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,
After many days, when the LORD had given rest to Israel from their enemies all around, and Joshua was old and well advanced in years,
2 akawaita Israeli wote, wazee wao, viongozi, waamuzi na maafisa Yoshua akawaambia: “Mimi ni mzee na umri wangu umeendelea sana.
Joshua called for all Israel, for their elders and for their heads, and for their judges and for their officers, and said to them, “I am old and well advanced in years.
3 Ninyi wenyewe mmeona kila kitu Bwana Mungu wenu, alichowatendea mataifa haya yote kwa ajili yenu. Ilikuwa ni Bwana Mungu wenu aliyewapigania.
You have seen all that the LORD your God has done to all these nations because of you; for it is the LORD your God who 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 allotted to you these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from the Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even to the great sea towards the going down 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.
The LORD your God will thrust them out from before you, and drive them from out of your sight. You shall possess their land, as the LORD your God spoke to you.
6 “Kuweni hodari sana, kuweni waangalifu kutii yote yaliyoandikwa katika kitabu cha Sheria ya Mose, pasipo kugeuka upande wa kuume au kushoto.
“Therefore be very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the scroll of the Torah of Moses, that you not turn away 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 you not come amongst these nations, these that remain amongst you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow down yourselves to them;
8 Bali mtashikamana kwa uthabiti na Bwana, Mungu wenu, kama vile ambavyo mmefanya mpaka sasa.
but hold fast to the LORD your God, as you have done to 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 great and strong nations out from before you. But as for you, no man has stood before you to 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 it is the LORD your God who fights for you, as he spoke to you.
11 Kwa hiyo kuweni waangalifu sana kumpenda Bwana Mungu wenu.
Take good heed therefore to yourselves, that 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,
“But if you do at all go back, and hold fast to the remnant of these nations, even these who remain amongst you, and make marriages with them, and go in to 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 longer drive these nations from out of your sight; but they shall be a snare and a trap to you, a scourge in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until 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.
“Behold, today I am going the way of all the earth. 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 have happened to you. Not one thing has failed of it.
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.
It shall happen that as all the good things have come on you of which the LORD your God spoke to you, so the LORD will bring on you all the evil things, until he has 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 you disobey the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods, and bow down yourselves to them. Then the LORD’s anger will be kindled against you, and you will perish quickly from off the good land which he has given to you.”
