< 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, in those days, the tribe of the Danites was seeking for itself an inheritance to dwell in for there had not fallen to them, unto that day, in the midst of the tribes of Israel, enough for an inheritance.
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 then the sons of Dan sent, out of their family, five men out of their bounds—men who were sons of valour—out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol—to spy out the land, and to explore it, and they said unto them, Go! explore the land. And they came into the hill country of Ephraim, as far as the house of Micah, and lodged 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?”
They, being by the house of Micah, knew the voice of the young man, the Levite, —so they turned aside there, and said to him—Who brought thee in hither? and what art thou doing in this place, and what hast thou here?
4 N’abategeeza Mikka bye yamukolera, n’abagamba nti, “Yampangisa era ndi kabona we.”
And he said unto them, Thus and so, hath Micah dealt with me, and hath hired me, and I am become his priest.
5 Ne bamugamba nti, “Tukwegayiridde, kaakano weebuuze ku Katonda, obanga olugendo lwe tugenda luliba n’omukisa.”
So they said unto him—Ask of God, we pray thee, —that we may know whether the journey on which we are going shall have good success.
6 Awo kabona n’abaddamu nti, “Mugende mirembe, kubanga Mukama Katonda asiimye mugende ku lugendo lwammwe.”
And the priest said unto them—Go! and prosper, —before Yahweh, is your journey on which ye 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 went their way, and entered Laish, —and saw the people who were therein, dwelling securely, after the manner of the Zidonians, quietly and securely, and there was no one to reproach them with anything in the land, none to possess himself of dominion, they being, far away, from the Zidonians, and having no dealings with any one.
8 Awo abakessi bwe baddayo eri baganda baabwe e Zola n’e Esutaoli, baganda baabwe ne bababuuza nti, “Bigenze bitya?”
So they came unto their brethren, in Zorah and Eshtaol, —and their brethren said unto them—Why are ye minded to do nothing?
9 Ne baddamu nti, “Mugolokoke, tubalumbe. Tulabye ensi, era laba, nga nnungi nnyo. Temuyinza butagenda. Temulwa, tugende tulye ensi.
And they said—Arise! and let us go up against them, for we have seen the land, and lo! it is very good, —are, ye, then, minded to do nothing? do not be too slothful to go, and enter, and take possession of the land.
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.”
When ye do enter, ye will enter amongst a people secure, and, the land, is of ample bounds, —yea God hath delivered it into your hands, —a place where there is no lack of anything that is in the earth.
11 Awo ekika ky’Abadaani ne basitula okuva e Zola n’e Esutaoli, abasajja lukaaga nga balina ebyokulwanyisa.
So there brake up from thence, out of the family of the Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men, begirt with weapons of war.
12 Ne bagenda ne basiisira okumpi ne Kiriyasuyalimu mu Yuda. Ekifo ekyo ne bakituuma Makanedani era kye kiyitibwa n’okutuusa leero.
And they went up and encamped in Kiriath-jearim, in Judah, —wherefore they have called that place, Mahaneh-dan—unto this day, lo! it is behind Kiriath-jearim.
13 Ne bava awo ne balaga mu nsi ey’ensozi eya Efulayimu ne batuuka ku nnyumba ya Mikka.
And they passed on from thence unto the hill country of Ephraim, —and came as far as the house of Micah.
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.”
Then responded the five men who had been to spy out the land of Laish, and said unto their brethren, Know ye that there are in these houses, an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image, —now, therefore, know what ye will do!
15 Ne bakyama ne bagenda mu nnyumba y’omuvubuka Omuleevi eyali ewa Mikka ne bamulamusa.
So they turned aside thither, and entered into the house of the young man the Levite, the house of Micah, —and asked him of his welfare.
16 Abasajja olukaaga nga balina ebyokulwanyisa byabwe ne bayimirira ku mulyango.
Now, the six hundred men, begirt with weapons of war, were standing at the entrance of the gate, —they being of the sons of Dan.
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.
Then went up the five men who had been to spy out the land, they came in thither, they took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image, —now, the priest, was standing at the entrance of the gate, with the six hundred men who were begirt with weapons of war.
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?”
But, when, these, had entered the house of Micah, and taken the graven image and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image, the priest said unto them, What are ye 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 unto him—Hold thy peace, lay thy hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and become to us a father and a priest, —is it better that thou be priest to the house of one man, or that thou be priest to a tribe and to a family in Israel?
20 Kabona n’asanyuka, n’atwala Efodi ne balubaale abaali mu nnyumba n’ekifaananyi ekyole n’agenda nabo.
Then was the heart of the priest glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, —and came into the midst of the people.
21 Ne babaako we bakyama ne balekayo abaana baabwe abato n’ebisolo byabwe n’ebintu byabwe. Ne bagenda mu maaso.
So they turned, and went their way, —and put the little ones, and the cattle, and the goods, before them.
22 Bwe batambulako akabanga okuva ku nnyumba ya Mikka, abasajja abaabeeranga mu nnyumba eziriraanye ennyumba ya Mikka ne bakuŋŋaana ne bawondera abaana ba Ddaani.
They, had gone a good way from the house of Micah, when, the men that were in the houses near to the house of Micah, were called out and overtook the sons of Dan.
23 Bwe baali babakoowoola, abaana ba Ddaani ne bakyuka ne batunuulira Mikka ne bamubuuza nti, “Mutukoowoolera ki?”
And they called unto the sons of Dan, who turned their faces, —and said unto Micah, What aileth thee, that thou hast called out thy neighbours?
24 N’abaddamu nti, “Mututte balubaale bange be neekolera, ne kabona. Kiki kye nsigazza? Muyinza mutya okumbuuza kye mbadde?”
And he said—My gods which I had made, ye have taken away, and the priest, and have departed, and what have I more? How then is it that ye can say unto me, 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 sons of Dan said unto him, Do not let thy voice be heard among us, —lest men embittered in soul fall upon you, and thou gather in thy life and the lives of thy household.
26 Awo abaana ba Ddaani ne beetambulira. Awo Mikka bwe yalaba nga bamuyinze amaanyi, n’akyuka n’addayo ewuwe.
And the sons of Dan went on their journey, —and, when Micah saw that they were, too strong, for him, he turned and went back unto 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.
They, therefore, took what Micah had made, and the priest that he had, and came upon Laish, upon a people quiet and secure, and smote them with the edge of the sword, —the city also, burned they 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.
And there was no one to rescue, because it was, far, from Zidon, and they had no, dealings, with any one, it, being in the vale that pertaineth to Beth-rehob. Then built they the city, 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.
and called the name of the city, Dan, by the name of Dan their father, who was born to Israel, —howbeit, Laish, was the name of the city, at the first.
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 the sons of Dan set up for themselves the graven image, —and, Jonathan, son of Gershom, son of Moses, he and his sons, became priests to the tribe of the Danites, until the day of the captivity of the land.
31 Ne bassaawo ebifaananyi ebyole Mikka bye yali yeekoledde, ebbanga lyonna ennyumba ya Katonda we yabeerera mu Siiro.
So they set up for themselves the graven image of Micah, which he had made, —[and let it remain] all the days that the house of God was in Shiloh.

< Balam 18 >