Judges 21
1 And the men of Israel have sworn in Mizpeh, saying, 'None of us doth give his daughter to Benjamin for a wife.'
Sasa watu wa Israeli walikuwa wameahidi huko Mispa, “Hakuna hata mmoja wetu atakayempa binti yake kuolewa na Mbenyamini.”
2 And the people come in to Beth-El, and sit there till the evening before God, and lift up their voice, and weep — a great weeping,
Ndipo watu wakaenda Betheli, wakakaa huko mbele ya Mungu hata jioni; wakalia kwa sauti kubwa.
3 and say, 'Why, O Jehovah, God of Israel, hath this been in Israel — to be lacking to-day, from Israel, one tribe?'
Walipiga kelele, “Kwa nini, Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, amefanya jambo hili kwa Waisraeli, kwamba moja ya makabila yetu linapotea leo?”
4 And it cometh to pass on the morrow, that the people rise early, and build there an altar, and cause to ascend burnt-offerings and peace-offerings.
Siku iliyofuata watu waliamka mapema na wakajenga madhabahu huko na kutoa sadaka za kuteketezwa na sadaka za amani.
5 And the sons of Israel say, 'Who [is] he that hath not come up in the assembly out of all the tribes of Israel unto Jehovah?' for the great oath hath been concerning him who hath not come up unto Jehovah to Mizpeh, saying, 'He is surely put to death.'
Watu wa Israeli wakasema, “Ni nani kati ya kabila zote za Israeli hawakuja katika mkutano wa Bwana?” Kwa kuwa walikuwa wamefanya ahadi muhimu juu ya mtu yeyote ambaye hakuja kwa Bwana huko Mispa. Wakasema, “Hakika yeye atauawa.”
6 And the sons of Israel repent concerning Benjamin their brother, and say, 'There hath been to-day cut off one tribe from Israel,
Watu wa Israeli walikuwa na huruma kwa ndugu yao Benyamini. Wakasema, “Leo hii kabila moja limekatiliwa mbali kutoka Israeli.
7 what do we do for them — for those who are left — for wives, and we — we have sworn by Jehovah not to give to them of our daughters for wives?'
Ni nani atakayewapa wale walioachwa wake, kwa kuwa tumeahidi kwa Bwana kwamba hatuwezi kuwaruhusu yeyote kati yao aoe binti zetu?”
8 And they say, 'Who is [that] one out of the tribes of Israel who hath not come up unto Jehovah to Mizpeh?' and lo, none hath come in unto the camp from Jabesh-Gilead — unto the assembly.
Wakasema, “Ni nani kati ya kabila za Israeli hawakuja kwa Bwana huko Mispa? Ilionekana kuwa hakuna mtu aliyekuja kwenye mkusanyiko kutoka Jabeshi-Gileadi.
9 And the people numbered themselves, and lo, there is not there a man of the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead.
Kwa maana watu walipokuwa wamepangwa kwa utaratibu, tazama, hakuna hata mmoja wa wenyeji wa Yabeshi Gileadi.
10 And the company send there twelve thousand men of the sons of valour, and command them, saying, 'Go — and ye have smitten the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead by the mouth of the sword, even the women and the infants.
Mkutano huo uliwatuma watu kumi na wawili wa watu wao wenye ujasiri kwa maagizo ya kwenda Jabeshi-gileadi na kuwaangamiza, na kuwaua, hata wanawake na watoto.
11 And this [is] the thing which ye do; every male, and every woman knowing the lying of a male, ye devote.'
“Fanya hivi unapaswa kuua kila mume na kila mwanamke aliyelala na mwanaume.”
12 And they find out of the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead four hundred young women, virgins, who have not known man by the lying of a male, and they bring them in unto the camp at Shiloh, which [is] in the land of Canaan.
Watu wale walikuta watu kati ya hao waliokaa Yabeshi-gileadi, wanawake mia nne ambao hawakulala na mwanaume, wakawapeleka kwenye kambi huko Shilo, huko Kanaani.
13 And all the company send, and speak, unto the sons of Benjamin who [are] in the rock Rimmon, and proclaim to them peace;
Mkutano wote ukatuma ujumbe na kuwaambia watu wa Benyamini waliokuwa kwenye mwamba wa Rimoni kwamba walikuwa wanawapa amani.
14 and Benjamin turneth back at that time, and they give to them the women whom they have kept alive of the women of Jabesh-Gilead, and they have not found for [all of] them so.
Wabenyamini walirudi wakati huo na walipewa wanawake wa Yabeshi Gileadi, lakini hapakuwa na wanawake wa kutosha kwa wote.
15 And the people repented concerning Benjamin, for Jehovah had made a breach among the tribes of Israel.
Watu waliomboleza kwa kile kilichotokea Benyamini, kwa kuwa Bwana alifanya mgawanyiko kati ya makabila ya Israeli.
16 And the elders of the company say, 'What do we do to the remnant for wives — for the women have been destroyed out of Benjamin?'
Kisha wakuu wa mkutano wakasema, “Tutafanyaje ili Wabenyamini wapate wake, kwa kuwa wanawake wa Benyamini wameuawa?”
17 And they say, 'A possession of an escaped party [is] to Benjamin, and a tribe is not blotted out from Israel;
Wakasema, 'Lazima kuwe na urithi kwa Wabenyamini waliosalia, ili kabila lisiharibiwe kutoka Israeli.
18 and we — we are not able to give to them wives out of our daughters, for the sons of Israel have sworn, saying, Cursed [is] he who is giving a wife to Benjamin.'
Hatuwezi kuwapa wake kutoka kwa binti zetu, kwa kuwa wana wa Israeli walikuwa wametoa ahadi, 'Na alaaniwe mtu atakayempa Benyamini mke.'”
19 And they say, 'Lo, a festival of Jehovah [is] in Shiloh, from time to time, which [is] on the north of Beth-El, at the rising of the sun, by the highway which is going up from Beth-El to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah.'
Wakasema, “Mnajua kuwa kuna sikukuu kwa Bwana kila mwaka huko Shilo ( ambayo ni kaskazini ya Betheli, mashariki ya barabara inayopanda kutoka Betheli hadi Shekemu, na kusini mwa Lebona).
20 And they command the sons of Benjamin, saying, 'Go — and ye have laid wait in the vineyards,
Wakawaagiza wana wa Benyamini, wakisema, “Nendeni, mjifiche kwa siri, na kusubiri katika mashamba ya mizabibu.
21 and have seen, and lo, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances — then ye have gone out from the vineyards, and caught for you each his wife out of the daughters of Shiloh, and gone to the land of Benjamin;
Tazama wakati ambapo wasichana kutoka Shilo watatoka kucheza, Tokeni nje ya mizabibu na kila mmoja wenu anapaswa kunyakua mke kutoka kwa wasichana wa Shilo, kisha kurudi kwenye nchi ya Benyamini.
22 and it hath been, when their fathers or their brethren come in to plead unto us, that we have said unto them, Favour us [by] them, for we have not taken [to] each his wife in battle, for ye — ye have not given to them at this time [that] ye are guilty.'
Wakati baba zao au ndugu zao watakapokuja kutupinga, tutawaambia, 'Tupeni neema! Waache wabaki kwa sababu hatukupata wake kwa kila mtu wakati wa vita. Na ninyi hamna hatia juu ya ahadi, kwa sababu hamkuwapa wao binti zenu.'”
23 And the sons of Benjamin do so, and take women according to their number, out of the dancers whom they have taken violently away; and they go, and turn back unto their inheritance, and build the cities, and dwell in them.
Watu wa Benyamini walifanya hivyo. Walichukua idadi ya wake waliowahitaji kutoka kwa wasichana waliokuwa wakicheza, nao wakawachukua ili wawe wake zao. Wakaenda na kurudi mahali pa urithi wao; wakajenga tena miji, na wakaishi ndani yao.
24 And the sons of Israel go up and down thence at that time, each to his tribe, and to his family; and they go out thence each to his inheritance.
Kisha watu wa Israeli wakatoka mahali hapo na kwenda nyumbani, kila mmoja kwa kabila lake na ukoo, na kila mmoja kwa urithi wake mwenyewe.
25 In those days there is no king in Israel; each doth that which is right in his own eyes.
Siku hizo hapakuwa na mfalme huko Israeli. Kila mtu alifanya yaliyo sawa machoni pake mwenyewe.
