1 Samwiri 13
1 Sawulo yalina emyaka amakumi asatu we yaliira obwakabaka, n’afuga Isirayiri okumala emyaka amakumi ana.
Saul was thirty when he became king, and he reigned over Israel for forty-two years.
2 Sawulo yalonda abasajja enkumi ssatu okuva mu Isirayiri, enkumi ebbiri ku bo ne babeera naye e Mikumasi ku lusozi olw’e Beseri, n’abalala lukumi ne babeera ne Yonasaani e Gibea ekya Benyamini. Abasajja abalala bonna n’abasindika baddeyo ewaabwe.
Saul had chosen three thousand men of Israel. Two thousand of them were with Saul in Michmash and the hill country of Bethel, and another thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. He sent the rest of the army home.
3 Yonasaani n’alumba olusiisira lw’Abafirisuuti eyali e Geba, Abafirisuuti ne bakiwulira. Awo Sawulo n’alagira, bafuuwe ekkondeere mu nsi yonna, ng’agamba nti, “Abaebbulaniya bawulire!”
Jonathan attacked the Philistine garrison at Geba. The Philistines soon heard about it, so Saul had the trumpet call to arms sounded throughout the land, saying, “Hebrews, pay attention!”
4 Awo Isirayiri yenna bwe baawulira nga Sawulo awambye olusiisira lw’Abafirisuuti, ate nga Isirayiri yali efuuse ekyenyinyalwa eri Abafirisuuti, abantu ne balagirwa okwegatta ku Sawulo e Girugaali.
All of Israel heard the news, “Saul has attacked the Philistine garrison, and now Israel is like a bad smell to the Philistines!” So the whole army was called up to join Saul at Gilgal.
5 Abafirisuuti ne beekuŋŋaanya okulwana n’Abayisirayiri. Abafirisuuti baalina amagaali emitwalo esatu, n’abeebagala embalaasi kakaaga, n’abaserikale abeebigere ng’omuwendo gwabwe gwenkana ng’omusenyu ogw’oku nnyanja obungi. Ne bayambuka ne basiisira e Mikumasi, ku luuyi olw’ebuvanjuba olw’e Besaveni.
The Philistines gathered to fight against Israel. They had three thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and soldiers as numerous as sand on the seashore. They advanced and camped at Michmash, east of Beth-aven.
6 Abasajja Abayisirayiri bwe baalaba ng’embeera yaabwe mbi nnyo, n’eggye lyabwe nga linnyigirizibwa omulabe, ne beekweka mu mpuku, ne mu bisaka ne mu njazi, ne mu binnya.
When the Israelite men realized the tough situation they were in, and that the army was taking a beating, they hid themselves in caves, holes, rocks, pits, and cisterns.
7 Ne wabaawo n’abamu ku Baebbulaniya abaasomoka Yoludaani ne bagenda mu nsi ya Gaadi ne Gireyaadi. Sawulo ye n’asigala e Girugaali, n’abaserikale bonna be yali nabo, naye nga bajjudde okutya.
Some of the Hebrews even crossed the Jordan into the territory of Gad and Gilead, but Saul stayed at Gilgal, and all the men with him were trembling with fear.
8 N’alinda okumala ennaku musanvu, ebbanga Samwiri lye yali amulaze, naye Samwiri n’atajjirawo e Girugaali, n’abasajja ba Sawulo ne batandika okumuvaako.
Saul waited there seven days for the time that Samuel had said, but Samuel did not arrive at Gilgal, and the army started to desert him.
9 Sawulo kyeyava ayogera nti, “Mundeetere wano ekiweebwayo ekyokebwa n’ekiweebwayo olw’emirembe.” N’awaayo ekiweebwayo ekyokebwa.
So Saul ordered, “Bring the burnt offering and the friendship offerings to me,” and he presented the burnt offering.
10 Naye bwe yali yakamala okuwaayo ekiweebwayo ekyokebwa, Samwiri n’atuuka. Sawulo n’agenda okumwaniriza.
Just as he finished presenting the burnt offering, he saw Samuel arrive. Saul went over to meet him and say hello.
11 Samwiri n’amubuuza nti, “Kiki kino ky’okoze?” Sawulo n’addamu nti, “Bwe nnalabye ng’abasajja batandise okusaasaana, ate nga tozze mu kiseera kye walaga, ate nga n’Abafirisuuti bakuŋŋaanira e Mikumasi,
“What have you done?” Samuel asked. Saul replied, “Well I saw my men were deserting me, and you hadn't arrived when you said you would, and the Philistines were gathering at Michmash to attack.
12 ne ndowooza nti, ‘Kaakano Abafirisuuti bagenda kukkirira okunnumba e Girugaali, nga sinnaba kwegayirira kufuna mukisa gwa Mukama, kyenvudde mpalirizibwa okuwaayo ekiweebwayo ekyokebwa.’”
I said to myself, ‘The Philistines are about to attack me at Gilgal, and I haven't asked the Lord for his help.’ So I felt I had to present the burnt offering myself.”
13 Samwiri n’agamba Sawulo nti, “Okoze kya busirusiru, obutakuuma kiragiro kya Mukama Katonda wo kye yakulagira. Singa wakikuumye, Mukama yandinywezezza obwakabaka bwo okufuga Isirayiri emirembe gyonna.
“You've been really stupid,” Samuel told him. “You haven't kept the commands of the Lord your God. If you had, the Lord would have made your kingdom over Israel secure forever.
14 Naye kaakano obwakabaka bwo tebuliba bwa lubeerera. Mukama anoonyezzaayo omusajja alina omutima ogumunoonya era amulonze okuba omukulembeze w’abantu be, kubanga tokuumye kiragiro kya Mukama.”
But now your kingdom won't last. The Lord has found for himself a man who thinks like him, and has chosen him as ruler over his people, because you haven't kept the commands of the Lord.”
15 Awo Samwiri n’ava e Girugaali n’ayambuka e Gibea mu Benyamini, Sawulo n’abala abasajja abaali naye, nga baawera nga lukaaga.
Then Samuel left Gilgal. The rest of the soldiers followed Saul to meet the army, going from Gilgal to Geba in Benjamin. Saul counted the number of soldiers who were with him and there were about six hundred.
16 Sawulo ne mutabani we Yonasaani, n’abasajja abaali nabo baali basiisidde e Gebea ekya Benyamini, ate ng’Abafirisuuti bo basiisidde Mikumasi.
Saul, his son Jonathan, and the soldiers with them were staying in Geba of Benjamin, while the Philistines were camped at Michmash.
17 Abalabe ne bava mu nkambi y’Abafirisuuti mu bibinja bisatu, ekimu ne kyolekera Yofula, mu nsi ya Suwaali,
Three groups of raiders left the Philistine camp to go and attack. One group went towards Ophrah in the land of Shual,
18 n’ekibinja ekirala ne kyolekera Besukolooni, n’ekyokusatu ne kyolekera ensalo etunuulidde ekiwonvu Zeboyimu okwolekera eddungu.
one towards Beth-horon, and one towards the border that looks down on the Valley of Zeboim by the wilderness.
19 Mu nsi yonna eya Isirayiri temwali muweesi n’omu, kubanga Abafirisuuti baali baasalawo nti, “Si kulwa ng’Abaebbulaniya beeweeseza ebitala oba amafumu!”
There wasn't a blacksmith to be found anywhere in Israel, because the Philistines had said, “So that the Hebrews don't make swords and spears.”
20 Noolwekyo Abayisirayiri bonna baaserengetanga eri Abafirisuuti, okuwagala enkumbi zaabwe, n’ebiwabyo byabwe, n’embazzi zaabwe, ne najjolo zaabwe.
All the Israelites had to go to the Philistines to sharpen their iron plowshares, pickaxes, axes, and sickles.
21 Baalinanga omuwendo gwe baasasulanga olw’okuwagala enkumbi ey’amannyo abiri n’ebiwabyo, nga gwa njawulo ku ogwo gwe baawangayo olw’okuwagala embazzi n’emiwunda.
The fee was two-thirds of a shekel for plowshares and pickaxes, and a third of a shekel for sharpening the axes and cattle prods.
22 Era ku lunaku olw’olutalo tewaali muserikale n’omu ku baali ne Sawulo ne Yonasaani, eyalina ekitala wadde effumu, okuggyako Sawulo ne mutabani we Yonasaani.
So when it came to the day of battle none of the soldiers with Saul and Jonathan had swords or spears—only Saul and his son Jonathan had such weapons.
23 Waaliwo ekibinja eky’Abafirisuuti ekyali kigenze mu kifo ekyayitibwanga Mikumasi.
A Philistine garrison had taken control of the pass at Michmash.
