< 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 riseth early in the morning, and they journey from Shittim, and come in unto the Jordan, he and all the sons of Israel, and they lodge there before they pass over.
2 Baada ya siku tatu, maafisa walienda katika kambi, wakawaagiza watu,
And it cometh to pass, at the end of three days, that the authorities pass over into 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 command the people, saying, 'When ye see the ark of the covenant of Jehovah your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then ye journey from your place, and have gone 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.
only, a distance is between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure; ye do not come near unto it, so that ye know the way in which ye go, for ye have not passed over in the way heretofore.'
5 Yoshua akawaambia watu, “Jitakaseni ninyi wenyewe keso, kwa kuwa Yahweh atafanya maajabu miongoni mwenu.”
And Joshua saith unto the people, 'Sanctify yourselves, for to-morrow doth Jehovah do in your midst wonders.'
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 speaketh unto the priests, saying, 'Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people;' and they take up the ark of the covenant, and go 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 saith unto Joshua, 'This day I begin to make thee great in the eyes of all Israel, so that they know that as I was with Moses I am 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, thou dost command the priests bearing the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye come unto the extremity of the waters of the Jordan — in the Jordan ye stand.'
9 Kisha Yoshu akawaambia watu wa Israeli, “Njooni hapa na msikilize maneno ya Yahweh Mungu wenu.
And Joshua saith unto the sons of Israel, 'Come nigh 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 saith, 'By this ye know that the living God [is] in your midst, and He doth certainly dispossess 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.
lo, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is passing over before you into Jordan;
12 Sasa chagueni wanaume kumi na wawili kutoka katika makabila ya Israeli, mmoja katika kila kabila.
and now, take for you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, one man — one man for a tribe;
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 hath been, at the resting of the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of Jehovah, Lord of all the earth, in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan are cut off — the waters which are coming down from above — and they stand — one heap.'
14 Hivyo wakati watu walipotoka ili kuvuka Yordani, makuhani waliobeba sanduku la agano waende mbele ya watu.
And it cometh to pass, in the journeying of the people from their tents to pass over the Jordan, and of the priests bearing the ark of the covenant 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 at those bearing the ark coming in unto the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark have been dipped in the extremity of the waters (and the Jordan is full over all its banks all the days 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 stand; those coming down from above have risen — one heap, very far above Adam the city, which [is] at the side of Zaretan; and those going down by the sea of the plain, the Salt Sea, have been completely cut off; and the people have passed through over-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 bearing the ark of the covenant of Jehovah stand on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan — established, and all Israel are passing over on dry ground till that all the nation hath completed to pass over the Jordan.

< Yoshua 3 >