Joshua Tell Israel make dem Hold Tight
Joshua, wey don old, gada di leaders and make im warning simple: hold am tight, no marry from di nations wey remain or serve dia gods. E talk from wetin e don see — not even one of our Papa promise fail — and e talk say di bad words go come true di same way.
23 1Long time afta our Papa give Israel rest from all dia enemies wey surround dem, Joshua don old, im don reach many years. 2Joshua call all Israel—di elders, di heads, di judges, di officers—come, e talk say, “I don old, I don reach many years. 3Una don see everytin wey your Papa do to all dis nations because of una; na your Papa fight for una. 4See, I don share give una, as inheritance for una tribes, dis nations wey remain, plus all di nations wey I don cut off, from di Jordan reach di Great Sea for west side. 5Your Papa imsef go push dem back and drive dem comot for una front, and una go take dia land, as your Papa promise una.
6Make una strong well well, to keep and do everytin wey dem write for di book of di law of Moses, no turn from am to right or to left. 7No mix wit dis nations wey remain among una. No call di name of dia gods or swear by dem; no serve dem or bow down give dem. 8But hold tight to your Papa, as una don dey do reach today.
9Your Papa don drive out big and strong nations for una front; nobody don fit stand against una reach today. 10One person among una go chase 1,000, bcos na your Papa imsef dey fight for una, as e promise una. 11So make una watch unasef well well, to love your Papa. 12But if una turn back and hold dis nations wey remain among una, and una marry dem, and mix wit dem and dem wit una, 13make una know for sure say your Papa no go drive dis nations comot for una front again. Dem go be trap and snare for una, whip for una side and thorn for una eye, until una perish comot for dis good land wey your Papa give una.
14See, now now I dey go di road wey all di earth go follow. Una sabi wit all una heart and all una soul say no even one of di good tins wey your Papa promise concerning una fail—all of dem don come true for una; not even one fail. 15Just as every good word wey your Papa talk to una come true, na so e go bring on una every bad tin, until e destroy una comot for dis good land wey e give una. 16If una break your Papa Covenant, wey e command una, and una go serve oda gods and bow give dem, your Papa vex go burn against una, and quick-quick una go perish comot for di good land wey e give una.”
