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 men of Israel, had sworn in Mizpah, saying, —Not a man from among us, shall give his daughter unto Benjamin, to wife.
2 Bato bakendeki na Beteli, bavandaki wana liboso ya Nzambe kino na pokwa. Batombolaki mingongo na bango mpe balelaki makasi.
So then the people came to Bethel, and abode there, until the evening, before God, —and lifted up their voice, and wept bitterly,
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? »
and said, Wherefore, O Yahweh, God of Israel, hath this come about in Israel, —that there should be lacking, to-day, out of Israel, one tribe?
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 it came to pass, on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there, an altar, —and offered ascending-sacrifices, and peace-offerings.
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.
And the sons of Israel said, Who was there that came not up, in the convocation, out of all the tribes of Israel, unto Yahweh? For, the great oath, had been taken, as to any who came not up unto Yahweh at Mizpah, saying—He shall be, put to death.
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 sons of Israel grieved for Benjamin, their brother, —and they said, There is cut off, to-day, one tribe out of 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. »
What are we to do for them who remain, for wives, —seeing that, we ourselves, have sworn by Yahweh, not to give them of our daughters, for wives?
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.
So they said, What one of the tribes of Israel is there, that hath not come up unto Yahweh at Mizpah? And lo! no man had come into the camp, out of Jabesh-gilead, unto the convocation:
9 Pamba te tango batangaki bato, bamonaki ete kati na Galadi, moto moko te ya Yabeshi azalaki wana.
When the people were numbered, lo! there was not there a man of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead.
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 the assembly sent thither twelve thousand men, of the sons of valour, —and commanded them, saying: —Go and smite the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead, with the edge of the sword, with the women, and the little ones.
11 Tala makambo oyo bokosala: ‹ Bokobebisa mobali nyonso mpe mwasi nyonso oyo ayebi nzoto ya mibali. › »
And, this, is the thing that ye shall do, —Every male, and every woman that hath cohabited with man, shall ye devote to destruction.
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 they found—of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead—four hundred young women, virgins, who had not cohabited with man, —so they brought them into the camp, at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.
13 Lisanga mobimba etindaki sango ya kimia epai ya bato ya libota ya Benjame, oyo bazalaki na libanga monene ya Rimoni.
Then the whole assembly sent, and spake unto the sons of Benjamin, who were in the cliff Rimmon, —and proclaimed to them, 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.
So Benjamin returned at that time, and they gave them the women whom they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh-gilead, —but they found not for them [to suffice], even so.
15 Bato bayokaki mawa mpo na bato ya libota ya Benjame, pamba te Yawe alongolaki libota moko kati na mabota ya Isalaele.
Now, the assembly, had grieved for Benjamin, —because Yahweh had made a breach, in the tribes 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? »
So then, the elders of the assembly said, What are we to do for them who remain, for wives, —for womankind, hath been destroyed out of Benjamin?
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 they said, There is an inheritance for the escaped of Benjamin, —and there must not be wiped out, a tribe, 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. › »
Yet, we, may not give them wives, of our own daughters, For the sons of Israel had sworn, saying, Cursed, be he that giveth a wife to Benjamin.
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. »
Then said they—Lo! the festival of Yahweh in Shiloh, from year to year, Which [Shiloh] is on the north of Bethel, towards sunrise, by the highway that goeth up from Bethel, towards Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah.
20 Boye bapesaki mitindo oyo epai ya bato ya libota ya Benjame: « Bokende kobombama kati na bilanga ya vino
And they commanded the sons of Benjamin, saying, —Go and lie in wait 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 look, and lo! if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then shall ye come forth out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife, of the daughters of Shiloh, —and go your way to 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 it shall be, when their fathers, or their brethren, come in to complain to us, that we will say unto them—As a favour to us, grant them, because we took not for each man his wife in the battle, —for, ye yourselves, gave them not unto them, so as, now, to be guilty.
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 sons of Benjamin did so, and carried off wives, according to their number, of them who were dancing, whom they seized, —and they went their way, and returned unto their inheritance, and built the cities, and dwelt therein.
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.
And the sons of Israel at that time went their several ways from thence, every man to his own tribe, and to his own family, —yea they went forth from thence, every man to his own inheritance.
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, —every man did, that which was right in his own eyes.
