Yoshua 9
1 Basi ikawa wafalme wote waliokuwa magharibi mwa Yordani waliposikia juu ya haya yote, wale waliokuwa katika nchi ya vilima, upande wa magharibi mwa vilima na katika pwani yote ya hiyo Bahari Kuu, hadi kufikia Lebanoni (wafalme wa Wahiti, Waamori, Wakanaani, Waperizi, Wahivi na Wayebusi),
Now on hearing the news of these things, all the kings on the west side of Jordan, in the hill-country and the lowlands and by the Great Sea in front of Lebanon, the Hittites and the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites,
2 wakajiunga pamoja ili kupigana vita dhidi ya Yoshua na Israeli.
Came together with one purpose, to make war against Joshua and Israel.
3 Hata hivyo, watu wa Gibeoni waliposikia juu ya hayo yote Yoshua aliyowatendea watu wa Yeriko na Ai,
And the men of Gibeon, hearing what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,
4 nao wakaamua kufanya hila: Wakajifanya kama wajumbe wakiwa na punda waliobebeshwa mizigo wakiwa na magunia yaliyochakaa na viriba vya mvinyo vikuukuu vyenye nyufa zilizozibwa.
Acting with deceit, got food together as if for a long journey; and took old food-bags for their asses, and old and cracked wine-skins kept together with cord;
5 Walivaa miguuni mwao viatu vilivyoraruka na kushonwa kisha wakavaa nguo kuukuu. Chakula chao kilikuwa mkate uliokauka na kuingia koga.
And put old stitched-up shoes on their feet, and old clothing on their backs; and all the food they had with them was dry and broken up.
6 Ndipo wakamwendea Yoshua kambini huko Gilgali wakamwambia yeye pamoja na watu wa Israeli, “Tumetoka katika nchi ya mbali, fanyeni mkataba nasi.”
And they came to Joshua to the tent-circle at Gilgal, and said to him and to the men of Israel, We have come from a far country: so now make an agreement with us.
7 Basi watu wa Israeli wakawaambia hao Wahivi, “Lakini huenda mnakaa karibu nasi, twawezaje basi kufanya mapatano nanyi?”
And the men of Israel said to the Hivites, It may be that you are living among us; how then may we make an agreement with you?
8 Wakamwambia Yoshua, “Sisi ni watumishi wako.” Yoshua akawauliza, “Ninyi ni nani, nanyi mnatoka wapi?”
And they said to Joshua, We are your servants. Then Joshua said to them, Who are you and where do you come from?
9 Nao wakamjibu: “Watumishi wako wametoka nchi ya mbali sana kwa ajili ya umaarufu wa Bwana Mungu wenu. Kwa kuwa tumesikia taarifa zake: hayo yote aliyofanya huko Misri,
And they said to him, Your servants have come from a very far country, because of the name of the Lord your God: for the story of his great name, and of all he did in Egypt has come to our ears,
10 pia yale yote aliyowatendea wafalme wawili wa Waamori mashariki ya Yordani; huyo Sihoni mfalme wa Heshboni na Ogu mfalme wa Bashani, aliyetawala huko Ashtarothi.
And what he did to the two kings of the Amorites east of Jordan, to Sihon, king of Heshbon, and to Og, king of Bashan, at Ashtaroth.
11 Basi wazee wetu na wale wote wanaoishi katika nchi yetu walituambia, ‘Chukueni chakula cha safari; nendeni mkakutane na watu hao na kuwaambia, “Sisi tu watumishi wenu, fanyeni mapatano nasi.”’
So the responsible men and all the people of our country said to us, Take food with you for the journey and go to them, and say to them, We are your servants: so now make an agreement with us.
12 Mkate huu wetu ulikuwa wa moto tulipoufunga siku tulipoanza safari kuja kwenu, lakini sasa angalia jinsi ulivyokauka na kuota ukungu.
This bread which we have with us for our food, we took warm and new from our houses when starting on our journey to you; but now see, it has become dry and broken up.
13 Viriba hivi vya mvinyo vilikuwa vipya tulipovijaza, lakini ona jinsi vilivyo na nyufa. Nguo zetu na viatu vimechakaa kwa ajili ya safari ndefu.”
And these wine-skins were new when we put the wine in them, and now they are cracked as you see; and our clothing and our shoes have become old because of our very long journey here.
14 Basi watu wa Israeli wakavikagua vyakula vyao bila kupata shauri kutoka kwa Bwana.
And the men took some of their food, without requesting directions from the Lord.
15 Ndipo Yoshua akafanya mapatano ya amani pamoja nao kuwaacha waishi, nao viongozi wa kusanyiko wakathibitisha kwa kiapo.
So Joshua made peace with them, and made an agreement with them that they were not to be put to death: and the chiefs of the people took an oath to them.
16 Siku ya tatu baada ya hao kufanya mapatano na Wagibeoni, Waisraeli wakapata habari kuwa hao watu ni jirani zao waliokuwa wanaishi karibu nao.
Now three days after, when they had made this agreement with them, they had word that these men were their neighbours, living near them.
17 Ndipo wana wa Israeli wakasafiri na siku ya tatu wakafika kwenye miji yao ya Gibeoni, Kefira, Beerothi na Kiriath-Yearimu.
And the children of Israel went forward on their journey, and on the third day came to their towns. Now their towns were Gibeon and Chephirah and Beeroth and Kiriath-jearim.
18 Lakini Waisraeli hawakuwashambulia kwa kuwa viongozi wa kusanyiko walikuwa wamewaapia kwa Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli. Kusanyiko lote likanungʼunika dhidi ya hao viongozi,
And the children of Israel did not put them to death, because the chiefs of the people had taken an oath to them by the Lord, the God of Israel. And all the people made an outcry against the chiefs.
19 lakini viongozi wote wakawajibu, “Tumeshawaapia kwa Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, kwa hiyo hatuwezi kuwagusa sasa.
But all the chiefs said to the people, We have taken an oath to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, and so we may not put our hands on them.
20 Hivi ndivyo tutakavyowafanyia: Tutawaacha waishi, ili ghadhabu isije juu yetu kwa kuvunja kiapo tulichowaapia.”
This is what we will do to them: we will not put them to death, for fear that wrath may come on us because of our oath to them.
21 Wakaendelea kusema, “Waacheni waishi, lakini wawe wapasua kuni na wachota maji kwa ajili ya jamii yote.” Hivyo ahadi waliyoweka viongozi kwao ikawa hivyo.
Keep them living, and let them be servants, cutting wood and getting water for all the people. And all the people did as the chiefs had said to them.
22 Kisha Yoshua akawaita Wagibeoni na kuwaambia, “Kwa nini mmetudanganya kwa kutuambia, ‘Tunaishi mbali nanyi,’ wakati ambapo ninyi mnaishi karibu nasi?
Then Joshua sent for them, and said to them, Why have you been false to us, saying, We are very far from you, when you are living among us?
23 Sasa mko chini ya laana: Daima mtakuwa wapasua kuni na wachota maji kwa ajili ya nyumba ya Mungu wangu.”
Now because of this you are cursed, and you will for ever be our servants, cutting wood and getting water for the house of my God.
24 Wakamjibu Yoshua, “Watumwa wako waliambiwa waziwazi jinsi Bwana Mungu wenu alivyomwamuru mtumishi wake Mose kuwapa ninyi nchi hii yote na kuwaangamiza wakazi wake wote toka mbele zenu. Kwa hiyo tuliogopa mno kwa ajili ya uhai wetu kwa sababu yenu, ndiyo maana tukafanya neno hili.
And, answering Joshua, they said, Because it came to the ears of your servants that the Lord your God had given orders to his servant Moses to give you all this land, and to send destruction on all the people living in it, because of you; so, fearing greatly for our lives because of you, we have done this.
25 Sasa tupo mikononi mwako. Tufanyieni lolote mnaloona kuwa jema na haki kwako.”
And now we are in your hands: do to us whatever seems good and right to you.
26 Kwa hiyo Yoshua akawaokoa mikononi mwa Waisraeli, nao hawakuuawa.
So he kept them safe from the children of Israel, and did not let them be put to death.
27 Siku hiyo Yoshua akawafanya Wagibeoni wapasua kuni na wachota maji kwa ajili ya jamii na kwa ajili ya madhabahu ya Bwana mahali pale ambapo Bwana angepachagua. Hivyo ndivyo walivyo hadi hivi leo.
And that day Joshua made them servants, cutting wood and getting water for the people and for the altar of the Lord, in the place marked out by him, to this day.
