Yoshua 23
1 Baada ya muda mrefu kupita, naye Bwana akawa amewapa Israeli pumziko mbele ya adui zao wote waliowazunguka, Yoshua, wakati huo akiwa mzee na umri ukiwa umeendelea sana,
And it came to pass a long time after that the LORD had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua waxed old and stricken in age.
2 akawaita Israeli wote, wazee wao, viongozi, waamuzi na maafisa Yoshua akawaambia: “Mimi ni mzee na umri wangu umeendelea sana.
And Joshua called for all Israel, and for their elders, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers, and said unto them, I am old and stricken in age:
3 Ninyi wenyewe mmeona kila kitu Bwana Mungu wenu, alichowatendea mataifa haya yote kwa ajili yenu. Ilikuwa ni Bwana Mungu wenu aliyewapigania.
And all of you have seen all that the LORD your God has done unto all these nations because of you; for the LORD your God is he that has fought for you.
4 Kumbukeni jinsi nilivyowagawia kama urithi kwa makabila yenu yote nchi ya mataifa yaliyobaki, yaani mataifa niliyowashinda, kati ya Mto Yordani na Bahari kuu upande wa magharibi.
Behold, I have divided unto you by lot these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even unto the great sea westward.
5 Bwana Mungu wenu mwenyewe atawaondoa watoke mbele yenu. Atawafukuza mbele yenu, nanyi mtamiliki nchi yao, kama vile Bwana Mungu wenu alivyowaahidi.
And the LORD your God, he shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and all of you shall possess their land, as the LORD your God has promised unto you.
6 “Kuweni hodari sana, kuweni waangalifu kutii yote yaliyoandikwa katika kitabu cha Sheria ya Mose, pasipo kugeuka upande wa kuume au kushoto.
Be all of you therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that all of you turn not aside from it to the right hand or to the left;
7 Msishirikiane na mataifa yaliyobakia katikati yenu, wala msiombe kwa majina ya miungu yao au kuapa kwayo. Msiitumikie wala kuisujudia.
That all of you come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them:
8 Bali mtashikamana kwa uthabiti na Bwana, Mungu wenu, kama vile ambavyo mmefanya mpaka sasa.
But cleave unto the LORD your God, as all of you have done unto this day.
9 “Bwana amewafukuza mbele yenu mataifa makubwa na yenye nguvu, mpaka siku ya leo hakuna yeyote aliyeweza kusimama mbele yenu.
For the LORD has driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man has been able to stand before you unto this day.
10 Mtu mmoja miongoni mwenu anafukuza watu elfu, kwa kuwa Bwana Mungu wenu anawapigania, kama alivyoahidi.
One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fights for you, as he has promised you.
11 Kwa hiyo kuweni waangalifu sana kumpenda Bwana Mungu wenu.
Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that all of you love the LORD your God.
12 “Lakini ikiwa mtageuka na kushikamana na mabaki ya mataifa haya yaliyosalia katikati yenu na kama mtaoana na kushirikiana nao,
Else if all of you do in any way go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you:
13 basi mwe na hakika kuwa Bwana Mungu wenu hatawafukuza tena mataifa hayo mbele yenu. Badala yake, watakuwa tanzi na mitego kwenu, mijeledi migongoni mwenu, na miiba machoni mwenu, mpaka mwangamie kutoka nchi hii nzuri, ambayo Bwana Mungu wenu amewapa.
Know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until all of you perish from off this good land which the LORD your God has given you.
14 “Sasa mimi ninakaribia kwenda katika njia ya watu wote wa dunia. Mnajua kwa mioyo yenu na roho zenu kwamba hakuna ahadi zozote njema Bwana Mungu wenu alizowaahidia, ambazo hazikutimia. Kila ahadi imetimizwa, hakuna hata moja ambayo haikutimia.
And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and all of you know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spoke concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing has failed thereof.
15 Lakini kama vile kila ahadi njema ya Bwana Mungu wenu imekuwa kweli, vivyo hivyo Bwana ataleta maovu yote kama alivyo onya, mpaka awe amewaangamiza kutoka nchi hii nzuri aliyowapa.
Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all good things are come upon you, which the LORD your God promised you; so shall the LORD bring upon you all evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God has given you.
16 Kama mkilivunja agano la Bwana Mungu wenu, ambalo aliwaamuru ninyi, mkaenda na kuitumikia miungu mingine na kuisujudia, hasira ya Bwana itawaka dhidi yenu, nanyi mtaangamia kutoka nchi nzuri aliyowapa ninyi.”
When all of you have transgressed the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed yourselves to them; then shall the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and all of you shall perish quickly from off the good land which he has given unto you.
