Judges 6
1 And the children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.
Waisraeli wakafanya tena yaliyo maovu mbele za Bwana, naye kwa miaka saba Bwana akawatia mikononi mwa Wamidiani.
2 And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel; and because of Midian the children of Israel made for themselves the dens which are in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds.
Mkono wa Midiani ukawa na nguvu dhidi ya Israeli na kwa ajili ya Wamidiani, Waisraeli wakajitengenezea mahali pa kujificha milimani, kwenye mapango na ngome.
3 And so it was, when Israel had sown, that Midian, Amalek, and the Kedemites would come up against them.
Kila wakati Waisraeli walipopanda mazao mashambani, Wamidiani, Waamaleki na mataifa mengine ya mashariki walivamia nchi yao.
4 And they camped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, as far as Gaza, and they left no sustenance in Israel, as well as sheep, or ox, or donkey.
Wakapiga kambi katika mashamba yao na kuharibu mazao ya nchi yote hadi kufikia Gaza, wala hawakuacha kiumbe chochote kilicho hai kwa Waisraeli, iwe kondoo au ngʼombe au punda.
5 For they came up with their livestock and their tents and their camels. They would come in like locusts in number, and they were innumerable. And they came into the land to ravage it.
Walipanda na mifugo yao na mahema yao, mfano wa makundi ya nzige. Ilikuwa haiwezekani kuwahesabu watu na ngamia zao; wakavamia nchi ili kuiharibu.
6 Israel was brought very low because of Midian; and the children of Israel cried to the LORD.
Waisraeli wakafanywa kuwa maskini sana na Wamidiani, hata Israeli wakamlilia Bwana kuomba msaada.
7 It happened, when the children of Israel cried to the LORD because of Midian,
Waisraeli walipomlilia Bwana kwa sababu ya Wamidiani,
8 that the LORD sent a prophet to the children of Israel, and he said to them, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage;
Bwana akawapelekea nabii, ambaye aliwaambia, “Hili ndilo Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, asemalo: Niliwapandisha mtoke Misri, toka nchi ya utumwa.
9 and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out from before you, and gave you their land;
Nikawanyakua kutoka mikononi mwa Wamisri na kutoka mikononi mwa watesi wenu wote. Nikawafukuza watoke mbele yenu nami nikawapa ninyi nchi yao.
10 and I said to you, "I am the LORD your God; you shall not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell." But you have not listened to my voice.'"
Nikawaambia, ‘Mimi ndimi Bwana Mungu wenu; msiiabudu miungu ya Waamori, ambayo mnakaa katika nchi yao!’ Lakini ninyi hamkuitii sauti yangu.”
11 The angel of the LORD came, and sat under the oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained to Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.
Malaika wa Bwana akaja akaketi chini ya mti wa mwaloni huko Ofra, ambao ulikuwa mali ya Yoashi, Mwabiezeri, ambako Gideoni mwanawe alikuwa akipepeta ngano penye shinikizo la kukamulia zabibu, ili kuificha Wamidiani wasiione.
12 The angel of the LORD appeared to him, and said to him, "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior."
Malaika wa Bwana alipomtokea Gideoni, akamwambia, “Bwana yu pamoja nawe, Ewe shujaa mwenye nguvu.”
13 Gideon said to him, "Oh, my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? Where are all his wondrous works which our fathers told us of, saying, 'Didn't the LORD bring us up from Egypt?' But now the LORD has cast us off, and delivered us into the hand of Midian."
Gideoni akajibu, “Ee Bwana wangu, kama Bwana yu pamoja nasi, mbona mambo haya yote yametutokea? Yako wapi basi yale matendo yake makuu baba zetu waliyotusimulia juu yake waliposema, ‘Je, Bwana hakutupandisha kutoka Misri?’ Lakini sasa Bwana ametuacha na kututia katika mkono wa Midiani.”
14 And the LORD looked at him, and said, "Go in this strength of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian. Look, haven't I sent you?"
Bwana akamgeukia na kusema “Enenda kwa uwezo wako huu, ukawaokoe Israeli kutoka mikononi mwa Wamidiani. Je, si mimi ninayekutuma wewe?”
15 He said to him, "O Lord, how shall I save Israel? Look, my family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house."
Gideoni akauliza, “Ee Bwana wangu, nitawezaje kuwaokoa Israeli? Ukoo wangu ndio dhaifu kuliko zote katika Manase, nami ndiye mdogo wa wote katika jamaa yangu.”
16 The LORD said to him, "Surely I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man."
Bwana akamjibu, “Nitakuwa pamoja nawe, nawe utawapiga Wamidiani kana kwamba walikuwa ni mtu mmoja.”
17 He said to him, "If now I have found favor in your sight, then show me a sign that it is you who talk with me.
Gideoni akajibu, “Kama basi nimepata kibali machoni pako, nipe ishara kuonyesha kweli kwamba ni wewe unayesema nami.
18 Please do not go away, until I come to you, and bring out my present, and lay it before you." He said, "I will wait until you come back."
Tafadhali ninakuomba usiondoke hapa mpaka nitakaporudi na kukuletea sadaka yangu na kuiweka mbele yako.” Naye Bwana akamwambia, “Nitangoja mpaka utakaporudi.”
19 Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of meal: the meat he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out to him under the oak, and presented it.
Gideoni akaingia ndani ya nyumba yake na kuandaa mwana-mbuzi pamoja na kuoka mikate isiyotiwa chachu kutokana na efa moja ya unga. Akaweka nyama kwenye kikapu na mchuzi kwenye chungu, akamletea huyo malaika hapo nje chini ya mti wa mwaloni na kumpa.
20 The angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and the unleavened cakes, and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth." And he did so.
Malaika wa Mungu akamwambia, “Itwae nyama na mikate isiyotiwa chachu, uviweke juu ya mwamba huu na umimine huo mchuzi juu yake.” Gideoni akafanya hivyo.
21 Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there went up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight.
Malaika wa Bwana akainyoosha fimbo iliyokuwa mkononi mwake, ncha yake ikagusa ile nyama na ile mikate isiyotiwa chachu, nao moto ukatoka kwenye mwamba ukateketeza ile nyama na ile mikate. Malaika wa Bwana akatoweka kutoka machoni pake.
22 Gideon saw that he was the angel of the LORD; and Gideon said, "Alas, Lord GOD. Because I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face."
Gideoni alipotambua kuwa ni malaika wa Bwana, akapiga kelele kwa mshangao, akasema, “Ole wangu, Bwana Mwenyezi! Kwa kuwa nimemwona malaika wa Bwana uso kwa uso!”
23 The LORD said to him, "Peace be to you. Do not be afraid. You shall not die."
Lakini Bwana akamwambia, “Amani iwe kwako! Usiogope. Hutakufa.”
24 Then Gideon built an altar there to the LORD, and called it "The LORD is Peace." To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
Hivyo Gideoni akamjengea Bwana madhabahu mahali pale na kupaita, Yehova-Shalom. Mpaka leo ingalipo imesimama huko Ofra ya Waabiezeri.
25 It happened the same night, that the LORD said to him, "Take your father's bull, even the second bull seven years old, and tear down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down the Asherah that is beside it;
Usiku ule ule Bwana akamwambia, “Mchukue ngʼombe dume wa baba yako, yaani, yule wa pili mwenye miaka saba, na ubomoe madhabahu ya Baali aliyo nayo baba yako, na ukaikate Ashera iliyo karibu nayo.
26 and build an altar to the LORD your God on the top of this stronghold, in the orderly manner, and take the second bull, and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which you shall cut down."
Kisha mjengee Bwana Mungu wako, madhabahu halisi, kwa taratibu zake, juu ya huu mwamba. Kwa kutumia kuni za hiyo nguzo ya Ashera uliyoikatakata, mtoe sadaka huyo dume wa pili kuwa sadaka ya kuteketezwa.”
27 Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had spoken to him: and it came about, because he feared his father's household and the men of the city, so that he could not do it by day, that he did it by night.
Basi Gideoni akawachukua watumishi wake kumi na kufanya kama Bwana alivyomwambia. Lakini kwa kuwa aliwaogopa jamaa yake na watu wa mji, akafanya haya usiku badala ya mchana.
28 When the men of the city arose early in the morning, look, the altar of Baal was broken down, and the Asherah was cut down that was by it, and the second bull was offered on the altar that was built.
Watu wa mji walipoamka asubuhi, tazama madhabahu ya Baali imebomolewa na nguzo ya Ashera iliyokuwa karibu nayo imekatwakatwa na yule ngʼombe wa pili ametolewa sadaka juu ya madhabahu yaliyojengwa upya!
29 And they said to one another, "Who has done this thing?" When they inquired and asked, they said, "Gideon the son of Joash has done this thing."
Wakaulizana, “Ni nani aliyetenda mambo haya?” Walipochunguza kwa makini, wakaambiwa, “Ni Gideoni mwana wa Yoashi, ndiye alitenda hivi.”
30 Then the men of the city said to Joash, "Bring out your son, that he may die, because he has broken down the altar of Baal, and because he has cut down the Asherah that was by it."
Watu wa mji wakamwambia Yoashi, “Mlete mwanao hapa. Ni lazima afe, kwa sababu amebomoa madhabahu ya Baali na kukatakata nguzo ya Ashera iliyokuwa karibu nayo.”
31 Joash said to all who stood against him, "Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? He who will contend for him, let him be put to death while it is yet morning: if he is a god, let him contend for himself, because someone has broken down his altar."
Lakini Yoashi akauambia ule umati uliokuwa umezunguka ukiwa kinyume naye, “Je, ninyi mtamtetea Baali? Mnajaribu kumwokoa? Yeyote mwenye kumpigania atauawa kufikia kesho asubuhi! Kama Baali ni mungu kweli, anaweza kujitetea mwenyewe wakati mtu anapobomoa madhabahu yake.”
32 Therefore on that day he named him Jerubbaal, saying, "Let Baal contend against him, because he has broken down his altar."
Basi siku ile wakamwita Gideoni “Yerub-Baali,” yaani, “Baali na ashindane naye,” kwa sababu alibomoa madhabahu yake.
33 Then all Midian and Amalek and the Kedemites assembled themselves together; and they crossed over, and camped in the Valley of Jezreel.
Basi Wamidiani wote, Waamaleki na mataifa mengine ya mashariki wakaunganisha majeshi yao, wakavuka ngʼambo ya Yordani na kupiga kambi katika Bonde la Yezreeli.
34 But the Ruach of the LORD came on Gideon; and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered together after him.
Ndipo Roho wa Bwana akamjia Gideoni, akapiga tarumbeta, akiwaita Waabiezeri ili wamfuate.
35 He sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; and they also were gathered together after him: and he sent messengers to Asher, and to Zebulun, and to Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.
Akatuma wajumbe waende katika Manase yote, akiwataka wachukue silaha na pia katika Asheri, Zabuloni na Naftali, nao wakakwea ili kukutana nao.
36 Gideon said to God, "If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have spoken,
Gideoni akamwambia Mungu, “Kama utawaokoa Waisraeli kwa mkono wangu, kama ulivyoahidi:
37 look, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then shall I know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have spoken."
tazama, nitaweka ngozi ya kondoo kwenye kiwanja cha kupuria nafaka, na kama utakuwepo umande juu ya ngozi tu, nayo ardhi yote ikiwa kavu, ndipo nitakapojua kuwa utaokoa Israeli kwa mkono wangu, kama ulivyosema.”
38 It was so; for he rose up early on the next day, and pressed the fleece together, and wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.
Hivyo ndivyo ilivyotokea. Gideoni akaamka asubuhi na mapema kesho yake, akaikamua ile ngozi, umande ukatoka, maji ya kujaa bakuli.
39 Gideon said to God, "Do not let your anger be kindled against me, and I will speak but this once. Please let me make one more test with the fleece; let it now be dry only on the fleece, and on all the ground let there be dew."
Kisha Gideoni akamwambia Bwana, “Usinikasirikie. Ninaomba nifanye ombi moja lingine. Niruhusu nifanye jaribio jingine moja kwa ngozi hii. Wakati huu uifanye ngozi hii kavu na ardhi yote ifunikwe na umande.”
40 God did so that night, for it was dry on the fleece only, and there was dew all over the ground.
Usiku ule Mungu akafanya hivyo. Ngozi ile ilikuwa kavu, nayo ardhi yote ikafunikwa na umande.
