< Judges 8 >

1 And the men of Ephraim said to him, Why hast thou done this to us, that thou didst call us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? And they did contend with him sharply.
Abako-Efrayimi babuza uGidiyoni bathi, “Kungani usiphathe kanje na? Kungani ungasibizanga lapho ususiyakulwa lamaMidiyani?” Bamsola kakhulu.
2 And he said to them, What have I done now in comparison of you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?
Kodwa yena wabaphendula wathi, “Kuyini mina engikufezileyo okulingana lokwenu na? Amagrebisi ako-Efrayimi aseleyo ekuvuneni kawangcono kulamagrebisi esivuno esipheleleyo sako-Abhiyezeri na?
3 God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then, when he had said that, their anger toward him abated.
UNkulunkulu unikele u-Orebhi loZebhi, abakhokheli bamaMidiyani, ezandleni zenu. Kuyini lokho engikwenzileyo lapho ngiqathaniswa lani?” Ngalokhu ukuthukuthela kwabo kwadeda.
4 And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them.
UGidiyoni labantu bakhe abangamakhulu amathathu sebediniwe kodwa belokhu bexotshana lawo, bafika eJodani bayichapha.
5 And he said to the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread to the people that follow me; for they are faint, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.
Wasesithi ebantwini baseSukhothi, “Phanini amabutho ami izinkwa; akhathele, njalo ngisaxotshana loZebha kanye loZalimuna, amakhosi aseMidiyani.”
6 And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thy hand, that we should give bread to thy army?
Kodwa izikhulu zaseSukhothi zathi, “Usulazo mathupha yini izandla zikaZebha loZalimuna? Kungani amabutho akho kumele siwanike izinkwa?”
7 And Gideon said, Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.
UGidiyoni waphendula wathi, “Ngenxa yalokho, lapho uThixo esenikele uZebha loZalimuna esandleni sami, ngizaklaya imizimba yenu ngameva asenkangala.”
8 And he went up from there to Penuel, and spoke to them likewise: and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him.
Esuka lapho waya ePheniweli, wenza isicelo esifanayo kubo, kodwa baphendula njengabantu beSukhothi.
9 And he spoke also to the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.
Ngakho wathi ebantwini basePheniweli, “Ekuphendukeni kwami senginqobile, ngizawudiliza umphotshongo lo.”
10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.
Ngalesosikhathi uZebha loZalimuna babeseKhakhori lebutho labantu ababephosa babe zinkulungwane ezilitshumi lanhlanu, ababesele emabuthweni asempumalanga; izinkulungwane ezilikhulu lamatshumi amabili zababesilwa ngenkemba zasezifile.
11 And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host: for the host was secure.
UGidiyoni wahamba ngendlela yamasili empumalanga kweNobha leJogibheha wahlasela ibutho elalilibele.
12 And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and overcame all the host.
UZebha loZalimuna, amakhosi womabili aseMidiyani, babaleka, kodwa waxotshana labo wababamba, wawachitha wonke amabutho abo.
13 And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun had risen,
Emva kwalokho uGidiyoni indodana kaJowashi wabuyela evela empini ngoKhalo lwaseHeresi.
14 And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and enquired of him: and he described for him the princes of Succoth, and its elders, even seventy and seven men.
Wabamba ijaha laseSukhothi walibuzabuza, ijaha lelo lamlobela amabizo eziphathamandla zaseSukhothi ezingamatshumi ayisikhombisa, abadala bomuzi.
15 And he came to the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye upbraided me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thy hand, that we should give bread to thy men that are weary?
UGidiyoni wafika wathi ebantwini baseSukhothi, “Nangu uZebha loZalimuna elalingichothoza ngabo lisithi, ‘Usulazo yini izandla zikaZebha loZalimuna? Kungani amabutho akho akhatheleyo kumele siwanike izinkwa na?’”
16 And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.
Wathatha abadala bomuzi wasefundisa amadoda aseSukhothi isifundo ngokubajezisa ngameva asenkangala.
17 And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.
Wadiliza lomphotshongo wasePheniweli wabulala amadoda akulowomuzi.
18 Then said he to Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor? And they answered, As thou art, so were they; each one resembled the children of a king.
Wabuza uZebha loZalimuna wathi, “Ngabantu abanjani labo elababulalayo eThabhori?” Baphendula bathi, “Ngabantu abanjengawe, lowo lalowo efana lenkosana.”
19 And he said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother: as the LORD liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you.
UGidiyoni waphendula wathi, “Labobantu babengabafowethu, amadodana kamama. Ngeqiniso njengoba uThixo ephila, aluba labayekela bephila, kade bengingeyikulibulala.”
20 And he said to Jether his firstborn, Arise, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth.
Wasephendukela kuJetha, indodana yakhe endala, wathi, “Babulale!” Kodwa uJetha kayihwatshanga inkemba yakhe, ngoba wayengumfanyana esesaba.
21 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that were on their camels’ necks.
UZebha loZalimuna bathi, “Woza, usibulale wena ngokwakho. ‘Njengoba indoda injalo, anjalo lamandla ayo.’” Ngakho uGidiyoni wasondela phambili wababulala, wasethatha imiceciso entanyeni zamakamela abo.
22 Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian.
Abako-Israyeli bathi kuGidiyoni, “Sibuse wena, lendodana yakho kanye lendodana yendodana yakho ngoba usisindisile ezandleni zamaMidiyani.”
23 And Gideon said to them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you.
Kodwa uGidiyoni wathi kubo, “Mina kangiyikulibusa, lendodana yami kayiyikulibusa. UThixo uzalibusa.”
24 And Gideon said to them, I would desire a request of you, that you would give me every man the earrings of his spoil. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)
Wabuya wathi, “Ngilesicelo esisodwa, ukuthi omunye lomunye wenu angiphe icici esabelweni sempango yenu.” (Ukufaka amacici egolide kwakungumkhuba wama-Ishumayeli.)
25 And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and cast into it every man the earrings of his spoil.
Baphendula bathi, “Sizathaba ukukunika wona.” Ngakho bendlala ingubo, kwathi umuntu ngamunye waphosela kuyo icici lempango yakhe.
26 And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; besides ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and besides the chains that were about their camels’ necks.
Isisindo samacici egolide ayewacelile saba ngamashekeli angamakhulu alitshumi lesikhombisa, kungabalwa izigqizo lemigaxo lezembatho eziyibubende ezigqokwa ngamakhosi aseMidiyani loba amaketane ayesezintanjeni zamakamela awo.
27 And Gideon made of it an ephod, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went there playing the harlot with it: which thing became a snare to Gideon, and to his house.
UGidiyoni wenza isithombe ngegolide lelo, wasibeka e-Ofira, umuzi wakibo. Bonke abako-Israyeli bazingcolisa ngokusikhonza khonapho, njalo saba ngumjibila kuGidiyoni labendlu yakhe.
28 Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they raised their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.
IMidiyani yanqotshwa kanjalo ngabako-Israyeli njalo kayizange ivuse ikhanda futhi. Ngezinsuku zokuphila kukaGidiyoni ilizwe laba lokuthula iminyaka engamatshumi amane.
29 And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.
UJerubhi-Bhali indodana kaJowashi wabuyela ekhaya ukuyahlala khona.
30 And Gideon had seventy sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.
Wayelamadodana angamatshumi ayisikhombisa angawakhe ngoba wayelabafazi abanengi.
31 And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bore him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.
Umkakhe weceleni, owayehlala eShekhemu, laye wamzalela indodana ayithi ngu-Abhimelekhi.
32 And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
UGidiyoni indodana kaJowashi wafa eseluphele kakhulu wangcwatshwa ethuneni likayise uJowashi e-Ofira yama-Abhiyezeri.
33 And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went playing the harlot with Baalim, and made Baalberith their god.
Masinyane nje uGidiyoni esanda kufa abako-Israyeli bazingcolisa njalo ngokukhonza oBhali. Bamisa uBhali-Bherithi njengonkulunkulu wabo
34 And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God, who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies on every side:
kabaze bamkhumbula uThixo uNkulunkulu wabo owayebahlenge ezandleni zezitha zabo ezinhlangothini zonke.
35 Neither showed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shown to Israel.
Njalo kababanga lomusa kwabendlu kaJerubhi-Bhali (uGidiyoni) ngezinto zonke ezinhle ayebenzele zona.

< Judges 8 >