< Judges 8 >
1 And the men of Ephraim said unto him, What is this thing that thou hast done unto us, not to call for us, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? And they quarrelled with him vehemently.
Basi Waefraimu wakamuuliza Gideoni, “Mbona mmetutenda hivi? Kwa nini hukutuita ulipokwenda kupigana na Wamidiani?” Wakawalaumu kwa ukali sana.
2 And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abi'ezer?
Gideoni akawajibu, “Nilichofanya mimi ni nini kulinganisha na kile ninyi mlichofanya? Je, kuokoa masazo ya zabibu za Efraimu si bora kuliko mavuno kamili ya zabibu ya Abiezeri?
3 Into your hand God delivered the princes of Midian, 'Oreb and Zeeb: and what have I been able to do in comparison with you? Then was their anger abated from him, when he had spoken this speech.
Mungu amewatia Orebu na Zeebu, hao viongozi wa Wamidiani, mikononi mwenu. Je, mimi niliweza kufanya nini kulinganisha na mlichofanya ninyi?” Aliposema hili, hasira yao dhidi yake ikatulia.
4 And Gid'on came to the Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, and in pursuit.
Gideoni akiwa pamoja na wale watu 300 waliofuatana naye, wakiwa wamechoka na wenye njaa lakini bado wakiwafuatia, wakafika Yordani na kuuvuka.
5 And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, a few loaves of bread unto the people that are in my train; for they are faint, and I am pursuing after Zebach and Zalmunna,' the kings of Midian.
Akawaambia watu wa Sukothi, “Tafadhali lipatieni jeshi langu mikate, kwa maana wamechoka, nami ningali ninawafuatia Zeba na Salmuna, wafalme wa Midiani.”
6 And the princes of Succoth said, Is the sole of the foot of Zebach and Zalmunna' now already in thy hand, that we should give unto thy army bread?
Lakini maafisa wa Sukothi wakasema, “Je, mikono ya Zeba na Salmuna tayari mnayo sasa ili tuweze kulipatia jeshi lako mikate?”
7 And Gid'on said, Therefore when the Lord hath delivered Zebach and Zalmunna' into my hand, then will I thresh your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.
Gideoni akajibu, “Kwa ajili ya hilo tu, Bwana atakapowatia Zeba na Salmuna mkononi mwangu, nitaichana nyama ya miili yenu kwenye miiba ya nyikani na kwenye michongoma.”
8 And he went up thence to Penuel, and spoke unto them in the same manner: and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered.
Kutoka hapo alikwea mpaka Penieli na kutoa ombi lile lile, lakini nao watu wa Penieli wakamjibu kama watu wa Sukothi walivyokuwa wamemjibu.
9 And he said also unto the men of Penuel thus, When I return again in peace, I will break down this tower.
Hivyo akawaambia watu wa Penieli, “Nitakaporudi baada ya kushinda, nitaubomoa mnara huu.”
10 Now Zebach and Zalmunna' were in Karkor, and their camps with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that had been left of all the camp of the children of the east; but those who had fallen were one hundred and twenty thousand men that drew the sword.
Wakati huu Zeba na Salmuna walikuwa Karkori wakiwa na jeshi lenye watu wapatao 15,000 wale wote waliokuwa wamesalia wa mataifa ya mashariki, kwa kuwa watu wapatao 120,000 wenye panga walikuwa wameuawa.
11 And Gid'on went up by the way of those that dwelt in tents, to the east of Nobach and Yogbehah, and smote the camp; but the camp thought itself secure.
Basi Gideoni akakwea kwa njia ya wasafiri mashariki ya Noba na Yogbeha na kulishambulia jeshi ambalo halikushuku lolote.
12 And Zebach and Zalmunna' fled; but he pursued after them, and captured the two kings of Midian, Zebach and Zalmunna', and all the camp he discomfited.
Zeba na Salmuna, hao wafalme wawili wa Midiani, wakakimbia lakini yeye Gideoni akawafuata na kuwakamata, akalishinda hilo jeshi lao lote.
13 And Gid'on the son of Joash returned from the battle before the rising of the sun,
Gideoni mwana wa Yoashi akarudi kutoka vitani kwa kupitia Mwinuko wa Heresi.
14 And he caught a young man of the people of Succoth, and inquired of him: and he wrote down for him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, seventy and seven men.
Akamkamata kijana mmoja wa Sukothi na kumuuliza maswali, naye yule kijana akamwandikia majina ya maafisa sabini wa Sukothi, ambao ni viongozi wa mji.
15 And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold here are Zebach and Zalmunna', with whom ye derided me, saying, Is the sole of the foot of Zebach and Zalmunna' now already in thy hand, that we should give unto thy weary men bread?
Ndipo Gideoni akaja na kuwaambia watu wa Sukothi, “Tazama, hapa wapo Zeba na Salmuna mlionisimanga kwa ajili yao mkisema, ‘Je, mikono ya Zeba na Salmuna tayari mnayo sasa ili tuweze kulipatia jeshi lako mikate?’”
16 And he took the elders of the city, and the thorns of the wilderness and briers, and chastised with them the men of Succoth.
Akawachukua hao viongozi wa mji na kuwafundisha watu wa Sukothi somo kwa kuwaadhibu kwa miiba na michongoma ya nyikani.
17 And the tower of Penuel he beat down, and slew the men of the city.
Pia akaubomoa mnara wa Penieli na kuwaua watu wa mji.
18 And he said unto Zebach and Zalmunna', What kind of men were those whom ye slew at Tabor! And they answered, As thou art, so were they; one was in form like that of the children of a king.
Kisha akawauliza Zeba na Salmuna, “Ni watu wa aina gani mliowaua huko Tabori?” Wakajibu, “Ni watu kama wewe, kila mmoja wao akiwa na nafasi ya uana wa mfalme.”
19 And he said, They were my brothers, the sons of my mother; as the Lord liveth, if ye had spared them alive, I would not slay you.
Gideoni akajibu, “Hao walikuwa ndugu zangu, wana wa mama yangu hasa. Hakika kama aishivyo Bwana, kama mngekuwa mmewaacha hai, mimi nisingewaua ninyi.”
20 And he said unto Yether his first-born, Rise up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword; for he was afraid, because he was yet a youth.
Akamgeukia Yetheri, mwanawe mzaliwa wa kwanza, akasema, “Waue hawa!” Lakini Yetheri hakuufuta upanga wake, kwa sababu aliogopa, kwa kuwa alikuwa bado kijana mdogo tu.
21 Then said Zebach and Zalmunna', Rise thou, and fall upon us; for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gid'on arose, and slew Zebach and Zalmunna'; and he took away the crescent ornaments that were on the necks of their camels.
Zeba na Salmuna wakasema, “Njoo ufanye hivyo wewe mwenyewe. ‘Alivyo mtu, ndivyo zilivyo nguvu zake.’” Hivyo Gideoni akatoka mbele na kuwaua, naye akayaondoa mapambo kwenye shingo za ngamia zao.
22 And the men of Israel said unto Gid'on, Rule thou over us, both thou and thy son, and thy son's son also; for thou hast delivered us out of the hand of Midian.
Waisraeli wakamwambia Gideoni, “Ututawale, wewe, wanao na wana wa wana wako, kwa kuwa umetuokoa kutoka mikononi mwa Wamidiani.”
23 And Gid'on said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the Lord shall rule over you.
Lakini Gideoni akawaambia, “Mimi sitatawala juu yenu, wala wanangu hawatatawala juu yenu. Bwana ndiye atakayetawala juu yenu ninyi.”
24 And Gid'on said unto them, I would ask one request of you, that ye should give me every man the earring of his booty; for they had had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.
Naye akasema, “Ninalo ombi moja, kwamba kila mmoja wenu anipatie kipuli kutoka kwenye fungu lake la nyara.” (Ilikuwa desturi ya Waishmaeli kuvaa vipuli vya dhahabu.)
25 And they answered, We will willingly give. And they spread out a garment, and they cast therein every man the earring of his booty.
Wakajibu, “Tutafurahi kuvitoa.” Hivyo wakatanda vazi chini na kila mwanaume akatupia juu yake pete kutoka kwenye fungu lake la nyara.
26 And the weight of the golden earrings that he had requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; besides the crescent ornaments, and ear-drops, and purple garments that were on the kings of Midian, and besides the chains that were about their camels' necks.
Uzito wa pete za dhahabu alizoomba zilifikia shekeli 1,700, bila kuhesabu mapambo mengine, pete za masikio na mavazi ya zambarau yaliyovaliwa na wafalme wa Midiani, au mikufu iliyokuwa kwenye shingo za ngamia zao.
27 And Gid'on made thereof an ephod, and set it up in his city, in 'Ophrah: and all Israel went astray after it thither; and it became a snare unto Gid'on, and to his house.
Gideoni akatengeneza kisibau kwa kutumia ile dhahabu, ambacho alikiweka katika mji wake, yaani, Ofra. Waisraeli wote wakafanya uasherati kwa kukiabudu huko, nacho kikawa mtego kwa Gideoni na jamaa yake.
28 And Midian was humbled before the children of Israel, so that they lifted not up their head any more. And the country was quiet forty years in the days of Gid'on.
Hivyo Midiani ikashindwa mbele ya Israeli nayo haikuinua kichwa chake tena. Wakati wa siku za uhai wa Gideoni, nchi ikafurahia amani miaka arobaini.
29 And Yerubba'al the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.
Yerub-Baali mwana wa Yoashi akarudi kwenda kuishi katika nyumba yake.
30 And Gid'on had seventy sons begotten of his body; for he had many wives.
Alikuwa na wana sabini wa kwake mwenyewe, kwa kuwa alikuwa na wake wengi.
31 And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bore him a son, and he gave him the name, Abimelech.
Suria wake, aliyekuwa anaishi huko Shekemu, pia alimzalia mwana, ambaye alimwita Abimeleki.
32 And Gid'on the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in 'Ophrah of the Abi'ezrites.
Gideoni mwana wa Yoashi akafa akiwa na umri mzuri wa uzee, na akazikwa katika kaburi la Yoashi baba yake huko Ofra ya Waabiezeri.
33 And it came to pass, when Gid'on was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went astray after the Be'alim, and made themselves Ba'al-berith for a god.
Mara tu alipofariki Gideoni, Waisraeli wakarudia hali ya uovu na kufanya uasherati kwa kuabudu Mabaali. Wakamsimamisha Baal-Berithi kuwa mungu wao na
34 And the children of Israel remembered not the Lord their God, who delivered them out of the hand of all their enemies on every side.
wala hawakumkumbuka Bwana Mungu wao, aliyewaokoa kutoka mikononi mwa adui zao wote kutoka kila upande.
35 Neither showed they kindness to the house of Yerubba'al, namely, Gid'on, in accordance with all the good which he had done unto Israel.
Pia wakashindwa kuitendea mema jamaa ya Yerub-Baali (yaani Gideoni) kwa ajili ya mambo yote mema aliyokuwa amefanya kwa ajili yao.