1
Mkutano wote wakapaza sauti zao wakalia; watu wakatoka machozi usiku ule.
Then the whole congregation lifted up their voices and cried out, and that night the people wept.
2
Kisha wana wa Israeli wote wakamnung'unikia Musa na Haruni; mkutano wote wakawaambia, Ingekuwa heri kama tungalikufa katika nchi ya Misri, au, ingekuwa heri kama tungalikufa katika jangwa hili.
All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt, or if only we had died in this wilderness!
3
Mbona Bwana anatuleta mpaka nchi hii ili tuanguke kwa upanga? Wake zetu na watoto wetu watakuwa mateka; je! Si afadhali turudi Misri?
Why is the LORD bringing us into this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and children will become plunder. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?”
4
Wakaambiana, Na tumweke mtu mmoja awe akida, tukarudi Misri.
So they said to one another, “Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt.”
5
Ndipo Musa na Haruni wakaanguka kifudifudi mbele ya mkutano wa kusanyiko la wana wa Israeli.
Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown before the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel.
6
Na Yoshua mwana wa Nuni, na Kalebu mwana wa Yefune, waliokuwa miongoni mwao walioipeleleza nchi, wakararua nguo zao;
Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes
7
wakanena na mkutano wote wa wana wa Israeli wakasema, Nchi ile tuliyopita kati yake ili kuipeleleza, ni nchi njema mno ya ajabu.
and said to the whole congregation of Israel, “The land we passed through and explored is an exceedingly good land.
8
Ikiwa Bwana anatufurahia, atatuingiza katika nchi hii atupe iwe yetu, nayo ni nchi yenye wingi wa maziwa na asali.
If the LORD delights in us, He will bring us into this land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and He will give it to us.
9
Lakini msimwasi Bwana, wala msiwaogope wale wenyeji wa nchi, maana wao ni chakula kwetu; uvuli uliokuwa juu yao umeondolewa, naye Bwana yu pamoja nasi; msiwaogope.
Only do not rebel against the LORD, and do not be afraid of the people of the land, for they will be like bread for us. Their protection has been removed, and the LORD is with us. Do not be afraid of them!”
10
Lakini mkutano wote wakaamuru wapigwe kwa mawe. Ndipo utukufu wa Bwana ukaonekana katika hema ya kukutania, mbele ya wana wa Israeli wote.
But the whole congregation threatened to stone Joshua and Caleb. Then the glory of the LORD appeared to all the Israelites at the Tent of Meeting.
11
Bwana akamwuliza Musa, Je! Watu hawa watanidharau hata lini? Wasiniamini hata lini? Nijapokuwa nimefanya ishara hizo zote kati yao.
And the LORD said to Moses, “How long will this people treat Me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in Me, despite all the signs I have performed among them?
12
Nitawapiga kwa tauni, na kuwaondolea urithi wao, nami nitakufanya wewe kuwa taifa kubwa, kisha yenye nguvu kuliko wao.
I will strike them with a plague and destroy them—and I will make you into a nation greater and mightier than they are.”
13
Basi Musa akamwambia Bwana, Ndipo Wamisri watasikia habari hiyo; kwa kuwa wewe uliwaleta watu hawa kwa uweza wako, kutoka kati yao;
But Moses said to the LORD, “The Egyptians will hear of it, for by Your strength You brought this people from among them.
14
kisha watawaambia wenyeji wa nchi hii; wamesikia wao ya kuwa wewe Bwana u kati ya watu hawa; maana, wewe Bwana waonekana uso kwa uso, na wingu lako lasimama juu yao, kisha wewe watangulia mbele yao, katika nguzo ya wingu mchana, na katika nguzo ya moto usiku.
And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have already heard that You, O LORD, are in the midst of this people, that You, O LORD, have been seen face to face, that Your cloud stands over them, and that You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.
15
Basi kama wewe ukiwaua watu hawa mfano wa mtu mmoja, ndipo mataifa yaliyosikia habari za sifa zako watakaponena na kusema,
If You kill this people as one man, the nations who have heard of Your fame will say,
16
Ni kwa sababu yeye Bwana hakuweza kuwaleta watu hao kuwatia katika nchi aliyowaapia, kwa ajili ya hayo amewaua nyikani.
‘Because the LORD was unable to bring this people into the land He swore to give them, He has slaughtered them in the wilderness.’
17
Basi sasa nakusihi sana, uweza wa Bwana wangu na uwe mkuu, kama ulivyonena, uliposema,
So now I pray, may the power of my Lord be magnified, just as You have declared:
18
Bwana ni mpole wa hasira, mwingi wa rehema, mwenye kusamehe uovu na makosa, naye hatamfanya mwenye hatia kuwa hana makosa kwa njia yo yote; mwenye kuwapatiliza wana kwa uovu wa baba zao, katika kizazi cha tatu na cha nne.
‘The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in loving devotion, forgiving iniquity and transgression. Yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished; He will visit the iniquity of the fathers upon their children to the third and fourth generation.’
19
Nakusihi, usamehe uovu wa watu hawa, kama ukuu wa rehema yako ulivyo, kama ulivyowasamehe watu hawa, tangu huko Misri hata hivi sasa.
Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people, in keeping with the greatness of Your loving devotion, just as You have forgiven them ever since they left Egypt.”
20
Bwana akasema, Mimi nimewasamehe kama neno lako lilivyokuwa;
“I have pardoned them as you requested,” the LORD replied.
21
lakini hakika yangu, kama niishivyo, tena kama dunia hii nzima itakavyojawa na utukufu wa Bwana;
“Yet as surely as I live and as surely as the whole earth is filled with the glory of the LORD,
22
kwa sababu watu hawa wote, ambao wameuona utukufu wangu na ishara zangu, nilizozitenda huko Misri, na huko jangwani, pamoja na haya wamenijaribu mara hizi kumi, wala hawakuisikiza sauti yangu;
not one of the men who have seen My glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness—yet have tested Me and disobeyed Me these ten times—
23
hakika yangu hawataiona hiyo nchi niliyowaapia baba zao, wala katika hao wote walionidharau hapana atakayeiona;
not one will ever see the land that I swore to give their fathers. None of those who have treated Me with contempt will see it.
24
lakini mtumishi wangu Kalebu, kwa kuwa alikuwa na roho nyingine ndani yake, naye ameniandama kwa moyo wote, nitamleta yeye mpaka nchi hiyo aliyoingia; na uzao wake wataimiliki.
But because My servant Caleb has a different spirit and has followed Me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he has entered, and his descendants will inherit it.
25
Basi Mwamaleki na Mkanaani wakaa katika bonde; kesho geukeni, mkaende jangwani kwa njia iendayo Bahari ya Shamu.
Now since the Amalekites and Canaanites are living in the valleys, turn back tomorrow and head for the wilderness along the route to the Red Sea.”
26
Kisha Bwana akanena na Musa na Haruni, na kuwaambia,
Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,
27
Je! Nichukuane na mkutano mwovu huu uninung'unikiao hata lini? Nimesikia manung'uniko ya wana wa Israeli, waninung'unikiayo.
“How long will this wicked congregation grumble against Me? I have heard the complaints that the Israelites are making against Me.
28
Waambieni, Kama niishivyo, asema Bwana, hakika yangu kama ninyi mlivyonena masikioni mwangu, ndivyo nitakavyowafanyia ninyi;
So tell them: As surely as I live, declares the LORD, I will do to you exactly as I heard you say.
29
mizoga yenu itaanguka katika jangwa hili, na wote waliohesabiwa miongoni mwenu, kama jumla ya hesabu yenu, tangu waliopata umri wa miaka ishirini na zaidi, hao walioninung'unikia,
Your bodies will fall in this wilderness—all who were numbered in the census, everyone twenty years of age or older—because you have grumbled against Me.
30
hakika yangu hamtaingia ninyi katika nchi, ambayo niliinua mkono wangu ya kwamba nitawaketisha humo, isipokuwa Kalebu mwana wa Yefune, na Yoshua mwana wa Nuni.
Surely none of you will enter the land in which I swore to settle you, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.
31
Lakini Watoto wenu, ambao mlisema watakuwa mateka, ndio nitakaowaleta na kuwatia ndani, nao wataijua nchi ninyi mliyoikataa.
But I will bring your children, whom you said would become plunder, into the land you have rejected—and they will enjoy it.
32
Lakini katika habari zenu, mizoga yenu itaanguka katika jangwa hili.
As for you, however, your bodies will fall in this wilderness.
33
Kisha watoto wenu watakuwa wachungaji jangwani muda wa miaka arobaini nao watauchukua mzigo wa uasherati wenu, hata mizoga yenu itakapoangamia jangwani.
Your children will be shepherds in the wilderness for forty years, and they will suffer for your unfaithfulness until the last of your bodies lies in the wilderness.
34
Kwa hesabu ya hizo siku mlizoipeleleza ile nchi, yaani, siku arobaini kila siku kuhesabiwa mwaka, mtayachukua maovu yenu, ndiyo miaka arobaini, nanyi mtakujua kufarikana kwangu.
In keeping with the forty days you spied out the land, you shall bear your guilt forty years—a year for each day—and you will experience My alienation.
35
Mimi Bwana nimekwisha nena, hakika yangu ndilo nitakaloutenda mkutano mwovu huu wote, waliokusanyika juu yangu; wataangamia katika nyika hii, nako ndiko Watakakokufa.
I, the LORD, have spoken, and I will surely do these things to this entire wicked congregation, which has conspired against Me. They will meet their end in the wilderness, and there they will die.”
36
Kisha hao watu, ambao Musa aliwatuma waipeleleze nchi, waliorudi, na kufanya mkutano wote kumnung'unikia, kwa walivyoleta habari mbaya juu ya nchi,
So the men Moses had sent to spy out the land, who had returned and made the whole congregation grumble against him by bringing out a bad report about the land—
37
watu hao walioileta habari mbaya ya nchi wakafa kwa tauni mbele ya Bwana.
those men who had brought out the bad report about the land—were struck down by a plague before the LORD.
38
Lakini Yoshua mwana wa Nuni, na Kalebu mwana wa Yefune, wakabaki hai miongoni mwa wale watu waliokwenda kuipeleleza nchi.
Of those men who had gone to spy out the land, only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh remained alive.
39
Kisha Musa akawaambia wana wa Israeli wote maneno haya, na hao watu wakaombolea sana.
And when Moses relayed these words to all the Israelites, the people mourned bitterly.
40
Wakainuka na mapema asubuhi, wakakwea juu ya mlima hata kileleni, wakisema, Tazameni, sisi tupo hapa, nasi tutakwea kwenda mahali Bwana alipotuahidi; kwani tumefanya dhambi.
Early the next morning they got up and went up toward the ridge of the hill country. “We have indeed sinned,” they said, “but we will go to the place the LORD has promised.”
41
Musa akawaambia, Kwa nini ninyi sasa kuyahalifu maagizo ya Bwana? Maana halitafanikiwa jambo hilo.
But Moses said, “Why are you transgressing the commandment of the LORD? This will not succeed!
42
Msikwee, kwa kuwa Bwana hamo kati yenu; msipigwe na kuangushwa mbele ya adui zenu.
Do not go up, lest you be struck down by your enemies, because the LORD is not among you.
43
Kwa kuwa Mwamaleki na Mkanaani wako mbele yenu, nanyi mtaanguka kwa upanga, kwa sababu mmerudi nyuma msimwandame Bwana, kwa hiyo Bwana hatakuwa pamoja nanyi.
For there the Amalekites and Canaanites will face you, and you will fall by the sword. Because you have turned away from the LORD, He will not be with you.”
44
Lakini walithubutu kukwea mlimani hata kileleni; ila sanduku la agano la Bwana halikutoka humo maragoni, wala Musa hakutoka.
But they dared to go up to the ridge of the hill country, though neither Moses nor the ark of the covenant of the LORD moved from the camp.
45
Ndipo Mwamaleki, na Mkanaani waliokaa huko mlimani, wakatelemka, wakawapiga na kuwaangusha, hata kufikilia Horma.
Then the Amalekites and Canaanites who lived in that part of the hill country came down, attacked them, and routed them all the way to Hormah.