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),
And it comes to pass, when all the kings who [are] beyond the Jordan, in the hill-country, and in the low-country, and in every haven of the Great Sea, toward Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, hear—
2 wakajiunga pamoja ili kupigana vita dhidi ya Yoshua na Israeli.
that they gather themselves together to fight with Joshua, and with Israel—[with] one mouth.
3 Hata hivyo, watu wa Gibeoni waliposikia juu ya hayo yote Yoshua aliyowatendea watu wa Yeriko na Ai,
And the inhabitants of Gibeon have heard that which Joshua has done to Jericho and to 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.
and they work, even they, with subtlety, and go, and feign to be ambassadors, and take old sacks for their donkeys, and wine-bottles, old, and split, and bound up,
5 Walivaa miguuni mwao viatu vilivyoraruka na kushonwa kisha wakavaa nguo kuukuu. Chakula chao kilikuwa mkate uliokauka na kuingia koga.
and sandals, old and patched, on their feet, and old garments on them, and all the bread of their provision is dry—it was crumbs.
6 Ndipo wakamwendea Yoshua kambini huko Gilgali wakamwambia yeye pamoja na watu wa Israeli, “Tumetoka katika nchi ya mbali, fanyeni mkataba nasi.”
And they go to Joshua, to the camp at Gilgal, and say to him, and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a far-off land, and now, make a covenant 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 say to the Hivite, “It may be [that] you are dwelling in our midst, so how do we make a covenant with you?”
8 Wakamwambia Yoshua, “Sisi ni watumishi wako.” Yoshua akawauliza, “Ninyi ni nani, nanyi mnatoka wapi?”
And they say to Joshua, “We [are] your servants.” And Joshua says 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 say to him, “Your servants have come from a very far-off land, for the Name of your God YHWH, for we have heard His fame, and all that He has done in Egypt,
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 all that He has done to the two kings of the Amorite who [are] beyond the Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, who [is] in 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.”’
And our elderly, and all the inhabitants of our land speak to us, saying, Take provision in your hand for the way, and go to meet them, and you have said to them: We [are] your servants, and now, make a covenant 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 of ours—we provided ourselves with it hot out of our houses, on the day of our coming out to go to you, and now, behold, it is dry, and has been crumbs;
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 [are] the wine-bottles which we filled, new, and behold, they have split; and these, our garments and our sandals, have become old, from the exceeding greatness of the way.”
14 Basi watu wa Israeli wakavikagua vyakula vyao bila kupata shauri kutoka kwa Bwana.
And the men take of their provision, and have not asked the mouth of YHWH;
15 Ndipo Yoshua akafanya mapatano ya amani pamoja nao kuwaacha waishi, nao viongozi wa kusanyiko wakathibitisha kwa kiapo.
and Joshua makes peace with them, and makes a covenant with them, to keep them alive; and the princes of the congregation swear 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.
And it comes to pass, that at the end of three days after they have made a covenant with them, that they hear that they [are] their neighbors—that they are dwelling in their midst.
17 Ndipo wana wa Israeli wakasafiri na siku ya tatu wakafika kwenye miji yao ya Gibeoni, Kefira, Beerothi na Kiriath-Yearimu.
And the sons of Israel journey and come to their cities on the third day—and their cities [are] Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjath-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 sons of Israel have not struck them, for the princes of the congregation have sworn to them by YHWH, God of Israel, and all the congregation murmur against the princes.
19 lakini viongozi wote wakawajibu, “Tumeshawaapia kwa Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, kwa hiyo hatuwezi kuwagusa sasa.
And all the princes say to all the congregation, “We have sworn to them by YHWH, God of Israel; and now, we are not able to come against them;
20 Hivi ndivyo tutakavyowafanyia: Tutawaacha waishi, ili ghadhabu isije juu yetu kwa kuvunja kiapo tulichowaapia.”
we do this to them, and have kept them alive, and wrath is not on us, because of the oath which we have sworn 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.
And the princes say to them, “They live, and are hewers of wood and drawers of water for all the congregation, as the princes spoke to them.”
22 Kisha Yoshua akawaita Wagibeoni na kuwaambia, “Kwa nini mmetudanganya kwa kutuambia, ‘Tunaishi mbali nanyi,’ wakati ambapo ninyi mnaishi karibu nasi?
And Joshua calls for them, and speaks to them, saying, “Why have you deceived us, saying, We are very far from you, yet you [are] dwelling in our midst?
23 Sasa mko chini ya laana: Daima mtakuwa wapasua kuni na wachota maji kwa ajili ya nyumba ya Mungu wangu.”
And now you are cursed, and none of you is cut off [from being] a servant, even hewers of wood and drawers of 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 they answer Joshua and say, “Because it was certainly declared to your servants that your God YHWH commanded His servant Moses to give all the land to you, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; and we fear greatly for ourselves because of you, and we do this thing;
25 Sasa tupo mikononi mwako. Tufanyieni lolote mnaloona kuwa jema na haki kwako.”
and now, behold, we [are] in your hand, as [it is] good, and as [it is] right in your eyes to do to us—do.”
26 Kwa hiyo Yoshua akawaokoa mikononi mwa Waisraeli, nao hawakuuawa.
And he does to them so, and delivers them from the hand of the sons of Israel, and they have not slain them;
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 on that day Joshua makes them hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of YHWH, to this day, at the place which He chooses.
