1 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land:
Kisha Bwana akamwambia Yoshua, Usiche, wala usifadhaike; wachukue watu wote wa vita waende pamoja nawe, nanyi inukeni, mwende Ai, angalia, mimi nimemtia mkononi mwako huyo mfalme wa Ai, na watu wake, na mji wake, na nchi yake;
2 and thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: lay thee an ambush for the city behind it.
nawe utautenda mji wa Ai na mfalme wake kama ulivyoutenda mji wa Yeriko na mfalme wake; lakini nyara zake na wanyama wake wa mji mtavitwaa kuwa mateka yenu wenyewe; huo mji uuwekee waoteaji upande wa nyuma.
3 So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai: and Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour, and sent them away by night.
Basi Yoshua akainuka, na watu wote wa vita pamoja naye, ili waende Ai; Yoshua akachagua watu thelathini elfu, watu mashujaa wenye uwezo, akawapeleka wakati wa usiku.
4 And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in wait against the city, even behind the city: go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready:
Akawaagiza, akasema, Angalieni, mtaotea kuuvizia ule mji, upande wa nyuma wa mji; msiende mbali sana na mji, lakini kaeni tayari nyote;
5 and I, and all the people that are with me, will approach unto the city: and it shall come to pass, when they come out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before them,
na mimi, na watu wote walio pamoja nami, tutaukaribia mji; kisha itakuwa, hapo watakapotoka nje kupigana nasi, kama walivyofanya hapo kwanza, sisi tutakimbia mbele yao;
6 (for they will come out after us) till we have drawn them from the city; for they will say, They flee before us, as at the first: therefore we will flee before them.
nao watatoka nje watufuate, hata tuwavute waende mbali na mji wao; kwa kuwa watasema, Wakimbia mbele yetu, kama walivyofanya kwanza; nasi tutakimbia mbele yao;
7 Then ye shall rise up from the ambush, and seize upon the city: for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand.
basi ninyi mtainuka mtoke hapo mwoteapo, na kuushika mji; kwa kuwa Bwana, Mungu wenu, atautia mikononi mwenu.
8 And it shall be, when ye have taken the city, that ye shall set the city on fire: according to the commandment of the LORD shall ye do. See, I have commanded you.
Kisha itakuwa, mtakapoushika mji, ndipo mtauteketeza mji kwa moto; sawasawa na hilo neno la Bwana; angalieni, nimewaagiza.
9 Joshua therefore sent them forth: and they went to lie in ambush, and abode between Beth-el and Ai, on the west side of Ai: but Joshua lodged that night among the people.
Basi Yoshua akawatuma; nao wakaenda hata hapo watakapootea, wakakaa kati ya Betheli na Ai, upande wa magharibi wa Ai; lakini Yoshua akalala usiku huo kati ya watu.
10 And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and numbered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.
Yoshua akaamka asubuhi na mapema, akawakutanisha watu, kisha akatangulia kukwea kwenda Ai mbele ya hao watu, yeye na wazee wa Israeli.
11 And all the people, even the people of war that were with him, went up, and drew nigh, and came before the city, and pitched on the north side of Ai: now there was a valley between them and Ai.
Watu wote, hao wa vita, waliokuwa pamoja naye, wakaenda wakakaribia, na kufikilia mbele ya mji, wakatua upande wa kaskazini wa Ai; napo palikuwa na bonde kati ya yeye na Ai.
12 And he took about five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush between Beth-el and Ai, on the west side of the city.
Kisha akatwaa watu kama elfu tano, akawaweka kuotea kati ya Betheli na Ai, upande wa magharibi wa huo mji.
13 And when they had set the people, even all the host that was on the north of the city, and their liers in wait on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.
Basi wakawaweka hao watu, jeshi zima lililokuwa upande wa kaskazini wa mji, na wale waliokuwa waotea upande wa magharibi wa mji; naye Yoshua akaenda usiku huo katikati ya hilo bonde.
14 And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it , that they hasted and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at a time appointed, before the plain; but he wist not that there were liers in ambush against him behind the city.
Kisha ikawa hapo huyo mfalme wa Ai alipoona jambo hilo, ndipo walipofanya haraka, na wakaamka asubuhi na mapema, na watu waume wa mji wakatoka nje waende kupigana na Israeli, yeye na watu wake wote, kwa wakati ulioamriwa, kuikabili Araba; lakini hakujua ya kwamba walikuwako waviziao kinyume chake kwa upande wa nyuma wa mji.
15 And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness.
Kisha Yoshua na watu wa Israeli wote walifanya kana kwamba wameshindwa mbele yao, wakakimbia kwa njia ya nyika.
16 And all the people that were in Ai were called together to pursue after them: and they pursued after Joshua, and were drawn away from the city.
Watu wote waliokuwa ndani ya mji waliitwa wakusanyike pamoja ili kuwafuatia; nao wakamfuatia Yoshua, wakasongea mbele na kuuacha mji.
17 And there was not a man left in Ai or Beth-el, that went not out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.
Hakusalia mtu ye yote ndani ya Ai, au katika Betheli, asiyetoka nje kuwafuatia Israeli; wakauacha mji wazi na kuwafuatia Israeli.
18 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Stretch out the spear that is in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thine hand. And Joshua stretched out the spear that he had in his hand toward the city.
Kisha Bwana akamwambia Yoshua, Haya, unyoshe huo mkuki ulio nao mkononi mwako, uuelekeze upande wa Ai; kwa kuwa nitautia mkononi mwako. Basi Yoshua akaunyosha huo mkuki uliokuwa mkononi mwake kuuelekea huo mji.
19 And the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand: and they entered into the city, and took it, and hasted and set the city on fire.
Wale watu waliovizia wakainuka kwa upesi kutoka mahali pao, nao wakapiga mbio mara hapo alipokuwa amekwisha unyosha mkono wake, wakaingia ndani ya mji, na kuushika; nao wakafanya haraka kuuteketeza kwa moto huo mji.
20 And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers.
Kisha hapo hao watu wa Ai walipotazama nyuma yao, wakaona, na tazama, moshi wa huo mji ulikuwa unapaa juu kwenda mawinguni, nao hawakuwa na nguvu za kukimbia huku wala huku; na wale watu waliokuwa wamekimbia kuenenda nyikani wakageuka na kuwarudia hao waliokuwa wakiwafuatia.
21 And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city, and that the smoke of the city ascended, then they turned again, and slew the men of Ai.
Basi hapo Yoshua na Israeli wote walipoona ya kwamba hao waliovizia wamekwisha kuushika huo mji, na ya kwamba moshi wa mji umepaa juu, ndipo wakageuka tena, na kuwaua watu wa Ai.
22 And the other issued out of the city against them; so they were in the midst of Israel, some on this side, and some on that side: and they smote them, so that they let none of them remain or escape.
Tena hao; wengine wakatoka nje kuutoka huo mji kinyume chao; basi hivyo walikuwa wa katikati ya Israeli, wengine upande huu na wengine upande huu; nao wakawapiga, hata wasimwache hata mmoja miongoni mwao aliyesalia, wala kupona.
23 And the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua.
Kisha wakamshika mfalme wa Ai ali hai, nao wakamleta kwa Yoshua.
24 And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness wherein they chased them, and when they were all fallen on the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all the Israelites returned unto Ai, and smote it with the edge of the sword.
Kisha ikawa, hapo Israeli walipokuwa wamekwisha kuwaua wenyeji wote wa Ai katika bara, hapo katika nyika walipokuwamo wakiwafuatia, nao walikuwa wamekwisha anguka wote kwa makali ya upanga, hata walipokuwa wameangamizwa wote, ndipo Israeli wakarejea Ai, na kuupiga huo mji kwa makali ya upanga.
25 And so it was, that all that fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve thousand, even all the men of Ai.
Wote walioanguka siku hiyo waume kwa wake, walikuwa ni kumi na mbili elfu, yaani, watu wote wa mji wa Ai.
26 For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.
Kwani huyo Yoshua hakuuzuia mkono wake, huo ulionyosha huo mkuki, hata hapo alipokuwa amewaangamiza kabisa wenyeji wote wa Ai.
27 Only the cattle and the spoil of that city Israel took for a prey unto themselves, according unto the word of the LORD which he commanded Joshua.
Isipokuwa wanyama wa mji na nyara za mji Israeli wakatwaa wenyewe kuwa ni mapato yao, sawasawa na hilo neno la Bwana alilomwamuru Yoshua.
28 And Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever, even a desolation unto this day.
Basi Yoshua akaupiga moto mji wa Ai, na kuufanya kuwa ni chungu ya magofu hata milele, kuwa ni ukiwa hata siku hii ya leo.
29 And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: and as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his carcase down from the tree, and cast it at the entering of the gate of the city, and raise thereon a great heap of stones, that remaineth unto this day.
Na huyo mfalme wa Ai akamtundika katika mti hata wakati wa jioni; kisha hapo jua lilipokuchwa Yoshua akaagiza, nao wakauondoa mzoga wake katika huo mti, na kuutupa hapo penye maingilio ya lango la mji, kisha wakaweka pale juu yake chungu kubwa ya mawe, hata hivi leo.
30 Then Joshua built an altar unto the LORD God of Israel in mount Ebal,
Ndipo Yoshua alijenga madhabahu kwa Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli katika mlima Ebali.
31 as Moses the servant of the LORD commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones, over which no man hath lift up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings.
Kama Musa, mtumishi wa Bwana, alivyowaamuru wana wa Israeli, kama ilivyoandikwa katika kitabu cha torati ya Musa, madhabahu ya mawe yasiyochongwa, ambayo mtu hakutumia juu yake chombo cha chuma; nao wakatoa juu yake sadaka za kuteketezwa kwa Bwana, na kuchinja sadaka za amani.
32 And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel.
Akaandika huko juu ya mawe hayo nakala ya torati ya Musa, aliyoiandika mbele ya wana wa Israeli.
33 And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel.
Na Israeli wote, na wazee wao, na maakida yao, na makadhi yao, wakasimama upande huu wa sanduku na upande huu, mbele ya makuhani Walawi, waliolichukua sanduku la agano la Bwana, huyo aliyekuwa mgeni pamoja na huyo mzalia; nusu yao mbele ya mlima Gerizimu, na nusu yao mbele ya mlima Ebali, kama Musa, mtumishi wa Bwana, alivyoamuru, ili wawabarikie watu wa Israeli kwanza.
34 And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law.
Na baadaye alisoma maneno yote ya torati, baraka na laana, sawasawa na maneno yote yaliyoandikwa katika kitabu cha torati.
35 There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them.
Hapakuwa na hata neno moja katika hayo aliyoamuru Musa, ambalo Yoshua hakulisoma mbele ya kusanyiko lote la Israeli, na mbele ya wanawake, na watoto, na wageni waliokaa nao.
