< Yoshua 4 >

1 Watu wote walipokwisha kuvuka Yordani, Yahweh akamwambia Yoshua,
When all the nation had completely crossed over the Jordan, the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying,
2 “Chagueni wenyewe watu waume kumi na wawili, mmoja katika kila kabila.
“Take twelve men out of the people, a man out of every tribe,
3 Wape agizo hilo: 'Chukueni mawe kumi na mbili kutoka katikati ya Yordani mahali wanaposimama makuhani katika nchi kavu, na wayalete na kuyaweka chini katika sehemu ambapo mtalala usiku wa leo.
and command them, saying, ‘Take from out of the middle of the Jordan, out of the place where the priests’ feet stood firm, twelve stones, carry them over with you, and lay them down in the place where you will camp tonight.’”
4 Kisha Yoshua akawaita wanaume kumi na wawili ambao aliwachagua kutoka katika makabila ya Israeli, mmoja kutoka kila kabila.
Then Joshua called the twelve men whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, a man out of every tribe.
5 Yoshua akawaambia, “Nendeni mbele za sanduku la Yahweh Mungu wenu katikati ya Yordani. Kila mmoja wenu achukue jiwe moja mabegani mwake, kulingana na hesabu ya makabila ya watu wa Israeli.
Joshua said to them, “Cross before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you pick up a stone and put it on your shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel;
6 Hii itakuwa ni ishara miongoni mwenu kwa ajili yenu wakati watoto wenu watakapowauliza katika siku zijazo, 'Nini maana ya mawe haya kwenu?'
that this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask in the future, saying, ‘What do you mean by these stones?’
7 Ndipo mtakapowaambia, 'Maji ya Yordani yalitengwa mbele ya sanduku la Yahweh. Lililpopitishwa katika Yordani, maji ya Yordani yalisimamishwa. Hivyo, mawe haya yatakuwa kumbukumbu kwa watu wa Israeli milele.'”
then you shall tell them, ‘Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the LORD’s covenant. When it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.’”
8 Watu waisraeli walifanya kama Yoshua alivyowaagiza, na walichukua mawe kumi na mbili kutoka katikati ya Yordani, kama Yahweh alivyomwambia Yoshua, walipangwa sawa sawa na hesabu ya makabila ya watu wa Israeli. Waliyachukua mawe mpaka mahali walipolala na wakayaweka chini huko.
The children of Israel did as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the middle of the Jordan, as the LORD spoke to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel. They carried them over with them to the place where they camped, and laid them down there.
9 Kisha Yoshua akayapanga mawe kumi na mbili katikati ya Yordani, katika sehemu ambapo ilisimama miguu ya makuhani waliolichukua sanduku la agano. Na kumbukumbu hiyo ipo hadi leo.
Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who bore the ark of the covenant stood; and they are there to this day.
10 Makuhani waliolichukua sanduku walisimama katikati ya Yordani mpaka pale kila kitu ambacho Yahweh alimwamuru Yoshua kuwaambia watu kilipokamilika, sawa sawa na yote ambayo Musa alimwagiza Yoshua. Watu walifanya haraka na wakavuka.
For the priests who bore the ark stood in the middle of the Jordan until everything was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua; and the people hurried and passed over.
11 Wakati watu wote walipokwisha kuvuka, sanduku la Yahweh pamoja na makuhani walivuka mbele za watu.
When all the people had completely crossed over, the LORD’s ark crossed over with the priests in the presence of the people.
12 Kabila la Rubeni, kabila la Gadi, na nusu ya kabila la Manase walipita kama jeshi mbele ya watu wa Israeli, kama ambavyo Musa alivyowaambia.
The children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spoke to them.
13 Yapata watu watu elfu arobaini walioandaliwa kwa vita walipita mbele za Yahweh, kwa ajili ya vita katika uwanda wa Yeriko.
About forty thousand men, ready and armed for war, passed over before the LORD to battle, to the plains of Jericho.
14 Katika siku hiyo Yahweh alimfanya Yoshua kuwa mkuu katika macho ya watu wote wa Israeli. Walimheshimu - kama walivyomheshimu Musa - siku zake zote.
On that day, the LORD magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.
15 Kisha Yahweh akamwambia Yoshua,
The LORD spoke to Joshua, saying,
16 “Waamuru makuhani wanaolibeba sanduku la ushuhuda watoke katika Yordani.”
“Command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, that they come up out of the Jordan.”
17 Hivyo Yoshua akawaamuru makuhani, '' pandeni mtoke Yordani.”
Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, “Come up out of the Jordan!”
18 Wakati makuhani wenye kulibeba sanduku la agano la Yahweh walitoka katikati ya Yordani, na nyayo za miguu yao ilikuwa imeinuliwa katika nchi kavu, kisha maji ya Yordani yalirudi katika sehemu zake na kujaa hadi katika kingo zake kama ilivyokuwa siku nne zilizopita.
When the priests who bore the ark of the LORD’s covenant had come up out of the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet had been lifted up to the dry ground, the waters of the Jordan returned to their place, and went over all its banks, as before.
19 Katika siku ya kumi ya mwezi wa kwanza, watu walikwea kutoka Yordani. Wakakaa huko Gilgali, mashariki mwa Yeriko.
The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, on the east border of Jericho.
20 Mawe kumi na mawili ambayo yalichukuliwa katika Yordani, Yoshuua aliyasimamisha hapo Gilgali.
Joshua set up those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, in Gilgal.
21 Aliwaambia watu wa Israeli, “wakati watoto wenu watakapowauliza baba zao katika wakai ujao, 'Mawe haya ni ya nini?'
He spoke to the children of Israel, saying, “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What do these stones mean?’
22 Waambieni watoto wenu, 'Hapa ndipo Waisraeli walivuka Yordani katika nchi kavu.
Then you shall let your children know, saying, ‘Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.
23 Yahweh Mungu wenu aliyakausha maji ya Yordani, mpaka hapo Yahweh Mungu wako aliyoyafanya katika bahari ya mianzi, ambayo aliikausha kwa ajili yetu ili tupite juu yakes,
For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan from before you until you had crossed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up from before us, until we had crossed over,
24 ili kwamba watu wote wa nchi wajue kwamba mkono wa Yahweh ni nguvu, na kwamba mtamweshimu Yahweh Mungu wenu milele.''
that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD’s hand is mighty, and that you may fear the LORD your God forever.’”

< Yoshua 4 >