Yosua 9

1 Ale si Israelviwo ɖu dukɔwo dzi la va ɖo to me na fia aɖewo. Fia siawo ƒe dukɔwoe nye esiwo nɔ Yɔdan tɔsisi la ƒe ɣetoɖoƒe, dukɔ siwo nɔ towo kple togbɛwo dzi, esiwo nɔ Domeƒu la ŋu kple esiwo nɔ dzigbeme heyi keke Lebanon. Dukɔ siawoe nye Hititɔwo, Amoritɔwo, Kanaantɔwo, Perizitɔwo, Hivitɔwo kple Yebusitɔwo.

Now When these things were heard of, all the kings beyond the Jordan, that dwelt in the mountains and in the plains, in the places near the sea, and on the coasts of the great sea, they also that dwell by Libanus, the Hethite and the Amorrhite, the Chanaanite, the Pherezite, and the Hevite, and the Jebusite,

2 Dukɔ siawo ƒe aʋakɔwo wɔ ɖeka enumake hena aʋawɔwɔ kple Yosua kple Israelviwo.

Gathered themselves together, to fight against Josue and Israel with one mind, and one resolution.

3 Ke Gibeontɔwo, ame siwo nye Hivitɔwo la se nu si Yosua wɔ Yeriko kple Ai.

But they that dwelt in Gabaon, hearing all that Josue had done to Jericho and Hai:

4 Eya ta woɖo be yewoaflu Yosua. Wodo agba na woƒe tedziwo kple kotoku xoxowo kple waingolo vuvuwo.

Cunningly devising took for themselves provisions, laying old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles rent and sewed up again,

5 Wodo awu vuvuwo kple afɔkpa siwo te vuvu wogbugbɔ tɔ, eye abolo si wotsɔ ɖe asi hã ƒu hedze fufu.

And very old shoes, which for a show of age were clouted with patches, and old garments upon them: the leaves also, which they carried for provisions by the way, were hard, and broken into pieces:

6 Esi wova ɖo Israelviwo ƒe asaɖa me le Gilgal la, wogblɔ na Yosua kple Israelviwo be, “Míetso teƒe didi aɖe; míedi be míawɔ ŋutifafa kpli mi.”

And they went to Josue, who then abode in the camp at Galgal, and said to him, and to all Israel with him: We are come from a far country, desiring to make peace with you. And the children of Israel answered them, and said:

7 Israelviwo gblɔ na Hivitɔ siawo be, “Aleke míawɔ hafi anya be menye teƒe kpui aɖee mietso o? Ne mietso kpuiƒe la, míate ŋu awɔ ŋutifafa kpli mi o.”

Perhaps you dwell in the land which falls to our lot; if so, we can make no league with you.

8 Woɖo eŋu be, “Míazu miaƒe kluviwo.” Yosua bia be, “Ame kawoe mienye eye afi ka mietso?”

But they said to Josue: We are thy servants. Josue said to them: Who are you? and whence came you?

9 Woɖo eŋu na Yosua be, “Wò dɔlawo tso anyigba didi aɖe dzi. Míese nu tso Yehowa, miaƒe Mawu la ƒe ŋusẽ kple nu siwo katã wòwɔ le Egipte

They answered: From a very far country thy servants are come in the name of the Lord thy God. For we have heard the fame of his power, all the things that he did in Egypt.

10 kpakple nu si wòwɔ Amoritɔwo ƒe fia eveawo, Sixɔn, Hesbon fia kple Ɔg, Basan fia si nɔ Astarot ŋu,

And to the two kings of the Amorrhites that were beyond the Jordan, Sehon king of Hesebon, and Og king of Basan, that was in Astaroth:

11 eya ta míaƒe ametsitsiwo kple míaƒe amewo gblɔ na mí be, ‘Midzra ɖo na mɔ didi aɖe zɔzɔ. Miyi Israelviwo gbɔ, eye miatsɔ míaƒe dukɔ na wo, ale be míazu woƒe subɔlawo, eye miabia ŋutifafa.’

And our ancients, and all the inhabitants of our country said to us: Take with you victuals for a long way, and go meet them, and say: We are your servants, make ye a league with us.

12 Woɖe abolo sia dzodzoe tso abolokpo me teti ko míedze mɔ, ke fifia la, abe ale si miawo ŋutɔ miakpɔe ene la, eƒu hedze fufu.

Behold, these leaves we took hot, when we set out from our houses to come to you, now they are become dry, and broken in pieces, by being exceeding old.

13 Waingolo siawo nye nu yeyewo, ke fifia la, wodo xoxo hevuvu. Míaƒe awuwo kple afɔkpawo vuvu le mɔzɔzɔ la ƒe didi kple sesẽ ta.”

These bottles of wine when we filled them were new, now they are rent and burst. These garments we have on, and the shoes we have on our feet, by reason of the very long journey are worn out, and almost consumed.

14 Amedzroawo na nuɖuɖu Israelviwo, eye woxɔe abe ɖekawɔwɔ ƒe dzesi ene le esime womebia Yehowa gbã tso eŋu o.

They took therefore of their victuals, and consulted not the mouth of the Lord.

15 Yosua wɔ ŋutifafa ƒe nubabla kple Gibeontɔwo, eye wòna be woatsi agbe. Israelviwo ƒe kplɔlawo do ŋugbe be yewoawɔ ɖe nubabla la dzi.

And Josue made peace with them, and entering into a league promised that they should not be slain: the princes also of the multitude swore to them.

16 Nyateƒe la va dze go le ŋkeke etɔ̃ megbe be Gibeontɔwo ƒe nɔƒe te ɖe Israelviwo ŋu kpokploe.

Now three days after the league was made, they heard that they dwelt nigh, and they should be among them.

17 Israelviwo ƒe aʋakɔ dze mɔ enumake be yeaku nya la gɔme, eye woɖo woƒe duwo me le ŋkeke etɔ̃ pɛ ko megbe. Woƒe duwo ƒe ŋkɔwoe nye: Gibeon, Kefira, Beerot kple Kiriat Yearim,

And the children of Israel removed the camp, and came into their cities on the third day, the names of which are Gabaon, and Caphira, and Beroth, and Cariathiarim.

18 Ke Israelviwo metsrɔ̃ duawo o le adzɔgbe si Israelviwo ƒe kplɔlawo ɖe le Yehowa, Israel ƒe Mawu la ƒe ŋkɔ me la ta. Israelviwo do dɔmedzoe ɖe woƒe kplɔlawo ŋu le ŋutifafa ƒe nubabla la ta.

And they slew them not, because the princes of the multitude had sworn in the name of the Lord the God of Israel. Then all the common people murmured against the princes.

19 Kplɔlawo ɖo eŋu be, “Míeka atam le Yehowa, Israel ƒe Mawu la ƒe ŋkɔ me be míawɔ nuvevi wo o, eya ta míaka asi wo ŋu hã o.

And they answered them: We have sworn to them in the name of the Lord the God of Israel, and therefore we may not touch them.

20 Ele be míana woanɔ agbe, elabena ne mietu míaƒe atam la la, Yehowa ado dɔmedzoe ɖe mia ŋu.”

But this we mill do to them: Let their lives be saved, lest the wrath of the Lord be stirred up against us, if we should be forsworn.

21 Ale Gibeontɔwo zu kluviwo na Israelviwo, wozu nakefɔlawo kple tsidulawo na wo.

But so let them live, as to serve the whole multitude in hewing wood, and bringing in water. As they were speaking these things,

22 Yosua yɔ Gibeon ƒe kplɔlawo, eye wòbia wo be, “Nu ka ta mieble mí be miaƒe anyigba le didiƒe, le afi aɖe ke, le esime wònye ele kpuiƒe, afi sia ko le mía dome ɖo?

Josue called the Gabaonites and said to them: Why would you impose upon us, saying: We dwell far off from you, whereas you are in the midst of us?

23 Fifia la, fiƒode ava mia dzi; tso egbe sia dzi la, miazu subɔlawo na mí. Ɣe sia ɣi miafɔ nake, adu tsi na mí hena subɔsubɔdɔwo wɔwɔ na Mawu.”

Therefore you shall be under a curse, and your race shall always be hewers of wood, and carriers of water unto the house of my God.

24 Gibeontɔwo ƒe kplɔlawo ɖo eŋu be, “Míeble mi nenema, elabena míese be Yehowa ɖo na eƒe dɔla, Mose be wòaɖu anyigba blibo la dzi, eye wòatsrɔ̃ ameawo katã le anyigba la dzi. Ale míevɔ̃ mi, ɖe míaƒe agbe ta, eya ta míeble mi nenema ɖo.

They answered: It was told us thy servants, that the Lord thy God had promised his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants thereof. Therefore we feared exceedingly and provided for our lives. compelled by the dread we had of you and we took this counsel.

25 Ke azɔ la, míele miaƒe asi me, miwɔ nu si dze mia ŋu la kpli mí.”

And now we are in thy hand: deal with us as it seemeth good and right unto thee.

26 Yosua meɖe mɔ na Israelviwo be woawu Gibeontɔwo o,

So Josue did as he had said, and delivered them from the hand of the children of Israel, that they should not be slain.

27 ke boŋ wozu nakefɔlawo kple tsidulawo na Israelviwo. Woawoe adu tsi na Yehowa ƒe subɔsubɔdɔwɔwɔ le afi sia afi si woawɔ subɔsubɔdɔ le ko. Ɖoɖo sia gale edzi kokoko va se ɖe egbe.

And he gave orders in that day that they should be in the service of all the people, and of the altar of the Lord, hewing wood and carrying water, until this present time, in the place which the Lord hath chosen.