< Judges 11 >

1 At that time, there was a Gileadite, Jephthah, a very strong man and a fighter, the son of a kept woman, and he was born of Gilead.
Na rĩrĩ, Jefitha aarĩ Mũgileadi warĩ njamba yarĩ hinya. Nake ithe wa Jefitha eetagwo Gileadi, na nyina aarĩ mũmaraya.
2 Now Gilead had a wife, from whom he received sons. And they, after growing up, cast out Jephthah, saying, “You cannot inherit in the house of our father, because you were born of another mother.”
Mũtumia wa Gileadi o nake akĩmũciarĩra aanake, na rĩrĩa maagimarire makĩingata Jefitha. Nao makiuga atĩrĩ, “Wee ndũkagaya igai thĩinĩ wa nyũmba iitũ, tondũ ũrĩ wa mũtumia ũngĩ.”
3 And so, fleeing and avoiding them, he lived in the land of Tob. And men who were indigent and robbers joined with him, and they followed him as their leader.
Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Jefitha akĩũrĩra ariũ a ithe, agĩthiĩ gũtũũra bũrũri wa Tobu, kũrĩa gĩkundi kĩa andũ matarĩ kĩene kĩamũrigiicĩirie na gĩkĩmũrũmĩrĩra.
4 In those days, the sons of Ammon fought against Israel.
Thuutha wa ihinda inini, hĩndĩ ĩrĩa Aamoni maahaarĩirie mbaara na Isiraeli,
5 And being steadfastly attacked, the elders of Gilead traveled so that they might obtain for their assistance Jephthah, from the land of Tob.
athuuri a Gileadi magĩthiĩ kũgĩĩra Jefitha kuuma bũrũri wa Tobu.
6 And they said to him, “Come and be our leader, and fight against the sons of Ammon.”
Nao makĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Ũka, ũtuĩke mũnene witũ wa ita, nĩgeetha tũhũũrane na Aamoni.”
7 But he answered them: “Are you not the ones who hated me, and who cast me out of my father’s house? And yet now you come to me, compelled by necessity?”
Jefitha akĩmeera atĩrĩ, “Githĩ mũtiathũũrire mũkĩnyingata kuuma nyũmba ya baba? Nĩ kĩĩ kĩratũma mũũke kũrĩ niĩ rĩu mũrĩ na thĩĩna?”
8 And the leaders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “But it is due to this necessity that we have approached you now, so that you may set out with us, and fight against the sons of Ammon, and be commander over all who live in Gilead.”
Athuuri a Gileadi makĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “O na kũrĩ ũguo, nĩtwagũcookerera; twarana na ithuĩ tũkahũũrane na Aamoni, na nĩũgũtuĩka mũnene witũ wa gwathaga andũ othe arĩa matũũraga Gileadi.”
9 Jephthah also said to them: “If you have come to me so that I may fight for you against the sons of Ammon, and if the Lord will deliver them into my hands, will I truly be your leader?”
Jefitha akĩmooria atĩrĩ, “Mũngĩnjookia ngahũũrane na Aamoni nake Jehova amaneane kũrĩ niĩ-rĩ, ti-itherũ niĩ nĩngatuĩka mũnene wanyu?”
10 They answered him, “The Lord who hears these things is himself the Mediator and the Witness that we shall do what we have promised.”
Athuuri acio a Gileadi makĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Jehova nĩwe mũira witũ; nĩtũgwĩka o ta ũrĩa ũkuuga.”
11 And so Jephthah went with the leaders of Gilead, and all the people made him their leader. And Jephthah spoke all his words, in the sight of the Lord, at Mizpah.
Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Jefitha agĩthiĩ hamwe na athuuri a Gileadi, na andũ acio makĩmũtua mũnene na mwathi wao. Nake agĩcookera ciugo ciake ciothe mbere ya Jehova o kũu Mizipa.
12 And he sent messengers to the king of the sons of Ammon, who said on his behalf, “What is there between you and me, that you would approach against me, so that you might lay waste to my land?”
Ningĩ Jefitha agĩtũmana kũrĩ mũthamaki wa Aamoni na kĩũria gĩkĩ: “Nĩ ũhoro ũrĩkũ ũrĩ naguo na ithuĩ nĩgeetha ũtharĩkĩre bũrũri witũ?”
13 And he responded to them, “It is because Israel took my land, when he ascended from Egypt, from the parts of Arnon, as far as the Jabbok and the Jordan. Now therefore, restore these to me with peace.”
Mũthamaki wa Aamoni agĩcookeria andũ a Jefitha atĩrĩ, “Hĩndĩ ĩrĩa Isiraeli maambatire kuuma Misiri, nĩmooire bũrũri wakwa kuuma Arinoni nginya Jaboku, o na nginya Jorodani. Rĩu njookeriai bũrũri ũcio na thayũ.”
14 And Jephthah again commissioned them, and he ordered them to say to the king of Ammon:
Nake Jefitha agĩtũma andũ rĩngĩ kũrĩ mũthamaki wa Aamoni,
15 “Jephthah says this: Israel did not take the land of Moab, nor the land of the sons of Ammon.
akiuga atĩrĩ: “Ũũ nĩguo Jefitha oiga: Isiraeli ndooire bũrũri wa Moabi kana bũrũri wa Aamoni.
16 But when they ascended together from Egypt, he walked through the desert as far as the Red Sea, and he went into Kadesh.
No rĩrĩa maambatire makiuma Misiri, Isiraeli maatuĩkanĩirie werũ-inĩ nginya Iria Itune, magĩkinya Kadeshi.
17 And he sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, ‘Permit me to pass through your land.’ But he was not willing to agree to his petition. Likewise, he sent to the king of Moab, who also refused to offer him passage. And so he delayed in Kadesh,
Ningĩ Isiraeli agĩtũma andũ kũrĩ mũthamaki wa Edomu, makamwĩre atĩrĩ, ‘Twĩtĩkĩrie tũtuĩkanĩrie bũrũri-inĩ waku,’ no mũthamaki wa Edomu ndaigana gũthikĩrĩria. Ningĩ magĩtũmana kũrĩ mũthamaki wa Moabi, nake akĩrega. Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Isiraeli magĩikara kũu Kadeshi.
18 and he circled around the side of the land of Edom and the land of Moab. And he arrived opposite the eastern region of the land of Moab. And he made camp across the Arnon. But he was not willing to enter the borders of Moab. (Of course, Arnon is the border of the land of Moab.)
“Magĩcooka magĩtuĩkanĩria werũ-inĩ, magĩthiũrũrũka bũrũri wa Edomu na Moabi, makĩgerera mwena wa irathĩro wa bũrũri wa Moabi, na makĩamba hema ciao mũrĩmo ũũrĩa ũngĩ wa Arinoni. Nao matiatoonyire bũrũri wa Moabi, nĩgũkorwo Rũũĩ rwa Arinoni nĩruo rwarĩ mũhaka wakuo.
19 And so Israel sent messengers to Sihon, the king of the Amorites, who was living at Heshbon. And they said to him, “Permit me to cross through your land as far as the river.”
“Ningĩ Isiraeli agĩtũma andũ kũrĩ Sihoni mũthamaki wa Aamori, ũrĩa waathanaga Heshiboni, makĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, ‘Twĩtĩkĩrie tũhĩtũkĩre bũrũri-inĩ waku tũthiĩ bũrũri witũ.’
20 But he, too, despising the words of Israel, would not permit him to cross through his borders. Instead, gathering an innumerable multitude, he went out against him at Jahaz, and he resisted strongly.
Na rĩrĩ, Sihoni ndaigana kwĩhoka Isiraeli mahĩtũkĩre bũrũri wake. Akĩũngania ita rĩake rĩothe na akĩamba hema kũu Jahazu, na akĩhũũrana na Isiraeli.
21 But the Lord delivered him, with his entire army, into the hands of Israel. And he struck him down, and he possessed all the land of the Amorite, the inhabitant of that region,
“Nake Jehova, Ngai wa Isiraeli, akĩneana Sihoni na andũ ake othe moko-inĩ ma Isiraeli, makĩmahoota. Isiraeli makĩĩyoera bũrũri wothe wa Aamori arĩa maatũũraga bũrũri ũcio,
22 with all its parts, from the Arnon as far as the Jabbok, and from the wilderness even to the Jordan.
magĩtunyana guothe kuuma Arinoni nginya Jaboku, na kuuma werũ-inĩ nginya Jorodani.
23 Therefore, it was the Lord, the God of Israel, who overthrew the Amorites, by means of his people Israel fighting against them. And now you wish to possess his land?
“Na rĩrĩ, kuona atĩ Jehova, Ngai wa Isiraeli nĩwe ũingatĩte Aamori akameheria mbere ya andũ ake Isiraeli-rĩ, wee ũkĩrĩ na kĩhooto kĩrĩkũ gĩa kũwĩgwatĩra?
24 Are not the things that your god Chemosh possesses owed to you by right? And so, what the Lord our God has obtained by victory falls to us as a possession.
Kaĩ ũtangĩoya kĩrĩa Kemoshu ngai yaku ĩkũheete? Ithuĩ na ithuĩ twĩgwatĩre kĩrĩa gĩothe Jehova Ngai witũ atũheete.
25 Or are you, perhaps, better than Balak, the son of Zippor, the king of Moab? Or are you able to explain what his argument was against Israel, and why he fought against him?
Anga wee nĩũkĩrĩte Balaki mũrũ wa Ziporu, mũthamaki wa Moabi? Nĩ kũrĩ hĩndĩ arĩ ahaarana na Isiraeli kana akĩrũa nao?
26 And though he has lived in Heshbon, and its villages, and in Aroer, and its villages, and in all the cities near the Jordan for three hundred years, why have you, for such long a time, put forward nothing about this claim?
Handũ ha mĩaka magana matatũ Isiraeli matũũrĩte kũu Heshiboni, na Aroeri, na matũũra marĩa mothe magũthiũrũrũkĩirie, na matũũra mothe marĩa marĩ hũgũrũrũ-inĩ cia Arinoni. Nĩ kĩĩ kĩagiririe ũmeyoere rĩngĩ hĩndĩ ĩyo?
27 Therefore, I am not sinning against you, but you are doing evil against me, by declaring an unjust war against me. May the Lord be the Judge and the Arbiter this day, between Israel and the sons of Ammon.”
Niĩ ndikũhĩtĩirie, no wee nĩũranjĩka ũũru nĩ ũndũ wa kũndehera mbaara. Reke Jehova, ũrĩa mũtuithania, atuithanie ciira ũyũ ũmũthĩ gatagatĩ ka andũ a Isiraeli na Aamoni.”
28 But the king of the sons of Ammon was not willing to agree to the words of Jephthah that he commissioned by the messengers.
O na kũrĩ ũguo, mũthamaki wa Amoni ndaigana kũrũmbũiya ndũmĩrĩri ĩyo aatũmĩirwo nĩ Jefitha.
29 Therefore, the Spirit of the Lord rested upon Jephthah, and circling around Gilead, and Manasseh, and also Mizpah of Gilead, and crossing from there to the sons of Ammon,
Hĩndĩ ĩyo Roho wa Jehova agĩũka igũrũ rĩa Jefitha. Akĩringa Gileadi na Manase, akĩhĩtũkĩra Mizipa ya Gileadi, na kuuma kũu agĩthiĩ gũkora Aamoni.
30 he made a vow to the Lord, saying, “If you will deliver the sons of Ammon into my hands,
Nake Jefitha akĩĩhĩta mwĩhĩtwa mbere ya Jehova, akiuga atĩrĩ, “Ũngĩneana Aamoni moko-nĩ makwa-rĩ,
31 whoever will be the first to depart from the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the sons of Ammon, the same will I offer as a holocaust to the Lord.”
o kĩrĩa gĩkoima nja na mũrango wa nyũmba yakwa kĩndũnge rĩrĩa ngaacooka hootanĩte kuuma kũrĩ Aamoni, gĩgaatuĩka kĩa Jehova, na nĩngakĩruta gĩtuĩke igongona rĩa njino.”
32 And Jephthah crossed to the sons of Ammon, so that he might fight against them. And the Lord delivered them into his hands.
Nake Jefitha agĩthiĩ kũhũũrana na Aamoni, nake Jehova akĩmaneana moko-inĩ make.
33 And he struck them down from Aroer, as far as the entrance to Minnith, twenty cities, and as far as Abel, which is covered with vineyards, in an exceedingly great slaughter. And the sons of Ammon were humbled by the sons of Israel.
Agĩthũkangia matũũra mĩrongo ĩĩrĩ kuuma Aroeri nginya gũkuhĩ na Minithu, o nginya Abeli-Karamimu. Ũguo nĩguo Isiraeli maatooririe Aamoni.
34 But when Jephthah returned to Mizpah, to his own house, his only daughter met him with timbrels and dances. For he had no other children.
Hĩndĩ ĩrĩa Jefitha aacookire gwake mũciĩ kũu Mizipa-rĩ, nũũ wagĩũkire kũmũtũnga tiga mwarĩ, akĩmũinagĩra na akĩhũũraga tũhembe! Nake aarĩ mwana wa mũmwe. Tiga o we wiki, Jefitha ndaarĩ na kahĩĩ kana kairĩtu.
35 And upon seeing her, he tore his garments, and he said: “Alas, my daughter! You have cheated me, and you yourself have been cheated. For I opened my mouth to the Lord, and I can do nothing else.”
Rĩrĩa aamuonire-rĩ, agĩtembũranga nguo ciake agĩkaya, akiuga atĩrĩ, “Ũũi! Mwarĩ wakwa! Nĩwandua mũndũ mũthĩĩnĩku na mũnyamarĩku nĩ ũndũ nĩndĩhĩtĩte mwĩhĩtwa harĩ Jehova ũrĩa itangĩaga kũhingia.”
36 And she answered him, “My father, if you have opened your mouth to the Lord, do to me whatever you have promised, since victory has been granted to you, as well as vengeance against your enemies.”
Nake akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Baba, wee nĩweehĩtire mwĩhĩtwa kũrĩ Jehova. Njĩka o ta ũrĩa weranĩire, kuona atĩ Jehova nĩakũrĩhĩria harĩ Aamoni thũ ciaku.”
37 And she said to her father: “Grant to me this one thing, which I request. Permit me, that I may wander the hillsides for two months, and that I may mourn my virginity with my companions.”
Ningĩ akiuga atĩrĩ, “No nĩngũkũũria ũnjĩtĩkĩrie ũndũ ũyũ ũmwe: Ũũhe mĩeri ĩĩrĩ ngacangacange irĩma-inĩ na ndĩre hamwe na arata akwa, tondũ ndikaahika.”
38 And he answered her, “Go.” And he released her for two months. And when she had departed with her friends and companions, she wept over her virginity in the hillsides.
Akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “No ũthiĩ.” Akĩmwĩtĩkĩria athiĩ mĩeri ĩĩrĩ. We marĩ na airĩtu acio angĩ magĩthiĩ irĩma-inĩ, makĩrĩranĩra tondũ ndarĩ hĩndĩ angĩkaahika.
39 And when the two months expired, she returned to her father, and he did to her just as he had vowed, though she knew no man. From this, the custom grew up in Israel, and the practice has been preserved,
Thuutha wa mĩeri ĩyo ĩĩrĩ, agĩcooka kũrĩ ithe, nake akĩmwĩka o ta ũrĩa eehĩtĩte. Nake aarĩ mũirĩtu gathirange. Kuumanagia na ũndũ ũcio, ũgĩtuĩka mũtugo wa andũ a Isiraeli,
40 such that, after each year passes, the daughters of Israel convene as one, and they lament the daughter of Jephthah, the Gileadite, for four days.
atĩ o mwaka airĩtu a Isiraeli mathiiage nja mĩthenya ĩna kũririkana mwarĩ wa Jefitha ũcio Mũgileadi.

< Judges 11 >