Balam 8
1 Awo abasajja ba Efulayimu ne babuuza Gidyoni nti, “Lwaki watuyisa bw’otyo, n’ototuyita bwe wagenda okulwana ne Midiyaani?” Ne bamunenya nnyo.
And the men of Ephraim said to him, “What is this, that you wanted to do, so that you would not call us when you went to fight against Midian?” And they rebuked him strongly, and came close to using violence.
2 Naye n’abaddamu nti, “Kiki kye nkoze okugeraageranya nammwe kye mukoze? Amakungula ga Efulayimu tegasinga ezabbibu Abiyezeeri z’akungudde?
And he responded to them: “But what could I have done that would be so great as what you have done? Is not one bunch of grapes of Ephraim better than the vintages of Abiezer?
3 Katonda yagabula Olebu ne Zeebu abakulembeze ba Midiyaani mu mukono gwammwe. Kiki kye nandiyinzizza okukola okugeraageranya nammwe?” Awo bwe yabagamba ebigambo ebyo ne bakkakkana.
The Lord has delivered into your hands the leaders of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. What could I have done that would be so great as what you have done?” And when he had said this, their spirit, which was swelling up against him, was quieted.
4 Awo Gidyoni n’abasajja be ebikumi bisatu, nga bakooye, naye nga bakyabawondera, ne batuuka ku Yoludaani ne basomoka.
And when Gideon had arrived at the Jordan, he crossed over it with the three hundred men who were with him. And they were so weary that they were unable to pursue those who were fleeing.
5 N’agamba abasajja ab’omu Sukkosi nti, “Muwe ku basajja bange, ekyokulya, bakooye. Mpondera Zeba ne Zalumunna bakabaka ba Midiyaani.”
And he said to the men of Succoth, “I beg you, give bread to the people who are with me, for they are greatly weakened, so that we may be able to pursue Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”
6 Naye abakungu ab’omu Sukkosi ne bamuddamu nti, “Eggye lyo limaze okuwamba Zeba ne Zalumunna tulyoke tubawe emmere?”
The leaders of Succoth answered, “Perhaps the palms of the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna are in your hand, and for this reason, you request that we give bread to your army.”
7 Awo Gidyoni n’abaddamu nti, “Kale olw’ekyo kye muŋŋambye, Mukama Katonda bw’aligabula Zeba ne Zalumunna mu mukono gwange, ndiyuza emibiri gyammwe n’amaggwa ag’omu ddungu n’emyeramannyo.”
And he said to them, “So then, when the Lord will have delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hands, I will thresh your flesh with the thorns and briers of the desert.”
8 Bwe yava eyo, n’ayambuka n’alaga e Penieri, n’abasaba ekintu kye kimu. Naye abantu b’e Penieri ne bamuddamu ng’abasajja ab’omu Sukkosi bwe bamuddamu.
And going up from there, he arrived at Penuel. And he spoke to the men of that place similarly. And they also answered him, just as the men of Succoth had answered.
9 Kyeyava agamba abantu b’e Penieri nti, “Bwe ndikomawo emirembe, ndimenyaamenya omunaala guno.”
And so he said to them also, “When I will have returned as a victor in peace, I will destroy this tower.”
10 Zeba ne Zalumunna baali mu Kalukoli n’eggye lyabwe ery’abasajja ng’omutwalo gumu n’ekitundu, nga be bantu abaasigalawo ku ggye lyonna ery’abantu ab’obuvanjuba. Abasajja ng’emitwalo kkumi n’ebiri abaasowolanga ebitala be baali bafudde.
Now Zebah and Zalmunna were resting with their entire army. For fifteen thousand men were left out of all the troops of the eastern people. And one hundred twenty thousand warriors that drew the sword had been cut down.
11 Awo Gidyoni n’ayambukira mu kkubo ly’abo ababeera mu weema ku luuyi olw’ebuvanjuba olw’e Noba n’e Yogubeka n’alumba eggye nga teritegedde.
And Gideon ascended by the way of those who were dwelling in tents, to the eastern part of Nobah and Jogbehah. And he struck the camp of the enemies, who were confident and were suspecting nothing adverse.
12 Zeba ne Zalumunna ne badduka, naye n’abawondera, era n’awamba bakabaka bombi aba Midiyaani, n’awangulira ddala eggye lyabwe lyonna.
And Zebah and Zalmunna fled. And Gideon pursued and overtook them, sending their entire army into confusion.
13 Awo Gidyoni mutabani wa Yowaasi n’akomawo okuva mu lutalo ng’ayitira mu Lukuubo lwa Keresi.
And returning from the war before sunrise,
14 N’asangiriza omuvubuka ow’oku bantu ab’omu Sukkosi, n’abaako by’amubuuza. Omuvubuka n’amuwandiikira amannya g’abakungu ab’omu Sukkosi, abakadde nsanvu mu musanvu.
he took a boy from among the men of Succoth. And he asked him the names of the leaders and elders of Succoth. And he described seventy-seven men.
15 Gidyoni n’alyoka ajja eri abasajja ab’omu Sukkosi n’abagamba nti, “Zeba ne Zalumunna baabo be mwasinzirako okundulira nga muŋŋamba nti, temuyinza kuwa basajja bange abaali bakooye mmere, nga sirina Zeba ne Zalumunna mu mukono gwange.”
And he went to Succoth, and he said to them: “Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, over whom you rebuked me, saying: ‘Perhaps the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna are in your hands, and for this reason, you request that we give bread to men who are languishing and weakened.’”
16 N’akwata abakadde b’ekibuga n’addira amaggwa ag’omu ddungu n’emyeramannyo n’abonereza abasajja ab’omu Sukkosi.
Therefore, he took the elders of the city, and, using the thorns and briers of the desert, he threshed them with these, and he cut the men of Succoth to pieces.
17 N’agenda n’e Penieri n’amenyaamenya omunaala gwa Penieri, n’atta n’abasajja b’omu kibuga.
He also overturned the tower of Penuel, and he killed the men of the city.
18 N’alyoka abuuza Zeba ne Zalumunna nti, “Abasajja be mwattira e Taboli baali bafaanana batya?” Ne bamuddamu nti, “ggwe nga bw’oli nabo bwe baali. Buli omu yali afaanana abalangira.”
And he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men were those whom you killed at Tabor?” They responded, “They were like you, and one of them was like the son of a king.”
19 N’abaddamu nti, “Abo baali baganda bange, abaana ba mmange. Mukama Katonda nga bw’ali omulamu, singa mwabalekawo, sandi basse mmwe.”
He answered them: “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As the Lord lives, if you had preserved them, I would not kill you.”
20 Awo n’agamba Yeseri mutabani we omubereberye nti, “Golokoka obatte.” Naye omuvubuka oyo n’atasowolayo kitala kye okubatta. Yatya kubanga yali akyali mulenzi bulenzi.
And he said to Jether, his firstborn son, “Rise up, and put them to death.” But he did not draw his sword. For he was afraid, being still a boy.
21 Zeba ne Zalumunna ne boogera nti, “Ggwe jjangu otutte, kubanga ng’omusajja bw’ali, n’amaanyi ge bwe genkana. Gidyoni n’agolokoka n’atta Zeba ne Zalumunna, n’atwala n’ebyali bitimbiddwa mu bulago bw’eŋŋamira zaabwe.”
And Zebah and Zalmunna said: “You should rise up and rush against us. For the strength of a man is in accord with his age.” Gideon rose up, and he killed Zebah and Zalmunna. And he took the ornaments and studs, with which the necks of the royal camels are usually adorned.
22 Awo abantu ba Isirayiri ne bagamba Gidyoni nti, “Tufugire ddala ggwe ne mutabani wo, kubanga otulokodde okuva mu mukono gwa Midiyaani.”
And all the men of Israel said to Gideon: “You should rule over us, and your son, and your son’s son. For you freed us from the hand of Midian.”
23 Naye Gidyoni n’abaddamu nti, “Nze sijja kubafuga, so ne mutabani wange tajja kubafuga, wabula Mukama y’anaabafuganga.”
And he said to them: “I will not rule over you. Neither shall my son rule over you. Instead, the Lord shall rule over you.”
24 Gidyoni n’abagamba nti, “Mbasaba ekintu kimu; buli omu ku mmwe ampe empeta ze yanyaga ku Bayisimayiri.”
And he said to them: “I petition one request from you. Give me the earrings from your spoils.” For the Ishmaelites were accustomed to wear gold earrings.
25 Ne bamuddamu nti, “Okuzikuwa tujja kuzikuwa.” Ne bayalirira olugoye wansi, buli omu n’ateekako empeta ze yanyaga.
They responded, “We are very willing to give them.” And spreading a cloak on the ground, they cast upon it the earrings from the spoils.
26 Obuzito bw’empeta eza zaabu ne buba sekeri lukumi mu lusanvu (nga kilo kkumi na mwenda n’ekitundu), obutabalirako bya kwewoomya, ebirengejja, n’ebyambalo ebya ffulungu, ebyayambalwanga bakabaka ba Midiyaani, n’emikuufu egyateekebwanga mu bulago bw’eŋŋamira zaabwe.
And the weight of the earrings that he requested was one thousand seven hundred shekels of gold, aside from the ornaments, and necklaces, and purple garments, which the kings of Midian were accustomed to use, and aside from the gold chains on the camels.
27 Awo Gidyoni n’addira zaabu n’amusaanuusa n’amukolamu ekifaananyi eky’ekkanzu (efodi), n’akiteeka mu kibuga kye Ofula. Abayisirayiri bonna ne bakivuunamiranga ne bakisinzanga, era ne kifuukira Gidyoni n’enju ye yonna omutego.
And Gideon made an ephod from these, and he kept it in his city, Ophrah. And all of Israel committed fornication with it, and it became a ruin to Gideon and to all his house.
28 Awo Midiyaani n’ewangulwa abaana ba Isirayiri, era n’etaddayo kubalumba. Ensi n’eba n’emirembe okumala emyaka amakumi ana, Gidyoni gye yabalamula.
But Midian was humbled before the sons of Israel. Neither were they able any longer to lift up their necks. But the land rested for forty years, while Gideon presided.
29 Yerubbaali ye Gidyoni mutabani wa Yowaasi, n’addayo ewaabwe.
And so Jerubbaal, the son of Joash, went and lived in his own house.
30 Gidyoni yazaala abaana aboobulenzi nsanvu mu bakazi abangi be yalina.
And he had seventy sons, who went forth from his own thigh. For he had many wives.
31 N’omuzaana we ow’omu Sekemu yamuzaalira omwana wabulenzi, era n’amutuuma Abimereki.
But his concubine, whom he had in Shechem, bore him a son named Abimelech.
32 Awo Gidyoni mutabani wa Yowaasi n’afa, ng’akaddiye bulungi, n’aziikibwa mu ntaana ya kitaawe Yowaasi mu Ofula eky’Ababiezeri.
And Gideon, the son of Joash, died in a good old age, and he was buried in the sepulcher of his father, at Ophrah, of the family of Ezri.
33 Gidyoni nga y’akafa, abaana ba Isirayiri ne bakyuka okusinza babaali ne bafuula Baaluberisi katonda waabwe.
But after Gideon died, the sons of Israel turned away, and they committed fornication with the Baals. And they struck a covenant with Baal, so that he would be their god.
34 Abaana ba Isirayiri ne batajjukira Mukama Katonda waabwe eyabalokola okuva mu mukono gw’abalabe baabwe bonna ku njuyi zonna.
And they did not remember the Lord their God, who rescued them from the hands of all their enemies on all sides.
35 Ne batalaga kusiima eri ab’enju ya Yerubbaali, ye Gidyoni, olw’ebirungi byonna bye yakolera Isirayiri.
Neither did they show mercy to the house of Jerubbaal Gideon, in accord with all the good that he had done for Israel.
