Balam 11
1 Yefusa Omugireyaadi yali mulwanyi w’amaanyi; kitaawe yamuzaala mu malaaya.
There was at that time Jephte the Galaadite, a most valiant man and a warrior, the son of a woman that was a harlot, and his father was Galaad.
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.”
Now Galaad had a wife of whom he had sons: who after they were grown up, thrust out Jephte, saying: Thou canst not inherit in the house of our father, because thou art born of another mother.
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 he fled and avoided them and dwelt in the land of Tob: and there were gathered to him needy men, and robbers, and they followed him as their prince.
4 Oluvannyuma lw’ebbanga abaana ba Amoni ne bakola olutalo ku Isirayiri.
In those days the children 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 as they pressed hard upon them, the ancients of Galaad went to fetch Jephte out of the land of Tob to help them:
6 Ne bagamba Yefusa nti, “Jjangu otukulembere tulwanyise abaana ba Amoni.”
And they said to him: Come thou and be our prince, and fight against the children 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 he answered them: Are not you the men that hated me, and cast me out of my father’s house, and now you are come to me constrained by necessity?
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 princes of Galaad said to Jephte: For this cause we are now come to thee, that thou mayst go with us, and fight against the children of Ammon, and be head over all the inhabitants of Galaad.
9 Yefusa n’abaddamu nti, “Singa munzizaayo ne nnwana n’abaana ba Amoni, Mukama n’abampangusiza, n’abeera omukulembeze wammwe?”
Jephte also said to them: If you be come to me sincerely, that I should fight for you against the children of Ammon, and the Lord shall deliver them into my band, shall I be your prince?
10 Abakadde b’e Gireyaadi ne baddamu Yefusa nti, “Mukama ye mujulirwa waffe, bwe tutaatuukirize kigambo ekyo.”
They answered him: The Lord who heareth these things, he himself is mediator and witness that we will do as we have promised.
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.
Jephte therefore went with the princes of Galaad, and all the people made him their prince. And Jephte spoke all his words before the Lord in Maspha.
12 Yefusa n’atuma ababaka eri kabaka w’abaana ba Amoni, ng’amugamba nti, “Onnanga ki ggwe, okujja gye ndi, olwanyise eggwanga lyange?”
And he sent messengers to the king of the children of Ammon, to say in his name, What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come against me, to waste 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 he answered them: I Because Israel took away my land when he came up out of Egypt, from the confines of the Arnon unto the Jaboc and the Jordan: now therefore restore the same peaceably to me.
14 Awo Yefusa n’addamu n’aweereza ababaka eri kabaka w’abaana ba Amoni
And Jephte again sent word by them, and commanded them to say to the king of Ammon:
15 ng’agamba nti, “Yefusa bw’ati bw’ayogera nti, ‘Isirayiri teyatwala nsi ya Mowaabu newaakubadde ensi y’abaana ba Amoni.
Thus saith Jephte: Israel did not take away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children 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 out of Egypt, he walked through the desert to the Red Sea and came into Cades.
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.
And he sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying: Suffer me to pass through thy land. But he would not condescend to his request. He sent also to the king of Moab, who likewise refused to give him passage. He abode therefore in Cades,
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.
And went round the land of Edom at the side, and the land of Moab: and came over against the east coast of the land of Moab, and camped on the other side of the Arnon: and he would not enter the bounds 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.
So Israel sent messengers to Sehon king of the Amorrhites, who dwelt in Hesebon, and they said to him: Suffer me to pass through thy land to the river.
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 he also despising the words of Israel, suffered him not to pass through his borders: but gathering an infinite multitude, went out against him to Jasa, and made strong opposition.
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 the Lord delivered him with all his army into the hands of Israel, and he slew him, and possessed all the land of the Amorrhite the inhabitant of that country,
22 Ne bawamba ensalo yonna ey’Abamoli okuva ku Alunoni okutuuka ku Yaboki, n’okuva ku ddungu okutuuka ku Yoludaani.
And all the coasts thereof from the Arnon to the Jaboc, 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?
So the Lord the God of Israel destroyed the Amorrhite, his people of Israel fighting against him, and wilt thou now possess this land?
24 Lwaki totwala ensi lubaale wo Kemosi gye yakuwa, naffe ne tutwala eyo Mukama Katonda waffe gye yatuwa?
Are not those things which thy god Chamos possesseth, due to thee by right? But what the Lord our God hath obtained by conquest, shall be our possession:
25 Ddala ddala osinga Balaki mutabani wa Zipoli kabaka wa Mowaabu? Yali akaayanyizza Isirayiri wadde okubalwanyisa?
Unless perhaps thou art better than Balac the son of Sephor king of Moab: or canst shew that he strove against Israel and fought against him,
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?
Whereas he hath dwelt in Hesebon, and the villages thereof, and in Aroer, and its villages, and in all the cities near the Jordan, for three hundred years. Why have you for so long a time attempted nothing about this claim?
27 Kaakano sirina kye nkusobezza naye ggwe onnumbye okulwana nange. Kale Mukama, Omulamuzi, leero alamule wakati w’abaana ba Isirayiri n’abaana ba Amoni.’”
Therefore I do not trespass against thee, but thou wrongest me by declaring an unjust war against me. The Lord be judge and decide this day between Israel and the children of Ammon.
28 Naye kabaka w’abaana ba Amoni n’atassaayo mwoyo ku bubaka Yefusa bwe yamutumira.
And the king of the children of Ammon would not hearken to the words of Jephte, which he sent him by the messengers.
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.
Therefore the spirit of the Lord came upon Jephte, and going round Galaad, and Manasses, and Maspha of Galaad, and passing over from thence to the children of Ammon,
30 Yefusa ne yeeyama eri Mukama Katonda ng’agamba nti, “Bw’onogabula abaana ba Amoni mu mukono gwange,
He made a vow to the Lord, saying: If thou wilt deliver the children of Ammon into my hands,
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.”
Whosoever shall first come forth out of the doors of my house, and shall meet me when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, the same will I offer a holocaust to the Lord.
32 Awo Yefusa n’alumba abaana ba Amoni n’abalwanyisa, era Mukama Katonda n’abagabula mu mukono gwe.
And Jephte passed over to the children of Ammon, to fight against them: and the Lord delivered them into his hands.
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 till you come to Mennith, twenty cities, and as far as Abel, which is set with vineyards, with a very great slaughter: and the children of Ammon were humbled by the children 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 when Jephte returned into Maspha to his house, his only daughter met him with timbrels and with dances: for he had no other children.
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 when he saw her, he rent his garments, and said: Alas! my daughter, thou hast deceived me, and thou thyself art deceived: for I have opened my mouth to the Lord, and I can do no other thing.
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 answered him: My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth to the Lord, do unto me whatsoever thou hast promised, since the victory hath been granted to thee, and revenge of thy enemies.
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: Grant me only this which I desire: Let me go, that I may go about the mountains for two months, and may bewail my virginity with 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 answered her: Go. And he sent her away for two months. And when she was gone with her comrades and companions, she mourned her virginity in 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 the two months being expired, she returned to her father, and he did to her as he had vowed, and she knew no man. From thence came a fashion in Israel, and a custom has been kept:
40 okuva mu biro ebyo, nti abawala mu Isirayiri bajjukira muwala wa Yefusa Omugireyaadi okumala ennaku nnya buli mwaka.
That from year to year the daughters of Israel assemble together, and lament the daughter of Jephte the Galaadite for four days.
