1
Ikawa baada ya kufa kwake Musa, mtumishi wa Bwana, Bwana akamwambia Yoshua, mwana wa Nuni, mtumishi wa Musa, akasema,
Now after the death of His servant Moses, the LORD spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying,
2
Musa mtumishi wangu amekufa; haya basi, ondoka, vuka mto huu wa Yordani; wewe na watu hawa wote, mkaende hata nchi niwapayo wana wa Israeli.
“Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore arise, you and all these people, and cross over the Jordan into the land that I am giving to the children of Israel.
3
Kila mahali zitakapopakanyaga nyayo za miguu yenu, nimewapa ninyi, kama nilivyomwapia Musa.
I have given you every place where the sole of your foot will tread, just as I promised to Moses.
4
Tangu jangwa hili na mlima huu, Lebanoni, mpaka mto ule mkubwa, mto wa Frati, nchi yote ya Wahiti, tena mpaka bahari ile kubwa upande wa machweo ya jua, hapo ndipo patakapokuwa mpaka wenu.
Your territory shall extend from the wilderness and Lebanon to the great River Euphrates—all the land of the Hittites—and west as far as the Great Sea.
5
Hapatakuwa mtu ye yote atakayeweza kusimama mbele yako siku zote za maisha yako; kama nilivyokuwa pamoja na Musa, ndivyo nitakavyokuwa pamoja na wewe; sitakupungukia wala sitakuacha.
No one shall stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so will I be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
6
Uwe hodari na moyo wa ushujaa, maana ni wewe utakayewarithisha watu hawa nchi hii niliyowaapia baba zao ya kwamba nitawapa.
Be strong and courageous, for you shall give these people the inheritance of the land that I swore to their fathers I would give them.
7
Uwe hodari tu na ushujaa mwingi, uangalie kutenda sawasawa na sheria yote aliyokuamuru Musa mtumishi wangu; usiiache, kwenda mkono wa kuume, au wa kushoto, upate kufanikiwa sana kila uendako.
Above all, be strong and very courageous. Be careful to observe all the law that My servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may prosper wherever you go.
8
Kitabu hiki cha torati kisiondoke kinywani mwako, bali yatafakari maneno yake mchana na usiku, upate kuangalia kutenda sawasawa na maneno yote yaliyoandikwa humo; maana ndipo utakapoifanikisha njia yako, kisha ndipo utakapositawi sana.
This Book of the Law must not depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in all you do.
9
Je! Si mimi niliyekuamuru? Uwe hodari na moyo wa ushujaa; usiogope wala usifadhaike; kwa kuwa Bwana, Mungu wako, yu pamoja nawe kila uendako.
Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
10
Ndipo Yoshua akawaamuru maakida wa watu, akisema,
Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people:
11
Piteni katikati ya matuo, mkawaamuru hao watu, mkisema, Fanyeni tayari vyakula; kwa maana baada ya siku tatu mtavuka mto huu wa Yordani, ili kuingia na kuimiliki nchi awapayo Bwana, Mungu wenu, mpate kuimiliki.
“Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Prepare your provisions, for within three days you will cross the Jordan to go in and take possession of the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess.’”
12
Tena Yoshua akawaambia Wareubeni, na Wagadi, na hao wa nusu ya kabila ya Manase, akasema,
But to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua said,
13
Likumbukeni neno lile alilowaamuru Musa mtumishi wa Bwana, akisema, Bwana, Mungu wenu, anawapa ninyi raha, naye atawapa nchi hii.
“Remember what Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you when he said, ‘The LORD your God will give you rest, and He will give you this land.’
14
Wake zenu, na watoto wenu, na makundi yenu, watakaa katika nchi aliyowapa Musa ng'ambo ya Yordani; bali ninyi mtavuka mbele ya ndugu zenu, hali mmevikwa silaha zenu, watu wote wenye nguvu, na ushujaa, ili mpate kuwasaidia;
Your wives, your young children, and your livestock may remain in the land that Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan. But all your mighty men of valor must be armed for battle to cross over ahead of your brothers and help them,
15
hata Bwana atakapowapa ndugu zenu raha, kama alivyowapa ninyi, na wao pia wamepata kuimiliki nchi awapayo Bwana, Mungu wenu; ndipo mtakapoirudia nchi ya milki yenu na kuimiliki, ambayo Musa mtumishi wa Bwana aliwapeni ng'ambo ya Yordani upande wa maawio ya jua.
until the LORD gives them rest as He has done for you, and your brothers also possess the land that the LORD your God is giving them. Then you may return to the land of your inheritance and take possession of that which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the east side of the Jordan.”
16
Wakamjibu Yoshua, wakasema, Hayo yote uliyotuamuru tutayafanya, na kila mahali utakakotutuma tutakwenda.
So they answered Joshua, “Everything you have commanded us we will do, and everywhere you send us we will go.
17
Kama vile tulivyomsikiliza Musa katika mambo yote, ndivyo tutakavyokusikiliza wewe; Bwana, Mungu wako, na awe pamoja nawe tu, kama alivyokuwa pamoja na Musa.
Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you. And may the LORD your God be with you, as He was with Moses.
18
Kila mtu atakayeiasi amri yako, asiyasikilize maneno yako katika mambo yote utakayomwamuru, atauawa. Uwe hodari na moyo wa ushujaa, hilo tu.
Anyone who rebels against your order and does not obey your words, all that you command him, will be put to death. Above all, be strong and courageous!”