Balam 18

1 Mu biro ebyo Isirayiri teyalina kabaka. Era mu biro ebyo ekika ky’Abadaani baali banoonya ekifo aw’okubeera kubanga mu bika bya Isirayiri baali tebafunanga kifo kya kubeeramu ng’omugabo gwabwe.

In those days there was no king in Israel, and the tribe of Dan sought them an inheritance to dwell in: for unto that day they had not received their lot among the other tribes.

2 Kyebaava batuma abaana ba Ddaani bataano, abasajja abalwanyi, okuva mu kika kyabwe kyonna, okuva mu Zola ne mu Esutaoli, bagende bakette ensi. Ne babagamba nti, “Mugende mukebere ensi.” Ne batuuka mu nsi ey’ensozi eya Efulayimu mu nnyumba ya Mikka ne basula eyo.

So the children of Dan sent five most valiant men of their stock and family from Saraa and Esthaol, to spy out the land, and to view it diligently: and they said to them: Go, and view the land. They went on their way, and when they came to mount Ephraim, they went into the house of Michas, and rested there:

3 Bwe baali eyo okumpi n’ennyumba ya Mikka ne beetegereza eddoboozi ly’omuvubuka Omuleevi, ne bakyama ne bamubuuza nti, “Ani eyakuleeta wano? Era okola ki wano? Era lwaki oli wano?”

And knowing the voice of the young man the Levite, and lodging with him, they said to him: Who brought thee hither? what dost thou here? why wouldst thou come hither?

4 N’abategeeza Mikka bye yamukolera, n’abagamba nti, “Yampangisa era ndi kabona we.”

He answered them: Michas hath done such and such things for me, and hath hired me to be his priest.

5 Ne bamugamba nti, “Tukwegayiridde, kaakano weebuuze ku Katonda, obanga olugendo lwe tugenda luliba n’omukisa.”

Then they desired him to consult the Lord, that they might know whether their journey should be prosperous, and the thing should have effect.

6 Awo kabona n’abaddamu nti, “Mugende mirembe, kubanga Mukama Katonda asiimye mugende ku lugendo lwammwe.”

He answered them: Go in peace, the Lord looketh on your way, and the journey that you go.

7 Awo abasajja abataano ne bava awo, ne batuuka e Layisi, ne balaba ng’abantu baayo bali mirembe ng’Abasidoni bwe baali. Baali bakkakkamu, nga balina buli kye beetaaga mu nsi, era nga beesudde akabanga n’Abasidoni, nga tewali muntu n’omu gwe bakolagana naye.

So the five men going on came to Lais: and they saw how the people dwelt therein without any fear, according to the custom of the Sidonians, secure and easy, having no man at all to oppose them, being very rich, and living separated, at a distance from Sidon and from all men.

8 Awo abakessi bwe baddayo eri baganda baabwe e Zola n’e Esutaoli, baganda baabwe ne bababuuza nti, “Bigenze bitya?”

And they returned to their brethren in Saraa and Esthaol, who asked them what they had done? to whom they answered:

9 Ne baddamu nti, “Mugolokoke, tubalumbe. Tulabye ensi, era laba, nga nnungi nnyo. Temuyinza butagenda. Temulwa, tugende tulye ensi.

Arise, and let us go up to them: for we have seen the land which is exceeding rich and fruitful: neglect not, lose no time: let us go and possess it, there will be no difficulty.

10 Bwe mulituuka eyo muliraba abantu abakkakkamu ababeera mu nsi engazi, Katonda gy’atadde mu mukono gwammwe, era nsi erimu buli kintu omuntu kye yeetaaga.”

We shall come to a people that is secure, into a spacious country, and the Lord will deliver the place to us, in which there is no want of any thing that groweth on the earth.

11 Awo ekika ky’Abadaani ne basitula okuva e Zola n’e Esutaoli, abasajja lukaaga nga balina ebyokulwanyisa.

There went therefore of the kindred of Dan, to wit, from Saraa and Esthaol, six hundred men, furnished with arms for war,

12 Ne bagenda ne basiisira okumpi ne Kiriyasuyalimu mu Yuda. Ekifo ekyo ne bakituuma Makanedani era kye kiyitibwa n’okutuusa leero.

And going up they lodged in Cariathiarim of Juda: which place from that time is called the camp of Dan, and is behind Cariathiarim.

13 Ne bava awo ne balaga mu nsi ey’ensozi eya Efulayimu ne batuuka ku nnyumba ya Mikka.

From thence they passed into mount Ephraim. And when they were come to the house of Michas,

14 Abasajja abataano abaagenda okuketta ensi ya Layisi ne bagamba baganda baabwe nti, “Mumanyi nga mu nnyumba zino mulimu Efodi n’ebifaananyi ebyole n’ekifaananyi ekisaanuuse? Kale nno mukole kye mugwanira okukola.”

The five men, that before had been sent to view the land of Lais, said to the rest of their brethren: You know that in these houses there is an ephod, and theraphim, and a graven, and a molten god: see what you are pleased to do.

15 Ne bakyama ne bagenda mu nnyumba y’omuvubuka Omuleevi eyali ewa Mikka ne bamulamusa.

And when they had turned a little aside, they went into the house of the young man the Levite, who was in the house of Michas: and they saluted him with words of peace.

16 Abasajja olukaaga nga balina ebyokulwanyisa byabwe ne bayimirira ku mulyango.

And the six hundred men stood before the door, appointed with their arms.

17 Awo abasajja abataano abaagenda okuketta ne bayingira ne baggyamu ekifaananyi ekyole, ne Efodi, ne balubaale abaali mu nnyumba n’ekifaananyi ekisaanuuse, nga kabona n’abasajja olukaaga nga balina ebyokulwanyisa byabwe bayimiridde ku mulyango.

But they that were gone into the house of the young man, went about to take away the graven god, and the ephod, and the theraphim, and the molten god, and the priest stood before the door, the six hundred valiant men waiting not far off.

18 Abasajja bwe bayingira mu nnyumba ya Mikka okuggyamu ekifaananyi ekyole, ne Efodi, ne balubaale abaali mu nnyumba n’ekifaananyi ekisaanuuse, kabona n’ababuuza nti, “Mukola ki?”

So they that were gone in took away the graven thing, the ephod, and the idols, and the molten god. And the priest said to them: What are you doing?

19 Ne bamuddamu nti, “Sirika tonyega. Jjangu naffe obeere kitaffe era kabona waffe. Kiki ekisinga, ggwe okuba kabona w’ennyumba y’omuntu omu, oba okuba kabona w’ekika kya Isirayiri?”

And they said to him: Hold thy peace and put thy finger on thy mouth and come with us, that we may have thee for a father, and a priest. Whether is better for thee, to be a priest in the house of one man, or in a tribe and family in Israel?

20 Kabona n’asanyuka, n’atwala Efodi ne balubaale abaali mu nnyumba n’ekifaananyi ekyole n’agenda nabo.

When he had heard this, he agreed to their words, and took the ephod, and the idols, and the graven god, and departed with them.

21 Ne babaako we bakyama ne balekayo abaana baabwe abato n’ebisolo byabwe n’ebintu byabwe. Ne bagenda mu maaso.

And when they were going forward, and had put before them the children and the cattle and all that was valuable,

22 Bwe batambulako akabanga okuva ku nnyumba ya Mikka, abasajja abaabeeranga mu nnyumba eziriraanye ennyumba ya Mikka ne bakuŋŋaana ne bawondera abaana ba Ddaani.

And were now at a distance from the house of Michas, the men that dwelt in the houses of Michas gathering together followed them,

23 Bwe baali babakoowoola, abaana ba Ddaani ne bakyuka ne batunuulira Mikka ne bamubuuza nti, “Mutukoowoolera ki?”

And began to shout out after them. They looked back, and said to Michas: What aileth thee? Why dost thou cry?

24 N’abaddamu nti, “Mututte balubaale bange be neekolera, ne kabona. Kiki kye nsigazza? Muyinza mutya okumbuuza kye mbadde?”

And he answered: You have taken away my gods which I have made me and the priest, and all that I have, and do you say: What aileth thee?

25 Abaana ba Ddaani ne bamuddamu nti, “Sitwagala kuwulira ddoboozi lyo, si kulwa ng’abasajja abakambwe abali mu ffe bakulumba n’ofiirwa obulamu bwo n’obw’abo ab’omu nnyumba yo.”

And the children of Dan said to him: See thou say no more to us, lest men enraged come upon thee, and thou perish with all thy house.

26 Awo abaana ba Ddaani ne beetambulira. Awo Mikka bwe yalaba nga bamuyinze amaanyi, n’akyuka n’addayo ewuwe.

And so they went on the journey they had begun. But Michas seeing that they were stronger than he, returned to his house.

27 Ne batwala ebintu Mikka bye yali akoze, ne kabona gwe yalina, ne batuuka e Layisi omwali abantu abakkakkamu abatamanyiridde, ne bakilumba ne batta abantu baamu n’ekitala, n’ekibuga ne bakikumako omuliro.

And the six hundred men took the priest, and the things we spoke of before, and came to Lais to a people that was quiet and secure, and smote them with the edge of the sword: and the city was burnt with fire,

28 Tewaaliwo eyajja okubataasa kubanga ne Sidoni kyali wala n’ekibuga ekyo, ate nga tebalina nkolagana na muntu yenna. Ekibuga kyali mu kiwonvu ekiriraanye Besulekobu. Abaddaani ne bazimba buto ekibuga ne babeera omwo.

There being no man at all who brought them any succour, because they dwelt far from Sidon, and had no society or business with any man. And the city was in the land of Rohob: and they rebuilt it and dwelt therein.

29 Ekibuga ne bakikyusa erinnya okuva ku Layisi lye kyayitibwanga olubereberye ne bakituuma Ddaani, ng’erinnya lya Ddaani jjajjaabwe eyazaalibwa Isirayiri bwe lyali.

Calling the name of the city Dan after the name of their father, who was the son of Israel, which before was called Lais.

30 Awo abaana ba Ddaani ne beeterawo ekifaananyi ekyole, ne balonda Yonasaani mutabani wa Gerusomu, muzzukulu wa Musa, ne batabani be okuba bakabona eri ekika ky’Abadaani okutuusa ensi lwe yawambibwa.

And they set up to themselves the graven idol, and Jonathan the son of Gersam the son of Moses, he and his sons were priests in the tribe of Dan, until the day of their captivity.

31 Ne bassaawo ebifaananyi ebyole Mikka bye yali yeekoledde, ebbanga lyonna ennyumba ya Katonda we yabeerera mu Siiro.

And the idol of Michas remained with them all the time that the house of God was in Silo. In those days there was no king in Israel.