1 Samuel 5

1 And the Philistines have taken the Ark of God, and bring it in from Eben-Ezer to Ashdod,

Baada ya Wafilisti kuteka Sanduku la Mungu, walilichukua kutoka Ebenezeri mpaka Ashdodi.

2 and the Philistines take the Ark of God and bring it into the house of Dagon, and set it near Dagon.

Kisha wakaliingiza lile Sanduku ndani ya hekalu la Dagoni na kuliweka kando ya huyo Dagoni.

3 And the Ashdodites rise early on the next day, and behold, Dagon is fallen on its face to the earth, before the Ark of YHWH; and they take Dagon, and put it back in its place.

Watu wa Ashdodi walipoamka asubuhi na mapema kesho yake, kumbe, wakamkuta Dagoni ameanguka chini kifudifudi mbele ya Sanduku la Bwana! Wakamwinua Dagoni na kumrudisha mahali pake.

4 And they rise early in the morning on the next day, and behold, Dagon is fallen on its face to the earth, before the Ark of YHWH, and the head of Dagon, and the two palms of its hands are cut off at the threshold, only Dagon’s [body] has been left of him;

Lakini asubuhi iliyofuata, walipoamka kumbe, walimkuta huyo Dagoni ameanguka chini kifudifudi mbele ya Sanduku la Bwana! Kichwa chake na mikono vilikuwa vimevunjwa navyo vimelala kizingitini, ni kiwiliwili chake tu kilichokuwa kimebaki.

5 therefore the priests of Dagon, and all those coming into the house of Dagon, do not tread on the threshold of Dagon, in Ashdod, until this day.

Ndiyo sababu mpaka leo makuhani wa Dagoni wala wengine waingiao katika hekalu la Dagoni huko Ashdodi hawakanyagi kizingiti.

6 And the hand of YHWH is heavy on the Ashdodites, and He makes them desolate, and strikes them with lumps, Ashdod and its borders.

Mkono wa Bwana ulikuwa mzito juu ya watu wa Ashdodi na vijiji jirani, akaleta uharibifu juu yao na kuwatesa kwa majipu.

7 And the men of Ashdod see that [it is] so, and have said, “The Ark of the God of Israel does not abide with us, for His hand has been hard on us, and on our god Dagon.”

Watu wa Ashdodi walipoona kile kilichokuwa kikitokea, wakasema, “Sanduku la Mungu wa Israeli kamwe lisikae hapa pamoja na sisi, kwa sababu mkono wake ni mzito juu yetu na juu ya Dagoni mungu wetu.”

8 And they send and gather all the princes of the Philistines to them, and say, “What do we do to the Ark of the God of Israel?” And they say, “Let the Ark of the God of Israel be brought around to Gath”; and they bring around the Ark of the God of Israel;

Basi wakawaita watawala wote wa Wafilisti pamoja na kuwauliza, “Tutafanya nini na hili Sanduku la Mungu wa Israeli?” Wakajibu, “Sanduku la Mungu wa Israeli na liende Gathi.” Basi wakalihamisha Sanduku la Mungu wa Israeli.

9 and it comes to pass after they have brought it around, that the hand of YHWH is against the city—a very great destruction; and He strikes the men of the city, from small and to great; and lumps break forth on them.

Lakini baada ya kulihamisha, mkono wa Bwana ulikuwa dhidi ya huo mji wa Gathi, akiuweka katika fadhaa kuu. Mungu akawatesa watu wa huo mji, vijana kwa wazee, kwa kuwaletea majipu.

10 And they send the Ark of God to Ekron, and it comes to pass, at the coming in of the Ark of God to Ekron, that the Ekronites cry out, saying, “They have brought around the Ark of the God of Israel to us, to put us and our people to death.”

Basi wakapeleka Sanduku la Mungu Ekroni. Wakati Sanduku la Mungu lilipokuwa linaingia Ekroni, watu wa Ekroni walilia wakisema “Wamelileta Sanduku la Mungu wa Israeli kwetu ili kutuua sisi na watu wetu.”

11 And they send and gather all the princes of the Philistines, and say, “Send the Ark of the God of Israel away, and it turns back to its place, and it does not put us and our people to death”; for there has been a deadly destruction throughout all the city, the hand of God has been very heavy there,

Basi wakawaita watawala wote wa Wafilisti pamoja na kusema, “Liondoeni Sanduku la Mungu wa Israeli na lirudishwe mahali pake, la sivyo litatuua sisi na watu wetu.” Kwa kuwa kifo kilikuwa kimeujaza mji hofu; kwani mkono wa Mungu ulikuwa mzito sana juu yake.

12 and the men who have not died have been struck with lumps, and the cry of the city goes up into the heavens.

Wale ambao hawakufa walipatwa na majipu, na kilio cha mji kilikwenda juu hadi mbinguni.