reuben, and from the children of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, unto the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought them word again.
33 Walifurahi kusikia taarifa hiyo, na wakamhimidi Mungu. Wala hawakuzungumza tena habari za kupigana vita dhidi yao ili kuharibu nchi ambayo Wareubeni na Wagadi waliishi.
And the thing pleased the children of Israel; and the children of Israel blessed God, and did not intend to go up against them in battle, to destroy the land wherein the children of Reuben and Gad dwelt.
34 Nao Wareubeni na Wagadi wakayaita yale madhabahu Edi, yaani Shahidi: kwa kuwa itakuwa shahidi kati yetu na ninyi kwamba Bwana ndiye Mungu.
And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar Ed: for it shall be a witness between us that Yhwh is God.

< Yoshua 22 >