< Yoshua 3 >
1 Yoshua na Waisraeli wote wakaondoka asubuhi na mapema kutoka Shitimu, wakaenda mpaka Mto Yordani, ambako walipiga kambi kabla ya kuvuka.
And Joshua rises early in the morning, and they journey from Shittim, and come to the Jordan, he and all the sons of Israel, and they lodge there before they pass over.
2 Baada ya siku tatu maafisa wakapita katika kambi yote,
And it comes to pass, at the end of three days, that the authorities pass over into the midst of the camp,
3 wakitoa maagizo kwa watu, wakiwaambia: “Mtakapoona Sanduku la Agano la Bwana Mungu wenu, likichukuliwa na Walawi ambao ndio makuhani, mtaondoka hapo mlipo na kulifuata.
and command the people, saying, “When you see the Ark of the Covenant of your God YHWH, and the priests, the Levites, carrying it, then you journey from your place, and have gone after it;
4 Ndipo mtakapotambua njia mtakayoiendea, kwa kuwa hamjawahi kuipita kabla. Lakini msisogee karibu, bali kuwe na umbali wa dhiraa 2,000 kati yenu na Sanduku.”
only, a distance is between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure; you do not come near to it, so that you know the way in which you go, for you have not passed over in the way before.”
5 Ndipo Yoshua akawaambia hao watu, “Jitakaseni, kwa kuwa kesho Bwana atatenda mambo ya kushangaza katikati yenu.”
And Joshua says to the people, “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow YHWH does wonders in your midst.”
6 Yoshua akawaambia makuhani, “Liinueni Sanduku la Agano mkatangulie mbele ya watu.” Hivyo wakaliinua na kutangulia mbele yao.
And Joshua speaks to the priests, saying, “Take up the Ark of the Covenant, and pass over before the people”; and they take up the Ark of the Covenant, and go before the people.
7 Ndipo Bwana akamwambia Yoshua, “Leo nitaanza kukutukuza machoni pa Israeli yote, ili wapate kujua kuwa niko pamoja nawe kama nilivyokuwa pamoja na Mose.
And YHWH says to Joshua, “This day I begin to make you great in the eyes of all Israel, so that they know that as I was with Moses I am with you;
8 Uwaambie makuhani wanaochukua Sanduku la Agano, ‘Mnapofika kwenye ukingo wa maji ya Yordani, nendeni mkasimame ndani ya mto.’”
and you, command the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant, saying, When you come to the extremity of the waters of the Jordan, stand in the Jordan.”
9 Yoshua akawaambia Waisraeli, “Njooni hapa msikilize maneno ya Bwana Mungu wenu.
And Joshua says to the sons of Israel, “Come near here, and hear the words of your God YHWH”;
10 Hivi ndivyo mtakavyojua ya kuwa Mungu aliye hai yupo katikati yenu, na kwamba kwa hakika atawafukuza mbele yenu hao Wakanaani, Wahiti, Wahivi, Waperizi, Wagirgashi, Waamori na Wayebusi.
and Joshua says, “By this you know that the living God [is] in your midst, and He certainly dispossesses from before you the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Hivite, and the Perizzite, and the Girgashite, and the Amorite, and the Jebusite:
11 Tazameni, Sanduku la Agano la Bwana wa dunia yote litaingia ndani ya Mto Yordani likiwa limewatangulia.
behold, the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord of all the earth is passing over before you into the Jordan;
12 Sasa basi, chagueni watu kumi na wawili kutoka makabila ya Israeli, mtu mmoja kutoka kila kabila.
and now, take for yourselves twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, one man—one man for a tribe;
13 Mara tu nyayo za makuhani walichukualo Sanduku la Bwana, Bwana wa dunia yote, zitakapokanyaga ndani ya Mto Yordani, maji hayo yatiririkayo kutoka juu yatatindika na kusimama kama chuguu.”
and it has been, at the resting of the soles of the feet of the priests carrying the Ark of YHWH, Lord of all the earth, in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan are cut off—the waters which are coming down from above—and they stand—one heap.”
14 Basi, watu walipovunja kambi ili kuvuka Yordani, makuhani wakiwa wamebeba Sanduku la Agano waliwatangulia.
And it comes to pass, in the journeying of the people from their tents to pass over the Jordan, and of the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant before the people,
15 Wakati huu ulikuwa wakati wa mavuno, nao Mto Yordani ulikuwa umefurika hadi kwenye kingo zake. Ilikuwa kawaida ya Yordani kufurika nyakati zote za mavuno. Mara tu makuhani wale waliokuwa wamebeba Sanduku la Agano walipofika mtoni na nyayo zao kuzama ndani ya yale maji,
and at those carrying the Ark coming to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests carrying the Ark have been dipped in the extremity of the waters (and the Jordan is full over all its banks all the days of harvest)—
16 maji hayo yaliyotiririka kutoka upande wa juu yaliacha kutiririka yakasimama kama chuguu mbali kabisa nao, kwenye mji ulioitwa Adamu kwenye eneo la Sarethani, wakati yale maji yaliyokuwa yanatiririka kuingia kwenye Bahari ya Araba (yaani Bahari ya Chumvi), yalitindika kabisa. Hivyo watu wakavuka kukabili Yeriko.
that the waters stand; those coming down from above have risen—one heap, very far above Adam, the city which [is] at the side of Zaretan; and those going down by the Sea of the Plain (the Salt Sea), have been completely cut off; and the people have passed through opposite Jericho;
17 Wale makuhani waliobeba Sanduku la Agano la Bwana, wakasimama imara mahali pakavu katikati ya Mto Yordani, wakati Waisraeli wote wakiwa wanapita hadi taifa lote likaisha kuvuka mahali pakavu.
and the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant of YHWH stand on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan—established, and all Israel are passing over on dry ground until all the nation has completed to pass over the Jordan.