1 Samuel 5

1 Mgbe ndị Filistia buuru igbe ọgbụgba ndụ Chineke, ha si Ebeneza buru ya buga Ashdọd.

After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod,

2 Ha butere igbe ọgbụgba ndụ Chineke, buba ya nʼime ụlọ Dagọn, dọba ya nʼakụkụ Dagọn.

carried it into the temple of Dagon, and set it beside his statue.

3 Mgbe ndị Ashdọd tetara nʼisi ụtụtụ echi ya, ma lee, Dagọn adaala, kpuo ihu ya nʼala nʼihu igbe ọgbụgba ndụ Onyenwe anyị. Ha bulikwara Dagọn elu doghachi ya nʼọnọdụ ya.

When the people of Ashdod got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on his face before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and returned him to his place.

4 Ma nʼụtụtụ echi ya, Dagọn adakwala kpuo ihu nʼala nʼihu igbe ọgbụgba ndụ Onyenwe anyị. Isi ya na aka ya abụọ dakapụrụ, tọgbọrọ na mbata ọnụ ụzọ, Ọ bụkwa naanị ogwe ahụ ya fọdụrụ.

But when they got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on his face before the ark of the LORD, with his head and his hands broken off and lying on the threshold. Only the torso remained.

5 Ọ bụ nke a mere, site mgbe ahụ ruo taa, ndị nchụaja Dagọn na ndị niile na-abata nʼụlọ Dagọn, adịghị azọ ụkwụ ha nʼọnụ ụzọ mbata ụlọ Dagọn dị nʼAshdọd.

That is why, to this day, the priests of Dagon and all who enter the temple of Dagon in Ashdod do not step on the threshold.

6 Aka Onyenwe anyị malitere ịdị arọ nʼahụ ndị Ashdọd, ha na obodo ndị ọzọ gbara ya gburugburu, o ji etuto dị iche iche menye ha egwu ma bibiekwa ha nʼAshdọd nʼoke ala ya niile.

Now the hand of the LORD was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity, ravaging them and afflicting them with tumors.

7 Mgbe ndị Ashdọd hụrụ ihe na-eme, ha sịrị, “Anyị achọghị ka igbe ọgbụgba ndụ Chineke nke Izrel dịrị nʼetiti anyị, nʼihi na aka ya dị ike nʼahụ anyị, otu aka ahụkwa na chi anyị Dagọn.”

And when the men of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not stay here with us, because His hand is heavy upon us and upon our god Dagon.”

8 Ya mere, ha ziri ozi kpọkọta ndịisi ndị Filistia niile, jụọ ha sị, “Gịnị ka anyị ga-eme igbe chi ndị Izrel?” Ha zara, “Ka e buru igbe chi ndị Izrel buga ya nʼobodo Gat.” Ya mere ha buuru igbe Chineke nke Izrel buga Gat.

So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and asked, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” “It must be moved to Gath,” they replied. So they carried away the ark of the God of Israel.

9 Ma mgbe ha bubatara ya na Gat, akaOnyenwe anyị malitere imegide obodo ahụ. O tinyere ndị obodo ahụ nʼọnọdụ oke egwu. O tiri ndị bi nʼobodo ahụ ihe otiti, ma nwantakịrị ma dimkpa, etuto dị iche iche toro ha nʼahụ.

But after they had moved the ark to Gath, the LORD’s hand was also against that city, throwing it into great confusion and afflicting the men of the city, both young and old, with an outbreak of tumors.

10 Ya mere, ha zilara igbe ahụ Ekrọn. Ma mgbe igbe ahụ na-abata Ekrọn, ndị Ekrọn kwara akwa sị, “Ha e burula igbe ọgbụgba ndụ chi ndị Izrel butere anyị, ka anyị na ndị anyị nwụsịa!”

So they sent the ark of God to Ekron, but as it arrived, the Ekronites cried out, “They have brought us the ark of the God of Israel in order to kill us and our people!”

11 Ya mere, ha kpọkọtara ndịisi ndị Filistia niile sị ha, “Sinụ nʼobodo zipụ igbe chi ndị Izrel, maọbụ zighachinụ ya nʼobodo e si bute ya na mbụ, ka ọ hapụ igbuchapụ anyị na ndị anyị.” Nʼihi egwu maka ọnwụ ejidela ndị niile bi nʼobodo. Aka Chineke dịkwa ike nke ukwuu megide obodo ahụ.

Then the Ekronites assembled all the rulers of the Philistines and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel. It must return to its place, so that it will not kill us and our people!” For a deadly confusion had pervaded the city; the hand of God was heavy upon it.

12 Ndị na-anwụghị ka e mere ka etuto jupụta ha nʼahụ, mkpu akwa nke ndị obodo ahụ ruru eluigwe.

Those who did not die were afflicted with tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.