1
Hata ikawa baada ya siku nyingi, Bwana alipokuwa amekwisha kuwapa Israeli raha mbele ya adui zao pande zote, naye Yoshua alipokuwa mzee, mwenye miaka mingi sana,
A long time after the LORD had given Israel rest from all the enemies around them, when Joshua was old and well along in years,
2
Yoshua akawaita Israeli wote, wazee wao, na wakuu wao, na makadhi yao, na maakida yao, akawaambia, Mimi ni mzee, nami nimekwendelea sana katika miaka yangu;
he summoned all Israel, including its elders, leaders, judges, and officers. “I am old and well along in years,” he said,
3
nanyi mmeona mambo yote ambayo Bwana, Mungu wenu, amewatenda mataifa haya yote kwa ajili yenu; kwa maana Bwana, Mungu wenu, ndiye aliyewapigania ninyi.
“and you have seen everything that the LORD your God has done to all these nations for your sake, because it was the LORD your God who fought for you.
4
Tazama, nimewagawieni kwa kura mataifa haya yaliyobaki, yawe urithi kwa kabila zenu, toka mto wa Yordani, pamoja na mataifa yote niliyowakatilia mbali, mpaka bahari kubwa upande wa machweo ya jua.
See, I have allotted as an inheritance to your tribes these remaining nations, including all the nations I have already cut off, from the Jordan westward to the Great Sea.
5
Yeye Bwana, Mungu wenu, atawatoa kwa nguvu mbele yenu, atawafukuza wasiwe mbele ya macho yenu tena; nanyi mtaimiliki nchi yao, kama Bwana Mungu wenu, alivyowaambia.
The LORD your God will push them out of your way and drive them out before you, so that you can take possession of their land, as the LORD your God promised you.
6
Basi, iweni mashujaa sana kuyashika yote yaliyoandikwa katika kitabu cha torati ya Musa, na kuyatenda, msiyaache kwa kugeukia upande wa kuume wala upande wa kushoto.
Be very strong, then, so that you can keep and obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, not turning aside from it to the right or to the left.
7
Msiingie kati ya mataifa haya, yaani, haya yaliyobaki kati yenu; wala msitaje majina ya miungu yao, wala kuwaapisha watu kwa majina hayo, wala kuitumikia, wala kujiinamisha mbele yao;
So you are not to associate with these nations that remain among you. You must not call on the names of their gods or swear by them, and you must not serve them or bow down to them.
8
bali shikamaneni na Bwana, Mungu wenu, kama mlivyotenda hata hivi leo.
Instead, you shall hold fast to the LORD your God, as you have done to this day.
9
Maana Bwana amefukuza mbele yenu mataifa walio hodari, kisha wenye nguvu, lakini kwenu ninyi hapana mtu aliyesimama mbele yenu hata leo.
The LORD has driven out great and powerful nations before you, and to this day no one can stand against you.
10
Mtu mmoja miongoni mwenu atafukuza watu elfu; maana Bwana, Mungu wenu, ndiye anayewapigania, kama alivyowaambia.
One of you can put a thousand to flight, because the LORD your God fights for you, just as He promised.
11
Jihadharini nafsi zenu, basi, ili mmpende Bwana, Mungu wenu.
Therefore watch yourselves carefully, that you love the LORD your God.
12
Lakini mkirudi nyuma kwa njia yo yote na kushikamana na mabaki ya mataifa, yaani, mataifa haya yaliyobaki kati yenu, na kuoana nao, na kuingia kwao, nao kuingia kwenu;
For if you turn away and cling to the rest of these nations that remain among you, and if you intermarry and associate with them,
13
jueni hakika ya kuwa Bwana, Mungu wenu, hatawafukuza tena mataifa haya mbele ya macho yenu, bali watakuwa mtego kwenu na tanzi, na mjeledi mbavuni mwenu, na miiba machoni mwenu, hata mtakapoangamia na kutoka katika nchi hii njema, ambayo Bwana, Mungu wenu, amewapa ninyi.
know for sure that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become for you a snare and a trap, a scourge in your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land that the LORD your God has given you.
14
Angalieni, mimi leo ninakwenda njia ile waendayo watu wote wa ulimwengu; nanyi nyote mnajua mioyoni mwenu, na rohoni mwenu, ya kuwa halikuwapungukia ninyi hata neno moja katika mambo hayo mema yote aliyoyanena Bwana, Mungu wenu, katika habari zenu; yote yametimia kwenu hapana neno lo lote mlilopungukiwa.
Now behold, today I am going the way of all the earth, and you know with all your heart and soul that not one of the good promises the LORD your God made to you has failed. Everything was fulfilled for you; not one promise has failed.
15
Kisha itakuwa, kama yalivyowafikilia yale mambo mema yote, Bwana, Mungu wenu, aliyowaahidia ninyi, kadhalika Bwana atawafikilizia mabaya yote, hata atakapokuwa amewaangamiza katika nchi hii njema, Bwana Mungu wenu, aliyowapa.
But just as every good thing the LORD your God promised you has come to pass, likewise the LORD will bring upon you the calamity He has threatened, until He has destroyed you from this good land He has given you.
16
Hapo mtakapolivunja agano la Bwana, Mungu wenu, alilowaamuru, na kwenda kuitumikia miungu mingine, na kujiinamisha mbele yao, ndipo hasira ya Bwana itakapowaka juu yenu, nanyi mtaangamia upesi katika nchi hii njema aliyowapa.
If you transgress the covenant of the LORD your God, which He commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, then the anger of the LORD will burn against you, and you will quickly perish from this good land He has given you.”