< Yoshua 3 >

1 Yoshua aliamka asubuhi na mapema, nao walisafiri kutoka Shitimu. Walifika Yordani, yeye na watu wote wa Israeli, na wakapiga kambi hapo kabla hawajavuka ng'ambo.
And Joshua rose up early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim, and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel; and they lodged there before they passed over.
2 Baada ya siku tatu, maafisa walienda katika kambi, wakawaagiza watu,
And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the midst of the camp;
3 “Mtakapoona sanduku la agano la Yahweh Mungu wenu, na makuhani kutoka miongoni mwa Walawi wamelibeba, ni lazima muondoke sehemu hii na kulifuata.
and they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of Jehovah your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it.
4 Lazima kuwe na umbali wa dhiraa elfu moja kati yenu na sanduku. Msilisogelee karibu, ili muweze kuiona njia ya kupitia, kwakuwa hamjawahi kupita njia hii kabla.
Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go; for ye have not passed this way heretofore.
5 Yoshua akawaambia watu, “Jitakaseni ninyi wenyewe keso, kwa kuwa Yahweh atafanya maajabu miongoni mwenu.”
And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves; for to-morrow Jehovah will do wonders among you.
6 Kisha Yoshua akawaambia makuhani, “Chukueni sanduku la agano, na kulipitisha mbele za watu.” Hivyo, wakalichukua sanduku la agano na wakaenda mbele za watu.
And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.
7 Yahweh akamwambia Yoshua, “Siku hii nitakufanya kuwa mtu mkubwa katika macho ya Waisraeli wote. Watajua kuwa kama nilivyokuwa na Musa ndivyo nitakavyokuwa pamoja na wewe.
And Jehovah said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.
8 Utawaamuru makuhani ambao hulibeba sanduku la agano, 'Mtakapofika katika ukingo wa maji ya Yordani, ni lazima msimame katika Mto Yordani.'”
And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, ye shall stand still in the Jordan.
9 Kisha Yoshu akawaambia watu wa Israeli, “Njooni hapa na msikilize maneno ya Yahweh Mungu wenu.
And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of Jehovah your God.
10 Kwa hili mtajua kwamba Mungu aliye hai yuko miongoni mwenu na kwamba atawaondosha mbele yenu Wakanaani, Wahiti, Wahivi, Waperizi, Wagrigashi, Waamori na Wayebusi.
And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Hivite, and the Perizzite, and the Girgashite, and the Amorite, and the Jebusite.
11 Tazama! Sanduku la agano la Bwana wa nchi yote litavuka mbele yenu katika Yordani.
Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into the Jordan.
12 Sasa chagueni wanaume kumi na wawili kutoka katika makabila ya Israeli, mmoja katika kila kabila.
Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, for every tribe a man.
13 Wakati nyayo za miguu ya makuhani walichukualo sanduku la Yahweh, Bwana wa nchi yote, zitakapogusa maji ya Yordani, maji ya Yordani yatatindika, na hata maji yatiririkayo kutoka juu yatakoma kutiririka nayo yatasimama kama chuguu.
And it shall come to pass, when the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of Jehovah, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, even the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand in one heap.
14 Hivyo wakati watu walipotoka ili kuvuka Yordani, makuhani waliobeba sanduku la agano waende mbele ya watu.
And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over the Jordan, the priests that bare the ark of the covenant being before the people;
15 Mara tu wale walichukuao sanduku wakiisha kufika Yordani, na miguu ya watu wale waliobeba sanduku itakapotiwa katika ukingo wa maji (maana sasa Yordani hujaa hadi katika kingo zake zote katika kipindi chote cha mavuno),
and when they that bare the ark were come unto the Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (for the Jordan overfloweth all its banks all the time of harvest),
16 maji yote yaliyotiririka kutoka juu yalisimama katika chuguu kimoja. Maji yakakoma kutiririka kutoka katika umbali mrefu. Maji yaliacha kutiririka kutoka Adam, mji ulio karibu na Zarethani, hadi bahari ya Negevu, Bahari ya Chumvi. Na watu walivuka ng'ambo karibu na Yeriko.
that the waters which came down from above stood, and rose up in one heap, a great way off, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan; and those that went down toward the sea of the Arabah, even the Salt Sea, were wholly cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.
17 Makuhani waliolibeba sanduku la agano la Yahweh walisimama katika nchi kavu katikati ya Yordani mpaka watu wote wa Israeli walipokwisha kuvuka katika nchi kavu.
And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of Jehovah stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan; and all Israel passed over on dry ground, until all the nation were passed clean over the Jordan.

< Yoshua 3 >