Yoshua 7
1 Lakini watu wa Israeli hawakutenda katika uaminifu kuhusiana na vitu vilivyotengwa kwa ajili ya uharibifu. Akani mwana wa Karmi, mwana wa Zabdi, mwana wa Zera, kutoka katika kabila la Yuda, alivitwaa baadhi ya vitu hivyo vilivyokuwa vimetengwa kwa ajili ya uharibifu, na hasira ya Yahweh iliwaka juu yawatu wa Israeli.
However, the Israelites had not been faithful regarding those things set apart for the Lord. Achan had taken some of them which made the Lord very angry with the Israelites. Achan was the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah.
2 Yoshua alituma watu kutoka Yeriko kwenda Ai, mji uliokuwa karibu na Bethi Aveni, mashariki mwa Betheli. Aliwaambia, “Nendeni na mkaipeleleza nchi.” Wale watu walikwea na kuipeleleza Ai.
Joshua sent men from the camp near Jericho to the town of Ai, which is near Bethaven, east of Bethel. “Go and explore the land,” he told them. So they went and explored around Ai.
3 Waliporudi kwa Yoshua, walimwambia, “Usitume watu wote kwenda Ai. Tuma tu watu elfu mbili au elfu tatu waende kuiteka Ai. Usiwafanye watu wateseke katika vita, kwani ni watu wachache.”
When they returned they told Joshua, “The whole army isn't needed. Two or three thousand men is enough to go and attack Ai. Don't bother sending everyone—there's only a few of them.”
4 Hivyo ni watu wapatao elfu tatu tu kutoka katika jeshi ndio walioenda, lakini watu hawa waliwakimbia watu wa Ai.
So around three thousand men went to fight, but they were beaten by the men of Ai and they ran away.
5 Watu wa Ai waliwaua watu wapatao thelathini na sita, waliwafuata katika lango la mji hadi katika machimbo ya mawe, na waliwauwa walipokuwa wakishuka katika kilima. Na mioyo ya watu ilijawa hofu na ujasiri wao ukawatoka.
The men of Ai killed about thirty-six of them, chasing the Israelites from the town gate until they were defeated, killing them on their way down. At this the Israelites became afraid, losing all their courage.
6 Basi Yoshua alizirarua nguo zake. Yeye pamoja na wazewe wa Israeli waliweka mavumbi juu ya vichwa vyao na wakainamisha vichwa vyao hadi katika nchi mbele ya sanduku la Yahweh, na walibaki pale mpaka jioni.
Joshua ripped his clothes and fell down with his face to the ground in front of the Ark of the Lord until the evening. The elders did likewise, and he and the elders threw dust on their heads.
7 Kisha Yoshua akasema, “Oo, Yahweh Bwana, kwanini umewavusha watu hawa ng'ambo ya Yordani? Kutuweka katika mikono ya Waamori ili kutuangamiza? ikiwa kama tulifanya maamuzi tofauti na tungekaa katika upande mwingine wa Yordani!
Joshua cried, “Why, oh why, Lord God, did you bring us across the Jordan River only to hand us over to the Amorites for them to destroy us? We should have been satisfied to stay on the other side of the Jordan!
8 Bwana, niseme nini, baada ya Israeli kuwatega migongo maadui zao?
Excuse me, Lord, but what can I say now that Israel has turned tail and run away from its enemies?
9 Kwa kuwa Wakaanani na wenyeji wote wa nchi watakaposikia, watatuzunguka na kuwafanya watu wa nchi kulisahau jina letu. Na utafanya nini kwa ajili ya jina lako kuu?
The Canaanites and everyone living in the land will come and surround us and wipe us out so completely that even our name will be forgotten. Then what will happen to your great reputation?”
10 Yahweh akamwambia Yoshua, “Inuka! kwanini umelala kifudifudi?
But the Lord replied to Joshua, “Stand up! What do you think you're doing lying on your face like that?
11 Israeli imetenda dhambi. Wamevunja agano langu nililowaagiza. Wameiba baadhi ya vitu vilivyokuwa vimetengwa. Wameiba na kisha pia wakaficha dhambi yao kwa kuweka vitu vile walivyochukua miongoni mwa mali zao wenyewe.
Israel has sinned and has broken my agreement that I ordered them to keep. They have taken some of the things set apart for me; they have acted dishonestly; they have hidden the stolen items with their own belongings.
12 Na matokeo yake ni kwamba watu wa Israeli hawataweza kusimama mbele za maadui zao. Walitega migongo yao kwa maadui zao kwasababu wao wenyewe wametengwa kwa ajili ya uharibifu. Sitakuwa pamoja nanyi tena mpaka pale mtakapoteketeza vitu vile vilivyotakiwa kuharibiwa, lakini sasa bado viko miongoni mwenu.
That's why the Israelites can't stand up to their enemies. That's why they turn and run from their enemies, and have themselves become set apart for destruction. You will not be able to stand against your enemies until you have removed from among you those things set apart for destruction.
13 Inuka! Waweke watu wakfu kwangu, na uwaambie, 'Jiwekeeni wakfu ninyi wenyewe kesho. Kwa kuwa, Yahweh, Mungu wa Israeli asema hivi, “Kuna vitu vilitengwa ili kuteketezwa ambavyo bado viko miongoni mwenu, Israeli. Hamtaweza kusimama mbele ya maadui zenu mpaka pale mtakapoviondoa miongoni mwenu vitu vyote ambavyo vilitengwa kwa ajili ya kuteketezwa.”
Get up, and make sure the people are pure. Tell them, ‘Make yourselves pure in readiness for tomorrow, because this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says, There are things set apart for me that are hidden among you, Israel. You will not be able to stand against your enemies until you remove all of them.
14 Asubuhi, mtajisogeza wenyewe kwa makabila. Kabila lile ambalo Yahweh atalichagua litasogea karibu kwa koo zake. Ukoo ule ambao Yahweh atauchagua lazima usogee karibu kwa nyumba. Nyumba ambayo Yahweh ataichagua lazima isogee karibu kwa mtu mmoja mmoja.
In the morning, you will come forward, tribe by tribe. Whichever tribe the Lord chooses will come forward clan by clan. The clan that the Lord chooses will come forward family by family. The family that the Lord chooses will come forward man by man.
15 Itakuwa hivi mtu yule atakayechaguliwa na aliye navyo vitu hivyo vilivyotengwa kwa ajili ya kuharibiwa, atachomwa moto, yeye na kila kitu alichonacho, kwasababu amelivunja agano la Yahweh na kwasababu amefanya jambo la aibu katika Israeli.'”
The one who is caught with what was set apart for destruction will be burned by fire, along with all that is his, for he broke the Lord's agreement and committed a terrible act in Israel.’”
16 Basi, Yoshua aliamka asubuhi na mapema na aliwaleta Israeli karibu, kabila kwa kabila, na kabila la Yuda lilichaguliwa.
Joshua got up early the next morning and called Israel forward, tribe by tribe.
17 Yoshua akazisogeza koo za Yuda karibu, na ukoo wa Zera ulichaguliwa. Akausogeza karibu ukoo wa Zera mtu kwa mtu, na Zabdi alichaguliwa.
The tribe of Judah was chosen. The clans of Judah came forward and the Zerahites were chosen. The clan of Zerahites came forward, and the family of Zabdi was chosen.
18 Akaisogeza karibu nyumba ya Zabdi mtu kwa mtu, na Akani mwana wa Karmi, mwana wa Zabdi, mwana wa Zera, kutoka kabila la Yuda, alichaguliwa.
The family of Zabdi came forward, and Achan, son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was chosen.
19 Kisha Yoshua akamwambia Akani, “Mwanangu, niambie ukweli mbele za Yahweh, Mungu wa Israel, na ufanye ukiri wako kwake. Tafadhali niambie kile ulichofanya. Usinifiche.”
Joshua said to Achan, “My son, honor the Lord, the God of Israel, and confess. Tell me what you have done. Don't hide it from me.”
20 Akani akamjibu Yoshua, “Kwa kweli nimetenda dhambi mbele Yahweh, Mungu wa Israeli.
“It's true!” Achan replied. “I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what I did.
21 Nilichofanya ni hiki: Nilipoona miongoni mwa nyara mkoti mzuri kutoka Babeli, shekeli mia mbili za fedha, na kipande cha dhahabu chenye uzito wa shekeli hamsini, nilivitamani na nikavichukua. Vimefichwa chini ardhini katikati ya hema langu, na fedha iko chini yake.”
Among the plunder I saw a beautiful cloak from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels. I really wanted them, so I took them. They're hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver buried deeper.”
22 Yoshua akatuma wajumbe waliokimbia mpaka kwenye hema mahali palipokuwa na vile vitu. Walipoangalia, waliviona vimefichwa katika hema lake, na fedha chini yake.
Joshua sent men who ran over to search the tent. They found what had been hidden, with the silver buried deeper.
23 Walivichukua vitu hivyo kutoka katikati ya hema na kuvileta kwa Yoshua na watu wote wa Israeli. Walivimwaga mbele za Yahweh.
The men took the things from the tent and brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites. There they spread them out before the Lord.
24 Kisha Yoshua na Waisraeli wote pamoja naye, walimchukua Akani mwana wa Zera, na fedha, na koti, na kipande cha dhahabu, wana na binti zake, ng'ombe zake, punda zake, kondoo zake, hema lake, na kila kitu alichokuwa nacho, na wakavileta hata bonde la Akori.
Then Joshua, with all the Israelites, took Achan, the son of Zerah, the silver, the cloak, and the bar of gold, together with his sons and daughters, his cattle, his donkeys, his sheep, and his tent—everything he had—and brought them to the Valley of Achor.
25 Kisha Yoshua akasema, “Kwanini umetusumbua? Leo Yahweh atakutesa na wewe.” Waisraeli wote wakampiga kwa mawe. Na wakawachoma wote kwa moto, na wakawapiga mawe.
Then Joshua said to Achan, “Why did you bring so much trouble down on us? Today the Lord will bring trouble down on you.” All the Israelites stoned Achan. Then when they had stoned the rest they burned their bodies.
26 Kisha wakaweka juu yake kichuguu kikubwa cha mawe ambayo yapo hata leo. Yahweh akaachilia mbali hasira yake. Hivyo basi, jina la mahali hapo likawa Akori hata leo.
They set up a great pile of stones over him which remains to this day. The Lord was no longer angry. This is why the place was called the Valley of Achor ever since.
