Ʋɔnudrɔ̃lawo 21
1 Israel ƒe kplɔlawo ka atam na Yehowa le Mizpa be yewomatsɔ yewoƒe ɖetugbiwo ana Benyamin ƒe to la ƒe ŋutsuwo woaɖe gbeɖegbeɖe o.
Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpah, saying: 'There shall not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife.'
2 Azɔ la, Israelviwo ƒe kplɔlawo kpe ta le Betel eye wofa avi na Mawu vevie va se ɖe fiẽ.
And the people came to Beth-el, and sat there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore.
3 Wofa avi gblɔ be, “Oo, Yehowa, Israel ƒe Mawu, nu ka ta wòva eme be míaƒe towo dometɔ ɖeka le bubum le mía dome?”
And they said: 'O LORD, the God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be to-day one tribe lacking in Israel?'
4 Woɖi vɔsamlekpui aɖe le gbe ma gbe ƒe ŋdi kanya eye wosa akpedavɔ le edzi.
And it came to pass on the morrow that the people rose early, and built there an altar, and offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerings.
5 Wogblɔ na wo nɔewo be, “Ɖe Israel ƒe to aɖe li si meva takpekpe si míewɔ le Yehowa ŋkume le Mizpa oa?” Wobia nya sia elabena woka atam ɖe edzi do ŋgɔ be ame si agbe vava la aku kokoko.
And the children of Israel said: 'Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that came not up in the assembly unto the LORD?' For they had made a great oath concerning him that came not up unto the LORD to Mizpah, saying: 'He shall surely be put to death.'
6 Israelviwo katã fa konyi le ale si Benyamin ƒe to la tsrɔ̃ le wo dome la ta eye wogblɔ be, “Israel ƒe to blibo ɖeka tsrɔ̃ le mía dome.
And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their brother, and said: 'There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.
7 Afi ka míakpɔ nyɔnuwo le na ŋutsu ʋɛ siwo tsi agbe esi míetsɔ Yehowa ka atam be míatsɔ míaƒe vinyɔnuwo na woƒe ɖekakpuiwo woaɖe o?”
How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them of our daughters to wives?'
8 Eye wobia be, “Israel ƒe to ka me tɔwoe meva takpekpea me le Yehowa ŋkume le Mizpa o?” Wokpɔe be, ame aɖeke metso Yabes Gilead va asaɖa la me na takpekpe la o.
And they said: 'What one is there of the tribes of Israel that came not up unto the LORD to Mizpah?' And, behold, there came none to the camp from Jabesh-gilead to the assembly.
9 Esi woxlẽ ameawo la, wokpɔe be Yabes Gileadtɔ aɖeke menɔ afi ma o.
For when the people were numbered, behold, there were none of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead there.
10 Ale woɖe gbe na aʋawɔla kalẽtɔ akpe wuieve be, “Miyi miawu amewo le Yabes Gilead.
And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest, and commanded them, saying: 'Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the little ones.
11 Miwu ŋutsuwo katã kple nyɔnu siwo katã dɔ ŋutsu gbɔ kpɔ.”
And this is the thing that ye shall do: ye shall utterly destroy every male, and every woman that hath lain by man.'
12 Wokpɔ ɖetugbi alafa ene siwo medɔ ŋutsu gbɔ kpɔ o la le ame siwo nɔ Yabes Gilead la dome eye wokplɔ wo va asaɖa la me le Silo, le Kanaanyigba dzi.
And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead four hundred young virgins, that had not known man by lying with him; and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.
13 Israelvi bubuawo ɖo ame ɖe Benyamin ƒe to la ƒe ŋutsu siwo tsi agbe eye wole Rimon kpe la gbɔ.
And the whole congregation sent and spoke to the children of Benjamin that were in the rock of Rimmon, and proclaimed peace unto them.
14 Wotsɔ ɖetugbi alafa eneawo na wo woɖe eye wotrɔ yi woƒe aƒewo me. Ke ɖetugbiawo mede ŋutsuawo katã nu o.
And Benjamin returned at that time; and they gave them the women whom they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh-gilead; and yet so they sufficed them not.
15 Nublanuinya gã aɖee wònye le Israel le ŋkeke mawo me elabena Yehowa de mama Israel ƒe toawo dome.
And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.
16 Israelviwo ƒe kplɔlawo gblɔ be, “Aleke míawɔ akpɔ srɔ̃ na ŋutsu bubuawo esi Benyamin ƒe to la ƒe nyɔnuwo katã ku?
Then the elders of the congregation said: 'How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of Benjamin?'
17 Ele be míato mɔ aɖe nu adi srɔ̃ na wo kokoko ale be, Israel ƒe to blibo ɖeka mabu gbidii o.
And they said: 'They that are escaped must be as an inheritance for Benjamin, that a tribe be not blotted out from Israel.
18 Ke míate ŋu atsɔ míawo ŋutɔ ƒe vinyɔnuwo na wo o elabena mí Israelviwo míeka atam be, Yehowa ƒe fiƒode nava ame sia ame si awɔ nu sia la dzi.”
Howbeit we may not give them wives of our daughters.' For the children of Israel had sworn, saying: 'Cursed be he that giveth a wife to Benjamin.'
19 Ke ame aɖe ɖo ŋku Yehowa ƒe ŋkekenyui si woɖuna ƒe sia ƒe la dzi. Woɖua ŋkekenyui sia le Silo, si le Betel ƒe anyiehe kple mɔ si tso Betel yi Sekem ƒe ɣedzeƒe lɔƒo kpakple Lebona ƒe dziehe la dzi.
And they said: 'Behold, there is the feast of the LORD from year to year in Shiloh, which is on the north of Beth-el, on the east side of the highway that goeth up from Beth-el to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah.'
20 Wogblɔ na Benyamin ƒe to la ƒe ŋutsu siwo mekpɔ srɔ̃ ɖe haɖe o la be, “Miyi miaɣla mia ɖokui ɖe waingblewo me
And they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying: 'Go and lie in wait in the vineyards;
21 eye ne Silo ɖetugbiwo va yina ɣeɖuƒe la, mialũ ɖe wo dzi, mialé wo sesẽ ayi miaƒe aƒewo me ne woazu mia srɔ̃wo!
and see, and, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then come ye out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife of the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.
22 Ne wo fofowo kple wo nɔviŋutsuwo va nya he ge ɖe mía ŋu la, míagblɔ na wo be, ‘Míeɖe kuku na mi; mise nu gɔme eye miaɖe mɔ woaɖe mia vinyɔnuwo elabena míekpɔ ɖetugbiwo na ŋutsuawo katã esi míetsrɔ̃ Yabes Gilead o. Nenye miawo ŋutɔe tsɔ mia vinyɔnuwo na wo la, eya ko hafi miaɖi fɔ.’”
And it shall be, when their fathers or their brethren come to strive with us, that we will say unto them: Grant them graciously unto us; because we took not for each man of them his wife in battle; neither did ye give them unto them, that ye should now be guilty.'
23 Ale Benyamin ƒe to la ƒe ŋutsuwo wɔ ɖe nya si wogblɔ na wo la dzi, wolé nyɔnuvi siwo va ŋkekenyui la ɖu ge, eye wokplɔ wo yi woawo ŋutɔ ƒe anyigba dzi. Wogbugbɔ woƒe duwo tu eye wonɔ wo me.
And the children of Benjamin did so, and took them wives, according to their number, of them that danced, whom they carried off; and they went and returned unto their inheritance, and built the cities, and dwelt in them.
24 Israelvi bubuawo hã trɔ yi wo de.
And the children of Israel departed thence at that time, every man to his tribe and to his family, and they went out from thence every man to his inheritance.
25 Le ɣe ma ɣiwo me la, fia aɖeke menɔ Israel si o, eye ame sia ame wɔa nu si dzea eŋu.
In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
