< Yoshua 2 >
1 Kisha Yoshua mwana wa Nuni aliwatuma watu wawili kwa siri kama wapelelezi kutoka Shitimu. Akisema, “Nendeni mkaiangalie nchi, hasa Yeriko.” Walienda na wakafika katika nyumba ya kahaba ambaye jina lake ni Rahabu, na wakalala hapo.
Then did Joshua son of Nun, send out from The Acacias, two men to spy out silently, saying, Go view the land, and Jericho. So they came, and entered the house of a harlot, whose name was Rahab, and lay there.
2 Mfalme wa Yeriko aliambiwa, “Tazama watu wa Israeli wamekuja kuipeleleza nchi.”
And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, —Lo! men, have come in hither to-night of the sons of Israel to search out the land.
3 Mfalme akatuma neno kwa Rahabu kusema, “Watoe watu waliokuja kwako ambao wameingia nyumbani mwako, kwa kuwa wamekuja kuipeleleza nchi yote.”
So the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, —Bring forth the men that are come in unto thee who have entered thy house, for, to search out all the land, have they come.
4 Lakini mwanamke alikuwa amekwisha kuwachukua wale watu wawili na kuwaficha. Na akasema, “Ndiyo, watu walikuja kwangu, lakini sikujua walikotoka.
And the woman took the two men and hid them, —and said: Even so, the men did come in unto me, but I knew not from whence they were;
5 Ilipokuwa jioni wakati wa kufungwa kwa lango la mji, waliondoka. Sijui mahali walikoelekea. Mnaweza kuwakamata kama mtawafuata upesi.
and it came to pass, as the gate was about to be shut in the darkness, that, the men, went out, I know not whither the men went, —pursue them quickly for ye shall overtake them.
6 Lakini yeye aliwapandisha juu darini na kuwaficha kwa mabua ya kitani ambayo alikuwa ameyalaza darini.
But, she, had taken them up to the roof, —and concealed them with the stalks of flax which she had laid in order for herself upon the roof.
7 Hivyo, watu waliwafuatilia njiani iliyoeleka katika vivuko vya Yordani. Na milango ilifungwa mara tu baada ya wale watu waliofuata kutoka nje.
So, the men, pursued them by way of the Jordan unto the fords, —the gate being shut as soon as they who pursued them had gone forth.
8 Wale wanaume walikuwa hajalala usiku, wakati alipowaendea kule darini.
And, ere yet they slept, she, went up unto them, upon the roof;
9 Akawaambia, “Ninajua kwamba Yahweh amewapa ninyi nchi na kwamba hofu juu yenu imetuingia. Watu wote wanaoishi katika nchi watayeyuka mbele yenu.
and said unto the men, I know that Yahweh hath given unto you the land, —and that the terror of you hath fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land, have melted away, from before you.
10 Tumesikia jinsi ambavyo Yahweh alivyokausha maji ya Bahari ya Mianzi kwa ajili yenu wakati mkitoka Misri. Na tumesikia mlichokifanya kwa wafalme wawili wa Waamori walioko upande mwingine wa Yordani - Sihoni na Ogu - ambao mmewaangamiza kabisa.
For we have heard how Yahweh, dried up, the waters of the Red Sea from before you, when ye came forth out of Egypt, —and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites who were over the Jordan unto Sihon and unto Og, whom ye devoted to destruction;
11 Mara tu tuliposikia, mioyo yetu iliyeyuka na hapakuwa na ujasiri wowote uliosalia kwa mtu yeyote - kwa kuwa Yahweh Mungu wenu, ni Mungu aliye juu mbinguni na chini duniani.
and, when we heard, then did our heart melt, and there rose up no longer any spirit in any man because of you, —for, as for Yahweh your God, he, is God—in the heavens above, and upon the earth beneath.
12 Sasa basi, tafadhali mniapie kwa Yahweh kwamba kama nilivyokuwa mwema kweu, nanyi pia mtaitendea mema nyumba ya baba yangu. Nipeni ishara ya uhakika
Now, therefore I pray you, swear unto me by Yahweh, since I have dealt with you in lovingkindness, that, ye also, will deal with the house of my father in lovingkindness, and will give me a token of faithfulness,
13 kwamba mtanihifadhi maisha ya baba, mama, kaka, dada zangu na famiie zao, na kwamba mtatuokoa kutoka katika kifo.
and will save alive my father and my mother, and my brethren and my sisters, and all that they have, —and will deliver our souls from death.
14 Wanaume wakamjibu, “maisha yetu kwa ajili ya yenu, hata kifo! Kama hamtasema habari zetu, na Yahweh akisha kutupa nchi hii, tutakuwa wenye huruma na waaminifu kwenu.”
And the men said unto her, Our souls in your stead unto death, if ye utter not this our business, —so shall it be, when Yahweh shall give us the land, that we will deal with thee in lovingkindness and in faithfulness.
15 hivyo aliwashusha chini kwa kupitia dirishani kwa kutumia kamba. Nyumba ambayo alikuwa anaishi ilijengwa katika ukuta wa mji.
And she let them down with a cord through the window, —for, her house, was within the wall of the rampart, and, within the rampart, she was dwelling.
16 Akawaambia, “Nendeni milimani la sivyo watu waliowafuata watawaona. Jificheni huko kwa siku tatu mpaka watu waliowafuata watakaporudi. Kisha nendeni zenu.”
And she said unto them—To the mountain, get you, lest the pursuers, fall in, with you, —and hide yourselves there, three days until the pursuers return, and, afterwards, shall ye go your way.
17 Wanaume wakamwambia, “Hatutakuwa tumefungwa na ahadi ulizotufanya tuape mbele zako, kama hautalifanya hili.
And the men said unto her, —Free, will we be from this thine oath which thou hast made us swear:
18 Tutakapokuja katika nchi, ni lazima uifunge kamba hii nyekundu katika dirisha ulilotushushia chini, na utawakusanya katika nyumba baba yako, mama yako, kaka zako na wote wa nyumba ya baba yako.
Lo! when we are coming into the land, this cord of crimson thread, must thou bind in the window by which thou didst let us down, and, thy father and thy mother and thy brethren and all the household of thy father, must thou gather together unto thee unto the house.
19 Na yeyote aendaye mtaani nje ya milango ya nyumba yako, damu yao itakuwa juu ya vichwa vyao na hatutakuwa na hatia yoyote. Lakini kama mkono utanyoshwa juu ya mtu yeyote aliye pamoja nawe katika nyumba, damu yake itakuwa juu ya vichwa vyetu.
And it shall be, whosoever shall go forth out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood, shall be on his own head and, we, shall be free, —but, whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood, shall be on our heads, if a, hand, be upon him.
20 Na ikiwa utaongea juu ya suala letu, tutakuwa huru dhidi ya kiapo ulichotuapisha.
Or, if thou utter this our business, then shall we be free from this thine oath which thou hast made us swear.
21 Rahabu akawajibu, “Yote mliyosema nayatimie.” Akawatoa mbali na wakaondoka. Kisha akaifunga kamba nyekundu katika dirisha.
And she said—According to your words, so, shall it be. Thus sent she them away and they departed, —and she bound the crimson cord in the window.
22 Wakaondoka na kwenda juu milimani na walikaa huko kwa siku tatu hadi pale wale waliowafuatilia waliporudi. Wale waliowafuata walitafuta njiani pote bila kuwaona.
And they went and came into the mountain, and abode there three days, until the pursuers had returned, —so the pursuers, made search, throughout all the way, but found them not.
23 Wale watu wawili walirudi na kuvuka mto na wakafika kwa Yoshua mwana wa Nuni, na walimwambia kila kitu kilichotokea kwao.
And the two men returned and came down out of the mountain, and crossed over and came unto Joshua, son of Nun, —and recounted to him all that had befallen them;
24 Nao wakasema kwa Joshua, “kwa kweli Yahweh ametupa nchi hii. Wenyeji wote wa nchi wanayeyuka kwasababu yetu.
and they said unto Joshua, Yahweh, hath delivered, into our hand all the land, —moreover also all the inhabitants of the land, have melted away, from before us.