Exodus 19
1 The Israeli people then left Rephidim, and exactly two months after leaving Egypt, they/we came to the desert near Sinai [Mountain]. They/We set up their/our tents at the base of the mountain.
Mnamo mwezi wa tatu baada ya Waisraeli kuondoka Misri, siku kama iyo hiyo, wakafika katika Jangwa la Sinai.
Baada ya kuondoka Refidimu, waliingia katika Jangwa la Sinai na Israeli wakapiga kambi pale jangwani mbele ya mlima.
3 Moses/I climbed up the mountain [to talk with] God. Yahweh called to [him/me] from [the top of] the mountain and said, “This is what I want you to say to the Israeli people, the descendants of Jacob:
Kisha Mose akakwea kwenda kwa Mungu, naye Bwana akamwita kutoka kwenye ule mlima akasema, “Hivi ndivyo utakavyosema na nyumba ya Yakobo na utakachowaambia watu wa Israeli:
4 ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians. You have seen [what I did for all of you] and how I brought you here to me. It was as though I [lifted you up as] an eagle [carries its young eaglets] on its wings [MET].
‘Ninyi wenyewe mmeona nililofanya huko Misri, jinsi nilivyowabeba kwenye mbawa za tai na kuwaleta kwangu.
5 So now, if you will do what I tell you and obey all that I command you, you will be my own people. All the people-groups on the earth are mine, but you will be (dearer/more special) to me than all the other people-groups.
Sasa kama mkinitii kikamilifu na kutunza Agano langu, basi ninyi mtakuwa mali yangu ya thamani kubwa miongoni mwa mataifa yote. Ijapokuwa dunia yote ni mali yangu,
6 You will be people over whom I will rule, and you will all (be like priests/represent me to other nations as priests represent me to one nation) [MET], and you will be completely dedicated to me.’ That is what you must tell the Israeli people.”
ninyi mtakuwa kwangu ufalme wa makuhani na taifa takatifu.’ Haya ndiyo maneno utakayosema kwa wana wa Israeli.”
7 So Moses/I went [down the mountain] and summoned the elders/leaders of the people. He/I told them everything that Yahweh had told him/me to tell them.
Kwa hiyo Mose akarudi, akawaita wazee wa watu na kuwaambia maneno yote ambayo Bwana alikuwa amemwamuru ayaseme.
8 The people all said, “We will do everything that Yahweh has told us to do.” Then Moses/I [climbed back up the mountain and] reported to Yahweh what the people had said.
Watu wote wakajibu kwa pamoja, “Tutafanya kila kitu Bwana alichokisema.” Naye Mose akarudisha majibu yao kwa Bwana.
9 Then Yahweh said to Moses/me, “[Listen carefully]: I am going to appear to you from inside a thick cloud. When I am speaking to you, the people will hear it, and they will always trust in you.” Then Moses/I went [down the mountain and reported to the people what Yahweh said. Then he/I went back up the mountain and] told Yahweh what the people replied.
Bwana akamwambia Mose, “Nitakujia katika wingu zito, ili watu wanisikie nikinena nawe na kila mara waweke tumaini lao kwako.” Kisha Mose akamwambia Bwana yale ambayo watu walikuwa wamesema.
10 Then Yahweh said to Moses/me, “Go [back down] to the people [again]. [Tell them to] purify themselves today and tomorrow. [Tell them to] wash their clothes, too.
Naye Bwana akamwambia Mose, “Nenda kwa watu ukawaweke wakfu leo na kesho. Waambie wafue nguo zao
11 They must do that to be ready on the day after tomorrow. On that day I will come down to Sinai Mountain to where all the people can see me.
na wawe tayari siku ya tatu, kwa sababu siku hiyo, Bwana atashuka juu ya mlima Sinai machoni pa watu wote.
12 You must make a boundary around the base of the mountain, and tell them, ‘Be sure that you do not climb the mountain or even go near it. Anyone who even touches the base of the mountain must be executed.’
Weka mipaka kuzunguka mlima kwa ajili ya watu, uwaambie, ‘Mwe waangalifu, msije mkapanda mlimani au kuugusa. Yeyote atakayeugusa mlima hakika atauawa.
13 Do not let anyone touch any person or any animal that touches the mountain. You must [kill any person or animal that touches the mountain] by throwing stones at it or shooting it [with arrows]. But when you hear a long [loud] trumpet sound, the people can come close to the [base of the] mountain.”
Hakika atapigwa mawe au kupigwa mishale; mkono wa mtu hautamgusa. Akiwa mwanadamu au mnyama, hataruhusiwa kuishi.’ Ila tu wakati baragumu itakapopigwa kwa mfululizo, ndipo watu wote watakapopanda mlimani.”
14 So Moses/I went down the mountain [again] and told the people to purify themselves. They did what Moses/I told them to do, and they also washed their clothes.
Baada ya Mose kushuka kutoka mlimani akawaendea watu na kuwaweka wakfu, wakafua nguo zao.
15 Then Moses/I said to the people, “Be ready on the day after tomorrow. And [you men] must not have sex with [EUP] [your wives] until after then.”
Kisha akawaambia watu, “Jitayarisheni kwa ajili ya siku ya tatu. Mwanaume yeyote asimkaribie mwanamke.”
16 Two days later, during the morning, there was thunder and lightning, and a very dark cloud on the mountain. A trumpet sounded very loudly, with the result that the people in the camp shook/trembled because they [were very afraid].
Asubuhi ya siku ya tatu kulikuwa na ngurumo na radi pamoja na wingu nene juu ya mlima na mlio mkubwa sana wa tarumbeta. Kila mmoja aliyekuwa kambini akatetemeka.
17 Then Moses/I led the people outside the camp to meet with God. They stood at the base of the mountain.
Kisha Mose akawaongoza watu kutoka kambini kukutana na Mungu, nao wakasimama chini ya mlima.
18 All of Sinai Mountain was covered in smoke, because Yahweh had descended on it, surrounded by a fire. The smoke rose up like the smoke from [the chimney of] a furnace, and the whole mountain shook violently.
Mlima Sinai ulikuwa umefunikwa na moshi, kwa sababu Bwana alishuka juu yake katika moto. Moshi wa moto huo ulipanda juu kama moshi kutoka kwenye tanuru kubwa na mlima wote ukatetemeka kwa nguvu nyingi,
19 As the sound of the trumpet continued to become louder, Moses/I spoke [to Yahweh], and Yahweh answered [him/me] in [a loud voice that sounded like] thunder.
nayo sauti ya tarumbeta ikawa kubwa zaidi na zaidi. Kisha Mose akazungumza na sauti ya Bwana ikamjibu.
20 Then Yahweh came down [again] onto the top of Sinai Mountain, and he summoned Moses/me to come up to the top of the mountain. So Moses/I went up.
Bwana akashuka juu ya Mlima Sinai na akamwita Mose apande juu mlimani. Kwa hiyo Mose akapanda juu,
21 Yahweh said to Moses/me, “Go down again and warn the people not to cross the boundary in order to look [at me]. If they [do] that, many of them will die.
naye Bwana akamwambia Mose, “Shuka ukawaonye watu ili wasijipenyeze kutafuta kumwona Bwana na wengi wao wakafa.
22 Also, the priests who habitually come near me must purify themselves. If they do not do that, I will punish them.”
Hata makuhani, watakaomkaribia Bwana ni lazima wajiweke wakfu, la sivyo Bwana atawaadhibu.”
23 Then Moses/I said to Yahweh, “The people will not climb the mountain, because you commanded them, saying, ‘Set a boundary around the mountain, to make it sacred/taboo.’”
Mose akamwambia Bwana, “Watu hawawezi kupanda mlima Sinai kwa sababu wewe mwenyewe ulituonya ukisema, ‘Wekeni mipaka kuuzunguka mlima na kuutenga kama patakatifu.’”
24 Yahweh replied, “Go down the mountain, and bring Aaron back up with you. But do not allow the priests or other people to cross the boundary to come up to me. If they cross it, I will punish them.”
Bwana akajibu, “Shuka ukamlete Aroni pamoja nawe. Lakini makuhani pamoja na watu wasije wakalazimisha kuja kwa Bwana, nisije nikawaadhibu.”
25 So Moses/I went down the mountain [again] and told the people [what Yahweh had said].
Basi Mose akashuka kwa watu na kuwaambia lile aliloambiwa.
