1 Samwiri 5
1 Awo Abafirisuuti bwe bawamba essanduuko ya Katonda, ne bagiggya Ebenezeri ne bagitwala mu Asudodi;
After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod,
2 ne bagisitula ne bagiteeka mu ssabo lya Dagoni, okuliraana Dagoni.
carried it into the temple of Dagon, and set it beside his statue.
3 Awo abantu ba Asudodi bwe baagolokoka enkeera, baasanga Dagoni agudde mu maaso g’essanduuko ya Mukama. Ne basitula Dagoni ne bamuzzaawo.
When the people of Ashdod got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on his face before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and returned him to his place.
4 Era ne bwe baagolokoka enkeera ku lunaku olwaddirira, baasanga Dagoni agudde mu maaso g’essanduuko ya Mukama, ng’omutwe gwe n’emikono gye bikutuseeko nga bigudde mu mulyango, ng’ekiwuduwudu kye, kye kisigaddewo.
But when they got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on his face before the ark of the LORD, with his head and his hands broken off and lying on the threshold. Only the torso remained.
5 Bakabona ba Dagoni n’abo bonna abayingira mu ssabo lya Dagoni kyebava balema okulinnya ku mulyango gw’essabo lye, ne leero.
That is why, to this day, the priests of Dagon and all who enter the temple of Dagon in Ashdod do not step on the threshold.
6 Omukono gwa Mukama ne gubonereza abantu b’e Asudodi n’emiriraano, n’abaleetako entiisa era ne bakwatibwa ebizimba.
Now the hand of the LORD was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity, ravaging them and afflicting them with tumors.
7 Awo abantu b’e Asudodi bwe baalaba ebyabatuukako ne boogera nti, “Essanduuko ya Katonda wa Isirayiri teteekwa kusigala wano naffe, kubanga omukono gwe gutuliko era guli ne ku lubaale waffe Dagoni.”
And when the men of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not stay here with us, because His hand is heavy upon us and upon our god Dagon.”
8 Ne bakuŋŋaanya abakungu bonna ab’Abafirisuuti ne bababuuza nti, “Tunaakola tutya essanduuko ya Katonda wa Isirayiri?” Ne baddamu nti, “Essanduuko ya Katonda wa Isirayiri etwalibwe e Gaasi.” Awo ne batwala eyo essanduuko ya Katonda wa Isirayiri.
So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and asked, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” “It must be moved to Gath,” they replied. So they carried away the ark of the God of Israel.
9 Naye bwe baagituusa eyo, omukono gwa Mukama ne gulwana n’ekibuga ekyo, ne waba okutya kungi nnyo nnyini mu batuuze b’ekibuga ekyo. Abakulu n’abato n’abaleetako ebizimba ku bitundu byabwe eby’ekyama.
But after they had moved the ark to Gath, the LORD’s hand was also against that city, throwing it into great confusion and afflicting the men of the city, both young and old, with an outbreak of tumors.
10 Kyebaava baweereza essanduuko ya Katonda mu Ekuloni. Naye essanduuko ya Katonda bwe yali ng’eneetera okutuuka mu Ekuloni, Abaekuloni ne bakaaba nga boogera nti, “Batuleetedde essanduuko ya Katonda wa Isirayiri, okututta n’abantu baffe.”
So they sent the ark of God to Ekron, but as it arrived, the Ekronites cried out, “They have brought us the ark of the God of Israel in order to kill us and our people!”
11 Awo ne bakuŋŋaanya abakungu bonna ab’Abafirisuuti, ne babagamba nti, “Muzzeeyo essanduuko ya Katonda wa Isirayiri mu kifo kyayo, ereme kututta ffe n’abantu baffe.” Omukono gwa Katonda gwali gubazitooweredde nnyo era nga bajjudde entiisa ey’okufa.
Then the Ekronites assembled all the rulers of the Philistines and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel. It must return to its place, so that it will not kill us and our people!” For a deadly confusion had pervaded the city; the hand of God was heavy upon it.
12 Abo abataafa baalwala ebizimba, okukaaba mu kibuga ne kutuuka mu ggulu.
Those who did not die were afflicted with tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.
