< Yoshua 4 >

1 Watu wote walipokwisha kuvuka Yordani, Yahweh akamwambia Yoshua,
And it came to pass, when all the nation had made an end of passing over the Jordan, that Yahweh slake unto Joshua, saying:
2 “Chagueni wenyewe watu waume kumi na wawili, mmoja katika kila kabila.
Take unto you, from among the people, twelve men, one man severally from each 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 ye them, saying, Take you up from hence, out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where stood the feet of the priests with firm footing, twelve stones; —and carry them over with you, and lay them down in the lodging-place where ye shall lodge, tonight.
4 Kisha Yoshua akawaita wanaume kumi na wawili ambao aliwachagua kutoka katika makabila ya Israeli, mmoja kutoka kila kabila.
So Joshua called unto the twelve men whom he had made ready, from among the sons of Israel, —one man severally out of each 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.
and Joshua said unto them: Pass ye over, before the ark of Yahweh your God, into the midst of the Jordan, —and lift ye up, each man one stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons 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 in your midst, —for your sons will ask in time to come, saying, What mean these stones to you?
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 shall ye say unto them—That the waters of the Jordan, were cut off, from before the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, when it passed into the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan, were cut off. So shall these stones become a memorial unto the sons of Israel, unto times age-abiding.
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.
And the sons of Israel did so, as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of the Jordan, as spake Yahweh unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel, —and carried them with them unto the place where they lodged, 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.
Twelve stones also, did Joshua set up in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where stood the feet of the priests who were bearing the ark of the covenant, —and they have remained there until 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.
Now, the priests who were bearing the ark, continued standing in the midst of the Jordan, until everything was finished which Yahweh commanded Joshua, to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua, —the people therefore hasted, and passed over.
11 Wakati watu wote walipokwisha kuvuka, sanduku la Yahweh pamoja na makuhani walivuka mbele za watu.
And so it was, as soon as all the people had made an end of passing over, —then passed over the ark of Yahweh, and the priests, in 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.
Also the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh, passed over, armed, before the sons of Israel, —as Moses had spoken unto 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, equipped for the war, passed over before Yahweh, to battle, into the waste 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, did Yahweh magnify Joshua in the eyes of all Israel, —and they revered him, as they revered Moses, all the days of his life.
15 Kisha Yahweh akamwambia Yoshua,
Then spake Yahweh unto Joshua, saying:
16 “Waamuru makuhani wanaolibeba sanduku la ushuhuda watoke katika Yordani.”
Command the priests who are bearing the ark of testimony, —that they come up out of the Jordan.
17 Hivyo Yoshua akawaamuru makuhani, '' pandeni mtoke Yordani.”
So Joshua commanded the priests, saying, —Come ye 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.
And it came to pass, when the priests who were bearing the ark of the covenant of Yahweh came up out of the midst of the Jordan, and the soles of the feet of the priests were withdrawn unto the dry ground, then returned the waters of the Jordan unto their place, and went, as before, over all his banks.
19 Katika siku ya kumi ya mwezi wa kwanza, watu walikwea kutoka Yordani. Wakakaa huko Gilgali, mashariki mwa Yeriko.
So, the people, came up out of the Jordan, on the tenth of the first month, —and encamped in Gilgal, at the eastern end of Jericho.
20 Mawe kumi na mawili ambayo yalichukuliwa katika Yordani, Yoshuua aliyasimamisha hapo Gilgali.
And, these twelve stones which they took out of the Jordan, did Joshua set up, in Gilgal.
21 Aliwaambia watu wa Israeli, “wakati watoto wenu watakapowauliza baba zao katika wakai ujao, 'Mawe haya ni ya nini?'
Then spake he unto the sons of Israel, saying, —When your sons shall ask, in time to come, of their fathers, saying, —What mean these stones?
22 Waambieni watoto wenu, 'Hapa ndipo Waisraeli walivuka Yordani katika nchi kavu.
then shall ye let your sons know, saying, —On dry ground, came Israel over this Jordan;
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,
in that Yahweh your God dried up the waters of the Jordan, from before you, until ye had passed over, —as Yahweh your God had done unto the Red Sea, which he dried up from before us, until we had passed 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 might know the hand of Yahweh, that, firm, it is; that they might revere Yahweh your God, all the days.

< Yoshua 4 >