< 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, after many days, when Yahweh had given rest unto Israel, from all their enemies round about, —and, Joshua, had become old, advanced in days,
2 akawaita Israeli wote, wazee wao, viongozi, waamuzi na maafisa Yoshua akawaambia: “Mimi ni mzee na umri wangu umeendelea sana.
that Joshua called for all Israel, for their elders, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers, —and said unto them, I, am old, advanced in days;
3 Ninyi wenyewe mmeona kila kitu Bwana Mungu wenu, alichowatendea mataifa haya yote kwa ajili yenu. Ilikuwa ni Bwana Mungu wenu aliyewapigania.
but, ye, have seen—all that Yahweh your God hath done unto all those nations, because of you, —for, Yahweh your God, is he that hath 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 allotted to you these nations which remain, as an inheritance, for your tribes, —from the Jordan, and all the nations which I have cut off, even unto the great sea, at the going in of the sun.
5 Bwana Mungu wenu mwenyewe atawaondoa watoke mbele yenu. Atawafukuza mbele yenu, nanyi mtamiliki nchi yao, kama vile Bwana Mungu wenu alivyowaahidi.
But, Yahweh your God—he, will thrust them out from before you, and drive them away out of your sight, —so shall ye possess their land, as Yahweh your God spoke unto you.
6 “Kuweni hodari sana, kuweni waangalifu kutii yote yaliyoandikwa katika kitabu cha Sheria ya Mose, pasipo kugeuka upande wa kuume au kushoto.
Therefore must ye be very firm to observe and to do all that is written in the scroll of the law of Moses, —so as not to turn aside therefrom, 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.
so as not to go in among these nations, these which remain with you, —and, with the name of their gods, shall ye neither make memorial nor put on oath, and neither serve them, —nor bow down to them.
8 Bali mtashikamana kwa uthabiti na Bwana, Mungu wenu, kama vile ambavyo mmefanya mpaka sasa.
But, unto Yahweh your God, must ye cleave, —as, ye have done until this day;
9 “Bwana amewafukuza mbele yenu mataifa makubwa na yenye nguvu, mpaka siku ya leo hakuna yeyote aliyeweza kusimama mbele yenu.
therefore hath Yahweh dispossessed, from before you, nations great and strong, —but, as for you, not a man hath stood before you, until this day.
10 Mtu mmoja miongoni mwenu anafukuza watu elfu, kwa kuwa Bwana Mungu wenu anawapigania, kama alivyoahidi.
One man of you, can chase a thousand, —for, Yahweh your God, is he that fighteth for you, as he spake to you.
11 Kwa hiyo kuweni waangalifu sana kumpenda Bwana Mungu wenu.
Take diligent heed, therefore, unto your souls, —to love Yahweh your God.
12 “Lakini ikiwa mtageuka na kushikamana na mabaki ya mataifa haya yaliyosalia katikati yenu na kama mtaoana na kushirikiana nao,
But, if ye, do in any wise turn back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, these which remain with you, —and intermarry with them, and go in with them, and, they, with 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, that Yahweh your God will no further drive out these nations from before you, —but they will become unto you a snare and a hook, and a goad in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye have perished from off this goodly soil, which Yahweh your God hath given unto 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.
But lo! I am going to-day, in the way of all the earth, —ye must acknowledge, therefore, with all your heart and with all your soul, that there hath not failed a single thing, out of all the good things which Yahweh your God spake concerning you, the whole, hath come to pass to you, there hath not failed thereof, a single thing.
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.
But it shall be that, as all the good things have come unto you, which Yahweh your God spake unto you, so, will Yahweh bring upon you all the evil things, until he hath destroyed you from off this goodly soil, which Yahweh your God hath given unto 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 ye transgress the covenant of Yahweh your God which he hath commanded you, and go and serve other gods, and bow yourselves down unto them, then will the anger of Yahweh kindle upon you, and ye will perish quickly, from off the good land which he hath given unto you.