Yoshua 3
1 Yoshua na Waisraeli wote wakaondoka asubuhi na mapema kutoka Shitimu, wakaenda mpaka Mto Yordani, ambako walipiga kambi kabla ya kuvuka.
Joshua got up early in the morning, and they set out from Shittim. They came to the Jordan, he and all the people of Israel, and they camped there before they crossed over.
2 Baada ya siku tatu maafisa wakapita katika kambi yote,
After three days, the officers went through the middle of the camp;
3 wakitoa maagizo kwa watu, wakiwaambia: “Mtakapoona Sanduku la Agano la Bwana Mungu wenu, likichukuliwa na Walawi ambao ndio makuhani, mtaondoka hapo mlipo na kulifuata.
they commanded the people, “When you see the ark of the covenant of Yahweh your God, and the priests from the Levites carrying it, you must leave this place and follow it.
4 Ndipo mtakapotambua njia mtakayoiendea, kwa kuwa hamjawahi kuipita kabla. Lakini msisogee karibu, bali kuwe na umbali wa dhiraa 2,000 kati yenu na Sanduku.”
There must be a distance between you and it of about two thousand cubits. Do not come close to it, so that you can see which way to go, since you have not gone this way before.”
5 Ndipo Yoshua akawaambia hao watu, “Jitakaseni, kwa kuwa kesho Bwana atatenda mambo ya kushangaza katikati yenu.”
Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves tomorrow, for Yahweh will do wonders among you.”
6 Yoshua akawaambia makuhani, “Liinueni Sanduku la Agano mkatangulie mbele ya watu.” Hivyo wakaliinua na kutangulia mbele yao.
Then Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass in front of the people.” So they picked up the ark of the covenant and went in front of people.
7 Ndipo Bwana akamwambia Yoshua, “Leo nitaanza kukutukuza machoni pa Israeli yote, ili wapate kujua kuwa niko pamoja nawe kama nilivyokuwa pamoja na Mose.
Yahweh said to Joshua, “This day I will make you a great man in the eyes of all Israel. They will know that as I was with Moses, I will be with you.
8 Uwaambie makuhani wanaochukua Sanduku la Agano, ‘Mnapofika kwenye ukingo wa maji ya Yordani, nendeni mkasimame ndani ya mto.’”
You will command the priests who carry the ark of the covenant, 'When you have come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you must stand still in the Jordan River.'”
9 Yoshua akawaambia Waisraeli, “Njooni hapa msikilize maneno ya Bwana Mungu wenu.
Then Joshua said to the people of Israel, “Come here, and listen to the words of Yahweh your God.
10 Hivi ndivyo mtakavyojua ya kuwa Mungu aliye hai yupo katikati yenu, na kwamba kwa hakika atawafukuza mbele yenu hao Wakanaani, Wahiti, Wahivi, Waperizi, Wagirgashi, Waamori na Wayebusi.
By this you will know that the living God is among you and will drive out from before you the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites.
11 Tazameni, Sanduku la Agano la Bwana wa dunia yote litaingia ndani ya Mto Yordani likiwa limewatangulia.
Look! The ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth crosses over ahead of you into the Jordan.
12 Sasa basi, chagueni watu kumi na wawili kutoka makabila ya Israeli, mtu mmoja kutoka kila kabila.
Now choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from each.
13 Mara tu nyayo za makuhani walichukualo Sanduku la Bwana, Bwana wa dunia yote, zitakapokanyaga ndani ya Mto Yordani, maji hayo yatiririkayo kutoka juu yatatindika na kusimama kama chuguu.”
When the soles of the feet of the priests that carry the ark of Yahweh, the Lord of all the earth, touch the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan will be cut off, and even the waters that flow down from upstream will stop flowing and they will stand in one heap.”
14 Basi, watu walipovunja kambi ili kuvuka Yordani, makuhani wakiwa wamebeba Sanduku la Agano waliwatangulia.
So when the people set out to cross over the Jordan, the priests that carried the ark of the covenant went ahead of the people.
15 Wakati huu ulikuwa wakati wa mavuno, nao Mto Yordani ulikuwa umefurika hadi kwenye kingo zake. Ilikuwa kawaida ya Yordani kufurika nyakati zote za mavuno. Mara tu makuhani wale waliokuwa wamebeba Sanduku la Agano walipofika mtoni na nyayo zao kuzama ndani ya yale maji,
As soon as those who were carrying the ark had come to the Jordan, and the feet of those who carried the chest were dipped in the edge of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of the harvest),
16 maji hayo yaliyotiririka kutoka upande wa juu yaliacha kutiririka yakasimama kama chuguu mbali kabisa nao, kwenye mji ulioitwa Adamu kwenye eneo la Sarethani, wakati yale maji yaliyokuwa yanatiririka kuingia kwenye Bahari ya Araba (yaani Bahari ya Chumvi), yalitindika kabisa. Hivyo watu wakavuka kukabili Yeriko.
the waters that flowed down from upstream stood up in one heap. The water stopped flowing from a great distance. The waters stopped flowing from Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, all the way down to the sea of the Negev, the Salt Sea. The people crossed over near Jericho.
17 Wale makuhani waliobeba Sanduku la Agano la Bwana, wakasimama imara mahali pakavu katikati ya Mto Yordani, wakati Waisraeli wote wakiwa wanapita hadi taifa lote likaisha kuvuka mahali pakavu.
The priests that carried the ark of the covenant of Yahweh stood on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan until all the people of Israel crossed over on dry ground.
