Bilombe 11
1 Jefite, moto ya Galadi, azalaki elombe ya bitumba. Azalaki mwana mobali oyo Galadi abotaki na mwasi ya makangu.
[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 Nzokande mwasi ya Galadi abotelaki ye mpe bana mibali. Mpe tango bakolaki, babenganaki Jefite; balobaki na ye: « Ozali na libula te kati na ndako ya tata na biso, pamba te ozali mwana ya makangu. »
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 Boye, Jefite akimaki mosika ya bandeko na ye ya mibali mpe akomaki kovanda kati na etuka ya Tobi. Bato ya mobulu basanganaki na ye mpe bazalaki kotambola elongo na ye.
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 Sima na mwa tango, bato ya Amoni babundisaki Isalaele.
Some time later, the Ammon people-group started to fight against the Israelis.
5 Wana bato ya Amoni bazalaki kobundisa bana ya Isalaele, bampaka ya Galadi bakendeki koluka Jefite, kati na Tobi.
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 Balobaki na Jefite: — Yaka, mpe zala mokambi na biso mpo ete tobundisa bato ya Amoni.
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 Jefite azongiselaki bampaka ya Galadi: — Boni, ezali bino te bato oyo boyinaki ngai mpe bobenganaki ngai wuta na ndako ya tata na ngai? Mpo na nini bozali koya sik’oyo epai na ngai, awa bokomi na pasi?
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 Bampaka ya Galadi balobaki lisusu na Jefite: — Soki tozongi sik’oyo epai na yo, ezali mpo ete oya elongo na biso, obundisa bato ya Amoni mpe okoma mokonzi na biso, mokonzi ya bavandi nyonso ya Galadi.
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 Jefite azongiselaki bampaka ya Galadi: — Soki bozongisi ngai mpo na kobundisa bato ya Amoni, bongo Yawe akabi bango na maboko na ngai, boni, nakozala solo mokonzi na bino?
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 Bampaka ya Galadi bazongiselaki Jefite: — Tika ete Yawe azala Motatoli kati na biso! Tika ete apesa biso etumbu soki tosali te ndenge olobi.
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 Boye Jefite akendeki nzela moko na bampaka ya Galadi, mpe bato ya Galadi bakomisaki ye mokambi mpe mokonzi ya mampinga. Mpe Jefite azongelaki koloba maloba na ye nyonso liboso ya Yawe, kati na Mitsipa.
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 Bongo Jefite atindaki bantoma epai ya mokonzi ya bato ya Amoni mpo na koloba na ye: — Ozwi biso na likambo nini mpo ete oya kobundisa mboka na biso?
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 Mokonzi ya bato ya Amoni azongiselaki bantoma ya Jefite: — Ezali mpo ete Isalaele abotolaki mokili na ngai tango abimaki na Ejipito; babotolaki mokili yango longwa na lubwaku ya Arinoni, mayi moke ya Yaboki kino na lubwaku ya Yordani. Sik’oyo, zongisela ngai yango na kimia.
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 Jefite atindaki lisusu bantoma epai ya mokonzi ya bato ya Amoni mpo na koloba na ye:
[The messengers returned to Jephthah and told him what the king had said]. So Jephthah sent the messengers to the king again.
15 — Tala maloba oyo Jefite alobi: « Bana ya Isalaele bazwaki mokili ya Moabi te to mokili ya bato ya Amoni te.
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 Kasi tango bana ya Isalaele babimaki na Ejipito, batambolaki na esobe kino na ebale monene ya Barozo, mpe bakomaki na 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 Batindaki bantoma epai ya mokonzi ya Edomi, mpo na koloba na ye: ‹ Pesa biso nzela ya koleka na mokili na yo. › Kasi mokonzi ya Edomi aboyaki koyoka. Bana ya Isalaele batindaki lisusu bantoma epai ya mokonzi ya Moabi, kasi ye mpe aboyaki. Boye, bana ya Isalaele bawumelaki na 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 Na sima, batambolaki na esobe mpe babalukaki na sima ya mokili ya Edomi mpe ya Moabi, balekaki na ngambo ya este ya mokili ya Moabi mpe batongaki milako na bango kuna, na ngambo mosusu ya lubwaku ya Arinoni. Kasi bakotaki te na mokili ya Moabi.
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 Bongo bana ya Isalaele batindaki bantoma epai ya Sikoni, mokonzi ya bato ya Amori, oyo azalaki kovanda na Eshiboni mpo na koloba na ye: ‹ Tika biso toleka na mokili na yo mpo ete tokende na esika na biso. ›
‘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 Kasi Sikoni andimaki te bana ya Isalaele mpo ete baleka na mokili na ye. Boye asangisaki bato na ye nyonso; batongaki milako, na Yakatsi, mpe babundisaki Isalaele.
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 Kasi Yawe, Nzambe ya Isalaele, akabaki Sikoni mpe bato na ye nyonso na maboko ya bana ya Isalaele, mpe balongaki bango. Boye bana ya Isalaele babotolaki mokili nyonso ya bato ya Amori oyo bazalaki kovanda na etando wana.
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 Babotolaki etuka nyonso ya bato ya Amori, longwa na lubwaku ya Arinoni kino na mayi moke ya Yaboki, longwa na esobe kino na Yordani.
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 Awa Yawe, Nzambe ya Isalaele, asili kobotola mokili ya bato ya Amori mpe apesi yango epai ya bana ya Isalaele, yo olingi sik’oyo kobotola bango yango?
‘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 Boni, okozwa te oyo Kemoshi, nzambe na yo, apesi yo? Biso tokozwa oyo Yawe, Nzambe na biso, apesi biso.
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 Boni, ozali malamu koleka Balaki, mwana mobali ya Tsipori, mokonzi ya Moabi? Boni, asila koswanisa to kobundisa bana ya Isalaele?
(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 Mibu nkama misato, bana ya Isalaele bavandaki na Eshiboni, na Aroeri, na bamboka na yango ya mike mpe na bingumba nyonso oyo ezali pembeni ya Arinoni. Mpo na nini bobotolaki yango te na tango wana?
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 Ngai nasali yo mabe te, kasi yo nde ozali kosala ngai mabe na kobundisa ngai. Tika ete Yawe, Mosambisi, akata lelo likambo kati na bana ya Isalaele mpe bato ya Amoni. »
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 Kasi mokonzi ya Amoni aboyaki koyoka maloba oyo Jefite atindelaki ye.
But the king of the Ammon people-group did not pay attention to that message from Jephthah.
29 Molimo na Yawe akitelaki Jefite. Jefite akatisaki Galadi mpe Manase, mpe alekaki na Mitsipe ya Galadi. Wuta na Mitsipe ya Galadi, akendeki kobundisa bato ya Amoni.
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 Jefite alapaki ndayi epai na Yawe, alobaki: « Soki okabi bato ya Amoni na maboko na ngai,
There Jephthah made a solemn promise to Yahweh. He said, “If you will enable my army to defeat [IDM] the Ammon people-group,
31 nakobonzela Yo, Yawe, lokola mbeka ya kotumba, nyonso oyo ekobima na ekuke ya ndako na ngai mpo na koyamba ngai, tango nakozonga na elonga wuta na bato ya Amoni. »
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 Bongo Jefite akatisaki bandelo ya bato ya Amoni, mpe Yawe akabaki bango na maboko na ye.
Then Jephthah [and his men] went from Mizpah to attack the Ammon people-group, and Yahweh enabled his army to defeat them.
33 Abebisaki bingumba tuku mibale oyo ezali na kati-kati ya Aroeri mpe Miniti kino na Abele-Keramimi. Ezalaki kobebisama ya makasi mpo na bato ya Amoni oyo bakweyaki liboso ya bana ya Isalaele.
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 Tango Jefite azongaki na ndako na ye, na Mitsipa, mwana na ye ya mwasi abimaki mpo na koyamba ye; azalaki kobina mpe kobeta mbonda ya moke. Azalaki mwana na ye kaka moko: azalaki na mwana mosusu te, ezala ya mwasi to ya mobali.
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 Tango kaka Jefite amonaki ye, apasolaki bilamba na ye mpe agangaki: — Ah, mwana na ngai ya mwasi! Opesi ngai mawa mingi mpe otie ngai na mobulu, pamba te nalapaki ndayi epai na Yawe mpe nakoki lisusu kozonga sima te.
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 Mwana na ye ya mwasi alobaki: — Tata na ngai, opesaki elaka epai na Yawe. Sala na ngai ndenge olakaki epai na Yawe, pamba te Yawe azongisi mabe na mabe epai ya banguna na yo, bato ya Amoni.
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 Abakisaki: — Pesa ngai nzela ete likambo oyo moko esalema mpo na ngai: Tikela ngai basanza mibale mpo ete nakende koyengayenga mpe kolela, elongo na baninga na ngai, bozangi na ngai koyeba nzoto ya mobali.
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 Jefite alobaki na ye: — Okoki na yo kokende. Mpe atikaki ye kokende mpo na basanza mibale. Boye mwana mwasi akendeki na ngomba elongo na baninga na ye ya basi, mpe alelaki mpo ete ayebaki nanu nzoto ya mibali te.
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 Sima na basanza mibale, azongaki epai ya tata na ye, Jefite; mpe Jefite akokisaki epai ya mwana na ye ya mwasi, ndayi oyo alapaki. Nzokande, atikalaki kaka koyeba nzoto ya mobali te. Boye, ekoma momesano kati na Isalaele:
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 mibu nyonso, bilenge basi ya Isalaele babimaka mikolo minei, mpo na kosala feti na tina na mwana mwasi ya Jefite, moto ya Galadi.
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.
