Judges 11
1 [There was a man] from [the] Gilead [region] named Jephthah. He was a great warrior. His father was also named Gilead. But his mother was a prostitute.
Yefita wa ku Giliyadi anali wankhondo wa mphamvu. Iyeyu amayi ake anali mkazi wachiwerewere, ndipo abambo ake anali Giliyadi.
2 Gilead’s wife gave birth to several sons. When they grew up, they forced Jephthah to leave home, saying to him, “You are the son of a prostitute, [not the son of our mother]. So [when] our father [dies], you will not receive any of his property.”
Mkazi wake wa Giliyadi anabereka naye ana aamuna. Tsono ana amenewa atakula anapirikitsa Yefita ndi kumuwuza kuti, “Sudzalandirako cholowa mʼnyumba ya abambo athu chifukwa ndiwe mwana wa mkazi wina.”
3 So Jephthah ran away from his brothers, and he went to the Tob region. While he was there, some worthless men started to spend a lot of time with him.
Choncho Yefita anathawa kuchoka kwa abale ake ndi kukakhala mʼdziko la Tobu. Kumeneko anakakopa ndi kusonkhanitsa anthu achabechabe ndipo anatuluka pamodzi kukasakaza zinthu.
4 Some time later, the Ammon people-group started to fight against the Israelis.
Patapita nthawi Aamoni anadzachita nkhondo ndi Israeli.
5 When that happened [DOU], the leaders of [the] Gilead [region] went to Jephthah to bring him back from the Tob region [to their area].
Tsono pamene Aamoni ankathira nkhondo Aisraeli, akuluakulu a ku Giliyadi anapita kukamutenga Yefita ku dziko la Tobu.
6 They said to him, “Come [with us] and lead our army, and [help us to] fight against the men from the Ammon people-group!”
Iwo anati kwa iye, “Bwera ukhale mkulu wathu wankhondo kuti timenyane ndi Amoni.”
7 But Jephthah replied, “You hated me [RHQ] previously! You forced me to leave my father’s house! So why are you coming to me now, [asking me to help you] when you are experiencing trouble?”
Yefita anawawuza Agiliyadi kuti, “Kodi inu suja munkadana nane ndi kundithamangitsa ku nyumba ya abambo anga? Nʼchifukwa chiyani lero mwabwera kwa ine pamene muli pa mavuto?”
8 The leaders from Gilead replied, “[Yes, we are having trouble, and] that is the reason that we have come to you now. If you come with us and [help us to] fight against the Ammon people-group, [after we defeat them, we will appoint] you to be the leader of all us people in [the] Gilead [region].”
Akuluakulu a ku Giliyadi aja anamuyankha kuti, “Chimene tabwerera kwa iwe ndi chakuti upite nafe kukamenyana ndi Aamoni, ndipo udzakhala wolamulira wa onse okhala mu Giliyadi.”
9 Jephthah replied, “If I go back to Gilead with you to fight against the Ammon people-group, and if Yahweh helps us to defeat them, will you truly appoint me to be your leader?”
Yefita anawayankha akuluakulu a ku Giliyadi kuti, “Ngati mundibwezeranso kwathu kuti ndikachite nkhondo ndi Aamoni ndipo Yehova nʼkukandithandiza kuwagonjetsa, ndidzakhaladi wokulamulirani?”
10 They replied, “Yahweh is listening to everything that we say. [So he will punish us] if we do not do everything that you tell us to do.”
Akuluakulu a ku Giliyadi anamuyankha kuti, “Yehova akhale mboni pakati pa inu ndi ife, ngati sitidzachita monga mwa mawu anu.”
11 So Jephthah went with them back to [the] Gilead [region], and the people appointed him to be their leader and the commander of their army. And Jephthah solemnly promised to Yahweh there at Mizpah [to serve him well].
Choncho Yefita anapita nawo akuluakulu a ku Giliyadi aja, ndipo anthu a kumeneko anamusandutsa kukhala wowalamulira ndi mkulu wankhondo. Tsono Yefita anabwerezanso mawu omwewa pamaso pa Yehova ku Mizipa.
12 Jephthah sent some messengers to the king of the Ammon people-group. They asked the king, “What have we [done to make you angry, with the result] that your army is coming to fight [against the people] in our land?”
Kenaka Yefita anatuma amithenga kwa mfumu ya Aamoni ndi funso lakuti, “Kodi ife takuchimwirani chiyani kuti muzichita nkhondo ndi dziko langa?”
13 The king replied, “[We have come to fight against you Israelis because] you took our land when you came here from Egypt. You took all our land east of the Jordan [River], from the Arnon [River in the south] to the Jabbok [River in the north]. So if you now give it back to us, there (will be peace between us/we will not fight against you).”
Ndipo mfumu ya Aamoni inayankha amithenga a Yefita aja kuti, “Pamene Israeli amatuluka kuchokera mu Igupto, analanda dziko langa kuyambira ku mtsinje wa Arinoni mpaka ku mtsinje wa Yaboki mpakanso ku mtsinje wa Yorodani. Tsopano mundibwezere dziko langa mwamtendere.”
14 [The messengers returned to Jephthah and told him what the king had said]. So Jephthah sent the messengers to the king again.
Yefita anatumizanso amithenga akewo kwa mfumu ya Aamoni
15 They said to him, “This is what Jephthah says: ‘It is not [true] that we Israelis took the land from the Moab people-group and the Ammon people-group.
kukanena kuti, Yefita akuti, “Israeli sanalande dziko la Mowabu kapena dziko la Aamoni.
16 When the Israeli people came out of Egypt, they walked through the desert to the Red Sea, and then [walked across it and traveled to Kadesh town at the border of the Edom region].
Koma pamene Aisraeli ankachoka ku Igupto anadzera njira ya ku chipululu mpaka ku Nyanja Yofiira nakafika ku Kadesi.
17 They sent messengers to the king of the Edom people-group, to say to him, “Please allow us Israelis to walk across your land.” But the king of the Edom people-group refused. Later we sent the same message to the king of the Moab people-group, but he also refused to allow the Israelis to go through his land. So the Israelis stayed at Kadesh [for a long time].
Kenaka Israeli anatumiza amithenga kwa mfumu ya ku Edomu kuti, ‘Chonde tiloleni kuti tidutse mʼdziko lanu,’ Koma mfumu ya ku Edomu sinamvere zimenezo. Aisraeli anatumizanso amithenga kwa mfumu ya ku Mowabu, ndipo iyo inakananso. Choncho Israeli anakhala ku Kadesi.
18 Then the Israelis went into the desert and walked outside the borders of the Edom and Moab regions. They walked east of the Moab region, east of the Arnon [River, which is the eastern border of the Moab region]. They did not cross that river to enter [the] Moab [region].
“Pambuyo pake, Aisraeli ananyamuka ulendo kudzera ku chipululu nazungulira dziko la Edomu ndi dziko la Mowabu, ndipo anafika ku mmawa kwa dziko la Mowabu ndi kumanga zinthando zawo ku mbali ina ya mtsinje wa Arinoni. Iwo sanalowe mʼdziko la Mowabu, chifukwa mtsinje wa Arinoni ndiwo unali malire a dziko la Mowabu.
19 ‘Then the Israelis sent a message to Sihon, the king of the Amor people-group, who lived in Heshbon [city]. They asked him, “Will you please allow us Israeli people to cross through your land to arrive at the land to which we [are going].”
“Pambuyo pake Israeli anatumiza amithenga kwa Sihoni mfumu ya Aamori, amene amalamulira ku Hesiboni ndipo anati kwa iye, ‘Chonde tiloleni kuti tidutse mʼdziko lanu popita kwathu.’
20 But Sihon did not trust the Israelis; [he thought that they would steal some of the things in his land]. So he gathered all his troops and they set up their tents at Jahaz [village] and then they attacked the Israelis.
Koma Sihoni sanalole Israeli kuti adzere mʼdziko mwake. Mʼmalo mwake Sihoni anasonkhanitsa ankhondo ake onse nakamanga msasa ku Yahazi ndipo anachita nkhondo ndi Israeli.
21 But Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis [worship], enabled the Israeli army to defeat [IDM] Sihon and his army. Then they (took possession of/started to live in) all the land where the Amor people-group had lived.
“Koma Yehova Mulungu wa Israeli anamupereka Sihoni pamodzi ndi anthu ake onse mʼmanja mwa Israeli, ndipo anawagonjetsa. Choncho Aisraeli analanda dziko lonse la Aamori amene amakhala mʼdzikolo.
22 The Israelis took all the land that belonged to the Amor people-group, from the Arnon [River in the south] to the Jabbok [River in the north], and from the desert [in the east] to the Jordan [River in the west].
Analanda dziko lonse kuchokera ku Arinoni mpaka ku Yaboki ndiponso kuchokera ku chipululu mpaka ku mtsinje wa Yorodani.
23 ‘It was Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis [worship], who forced the Amor people-group to leave as the Israelis advanced. So do you now think that you can force the Israelis to leave [RHQ]?
“Ndiye kuti Yehova Mulungu wa Aisraeli ndiye analanda dziko la Aamori, kuwalandirira anthu ake. Kodi inu mukufuna kutilanda dzikolo?
24 You take the land that your god Chemosh has given to you. And we will live in the land that Yahweh our God has given to us!
Bwanji inu osakhazikika mʼdziko limene Kemosi mulungu wanu anakupatsani, ifenso tikhazikike mʼdziko limene Yehova Mulungu wathu anatipatsa?
25 (You are no/Are you) better than Zippor’s son Balak, who was the king of the Moab people-group? He never [RHQ] quarreled with the Israeli people, and he never started to fight against us [RHQ]!
Kodi ndinu abwino kuposa Balaki mwana wa Zipori, mfumu ya Mowabu? Kodi iye anakanganapo kapena kuchita nkhondo ndi Israeli?
26 For 300 years the Israeli people have lived in Heshbon and Aroer [cities in your region], and in the surrounding towns, and in all the cities along the Arnon [River]. Why have you people of the Ammon people-group not taken back those cities during all those years [RHQ]?
Pamene Aisraeli ankakhala mʼdziko la Hesiboni ndi mʼmidzi yake, mʼdziko la Aroeri ndi midzi yake, komanso mʼmizinda yonse imene ili mʼmbali mwa mtsinje wa Arinoni kwa zaka 300, nʼchifukwa chiyani inu simunalande malowo nthawi imeneyo?
27 We have not sinned against you, but you are sinning against me by attacking me [and my army]. I trust that Yahweh, the great judge, will decide whether we Israelis are right, or whether you people of the Ammon people-group are right.’”
Choncho ine sindinakuchimwireni. Koma inu mukundilakwira pomenyana nane. Yehova woweruza, ndiye aweruze lero mlandu wa pakati pa Aisraeli ndi Aamoni.”
28 But the king of the Ammon people-group did not pay attention to that message from Jephthah.
Koma mfumu ya Aamori, sinasamale mawu amene Yefita anatumiza kwa iyo.
29 Then the Spirit of Yahweh took control of Jephthah. Jephthah went through [the] Gilead [region] and through the area where the tribe of Manasseh lived, [to enlist/gather men for his army]. [He finally gathered them together] in Mizpah [city] in [the] Gilead [region] to fight against the Ammon people-group.
Tsono Mzimu wa Yehova unatsikira pa Yefita. Ndipo iye ananyamuka nadzera ku Giliyadi ndi ku Manase. Anafika ku Mizipa mʼdziko la Giliyadi, ndipo kuchokera kumeneko anapita kukalimbana ndi Aamoni.
30 There Jephthah made a solemn promise to Yahweh. He said, “If you will enable my army to defeat [IDM] the Ammon people-group,
Yefita analumbira kwa Yehova kuti, “Ngati mupereka Aamoni mʼmanja mwanga,
31 when I return from the battle, I will sacrifice to you the first person who comes out of my house [to greet me]. It will be a sacrifice that will be completely burned [on the altar].”
aliyense amene atuluke pa khomo la nyumba yanga kudzandichingamira pobwerera nditagonjetsa Aamoni adzakhala wake wa Yehova, ndipo ndidzamupereka kuti akhale nsembe yopsereza.”
32 Then Jephthah [and his men] went from Mizpah to attack the Ammon people-group, and Yahweh enabled his army to defeat them.
Kenaka Yefita anawolokera kwa Aamoni kukamenya nawo nkhondo, ndipo Yehova anawaperekadi mʼmanja mwake.
33 Jephthah and his men killed them, from Aroer [city] all the way to the area around the city of Minnith. They destroyed 20 cities, as far as [the city of] Abel Keramim. So the Israelis [completely] defeated the Ammon people-group.
Iye anawononga mizinda makumi awiri kuchokera ku Ariori mpaka pafupi ndi mzinda wa Miniti. Anapitirira mpaka ku Abeli-Keranimu. Choncho Aisraeli anagonjetsa Aamoni.
34 When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, his daughter was the first one to come out of the house to meet him. She was [joyfully] playing a tambourine and dancing. She was his only child; he had no sons and no other daughters.
Pambuyo pake Yefita anabwerera ku nyumba yake. Tsono anangoona mwana wake wamkazi akutuluka kudzamuchingamira akuyimba ngʼoma ndi kuvina. Uyu anali mwana yekhayo wa Yefita. Analibenso mwana wina wamwamuna kapena wamkazi.
35 When Jephthah saw his daughter, he tore his clothes [to show that he was very sad about what he was going to do]. He said to her, “My daughter, you have caused me to become very sad [DOU] because I made a solemn promise to Yahweh [to sacrifice the first one who came out of my house], and I must do what I promised.”
Yefita ataona mwana wake uja, anangʼamba zovala zake ndi kulira, “Kalanga ine! Mwana wanga! Wandivulaza kwambiri ndipo iwe ndi gwero la mavuto anga. Ine ndinalumbira kwa Yehova ndi pakamwa pangapa ndipo sindingathe kubweza malumbiro angawo.”
36 His daughter said, “My father, you made a solemn promise to Yahweh. So you must do to me what you promised, because [you said that you would do that if] Yahweh helped you to defeat our enemies, the Ammon people-group.”
Mwanayo anayankha kuti, “Abambo, ngati munalonjeza kwa Yehova ndi pakamwa panu, chitani zimene munalonjezera pakuti Yehova wakuthandizani kulipsira adani anu Amowabu.”
37 Then she also said, “But allow me to do one thing. (First/before you do what you promised), allow me to go up into the hilly area and wander around for two months. Since I will never be married [and have children], allow me and my friends to go and cry together.”
Anatinso kwa abambo ake, “Ndikupempheni chinthu ichi: Mundilole ndikayendeyende ku mapiri miyezi iwiri ndizikalira pamodzi ndi anzanga chifukwa ndikufa ndikanali namwali wosadziwa mwamuna.”
38 Jephthah replied, “All right, you may go.” So she left for two months. She and her friends stayed in the hills and they cried for her because she would never be married.
Yefita anamuyankha kuti, “Pita.” Ndipo anamulola kuti apite miyezi iwiri. Tsono anapita kumapiri ndi atsikana anzake kukalira chifukwa cha unamwali wake.
39 After two months, she returned to her father Jephthah, and he did to her what he had vowed. So his daughter never was married. Because of that, the Israelis now have a custom.
Miyezi iwiri itatha iye anabwerera kwa abambo ake, ndipo anachitadi zimene analonjeza. Motero unakhala mwambo wa Aisraeli,
40 Every year the young Israeli women go [into the hills] for four days to remember [and cry about what happened to] the daughter of Jephthah.
kuti atsikana a Israeli ankapita chaka chilichonse kukalira maliro a mwana wa mkazi wa Yefita, Mgiliyadi uja masiku makumi anayi pa chaka.
