Yoshua 4
1 Wakati taifa lote lilipokwisha kuvuka Mto Yordani, Bwana akamwambia Yoshua,
And it comes to pass, when all the nation has completed to pass over the Jordan, that YHWH speaks to Joshua, saying,
2 “Chagua watu kumi na wawili miongoni mwa watu, kila kabila mtu mmoja,
“Take for yourselves twelve men out of the people, one man—one man out of a 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, saying, Take up for yourselves from this [place], from the midst of the Jordan, from the established standing-place of the feet of the priests, twelve stones, and you have removed them over with you, and placed them in the lodging-place in which you lodge tonight.”
4 Basi Yoshua akawaita watu kumi na wawili ambao alikuwa amewachagua kutoka miongoni mwa Waisraeli, mtu mmoja kutoka kila kabila,
And Joshua calls to the twelve men whom he prepared out of the sons of Israel, one man—one man out of a 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 Joshua says to them, “Pass over before the Ark of your God YHWH into the midst of the Jordan, and each of you lift up one stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel,
6 kuwa kama ishara katikati yenu. Siku zijazo, wakati watoto wenu watakapowauliza, ‘Ni nini maana ya mawe haya?’
so that this is a sign in your midst when your children ask hereafter, saying, What [are] these stones to you?
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.”
That you have said to them, Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off, at the presence of the Ark of the Covenant of YHWH; in its passing over into the Jordan the waters of the Jordan were cut off; and these stones have been for a memorial to the sons of Israel for all time.”
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.
And the sons of Israel do so as Joshua commanded, and take up twelve stones out of the midst of the Jordan, as YHWH has spoken to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel, and remove them over with them to the lodging-place, and place them there,
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.
even the twelve stones Joshua has raised up out of the midst of the Jordan, the place of the standing of the feet of the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant, and they are there to this 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,
And the priests carrying the Ark are standing in the midst of the Jordan until the completion of the whole thing which YHWH commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua, and the people hurry and pass over.
11 na mara tu watu wote walipokwisha kuvuka, Sanduku la Bwana na makuhani wakavuka watu wakiwa wanatazama.
And it comes to pass, when all the people have completed to pass over, that the Ark of YHWH passes over, and the priests, in the presence of the people;
12 Wareubeni, Wagadi na nusu ya kabila la Manase wakavuka mbele ya Waisraeli, wakiwa wamevaa silaha, kama Mose alivyowaamuru.
and the sons of Reuben, and the sons of Gad, and the half of the tribe of Manasseh, pass over, by fifties, before the sons of Israel, as Moses had spoken to them;
13 Kiasi cha watu 40,000 waliojiandaa kwa vita walivuka mbele za Bwana hadi nchi tambarare za Yeriko kwa ajili ya vita.
about forty thousand, armed ones of the host, passed over before YHWH for battle, to the plains of Jericho.
14 Siku ile Bwana akamtukuza Yoshua mbele ya Israeli yote, nao wakamheshimu siku zote za maisha yake, kama vile walivyomheshimu Mose.
On that day YHWH has made Joshua great in the eyes of all Israel, and they fear him, as they feared Moses, all [the] days of his life.
15 Basi Bwana akamwambia Yoshua,
And YHWH speaks to Joshua, saying,
16 “Waamuru hao makuhani wanaolibeba Sanduku la Ushuhuda, wapande kutoka ndani ya Mto Yordani.”
“Command the priests carrying the Ark of the Testimony, and they come up out of the Jordan.”
17 Kwa hiyo Yoshua akawaamuru hao makuhani akisema, “Pandeni kutoka ndani ya Mto Yordani.”
And Joshua commands the priests, saying, “Come 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 it comes to pass, in the coming up of the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant of YHWH out of the midst of the Jordan—the soles of the feet of the priests have been drawn up into the dry ground—and the waters of the Jordan return to their place, and go over all its banks as 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 have come up out of the Jordan on the tenth of the first month, and encamp in Gilgal, in the extremity east of Jericho;
20 Naye Yoshua akayasimamisha huko Gilgali yale mawe kumi na mawili ambayo walikuwa wameyachukua katikati ya Mto Yordani.
and these twelve stones, which they have taken out of the Jordan, Joshua has raised up in Gilgal.
21 Akawaambia Waisraeli, “Wazao wenu watakapowauliza baba zao siku zijazo wakisema, ‘Mawe haya maana yake ni nini?’
And he speaks to the sons of Israel, saying, “When your sons ask their fathers hereafter, saying, What [are] these stones?
22 Basi waambieni, ‘Israeli ilivukia mahali pakavu katika Mto Yordani.’
Then you have caused your sons to know, saying, Israel passed over this Jordan on dry land;
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.
because your God YHWH dried up the waters of the Jordan at your presence, until your passing over, as your God YHWH did to the Red Sea which He dried up at our presence until our passing over;
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.”
so that all the people of the land know the hand of YHWH—that it [is] strong, so that you have feared your God YHWH [for] all the days.”
