Jij 11
1 Jefte, moun peyi Galarad, te yon vanyan sòlda. Papa l' te rele Galarad. Manman l' te yon jennès.
[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 Madan Galarad te fè lòt pitit gason pou mari l'. Men, lè pitit li yo fin gran, yo mete Jefte deyò nan kay la, yo di l' konsa: -Ou pa gen dwa jwenn anyen nan byen papa nou, paske ou se pitit yon jennès.
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 Jefte kouri met deyò pou frè l' yo, l' al rete nan peyi Tòb. Yon bann vòryen vin mete tèt ansanm avèk Jefte. Yo te konn soti avè l' al devalize moun.
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 Kèk tan apre sa, moun Amon yo leve vin fè lagè ak pèp Izrayèl la.
Some time later, the Ammon people-group started to fight against the Israelis.
5 Lè moun Amon yo vin atake pèp Izrayèl la, chèf fanmi peyi Galarad la al chache Jefte nan peyi Tòb pou mennen l' tounen.
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 Yo di l' konsa: -Vini non! Pran kòmandman lame nou an pou n' ka goumen ak moun Amon yo.
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 Men, Jefte di chèf fanmi peyi Galarad yo: -Mwen te kwè nou pa vle wè m'? Nou fòse m' kite lakay papa m'! Koulye a nou nan traka, poukisa se mwen menm nou vin jwenn?
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 Chèf fanmi peyi Galarad yo di Jefte konsa: -Nou vin jwenn ou koulye a, paske nou bezwen pou ou mache ansanm avèk nou, pou ou goumen ak moun Amon yo, pou ou ka chèf tout moun ki rete nan peyi Galarad la.
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 Lè sa a, Jefte di chèf fanmi peyi Galarad yo: -Tansèlman, si nou fè m' tounen lakay pou m' goumen ak moun Amon yo, si Seyè a fè m' kraze yo, se mwen menm k'ap chèf nou tout bon wi!
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 Chèf fanmi peyi Galarad yo di Jefte konsa: -Nou pran Seyè a sèvi nou temwen! N'ap fè tou sa ou sot di la a.
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 Se konsa, Jefte ale avèk chèf fanmi peyi Galarad la, epi yo mete l' chèf pou l' gouvènen yo, pou l' kòmande lame yo. Apre sa, Jefte al repete tout kondisyon sa yo devan Seyè a, lavil Mispa.
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 Lèfini, Jefte voye mesaje bay wa moun Amon yo pou di l': -Kisa ou gen avèk nou? Poukisa ou vini goumen ak nou jouk nan peyi nou?
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 Wa moun Amon yo reponn mesaje Jefte yo: -Se paske pèp Izrayèl la, lè yo soti kite peyi Lejip, yo pran peyi a nan men nou, depi larivyè Anon jouk larivyè Jabòk ak larivyè Jouden. Koulye a se pou yo renmèt nou tè nou san bri san kont.
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 Jefte voye mesaje yo tounen al jwenn wa moun Amon yo,
[The messengers returned to Jephthah and told him what the king had said]. So Jephthah sent the messengers to the king again.
15 avèk repons sa a: -Pèp Izrayèl la pa janm pran ankenn pòsyon nan tè moun Moab yo, ni nan tè moun Amon yo.
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 Paske lè pèp Izrayèl la t'ap kite Lejip, yo te mache nan tout dezè a jouk lanmè Wouj yo, epi yo rive Kadès.
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 Lè sa a, pèp Izrayèl la voye mesaje bò kote wa peyi Edon an pou di l' konsa: Tanpri, kite nou fè yon ti pase nan peyi a. Men, wa peyi Edon an pa t' vle kite yo pase. Yo te voye tou bò kote wa Moab la. Men, li menm tou, li pa t' vle kite yo pase. Se konsa pèp Izrayèl la rete Kadès.
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 Apre sa, yo pran mache nan dezè a, yo fè yon detou pou yo pa pase nan peyi Edon an ak nan peyi Moab la. Yo rive sou bò solèy leve peyi Moab la, lòt bò larivyè Anon an. Se la yo moute kan yo pou yo rete. Men, yo pa janm janbe lòt bò larivyè Anon paske se li ki te sèvi fwontyè pou peyi Moab la.
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 Lè sa a pèp Izrayèl la voye mesaje bay Siyon, wa peyi Amori a, ki te rete Esbon. Yo voye mande l' pèmisyon pou yo fè yon ti pase nan peyi l' la pou yo ka rive nan peyi kote yo prale a.
‘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 Men, Siyon pa t' fè pèp Izrayèl la konfyans, li pa t' kite yo pase. Li sanble tout sòlda li yo, yo vin moute kan yo bò Ajaza, epi yo atake pèp Izrayèl la.
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 Men, Seyè a, Bondye pèp Izrayèl la, lage Siyon ansanm ak tout moun li yo nan men pèp Izrayèl la ki bat yo byen bat. Se konsa, pèp Izrayèl la pran peyi a nan men moun Amori yo ki te rete nan zòn lan.
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 Yo pran tout peyi moun Amori yo pou yo, soti larivyè Anon bò nan sid jouk larivyè Jabòk bò nan nò, depi dezè a bò solèy leve jouk larivyè Jouden bò solèy kouche.
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 Konsa, se Seyè a, Bondye pèp Izrayèl la, ki te mete moun Amori yo deyò pou fè plas pou pèp Izrayèl la, pèp li a.
‘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 Koulye a, ou ta vle reprann tè a nan men Seyè a? Eske ou pa kenbe pou ou tou sa Kemòch, bondye ou la, ba ou? Epi ou ta vle pou nou pa kenbe sa Seyè a, Bondye nou an, ban nou?
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 Eske ou pi bon pase Balak, pitit gason Zipò a, wa peyi Moab la? Li pa janm leve dwèt li sou pèp Izrayèl la, li pa janm leve vin goumen ak nou.
(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 Pèp Izrayèl la gen twasanzan depi li rete lavil Esbon ak lavil Awoyè ansanm ak tout ti bouk ki sou kont yo, ak tout lavil ki sou de bò larivyè Anon an. Poukisa, depi tout tan sa a, nou pa t' reprann yo?
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 Non. Mwen pa fè nou anyen, se nou menm ki fè m' lè nou vin fè m' lagè. Se Seyè a sèl moun ki pou jije. L'a deside ant pèp Izrayèl la ak pèp Amori a kilès ki gen rezon!
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 Men, wa moun Amori yo pa t' koute mesaj Jefte te voye ba li a.
But the king of the Ammon people-group did not pay attention to that message from Jephthah.
29 Lespri Seyè a te sou Jefte. Jefte travèse peyi Galarad ak peyi Manase, li tounen lavil Mispa nan peyi Galarad. Apre sa, li kite lavil Mispa, li pase nan peyi Amon an.
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 Jefte te fè Seyè a yon ve. Li te di: -Si ou lage moun Amon yo nan men m',
There Jephthah made a solemn promise to Yahweh. He said, “If you will enable my army to defeat [IDM] the Ammon people-group,
31 m'ap ofri ou premye moun ki va soti lakay mwen vin kontre m' lè m'a tounen soti kraze moun Amon yo. M'ap boule l' nèt nan dife pou ou.
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 Se konsa, Jefte janbe lòt bò fwontyè a, li antre nan peyi moun Amon yo, l' al goumen ak yo. Epi Seyè a lage yo nan men l'.
Then Jephthah [and his men] went from Mizpah to attack the Ammon people-group, and Yahweh enabled his army to defeat them.
33 Li bat yo depi lavil Awoyè rive nan tout zòn Minit la jouk Abèl Kiramen. Sa te fè vin lavil antou. Yo te touye anpil moun. Se konsa, moun Amon yo vin soumèt devan pèp Izrayèl la.
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 Lè Jefte tounen lakay li lavil Mispa, vwala se pitit fi li a ki te soti vin kontre l'. Li t'ap danse, li t'ap jwe tanbouren. Se te sèl pitit li te genyen. Li pa t' gen lòt pitit ankò, ni fi ni gason.
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 Lè Jefte wè li, li chire rad sou li sitèlman sa te fè l' lapenn, li di: -O pitit fi mwen! Ou touye papa ou. Poukisa se ou menm ki pou fè m' tout lapenn sa a! Mwen te fè yon gwo ve bay Seyè a. Koulye a m' pa ka pa kenbe l'.
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 Pitit fi a di l': -Papa, si ou te fè yon ve bay Seyè a, se pou ou fè m' sa ou te di w'ap fè m' lan, paske Seyè a te ba ou pouvwa pou ou tire revanj sou lènmi ou yo.
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 Apre sa li di papa l' konsa: -Yon sèl bagay m'ap mande ou! Ban m' yon ti delè de mwa pou m' al pwonmennen ansanm ak zanmi m' yo nan mòn yo pou m' al kriye, paske mwen pral mouri san m' pa marye.
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 Jefte kite l' ale pou de mwa. Se konsa, pitit fi Jefte a ansanm ak zanmi l' yo ale nan mòn, y' al kriye paske li tapral mouri tifi.
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 Sou de mwa, li tounen vin jwenn papa l' ki fè sa l' te pwomèt fè pou Seyè a. Se konsa, li mouri tifi. Se depi lè sa a sa rete yon koutim nan peyi Izrayèl la,
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 pou chak lanne medam pèp Izrayèl yo soti al pase kat jou ap kriye pou pitit fi Jefte, moun peyi Galarad la.
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.
