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 Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two men out from Shittim as spies. He said, “Go, look over the land, especially Jericho.” They went away and came to the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab, and they lodged there.
2 Mfalme wa Yeriko aliambiwa, “Tazama watu wa Israeli wamekuja kuipeleleza nchi.”
It was told to the king of Jericho, “Look, men of Israel have come here to spy on the land.”
3 Mfalme akatuma neno kwa Rahabu kusema, “Watoe watu waliokuja kwako ambao wameingia nyumbani mwako, kwa kuwa wamekuja kuipeleleza nchi yote.”
The king of Jericho sent word to Rahab and said, “Bring out the men who have come to you who entered your house, for they have come to spy on the whole land.”
4 Lakini mwanamke alikuwa amekwisha kuwachukua wale watu wawili na kuwaficha. Na akasema, “Ndiyo, watu walikuja kwangu, lakini sikujua walikotoka.
But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She replied, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from.
5 Ilipokuwa jioni wakati wa kufungwa kwa lango la mji, waliondoka. Sijui mahali walikoelekea. Mnaweza kuwakamata kama mtawafuata upesi.
They left when it was dusk, when it was time for the city gate to shut. I do not know where they went. You will probably catch them if you hurry after 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 hidden them with the stalks of flax that she had laid out on 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 on the road that leads to the fords of the Jordan. The gate was shut as soon as the pursuers went out.
8 Wale wanaume walikuwa hajalala usiku, wakati alipowaendea kule darini.
The men had not yet lain down for the night, when she came up to them on the roof.
9 Akawaambia, “Ninajua kwamba Yahweh amewapa ninyi nchi na kwamba hofu juu yenu imetuingia. Watu wote wanaoishi katika nchi watayeyuka mbele yenu.
She said, “I know that Yahweh has given you the land and that the fear of you has come upon us. All those who live in the land will melt away 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.
We have heard how Yahweh dried up the water of the Sea of Reeds for you when you came out of Egypt. We also heard what you did to the two kings of the Amorites on other side of the Jordan—Sihon and Og—whom you completely destroyed.
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.
As soon as we had heard it, our hearts melted and there was no courage left in anyone—for Yahweh your God, he is God in heaven above and on the earth below.
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 then, please swear to me by Yahweh that, just as I have been kind to you, you will also deal kindly with my father's house. Give me a sure sign
13 kwamba mtanihifadhi maisha ya baba, mama, kaka, dada zangu na famiie zao, na kwamba mtatuokoa kutoka katika kifo.
that you will spare the lives of my father, mother, brothers, sisters and all their families, and that you will save us 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.”
The men said to her, “Our life for yours, even to death! If you do not speak about our business, then, when Yahweh gives us this land we will be merciful and faithful to you.”
15 hivyo aliwashusha chini kwa kupitia dirishani kwa kutumia kamba. Nyumba ambayo alikuwa anaishi ilijengwa katika ukuta wa mji.
So she let them down out through the window using a rope. The house in which she lived was built into the wall of the city.
16 Akawaambia, “Nendeni milimani la sivyo watu waliowafuata watawaona. Jificheni huko kwa siku tatu mpaka watu waliowafuata watakaporudi. Kisha nendeni zenu.”
She said to them, “Go in the hills and hide or the pursuers will find you. Hide there for three days until the pursuers have returned. Then go on your way.”
17 Wanaume wakamwambia, “Hatutakuwa tumefungwa na ahadi ulizotufanya tuape mbele zako, kama hautalifanya hili.
The men said to her, “We will be not be bound to the promises of the oath you made us swear to, if you do not do this.
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.
When we come into the land, you must tie this scarlet rope in the window through which you let us down, and you will gather into the house your father and mother, your brothers and all your father's household.
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.
Whoever goes out of the doors of your house into the street, their blood will be upon their own heads and we will be guiltless. But if a hand is laid upon any who is with you in the house, his blood will be on our head.
20 Na ikiwa utaongea juu ya suala letu, tutakuwa huru dhidi ya kiapo ulichotuapisha.
But if you speak about our business, we will be free from the oath you made us swear.”
21 Rahabu akawajibu, “Yote mliyosema nayatimie.” Akawatoa mbali na wakaondoka. Kisha akaifunga kamba nyekundu katika dirisha.
Rahab replied, “May what you say be done.” She sent them away and they left. Then she tied the scarlet rope 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.
They left and went up into the hills and they stayed there three days until their pursuers returned. The pursuers searched all along the road and found nothing.
23 Wale watu wawili walirudi na kuvuka mto na wakafika kwa Yoshua mwana wa Nuni, na walimwambia kila kitu kilichotokea kwao.
The two men returned and crossed over and came back to Joshua son of Nun, and they told him everything that had happened to them.
24 Nao wakasema kwa Joshua, “kwa kweli Yahweh ametupa nchi hii. Wenyeji wote wa nchi wanayeyuka kwasababu yetu.
They said to Joshua, “Truly Yahweh has given this land to us. All the inhabitants of the land are melting away because of us.”
