< Judges 6 >
1 Again the Israelis did things that Yahweh said were very evil. So he allowed the people of Midian to conquer them and rule them for seven years.
Epi fis Israël yo te fè sa ki mal nan zye SENYÈ a. Konsa, SENYÈ a te livre yo nan men a peyi Madian an pandan sèt ane.
2 The people of Midian treated the Israelis so cruelly that the Israelis fled to the mountains. There they made places to live in caves and animal dens.
Pouvwa Madian nan te domine kont Israël. Akoz Madian, fis Israël yo te fè pou yo menm kavo ki te nan mòn ak gwòt avèk sitadèl avèk wòch.
3 Whenever the Israelis planted things in their fields, the people of Midian and Amalek and other groups from the east invaded Israel.
Paske se te lè Israël te fin simen ke Madyanit yo ta vin monte avèk Amalekit yo ak fis yo nan lès pou ale kont yo.
4 They set up tents in the area, and then destroyed the crops as far south as Gaza. They did not leave anything for the Israelis’ sheep or cattle or donkeys to eat.
Konsa, yo te fè kan kont yo, detwi tout pwodwi tè a jis rive Gaza, e pa t kite anyen pou manje an Israël, ni mouton, bèf, ni bourik.
5 They came into Israel with their tents and their livestock like a swarm of locusts. There were [so many of them that] arrived riding on their camels that no one could count them. They stayed and ruined the Israelis’ crops.
Paske, yo te monte vin parèt avèk tout bèt yo, ak tant yo. Yo te antre an fòs kantite tankou krikèt zèl volan. Kantite a yo menm avèk chamo pa yo te depase kontwòl. Yo te vin antre nan tè a pou devaste li.
6 The people of Midian took almost everything the Israelis owned. So finally the Israelis pleaded for Yahweh to help them.
Konsa, Israël te desann ba akoz Madian, e fis Israël yo te kriye fò anvè SENYÈ a.
7 When the Israelis pleaded with Yahweh to help them because of [what] the people from Midian [were doing to them],
Koulye a, li vin rive ke lè fis Israël yo te kriye fò anvè SENYÈ a akoz Madian,
8 he sent to them a prophet, who said, “Yahweh, the God we Israelis worship, says this: ‘Your ancestors were slaves in Egypt.
ke SENYÈ a te voye yon pwofèt bay fis Israël yo. Li te di yo: “Konsa pale SENYÈ a, Bondye a Israël la ‘Se te Mwen menm ki te mennen nou monte soti an Egypte e te mennen nou sòti nan kay esklavaj la.
9 But I rescued them from the leaders of Egypt and from all the others who oppressed them. I expelled their enemies from this land, and gave it to your ancestors.
Mwen te delivre nou soti nan men a Ejipsyen yo, ak men a tout sila ki te oprime nou yo. Mwen te chase yo devan nou, e te bannou peyi pa yo.
10 I told you all, “I am Yahweh, your God. You are now in the land where the descendants of Amor live, but you must not worship the gods whom they worship.” But you did not pay attention to me.’”
Mwen te di nou: “Mwen se SENYÈ a, Bondye nou an. Nou pa pou gen krent dye Amoreyen yo nan peyi kote nou rete a.” Men nou pa t koute vwa M.’”
11 One day Yahweh appeared [in the form of] an angel and sat underneath a big oak tree at Ophrah [town]. That tree belonged to Joash, who was from the clan of Abiezer. Joash’s son Gideon was threshing wheat in the pit where they pressed [grapes to make] wine. He was threshing the grain there in order to hide it from the people of Midian.
Alò zanj SENYÈ a te vin chita anba bwadchenn ki te Ophra a, ki te pou Joas, Abiezerit la. Nan lè sa a, Gédéon, fis li a, t ap bat ble nan preswa diven an, pou sove li kont Madyanit yo.
12 Yahweh [went over] to Gideon and said to him, “You mighty warrior, Yahweh is helping you!”
Zanj SENYÈ a te parèt a li e te di li: “SENYÈ a avèk ou, O gèrye vanyan an”.
13 Gideon replied, “Sir, if Yahweh is helping us, why have all these [bad things] happened to us? We heard about [RHQ] all the miracles that Yahweh performed for our ancestors. We heard people tell us about how he rescued them from [being slaves in] Egypt. But now Yahweh has abandoned us, and we are ruled by the people from Midian.”
Epi Gédéon te di li: “O senyè mwen, si SENYÈ a avèk nou, poukisa tout bagay sa yo vin rive nou? Epi ki kote tout mirak Li yo ke zansèt nou yo te konn pale nou yo? Konsa li te di: ‘Èske SENYÈ a pa t mennen nou sòti an Egypte?’ Men koulye a, SENYÈ a gen tan abandone nou e livre nou nan men a Madian.”
14 Then Yahweh turned toward him and said, “I will give you strength to enable you to rescue the Israelis from the people of Midian. I am sending you [to do that]!”
SENYÈ a te gade li e te di: “Ale ak sa ki pwòp fòs ou, e delivre Israël nan men Madyanit yo. Èske se pa Mwen ki voye ou?”
15 Gideon replied, “But Yahweh, how can I rescue the Israelis? My clan is the least significant in the whole tribe descended from Manasseh, and I am the least significant person in my whole family!”
Li te di Li: “O SENYÈ, kijan mwen kapab delivre Israël? Gade byen, fanmi mwen, se pi piti a nan Manassé e Mwen se pi piti a lakay papa m.”
16 Yahweh said to him, “I will help you. So you will defeat the army of Midian [as easily] as if you were fighting only one man!”
Men SENYÈ a te di li: “Anverite, Mwen va avèk ou e ou va genyen Madian tankou yon sèl gason.”
17 Gideon replied, “If you are truly pleased with me, do something which will prove that you who are speaking to me are really Yahweh.
Konsa Gédéon te di Li: “Si koulye a, mwen jwenn favè nan zye Ou; alò, montre mwen yon sign ke se Ou menm ki pale avè m.
18 But do not go away until I go and bring back an offering to you.” Yahweh answered, “Okay, I will stay here until you return.”
Souple, pa kite isit la jiskaske mwen vin kote Ou pou pote ofrann mwen e mete l devan Ou.” Epi Li te reponn: “M ap rete jiskaske ou tounen.”
19 Gideon hurried to his home. He [killed] a young goat [and] cooked [it]. Then he took (a half a bushel/18 liters) of flour and baked some bread without yeast. Then he put the cooked meat in a basket, and put the broth [from the meat] in a pot, and took it to Yahweh, who was sitting under the tree.
Alò, Gédéon te antre anndan an. Li te prepare yon jèn ti kabrit avèk pen san ledven avèk yon efa farin. Li te mete vyann nan nan yon panyen ak sòs li nan yon kivèt. Li te pote yo deyò kote li a, anba bwadchenn nan e li te prezante yo.
20 Then Yahweh said to him, “Put the meat and the bread on this rock. Then pour the broth on top of it.” So Gideon did that.
Zanj Bondye a te di li: “Pran vyann nan avèk pen san ledven an. Mete yo sou wòch sila e vide sòs la.” Epi konsa li te fè.
21 Then Yahweh touched the meat and bread with the walking stick that was in his hand. A fire flamed up from the rock and burned up everything that Gideon had brought! And then Yahweh disappeared.
Konsa, zanj SENYÈ a te lonje pwent baton li, ki te nan men li pou te touche vyann nan avèk pen san ledven an, epi dife te vòltije sòti nan wòch la pou te konsome vyann nan nèt ansanm avèk pen san ledven an. Epi zanj SENYÈ a te disparèt devan zye li.
22 When Gideon realized that it was really Yahweh [who had appeared in the form of an angel and talked with him], he exclaimed, “O, Yahweh, I have seen you face-to-face [when you had the form of] an angel! [So I will surely die]!”
Lè Gédéon te wè ke se te zanj SENYÈ a, li te di: “Anmwey, O Senyè Bondye! Koulye a, mwen gen tan wè zanj SENYÈ a fasafas.”
23 But Yahweh called to him and said, “Do not be afraid! You will not die [because of seeing me]!”
Senyè a te reponn li: “Lapè avèk ou, pa pè. Ou p ap mouri.”
24 Then Gideon built an altar to [worship] Yahweh there. He named it ‘Yahweh gives us peace’. That altar is still there in Ophrah [town], in the land that belongs to the descendants of Abiezer.
Alò Gédéon te bati yon lotèl la pou SENYÈ a. Li te rele lotèl la “SENYÈ a se Lapè”. Jis rive jodi a, li toujou la nan Ophra a Abizerit yo.
25 That night Yahweh said to Gideon, “Take the second-best/oldest bull from your father’s herd, the bull that is seven years old. [Kill it]. Then tear down the altar that your father built to [worship] the god Baal. Also cut down the pole for worshipping [the goddess] Astarte that is there beside it.
Alò, nan menm nwit lan, SENYÈ a te di li: “Pran towo papa ou avèk yon dezyèm towo a laj sèt ane. Konsa, rale desann lotèl Baal ki pou papa ou a e koupe poto Astarté ki akote li a.
26 Then build a [stone] altar to worship me, your God Yahweh, here on this hill. Take the wood from the pole you cut down and make a fire [to cook the meat of the bull] as a burnt offering to me.”
Epi bati yon lotèl a SENYÈ a, Bondye ou an, sou tèt fotrès sila nan yon jan ki an lòd. Epi pran yon lòt towo e ofri li avèk bwa ki te nan poto Astarat ke ou va koupe mete atè a.”
27 So Gideon and his servants did what Yahweh commanded. But they did it at night, because he was afraid what the other members of his family and the other men in town would do to him if they found out that he had done that.
Alò, Gédéon te pran dis mesye nan sèvitè li yo, e li te fè jan SENYÈ a te pale li a. Epi akoz li te pè lakay papa li ak mesye lavil yo, li pa t fè l nan lajounen, men pandan lannwit.
28 Early the next morning, as soon as the men got up, they saw that the altar to Baal had been torn down, and the pole for worshiping Astarte was gone. They saw that there was a new altar there, and on it was what remained from the bull they had sacrificed.
Lè mesye lavil yo te leve granmmaten, vwala, lotèl Baal la te kase, epi poto Astarté ki te akote li a te koupe, e dezyèm towo te gen tan ofri sou lotèl la ki te fin bati.
29 The people asked each other, “Who did this?” After they investigated, someone told them that it was Gideon, the son of Joash, [who had done it].
Yo te di a youn lòt: “Se kilès ki te fè bagay sa a?” Lè yo fè ankèt pou mande, yo te di: “Gédéon, fis a Joas la te fè bagay sa a.”
30 They went to Joash and said to him, “Bring your son out here! (He must be executed/We must kill him), because he destroyed our god Baal’s altar and cut down the pole for our goddess Astarte!”
Alò, mesye lavil yo te di a Joas: “Mennen fis ou a sòti pou l mouri, paske li te chire lotèl Baal la e anverite, li gen tan koupe mete atè poto Astarté ki te akote li a.”
31 But Joash replied, “Are you trying to defend Baal? Are you trying to argue his case? Anyone who tries to defend Baal should be executed by tomorrow morning! If Baal is truly a god, he ought to be able to defend himself, and to get rid of the person who tore down his altar!”
Men Joas te di a tout moun ki te kanpe kont li yo: “Èske nou va plede kòz a Baal yo oswa èske se nou ki pou delivre li? Sila ki plede kòz li a, va mete a lanmò avan maten. Si se yon dye ke li ye, kite li plede pou pwòp tèt li, pou kòz a moun nan ki te chire lotèl li.”
32 From that time, people called Gideon Jerub-Baal, which means ‘Baal should defend himself’, because he tore down Baal’s altar.
Pou sa, nan jou sa a, li te bay a Gédéon non Jerubbaal, ki vle di, “Kite Baal plede pou kont li”, akoz li te chire lotèl li.”
33 Soon after that, the armies of the people of Midian and of Amalek and the people from the east gathered together. They crossed the Jordan River [to attack the Israelis]. They set up their tents in Jezreel Valley.
Epi tout Madyanit avèk Amalekit yo avèk fis a lès yo te rasanble yo menm. Yo te janbe pou te fè kan an nan vale Jizréel la.
34 Then Yahweh’s Spirit took control of Gideon. He blew a ram’s horn to summon the men to prepare to fight. So the men of the clan of Abiezer came to him.
Konsa, Lespri SENYÈ a te vin sou Gédéon, epi li te soufle twonpèt la, epi Abizerit yo te rele ansanm pou swiv li.
35 He also sent messengers throughout the tribes descended from [the four tribes of] Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali [to tell their soldiers to come], and all of them came.
Li te voye mesaje yo toupatou nan Manassé e yo tout te rasanble ansanm pou swiv li. Konsa, li te voye mesaje a Aser, Zabulon ak Nephtali pou yo te vin monte, rankontre ak yo.
36 Then Gideon said to God, “If you are truly going to enable me to rescue the Israeli people as you promised,
Gédéon te di a Bondye: “Si Ou va delivre Israël pa men mwen, jan Ou te pale a,
37 confirm it by doing this: Tonight I will put a dry wool fleece on the ground where I thresh the grain. Tomorrow morning, if the fleece is wet with dew but the ground is dry, then I will know that I am the one you will enable to rescue the people of Israel as you promised.”
gade byen, mwen va mete yon touf len sou glasi a; si gen lawouze sèl sou touf la, e li sèch sou tout tè a, alò, mwen va konnen ke Ou va delivre Israël pa men mwen, jan Ou te pale a.”
38 And that is what happened. When Gideon got up the next morning, he picked up the fleece, and squeezed out a whole bowlful of water!
Epi se konsa sa te ye. Lè li leve granmaten e te peze touf la, li peze fè sòti nan touf la yon bòl plen dlo.
39 Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me, but let me ask you to do one more thing. Tonight I will put the fleece out again. This time, let the fleece remain dry, while the ground is wet with the dew.”
Alò, Gédéon te di a Bondye: “Pa kite kòlè ou brile kont mwen pou m kab pale yon fwa ankò. Souple, kite mwen fè yon tès yon fwa ankò avèk touf la. Kite sa fèt, koulye a, ke se sèl touf la ki sèch e kite l gen lawouze sou tout tè a.”
40 So that night, God did what Gideon asked him to do. The next morning the fleece was dry, but the ground was covered with dew.
Bondye te fè sa nan nwit lan; paske li te seche sèl touf la e lawouze te sou tout tè a.