< Yoshua 4 >
1 Wakati taifa lote lilipokwisha kuvuka Mto Yordani, Bwana akamwambia Yoshua,
And when they were passed over, the Lord said to Josue:
2 “Chagua watu kumi na wawili miongoni mwa watu, kila kabila mtu mmoja,
Choose twelve men, one of every tribe:
3 nawe uwaambie wachukue mawe kumi na mawili katikati ya Mto Yordani, palepale makuhani waliposimama, wayachukue na kuyaweka mahali mtakapokaa usiku huu wa leo.”
And command them to take out of the midst of the Jordan, where the feet of the priests stood, twelve very hard stones, which you shall set in the place of the camp, where you shall pitch your tents this night.
4 Basi Yoshua akawaita watu kumi na wawili ambao alikuwa amewachagua kutoka miongoni mwa Waisraeli, mtu mmoja kutoka kila kabila,
And Josue called twelve men, whom he had chosen out of the children of Israel, one out of every tribe,
5 naye akawaambia, “Mtangulie mbele ya Sanduku la Bwana Mungu wenu, mwende katikati ya Mto Yordani. Kila mmoja wenu atainua jiwe begani mwake, kufuatana na hesabu ya makabila ya Waisraeli,
And he said to them: Go before the ark of the Lord your God to the midst of the Jordan, and carry from thence every man a stone on your shoulders, according to the number of the children of Israel,
6 kuwa kama ishara katikati yenu. Siku zijazo, wakati watoto wenu watakapowauliza, ‘Ni nini maana ya mawe haya?’
That it may be a sign among you and when your children shall ask you tomorrow, saying: What mean these stones?
7 waambieni kwamba maji ya Mto Yordani yaliyokuwa yakitiririka yalitindika mbele ya Sanduku la Agano la Bwana. Wakati lilipovuka Yordani, maji ya Yordani yalitindika. Mawe haya yatakuwa kumbukumbu kwa watu wa Israeli milele.”
You shall answer them: The waters of the Jordan ran off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, when it passed over the same: therefore were these atones set for a monument of the children of Israel for ever.
8 Hivyo Waisraeli wakafanya kama Yoshua alivyowaagiza. Wakachukua mawe kumi na mawili kutoka katikati ya Mto Yordani, kulingana na hesabu ya kabila za Waisraeli kama Bwana alivyomwambia Yoshua, nao wakayabeba hadi kambini mwao, mahali walipoyatua chini.
The children of Israel therefore did as Josue commanded them, carrying out of the channel of the Jordan twelve stones, as the Lord had commanded him, according to the number of the children of Israel, unto the place wherein they camped, and there they set them.
9 Yoshua akayasimamisha yale mawe kumi na mawili ambayo yalikuwa katikati ya Mto Yordani, mahali pale ambapo miguu ya makuhani waliobeba Sanduku la Agano iliposimama. Nayo yako huko mpaka leo.
And Josue put other twelve stones in the midst of the channel of the Jordan, where the priests stood that carried the ark of the covenant: and they are there until this present day.
10 Makuhani waliobeba lile Sanduku walibakia wakiwa wamesimama katikati ya Mto Yordani mpaka kila kitu Bwana alichomwamuru Yoshua kilipokuwa kimefanywa na watu, sawasawa na vile Mose alivyokuwa amemwamuru Yoshua. Watu wakafanya haraka kuvuka,
Now the priests that carried the ark, stood in the midst of the Jordan till all things were accomplished which the Lord had commanded Josue to speak to the people, and Moses had said to him. And the people made haste and passed over.
11 na mara tu watu wote walipokwisha kuvuka, Sanduku la Bwana na makuhani wakavuka watu wakiwa wanatazama.
And when they had all passed over, the ark also of the Lord passed over, and the priests went before the people.
12 Wareubeni, Wagadi na nusu ya kabila la Manase wakavuka mbele ya Waisraeli, wakiwa wamevaa silaha, kama Mose alivyowaamuru.
The children of Ruben also and Gad, and half the tribe of Manasses, went armed before the children of Israel as Moses had commanded them.
13 Kiasi cha watu 40,000 waliojiandaa kwa vita walivuka mbele za Bwana hadi nchi tambarare za Yeriko kwa ajili ya vita.
And forty thousand fighting men by their troops, and bands, marched through the plains and fields of the city of Jericho.
14 Siku ile Bwana akamtukuza Yoshua mbele ya Israeli yote, nao wakamheshimu siku zote za maisha yake, kama vile walivyomheshimu Mose.
In that day the Lord magnified Josue in the sight of all Israel, that they should fear him, as they had feared Moses, while he lived.
15 Basi Bwana akamwambia Yoshua,
And he said to him:
16 “Waamuru hao makuhani wanaolibeba Sanduku la Ushuhuda, wapande kutoka ndani ya Mto Yordani.”
Command the priests, that carry the ark of the covenant, to come up out of the Jordan.
17 Kwa hiyo Yoshua akawaamuru hao makuhani akisema, “Pandeni kutoka ndani ya Mto Yordani.”
And he commanded them, saying: Come ye up out of the Jordan.
18 Nao makuhani wakapanda kutoka ndani ya Mto Yordani wakilibeba hilo Sanduku la Agano la Bwana. Mara tu walipoiweka miguu yao penye kingo, nje ya mto, maji ya Yordani yakarudi kufurika kama ilivyokuwa kabla.
And when they that carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, were come up, and began to tread on the dry ground, the waters returned into the channel, and ran as they were wont before.
19 Siku ya kumi ya mwezi wa kwanza watu walipanda kutoka Yordani na kupiga kambi huko Gilgali, kwenye mpaka wa mashariki ya Yeriko.
And the people came up out of the Jordan, the tenth day of the first month, and camped in Galgal, over against the east side of the city of Jericho.
20 Naye Yoshua akayasimamisha huko Gilgali yale mawe kumi na mawili ambayo walikuwa wameyachukua katikati ya Mto Yordani.
And the twelve stones which they had taken out of the channel of the Jordan, Josue pitched in Galgal,
21 Akawaambia Waisraeli, “Wazao wenu watakapowauliza baba zao siku zijazo wakisema, ‘Mawe haya maana yake ni nini?’
And said to the children of Israel: When your children shall ask their fathers, tomorrow, and shall say to them: What mean these stones?
22 Basi waambieni, ‘Israeli ilivukia mahali pakavu katika Mto Yordani.’
You shall teach them and say: Israel passed over this Jordan through the dry channel.
23 Kwa maana Bwana Mungu wenu alikausha maji ya Yordani mbele yenu, hadi mlipomaliza kuvuka. Bwana Mungu wenu alifanya haya kwa Mto Yordani sawasawa na kile alichoifanyia Bahari ya Shamu wakati alipoikausha mbele yetu hadi tulipomaliza kuvuka.
The Lord your God drying up the waters thereof in your sight, until you passed over: As he had done before in the Red Sea, which he dried up till we passed through:
24 Alifanya hivi ili kwamba mataifa yote ya dunia yapate kujua kuwa mkono wa Bwana ni wenye nguvu, na ili kwamba kila wakati mpate kumcha Bwana Mungu wenu.”
That all the people of the earth may learn the most mighty hand of the Lord, that you also may fear the Lord your God for ever.