< Judges 11 >

1 There was at that time Jephte the Galaadite, a most valiant man and a warrior, the son of a woman that was a harlot, and his father was Galaad.
Pea ko Sefita ko e tangata Kiliati, ko e tangata toʻa lahi, pea ko e tama ia ʻae fefine angahala: pea ko e foha ʻo Kiliati ʻa Sefita.
2 Now Galaad had a wife of whom he had sons: who after they were grown up, thrust out Jephte, saying: Thou canst not inherit in the house of our father, because thou art born of another mother.
Pea naʻe fanauʻi ʻe he uaifi ʻo Kiliati ʻae ngaahi tama; pea naʻe tupu hake ʻae ngaahi tama ʻa hono uaifi, pea naʻa nau kapusi ʻa Sefita, ʻonau pehē kiate ia, “ʻE ʻikai te ke hoko koe ki ha meʻa ʻi he fale ʻo ʻetau tamai: he ko e tama koe ʻae fefine kehe.”
3 Then he fled and avoided them and dwelt in the land of Tob: and there were gathered to him needy men, and robbers, and they followed him as their prince.
Pea naʻe hola ai ʻa Sefita mei hono ngaahi kāinga, pea nofo ia ʻi he fonua ko Topi: pea naʻe kātoa kia Sefita ʻae kau tangata launoa, ʻonau ʻalu fano mo ia.
4 In those days the children of Ammon made war against Israel.
Pea fuoloaange mo ʻene hoko ʻo pehē, naʻe te u tau ʻae fānau ʻa ʻAmoni ki ʻIsileli.
5 And as they pressed hard upon them, the ancients of Galaad went to fetch Jephte out of the land of Tob to help them:
Pea ʻi he te u tau ʻae fānau ʻa ʻAmoni ki ʻIsileli, pea pehē, naʻe ʻalu ʻae kau mātuʻa ʻo Kiliati ke ʻomi ʻa Sefita mei he fonua ko Topi:
6 And they said to him: Come thou and be our prince, and fight against the children of Ammon.
Pea naʻa nau pehē kia Sefita, “Haʻu koe, ʻo hoko ko homau ʻeikitau, koeʻuhi ketau tauʻi ʻae fānau ʻa ʻAmoni.”
7 And he answered them: Are not you the men that hated me, and cast me out of my father’s house, and now you are come to me constrained by necessity?
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Sefita ki he kau mātuʻa ʻo Kiliati, “ʻIkai naʻa mou fehiʻa kiate au, pea kapusi au mei he fale ʻo ʻeku tamai? Pea ko e hā kuo mou haʻu ai kiate au ʻi hoʻomou tuʻutāmaki?”
8 And the princes of Galaad said to Jephte: For this cause we are now come to thee, that thou mayst go with us, and fight against the children of Ammon, and be head over all the inhabitants of Galaad.
Pea pehē ʻe he kau mātuʻa ʻo Kiliati kia Sefita, “Ko ia ʻoku mau toe kumi ni kiate koe, koeʻuhi ke tau ō, pea tauʻi ʻae fānau ʻa ʻAmoni, pea ke hoko ko homau ʻeiki ʻi he kakai kotoa pē ʻo Kiliati.”
9 Jephte also said to them: If you be come to me sincerely, that I should fight for you against the children of Ammon, and the Lord shall deliver them into my band, shall I be your prince?
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Sefita ki he kau mātuʻa ʻo Kiliati, “Kapau ʻoku mou ʻave au ki hoku fonua ke u tauʻi ʻae fānau ʻa ʻAmoni, pea tukuange ʻakinautolu ʻe Sihova ʻi hoku ʻao, te u hoko moʻoni ai ko homou ʻeiki?”
10 They answered him: The Lord who heareth these things, he himself is mediator and witness that we will do as we have promised.
Pea pehē ʻe he kau mātuʻa ʻo Kiliati kia Sefita, “Ke ʻafio ʻe Sihova kiate kitaua, ʻo kapau ʻe ʻikai te mau fai ʻo hangē ko hoʻo lea.”
11 Jephte therefore went with the princes of Galaad, and all the people made him their prince. And Jephte spoke all his words before the Lord in Maspha.
Pea naʻe toki ʻalu ʻa Sefita mo e kau mātuʻa ʻo Kiliati, pea fakanofo ia ʻe he kakai ko e pule mo e ʻeikitau kiate kinautolu: pea naʻe fai ʻe Sefita ʻene ngaahi lea kotoa pē ʻi he ʻao ʻo Sihova ʻi Misipa.
12 And he sent messengers to the king of the children of Ammon, to say in his name, What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come against me, to waste my land?
Pea naʻe fekau ʻe Sefita ʻae kau talafekau ki he tuʻi ʻoe fānau ʻa ʻAmoni, ʻo pehē, “Ko e hā haʻo kau kiate au koeʻuhi kuo ke haʻu ai ke tauʻi au ʻi hoku fonua?”
13 And he answered them: I Because Israel took away my land when he came up out of Egypt, from the confines of the Arnon unto the Jaboc and the Jordan: now therefore restore the same peaceably to me.
Pea naʻe lea ʻae tuʻi ʻoe fānau ʻa ʻAmoni ki he kau talafekau ʻa Sefita, ʻo pehē, “Ko e meʻa ʻi he faʻaoa ʻe ʻIsileli hoku fonua, ʻi heʻenau haʻu mei ʻIsipite, mei ʻAlanoni ʻo aʻu ki Sapoki, pea hoko ki Sioatani: ko ia ke ke toe tuku mai fiemālie pē ʻae ngaahi fonua ko ia.”
14 And Jephte again sent word by them, and commanded them to say to the king of Ammon:
Pea naʻe toe fekau ʻe Sefita ʻae kau talafekau ki he tuʻi ʻoe fānau ʻa ʻAmoni:
15 Thus saith Jephte: Israel did not take away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon:
Pea ne pehē kiate ia, ʻoku pehē ʻe Sefita, “Naʻe ʻikai faʻaoa ʻe ʻIsileli ʻae fonua ʻo Moape, pe ko e fonua ʻoe fānau ʻa ʻAmoni:
16 But when they came up out of Egypt, he walked through the desert to the Red Sea and came into Cades.
Ka ʻi he ʻalu hake ʻa ʻIsileli mei ʻIsipite, pea fononga ʻo ʻasi ʻi he toafa mo e tahi Kulokula, pea hoko ki Ketesi;
17 And he sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying: Suffer me to pass through thy land. But he would not condescend to his request. He sent also to the king of Moab, who likewise refused to give him passage. He abode therefore in Cades,
Naʻe fekau ai ʻe ʻIsileli ki he tuʻi ʻo ʻItomi, ʻo pehē, ʻOku ou kole kiate koe, tuku ke u ʻalu ʻi ho fonua: ka naʻe ʻikai tokanga ki ai ʻae tuʻi ʻo ʻItomi. Pea naʻe pehē pe ʻenau fekau ki he tuʻi ʻo Moape: ka naʻe ʻikai loto ia ki ai: pea naʻe nofo pe ʻa ʻIsileli ʻi Ketesi.
18 And went round the land of Edom at the side, and the land of Moab: and came over against the east coast of the land of Moab, and camped on the other side of the Arnon: and he would not enter the bounds of Moab.
Naʻa nau ʻalu ai pe ʻi he toafa, pea foliaki ʻae fonua ko ʻItomi, pea mo e fonua ʻo Moape, ʻonau hoko ʻo ofi ki he fonua ʻo Moape ʻi he potu hopoʻangalaʻā, pea ʻapitanga ʻi he potu ʻe taha ʻo ʻAlanoni, ka naʻe ʻikai hoko ki loto ʻi he veʻe fonua ʻo Moape: he ko e ngataʻanga ʻo Moape ʻa ʻAlanoni.
19 So Israel sent messengers to Sehon king of the Amorrhites, who dwelt in Hesebon, and they said to him: Suffer me to pass through thy land to the river.
Pea naʻe fekau ʻe ʻIsileli ʻae kau talafekau kia Sihoni ko e tuʻi ʻoe kau ʻAmoli, ko e tuʻi ʻo Hesiponi: pea naʻe pehē ʻe ʻIsileli kiate ia, ʻOku mau kole kiate koe, ke ke tuku ke mau ʻalu atu ʻi ho fonua ki hoku potu.
20 But he also despising the words of Israel, suffered him not to pass through his borders: but gathering an infinite multitude, went out against him to Jasa, and made strong opposition.
Ka naʻe ʻikai tui ʻa Sihoni ke tuku ʻa ʻIsileli ke ʻalu ʻi hono fonua: ka naʻe tānaki ʻe Sihoni hono kakai kotoa pē ʻo ʻapitanga ʻi Sehasi, ke tauʻi ʻa ʻIsileli.
21 And the Lord delivered him with all his army into the hands of Israel, and he slew him, and possessed all the land of the Amorrhite the inhabitant of that country,
Pea naʻe tukuange ʻe Sihova ko e ʻOtua ʻo ʻIsileli, ʻa Sihoni mo hono kakai kotoa pē ki he nima ʻo ʻIsileli, pea naʻa nau taaʻi ʻakinautolu: pea naʻe maʻu ʻe ʻIsileli ʻae fonua kotoa pē ʻoe kau ʻAmoli, ko e kakai ʻoe fonua.
22 And all the coasts thereof from the Arnon to the Jaboc, and from the wilderness to the Jordan.
Pea naʻa nau maʻu ʻae ngaahi fonua kotoa pē ʻoe kau ʻAmoli, mei ʻAlanoni ʻo aʻu atu ki Sapoki, pea mei he toafa ʻo hoko ki Sioatani.
23 So the Lord the God of Israel destroyed the Amorrhite, his people of Israel fighting against him, and wilt thou now possess this land?
Ko ia ko Sihova ko e ʻOtua ʻo ʻIsileli kuo ne kapusi ʻae kakai ʻAmoni, mei he ʻao ʻo hono kakai ko ʻIsileli, pea ʻoku lelei ke ke maʻu ia ʻe koe?
24 Are not those things which thy god Chamos possesseth, due to thee by right? But what the Lord our God hath obtained by conquest, shall be our possession:
‌ʻIkai te ke maʻu ʻaia ʻoku foaki ʻe Kimosi ko ho ʻotua kiate koe? Ko ia ko kinautolu kotoa pē ʻe kapusi ʻe Sihova ko homau ʻOtua mei homau ʻao, ko kinautolu te mau maʻu.
25 Unless perhaps thou art better than Balac the son of Sephor king of Moab: or canst shew that he strove against Israel and fought against him,
Pea ko eni, ʻoku ke lelei hake koe ʻia Pelaki ko e foha ʻo Sipoa ko e tuʻi ʻo Moape? Naʻe fekuki ia mo ʻIsileli pe ʻikai? Pe naʻa ne tauʻi ʻa ʻIsileli?
26 Whereas he hath dwelt in Hesebon, and the villages thereof, and in Aroer, and its villages, and in all the cities near the Jordan, for three hundred years. Why have you for so long a time attempted nothing about this claim?
Naʻe nofo ʻa ʻIsileli ʻi Hesiponi mo hono ngaahi kolo, pea ʻi ʻAloeli mo hono ngaahi kolo, pea ʻi he ngaahi kolo ʻoku tuʻu ʻi hono ngaahi ngataʻanga ʻoe fonua ʻo ʻAlanoni, ʻi he taʻu ʻe tolungeau? Ko e hā naʻe ʻikai te mou toe maʻu ʻakinautolu ʻi he ngaahi kuonga ko ia?
27 Therefore I do not trespass against thee, but thou wrongest me by declaring an unjust war against me. The Lord be judge and decide this day between Israel and the children of Ammon.
Ko ia naʻe ʻikai te u fai angahala kiate koe, ka ʻoku ke fai kovi kiate au ʻi hoʻo fie tauʻi au: ko Sihova ko e fakamaau, ke fakamaau ʻe ia he ʻaho ni koeʻuhi ko e fānau ʻa ʻIsileli mo e fānau ʻa ʻAmoni.”
28 And the king of the children of Ammon would not hearken to the words of Jephte, which he sent him by the messengers.
Ka naʻe ʻikai tokanga ʻae tuʻi ʻoe fānau ʻa ʻAmoni ki he ngaahi lea ʻa Sefita, ʻaia naʻa ne fekau kiate ia.
29 Therefore the spirit of the Lord came upon Jephte, and going round Galaad, and Manasses, and Maspha of Galaad, and passing over from thence to the children of Ammon,
Pea naʻe hoko ʻae Laumālie ʻo Sihova kia Sefita, pea naʻe ʻalu atu ia ʻi Kiliati, mo Manase, pea ʻalu atu ʻi Misipa ʻo Kiliati, pea ʻalu ʻi Misipa ʻo Kiliati ʻo hoko atu ki he fānau ʻa ʻAmoni.
30 He made a vow to the Lord, saying: If thou wilt deliver the children of Ammon into my hands,
Pea naʻe lea ʻa Sefita ʻaki ʻae fuakava kia Sihova, ʻo ne pehē, “Kapau te ke tukuange moʻoni ʻae fānau ʻa ʻAmoni ki hoku nima,
31 Whosoever shall first come forth out of the doors of my house, and shall meet me when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, the same will I offer a holocaust to the Lord.
pea ʻe pehē, ko ia ʻe hū kituʻa mei he matapā ʻo hoku fale ke fakafetaulaki kiate au ʻi heʻeku liu mai ʻi he fiemālie mei he fānau ʻa ʻAmoni, ʻe ʻa Sihova moʻoni ia, pea te u ʻatu ia ko e feilaulau tutu.”
32 And Jephte passed over to the children of Ammon, to fight against them: and the Lord delivered them into his hands.
Pea naʻe ʻalu ai ʻa Sefita ki he fānau ʻa ʻAmoni ke tauʻi ʻakinautolu: pea naʻe tukuange ʻakinautolu ʻe Sihova ki hono nima.
33 And he smote them from Aroer till you come to Mennith, twenty cities, and as far as Abel, which is set with vineyards, with a very great slaughter: and the children of Ammon were humbled by the children of Israel.
Pea ne taaʻi ʻakinautolu mei ʻAloeli, ʻo hoko atu ki Minite, ko e kolo ʻe uofulu, ʻo aʻu atu ki he toafa ʻoe ngoue vaine, ʻi he tā lahi ʻaupito. Pea naʻe pehē hono fakavaivai ʻoe fānau ʻa ʻAmoni ʻi he ʻao ʻoe fānau ʻa ʻIsileli.
34 And when Jephte returned into Maspha to his house, his only daughter met him with timbrels and with dances: for he had no other children.
Pea naʻe haʻu ʻa Sefita ki hono fale ʻi Misipi, pea vakai, naʻe haʻu kituʻa hono ʻofefine mo e ngaahi kihiʻi lali tatangi mo e meʻe ke fakafetaulaki kiate ia: pea ko hono ʻofefine pe taha ia; naʻe ʻikai hano foha pe ʻofefine ka ko ia pe.
35 And when he saw her, he rent his garments, and said: Alas! my daughter, thou hast deceived me, and thou thyself art deceived: for I have opened my mouth to the Lord, and I can do no other thing.
Pea ʻi heʻene mamata kiate ia, naʻa ne haehae hono kofu, ʻo ne pehē, “ʻOiauē, hoku ʻofefine! Kuo ke fakavaivai ʻaupito au, ko e tokotaha koe ʻokinautolu ʻoku fakamamahi kiate au: he kuo faai hoku ngutu kia Sihova, pea ʻoku ʻikai te u faʻa foki kimui.”
36 And she answered him: My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth to the Lord, do unto me whatsoever thou hast promised, since the victory hath been granted to thee, and revenge of thy enemies.
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe ia kiate ia, “ʻA ʻeku tamai, kapau kuo ke lea ʻaki ho ngutu kia Sihova, ke ke fai kiate au ʻo hangē ko ia kuo haʻu mei ho ngutu; he kuo fai ʻe Sihova ʻae totongi maʻau ki ho ngaahi fili, ʻio, ʻae fānau ʻa ʻAmoni.”
37 And she said to her father: Grant me only this which I desire: Let me go, that I may go about the mountains for two months, and may bewail my virginity with my companions.
Pea pehē ʻe ia ki heʻene tamai, “Tuku ke fai ʻae meʻa ni koeʻuhi ko au: tuku au ʻi he māhina ʻe ua, ke u feʻaluʻaki ʻi he ngaahi moʻunga ʻo tēngihia hoku tāupoʻou, ʻeau mo hoku kau fefine.”
38 And he answered her: Go. And he sent her away for two months. And when she was gone with her comrades and companions, she mourned her virginity in the mountains.
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe ia, “ʻAlu.” Pea naʻa ne fekau ia ke ʻalu ʻi he māhina ʻe ua: pea ʻalu ia mo hono kau fefine, ʻo tēngihia hono tāupoʻou ʻi he ngaahi moʻunga.
39 And the two months being expired, she returned to her father, and he did to her as he had vowed, and she knew no man. From thence came a fashion in Israel, and a custom has been kept:
Pea ʻi he ngataʻanga ʻoe māhina ʻe ua, naʻe pehē, naʻe liu mai ia ki heʻene tamai, pea naʻa ne fai kiate ia ʻo fakatatau ki heʻene fuakava naʻa ne fai: pea naʻe ʻikai te ne ʻilo ha tangata.
40 That from year to year the daughters of Israel assemble together, and lament the daughter of Jephte the Galaadite for four days.
Pea naʻe fai maʻu ʻae anga ko ia ʻi ʻIsileli, ʻi he ʻalu ʻae ngaahi ʻofefine ʻi ʻIsileli ʻi he ʻaho ʻe fā ʻi he taʻu kotoa pē tukufakaholo ke tēngihia ʻae ʻofefine ʻo Sefita ko e tangata Kiliati.

< Judges 11 >