1 Samuel 13
1 Saul was thirty when he became king, and he reigned over Israel for forty-two years.
Sauli alikuwa na miaka thelathini, alipokuwa mfalme, akatawala Israeli miaka arobaini na miwili.
2 Saul had chosen three thousand men of Israel. Two thousand of them were with Saul in Michmash and the hill country of Bethel, and another thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. He sent the rest of the army home.
Sauli alichagua watu 3,000 kutoka Israeli; miongoni mwa hao watu 2,000 walikuwa pamoja naye huko Mikmashi na katika nchi ya vilima ya Betheli, nao watu 1,000 walikuwa pamoja na Yonathani huko Gibea ya Benyamini. Watu waliosalia aliwarudisha nyumbani mwao.
3 Jonathan attacked the Philistine garrison at Geba. The Philistines soon heard about it, so Saul had the trumpet call to arms sounded throughout the land, saying, “Hebrews, pay attention!”
Yonathani akashambulia ngome ya Wafilisti huko Geba, nao Wafilisti wakapata habari hizo. Kisha Sauli akaamuru tarumbeta ipigwe nchi yote na kusema, “Waebrania na wasikie!”
4 All of Israel heard the news, “Saul has attacked the Philistine garrison, and now Israel is like a bad smell to the Philistines!” So the whole army was called up to join Saul at Gilgal.
Hivyo Israeli wote wakasikia habari kwamba: “Sauli ameshambulia ngome ya Wafilisti, nao sasa Israeli wamekuwa harufu mbaya kwa Wafilisti.” Basi watu waliitwa kuungana na Sauli huko Gilgali.
5 The Philistines gathered to fight against Israel. They had three thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and soldiers as numerous as sand on the seashore. They advanced and camped at Michmash, east of Beth-aven.
Wafilisti wakakusanyika ili kupigana na Israeli, wakiwa na magari ya vita 3,000, waendesha magari ya vita 6,000 na askari wa miguu wengi kama mchanga wa ufuoni mwa bahari. Walipanda na kupiga kambi huko Mikmashi, mashariki ya Beth-Aveni.
6 When the Israelite men realized the tough situation they were in, and that the army was taking a beating, they hid themselves in caves, holes, rocks, pits, and cisterns.
Watu wa Israeli walipoona kuwa hali yao ni ya hatari na kuwa jeshi lao limesongwa sana, wakajificha katika mapango na katika vichaka, katikati ya miamba, kwenye mashimo na kwenye mahandaki.
7 Some of the Hebrews even crossed the Jordan into the territory of Gad and Gilead, but Saul stayed at Gilgal, and all the men with him were trembling with fear.
Hata baadhi ya Waebrania wakavuka Yordani mpaka nchi ya Gadi na Gileadi. Sauli akabaki huko Gilgali, navyo vikosi vyote vilivyokuwa pamoja naye vilikuwa vikitetemeka kwa hofu.
8 Saul waited there seven days for the time that Samuel had said, but Samuel did not arrive at Gilgal, and the army started to desert him.
Akangoja kwa siku saba, muda uliowekwa na Samweli; lakini Samweli hakuja Gilgali, nao watu wa Sauli wakaanza kutawanyika.
9 So Saul ordered, “Bring the burnt offering and the friendship offerings to me,” and he presented the burnt offering.
Basi akasema, “Nileteeni hapa sadaka ya kuteketezwa na sadaka za amani.” Naye Sauli akatoa sadaka ya kuteketezwa.
10 Just as he finished presenting the burnt offering, he saw Samuel arrive. Saul went over to meet him and say hello.
Mara alipomaliza kutoa hiyo sadaka, Samweli akatokea, naye Sauli akaondoka kwenda kumlaki.
11 “What have you done?” Samuel asked. Saul replied, “Well I saw my men were deserting me, and you hadn't arrived when you said you would, and the Philistines were gathering at Michmash to attack.
Samweli akamuuliza, “Umefanya nini?” Sauli akajibu, “Nilipoona kwamba watu wanatawanyika, na kwamba hukuja wakati uliopangwa na kwamba Wafilisti walikuwa wakikusanyika huko Mikmashi,
12 I said to myself, ‘The Philistines are about to attack me at Gilgal, and I haven't asked the Lord for his help.’ So I felt I had to present the burnt offering myself.”
nikawaza, ‘Sasa Wafilisti watateremka dhidi yangu huko Gilgali nami sijaomba kibali kwa Bwana.’ Hivyo nikalazimika kutoa sadaka ya kuteketezwa.”
13 “You've been really stupid,” Samuel told him. “You haven't kept the commands of the Lord your God. If you had, the Lord would have made your kingdom over Israel secure forever.
Samweli akasema, “Umetenda kwa upumbavu. Hukuyashika maagizo ya Bwana Mungu wako aliyokupa. Kama ungelitii, angeudumisha ufalme wako juu ya Israeli kwa wakati wote.
14 But now your kingdom won't last. The Lord has found for himself a man who thinks like him, and has chosen him as ruler over his people, because you haven't kept the commands of the Lord.”
Lakini sasa ufalme wako hautadumu; Bwana amemtafuta mtu aupendezaye moyo wake, na amemchagua awe kiongozi wa watu wake, kwa sababu hukuyatii maagizo ya Bwana.”
15 Then Samuel left Gilgal. The rest of the soldiers followed Saul to meet the army, going from Gilgal to Geba in Benjamin. Saul counted the number of soldiers who were with him and there were about six hundred.
Kisha Samweli akaondoka Gilgali, akapanda Gibea ya Benyamini, naye Sauli akawahesabu watu aliokuwa nao. Jumla yao walikuwa watu 600.
16 Saul, his son Jonathan, and the soldiers with them were staying in Geba of Benjamin, while the Philistines were camped at Michmash.
Sauli, mwanawe Yonathani na watu waliokuwa pamoja nao walikuwa wakiishi huko Gibea ya Benyamini, wakati Wafilisti wakiwa wamepiga kambi huko Mikmashi.
17 Three groups of raiders left the Philistine camp to go and attack. One group went towards Ophrah in the land of Shual,
Makundi ya wavamiaji walikuja kutoka kambi ya Wafilisti katika vikosi vitatu. Kikosi kimoja kilielekea Ofra karibu na Shuali,
18 one towards Beth-horon, and one towards the border that looks down on the Valley of Zeboim by the wilderness.
kikosi kingine kilielekea Beth-Horoni, nacho kikosi cha tatu kilielekea kwenye nchi ya mpakani ielekeayo Bonde la Seboimu linalotazamana na jangwa.
19 There wasn't a blacksmith to be found anywhere in Israel, because the Philistines had said, “So that the Hebrews don't make swords and spears.”
Hapakuwa na mhunzi ambaye angeweza kupatikana katika nchi yote ya Israeli, kwa sababu Wafilisti walikuwa wamesema, “Waebrania wasije wakatengeneza panga au mikuki!”
20 All the Israelites had to go to the Philistines to sharpen their iron plowshares, pickaxes, axes, and sickles.
Hivyo Waisraeli wote huteremka kwa Wafilisti ili kunoa majembe ya plau, majembe ya mkono, mashoka na miundu.
21 The fee was two-thirds of a shekel for plowshares and pickaxes, and a third of a shekel for sharpening the axes and cattle prods.
Bei ilikuwa fedha theluthi mbili za shekeli kunoa majembe ya plau na majembe ya mkono, na theluthi moja ya shekeli kwa nyuma, mashoka na michokoo.
22 So when it came to the day of battle none of the soldiers with Saul and Jonathan had swords or spears—only Saul and his son Jonathan had such weapons.
Kwa hiyo siku ya vita hakuna askari yeyote aliyekuwa kambini na Sauli na Yonathani ambaye alikuwa na upanga wala mkuki mkononi mwake; Sauli tu na mwanawe Yonathani ndio waliokuwa navyo.
23 A Philistine garrison had taken control of the pass at Michmash.
Basi kikosi cha Wafilisti kilikuwa kimetoka kuelekea njia iendayo Mikmashi.
