Judges 19
1 There was a certain man, a Levite, living beside mount Ephraim, who took a wife from Bethlehem of Judah.
Ngalezonsuku abako-Israyeli babengelankosi. UmLevi othile owayehlala esiqintini esikhatshana, elizweni lamaqaqa elako-Efrayimi wathatha umfazi weceleni eBhethilehema koJuda.
2 She left him, and she returned to the house of her father in Bethlehem. And she stayed with him for four months.
Kodwa wayengathembekanga kuye. Wamtshiya wabuyela endlini kayise eBhethilehema, koJuda. Esehlale khona okwezinyanga ezine,
3 And her husband followed her, wishing to be reconciled with her, and to speak kindly to her, and to lead her back with him. And he had with him a servant and two donkeys. And she received him, and brought him into the house of her father. And when his father-in-law had heard about this, and had seen him, he met him with joy.
indoda yamlandela ukuyamncenga ukuba abuye. Indoda yayilenceku yayo labobabhemi ababili. Umfazi wamngenisa endlini kayise, njalo kwathi uyise embona wamamukela ngokuthokoza.
4 And he embraced the man. And the son-in-law stayed in the house of his father-in-law for three days, eating and drinking with him in a friendly manner.
Uyisezala, uyise wentombi, wamncenga ukuba ahlale; ngakho wahlala laye insuku ezintathu, esidla enatha, njalo elala khona.
5 But on the fourth day, arising in the night, he intended to set out. But his father-in-law took hold of him, and he said to him, “First taste a little bread, and strengthen your stomach, and then you shall set out.”
Ngelanga lesine bavuka ekuseni, walungiselela ukusuka, kodwa uyise wentombi wathi kumkhwenyana wakhe, “Qinisa umzimba wakho ngongakudla; ubusuhamba.”
6 And they sat down together, and they ate and drank. And the father of the young woman said to his son-in-law, “I ask you to remain here today, so that we may rejoice together.”
Ngakho bobabili bahlala phansi badla banatha. Emva kwalokho uyise wentombi wathi, “Ake ulale ubusuku balamuhla uzithokozise.”
7 But getting up, he intended to begin to set out. But nevertheless, his father-in-law pressed him resolutely, and made him remain with him.
Kwathi umuntu lowo evuka ukuba ahambe, uyisezala wamncenga, ngakho walala khona ngalobobusuku.
8 But when morning came, the Levite was preparing for his journey. And his father-in-law said to him again, “I beg you to take a little food, and to be strengthened, until the daylight increases, and after that, you shall set out.” Therefore, they ate together.
Ekuseni ngosuku lwesihlanu, wathi evuka ukuba ahambe, uyise wentombi wathi, “Phumula. Hlala kuze kube ngemva kwemini.” Ngakho bobabili badla ndawonye.
9 And the young man got up, so that he might travel with his wife and servant. And his father-in-law spoke to him again: “Consider that the daylight is declining, and it approaches toward evening. Remain with me also today, and spend the day in gladness. And tomorrow you shall set out, so that you may go to your own house.”
Kwathi lapho umuntu lowo, lomkakhe weceleni kanye lenceku yakhe belungiselela ukusuka, uyisezala, uyise wentombi wathi, “Khangela, sekuzakuhlwa. Lala lapha; ilanga selizatshona. Hlala uzithokozise. Kusasa ekuseni kakhulu uzavuka uthathe indlela yakho yokuya ekhaya.”
10 His son-in-law was not willing to agree to his words. Instead, he immediately continued on, and he arrived opposite Jebus, which by another name is called Jerusalem, leading with him two donkeys carrying burdens, and his mate.
Kodwa umuntu lowo engasafuni ukulala obunye ubusuku lapho, wasuka waqonda eJebusi (leyo yiJerusalema), labobabhemi bakhe ababili ababebotshelwe izihlalo kanye lomkakhe weceleni.
11 And now they were near Jebus, but day was turning into night. And the servant said to his lord, “Come, I beg you, let us turn aside to the city of the Jebusites, so that we may find lodging in it.”
Kwathi sebebanga eJebusi ilanga laselitshona, inceku yathi enkosini yayo, “Uyabona, kasime kulelidolobho lamaJebusi silale.”
12 His lord responded to him: “I will not enter into the town of a foreign people, who are not of the sons of Israel. Instead, I will cross over as far as Gibeah.
Inkosi yayo yathi, “Hayi. Kasiyikungena edolobheni elilabantu abangasibako-Israyeli. Sizaqhubeka siye eGibhiya.”
13 And when I will have arrived there, we will lodge in that place, or at least in the city of Ramah.”
Wengeza wathi, “Kasambeni, sizame ukuyafika eGibhiya loba eRama, silale kwenye yalezizindawo.”
14 Therefore, they passed by Jebus, and continuing on, they undertook the journey. But the sun went down on them when they were near Gibeah, which is of the tribe of Benjamin.
Ngakho baqhubeka, ilanga latshona sebebanga eGibhiya koBhenjamini.
15 And so they diverted to it, so that they might lodge there. And when they had entered, they were sitting in the street of the city. For no one was willing to give them hospitality.
Bema lapho ukuba balale khona. Bahamba bayahlala egcekeni ledolobho, kodwa kakho owabangenisa endlini yakhe ukuba balale khona.
16 And behold, they saw an old man, returning from the field and from his work in the evening, and he was also from mount Ephraim, and he was living as a stranger in Gibeah. For the men of that region were of the sons of Benjamin.
Ngalokhokuhlwa ixhegu laselizweni lamaqaqa ko-Efrayimi, elalihlala eGibhiya (abantu bakuleyondawo babengabakoBhenjamini), lafika livela emsebenzini walo emasimini.
17 And the old man, lifting up his eyes, saw the man sitting with his bundles in the street of the city. And he said to him: “Where have you come from? And where are you going?”
Selikhangele labona isihambi egcekeni ledolobho, ixhegu labuza lathi, “Liya ngaphi? Livela ngaphi?”
18 He answered him: “We set out from Bethlehem of Judah, and we are traveling to our own place, which is beside mount Ephraim. From there we went to Bethlehem, and now we go to the house of God. But no one is willing to receive us under his roof.
Yena waphendula wathi, “Siphakathi kohambo lwethu sivela eBhethilehema koJuda siya esiqintini esikhatshana elizweni lamaqaqa ko-Efrayimi lapho engihlala khona. Kade ngiseBhethilehema koJuda kodwa khathesi sengisiya endlini kaThixo. Akulamuntu ongingenise endlini yakhe.
19 We have straw and hay as fodder for the donkeys, and we have bread and wine for the use of myself, and for your handmaid and the servant who is with me. We lack nothing except lodging.”
Silotshani lokudla kwabobabhemi bethu lesinkwa kanye lewayini lethu thina zinceku zakho, mina lencekukazi yakho kanye lejaha esilalo. Kasisweli lutho.”
20 And the old man responded to him: “Peace be with you. I will provide all that is necessary. Only, I beg you, do not stay in the street.”
Ixhegu lathi, “Lamukelekile endlini yami. Ngizalinika konke elikuswelayo. Kodwa lingalali egcekeni.”
21 And he led him into his house, and he gave fodder to his donkeys. And after they had washed their feet, he received them with a banquet.
Ngakho lamngenisa endlini yalo, lanika labobabhemi bakhe ukudla. Sebegeze inyawo zabo, badla banatha.
22 And while they were feasting, and were refreshing their bodies with food and drink after the labor of the journey, the men of that city, sons of Belial (that is, without yoke), came and surrounded the old man’s house. And they began to knock at the door, calling out to the lord of the house, and saying, “Bring out the man who entered your house, so that we may abuse him.”
Besazitika, abanye babantu abaxhwalileyo bakulelodolobho bahanqa indlu leyo. Batshaya isivalo, bamemeza ixhegu elalingumnikazi wendlu besithi, “Mkhuphele phandle umuntu ongene endlini ukuze siye emacansini laye.”
23 And the old man went out to them, and he said: “Do not choose, brothers, do not choose to do this evil. For this man has entered to my hospitality. And you must cease from this senselessness.
Umnikazi wendlu waya phandle wathi kubo, “Hayi, bangane bami, lingenzi okubi kangaka. Njengoba umuntu eyisethekeli sami, lingenzi into elihlazo kanje.
24 I have a virgin daughter, and this man has a mate. I will lead them out to you, so that you may debase them and may satisfy your lust. Only, I beg you, do not commit this crime against nature on the man.”
Khangelani, nansi indodakazi yami eyintombi egcweleyo, kanye lomfazi weceleni walindoda. Ngizabaletha phandle kini, lingabasebenzisa lenze kubo konke elikufisayo. Kodwa lingenzi ihlazo elinjalo kule indoda.”
25 But they were not willing to agree to his words. So the man, discerning this, led out his mate to them, and he delivered her to their sexual abuse. And when they had abused her for the entire night, they released her in the morning.
Kodwa abantu labo kabamlalelanga. Ngakho indoda leyo yathatha umkayo weceleni yamusa phandle kubo, bamdlova njalo bamphatha kubi ubusuku bonke, kwathi emadabukakusa bamyekela wahamba.
26 But the woman, as darkness was receding, came to the door of the house, where her lord was staying, and there she fell down.
Ekuseni owesifazane lowo waya endlini lapho umkakhe ayehlezi khona, wawela emnyango, walala khonapho kwaze kwakhanya.
27 When morning came, the man arose, and he opened the door, so that he might complete the journey that he had begun. And behold, his mate was lying before the door, with her hands reaching out to the threshold.
Esevukile umkakhe ekuseni, wavula umnyango wendlu waphuma ukuba aqhubeke ngohambo lwakhe, wabona umkakhe weceleni ewele emnyango wendlu, izandla zakhe zisentubeni yomnyango.
28 And he, thinking that she was resting, said to her, “Get up, and let us walk.” But since she gave no response, realizing that she had died, he took her up, and he laid her on his donkey, and he returned to his house.
Wathi kuye, “Vuka; kasihambe.” Kodwa kamphendulanga. Ngakho umuntu lowo wambeka phezu kukababhemi wakhe wasuka waya emzini wakhe.
29 And when he had arrived, he took up a sword, and he cut into pieces the dead body of his wife, with her bones, into twelve parts. And he sent the pieces into all the parts of Israel.
Esefikile ekhaya wathatha ingqamu waquma umkakhe weceleni iziqayiqa ezilitshumi lambili wazithumela kuzozonke izigaba zako-Israyeli.
30 And when each one had seen this, they were crying out together, “Never has such a thing been done in Israel, from the day that our fathers ascended from Egypt, even to the present time. Let a sentence be brought and let us decide in common what ought to be done.”
Umuntu wonke owakubonayo lokho wathi, “Into enje kayikaze ibonakale loba yenziwe, selokhu u-Israyeli waphuma eGibhithe. Cabangani ngakho! Likuhlole! Litsho okungenziwa!”
