1 Samwiri 5
1 Awo Abafirisuuti bwe bawamba essanduuko ya Katonda, ne bagiggya Ebenezeri ne bagitwala mu Asudodi;
Then the Philistines took the ark of God, and they transported it from the Stone of Assistance into Ashdod.
2 ne bagisitula ne bagiteeka mu ssabo lya Dagoni, okuliraana Dagoni.
And the Philistines took the ark of God, and carried it into the temple of Dagon. And they stationed it beside Dagon.
3 Awo abantu ba Asudodi bwe baagolokoka enkeera, baasanga Dagoni agudde mu maaso g’essanduuko ya Mukama. Ne basitula Dagoni ne bamuzzaawo.
And when the Ashdodites had risen up at first light on the next day, behold, Dagon was lying prone on the ground before the ark of the Lord. And they took Dagon, and they set him again in 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.
And again, on the next day, rising up in the morning, they found Dagon lying on his face upon the ground, before the ark of the Lord. But the head of Dagon, and both palms of his hands had been cut off upon the threshold.
5 Bakabona ba Dagoni n’abo bonna abayingira mu ssabo lya Dagoni kyebava balema okulinnya ku mulyango gw’essabo lye, ne leero.
Moreover, only the trunk of Dagon remained in its place. For this reason, the priests of Dagon, and all who enter his temple, do not tread upon the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod, even to this day.
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 weighed heavily upon the Ashdodites, and he destroyed them. And he struck Ashdod and its borders at the inner part of the buttocks. And in the villages and fields, in the midst of that region, mice rose up and burst forth. And this caused a great tumult unto death in the city.
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.”
Then the men of Ashdod, seeing this kind of plague, said: “The ark of the God of Israel shall not remain with us. For his hand is harsh, over us and over Dagon, our god.”
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.
And sending, they gathered together all the princes of the Philistines to them, and they said, “What shall we do about the ark of the God of Israel?” And the Gathites responded, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be led around.” And they led the ark of the God of Israel around.
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.
And as they were carrying it around, the hand of the Lord fell upon every single city with an exceedingly great slaughter. And he struck down the men of each and every city, from the small even to the great. And cysts were festering at their buttocks. And the Gathites took counsel, and they made for themselves seat covers from pelts.
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.”
Therefore, they sent the ark of God into Ekron. And when the ark of God had arrived at Ekron, the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel to us, so that it may 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.
And so they sent and gathered together all the princes of the Philistines, and they said: “Release the ark of the God of Israel, and return it to its own place. And let it not kill us, with our people.”
12 Abo abataafa baalwala ebizimba, okukaaba mu kibuga ne kutuuka mu ggulu.
For the fear of death fell upon every single city, and the hand of God was very heavy. Also, the men who did not die were being afflicted in the inner part of the buttocks. And the wailing of each city was ascending to heaven.
