Bilombe 21
1 Mibali ya Isalaele balapaki ndayi, na Mitsipa, na koloba: « Moto moko te kati na biso akopesa lisusu na libala mwana na ye ya mwasi epai ya mobali ya libota ya Benjame. »
Now the children of Israel had also sworn in Maspha, saying: None of us shall give of his daughters to the children of Benjamin to wife.
2 Bato bakendeki na Beteli, bavandaki wana liboso ya Nzambe kino na pokwa. Batombolaki mingongo na bango mpe balelaki makasi.
And they all came to the house of God in Silo, and abiding before him till the evening, lifted up their voices, and began to lament and weep, saying:
3 Bazalaki koloba: « Oh Yawe, Nzambe ya Isalaele! Mpo na nini likambo ya boye ekomeli Isalaele? Mpo na nini lelo, libota moko ezangi kati na Isalaele? »
O Lord God of Israel, why is so great an evil come to pass in thy people, that this day one tribe should be taken away from among us?
4 Na tongo-tongo ya mokolo oyo elandaki, bato batongaki kuna etumbelo; batumbaki na likolo na yango bambeka ya kotumba mpe bambeka ya boyokani.
And rising early the next day, they built an altar: and offered there holocausts, and victims of peace, and they said:
5 Bongo bana ya Isalaele batunaki: « Kati na mabota nyonso ya Isalaele, libota nini eyaki te na mayangani oyo tozalaki na yango liboso ya Yawe? » Pamba te balapaki ndayi ete moto nyonso oyo akoya te na mayangani yango liboso ya Yawe, na Mitsipa, basengeli koboma ye.
Who is there among all the tribes of Israel that came not up with the army of the Lord? for they had bound themselves with a great oath, when they were in Maspha, that whosoever were wanting should be slain.
6 Bana ya Isalaele bakomaki na mawa mpo na bandeko na bango, bato ya libota ya Benjame; balobaki: « Mokolo ya lelo, libota moko elongwe na Isalaele.
And the children of Israel being moved with repentance for their brother Benjamin, began to say: One tribe is taken away from Israel.
7 Tokosala ndenge nini mpo na kopesa na libala, basi epai ya mibali oyo batikali na bomoi? Nzokande tosili kolapa ndayi na Kombo na Yawe ete tokopesa te na libala bana na biso ya basi epai ya mibali ya libota ya Benjame. »
Whence shall they take wives? For we have all in general sworn, not to give our daughters to them.
8 Boye, batunaki: « Kati na mabota nyonso ya Isalaele, libota nini eyaki te na mayangani oyo tozalaki na yango liboso ya Yawe, na Mitsipa? » Bamonaki ete kati na Galadi, moto moko te ya Yabeshi ayaki na molako mpe na mayangani.
Therefore they said: Who is thereof all the tribes of Israel, that came not up to the Lord to Maspha. And behold the inhabitants of Jabes Galaad were found not to have been in that army.
9 Pamba te tango batangaki bato, bamonaki ete kati na Galadi, moto moko te ya Yabeshi azalaki wana.
(At that time also when they were in Silo, no one of them was found there.)
10 Lisanga etindelaki bango basoda nkoto zomi na mibale, bapesaki bango mitindo oyo: « Bokende koboma na mopanga bato nyonso ya Yabeshi ya Galadi elongo na basi mpe bana.
So they sent ten thousand of the most valiant men, and commanded them, saying: Go and put the inhabitants of Jabes Galaad to the sword, with their wives and their children.
11 Tala makambo oyo bokosala: ‹ Bokobebisa mobali nyonso mpe mwasi nyonso oyo ayebi nzoto ya mibali. › »
And this is what you shall observe: Every male, and all women that have known men, you shall kill, but the virgins you shall save.
12 Kati na bato ya Yabeshi ya Galadi, bamonaki bilenge basi nkama minei oyo bayebi nanu nzoto ya mibali te; bazwaki bango mpe bamemaki bango na molako, na Silo, kati na mokili ya Kanana.
And there were found of Jabes Galaad four hundred virgins, that had not known the bed of a man, and they brought them to the camp Silo, into the land of Chanaan.
13 Lisanga mobimba etindaki sango ya kimia epai ya bato ya libota ya Benjame, oyo bazalaki na libanga monene ya Rimoni.
And they sent messengers to the children of Benjamin, that were in the rock Remmon, and commanded them to receive them in peace.
14 Boye, na tango wana, bato ya libota ya Benjame bazongaki, mpe lisanga mobimba epesaki bango na libala, basi ya Yabeshi ya Galadi oyo batikaki na bomoi. Kasi basi yango bazalaki ya kokoka te mpo na bango nyonso.
And the children of Benjamin came at that time, and wives were given them of the daughters of Jabes Galaad: but they found no others, whom they might give in like manner.
15 Bato bayokaki mawa mpo na bato ya libota ya Benjame, pamba te Yawe alongolaki libota moko kati na mabota ya Isalaele.
And all Israel was very sorry, and repented for the destroying of one tribe out of Israel.
16 Bakambi ya lisanga balobaki: « Tokosala ndenge nini mpo na kozwa basi ya kopesa na libala mpo na mibali oyo batikali, pamba te basi ya libota ya Benjame basili kokufa? »
And the ancients said: What shall we do with the rest, that have not received wives? for all the women in Benjamin are dead.
17 Balobaki lisusu: « Bato ya libota ya Benjame oyo batikali basengeli kozala na bakitani na bango, mpo ete ekolo elimwa te kati na Isalaele.
And we must use all care, and provide with great diligence, that one tribe be not destroyed out of Israel.
18 Tokoki te kopesa bango bana na biso ya basi na libala, pamba te, biso bana ya Isalaele, tolapaki ndayi oyo: ‹ Alakelama mabe, moto nyonso oyo akobalisa mwana na ye ya mwasi na mobali ya libota ya Benjame. › »
For as to our own daughters we cannot give them, being bound with an oath and a curse, whereby we said: Cursed be he that shall give Benjamin any of his daughters to wife.
19 Bongo balobaki: « Tala, feti moko ya Yawe ezalaka mibu nyonso, kati na Silo oyo ezali na ngambo ya nor ya Beteli mpe na ngambo ya este ya nzela oyo ekenda longwa na Beteli kino na Sishemi, mpe na ngambo ya sude ya Lebona. »
So they took counsel, and said: Behold there is a yearly solemnity of the Lord in Silo, which is situate on the north of the city of Bethel, and on the east side of the way, that goeth from Bethel to Sichem, and on the south of the town of Lebona.
20 Boye bapesaki mitindo oyo epai ya bato ya libota ya Benjame: « Bokende kobombama kati na bilanga ya vino
And they commanded the children of Benjamin, and said: Go, and lie hid in the vineyards,
21 mpe botala malamu. Tango bokomona bana basi ya Silo babimi mpo na kobina, bobimela bango wuta na bilanga ya vino, mpe moko na moko kati na bino akanga mwasi moko kati na bana ya Silo mpe azonga na ye na mokili ya Benjame.
And when you shall see the daughters of Silo come out, as the custom is, to dance, come ye on a sudden out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife among them, and go into the land of Benjamin.
22 Tango batata na bango to bandeko na bango ya mibali bakoya kolela epai na biso, tokoloba na bango: ‹ Bosalela bango ngolu mpo na biso, pamba te tozwelaki bango basi te na tango ya bitumba. Bozali na bino na ngambo te, pamba te bino te bato bopesaki bana na bino ya basi na libala. › »
And when their fathers and their brethren shall come, and shall begin to complain against you, and to chide, we will say to them: Have pity on them for they took them not away as by the right of war or conquest, but when they asked to have them, you gave them not, and the fault was committed on your part.
23 Bato ya libota ya Benjame basalaki bongo. Tango bana basi bazalaki kobina, mobali moko na moko akangaki mwana mwasi moko mpe amemaki ye mpo ete azala mwasi na ye. Bongo bazongaki na mabele na bango, batongaki bingumba mpe bavandaki kuna.
And the children of Benjamin did, as they had been commanded: and according to their number, they carried off for themselves every man his wife of them that were dancing: and they went into their possession and built up their cities, and dwelt in them.
24 Na tango wana, bana ya Isalaele balongwaki na esika wana mpe bazongaki na bandako na bango, na bituka na bango mpe na mabota ya botata na bango, moto na moto na mabele na ye.
The children of Israel also returned by their tribes, and families, to their dwellings.
25 Na mikolo wana, bana ya Isalaele bazalaki na mokonzi te; moto na moto azalaki kosala makambo oyo azalaki komona ete ezali malamu.
In those days there was no king in Israel: but every one did that which seemed right to himself.
