1 Samwiri 11
1 Awo olwatuuka Nakkasi Omwamoni n’ayambuka n’azingiza Yabesugireyaadi. Abasajja bonna ab’e Yabesi ne bamugamba nti, “Kola naffe endagaano, tunaakuweerezanga.”
About a month later, King Nahash of Ammon [led his army across the Jordan River, and they] surrounded Jabesh [city] in [the] Gilead [region]. But all the men of Jabesh [went and] said to Nahash, “Make an agreement/treaty with us [not to kill us], and then we will let you rule us.”
2 Naye Nakkasi Omwamoni n’abaddamu nti, “Sijja kukola nammwe ndagaano okuggyako nga munzikirizza okuggya mu buli muntu, eriiso lye erya ddyo, olwo nswaze Isirayiri yenna.”
Nahash replied, “I will do that if you do one thing. Allow us to gouge out all the right eyes of your people. By doing that we will cause the people [in other countries] to despise all you Israeli people.”
3 Abakulu ba Yabesi ne bamugamba nti, “Tuweeyo ebbanga lya nnaku musanvu, tusindike ababaka mu nsi yonna eya Isirayiri. Bwe wataabeewo n’omu anajja okutubeera, kale tuneewaayo gy’oli.”
The leaders of Jabesh replied, “Do not attack us for the next seven days. During that time, we will send messengers throughout Israel [to tell them what you are demanding]. If no one will help us, then we will (surrender to you/allow you to do to us whatever you want).”
4 Ababaka bwe baatuuka e Gibea ewa Sawulo, ne bategeeza abantu ebigambo ebyo; bwe baabiwulira bonna ne bakuba ebiwoobe.
[Being very confident that his army was very superior, Nahash agreed. So the leaders of Jabesh sent messengers throughout Israel]. When the messengers came to Gibeah, which was [the city] where Saul lived, and they told the people there about the situation, everyone started to cry.
5 Mu kiseera ekyo Sawulo yali ava mu nnimiro ng’agoberera ente ze ezirima, n’abuuza nti, “Abantu babadde ki? Kiki ekibakaabya?” Ne bamutegeeza obubaka abasajja ab’e Yabesi bwe baali baleese.
At that time, Saul was plowing in the field. When he returned home, he asked, “Why are all the people [crying]?” So they told him what the messengers from Jabesh had reported.
6 Awo Sawulo bwe yawulira ebigambo ebyo, Omwoyo wa Katonda n’amukkako mu maanyi, obusungu bwe ne bubuubuuka nnyo.
Then God’s Spirit came powerfully upon Saul, and he became very angry [because of what Nahash wanted to do].
7 N’addira ente bbiri, n’azitemaatema, n’aziwa ababaka ne bazitwala okubuna ensi yonna eya Isirayiri ng’agamba nti, “Buli ataagoberere Sawulo ne Samwiri, ente ze ezirima bwe zityo bwe zinaakolebwa.” Entiisa ya Mukama n’egwa ku bantu, ne bakuŋŋaana wamu n’omutima gumu.
He took two of his oxen [and killed them] and cut them into pieces. Then he sent messengers [carrying those pieces] throughout Israel to tell people this message: “Saul says that [he cut this ox in pieces, and that he] will do the same thing to the oxen of anyone who refuses to come with him and Samuel to fight [the army from Ammon]!” Then Yahweh caused all the people of Israel to be afraid of what Saul might do to them (OR, of what Yahweh might do to them) [if they did not go and help Saul]. So the men all gathered together.
8 Sawulo n’ababalira e Bezeki, abasajja abaava mu Isirayiri nga bawera emitwalo amakumi asatu, n’abaava mu Yuda ne bawera emitwalo esatu.
When Saul gave them all weapons at Bezek, he saw that there were 300,000 Israeli men there, as well as 30,000 men from the tribe of Judah.
9 Ne bagamba ababaka abaali bazze nti, “Mutegeeze abasajja ab’e Yabesugireyaadi nti, ‘Obudde we bunaatuukira mu ssaawa ez’omu ttuntu, munaaba mulokolebbwa.’” Ababaka bwe bazzaayo obubaka obwo e Yabesi, abatuuze baayo ne bassa ekikkowe.
So Saul sent messengers back to the people at Jabesh to tell them, “We will rescue/save you by noontime tomorrow.” When the people of Jabesh heard that message, they were very joyful/happy.
10 Abatuuze ab’e Yabesi ne bagamba Abamoni nti, “Enkya tujja kwewaayo gye muli, mutukole kye mwagala.”
Then the men of Jabesh told [Nahash], “Tomorrow we will surrender to you, and then you can do to us whatever you want to.”
11 Enkeera Sawulo yakeera mu matulutulu n’ayawulamu abasajja be ebibinja bisatu; ne balumba olusiisira lw’Abamoni ne babatta okutuusa mu ssaawa ez’omu ttuntu. Abaaluwona ne basaasaana, ne wataba n’omu asigala na munne.
But before the sun rose the next morning, Saul [and his army arrived. He] divided them into three groups. They rushed into the camp of the soldiers from Ammon, and attacked them. By noontime they had killed most of them, and those who were not killed scattered. Each of them who ran away ran away alone.
12 Awo abantu ne bagamba Samwiri nti, “Ani eyali abuuza nti, ‘Sawulo alitufuga?’ Mubatuwe tubatte.”
Then the people [of Jabesh] said to Samuel, “Where are those men who said that they did not want Saul to be our king? Bring them here, and we will kill them!”
13 Naye Sawulo n’addamu nti, “Nedda, tewali muntu anattibwa leero, kubanga olwa leero Mukama alokodde Isirayiri.”
But Saul replied, “[No], we are not going to execute anyone today, because this is the day that Yahweh has saved us Israeli people. [It is a day to rejoice, not to kill anyone].”
14 Awo Samwiri n’agamba abantu nti, “Mujje, tugende e Girugaali tukakase obwakabaka.”
Then Samuel said to the people, “Let’s all go to Gilgal, and there we will again proclaim [that Saul is] our king.”
15 Awo abantu bonna ne bagenda e Girugaali mu maaso ga Mukama ne bakakasa Sawulo okuba kabaka. Era mu kifo ekyo ne baweerayo ssaddaaka ez’ebiweebwayo olw’emirembe mu maaso ga Mukama, Sawulo n’Abayisirayiri bonna ne basanyuka ne bajaguza nnyo ne bakola n’entujjo ey’amaanyi.
So they went to Gilgal. There, knowing that Yahweh was watching, they proclaimed that Saul was their king. Then they offered sacrifices to enable them to maintain fellowship with Yahweh. And Saul and all the other Israeli people were very happy.
