1 Samoela 5
1 Dia nalain’ ny Filistina ny fiaran’ Andriamanitra ka nentiny niala tany Ebenezera ho any Asdoda.
After the army of the Philistia people-group captured God’s sacred chest in Ebenezer [town], they took it to Ashdod [which is one of their biggest cities].
2 Ary nony efa azon’ ny Filistina ny fiaran’ Andriamanitra, dia nentiny tao an-tranon’ i Dagona izy ka napetrany teo anilany.
They carried it into the temple of [their god] Dagon, and placed it alongside a statue of Dagon.
3 Ary nony ampitson’ iny dia nifoha maraina koa ny Asdodita, ka indro Dagona potraka niankohoka tamin’ ny tany teo anoloan’ ny fiaran’ i Jehovah; dia narenin’ ny olona izy ka napetrany teo amin’ ny fitoerany indray.
But early the next morning, when the people of Ashdod [went to see it, they saw that] the statue had fallen on its face in front of Yahweh’s sacred chest! So they set the statue up in its place again.
4 Ary nony ampitson’ iny indray dia nifoha maraina koa ny olona, ka indro Dagona potraka niankohoka indray tamin’ ny tany teo anoloan’ ny fiaran’ i Jehovah, ary tapaka teo amin’ ny tokonam-baravarana ny lohan’ i Dagona sy ny felatanany roa; fa ny tenabeny ihany no sisa
But the following morning, [they saw that] it had fallen down in front of the sacred chest again. But this time, the statue’s head and hands had broken off, and were lying in the doorway. Only its body remained intact/unbroken.
5 (izany no tsy anitsahan’ ny mpisoron’ i Dagona, na izay miditra ao an-tranony, ny tokonam-baravaran’ i Dagona ao Asdoda mandraka androany).
That is the reason that since that time, the priests of Dagon and everyone else who enters the temple of Dagon in Ashdod do not step on the doorsill [where the hands and head of Dagon fell].
6 Ary navesatra tamin’ ny Asdodita ny tànan’ i Jehovah, fa nandringana azy Izy; ary nasiany vay ny tao Asdoda sy ny tamin’ ny fari-taniny rehetra.
Then Yahweh [SYN] powerfully caused the people of Ashdod and the people who lived in nearby villages to have (a very great plague/serious illness) of tumors.
7 Ary rehefa hitan’ ny mponina tao Asdoda fa nisy izany, dia hoy izy: Aza avela hitoetra eto amintsika ny fiaran’ ny Andriamanitry ny Isiraely; fa mavesatra amintsika sy amin’ i Dagona andriamanitsika ny tànany.
The men of Ashdod realized why this was happening, and they cried out, “The god of the Israeli people is punishing us and is also punishing our god Dagon. So we cannot allow the sacred chest of the god of the Israelis to remain here!”
8 Dia naniraka olona izy ka nanangona ireo andriana rehetra tamin’ ny Filistina hankeo aminy ka nanao hoe: Hataontsika ahoana ny fiaran’ ny Andriamanitry ny Isiraely? Dia hoy ireo: Aoka hafindra hankany Gata ny fiaran’ ny Andriamanitry ny Isiraely. Dia nafindrany ny fiaran’ ny Andriamanitry ny Isiraely.
They summoned the five kings of the Philistia people-group, and asked them, “What should we do with the sacred chest of the god of the Israelis?” The kings replied, “Take the sacred chest to Gath [city].” So they moved it to Gath.
9 Ary rehefa voafindrany ny fiara, dia namely ny tanàna ny tànan’ i Jehovah ka nampangorohoro azy indrindra, fa Izy namely ny mponina tao an-tanàna, na kely na lehibe, ka nisy vay nipoipoitra taminy.
But after they took it to Gath, Yahweh powerfully struck the people of that city also, with the result that many men, including young men and old men, got tumors on their skin. Then the people became very afraid.
10 Ary dia naterin’ ny olona nankany Ekrona ny fiaran’ Andriamanitra. Ary raha vao tonga tany Ekrona ny fiaran’ Andriamanitra, dia nitaraina ny Ekronita nanao hoe: Efa nafindran’ ny olona ho atỳ amintsika ny fiaran’ ny Andriamanitry ny Isiraely hahafaty antsika sy ny firenentsika.
So they took the sacred chest to Ekron [city]. But when the men carried the sacred chest into Ekron, the people there cried out, “Why are you bringing the sacred chest of the God of the Israelis into our city [RHQ]? [By doing that] you will cause us and the rest of our people to die!”
11 Dia naniraka olona izy ka nanangona ireo andriana rehetra tamin’ ny Filistina ka nanao hoe: Ampandehano ny fiaran’ ny Andriamanitry ny Isiraely, ary aoka ho entina ho any amin’ ny fitoerany ihany indray izy mba tsy hahafaty antsika sy ny firenentsika; fa nanerana ny tanàna ny horohoron’ ny fahafatesana, fa navesatra indrindra tao ny tànan’ Andriamanitra.
The people were terrified/in panic because [they knew that] God was starting to punish them severely. So they summoned the [five] kings of the Philistia people-group again, and [pleaded with them], saying, “Take this sacred chest of the god of the Israelis back to its own place! If you do not do that quickly, we will all die!”
12 Ary ny olona izay tsy maty dia voan’ ny vay kosa, ka ny fitarainan’ ny tao an-tanàna dia niakatra ho any an-danitra.
Some of the people in Ekron had already died, and the rest of the people were suffering because of tumors on their skin. So they all cried out to their gods [MTY] [to help them].
