Numbers 8

1 Then the LORD said to Moses,

1 Bwana akamwambia Mose,

2 “Speak to Aaron and tell him: ‘When you set up the seven lamps, they are to light the area in front of the lampstand.’”

2 “Sema na Aroni umwambie, ‘Wakati utakapoziweka zile taa saba, zinatakiwa kuangaza eneo lililo mbele ya kinara cha taa.’”

3 And Aaron did so; he set up the lamps facing toward the front of the lampstand, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

3 Aroni akafanya hivyo; akaziweka zile taa ili zielekee mbele kwenye kinara cha taa, kama vile Bwana alivyomwamuru Mose.

4 This is how the lampstand was constructed: it was made of hammered gold from its base to its blossoms, fashioned according to the pattern the LORD had shown Moses.

4 Hivi ndivyo kinara cha taa kilivyotengenezwa: Kilitengenezwa kwa dhahabu iliyofuliwa, kuanzia kwenye kitako chake hadi kwenye maua yake. Kinara cha taa kilitengenezwa sawasawa kabisa na kielelezo ambacho Bwana alikuwa amemwonyesha Mose.

5 Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

5 Bwana akamwambia Mose:

6 “Take the Levites from among the Israelites and make them ceremonially clean.

6 “Watwae Walawi kutoka miongoni mwa Waisraeli wengine na uwatakase kwa kawaida ya ibada.

7 This is what you must do to cleanse them: Sprinkle them with the water of purification. Have them shave their whole bodies and wash their clothes, and so purify themselves.

7 Ili kuwatakasa fanya hivi: Nyunyizia maji ya utakaso juu yao; kisha uwaambie wanyoe nywele kwenye mwili mzima, wafue nguo zao na hivyo wajitakase wenyewe.

8 Then have them take a young bull with its grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, and you are to take a second young bull for a sin offering.

8 Waambie wamchukue fahali mchanga pamoja na sadaka yake ya nafaka ya unga laini uliochanganywa na mafuta; kisha utamchukua fahali mchanga wa pili kwa ajili ya sadaka ya dhambi.

9 Bring the Levites before the Tent of Meeting and assemble the whole congregation of Israel.

9 Walete Walawi mbele ya Hema la Kukutania na ukusanye jumuiya yote ya Waisraeli.

10 You are to present the Levites before the LORD and have the Israelites lay their hands upon them.

10 Utawaleta Walawi mbele za Bwana, na Waisraeli wataweka mikono yao juu ya Walawi.

11 Aaron is to present the Levites before the LORD as a wave offering from the sons of Israel, so that they may perform the service of the LORD.

11 Aroni atawaweka Walawi mbele za Bwana kama sadaka ya kuinua kutoka kwa Waisraeli, ili kwamba wawe tayari kuifanya kazi ya Bwana.

12 And the Levites are to lay their hands on the heads of the bulls, and offer to the LORD one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering, to make atonement for the Levites.

12 “Baada ya Walawi kuweka mikono yao juu ya vichwa vya hao mafahali wawili, tumia mmoja kwa ajili ya sadaka ya dhambi kwa Bwana, na mwingine kuwa sadaka ya kuteketezwa, ili kufanya upatanisho kwa ajili ya Walawi.

13 You are to have the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons and then present them before the LORD as a wave offering.

13 Waambie hao Walawi wasimame mbele ya Aroni na wanawe, kisha wawatoe kama sadaka ya kuinuliwa kwa Bwana.

14 In this way you shall separate the Levites from the rest of the Israelites, and the Levites will belong to Me.

14 Kwa njia hii utakuwa umewatenga Walawi kutoka kwa Waisraeli wengine, nao Walawi watakuwa wangu.

15 After you have cleansed them and presented them as a wave offering, they may come to serve at the Tent of Meeting.

15 “Utakapokuwa umekwisha kuwatakasa Walawi na kuwatoa kama sadaka ya kuinuliwa, watakuja kufanya kazi yao katika Hema la Kukutania.

16 For the Levites have been wholly given to Me from among the sons of Israel. I have taken them for Myself in place of all who come first from the womb, the firstborn of all the sons of Israel.

16 Wao ndio Waisraeli ambao watatolewa kabisa kwangu. Nimewatwaa kama mali yangu mwenyewe badala ya mzaliwa wa kwanza, mzaliwa wa kwanza wa kiume kutoka kwa kila mwanamke wa Kiisraeli.

17 For every firstborn male in Israel is Mine, both man and beast. I set them apart for Myself on the day I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt.

17 Kila mzaliwa wa kwanza wa kiume katika Israeli, awe wa mwanadamu au mnyama, ni wangu. Wakati nilipowaua wazaliwa wote wa kwanza huko Misri, niliwatenga kwa ajili yangu mwenyewe.

18 But I have taken the Levites in place of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel.

18 Nami nimewatwaa Walawi badala ya wazaliwa wote wa kwanza wa kiume katika Israeli.

19 And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the Israelites, to perform the service for the Israelites at the Tent of Meeting and to make atonement on their behalf, so that no plague will come against the Israelites when they approach the sanctuary.”

19 Kati ya Waisraeli wote, nimempa Aroni na wanawe Walawi kama zawadi ili wafanye kazi katika Hema la Kukutania kwa niaba ya Waisraeli, na kufanya upatanisho kwa ajili yao ili pasiwepo na pigo lolote litakalowapata Waisraeli wakati watakapokaribia mahali patakatifu.”

20 So Moses, Aaron, and the whole congregation of Israel did with the Levites everything that the LORD had commanded Moses they should do.

20 Mose, Aroni na jumuiya yote ya Waisraeli wakawafanyia Walawi kama Bwana alivyomwamuru Mose.

21 The Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes, and Aaron presented them as a wave offering before the LORD. Aaron also made atonement for them to cleanse them.

21 Walawi wakajitakasa wenyewe na wakafua nguo zao. Kisha Aroni akawasogeza mbele za Bwana kuwa sadaka ya kuinuliwa, na kufanya upatanisho kwa ajili yao ili kuwatakasa.

22 After that, the Levites came to perform their service at the Tent of Meeting in the presence of Aaron and his sons. Thus they did with the Levites just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

22 Baada ya hayo, Walawi walikuja kufanya kazi yao katika Hema la Kukutania chini ya usimamizi wa Aroni na wanawe. Waliwafanyia Walawi kama vile Bwana alivyomwamuru Mose.

23 And the LORD said to Moses,

23 Bwana akamwambia Mose,

24 “This applies to the Levites: Men twenty-five years of age or older shall enter to perform the service in the work at the Tent of Meeting.

24 “Hili linawahusu Walawi: Wanaume wenye umri wa miaka ishirini na mitano au zaidi watakuja kushiriki katika kazi kwenye Hema la Kukutania,

25 But at the age of fifty, they must retire from performing the work and no longer serve.

25 lakini watakapofika umri wa miaka hamsini, ni lazima waache kazi zao za kawaida wala wasiendelee.

26 After that, they may assist their brothers in fulfilling their duties at the Tent of Meeting, but they themselves are not to do the work. This is how you are to assign responsibilities to the Levites.”

26 Wanaweza kuwasaidia ndugu zao kufanya wajibu wao katika Hema la Kukutania, lakini wao wenyewe kamwe hawatafanya hiyo kazi. Basi, hivi ndivyo utakavyogawa wajibu kwa Walawi.”