< Torati 1 >

1 Haya ni maneno ambayo Musa aliyasema kwa Israeli wote ng'ambo ya jangwa la Yordani, katika tambarare ya mto wa Yordani juu ya Suph, katikati mwa Paran, Topheli, Laban, Hazeroth, na Di Zahab.
In this book is written what Moses/I said to the Israeli people. He/I told them these things when they/we were in the desert, on the east side of the Jordan [River]. They/We had set up our tents near [a place named] Suph, between Paran [town on the one side of the river] and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Dizahab [towns on the other side of the river].
2 Ni safari ya siku kumi na moja toka Horabu kupitia njia ya mlima wa Seir kwenda Kadeshi Barnea.
To walk from Sinai [Mountain] to the Kadesh-Barnea [oasis], people usually travel for only eleven days, going by way of the hilly area named Edom.
3 Ilitokea kwenye mwaka wa nne, mwezi wa kumi na moja, siku ya kwanza ya mwezi, Musa alizungumza kwa watu wa Israeli, kuambia yote yale Yahwe aliyomwamuru kuhusu wao.
Forty years after (the Israelis/we) left Egypt, in the middle of January, Moses/I told the Israeli people everything that Yahweh had commanded him/me to tell them.
4 Hii ilikuwa baada ya Yahwe kumvamia Sihoni mfalme wa Amoria, ambaye aliishi huko Heshboni, na Ogi mfalme wa Bashani, ambaye aliishi huko Ashtarothi ya Edrei.
This was after they/we had defeated Sihon, the king of the Amor people-group, who lived in Heshbon [city], and Og, the king of the Bashan [region] who lived in Ashtaroth and Edrei [towns].
5 Ng'ambo ya Yordani, katika nchi ya Moabu, Musa alianza kutangaza maelekezo haya, akisema,
Moses/I told them these things while the people were in the Moab region, on the east side of the Jordan [River]. He/I (explained to them/enabled them to understand) God’s laws. This is what he/I said to them:
6 “Yahwe Mungu wetu alisema nasi huko Horebu, akisema, umeishi vya kutosha katika milima ya nchi hii.
“Yahweh our God said to us when we were at Sinai [Mountain], ‘You have stayed for a very long time at [the bottom of] this mountain.
7 Geuka na uanze safari yako, na uende kwenye nchi ya milima ya Amorites, na kwenye maeneo yote karibu na tambarare ya mto Yordani, katika nchi ya milima, na nyanda za chini, huko Negev, na pwani - nchi ya Wakanani na huko Lebanoni mbali ya mto mkuu wa Euphratesi.
So now continue traveling. Go to the hilly area where the Amor people-group lives and to the nearby areas—to the Jordan [River] Valley, to the hilly region, to the western (foothills/hills at the bottom of the mountains), to the desert area to the south, to the [Mediterranean] Seacoast, to all of Canaan land, to the Lebanon [Mountains], and [northeast] to the great Euphrates River.
8 Tazama, nimetenga nchi kwa ajili yako, nenda ndani na umiliki nchi ambayo Yahwe aliapa kwa baba zako, Ibrahimu, Isaka na Yakobo, kuwapa na uzao wao baada yao.
Note that I will give that land to you. I, Yahweh, promised to your ancestors Abraham and Isaac and Jacob that I would give it to them and to their descendants. So now go and occupy it.’”
9 Nilisema nawe kwa wakati huo, nikisema, siwezi nikakubeba peke yangu,
Moses/I also said to the people, “When [we were still at Sinai Mountain], I told your ancestors ‘It is a very big burden/responsibility for me to govern all of you. So I cannot do it by myself.
10 Yahwe Mungu wako amekuzidisha, na tazama, leo umekuwa umati wa nyota angani.
Yahweh our God has caused us Israelis to now become as numerous as the stars in the sky.
11 Yahwe aweza, Mungu wa baba zako, kukufanya wewe mara elfu moja zaidi ya ulivyo, na kukubariki, kama alivyokuahidi!
And I hope/desire that Yahweh, the God whom our ancestors [worshiped], will cause us to become 1,000 times as numerous as we are now and that he will bless us just like he promised to do.
12 Lakini inawezekanaje mimi peke yangu kubeba shehena zako, mizigo yako, na migogoro yako?
But I certainly cannot [RHQ] (solve/deal with) all of your complaints/problems.
13 Chukua wanaume wa hekima, wanaume waelewa, na wanaume walio na sifa nzuri toka kila kabila, nitawafaya kuwa vichwa juu yenu.
So choose some men from your tribes who are wise and who have good sense and who are respected. Then I will appoint them to be your leaders.’
14 Mlinijibu na kusema, 'Jambo ulilolisema ni zuri kwetu kufanya.'
Your ancestors replied, ‘What you have suggested is good for us to do.’
15 Kwa hiyo nilichukua vichwa vya makabila yenu, wanaume wa hekima, na wanaume wenye sifa nzuri, na nikawafanya kuwa vichwa juu yenu, jemedari kwa elfu, jemedari kwa hamsini, jemedari kwa kumi, na maakida, kabila kwa kabila.
So I took the wise and respected men [that your ancestors chose] from your tribes, and I appointed them to be your leaders. I appointed some to (rule/have authority) over 1,000 people, some to have authority over 100 people, some to have authority over 50 people, and some to have authority over ten people. I also appointed other officers from throughout your tribes.
16 Niliwaamuru waamuzi wenu kwa wakati huo, kusema, 'Zikiliza mabishano kati ya ndugu zenu, na muhukumu ya haki kati ya ndugu na ndugu zake, na mgeni aliye pamoja naye.
I instructed/told your leaders, ‘Listen to the disputes that occur among your people. Judge each dispute, including disputes between close relatives and quarrels between your people and people from other countries who live among you.
17 Hamtaonesha upendeleo kwa yeyote katika mgogoro, mtasikia madogo na makubwa pia. Hamtaogopa uso wa mtu, kwa kuwa hukumu ni ya Mungu. Migogoro iliyo migumu kwenu, mtaniletea mimi, na mimi nitaisikiliza.
You must (be impartial/not favor one person more than another); you must treat poor people and important people equally. You must not worry about what anyone will think [about how you decide matters], because you will decide matters as God [wants you to]. If any quarrel/dispute is very difficult and you are unable to decide it, bring it to me, and I will decide.’
18 Niliwaamuru kwa wakati huo mambo yote mtakayofanya.
At that time I also told you other things that you should do.”
19 Tulisafiri toka Horebu na kwenda kupitia jangwa lile kubwa lote na lenye kutisha lile mliloliona, katika njia yetu kuelekea nchi ya milima huko Amorites, kama Yahwe Mungu wetu alivyotuamuru sisi, na tukaja Kadeshi ya Barnea.
“Then, just like Yahweh our God commanded us, we left Sinai [Mountain] and went through that huge desert that was very (dangerous/difficult to travel through), on the road to the hilly area where the Amor people-group live. We arrived at Kadesh-Barnea.
20 Niliwambia, mmekuja kwenye nchi ya milima ya Amorites, ambayo Yahwe Mungu wetu anatupa sisi.
I said to your ancestors, ‘We have now come to the hilly area where the Amor people-group live. This is part of the area that Yahweh our God, the one whom our ancestors [worshiped], is giving to us.
21 Tazama, Yahwe Mungu wenu amekwisha weka nchi mbele yenu; nenda juu, muimiliki, kama Yahwe, Mungu wa baba zenu, amekwisha zungumza nanyi, msiogope wala kukata tamaa.
Note that Yahweh our God is giving this land to us. So go and occupy it as he commanded. Do not be (at all/even a little bit) afraid.’
22 Kila moja wenu alikuja kwangu na kusema, 'Basi tutume watu mbele yetu, ili kwamba waweze kupepeleza nchi kwa ajili yetu, na kutuletea sisi neno kuhusiana na njia ya wapi tuvamie, na kuhusiana na miji tutakayoingia.
But all of your ancestors came to me and said, ‘Before we go, we should [first] send some men there to explore the land, in order that they can return and tell us which will be the best road to go there and what kind of towns are there.’
23 Shauri hilo lilinibariki mimi, 'Nilichukua watu kumi na mbili kutoka kwenu, mtu moja kwa kila kabila.
I thought that it would be good to do that, so I chose twelve men, one man from each tribe.
24 Waligeuka na kwenda juu ya nchi ya milima, kufika kwenye bonde la Eshcol na kufanya upepelezi wa kina.
They went up into the hilly area as far as Eshcol Valley, and they explored all that area.
25 Walichukua baadhi ya mazao ya ardhi mikononi mwao na kuleta kwetu, Pia walileta neno na kusema, 'Ni nchi nzuri ambayo Yahweh Mungu wetu anatupa sisi'
They picked some of the fruit that they found there and brought it to us. They reported that the land that Yahweh our God was giving to us is very good/fertile.”
26 Bado mlikataa kushambulia, lakini mliasi dhidi ya amri ya Yahwe Mungu wenu.
“But your ancestors refused to go [and conquer that land]. They rebelled against what Yahweh our God had commanded them to do, and they would not go into that land.
27 Mlilalamika katika mahema yenu na kusema, “Ni kwa sababu Yahwe alituchukia sisi kwa kuwa ametutoa katika nchi ya Misri, kuteweka katika mikono ya Amorites kutuangamiza.
Your ancestors [stayed] in their tents and complained saying ‘Yahweh hates us. So he has brought us here from Egypt just to allow the Amor people-group to destroy us.
28 Tuende wapi sasa? Ndugu zetu wamefanya mioyo yetu kuyeyuka, kusema, Hao watu ni wakubwa na warefu zaidi yetu, miji yao ni mikubwa na imeimarishwa kwenda mbinguni; zaidi ya yote, tumewaona wana wa Anakim huko”
(Why should we go there?/We do not want to go there.) [RHQ] The men whom we sent there have caused us to become very discouraged/afraid. They have told us that the people there are much stronger and taller than we are and that there are extremely high [HYP] walls around their towns. Also they reported that they saw [giants there that are] descendants of Anak.’
29 Kisha nikasema nao, msitishwe wala msiwaogope.
Then I said to your ancestors, ‘Do not be afraid (at all/even a little bit) [DOU] of those people!
30 Yahwe Mungu wenu, ambaye aenda mbele yenu, atawapigania, kama yote aliyofanya kwa ajili yenu huko Misri mbele ya macho yenu,
Yahweh our God will go ahead of you, and he will fight for you, just like you saw him do for you in Egypt
31 na pia katika jangwa, ambapo mmekwisha muona Yahwe Mungu wenu jinsi alivyowabeba, kama mtu abebavyo mtoto wake, kokote mlikoenda mpaka kufika hapa.'
and in the desert. You saw how he brought you safely here, like a man would carry his son. [SIM]’
32 Bado licha ya neno hili hakumwamini Yahwe Mungu wenu,
[I reminded them that] he always went ahead of them while they traveled [in the desert]. He directed them by [a pillar of] fire during the night and a [pillar of] cloud during the day. He showed them places to set up their tents. But in spite of what I said, your ancestors would not trust Yahweh our God.
33 aliyeenda mbele yenu kwenye njia kutafuta eneo kwa ajili yenu kuweka kambi, katika moto kwa usiku, katika mawingu kwa mchana.
34 Yahwe alisikia sauti ya maneno yenu na alikasirika; aliapa na kusema,
Yahweh heard what they said, and he became angry. He solemnly declared,
35 Hakika hakuna mmoja ya hawa watu wa kizazi hiki kiovu wataona nchi nzuri ambayo niliapa kuwapa babu zao,
‘Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, will enter the land. He has obeyed me completely. So I will give to him and to his descendants [some of] the land that he explored. He is the only one of all you people who will enter that land. None of these evil people will ever see that good land which I solemnly promised to give to your ancestors.’
36 kasoro Kalebu mwana wa Jephuneeh; yeye ataiona. Yeye nitampa nchi ambayo amekwisha kuikanyanga, na watoto wake, kwa sababu alimfuata Yahwe kwa ukamilifu.'
37 Pia Yahweh alinikasirikia mimi kwa sababu yenu, kusema, 'Wewe pia hautaingia huko,
But because of [what] your ancestors [did], Yahweh was also angry with me. He said to me, ‘You also will not enter that land.
38 Yoshua mwana wa Nuh, ambaye amesimama mbele yako, yeye ataingia, mtie moyo, kwani yeye atawaongoza Israeli kuimiliki.
Joshua, the son of Nun, who is your helper, will enter it. Encourage him, because he is the one who will enable you Israeli people to occupy that land.’
39 Zaidi ya yote, watoto wenu wadogo, ambao mlisema watakuwa waathirika, ambao leo hawana elimu ya uzuri au ubaya-wataenda ndani huko. Wao nitawapa nchi hiyo, na wataimiliki.
Then Yahweh said to all of us, ‘You said that your children would be captured by your enemies. Because they are very young, they do not yet know what is good and what is evil. But they are the ones to whom I will give that land, and they will enter it and occupy it.
40 Lakini ninyi, geuka na muuanza safari kwenda jangwani kwa kuambaa njia ya bahari ya mianzi'.
But as for you, turn around and go back into the desert, toward the (Red Sea/Gulf of Aqaba).’
41 Kisha mlinijibu na kusema kwangu, 'Tumetenda dhambi dhidi ya Yahwe, tutaenda juu na kupigana, tutafuata yote ambayo Yahwe Mungu wetu ametuamuru sisi kufanya'. Kila mtu miongoni mwenu aliweka silaha za vita, na mlikuwa tayari kuvamia nchi ya milima.
Then your ancestors replied, ‘We have sinned; we have disobeyed Yahweh. So we will go and attack [the people who live in] that land, just like Yahweh our God commanded us to do.’ And each of their men put on his weapons, and they thought that it would be easy to invade the hilly region.
42 Yahwe alisema nami, 'Waambie, msivamie na kupigana, kwa kuwa sitakuwa pamoja nanyi, na mtashindwa na adui zenu'.
But Yahweh said to me, ‘Tell them, “Do not go up there and attack those people, because I will not go with you. If you go, your enemies will defeat you.”’
43 Nilizungumza nanyi kwa njia hii, lakini hamkunisikiliza, Mliasi dhidi ya amri ya Yahwe, mlikuwa wenye kiburi na mlivamia nchi ya milima.
So I told that to your ancestors, but they would not heed what I said. They [again] rebelled against what Yahweh commanded them to do. Their soldiers proudly/arrogantly marched up into that hilly region.
44 Lakini Amorites, ambayo waliishi katika nchi hiyo ya milima, walitoka dhidi yenu na kuwafukuza kama nyuki, na kuwapiga chini huko Seir, mbali kama Hormah.
Then the men of the Amor people-group who lived in that region came out [of their towns] and attacked those soldiers. They pursued your ancestors’ soldiers like [a swarm of] bees pursues people, and they pursued them [south] from the Edom area and defeated them at Hormah [city].
45 Mlirudi na kulia mbele ya Yahwe; lakini Yahwe hakusikiliza sauti zenu, wala hakuwa makini kwenu.
So your ancestors went back [to Kadesh-Barnea] and cried out to request Yahweh [to help them], but he did not heed them. He did not pay any attention to them [DOU].
46 Kwa hiyo mlibaki Kadeshi siku nyingi, siku zote mlibaki huko.
So we stayed there at Kadesh-Barnea for a long time.”

< Torati 1 >