Mpitsara 21
1 Ary ny lehilahy amin’ ny Isiraely efa nianiana tany Mizpa nanao hoe: Aoka tsy hisy amintsika hanome ny zananivavy ho vadin’ ny Benjamita.
The sons of Israel had also taken an oath at Mizpah, and they said, “None of us shall give his daughters as a wife to the sons of Benjamin.”
2 Dia nankany Betela ny olona ka nitoetra teo anatrehan’ Andriamanitra mandra-paharivan’ ny andro, dia nanandratra ny feony ka nitomany mafy dia mafy
And they all went to the house of God at Shiloh. And sitting in his sight until evening, they lifted up their voice, and they began to weep, with a great wailing, saying,
3 nanao hoe: Jehovah, Andriamanitry ny Isiraely ô, nahoana no tonga tamin’ ny Isiraely izao ankehitriny, ka fongotra ny firenena iray amin’ ny Isiraely?
“Why, O Lord, God of Israel, has this evil happened among your people, so that this day one tribe would be taken away from us?”
4 Ary nony ampitson’ iny dia nifoha maraina koa ny olona ka nanorina alitara teo ary nanatitra fanatitra dorana sy fanati-pihavanana.
Then, rising at first light on the next day, they built an altar. And they offered holocausts and victims of peace offerings there, and they said,
5 Ary hoy ny Zanak’ Isiraely: Iza amin’ ny ferenen’ Isiraely rehetra no tsy niakatra teo amin’ ny fiangonana hanatona an’ i Jehovah? fa efa nisy fianianana lehibe ny amin’ izay tsy niakatra ho any amin’ i Jehovah tany Mizpa hoe: Hatao maty tokoa izy.
“Who, out of all the tribes of Israel, did not ascend with the army of the Lord?” For they had bound themselves with a great oath, when they were at Mizpah, that whoever was not present would be slain.
6 Ary ny Zanak’ Isiraely nanenina ny amin’ i Benjamina rahalahiny ka nanao hoe: Misy firenena iray voafongotra eo amin’ ny Isiraely ankehitriny.
And the sons of Israel, having been led to repentance over their brother Benjamin, began to say: “One tribe has been taken away from Israel.
7 Ahoana no hataontsika amin’ ireo sisa hahazoany vady; fa isika efa nianiana tamin’ i Jehovah tsy hanome vady azy amin’ ny zanakavavintsika?
From where shall they receive wives? For we have all sworn in common that we will not give our daughters to them.”
8 Dia hoy izy: Iza amin’ ny firenen’ Isiraely no tsy mba niakatra ho any amin’ i Jehovah tany Mizpa? Ary, indro, tsy nisy olona avy tany Jebesi-gileada na dia iray akory aza nankany an-toby ho ao amin’ ny fiangonana.
For this reason, they said, “Who is there, out of all the tribes of Israel, that did not ascend to the Lord at Mizpah?” And behold, the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead were found not to have been among that army.
9 Fa rehefa voalamina ny olona, dia, indro, tsy nisy tao na dia iray akory aza avy tamin’ ny tompon-tany tany Jabesi-gileada.
(Likewise, in the time when they had been at Shiloh, not one of them was found to be there.)
10 Dia naniraka lehilahy mahery roa arivo sy iray alin-dahy ny fiangonana ka nandidy azy hoe: Mandehana, ka mameleza ny mponina any Jabesi-gileada amin’ ny lelan-tsabatra mbamin’ ny zaza amim-behivavy.
And so they sent ten thousand very robust men, and they instructed them, saying, “Go and strike down the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead with the edge of the sword, including their wives and little ones.”
11 Ary izao no hataonareo: Ny lehilahy rehetra sy ny vehivavy rehetra izay efa nahalala lahy dia haringanareo.
And this shall be what you ought to do: “Every one of the male gender, as well as all the women who have known men, shall be put to death. But the virgins you shall reserve.”
12 Ary nahita zazavavy virijina efa-jato tsy mbola nahalala lahy teo amin’ ny mponina tany Jabesi-gileada izy ka nitondra ireo ho any an-toby tany Silo any amin’ ny tany Kanana.
And four hundred virgins, who had not known the bed of a man, were found from Jabesh-Gilead. And they brought them to the camp at Shiloh, in the land of Canaan.
13 Ary ny fiangonana rehetra dia naniraka niteny tamin’ ny taranak’ i Benjamina, izay tao amin’ ny harambato tao Rimona, ka niantso azy hihavana aminy.
And they sent messengers to the sons of Benjamin, who were at the rock of Rimmon, and they instructed them, so that they would receive them in peace.
14 Dia niverina tamin’ izany andro izany ny Benjamita, ka nomeny azy ireo vehivavy efa novelominy tamin’ ny vehivavy tao Jabesi-gileada ireo; kanjo mbola tsy nahenina azy ihany ireo.
And the sons of Benjamin went, at that time, and wives were given to them from the daughters of Jabesh-Gilead. But others were not found, whom they might give in a similar manner.
15 Ary ny olona nanenina noho ny amin’ i Benjamina, satria nisy nobangain’ i Jehovah ny firenen’ Isiraely.
And all of Israel was very saddened, and they did penance for destroying one tribe out of Israel.
16 Dia hoy ny loholon’ ny fiangonana: Ahoana no hataontsika ho an’ ireo sisa mba hahazoany vady, fa efa naringana ny vehivavy tamin’ ny Benjamita?
And those greater by birth said: “What shall we do with the remainder, those who have not received wives? For all the females of Benjamin have been cut down,
17 Ary hoy izy: Tsy maintsy mahazo lova ny Benjamita izay afa-nandositra, mba tsy hisy firenena iray fongotra amin’ ny Isiraely.
and we must take great care, and make provision with a very great diligence, so that one tribe may not be wiped away from Israel.
18 Nefa isika tsy mahazo manome azy ny zanakavavintsika ho vadiny, satria efa nianiana ny Zanak’ Isiraely ka nanao hoe: Ho voaozona anie izay manome vady ho an’ ny Benjamita.
As for our own daughters, we are not able to give them, being bound by an oath and a curse, when we said, ‘Accursed is he who will give any of his daughters to Benjamin as a wife.’”
19 Dia hoy izy: Indro, misy andro firavoravoana isan-taona ho an’ i Jehovah any Silo, izay avaratr’ i Betela, atsinanan’ ny lalambe miakatra avy any Betela hankany Sekema, ary atsimon’ i Lebona.
And they took counsel, and they said, “Behold, there is a yearly solemnity of the Lord at Shiloh, which is situated to the north of the city of Bethel, and on the eastern side of the way that one takes from Bethel to Shechem, and to the south of the town of Lebonah.”
20 Ary nandidy ny taranak’ i Benjamina izy ka nanao hoe: Mandehana, ka manotreha any amin’ ny tanim-boaloboka,
And they instructed the sons of Benjamin, and they said: “Go, and hide in the vineyards.
21 ka jereo, ka raha, indreo, mivoaka handihy ny zazavavy avy any Silo, dia mivoaha avy ao amin’ ny tanim-boaloboka ianareo, ary samia misambotra amin’ ny zazavavy avy any Silo ho vadiny avy, ka mandehana any amin’ ny tanin’ ny Benjamina indray.
And when you will have seen daughters of Shiloh being led out to dance, according to custom, go forth suddenly from the vineyards, and let each one seize one wife from among them, and travel into the land of Benjamin.
22 Ary raha mankany aminay hitaraina ny rainy na ny anadahiny, dia holazainay aminy hoe: Omeo anay ihany izy, fa izahay tsy mba nahazo vady tany amin’ ilay ady teo; fa tsy ianareo no nanome azy; fa raha izany, dia meloka ihany ianareo.
And when their fathers and brothers arrive, and they begin to complain against you and to argue, we will say to them: ‘Take pity on them. For they have not seized them by right of war or conquest. Instead, begging to receive them, you did not give them, and so the sin was on your part.’”
23 Dia nanao izany ny taranak’ i Benjamina ka samy naka vady araka ny isany tamin’ ny mpandihy izay nosamboriny; dia nandeha izy ka niverina ho any amin’ ny lovany ary namboatra ireo tanàna ireo ka nonina tao.
And so the sons of Benjamin did just as they had been ordered. And according to their number, they seized for themselves one wife each, out of those who were led out dancing. And they went into their own possession, and they built up their cities, and they lived in them.
24 Dia samy nandeha niala teo ny Zanak’ Isiraely tamin’ izany andro izany, samy ho any amin’ ny fireneny sy ny fokony avy; dia niala teo ho any amin’ ny lovany avy ny olona rehetra.
The sons of Israel also returned, according to their tribes and families, to their tents.
25 Tsy nisy mpanjaka teo amin’ ny Isiraely tamin’ izany andro izany; fa samy nanao izay nataony ho marina avy izy rehetra.
In those days, there was no king in Israel. Instead, each one did what seemed right to himself.
