1 Samuel 7

1 So the men of Kiriath-jearim came and took the ark of the Lord to the house of Abinadab in Gibeah, and they made his son Eleazar holy and put the ark in his care.

Kisha watu wa Kiriath-Yearimu wakaja na kulichukua Sanduku la Bwana. Wakalipeleka katika nyumba ya Abinadabu juu kilimani na kumweka Eleazari mwanawe wakfu kulichunga Sanduku la Bwana.

2 And the ark was in Kiriath-jearim for a long time, as much as twenty years: and all Israel was searching after the Lord with weeping.

Sanduku la Bwana lilibakia huko Kiriath-Yearimu kwa muda mrefu, yaani jumla ya miaka ishirini, nao watu wa Israeli wakaomboleza na kumtafuta Bwana.

3 Then Samuel said to all Israel, If with all your hearts you would come back to the Lord, then put away all the strange gods and the Astartes from among you, and let your hearts be turned to the Lord, and be servants to him only: and he will make you safe from the hands of the Philistines.

Naye Samweli akawaambia nyumba yote ya Israeli, “Ikiwa mtamrudia Bwana kwa mioyo yenu yote, basi iacheni miungu migeni na Maashtorethi na kujitoa wenyewe kwa Bwana na kumtumikia yeye peke yake, naye atawaokoa ninyi na mkono wa Wafilisti.”

4 So the children of Israel gave up the worship of Baal and Astarte, and became worshippers of the Lord only.

Hivyo Waisraeli wakaweka mbali Mabaali yao na Maashtorethi, nao wakamtumikia Bwana peke yake.

5 Then Samuel said, Let all Israel come to Mizpah and I will make prayer to the Lord for you.

Kisha Samweli akasema, “Wakusanyeni Israeli wote huko Mispa, nami nitawaombea ninyi kwa Bwana.”

6 So they came together to Mizpah, and got water, draining it out before the Lord, and they took no food that day, and they said, We have done evil against the Lord. And Samuel was judge of the children of Israel in Mizpah.

Walipokwisha kukutanika huko Mispa, walichota maji na kuyamimina mbele za Bwana. Siku hiyo walifunga na wakaungama, wakisema, “Tumetenda dhambi dhidi ya Bwana.” Naye Samweli alikuwa kiongozi wa Israeli huko Mispa.

7 Now when the Philistines had news that the children of Israel had come together at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And the children of Israel, hearing of it, were full of fear.

Wafilisti waliposikia kwamba Israeli wamekusanyika huko Mispa, watawala wa Wafilisti wakapanda ili kuwashambulia. Waisraeli waliposikia habari hiyo, waliogopa kwa sababu ya Wafilisti.

8 And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Go on crying to the Lord our God for us to make us safe from the hands of the Philistines.

Wakamwambia Samweli, “Usiache kumlilia Bwana, Mungu wetu, kwa ajili yetu, ili apate kutuokoa na mikono ya Wafilisti.”

9 And Samuel took a young lamb, offering all of it as a burned offering to the Lord; and Samuel made prayers to the Lord for Israel and the Lord gave him an answer.

Kisha Samweli akamchukua mwana-kondoo anyonyaye na kumtoa mzima kama sadaka ya kuteketezwa kwa Bwana. Akamlilia Bwana kwa niaba ya Israeli, naye Bwana akamjibu.

10 And while Samuel was offering the burned offering, the Philistines came near for the attack on Israel; but at the thunder of the Lord's voice that day the Philistines were overcome with fear, and they gave way before Israel.

Samweli alipokuwa anatoa hiyo dhabihu ya kuteketezwa, Wafilisti wakasogea karibu ili kupigana vita na Israeli. Lakini siku ile Bwana alinguruma kwa ngurumo kubwa dhidi ya Wafilisti na kuwafanya wafadhaike na kutetemeka hivi kwamba walikimbizwa mbele ya Waisraeli.

11 And the men of Israel went out from Mizpah and went after the Philistines, attacking them till they came under Beth-car.

Watu wa Israeli wakatoka mbio huko Mispa na kuwafuatia Wafilisti, wakiwachinja njiani hadi mahali chini ya Beth-Kari.

12 Then Samuel took a stone and put it up between Mizpah and Jeshanah, naming it Eben-ezer, and saying, Up to now the Lord has been our help.

Ndipo Samweli akachukua jiwe na kulisimamisha kati ya Mispa na Sheni. Akaliita Ebenezeri, akisema, “Hata sasa Bwana ametusaidia.”

13 So the Philistines were overcome, and did not come into the country of Israel again: and all the days of Samuel the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines.

Basi Wafilisti wakashindwa na hawakuvamia nchi ya Israeli tena. Katika maisha yote ya Samweli, mkono wa Bwana ulikuwa dhidi ya Wafilisti.

14 And the towns which the Philistines had taken were given back to Israel, from Ekron to Gath, and all the country round them Israel made free from the power of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

Miji kuanzia Ekroni hadi Gathi, ile ambayo Wafilisti walikuwa wameiteka kutoka Israeli, ilirudishwa kwake, naye Israeli akazikomboa nchi jirani mikononi mwa Wafilisti. Kukawepo amani kati ya Israeli na Waamori.

15 And Samuel was judge of Israel all the days of his life.

Samweli akaendelea kama mwamuzi juu ya Israeli siku zote za maisha yake.

16 From year to year he went in turn to Beth-el and Gilgal and Mizpah, judging Israel in all those places.

Mwaka hadi mwaka aliendelea kuzunguka kutoka Betheli mpaka Gilgali na Mispa, akiamua Israeli katika sehemu hizo zote.

17 And his base was at Ramah, where his house was; there he was judge of Israel and there he made an altar to the Lord.

Lakini kila mara alirudi Rama, kulikokuwa nyumbani kwake, huko pia aliwaamua Israeli. Naye huko alimjengea Bwana madhabahu.