< Waamuzi 2 >
1 Malaika wa Bwana akatoka Gilgali, akaenda Bokimu, akasema, “Nimekuleta kutoka Misri, na nimekuleta katika nchi niliyoapa kuwapa baba zako.
Now the angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bochim and said, “I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land that I had promised to your fathers, and I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you,
2 Nikasema, 'Sitakuvunja kamwe agano langu na wewe. Usifanye agano na wale wanaoishi katika nchi hii. Ziangushe madhabahu zao. Lakini hukusikiliza sauti yangu. Je! ni nini hiki ulichokifanya?
and you are not to make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall tear down their altars.’ Yet you have not obeyed My voice. What is this you have done?
3 Basi sasa nasema, “Sitawafukuza Wakanaani mbele yenu, nao watakuwa miiba kwenu, na miungu yao itakuwa mtego kwa ajili yenu.”
So now I tell you that I will not drive out these people before you; they will be thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a snare to you.”
4 Malaika wa Bwana alipowaambia maneno hayo kwa watu wote wa Israeli, watu wakapiga kelele na kulia.
When the angel of the LORD had spoken these words to all the Israelites, the people lifted up their voices and wept.
5 Waliita mahali hapo Bokimu. Hapo wakatoa dhabihu kwa Bwana.
So they called that place Bochim and offered sacrifices there to the LORD.
6 Yoshua alipowaruhusu watu waende zao, wana wa Israeli kila mmoja akaenda mahali alipopewa, wakiwa na umiliki wa ardhi yao.
After Joshua had dismissed the people, the Israelites went out to take possession of the land, each to his own inheritance.
7 Watu walimtumikia Bwana wakati wa maisha ya Yoshua na wazee walioendelea baada yake, ni wale waliokuwa wameona matendo yote makuu ya Bwana aliyoyafanya kwa Israeli.
And the people served the LORD throughout the days of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him, who had seen all the great works that the LORD had done for Israel.
8 Yoshua mwana wa Nuni, mtumishi wa Bwana, alikufa akiwa na umri wa miaka 110.
And Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of 110.
9 Wakamzika ndani ya mpaka wa nchi aliyopewa huko Timnath Heresi, katika mlima wa Efraimu, kaskazini mwa Mlima Gaash.
They buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath-heres in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.
10 Kizazi hicho chote kilikusanyika kwa baba zao. Kizazi kingine kilichofuata baada yao ambao hakikumjua Bwana au kile alichokifanya kwa Israeli.
After that whole generation had also been gathered to their fathers, another generation rose up who did not know the LORD or the works that He had done for Israel.
11 Watu wa Israeli walifanya yaliyo mabaya machoni pa Bwana, nao wakawatumikia Mabaali.
And the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals.
12 Wakaondoka kwa Bwana, Mungu wa baba zao, aliyewatoa kutoka Misri. Wakaifuata miungu mingine, miungu ya watu waliokuwa karibu nao, nao wakaisujudia. Wakamkasirisha BWANA kwa sababu
Thus they forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and they followed after various gods of the peoples around them. They bowed down to them and provoked the LORD to anger,
13 waliondoka kwa Bwana na kumwabudu Baal na Maashtoreti.
for they forsook Him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths.
14 Hasira ya Bwana ikawaka juu ya Israeli, naye akawapa washambuliaji walioiba mali zao kutoka kwao. Aliwauza kama watumwa waliofanyika kwa nguvu za maadui zao waliowazunguka, hivyo hawakuweza kujikinga dhidi ya adui zao.
Then the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He delivered them into the hands of those who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist.
15 Israeli walipokwenda kupigana, mkono wa Bwana ulikuwa dhidi yao kuwashinda, kama alivyowaapia. Na walikuwa katika shida kali.
Wherever Israel marched out, the hand of the LORD was against them to bring calamity, just as He had sworn to them. So they were greatly distressed.
16 Ndipo Bwana akawainua waamuzi, waliowaokoa katika mikono ya wale waliokuwa wakiba mali zao.
Then the LORD raised up judges, who saved them from the hands of those who plundered them.
17 Hata hivyo hawakuwasikiliza waamuzi wao. Hawakuwa waaminifu kwa Bwana na wakajitoa wenyewe kama makahaba kwa miungu mingine na kuabudu. Waligeuka upesi na kuiacha njia waliyoishi baba zao-wale waliotii amri za Bwana-lakini wao wenyewe hawakufanya hivyo.
Israel, however, did not listen to their judges. Instead, they prostituted themselves with other gods and bowed down to them. They quickly turned from the way of their fathers, who had walked in obedience to the LORD’s commandments; they did not do as their fathers had done.
18 Bwana aliinua waamuzi kwa ajili yao, Bwana akawasaidia waamuzi na kuwakomboa kutoka kwa mikono ya adui zao siku zote muamuzi aliishi. Bwana aliwahurumia walipougua kwa sababu ya wale waliowadhulumu na kuwasumbua.
Whenever the LORD raised up a judge for the Israelites, He was with that judge and saved them from the hands of their enemies while the judge was still alive; for the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning under those who oppressed them and afflicted them.
19 Lakini mwamuzi alipokufa, waligeuka na kufanya mambo ambayo yalikuwa mabaya zaidi kuliko baba zao walivyofanya. Wakaenda kuifuata miungu mingine kuitumikia na kuiabudu. Walikataa kuacha matendo yao yote mabaya au njia zao za ukaidi.
But when the judge died, the Israelites became even more corrupt than their fathers, going after other gods to serve them and bow down to them. They would not give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.
20 Hasira ya Bwana iliwaka juu ya Israeli; akasema, Kwa sababu taifa hili limevunja masharti ya agano langu ambalo nililiweka kwa ajili ya baba zao-kwa sababu hawakuisikiliza sauti yangu.
So the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He said, “Because this nation has transgressed the covenant I laid down for their fathers and has not heeded My voice,
21 Tangu sasa sitaliondoa mbele yao taifa lolote aliloliacha Yoshua baada ya kufa.
I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations Joshua left when he died.
22 Nitafanya hivi ili kuwajaribu Israeli, ikiwa watafuata njia ya Bwana au sivyo, kama vile baba zao walivyoifuata.
In this way I will test whether Israel will keep the way of the LORD by walking in it as their fathers did.”
23 Ndiyo sababu Bwana aliwaacha mataifa hayo, wala hakuwafukuza haraka na kuwatia mikononi mwa Yoshua.
That is why the LORD had left those nations in place and had not driven them out immediately by delivering them into the hand of Joshua.