Atiirĩrĩri 11
1 Na rĩrĩ, Jefitha aarĩ Mũgileadi warĩ njamba yarĩ hinya. Nake ithe wa Jefitha eetagwo Gileadi, na nyina aarĩ mũmaraya.
[There was a man] from [the] Gilead [region] named Jephthah. He was a great warrior. His father was also named Gilead. But his mother was a prostitute.
2 Mũtumia wa Gileadi o nake akĩmũciarĩra aanake, na rĩrĩa maagimarire makĩingata Jefitha. Nao makiuga atĩrĩ, “Wee ndũkagaya igai thĩinĩ wa nyũmba iitũ, tondũ ũrĩ wa mũtumia ũngĩ.”
Gilead’s wife gave birth to several sons. When they grew up, they forced Jephthah to leave home, saying to him, “You are the son of a prostitute, [not the son of our mother]. So [when] our father [dies], you will not receive any of his property.”
3 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Jefitha akĩũrĩra ariũ a ithe, agĩthiĩ gũtũũra bũrũri wa Tobu, kũrĩa gĩkundi kĩa andũ matarĩ kĩene kĩamũrigiicĩirie na gĩkĩmũrũmĩrĩra.
So Jephthah ran away from his brothers, and he went to the Tob region. While he was there, some worthless men started to spend a lot of time with him.
4 Thuutha wa ihinda inini, hĩndĩ ĩrĩa Aamoni maahaarĩirie mbaara na Isiraeli,
Some time later, the Ammon people-group started to fight against the Israelis.
5 athuuri a Gileadi magĩthiĩ kũgĩĩra Jefitha kuuma bũrũri wa Tobu.
When that happened [DOU], the leaders of [the] Gilead [region] went to Jephthah to bring him back from the Tob region [to their area].
6 Nao makĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Ũka, ũtuĩke mũnene witũ wa ita, nĩgeetha tũhũũrane na Aamoni.”
They said to him, “Come [with us] and lead our army, and [help us to] fight against the men from the Ammon people-group!”
7 Jefitha akĩmeera atĩrĩ, “Githĩ mũtiathũũrire mũkĩnyingata kuuma nyũmba ya baba? Nĩ kĩĩ kĩratũma mũũke kũrĩ niĩ rĩu mũrĩ na thĩĩna?”
But Jephthah replied, “You hated me [RHQ] previously! You forced me to leave my father’s house! So why are you coming to me now, [asking me to help you] when you are experiencing trouble?”
8 Athuuri a Gileadi makĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “O na kũrĩ ũguo, nĩtwagũcookerera; twarana na ithuĩ tũkahũũrane na Aamoni, na nĩũgũtuĩka mũnene witũ wa gwathaga andũ othe arĩa matũũraga Gileadi.”
The leaders from Gilead replied, “[Yes, we are having trouble, and] that is the reason that we have come to you now. If you come with us and [help us to] fight against the Ammon people-group, [after we defeat them, we will appoint] you to be the leader of all us people in [the] Gilead [region].”
9 Jefitha akĩmooria atĩrĩ, “Mũngĩnjookia ngahũũrane na Aamoni nake Jehova amaneane kũrĩ niĩ-rĩ, ti-itherũ niĩ nĩngatuĩka mũnene wanyu?”
Jephthah replied, “If I go back to Gilead with you to fight against the Ammon people-group, and if Yahweh helps us to defeat them, will you truly appoint me to be your leader?”
10 Athuuri acio a Gileadi makĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Jehova nĩwe mũira witũ; nĩtũgwĩka o ta ũrĩa ũkuuga.”
They replied, “Yahweh is listening to everything that we say. [So he will punish us] if we do not do everything that you tell us to do.”
11 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Jefitha agĩthiĩ hamwe na athuuri a Gileadi, na andũ acio makĩmũtua mũnene na mwathi wao. Nake agĩcookera ciugo ciake ciothe mbere ya Jehova o kũu Mizipa.
So Jephthah went with them back to [the] Gilead [region], and the people appointed him to be their leader and the commander of their army. And Jephthah solemnly promised to Yahweh there at Mizpah [to serve him well].
12 Ningĩ Jefitha agĩtũmana kũrĩ mũthamaki wa Aamoni na kĩũria gĩkĩ: “Nĩ ũhoro ũrĩkũ ũrĩ naguo na ithuĩ nĩgeetha ũtharĩkĩre bũrũri witũ?”
Jephthah sent some messengers to the king of the Ammon people-group. They asked the king, “What have we [done to make you angry, with the result] that your army is coming to fight [against the people] in our land?”
13 Mũthamaki wa Aamoni agĩcookeria andũ a Jefitha atĩrĩ, “Hĩndĩ ĩrĩa Isiraeli maambatire kuuma Misiri, nĩmooire bũrũri wakwa kuuma Arinoni nginya Jaboku, o na nginya Jorodani. Rĩu njookeriai bũrũri ũcio na thayũ.”
The king replied, “[We have come to fight against you Israelis because] you took our land when you came here from Egypt. You took all our land east of the Jordan [River], from the Arnon [River in the south] to the Jabbok [River in the north]. So if you now give it back to us, there (will be peace between us/we will not fight against you).”
14 Nake Jefitha agĩtũma andũ rĩngĩ kũrĩ mũthamaki wa Aamoni,
[The messengers returned to Jephthah and told him what the king had said]. So Jephthah sent the messengers to the king again.
15 akiuga atĩrĩ: “Ũũ nĩguo Jefitha oiga: Isiraeli ndooire bũrũri wa Moabi kana bũrũri wa Aamoni.
They said to him, “This is what Jephthah says: ‘It is not [true] that we Israelis took the land from the Moab people-group and the Ammon people-group.
16 No rĩrĩa maambatire makiuma Misiri, Isiraeli maatuĩkanĩirie werũ-inĩ nginya Iria Itune, magĩkinya Kadeshi.
When the Israeli people came out of Egypt, they walked through the desert to the Red Sea, and then [walked across it and traveled to Kadesh town at the border of the Edom region].
17 Ningĩ Isiraeli agĩtũma andũ kũrĩ mũthamaki wa Edomu, makamwĩre atĩrĩ, ‘Twĩtĩkĩrie tũtuĩkanĩrie bũrũri-inĩ waku,’ no mũthamaki wa Edomu ndaigana gũthikĩrĩria. Ningĩ magĩtũmana kũrĩ mũthamaki wa Moabi, nake akĩrega. Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Isiraeli magĩikara kũu Kadeshi.
They sent messengers to the king of the Edom people-group, to say to him, “Please allow us Israelis to walk across your land.” But the king of the Edom people-group refused. Later we sent the same message to the king of the Moab people-group, but he also refused to allow the Israelis to go through his land. So the Israelis stayed at Kadesh [for a long time].
18 “Magĩcooka magĩtuĩkanĩria werũ-inĩ, magĩthiũrũrũka bũrũri wa Edomu na Moabi, makĩgerera mwena wa irathĩro wa bũrũri wa Moabi, na makĩamba hema ciao mũrĩmo ũũrĩa ũngĩ wa Arinoni. Nao matiatoonyire bũrũri wa Moabi, nĩgũkorwo Rũũĩ rwa Arinoni nĩruo rwarĩ mũhaka wakuo.
Then the Israelis went into the desert and walked outside the borders of the Edom and Moab regions. They walked east of the Moab region, east of the Arnon [River, which is the eastern border of the Moab region]. They did not cross that river to enter [the] Moab [region].
19 “Ningĩ Isiraeli agĩtũma andũ kũrĩ Sihoni mũthamaki wa Aamori, ũrĩa waathanaga Heshiboni, makĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, ‘Twĩtĩkĩrie tũhĩtũkĩre bũrũri-inĩ waku tũthiĩ bũrũri witũ.’
‘Then the Israelis sent a message to Sihon, the king of the Amor people-group, who lived in Heshbon [city]. They asked him, “Will you please allow us Israeli people to cross through your land to arrive at the land to which we [are going].”
20 Na rĩrĩ, Sihoni ndaigana kwĩhoka Isiraeli mahĩtũkĩre bũrũri wake. Akĩũngania ita rĩake rĩothe na akĩamba hema kũu Jahazu, na akĩhũũrana na Isiraeli.
But Sihon did not trust the Israelis; [he thought that they would steal some of the things in his land]. So he gathered all his troops and they set up their tents at Jahaz [village] and then they attacked the Israelis.
21 “Nake Jehova, Ngai wa Isiraeli, akĩneana Sihoni na andũ ake othe moko-inĩ ma Isiraeli, makĩmahoota. Isiraeli makĩĩyoera bũrũri wothe wa Aamori arĩa maatũũraga bũrũri ũcio,
But Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis [worship], enabled the Israeli army to defeat [IDM] Sihon and his army. Then they (took possession of/started to live in) all the land where the Amor people-group had lived.
22 magĩtunyana guothe kuuma Arinoni nginya Jaboku, na kuuma werũ-inĩ nginya Jorodani.
The Israelis took all the land that belonged to the Amor people-group, from the Arnon [River in the south] to the Jabbok [River in the north], and from the desert [in the east] to the Jordan [River in the west].
23 “Na rĩrĩ, kuona atĩ Jehova, Ngai wa Isiraeli nĩwe ũingatĩte Aamori akameheria mbere ya andũ ake Isiraeli-rĩ, wee ũkĩrĩ na kĩhooto kĩrĩkũ gĩa kũwĩgwatĩra?
‘It was Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis [worship], who forced the Amor people-group to leave as the Israelis advanced. So do you now think that you can force the Israelis to leave [RHQ]?
24 Kaĩ ũtangĩoya kĩrĩa Kemoshu ngai yaku ĩkũheete? Ithuĩ na ithuĩ twĩgwatĩre kĩrĩa gĩothe Jehova Ngai witũ atũheete.
You take the land that your god Chemosh has given to you. And we will live in the land that Yahweh our God has given to us!
25 Anga wee nĩũkĩrĩte Balaki mũrũ wa Ziporu, mũthamaki wa Moabi? Nĩ kũrĩ hĩndĩ arĩ ahaarana na Isiraeli kana akĩrũa nao?
(You are no/Are you) better than Zippor’s son Balak, who was the king of the Moab people-group? He never [RHQ] quarreled with the Israeli people, and he never started to fight against us [RHQ]!
26 Handũ ha mĩaka magana matatũ Isiraeli matũũrĩte kũu Heshiboni, na Aroeri, na matũũra marĩa mothe magũthiũrũrũkĩirie, na matũũra mothe marĩa marĩ hũgũrũrũ-inĩ cia Arinoni. Nĩ kĩĩ kĩagiririe ũmeyoere rĩngĩ hĩndĩ ĩyo?
For 300 years the Israeli people have lived in Heshbon and Aroer [cities in your region], and in the surrounding towns, and in all the cities along the Arnon [River]. Why have you people of the Ammon people-group not taken back those cities during all those years [RHQ]?
27 Niĩ ndikũhĩtĩirie, no wee nĩũranjĩka ũũru nĩ ũndũ wa kũndehera mbaara. Reke Jehova, ũrĩa mũtuithania, atuithanie ciira ũyũ ũmũthĩ gatagatĩ ka andũ a Isiraeli na Aamoni.”
We have not sinned against you, but you are sinning against me by attacking me [and my army]. I trust that Yahweh, the great judge, will decide whether we Israelis are right, or whether you people of the Ammon people-group are right.’”
28 O na kũrĩ ũguo, mũthamaki wa Amoni ndaigana kũrũmbũiya ndũmĩrĩri ĩyo aatũmĩirwo nĩ Jefitha.
But the king of the Ammon people-group did not pay attention to that message from Jephthah.
29 Hĩndĩ ĩyo Roho wa Jehova agĩũka igũrũ rĩa Jefitha. Akĩringa Gileadi na Manase, akĩhĩtũkĩra Mizipa ya Gileadi, na kuuma kũu agĩthiĩ gũkora Aamoni.
Then the Spirit of Yahweh took control of Jephthah. Jephthah went through [the] Gilead [region] and through the area where the tribe of Manasseh lived, [to enlist/gather men for his army]. [He finally gathered them together] in Mizpah [city] in [the] Gilead [region] to fight against the Ammon people-group.
30 Nake Jefitha akĩĩhĩta mwĩhĩtwa mbere ya Jehova, akiuga atĩrĩ, “Ũngĩneana Aamoni moko-nĩ makwa-rĩ,
There Jephthah made a solemn promise to Yahweh. He said, “If you will enable my army to defeat [IDM] the Ammon people-group,
31 o kĩrĩa gĩkoima nja na mũrango wa nyũmba yakwa kĩndũnge rĩrĩa ngaacooka hootanĩte kuuma kũrĩ Aamoni, gĩgaatuĩka kĩa Jehova, na nĩngakĩruta gĩtuĩke igongona rĩa njino.”
when I return from the battle, I will sacrifice to you the first person who comes out of my house [to greet me]. It will be a sacrifice that will be completely burned [on the altar].”
32 Nake Jefitha agĩthiĩ kũhũũrana na Aamoni, nake Jehova akĩmaneana moko-inĩ make.
Then Jephthah [and his men] went from Mizpah to attack the Ammon people-group, and Yahweh enabled his army to defeat them.
33 Agĩthũkangia matũũra mĩrongo ĩĩrĩ kuuma Aroeri nginya gũkuhĩ na Minithu, o nginya Abeli-Karamimu. Ũguo nĩguo Isiraeli maatooririe Aamoni.
Jephthah and his men killed them, from Aroer [city] all the way to the area around the city of Minnith. They destroyed 20 cities, as far as [the city of] Abel Keramim. So the Israelis [completely] defeated the Ammon people-group.
34 Hĩndĩ ĩrĩa Jefitha aacookire gwake mũciĩ kũu Mizipa-rĩ, nũũ wagĩũkire kũmũtũnga tiga mwarĩ, akĩmũinagĩra na akĩhũũraga tũhembe! Nake aarĩ mwana wa mũmwe. Tiga o we wiki, Jefitha ndaarĩ na kahĩĩ kana kairĩtu.
When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, his daughter was the first one to come out of the house to meet him. She was [joyfully] playing a tambourine and dancing. She was his only child; he had no sons and no other daughters.
35 Rĩrĩa aamuonire-rĩ, agĩtembũranga nguo ciake agĩkaya, akiuga atĩrĩ, “Ũũi! Mwarĩ wakwa! Nĩwandua mũndũ mũthĩĩnĩku na mũnyamarĩku nĩ ũndũ nĩndĩhĩtĩte mwĩhĩtwa harĩ Jehova ũrĩa itangĩaga kũhingia.”
When Jephthah saw his daughter, he tore his clothes [to show that he was very sad about what he was going to do]. He said to her, “My daughter, you have caused me to become very sad [DOU] because I made a solemn promise to Yahweh [to sacrifice the first one who came out of my house], and I must do what I promised.”
36 Nake akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Baba, wee nĩweehĩtire mwĩhĩtwa kũrĩ Jehova. Njĩka o ta ũrĩa weranĩire, kuona atĩ Jehova nĩakũrĩhĩria harĩ Aamoni thũ ciaku.”
His daughter said, “My father, you made a solemn promise to Yahweh. So you must do to me what you promised, because [you said that you would do that if] Yahweh helped you to defeat our enemies, the Ammon people-group.”
37 Ningĩ akiuga atĩrĩ, “No nĩngũkũũria ũnjĩtĩkĩrie ũndũ ũyũ ũmwe: Ũũhe mĩeri ĩĩrĩ ngacangacange irĩma-inĩ na ndĩre hamwe na arata akwa, tondũ ndikaahika.”
Then she also said, “But allow me to do one thing. (First/before you do what you promised), allow me to go up into the hilly area and wander around for two months. Since I will never be married [and have children], allow me and my friends to go and cry together.”
38 Akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “No ũthiĩ.” Akĩmwĩtĩkĩria athiĩ mĩeri ĩĩrĩ. We marĩ na airĩtu acio angĩ magĩthiĩ irĩma-inĩ, makĩrĩranĩra tondũ ndarĩ hĩndĩ angĩkaahika.
Jephthah replied, “All right, you may go.” So she left for two months. She and her friends stayed in the hills and they cried for her because she would never be married.
39 Thuutha wa mĩeri ĩyo ĩĩrĩ, agĩcooka kũrĩ ithe, nake akĩmwĩka o ta ũrĩa eehĩtĩte. Nake aarĩ mũirĩtu gathirange. Kuumanagia na ũndũ ũcio, ũgĩtuĩka mũtugo wa andũ a Isiraeli,
After two months, she returned to her father Jephthah, and he did to her what he had vowed. So his daughter never was married. Because of that, the Israelis now have a custom.
40 atĩ o mwaka airĩtu a Isiraeli mathiiage nja mĩthenya ĩna kũririkana mwarĩ wa Jefitha ũcio Mũgileadi.
Every year the young Israeli women go [into the hills] for four days to remember [and cry about what happened to] the daughter of Jephthah.
