< 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, Why hast thou treated us thus, that thou calledst us not when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? and they chid with him sharply.
2 Naye n’abaddamu nti, “Kiki kye nkoze okugeraageranya nammwe kye mukoze? Amakungula ga Efulayimu tegasinga ezabbibu Abiyezeeri z’akungudde?
And he said to them, What have I done now in comparison of you? [Is] not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage 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.
God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then, when he had said that, their anger towards him abated.
4 Awo Gidyoni n’abasajja be ebikumi bisatu, nga bakooye, naye nga bakyabawondera, ne batuuka ku Yoludaani ne basomoka.
And Gideon came to Jordan, [and] passed over, he, and the three hundred men that [were] with him, faint, yet pursuing [them].
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, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread to the people that follow me: for they [are] faint, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.
6 Naye abakungu ab’omu Sukkosi ne bamuddamu nti, “Eggye lyo limaze okuwamba Zeba ne Zalumunna tulyoke tubawe emmere?”
And the princes of Succoth said, [Are] the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thy hand, that we should give bread to thy 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 Gideon said, Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.
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 he went up thence to Penuel, and spoke to them likewise: and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered [him].
9 Kyeyava agamba abantu b’e Penieri nti, “Bwe ndikomawo emirembe, ndimenyaamenya omunaala guno.”
And he spoke also to the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down 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] in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand [men], all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fell a hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.
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 went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host: for the host was secure.
12 Zeba ne Zalumunna ne badduka, naye n’abawondera, era n’awamba bakabaka bombi aba Midiyaani, n’awangulira ddala eggye lyabwe lyonna.
And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host.
13 Awo Gidyoni mutabani wa Yowaasi n’akomawo okuva mu lutalo ng’ayitira mu Lukuubo lwa Keresi.
And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun [had risen],
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.
And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him: and he described to him the princes of Succoth, and its elders, [even] 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 came to the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye upbraided me, saying, [Are] the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thy hand, that we should give bread to thy men [that are] weary?
16 N’akwata abakadde b’ekibuga n’addira amaggwa ag’omu ddungu n’emyeramannyo n’abonereza abasajja ab’omu Sukkosi.
And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness, and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.
17 N’agenda n’e Penieri n’amenyaamenya omunaala gwa Penieri, n’atta n’abasajja b’omu kibuga.
And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew 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.”
Then said he to Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men [were they] whom ye slew at Tabor? And they answered, As thou [art], so [were] they; each one resembled the children 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.”
And he said, They [were] my brethren, [even] the sons of my mother: [as] the LORD liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay 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 first-born, Arise, [and] slay them. But the youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he [was] yet a youth.
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.”
Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man [is], [so is] his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that [were] on their camels' necks.
22 Awo abantu ba Isirayiri ne bagamba Gidyoni nti, “Tufugire ddala ggwe ne mutabani wo, kubanga otulokodde okuva mu mukono gwa Midiyaani.”
Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also: for thou hast delivered 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 Gideon said to them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: 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 Gideon said to them, I would desire a request of you, that you would give me every man the ear-rings of his prey. (For they had golden ear-rings, because they [were] Ishmaelites.)
25 Ne bamuddamu nti, “Okuzikuwa tujja kuzikuwa.” Ne bayalirira olugoye wansi, buli omu n’ateekako empeta ze yanyaga.
And they answered, We will willingly give [them]. And they spread a garment, and cast into it every man the ear-rings of his prey.
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 golden ear-rings that he requested, was a thousand and seven hundred [shekels] of gold; besides ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that [was] on the kings of Midian, and besides the chains that [were] about their camels' necks.
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 of it an ephod, and put it in his city, [even] in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither astray after it: which thing became a snare to Gideon, and to 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.
Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they raised their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.
29 Yerubbaali ye Gidyoni mutabani wa Yowaasi, n’addayo ewaabwe.
And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.
30 Gidyoni yazaala abaana aboobulenzi nsanvu mu bakazi abangi be yalina.
And Gideon had seventy sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.
31 N’omuzaana we ow’omu Sekemu yamuzaalira omwana wabulenzi, era n’amutuuma Abimereki.
And his concubine that [was] in Shechem, she also bore him a son, whose name he called 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 was buried in the sepulcher of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites.
33 Gidyoni nga y’akafa, abaana ba Isirayiri ne bakyuka okusinza babaali ne bafuula Baaluberisi katonda waabwe.
And it came to pass as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went astray after Baalim, and made Baal-berith their god.
34 Abaana ba Isirayiri ne batajjukira Mukama Katonda waabwe eyabalokola okuva mu mukono gw’abalabe baabwe bonna ku njuyi zonna.
And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God, who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies on every side:
35 Ne batalaga kusiima eri ab’enju ya Yerubbaali, ye Gidyoni, olw’ebirungi byonna bye yakolera Isirayiri.
Neither showed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, [namely] Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shown to Israel.