< Bilombe 1 >

1 Sima na kufa ya Jozue, bana ya Isalaele batunaki Yawe: — Libota nini kati na biso ekokende liboso mpo na kobundisa bato ya Kanana?
After Joshua died, the Israeli people asked Yahweh, “Which [of our tribes] should attack the Canaan people-group first?”
2 Yawe azongisaki: — Libota ya Yuda nde ekokende liboso, pamba te napesi mokili oyo na maboko na bango.
Yahweh replied, “I will enable the tribe of Judah to defeat [IDM] the Canaan people-group.”
3 Bongo bato ya libota ya Yuda balobaki na bandeko na bango ya libota ya Simeoni: — Boya elongo na biso mpo ete tobundisa bato ya Kanana, mpo na eteni ya mabele oyo epesamelaki biso. Bongo, biso mpe tokokende elongo na bino, na eteni ya mabele na bino. Boye, bato ya libota ya Simeoni bakendeki elongo na bango.
The men of Judah went to their fellow Israelis, [the men] from the tribe of Simeon, and said to them, “Come and help us to fight the Canaan people-group [in order that we can take from them] the land [that Yahweh] allotted to us. If you do that, we will go with you [and help you] conquer the people in the land [that Yahweh promised to give to] you.” So the men from the tribe of Simeon went with the men of the tribe of Judah.
4 Tango libota ya Yuda ekotaki na bitumba, Yawe akabaki bato ya Kanana mpe ya Perizi na maboko na bango, mpe babomaki bato nkoto zomi, na Bezeki.
When the men of those two tribes attacked, Yahweh enabled them to defeat 10,000 men of the Canaan people-group and the Periz people-group [DOU] at Bezek [city].
5 Ezalaki kuna nde bakutaki Adoni-Bezeki mpe babundisaki ye. Balongaki bato ya Kanana mpe ya Perizi.
During the battle they found Adoni-Bezek, the leader of the city,
6 Adoni-Bezeki akimaki; kasi balandaki ye mpe bakangaki ye, bakataki ye misapi ya minene ya maboko mpe ya makolo.
but he [tried to] run away. The Israelis pursued him and caught him. Then they cut off his thumbs and his big toes.
7 Adoni-Bezeki alobaki: « Bakonzi tuku sambo, oyo bakata bango misapi ya minene ya maboko mpe ya makolo, bazalaki kolokota biloko oyo ezalaki kokweya na se ya mesa na ngai. Sik’oyo, Nzambe azongiseli ngai makambo oyo nasalaki baninga. » Bamemaki ye na Yelusalemi, mpe akufaki kuna.
Adoni-Bezek said, “[My army captured] 70 kings. We cut off their thumbs and big toes. After that, [we forced] those kings to eat scraps that fell from our table. Now God has (paid me back for/done to me like) [what we did to them].” Then the men of Judah took Adoni-Bezek to Jerusalem, and he died there.
8 Bato ya libota ya Yuda babundisaki Yelusalemi mpe babotolaki yango; babomaki bato ya engumba yango na mopanga mpe batiaki yango moto.
The army of Judah fought against the men of Jerusalem, and they captured the city. With their swords they killed [the people who lived there] and they burned [the houses in] the city.
9 Sima na yango, bato ya libota ya Yuda bakendeki kobundisa bato ya Kanana oyo bazalaki kovanda na mokili ya bangomba, na Negevi, mpe na etando oyo ezalaki pembeni ya ebale.
Later, the men of Judah went down to fight the Canaan people-group who lived in the hilly area, in the desert to the south, and in the foothills [to the west].
10 Bato ya libota ya Yuda babundisaki lisusu bato ya Kanana oyo bazalaki kovanda na Ebron, oyo kombo na yango ezalaki na kala « Kiriati-Ariba. » Balongaki Sheshayi, Ayimani mpe Talimayi.
The men of Judah also went to fight against the Canaan people-group who lived in Hebron [city], which at that time was named Kiriath-Arba. They defeated [the armies of kings] Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.
11 Longwa wana, bapusanaki mpe bakendeki kobundisa bavandi ya Debiri oyo kombo na yango ezalaki na kala « Kiriati-Seferi. »
Then they left that area and went to fight against the people living in Debir [city], which was previously named Kiriath-Sepher.
12 Kalebi alobaki: « Nakopesa na libala Akisa, mwana na ngai ya mwasi, epai ya moto nyonso oyo akobundisa mpe akobotola Kiriati-Seferi. »
[Before they attacked the city], Caleb said to them, “If one of you attacks and captures Kiriath-Sepher, I will allow him to marry my daughter.”
13 Otinieli, mwana mobali ya Kenazi, ndeko ya Kalebi, abotolaki yango; boye Kalebi apesaki Akisa, mwana na ye ya mwasi, na libala epai ya Otinieli.
Othniel, who was the son of Caleb’s younger brother Kenaz, captured the city. So Caleb gave his daughter Acsah to him, to become his wife.
14 Nzokande, tango Akisa akomaki na ndako ya Otinieli, atindikaki ye ete asenga elanga epai ya Kalebi, tata na ye. Boye, tango Akisa akitaki wuta na ane na ye, Kalebi atunaki ye: — Olingi nini?
When Acsah married Othniel, she told him to ask her father to give him a field. [But she decided to ask him herself. She rode to Caleb’s house on her donkey], and when she got off the donkey, Caleb [could see that something was troubling her. So he] asked her, “What do you want?”
15 Akisa azongisaki: — Salela ngai ngolu. Lokola opesaki ngai eteni ya mabele kati na Negevi, pesa ngai lisusu bitima. Boye, Kalebi apesaki ye bitima ya likolo mpe ya se.
She replied, “I want you to do a favor for me. You have given me some land in the southern desert, [but it is very dry there]. So please also give me some [land that has] springs of water.” So Caleb gave her some land on higher ground that had a spring, and some land on lower ground that also had a spring.
16 Bakitani ya Keni oyo azalaki bokilo ya Moyize balongwaki na engumba ya banzete ya Mbila elongo na bato ya libota ya Yuda, mpe bakendeki kovanda esika moko na bavandi ya esobe ya Yuda, oyo ezali na sude ya Aradi.
The people of the Ken people-group who were descendants of Moses’ father-in-law left Jericho, which was called ‘The City of Palm Trees’. They went with some of the men of Judah to live with them in the southern desert area, near Arad [city].
17 Bato ya libota ya Yuda elongo na bandeko na bango ya libota ya Simeoni bakendeki kobundisa bato ya Kanana oyo bazalaki kovanda na Tsefati, mpe babebisaki bango. Yango wana, bapesaki engumba yango kombo « Orima. »
The men of Judah and their fellow Israelis from the tribe of Simeon defeated the people of the Canaan people-group who lived in Zephath [city]. They completely destroyed the city and gave it a new name, Hormah, [which means ‘complete destruction’].
18 Bato ya libota ya Yuda babotolaki lisusu Gaza, Ashikeloni mpe Ekroni, elongo na mabele na yango ya pembeni.
The men of Judah also captured Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ekron [cities] and all the land that is near those cities.
19 Yawe azalaki elongo na bato ya libota ya Yuda. Babotolaki mokili ya bangomba, kasi balongaki te kobengana bavandi ya etando, pamba te bazalaki na bashar ya bibende.
Yahweh helped the men of Judah to capture the hilly area, but they could not force the people who were living in the plains to leave, because [those people had better weapons—] had iron chariots.
20 Kolanda ndenge Moyize alobaki, bapesaki na Kalebi engumba Ebron. Mpe Kalebi abenganaki na Ebron bana mibali misato ya Anaki.
Hebron [city] was given to Caleb because Moses had promised him that he could have that city. And Caleb forced the three clans descended from Anak to leave that area.
21 Nzokande, bato ya libota ya Benjame babenganaki te bato ya Yebusi oyo bazalaki kovanda na Yelusalemi. Boye, kino na mokolo ya lelo, bato ya Yebusi bavandaka esika moko na bato ya libota ya Benjame.
But the people of the tribe of Benjamin could not force the people of the Jebus people-group to leave Jerusalem. So, since that time the people of the Jebus people-group have lived in Jerusalem with the people of the tribe of Benjamin.
22 Bato kati na ndako ya Jozefi bamataki mpo na kobundisa Beteli, mpe Yawe azalaki elongo na bango.
The men of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh went to fight against [the men of] Bethel [city], and Yahweh helped them.
23 Tango libota ya Jozefi etindaki bato ete bakende kononga engumba Beteli oyo bazalaki kobenga na kala Luze,
They sent some spies to [find out everything that they could find out about] Bethel, which was previously called Luz.
24 banongi bamonaki moto moko kobima na engumba mpe balobaki na ye: « Lakisa biso esika nini tokoki kokotela na kati ya engumba, mpe tokosalela yo bolamu. »
The spies saw a man who was coming out of the city. They said to him, “If you show us a way to get into the city, we will be kind to you [and we will not kill you].”
25 Boye, alakisaki bango esika ya kokotela na kati na engumba. Mpe babomaki bato ya engumba yango na mopanga, kasi babikisaki moto wana elongo na libota na ye mobimba.
So the man showed them a way to enter the city. The men of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh entered the city and killed all the people with their swords, but they did not kill the man [who showed them how to get into the city], and they did not kill his family.
26 Moto yango akendeki na mokili ya bato ya Iti mpe atongaki kuna engumba oyo apesaki kombo « Luze » oyo etikala kino lelo.
That man went to the area where the descendants of Heth lived, and built a city. He named the city Luz, and that is still the name of that city.
27 Kasi bato ya libota ya Manase babenganaki te bato ya Beti-Sheani mpe bamboka na yango ya mike, bato ya Taanaki mpe bamboka na yango ya mike, bato ya Dori mpe bamboka na yango ya mike, bato ya Yibileayimi mpe bamboka na yango ya mike, bato ya Megido mpe bamboka na yango ya mike; pamba te bato ya Kanana batingamaki kaka kovanda na mokili yango.
There were people of the Canaan people-group who lived in Beth-Shan, Taanach, Dor, Ibleam, and Megiddo [cities] and in the surrounding villages. [The men of] the tribe of Manasseh did not force those people to leave those towns, because the people of the Canaan people-group were determined to stay there.
28 Tango bana ya Isalaele bakomaki lisusu makasi, bakomaki kosalisa bato ya Kanana misala makasi, kasi babenganaki bango nyonso te.
Later, the Israelis became (stronger/more numerous), and they forced the people of the Canaan people-group to work for them [as their slaves], but they did not force all the people of the Canaan people-group to leave their land.
29 Bato ya libota ya Efrayimi babenganaki te bato ya Kanana oyo bazalaki kovanda na Gezeri, mpe bato ya Kanana bakobaki kovanda esika moko na bango.
[The men of] the tribe of Ephraim did not force the people of the Canaan people-group to leave Gezer [city]. So the people of the Canaan people-group continued to live with the people of the tribe of Ephraim.
30 Bato ya libota ya Zabuloni babenganaki te bavandi ya Kitroni mpe ya Naaloli. Bato ya Kanana bakobaki kovanda esika moko na bango, kasi bakomaki kosalisa bango misala makasi.
[The men of] the tribe of Zebulun did nor compel the people of the Canaan people-group who were living in Kitron and Nahalol [cities] to leave. They stayed there and lived among the people of the tribe of Zebulun, but the people of Zebulun forced them to work for them as their slaves.
31 Bato ya libota ya Aseri babenganaki te bato ya Ako, ya Sidoni, ya Ayilabi, ya Akizibi, ya Eliba, ya Afiki mpe ya Reobi.
[The men of] the tribe of Asher did not force the people of the Canaan people-group who lived in Acco, Sidon, Ahlab, Aczib, Helbah, Aphek and Rehob [cities] to leave.
32 Likolo na yango, bato ya libota ya Aseri bakomaki kovanda esika moko na bato ya Kanana oyo bazalaki kovanda na mokili yango.
So the people of the tribe of Asher lived among them.
33 Bato ya libota ya Nefitali babenganaki te bato oyo bazalaki kovanda na Beti-Shemeshi mpe na Beti-Anati. Boye, bakomaki kovanda esika moko na bato ya Kanana oyo bazalaki kovanda na mokili yango; kasi bato ya Beti-Shemeshi mpe ya Beti-Anati bakomaki kosala misala makasi.
[The men of] the tribe of Naphtali did not compel the people who lived in Beth-Shemesh and Beth-Anath [cities] to leave, so the people in those two cities continued to live there, but the people of the Canaan people-group were forced to work as the slaves of the people of the tribe of Naphtali.
34 Bato ya Amori batindikaki libota ya Dani mosika, na likolo ya bangomba, mpo ete balonga te kokita na etando ya polele.
The people of the Amor people-group forced the people of the tribe of Dan to live in the hills. They did not allow them to come down [and live] on the plain.
35 Boye, bato ya Amori mpe batingamaki kaka kovanda na Ari-Eresi, na Ayaloni mpe na Shaalibimi. Kasi tango ndako ya Jozefi ekomaki lisusu na nguya, bakomaki kosalisa bango misala makasi.
The people of the Amor people-group were determined to stay in Heres Mountain and in Aijalon and Shaalbim [cities]. But when the Israelis became (stronger/more numerous), they forced the people of the Amor people-group to work as their slaves.
36 Mondelo ya mabele ya bato ya Amori ezalaki longwa na Libanga ya Sela, elekaki na bangomba ya Akarabimi kino na likolo.
The land where the Amor people-group lived extended from Scorpion Pass [toward the west] beyond Sela [town], up into the hilly area.

< Bilombe 1 >