< Balam 11 >

1 Yefusa Omugireyaadi yali mulwanyi w’amaanyi; kitaawe yamuzaala mu malaaya.
Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, and he was the son of a harlot, and Gilead begot Jephthah.
2 Mukazi wa Gireyaadi yali amuzaalidde abaana aboobulenzi, era abaana b’omukazi oyo bwe baakula, ne bagobaganya Yefusa nga bagamba nti, “Tolisikira wamu naffe ku bintu bya kitaffe, kubanga kitaffe yakuzaala mu mukazi mulala.”
And Gilead's wife bore sons to him. And when his wife's sons grew up, they drove out Jephthah, and said to him, Thou shall not inherit in our father's house, for thou are the son of another woman.
3 Awo Yefusa n’adduka baganda be, n’agenda n’abeera mu nsi ye Tobu. Abasajja abataaliko kigendererwa ne bakuŋŋaana gy’ali ne bamugoberera.
Then Jephthah fled from his brothers, and dwelt in the land of Tob. And vain fellows were gathered to Jephthah, and they went out with him.
4 Oluvannyuma lw’ebbanga abaana ba Amoni ne bakola olutalo ku Isirayiri.
And it came to pass after a while, that the sons of Ammon made war against Israel.
5 Awo abaana ba Amoni bwe baali nga balwana ne Isirayiri, abakadde ab’e Gireyaadi ne bagenda okukima Yefusa mu nsi ya Tobu.
And it was so, that, when the sons of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob.
6 Ne bagamba Yefusa nti, “Jjangu otukulembere tulwanyise abaana ba Amoni.”
And they said to Jephthah, Come and be our chief, that we may fight with the sons of Ammon.
7 Yefusa n’agamba abakadde b’e Gireyaadi nti, “Temwankyawa ne mungoba mu nnyumba ya kitange? Lwaki kaakano mujja gye ndi nga mulina ekizibu?”
And Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, Did ye not hate me, and drive me out of my father's house? And why have ye come to me now when ye are in distress?
8 Abakadde b’e Gireyaadi ne bagamba Yefusa nti, “Tuzze gy’oli kaakano, ojje ogende naffe, olwanyise abaana ba Amoni, n’oluvannyuma onoobeera mukulembeze w’abo bonna ababeera mu Gireyaadi.”
And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, For that reason we turned again to thee now, that thou may go with us, and fight with the sons of Ammon. And thou shall be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.
9 Yefusa n’abaddamu nti, “Singa munzizaayo ne nnwana n’abaana ba Amoni, Mukama n’abampangusiza, n’abeera omukulembeze wammwe?”
And Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home again to fight with the sons of Ammon, and Jehovah delivers them before me, shall I be your head?
10 Abakadde b’e Gireyaadi ne baddamu Yefusa nti, “Mukama ye mujulirwa waffe, bwe tutaatuukirize kigambo ekyo.”
And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, Jehovah shall be witness between us. Surely according to thy word so will we do.
11 Awo Yefusa n’agenda n’abakadde b’e Gireyaadi, abantu ne bamufuula omukulembeze waabwe era omuduumizi, n’addamu ebigambo byonna bye yayogera mu maaso ga Mukama mu Mizupa.
Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and chief over them. And Jephthah spoke all his words before Jehovah in Mizpah.
12 Yefusa n’atuma ababaka eri kabaka w’abaana ba Amoni, ng’amugamba nti, “Onnanga ki ggwe, okujja gye ndi, olwanyise eggwanga lyange?”
And Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the sons of Ammon, saying, What have thou to do with me, that thou have come to me to fight against my land?
13 Kabaka w’abaana ba Amoni n’addamu ababaka ba Yefusa nti, “Kubanga Isirayiri bwe baali bava e Misiri baatwala ensi yange okuva ku Alunoni ne ku Yaboki n’okutuukira ddala ku Yoludaani. Kaakano gituddize lwa mirembe.”
And the king of the sons of Ammon answered to the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land when he came up out of Egypt, from the Arnon even to the Jabbok, and to the Jordan. Now therefore restore those lands again peaceably.
14 Awo Yefusa n’addamu n’aweereza ababaka eri kabaka w’abaana ba Amoni
And Jephthah sent messengers again to the king of the sons of Ammon.
15 ng’agamba nti, “Yefusa bw’ati bw’ayogera nti, ‘Isirayiri teyatwala nsi ya Mowaabu newaakubadde ensi y’abaana ba Amoni.
And he said to him, Thus says Jephthah: Israel did not take away the land of Moab, nor the land of the sons of Ammon,
16 Naye Isirayiri bwe baava mu Misiri ne baba nga bayita mu ddungu nga balaga ku Nnyanja Emyufu n’e Kadesi,
but when they came up from Egypt, and Israel went through the wilderness to the Red Sea, and came to Kadesh,
17 Isirayiri yatuma ababaka eri kabaka wa Edomu nga bamusaba bayitemu buyisi mu nsi ye. Naye ye teyabawuliriza. Isirayiri n’atuma n’ababaka eri kabaka wa Mowaabu, naye n’atabakkiriza kuyitamu. Isirayiri kyeyava asigala e Kadesi.
then Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, Let me, I pray thee, pass through thy land, but the king of Edom did not hearken. And in like manner he sent to the king of Moab, but he would not. And Israel abode in Kadesh.
18 “‘Awo Isirayiri n’alyoka ayita mu ddungu ne yeetooloola ensi ya Edomu n’ensi ya Mowaabu, n’ayita ku luuyi olw’ebuvanjuba obw’ensi ya Mowaabu, ne basiisira emitala wa Alunoni ku nsalo ya Mowaabu.
Then they went through the wilderness, and went around the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came by the east side of the land of Moab. And they encamped on the other side of the Arnon, but they did not come within the border of Moab, for the Arnon was the border of Moab.
19 “‘Awo Isirayiri n’atuma ababaka eri Sikoni kabaka w’Abamoli era kabaka w’e Kesuboni, ng’amusaba ng’agamba nti, Tukkirize tuyitemu tulage mu nsi yaffe.
And Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon. And Israel said to him, Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy land to my place.
20 Naye Sikoni n’ateesiga Isirayiri kuyita mu nsalo ye, era Sikoni n’akuŋŋaanya abantu be bonna, ne basiisira mu Yakazi, n’alwanyisa Isirayiri.’
But Sihon did not trust Israel to pass through his border, but Sihon gathered all his people together, and encamped in Jahaz, and fought against Israel.
21 “‘Mukama Katonda wa Isirayiri n’agabula Sikoni n’abantu be bonna mu mukono gwa Isirayiri, n’abawangula, era Isirayiri n’atwala ensi yonna ey’Abamoli.
And Jehovah, the God of Israel, delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they smote them. So Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country.
22 Ne bawamba ensalo yonna ey’Abamoli okuva ku Alunoni okutuuka ku Yaboki, n’okuva ku ddungu okutuuka ku Yoludaani.
And they possessed all the border of the Amorites, from the Arnon even to the Jabbok, and from the wilderness even to the Jordan.
23 “‘Kaakano obanga Mukama Katonda wa Isirayiri yagoba Abamoli mu maaso g’abantu be Isirayiri, ggwe ani okulwanyisa Isirayiri?
So now Jehovah, the God of Israel, has dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel, and should thou possess them?
24 Lwaki totwala ensi lubaale wo Kemosi gye yakuwa, naffe ne tutwala eyo Mukama Katonda waffe gye yatuwa?
Will thou not possess that which Chemosh thy god gives thee to possess? So whomever Jehovah our God has dispossessed from before us, them will we possess.
25 Ddala ddala osinga Balaki mutabani wa Zipoli kabaka wa Mowaabu? Yali akaayanyizza Isirayiri wadde okubalwanyisa?
And now are thou anything better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight against them?
26 Isirayiri emaze emyaka ebikumi bisatu mu Kesuboni n’ebyalo byayo, ne mu Aloweri n’ebyalo byayo, ne mu bibuga byonna ebiri ku lubalama lwa Alunoni. Kiki ekyabalobera okubyeddiza mu kiseera ekyo?
While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and its towns, and in Aroer and its towns, and in all the cities that are along by the side of the Arnon, three hundred years, why did ye not recover them within that time?
27 Kaakano sirina kye nkusobezza naye ggwe onnumbye okulwana nange. Kale Mukama, Omulamuzi, leero alamule wakati w’abaana ba Isirayiri n’abaana ba Amoni.’”
I therefore have not sinned against thee, but thou do me wrong to war against me. Jehovah, the Judge, be judge this day between the sons of Israel and the sons of Ammon.
28 Naye kabaka w’abaana ba Amoni n’atassaayo mwoyo ku bubaka Yefusa bwe yamutumira.
However the king of the sons of Ammon did not hearken to the words of Jephthah which he sent him.
29 Awo Omwoyo wa Mukama Katonda n’ajja ku Yefusa; Yefusa n’asomoka Gireyaadi ne Manase, n’ayita ne mu Mizupa eky’e Gireyaadi, era mu Mizupa eky’e Gireyaadi gye yava okulumba abaana ba Amoni.
Then the Spirit of Jehovah came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over to the sons of Ammon.
30 Yefusa ne yeeyama eri Mukama Katonda ng’agamba nti, “Bw’onogabula abaana ba Amoni mu mukono gwange,
And Jephthah vowed a vow to Jehovah, and said, If thou will indeed deliver the sons of Ammon into my hand,
31 ekintu kyonna ekirifuluma mu nzigi z’ennyumba yange nga nkomyewo mu buwanguzi, ne kinyaniriza nga nva mu baana ba Amoni, ndikiwaayo ng’ekiweebwayo ekyokebwa eri Mukama.”
then it shall be, that whatever comes forth from the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the sons of Ammon, it shall be Jehovah's, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.
32 Awo Yefusa n’alumba abaana ba Amoni n’abalwanyisa, era Mukama Katonda n’abagabula mu mukono gwe.
So Jephthah passed over to the sons of Ammon to fight against them, and Jehovah delivered them into his hand.
33 N’abakuba okuva ku Aloweri okutuuka e Minnisi, bye bibuga amakumi abiri, n’okutuukira ddala ku Aberukeramimu; n’abakubira ddala era abaana ba Isirayiri ne bawangulira ddala abaana ba Amoni.
And he smote them from Aroer until thou come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and to Abelcheramim, with a very great slaughter. So the sons of Ammon were subdued before the sons of Israel.
34 Awo Yefusa bwe yakomawo e Mizupa mu maka ge, laba muwala we n’ajja okumukulisaayo ng’akuba ebitaasa era ng’amuzinira. Ye mwana yekka gwe yalina.
And Jephthah came to Mizpah to his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances. And she was his only child. Besides her he had neither son nor daughter.
35 Yefusa bwe yamulaba, n’ayuza engoye ze, n’ayogera mu ddoboozi ery’omwanguka nti, “Zinsaze muwala wange. Onnakuwazizza nnyo, era ondeetedde ennaku, kubanga neeyama eri Mukama Katonda, so siyinza kukimenyawo.”
And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he tore his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! Thou have brought me very low, and thou are one of those who trouble me, for I have opened my mouth to Jehovah, and I cannot go back.
36 Awo muwala we n’amugamba nti, “Kitange weeyama eri Mukama. Kola ekyo kye weeyama eri Mukama Katonda, kubanga awooledde eggwanga ku balabe bo, abaana ba Amoni.”
And she said to him, My father, thou have opened thy mouth to Jehovah. Do to me according to that which has proceeded out of thy mouth, inasmuch as Jehovah has taken vengeance for thee on thine enemies, even on the sons of Ammon.
37 N’agamba kitaawe nti, “Nkusaba ekintu kimu kyokka, onzikirize ŋŋende ne mikwano gyange mu nsozi okumala emyezi ebiri, ne kaabireko kubanga ndi mbeerera.”
And she said to her father, Let this thing be done for me: Let me alone two months, that I may depart and go down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my companions.
38 N’amugamba nti, “Genda.” N’agenda n’amala emyezi ebiri mu nsozi ng’ali ne bawala banne nga yeekaabirako olw’okuba yali mbeerera.
And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two months. And she departed, she and her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains.
39 Oluvannyuma lw’emyezi ebiri, omuwala n’akomawo eri kitaawe, era kitaawe n’amuwaayo, nga bwe yeeyama. Yali muwala mbeerera. Era okwo kwe kwava empisa mu Isirayiri
And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned to her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed, and she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel,
40 okuva mu biro ebyo, nti abawala mu Isirayiri bajjukira muwala wa Yefusa Omugireyaadi okumala ennaku nnya buli mwaka.
that the daughters of Israel went yearly to celebrate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.

< Balam 11 >