Balam 11
1 Yefusa Omugireyaadi yali mulwanyi w’amaanyi; kitaawe yamuzaala mu malaaya.
Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor; he was the son of a prostitute, and Gilead was his father.
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 him sons who grew up, drove Jephthah out, and said to him, “You shall have no inheritance in our father’s house, because you 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.
So Jephthah fled from his brothers and settled in the land of Tob, where worthless men gathered around him and traveled with him.
4 Oluvannyuma lw’ebbanga abaana ba Amoni ne bakola olutalo ku Isirayiri.
Some time later, when the Ammonites fought 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 made war with them, the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah from the land of Tob.
6 Ne bagamba Yefusa nti, “Jjangu otukulembere tulwanyise abaana ba Amoni.”
“Come,” they said, “be our commander, so that we can fight against the Ammonites.”
7 Yefusa n’agamba abakadde b’e Gireyaadi nti, “Temwankyawa ne mungoba mu nnyumba ya kitange? Lwaki kaakano mujja gye ndi nga mulina ekizibu?”
Jephthah replied to the elders of Gilead, “Did you not hate me and expel me from my father’s house? Why then have you come to me now, when you 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.”
They answered Jephthah, “This is why we now turn to you, that you may go with us, fight the Ammonites, and become leader over all of us who live in Gilead.”
9 Yefusa n’abaddamu nti, “Singa munzizaayo ne nnwana n’abaana ba Amoni, Mukama n’abampangusiza, n’abeera omukulembeze wammwe?”
But Jephthah asked them, “If you take me back to fight the Ammonites and the LORD gives them to me, will I really be your leader?”
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, “The LORD is our witness if we do not do as you say.”
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.
So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him their leader and commander. And Jephthah repeated all his terms in the presence of the LORD at Mizpah.
12 Yefusa n’atuma ababaka eri kabaka w’abaana ba Amoni, ng’amugamba nti, “Onnanga ki ggwe, okujja gye ndi, olwanyise eggwanga lyange?”
Then Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites, saying, “What do you have against me that you have come 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.”
The king of the Ammonites answered Jephthah’s messengers, “When Israel came up out of Egypt, they seized my land, from the Arnon to the Jabbok and all the way to the Jordan. Now, therefore, restore it peaceably.”
14 Awo Yefusa n’addamu n’aweereza ababaka eri kabaka w’abaana ba Amoni
Jephthah again sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites
15 ng’agamba nti, “Yefusa bw’ati bw’ayogera nti, ‘Isirayiri teyatwala nsi ya Mowaabu newaakubadde ensi y’abaana ba Amoni.
to tell him, “This is what Jephthah says: Israel did not take away the land of Moab or of the Ammonites.
16 Naye Isirayiri bwe baava mu Misiri ne baba nga bayita mu ddungu nga balaga ku Nnyanja Emyufu n’e Kadesi,
But when Israel came up out of Egypt, they traveled 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, ‘Please let us pass through your land,’ but the king of Edom would not listen. They also sent messengers to the king of Moab, but he would not consent. So Israel stayed 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 Israel traveled through the wilderness and bypassed the lands of Edom and Moab. They came to the east side of the land of Moab and camped on the other side of the Arnon. But they did not enter the territory of Moab, since the Arnon was its border.
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, who ruled in Heshbon, and said to him, ‘Please let us pass through your land into our own 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 would not trust Israel to pass through his territory. So he gathered all his people, encamped in Jahaz, and fought with 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.
Then the LORD, the God of Israel, delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, who defeated them. So Israel took possession of all the land of the Amorites who inhabited that country,
22 Ne bawamba ensalo yonna ey’Abamoli okuva ku Alunoni okutuuka ku Yaboki, n’okuva ku ddungu okutuuka ku Yoludaani.
seizing all the land from the Arnon to the Jabbok and from the wilderness to the Jordan.
23 “‘Kaakano obanga Mukama Katonda wa Isirayiri yagoba Abamoli mu maaso g’abantu be Isirayiri, ggwe ani okulwanyisa Isirayiri?
Now since the LORD, the God of Israel, has driven out the Amorites from before His people Israel, should you now possess it?
24 Lwaki totwala ensi lubaale wo Kemosi gye yakuwa, naffe ne tutwala eyo Mukama Katonda waffe gye yatuwa?
Do you not possess whatever your god Chemosh grants you? So also, we possess whatever the LORD our God has granted us.
25 Ddala ddala osinga Balaki mutabani wa Zipoli kabaka wa Mowaabu? Yali akaayanyizza Isirayiri wadde okubalwanyisa?
Are you now so much better than Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever contend with Israel or 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?
For three hundred years Israel has lived in Heshbon, Aroer, and their villages, as well as all the cities along the banks of the Arnon. Why did you not take them back during 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 have not sinned against you, but you have done me wrong by waging war against me. May the LORD, the Judge, decide today between the Israelites and the Ammonites.”
28 Naye kabaka w’abaana ba Amoni n’atassaayo mwoyo ku bubaka Yefusa bwe yamutumira.
But the king of the Ammonites paid no heed to the message Jephthah 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 the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh, then through Mizpah of Gilead. And from there he advanced against the Ammonites.
30 Yefusa ne yeeyama eri Mukama Katonda ng’agamba nti, “Bw’onogabula abaana ba Amoni mu mukono gwange,
Jephthah made this vow to the LORD: “If indeed You will deliver the Ammonites 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 whatever comes out the door of my house to greet me on my triumphant return from the Ammonites will belong to the LORD, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.”
32 Awo Yefusa n’alumba abaana ba Amoni n’abalwanyisa, era Mukama Katonda n’abagabula mu mukono gwe.
So Jephthah crossed over to the Ammonites to fight against them, and the LORD 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.
With a great blow he devastated twenty cities from Aroer to the vicinity of Minnith, as far as Abel-keramim. So the Ammonites were subdued before the Israelites.
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 when Jephthah returned home to Mizpah, there was his daughter coming out to meet him with tambourines and dancing! She was his only child; he had no son or daughter besides her.
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.”
As soon as Jephthah saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “No! Not my daughter! You have brought me to my knees! You have brought great misery upon me, for I have given my word to the LORD and cannot take it 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.”
“My father,” she replied, “you have given your word to the LORD. Do to me as you have said, for the LORD has avenged you of your enemies, the Ammonites.”
37 N’agamba kitaawe nti, “Nkusaba ekintu kimu kyokka, onzikirize ŋŋende ne mikwano gyange mu nsozi okumala emyezi ebiri, ne kaabireko kubanga ndi mbeerera.”
She also said to her father, “Let me do this one thing: Let me wander for two months through the mountains with my friends and mourn my virginity.”
38 N’amugamba nti, “Genda.” N’agenda n’amala emyezi ebiri mu nsozi ng’ali ne bawala banne nga yeekaabirako olw’okuba yali mbeerera.
“Go,” he said. And he sent her away for two months. So she left with her friends and mourned 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
After two months, she returned to her father, and he did to her as he had vowed. And she had never had relations with a man. So it has become a custom in Israel
40 okuva mu biro ebyo, nti abawala mu Isirayiri bajjukira muwala wa Yefusa Omugireyaadi okumala ennaku nnya buli mwaka.
that each year the young women of Israel go out for four days to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite.
