Yoshua 24
1 Kisha Yoshua aliyakusanya pamoja makabila yote ya Israeli huko Shekemu na aliwaita wazee wa Israeli, viongozi, waamuzi na maafisa wao, nao wakajihudhurisha mbele za Mungu.
Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and called for the elders of Israel, for their leaders, for their judges, and for their officers, and they presented themselves before God.
2 Yoshua akawaambia watu wote, “Hiki ndicho Yahweh, Mungu wa Israeli anachokisema, 'Mababu zenu kwa miaka mingi iliyopita waliishi ng'ambo ya mto Frati - Tera, baba wa Ibrahimu na baba wa Nahori - nao waliabudu miungu mingine.
Joshua said to all the people, “This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, 'Your ancestors long ago lived beyond the Euphrates River—Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor—and they worshiped other gods.
3 Lakini nilimchukua baba yenu kutoka ng'ambo ya Frati na nikamwongoza mpaka katika nchi ya Kanaani, na nilimpa watoto wengi kupitia kwa Isaka mwanaye.
But I took your father from beyond the Euphrates and led him into the land of Canaan and gave him many descendants through his son Isaac.
4 Na Isaka nikampa Yakobo na Esau. Nilimpa Esau nchi ya milima ya Seiri ili aimiliki, lakini Yakobo na watoto wake walishuka kwenda Misri.
Then to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. I gave Esau the hill country of Seir to possess, but Jacob and his children went down to Egypt.
5 Nilimtuma Musa na Haruni, na niliwapiga Wamisri kwa mapigo. Baada ya hapo, niliwatoa ninyi.
I sent Moses and Aaron, and I afflicted the Egyptians with plagues. After that, I brought you out.
6 Niliwatoa baba zenu nje ya nchi ya Misri, nanyi mkafika hata katika bahari. Wamisri waliwafuata kwa magari na wapanda farasi hata katika bahari ya matete.
I brought your ancestors out of Egypt, and you came to the sea. The Egyptians pursued them with chariots and horsemen as far as the Sea of Reeds.
7 Na baba zenu walipomwita Yahweh, aliweka giza kati yenu na Wamisri. Aliileta bahari ije juu yao na kuwafunika. Mliona yale niliyoyakifanya huko Misri. Kisha mliishi jangwaani kwa muda mrefu.
When your ancestors called out to Yahweh, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians. He brought the sea to come over them and cover them. You saw what I did in Egypt. Then you lived in the wilderness for a long time.
8 Niliwaleta katika nchi wa Waamori, ambao waliishi katika upande mwingine mwa Yordani. Walipigana nanyi, nami niliwatia katika mkono wenu. Mliimiliki nchi yao, nami niliwaangamiza mbele yenu.
I brought you to the land of the Amorites, who lived on the other side of the Jordan. They fought with you, and I gave them into your hand. You took possession of their land, and I destroyed them before you.
9 Kisha Balaki mwana wa Zipori, mfalme wa Moabu, aliinuka na kuishambulia Israeli. Alimwita na kumtuma Baalamu mwana wa Beori, ili kuwalaani ninyi.
Then Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, got up and attacked Israel. He sent and called for Balaam son of Beor, to curse you.
10 Lakini sikumsikiliza Balaamu. Kwa hakika, aliwabarikia ninyi. Basi, niliwaokoa na mkono wake.
But I did not listen to Balaam. Indeed, he blessed you. So I rescued you out of his hand.
11 Mlivuka Yordani na mkafika Yeriko. Viongozi wa Yeriko waliinuka wapigane nanyi, pamoja na Waamori, Waperizi, Wakanaani, Wahiti, Wagirgashi, Wahivi na Wayebusi. Niliwapa ninyi ushindi dhidi yao na niliwaweka chini ya mamlaka yenu.
You went over the Jordan and came to Jericho. The leaders of Jericho fought against you, along with the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. I gave you victory over them and put them under your control.
12 Nilituma manyingu mbele yenu, ambayo yaliwafukuzia mbali na wafalme wawili wa Waamori watoke mbele yenu. Haikutokea kwa sababu ya upanga wenu wala kwa upinde wenu.
I sent the hornet before you, which drove them and the two kings of the Amorites out before you. It did not happen by your sword or by your bow.
13 Niliwapeni ninyi nchi ambayo hamkuifanyia kazi na miji ambayo hamkuijenga, na sasa mnaishi ndani yake. Mnakula matunda ya mizabibu na na mashamba ya mizeituni ambayo hamkuyapanda'.
I gave you land on which you had not worked and cities that you had not built, and now you live in them. You eat the fruit of vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant.'
14 Basi sasa mcheni Yahweh na kumwabudu yeye kwa uadilifu na uaminifu wote; jitengeni na miungu ambayo baba zenu waliiabudu ng'ambo ya Frati na katika Misri, na mkamwabudu Yahweh.
Now fear Yahweh and worship him with all integrity and faithfulness; get rid of the gods that your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates and in Egypt, and worship Yahweh.
15 Na kama inaonekana kuwa ni vibaya machoni penu kumwabudu Yahweh, chagueni ninyi katika siku hii ya leo ni nani mtakayemtumikia, kama ni miungu ambayo baba zenu waliiabudu ng'ambo ya Frati, au miungu ya Waamori, ambao ninyi mnakaa ndani ya nchi yao. Lakini kwangu mimi na nyumba yangu, tutumwabudu Yahweh.”
If it seems wrong in your eyes for you to worship Yahweh, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live. But as for me and my house, we will worship Yahweh.”
16 Watu walijibu na kusema, “Hatutaweza kumwacha Yahweh na kuitumikia miungu mingine,
The people answered and said, “We would never forsake Yahweh to serve other gods,
17 kwa kuwa ni Yahweh Mungu wetu ambaye alitutoa sisi na baba zetu kutoka katika nchi ya Misri, katika nyumba ya utumwa, na ambaye alifanya hizo ishara kubwa mbele yetu, na ambaye alituhifadhi sisi katika njia zote ambazo sisi tuliziendea, na miongoni mwa mataifa yote ambayo tulipita kati kati yake,
for it is Yahweh our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight, and who preserved us in all the way that we went, and among all the nations through whom we passed.
18 Na Yahweh aliwaondoa mbele yetu watu wote, na Waamori walioishi katika nchi hii. Hivyo, tutamwabudu Yahweh pia, kwa kuwa ni Mungu wetu”
Then Yahweh drove out before us all the peoples, including the Amorites who lived in the land. So we too will worship Yahweh, for he is our God.”
19 Lakini Yoshua akawaambia watu, “Hamwezi kumtumikia Yahweh, kwa kuwa ni Mungu mtakatifu; ni Mungu mwenye wivu; hatawasamehe makosa na dhambi zenu.
But Joshua said to the people, “You cannot serve Yahweh, for he is a holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions and sins.
20 Kama mtamwacha Yahweh na kuabudu miungu ya kigeni, basi atageuka na kuwaharibu. Atawaangamizeni baada ya kuwa amewatendea mema.”
If you forsake Yahweh and worship foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm. He will consume you, after he has done good to you.”
21 Lakini watu walimwambia Yoshua, “Hapana, tutamwabudu Yahweh.”
But the people said to Joshua, “No, we will worship Yahweh.”
22 Kisha Yoshua akawaambia watu, “Ninyi ni mashahidi dhidi yenu wenyewe kuwa mmemchagua Yahweh ninyi wenyewe, ili mmwabudu yeye.” Watu walijibu, “Sisi ni mashahidi.”
Then Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen for yourselves Yahweh, to worship him.” They said, “We are witnesses.”
23 “Sasa wekeni mbali miungu ya kigeni iliyoko kwenu, na geuzeni moyo wenu umwelekee Yahweh, Mungu wa Israeli.”
“Now put away the foreign gods that are with you, and turn your heart to Yahweh, the God of Israel.”
24 Watu wakamwambia Yoshua, “Tutamwabudu Yahweh Mungu wetu. Tutaisikiliza sauti yake.
The people said to Joshua, “We will worship Yahweh our God. We will listen to his voice.”
25 Yoshua alifanya agano na watu siku hiyo. Aliziweka maagizo na sheria huko Shekemu.
Joshua made a covenant with the people that day. He put in place decrees and laws at Shechem.
26 Yoshua aliyaandika maneno haya katika kitabu cha sheria za Mungu. Alichukua jiwe kubwa na kulisimamisha hapo chini ya mti wa mwaloni uliokuwa karibu na mahali pa takatifu pa Yahweh.
Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God. He took a large stone and set it up there beneath the oak tree that was beside Yahweh's sanctuary.
27 Yoshua akawaambia watu, “Tazama, jiwe hili litakuwa ushuhuda dhidi yenu. Limeyasikia maneno yote ambayo Yahweh alitwambia. Hivyo, litakuwa ni shahidi dhidi yenu, hamtakiwi kumkana Mungu wenu.”
Joshua said to all the people, “Look, this stone will be a testimony against us. It has heard all the words Yahweh said to us. So it will be a witness against you, should you ever deny your God.”
28 Basi Yoshua aliwaacha watu waende zao, kila mmoja alienda kwenye urithi wake.
So Joshua sent the people away, each to his own inheritance.
29 Baada ya mambo haya, Yoshua mwana wa Nuni, mtumishi wa Yahweh, alikufa akiwa na miaka 110.
After these things Joshua son of Nun, the servant of Yahweh, died, being 110 years old.
30 Walimzika katika mpaka wa urithi wake mwenyewe huko Timnathi Sera, ambayo iko kwenye nchi ya milima ya Efraimu, upande wa Mlima Gaashi.
They buried him within the border of his own inheritance, at Timnath Serah, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.
31 Israeli ilimwabudu Yahweh siku zote za maisha ya Yoshua, na siku zote za wazee ambao walidumu pamoja na Yoshua, wale ambao waliona kila kitu ambacho Yahweh alikuwa ameifanyia Israeli.
Israel worshiped Yahweh all of Joshua's days, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, those who had experienced everything that Yahweh had done for Israel.
32 Mifupa ya Yusufu ambayo watu wa Israeli waliileta kutoka Misri, waliizika huko shekemu, katika sehemu ya nchi ambayo Yakobo alikuwa ameinunua kutoka kwa wana wa Hamori, baba wa Shekemu. Aliinunua kwa vipande mia moja vya fedha, na ulikuwa urithi kwa wazawa wa Yusufu.
The bones of Joseph, which the people of Israel brought up out of Egypt—they buried them at Shechem, in the piece of land that Jacob had bought from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. He bought it for one hundred pieces of silver, and it became an inheritance for the descendants of Joseph.
33 Eliazeri mwana wa Haruni alikufa pia. Walimzika huko Gibea, katika mji wa ambao alikuwa amepewa Finehasi mwanaye, na ulikuwa katika nchi ya milima ya Efraimu.
Eleazar son of Aaron also died. They buried him at Gibeah, the city of Phinehas his son, which had been given to him. It was in the hill country of Ephraim.
