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, Not any of us shall give his daughter unto Benjamin for 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 abode there till the evening, before God, and they lifted up their voices, and wept with a great lamentation;
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, Wherefore, O Lord, God of Israel, is this come to pass in Israel, that there should be lacking this day out of Israel one tribe?
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 with the congregation unto the Lord? For there had been taken the great oath concerning him that came not up to 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 felt regret for Benjamin their brother, and they said, One tribe hath this day been cut down from Israel.
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?”
What shall we do as respecteth wives for those that remain, since we have sworn by the Lord that we will give none of our daughters unto them for 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 had not come to the camp a man from Yabesh-gil'ad to the assembly.
9 Esi woxlẽ ameawo la, wokpɔe be Yabes Gileadtɔ aɖeke menɔ afi ma o.
For the people were numbered, and, behold, there was not present a man of the inhabitants of Yabesh-gil'ad.
10 Ale woɖe gbe na aʋawɔla kalẽtɔ akpe wuieve be, “Miyi miawu amewo le Yabes Gilead.
And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand persons of the valiant men, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants of Yabesh-gil'ad with the edge of the sword, with the women and the children.
11 Miwu ŋutsuwo katã kple nyɔnu siwo katã dɔ ŋutsu gbɔ kpɔ.”
And this is the thing that ye shall do, every male, and every woman that hath known [man] by lying with him, shall ye devote.
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 Yabesh-gil'ad four hundred young virgins that had not known man by lying with any male: 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 on the rock Rimmon, and offered them peace.
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 unto them the wives whom they had saved alive out of the women of Yabesh-gil'ad; but they found not sufficient for them in this way.
15 Nublanuinya gã aɖee wònye le Israel le ŋkeke mawo me elabena Yehowa de mama Israel ƒe toawo dome.
And the people felt regret 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?
And the elders of the congregation said, What shall we do for those that remain as respecteth wives; because the women have been 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, Their inheritance must be secured for Benjamin, that not a tribe may be 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.”
Nevertheless we ourselves are not able to give them wives of our daughters; for the children of Israel have 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 a feast of the Lord in Shiloh from year to year [at a place] which is on the north side 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 ye 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 look out, and, behold, if the daughters of Shiloh go out to dance in dances: then come ye forth out of the vineyards, and snatch you every man his wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go then 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 brothers come to contend with us, that we will say unto them, Be favorable unto them for our sakes; because we took not for each man his wife in the war; [and] because ye yourselves did not give them unto them, that ye should at this time 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 themselves wives, according to their number, from the dancers whom they had stolen away; and they went and returned unto their inheritance, and rebuilt 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 there 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 what was right in his own eyes.
