Judges 18
1 In those days there was no king in Israel: and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in; for unto that day all their inheritance had not fallen unto them among the tribes of Israel.
Siku hizo hapakuwa na mfalme huko Israeli. Kabila la Wadani lilikuwa linatafuta makazi ya kuishi, kwa maana mpaka siku hiyo hawakupokea urithi wowote kutoka miongoni mwa makabila ya Israeli.
2 And the children of Dan sent of their family five men from their coasts, men of valour, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to search it; and they said unto them, Go, search the land: who when they came to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah, they lodged there.
Watu wa Dani walituma watu watano kutoka kwa idadi yote ya kabila lao, wanaume wenye ujasiri kutoka Sora na kutoka Eshtaoi, ili kukagua ardhi kwa miguu, na kuiangalia. Wakawaambia, “Nendeni mkaangalie nchi.' Wakafika nchi ya mlima wa Efraimu, kwa nyumba ya Mika wakalala huko.
3 When they were by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the young man the Levite: and they turned in thither, and said unto him, Who brought thee hither? and what makest thou in this place? and what hast thou here?
Walipokuwa karibu na nyumba ya Mika, walitambua maneno ya Mlawi. Basi wakamsimama na kumwuliza, “Nani alikuleta hapa? Unafanya nini hapa? Kwa nini uko hapa?”
4 And he said unto them, Thus and thus dealeth Micah with me, and hath hired me, and I am his priest.
Akawaambia, “Hivi ndivyo Mika amefanya kwa ajili yangu Yeye aliniajiri mimi kuwa kahani wake.”
5 And they said unto him, Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous.
Wakamwambia, “Tafadhali tafuta ushauri kwa Mungu, ili tuweze kujua kama safari tunayoendea itafanikiwa.”
6 And the priest said unto them, Go in peace: before Yhwh is your way wherein ye go.
Kuhani huyo akawaambia, “Nenda kwa amani. Bwana atakuongoza katika njia unayoiendea.”
7 Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people that were therein, how they dwelt careless, after the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and secure; and there was no magistrate in the land, that might put them to shame in any thing; and they were far from the Sidonians, and had no business with any man.
Kisha wale watu watano wakaondoka na wakafika Laishia, na waliona watu waliokuwa pale waliishi salama- vivyo hivyo Wasidoni waliishi bila kusumbuliwa na kwa usalama. Hapakuwa na mtu aliyewashinda katika nchi hiyo, au aliyewasumbua kwa namna yoyote. Waliishi mbali na Wasidoni, na hawakuwa na ushirikiano na mtu yeyote.
8 And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their brethren said unto them, What say ye?
Walirudi kwa kabila lao huko Zora na Eshtaol. Ndugu zao waliwauliza, 'Mna habari gani?'
9 And they said, Arise, that we may go up against them: for we have seen the land, and, behold, it is very good: and are ye still? be not slothful to go, and to enter to possess the land.
Wakasema, “Njoo! Hebu tuwashambulie! Tumeona ardhi na ni nzuri sana. Je hamfanyi kitu? Msiwe wavivu kushambulia na kuchukua ardhi.
10 When ye go, ye shall come unto a people secure, and to a large land: for God hath given it into your hands; a place where there is no want of any thing that is in the earth.
Mnapoenda, mtakuta watu wanaofikiri wapo salama, na nchi ni pana! Mungu amewapa ninyi-mahali ambako hapajapungukiwa kitu chochote duniani. '
11 And there went from thence of the family of the Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men appointed with weapons of war.
Watu mia sita wa kabila la Dani, wenye silaha za vita, waliondoka kutoka Sora na Eshtaoli.
12 And they went up, and pitched in Kirjath–jearim, in Judah: wherefore they called that place Mahaneh–dan unto this day: behold, it is behind Kirjath–jearim.
Wakasafiri, wakapanga Kiriath-yearimu, huko Yuda. Ndio maana watu walipaita mahali pale Mahane Dani hata leo; ni magharibi ya Kiriath yearimu.
13 And they passed thence unto mount Ephraim, and came unto the house of Micah.
Wakaondoka huko na kwenda nchi ya mlima wa Efraimu, wakafika nyumbani kwa Mika.
14 Then answered the five men that went to spy out the country of Laish, and said unto their brethren, Do ye know that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image? now therefore consider what ye have to do.
Kisha watu watano waliokuwa wamekwenda kutazama nchi ya Laisha waliwaambia jamaa zao, “Je, mnajua kwamba katika nyumba hizi kuna efodi, miungu ya kaya, sanamu zilizochongwa, na sanamu za chuma? Amua sasa utakachofanya.”
15 And they turned thitherward, and came to the house of the young man the Levite, even unto the house of Micah, and saluted him.
Basi wakarudi huko, wakafika nyumbani mwa Mlawi, nyumbani mwa Mika; wakamsalimu.
16 And the six hundred men appointed with their weapons of war, which were of the children of Dan, stood by the entering of the gate.
Wana Daniani mia sita, wenye silaha za vita, walisimama kwenye maingilio ya lango.
17 And the five men that went to spy out the land went up, and came in thither, and took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image: and the priest stood in the entering of the gate with the six hundred men that were appointed with weapons of war.
Wale watu watano waliokuwa wamekwenda kutembelea nchi walikwenda huko na wakachukua sanamu zilizochongwa, efodi, na miungu ya nyumba, na sanamu ya chuma, wakati kuhani alipokuwa amesimama kwenye maingilio ya lango na wanaume mia sita wenye silaha za vita.
18 And these went into Micah’s house, and fetched the carved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. Then said the priest unto them, What do ye?
Walipokuwa wakiingia nyumbani kwa Mika na kuchukua sanamu zilizochongwa, efodi, miungu ya nyumba, na sanamu za chuma, kuhani akasema, “mnafanya nini?”
19 And they said unto him, Hold thy peace, lay thine hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest: is it better for thee to be a priest unto the house of one man, or that thou be a priest unto a tribe and a family in Israel?
Wakamwambia, “Tulia! Weka mkono wako kwenye kinywa chako na uje nasi, na uwe kwetu baba na kuhani. Je, ni bora kuwa wewe kuhani kwa ajili ya nyumba ya mtu mmoja, au kuhani kwa kabila na jamaa katika Israeli?”
20 And the priest’s heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the midst of the people.
Moyo wa kuhani ulifurahi. Akachukua efodi, miungu ya nyumba, na sanamu ya kuchongwa, akaenda pamoja na hao watu.
21 So they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the cattle and the carriage before them.
Basi wakageuka wakaenda. Wameweka watoto wadogo mbele yao wenyewe, pamoja na ng'ombe na mali zao.
22 And when they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men that were in the houses near to Micah’s house were gathered together, and overtook the children of Dan.
Walipokuwa umbali mzuri kutoka kwa nyumba ya Mika, watu waliokuwa ndani ya nyumba iliyo karibu na nyumba ya Mika waliitwa, nao wakawafikia Wadani.
23 And they cried unto the children of Dan. And they turned their faces, and said unto Micah, What aileth thee, that thou comest with such a company?
Waliwapigia kelele Wadani, nao wakageuka, wakamwambia Mika, “Kwa nini mmekuja pamoja?
24 And he said, Ye have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and ye are gone away: and what have I more? and what is this that ye say unto me, What aileth thee?
Akasema, “ninyi mmeiba miungu niliyoifanya, mmemchukua kuhani wangu, na mnaondoka. Je, nina nini tena? Unawezaje kuniuliza, 'Ni nini kinachokusumbua?'”
25 And the children of Dan said unto him, Let not thy voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows run upon thee, and thou lose thy life, with the lives of thy household.
'Watu wa Dani wakamwambia,” Usiruhusu tusikie chochote unachosema, au baadhi ya watu wenye hasira sana watawapiga, wewe na familia yako mtauawa.”
26 And the children of Dan went their way: and when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back unto his house.
Ndipo watu wa Dani wakaenda zao. Mika alipoona kwamba walikuwa na nguvu sana juu yake, akageuka na kurudi nyumbani kwake.
27 And they took the things which Micah had made, and the priest which he had, and came unto Laish, unto a people that were at quiet and secure: and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and burnt the city with fire.
Watu wa Dani walichukua kile alichokifanya Mika, pamoja na kuhani wake, na wakafika Laisha, kwa watu waliokuwa hawasumbuliwi na wenye usalama na salama wakawaua kwa upanga na kuuchoma mji huo.
28 And there was no deliverer, because it was far from Sidon, and they had no business with any man; and it was in the valley that lieth by Beth–rehob. And they built a city, and dwelt therein.
Hapakuwa na mtu wa kuwaokoa kwa sababu palikuwa na umbali mrefu kutoka Sidoni, na hawakuwa na uhusiano na mtu yeyote. Palikuwa katika bonde lililo karibu na Beth Rehobu. Wadani wakaujenga mji na kuishi huko.
29 And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born unto Israel: howbeit the name of the city was Laish at the first.
Wakauita jina lake Dani, jina la baba zao Dani, ambaye alikuwa mmoja wa wana wa Israeli. Lakini jina la mji hapo mwanzo ulikuwa Laisha.
30 And the children of Dan set up the graven image: and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.
Watu wa Dani walijenga sanamu za kuchonga wenyewe. Naye Yonathani, mwana wa Gershomu, mwana wa Musa, yeye na wanawe walikuwa makuhani wa kabila la Wadani mpaka siku ya uhamisho wa nchi.
31 And they set them up Micah’s graven image, which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.
Basi wakaiabudu sanamu ya kuchonga ya Mika aliyoifanya wakati wa nyumba ya Mungu huko Shilo.
