Ndị Ikpe 19
1 Nʼoge a, Izrel enweghị eze na-achị ha. Nʼoge ahụ kwa, ọ dị otu nwoke, onye Livayị bi nʼebe dị anya nʼala ugwu ugwu Ifrem. Nwoke a gara Betlehem, nʼime Juda, kpọrọ otu nwaagbọghọ ka ọ bụrụ iko ya nwanyị.
There was a certain man, a Levite, living beside mount Ephraim, who took a wife from Bethlehem of Judah.
2 Ma iko ya nwanyị ahụ kwara iko megide ya. Ọ hapụrụ ya laghachi nʼezinaụlọ nne na nna ya na Betlehem, Juda. Ọ nọrọ ọnwa anọ nʼebe ahụ.
She left him, and she returned to the house of her father in Bethlehem. And she stayed with him for four months.
3 Nwoke ahụ kpebiri ịga nʼụlọ nna nwaagbọghọ ahụ ịrịọ ya ka ọ lọghachi. Ọ kpọọrọ otu nʼime ndị ohu ya, duru ịnyịnya ibu abụọ. Mgbe nwoke ahụ bịaruru nʼụlọ ahụ, iko ya nwanyị kpọbatara ya nʼụlọ nna ya. Mgbe nna nwaagbọghọ ahụ hụrụ ya, o jiri ọṅụ kelee ya ekele.
And her husband followed her, wishing to be reconciled with her, and to speak kindly to her, and to lead her back with him. And he had with him a servant and two donkeys. And she received him, and brought him into the house of her father. And when his father-in-law had heard about this, and had seen him, he met him with joy.
4 Nna nwanyị ahụ rịọrọ ya ka ọ nọnyere ha ụfọdụ oge. Nʼihi nke a, ọ nọnyeere ha ụbọchị atọ. Ha niile nọrọ ọnọdụ obi ụtọ abalị atọ ahụ niile, rie ṅụọkwa.
And he embraced the man. And the son-in-law stayed in the house of his father-in-law for three days, eating and drinking with him in a friendly manner.
5 Nʼụbọchị nke anọ, nwoke ahụ na iko ya jikeere nʼisi ụtụtụ ịlaghachi. Ma nna nwanyị ahụ rịọrọ ha sị ha, “Jirinụ ihe oriri gbaanụ onwe unu ume. Emesịa unu nwere ike ịlawa.”
But on the fourth day, arising in the night, he intended to set out. But his father-in-law took hold of him, and he said to him, “First taste a little bread, and strengthen your stomach, and then you shall set out.”
6 Ya mere, ha abụọ nọdụrụ ala rie ihe, ṅụọkwa ihe ọṅụṅụ. Mgbe e mesiri, nna nwaagbọghọ ahụ sịrị ha, “Biko, nọdụnụ rahụ ụra nʼabalị taa, meekwanụ onwe unu obi ụtọ.”
And they sat down together, and they ate and drank. And the father of the young woman said to his son-in-law, “I ask you to remain here today, so that we may rejoice together.”
7 Ma mgbe nwoke ahụ biliri ka ọ laa, nna nwaagbọghọ ahụ, nọgidere ya, nke a mere ka o kwenye ịnọ ruo echi ya.
But getting up, he intended to begin to set out. But nevertheless, his father-in-law pressed him resolutely, and made him remain with him.
8 Nʼisi ụtụtụ ụbọchị nke ise, ha bilikwara ngwangwa jikere ịhapụ ma ịlaghachi. Ọzọkwa, nna nwaagbọghọ ahụ rịọkwara ha sị ha, “Biko, nọgidenụ nʼụtụtụ taa, ma nʼoge ehihie unu nwere ike laa.” Nʼihi nke a, ha nọgidekwara rie, ṅụọ.
But when morning came, the Levite was preparing for his journey. And his father-in-law said to him again, “I beg you to take a little food, and to be strengthened, until the daylight increases, and after that, you shall set out.” Therefore, they ate together.
9 Mgbe nwoke ahụ na iko ya nwanyị, na ohu ya, jikeere ịhapụ, nna nwaagbọghọ ahụ rịọkwara ha sị ha, “Biko, lee chi ebidola iji ugbu a, abalị adịkwala nso. Biko, nọgide nʼụlọ m naanị abalị taa. Anyị ga-emekwa onwe anyị obi ụtọ abalị taa niile. Ma unu ga-amalite ije unu nʼisi ụtụtụ echi. Mgbe ahụ, unu ga-ala nʼudo.”
And the young man got up, so that he might travel with his wife and servant. And his father-in-law spoke to him again: “Consider that the daylight is declining, and it approaches toward evening. Remain with me also today, and spend the day in gladness. And tomorrow you shall set out, so that you may go to your own house.”
10 Ma nwoke ahụ ekweghị ịnọ ọnọdụ abalị ọzọ, ọ hapụrụ gawa nʼụzọ ije Jebus (ya bụ Jerusalem), ya na ịnyịnya ibu ya abụọ akwadoro maka njem nakwa iko ya nwanyị.
His son-in-law was not willing to agree to his words. Instead, he immediately continued on, and he arrived opposite Jebus, which by another name is called Jerusalem, leading with him two donkeys carrying burdens, and his mate.
11 Ha rutere ebe ahụ oge chi na-akwado iji. Ohu ya sịrị nna ya ukwu, “Bịa, ka anyị kwụsị nʼobodo ndị Jebus a, nọ ọnọdụ abalị.”
And now they were near Jebus, but day was turning into night. And the servant said to his lord, “Come, I beg you, let us turn aside to the city of the Jebusites, so that we may find lodging in it.”
12 Ma nna ya ukwu zaghachiri, “Mba! Anyị agaghị aba nʼobodo ndị na abụghị ụmụ Izrel. Anyị ga-aga nʼihu ruo Gibea.”
His lord responded to him: “I will not enter into the town of a foreign people, who are not of the sons of Israel. Instead, I will cross over as far as Gibeah.
13 O kwukwara sị, “Bịa ka anyị gbalịa iru Gibea maọbụ Rema, nọọ ọnọdụ abalị nʼotu nʼime ebe ndị a.”
And when I will have arrived there, we will lodge in that place, or at least in the city of Ramah.”
14 Ya mere, ha gara nʼihu nʼije ha. Anwụ dara dịka ha na-eru Gibea dị na Benjamin.
Therefore, they passed by Jebus, and continuing on, they undertook the journey. But the sun went down on them when they were near Gibeah, which is of the tribe of Benjamin.
15 Nʼebe ahụ ka ha kwụsịrị ịnọ ọnọdụ abalị. Ha gara nọrọ na mbara ama obodo ahụ, ma o nweghị onye ọbụla kpọbatara ha ka ha rahụ ụra nʼụlọ ya.
And so they diverted to it, so that they might lodge there. And when they had entered, they were sitting in the street of the city. For no one was willing to give them hospitality.
16 Nʼanyasị ahụ, otu agadi nwoke zutere ha ka o si ịrụ ọrụ nʼubi na-alọghachi, onye si nʼobodo ugwu ugwu Ifrem, ma o bi ka onye ọbịa na Gibea (ndị bi nʼebe a bụ ndị Benjamin).
And behold, they saw an old man, returning from the field and from his work in the evening, and he was also from mount Ephraim, and he was living as a stranger in Gibeah. For the men of that region were of the sons of Benjamin.
17 Mgbe agadi nwoke a hụrụ ndị ije ahụ na mbara ama obodo ahụ, ọ jụrụ ha ajụjụ sị, “Ebee ka unu si bịa? Ebee ka unu na-aga?”
And the old man, lifting up his eyes, saw the man sitting with his bundles in the street of the city. And he said to him: “Where have you come from? And where are you going?”
18 Nwoke ahụ zara sị ya, “Anyị si Betlehem dị na Juda na-alọghachi nʼụlọ anyị dị nʼebe dị anya nʼala ugwu ugwu Ifrem. Esi m ebe ahụ gaa Betlehem dị na Juda, ma ugbu a, ana m aga nʼụlọ Onyenwe anyị. O nweghị onye kpọbatara anyị nʼụlọ ya.
He answered him: “We set out from Bethlehem of Judah, and we are traveling to our own place, which is beside mount Ephraim. From there we went to Bethlehem, and now we go to the house of God. But no one is willing to receive us under his roof.
19 Anyị nwere ihe oriri nke ịnyịnya ibu anyị ga-eri, achịcha na mmanya nke anyị bụ ndị ohu gị ga-eri, ya bụ, mụ onwe m na ohu gị nwanyị na nwokorobịa so anyị. Anyị achọghị ihe ọbụla nʼaka onye ọbụla.”
We have straw and hay as fodder for the donkeys, and we have bread and wine for the use of myself, and for your handmaid and the servant who is with me. We lack nothing except lodging.”
20 Agadi nwoke ahụ sịrị ha, “Batanụ nʼụlọ m dịka ndị ọbịa nke m. Ka m nye unu ihe niile bụ mkpa unu. Naanị unu anọla ọnọdụ abalị nʼama.”
And the old man responded to him: “Peace be with you. I will provide all that is necessary. Only, I beg you, do not stay in the street.”
21 Nʼihi nke a, ọ kpọbatara ha nʼụlọ ya. O duuru ịnyịnya ibu ha, nye ha ihe oriri. Emesịa, ha sara ụkwụ ha mmiri, nọdụ ala rie ma ṅụọkwa.
And he led him into his house, and he gave fodder to his donkeys. And after they had washed their feet, he received them with a banquet.
22 Ma mgbe ha risiri nri, nọrọ na-ezu ike, na-akpakọrịta ụka, na mberede, ndị ikom ụfọdụ sitere nʼobodo ahụ, ndị jọgburu onwe ha nʼomume gbara ụlọ ahụ gburugburu. Ha malitekwara iti aka nʼụzọ ahụ na iti mkpu na-akpọku agadi nwoke ahụ, sị ya, “Kpọpụta onye ọbịa ahụ nọ nʼime ụlọ gị ka anyị mara ya.”
And while they were feasting, and were refreshing their bodies with food and drink after the labor of the journey, the men of that city, sons of Belial (that is, without yoke), came and surrounded the old man’s house. And they began to knock at the door, calling out to the lord of the house, and saying, “Bring out the man who entered your house, so that we may abuse him.”
23 Agadi nwoke ahụ bụ onyenwe ụlọ ahụ pụkwuuru ha nʼezi, sị ha, “Biko ụmụnna m, unu emela ihe ọjọọ dị otu a. Nwoke a nọ nʼụlọ m dịka ọbịa. Unu emela ihe ihere dị otu a.
And the old man went out to them, and he said: “Do not choose, brothers, do not choose to do this evil. For this man has entered to my hospitality. And you must cease from this senselessness.
24 Ka m kpọpụtara unu nwa m nwanyị na-amaghị nwoke, na iko nwanyị nwoke a ka unu jiri ha mee ihe ọbụla unu chọrọ ma hapụnụ nwoke a. Unu emela ihe ihere dị otu a.”
I have a virgin daughter, and this man has a mate. I will lead them out to you, so that you may debase them and may satisfy your lust. Only, I beg you, do not commit this crime against nature on the man.”
25 Ma ndị ikom ahụ egeghị ya ntị. Ya mere, nwoke ahụ kpọpụtara iko ya nwanyị zipụrụ ha ya nʼezi. Ha niile nʼotu na otu, dinakwuru nwanyị ahụ abalị ahụ niile. Mgbe chi na-achọ ịbọ, ha hapụrụ ya ka ọ laa.
But they were not willing to agree to his words. So the man, discerning this, led out his mate to them, and he delivered her to their sexual abuse. And when they had abused her for the entire night, they released her in the morning.
26 Nʼisi ụtụtụ, nwanyị ahụ biliri laghachi azụ nʼụlọ ahụ iko ya nwoke nọ. Ma ọ dara nʼala nʼihu ọnụ ụzọ ụlọ ahụ tọgbọrọ nʼebe ahụ tutu chi abọzie.
But the woman, as darkness was receding, came to the door of the house, where her lord was staying, and there she fell down.
27 Mgbe nwoke ahụ biliri nʼụtụtụ, meghee ụzọ ka ọ malite ije ya, ọ hụrụ iko ya nwanyị ahụ ka ọ tọgbọ nʼọnụ ụzọ ahụ. Aka ya abụọ dịkwa nʼọnụ ụzọ mbata ụlọ ahụ.
When morning came, the man arose, and he opened the door, so that he might complete the journey that he had begun. And behold, his mate was lying before the door, with her hands reaching out to the threshold.
28 Nwoke ahụ kpọkuru ya sị ya, “Ngwa, bilie ka anyị laa.” Ma nwaagbọghọ ahụ ekwughị okwu ọbụla. Nwoke ahụ buliri ya, tụkwasị ya nʼelu ịnyịnya ibu ya, buru ya laa nʼobodo nke aka ya.
And he, thinking that she was resting, said to her, “Get up, and let us walk.” But since she gave no response, realizing that she had died, he took her up, and he laid her on his donkey, and he returned to his house.
29 Mgbe ọ bịaruru obodo ya, ọ banyere nʼụlọ ya wepụta mma jiri ya bọwaa ozu iko ya nwanyị ahụ ụzọ iri na abụọ. O zigaara ebo iri na abụọ niile dị nʼIzrel otu ụzọ, otu ụzọ.
And when he had arrived, he took up a sword, and he cut into pieces the dead body of his wife, with her bones, into twelve parts. And he sent the pieces into all the parts of Israel.
30 Nʼihi nke a, Onye ọbụla hụrụ ihe ọjọọ a kwuru sị, “O nwebeghị onye ọbụla mere ụdị ajọ omume dị otu a kemgbe ụmụ Izrel si nʼobodo Ijipt pụta. Chee echiche banyere ihe a. Tulee ya ma gwa anyị ihe anyị ga-eme?”
And when each one had seen this, they were crying out together, “Never has such a thing been done in Israel, from the day that our fathers ascended from Egypt, even to the present time. Let a sentence be brought and let us decide in common what ought to be done.”
