Hesabu 17

1 Bwana akamwambia Mose,

Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,

2 “Sema na Waisraeli, na ujipatie fimbo kumi na mbili kutoka kwao, moja kutoka kwa kila mmoja wa viongozi wa kabila za baba zao. Andika jina la kila mtu kwenye fimbo yake.

“Speak to the people of Israel and get staffs from them, one for each ancestral tribe, twelve staffs. Write each man's name on his staff.

3 Kwenye fimbo ya Lawi andika jina la Aroni, kwa maana ni lazima iwepo fimbo moja kwa kila kiongozi kwa ajili ya kila kabila la baba zao.

You must write Aaron's name on Levi's staff. There must be one staff for each leader from his ancestors' tribe.

4 Ziweke hizo fimbo ndani ya Hema la Kukutania mbele ya Sanduku la Ushuhuda, mahali nikutanapo nawe.

You must place the staffs in the tent of meeting in front of the covenant decrees, where I meet with you.

5 Fimbo ya mtu nitakayemchagua itachipuka, nami mwenyewe nitayakomesha haya manungʼuniko ya mara kwa mara ya Waisraeli dhidi yako.”

It will happen that the staff of the man whom I choose will bud. I will cause the complaints from the people of Israel to stop, which they are speaking against you.”

6 Hivyo Mose akasema na Waisraeli, nao viongozi wao wakampa fimbo kumi na mbili, fimbo moja kwa ajili ya kila kabila la baba zao, nayo fimbo ya Aroni ikiwa miongoni mwa hizo.

So Moses spoke to the people of Israel. All the tribal leaders gave him staffs, one staff from each leader, selected from each of the ancestral tribes, twelve staffs in all. Aaron's staff was among them.

7 Mose akaziweka hizo fimbo mbele za Bwana ndani ya Hema la Ushuhuda.

Then Moses deposited the staffs before Yahweh in the tent of the covenant decrees.

8 Siku iliyofuata Mose aliingia kwenye Hema la Ushuhuda akaona ile fimbo ya Aroni ambayo iliwakilisha jamaa ya Lawi haikuwa tu imechipuka, bali pia ilikuwa imetoa machipukizi, kuchanua maua na kuzaa malozi.

The next day Moses went into the tent of the covenant decrees and, behold, Aaron's staff for the tribe of Levi had budded. It grew buds and produced blossoms and ripe almonds!

9 Ndipo Mose akaleta zile fimbo zote kwa Waisraeli wote kutoka mbele za Bwana. Wakaziangalia, na kila mtu akaichukua fimbo yake mwenyewe.

Moses brought out all the staffs from before Yahweh to all the people of Israel, and each man took his staff.

10 Bwana akamwambia Mose, “Rudisha fimbo ya Aroni mbele ya Sanduku la Ushuhuda, ili ihifadhiwe kama alama kwa waasi. Hili litakomesha manungʼuniko yao dhidi yangu, ili kwamba wasife.”

Yahweh said to Moses, “Put Aaron's staff in front of the covenant decrees. Keep it as a sign of guilt against the people who rebelled so that you may end complaints against me, or they will die.”

11 Mose akafanya kama Bwana alivyomwamuru.

Moses did just as Yahweh had commanded him.

12 Waisraeli wakamwambia Mose, “Tutakufa! Tumepotea, sote tumepotea!

The people of Israel spoke to Moses and said, “We will die here. We will all perish!

13 Yeyote akaribiaye Maskani ya Bwana atakufa. Je, sisi sote tutakufa?”

Everyone who comes up, who approaches Yahweh's tabernacle, will die. Must we all perish?”