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.
And Joshua son of Nun sendeth from Shittim, two men, spies, silently, saying, 'Go, see the land — and Jericho;' and they go and come into the house of a woman, a harlot, and her name [is] Rahab, and they lie down there.
2 Mfalme wa Yeriko aliambiwa, “Tazama watu wa Israeli wamekuja kuipeleleza nchi.”
And it is told to the king of Jericho, saying, 'Lo, men have come in hither to-night, from the sons of Israel, to search the land.
3 Mfalme akatuma neno kwa Rahabu kusema, “Watoe watu waliokuja kwako ambao wameingia nyumbani mwako, kwa kuwa wamekuja kuipeleleza nchi yote.”
And the king of Jericho sendeth unto Rahab, saying, 'Bring out the men who are coming in unto thee, who have come into thy house, for to search the whole of the land they have come in.
4 Lakini mwanamke alikuwa amekwisha kuwachukua wale watu wawili na kuwaficha. Na akasema, “Ndiyo, watu walikuja kwangu, lakini sikujua walikotoka.
And the woman taketh the two men, and hideth them, and saith thus: 'The men came in unto me, and I have not known whence they [are];
5 Ilipokuwa jioni wakati wa kufungwa kwa lango la mji, waliondoka. Sijui mahali walikoelekea. Mnaweza kuwakamata kama mtawafuata upesi.
and it cometh to pass — the gate is to [be] shut — in the dark, and the men have gone out; I have not known whither the men have gone; pursue ye, hasten after them, for ye overtake them;'
6 Lakini yeye aliwapandisha juu darini na kuwaficha kwa mabua ya kitani ambayo alikuwa ameyalaza darini.
and she hath caused them to go up on the roof, and hideth them with the flax wood, which is arranged for her 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.
And the men have pursued after them the way of the Jordan, by the fords, and the gate they have shut afterwards, when the pursuers have gone out after them.
8 Wale wanaume walikuwa hajalala usiku, wakati alipowaendea kule darini.
And — before they lie down — she hath gone up unto 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.
and she saith unto the men, 'I have known that Jehovah hath given to you the land, and that your terror hath fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted at your presence.
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 Jehovah dried up the waters of the Red Sea at your presence, in your going out of Egypt, and that which ye have done to the two kings of the Amorite who [are] beyond the Jordan; to Sihon and to Og whom ye devoted.
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 we hear, and melt doth our heart, and there hath not stood any more spirit in [any] man, from your presence, for Jehovah your God, He [is] God in the heavens above, and on 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
'And now, swear ye, I pray you, to me by Jehovah — because I have done with you kindness — that ye have done, even ye, kindness with the house of my father, and have given to me a true token,
13 kwamba mtanihifadhi maisha ya baba, mama, kaka, dada zangu na famiie zao, na kwamba mtatuokoa kutoka katika kifo.
and have kept alive my father, and my mother, and my brothers, and my sisters, and all that they have, and have delivered 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 say to her, 'Our soul for yours — to die; if ye declare not this our matter, then it hath been, in Jehovah's giving to us this land, that we have done with thee kindness and truth.'
15 hivyo aliwashusha chini kwa kupitia dirishani kwa kutumia kamba. Nyumba ambayo alikuwa anaishi ilijengwa katika ukuta wa mji.
And she causeth them to go down by a rope through the window, for her house [is] in the side of the wall, and in the wall she [is] dwelling;
16 Akawaambia, “Nendeni milimani la sivyo watu waliowafuata watawaona. Jificheni huko kwa siku tatu mpaka watu waliowafuata watakaporudi. Kisha nendeni zenu.”
and she saith to them, 'To the mountain go, lest the pursuers come upon you; and ye have been hidden there three days till the turning back of the pursuers, and afterwards ye go on your way.'
17 Wanaume wakamwambia, “Hatutakuwa tumefungwa na ahadi ulizotufanya tuape mbele zako, kama hautalifanya hili.
And the men say unto her, 'We are acquitted of this thine oath which thou hast caused us to 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, we are coming into the land, this line of scarlet thread thou dost bind to the window by which thou hast caused us to go down, and thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all the house of thy father thou dost gather unto thee, to 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 hath been, any one who goeth out from the doors of thy house without, his blood [is] on his head, and we are innocent; and any one who is with thee in the house, his blood [is] on our head, if a hand is on him;
20 Na ikiwa utaongea juu ya suala letu, tutakuwa huru dhidi ya kiapo ulichotuapisha.
and if thou declare this our matter, then we have been acquitted from thine oath which thou hast caused us to swear.'
21 Rahabu akawajibu, “Yote mliyosema nayatimie.” Akawatoa mbali na wakaondoka. Kisha akaifunga kamba nyekundu katika dirisha.
And she saith, 'According unto your words, so it [is];' and she sendeth them away, and they go; and she bindeth the scarlet line to 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 go, and come in to the mountain, and abide there three days until the pursuers have turned back; and the pursuers seek in all the way, and have not found.
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 turn back, and come down from the hill, and pass over, and come in unto Joshua son of Nun, and recount to him all that hath come upon them;
24 Nao wakasema kwa Joshua, “kwa kweli Yahweh ametupa nchi hii. Wenyeji wote wa nchi wanayeyuka kwasababu yetu.
and they say unto Joshua, 'Surely Jehovah hath given into our hand all the land; and also, all the inhabitants of the land have melted at our presence.'
