< Abahluleli 10 >

1 Emva kukaAbhimeleki kwasekuvela uThola indodana kaPhuwa indodana kaDodo, indoda yakoIsakari ukukhulula uIsrayeli; wayehlala eShamiri entabeni yakoEfrayimi.
After Abimelech died, Tola the son of Puah and grandson of Dodo became the leader to rescue the Israeli people [from their enemies]. He belonged to the tribe of Issachar, but he lived in Shamir [city] in the hilly area where the descendants of Ephraim live.
2 Wasesahlulela uIsrayeli iminyaka engamatshumi amabili lantathu. Wafa, wangcwatshelwa eShamiri.
He ruled the Israeli people for 23 years. Then he died and was buried in Shamir.
3 Lemva kwakhe kwavela uJayiri umGileyadi, wahlulela uIsrayeli iminyaka engamatshumi amabili lambili.
After Tola died, Jair, from [the] Gilead [region], became the Israelis’ leader, and he ruled them for 22 years.
4 Wayelamadodana angamatshumi amathathu agada amathole abobabhemi angamatshumi amathathu, elemizi engamatshumi amathathu, abayithi yiHavothi-Jayiri kuze kube lamuhla, eselizweni leGileyadi.
He had thirty sons, and each of them had his own donkey to ride on. They each controlled a different town in [the] Gilead [region]. That region is still named ‘The Towns of Jair’.
5 UJayiri wasesifa, wangcwatshelwa eKamoni.
When Jair died, he was buried in Kamon [city].
6 Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebebuya besenza okubi emehlweni eNkosi, bakhonza oBhali laboAshitarothi, labonkulunkulu beSiriya labonkulunkulu beSidoni labonkulunkulu bakoMowabi labonkulunkulu babantwana bakoAmoni labonkulunkulu bamaFilisti; bayitshiya iNkosi, kabaze bayikhonza.
Again the Israelis did things that Yahweh said were wrong/evil. They worshiped [the idols of their god] Baal and [their goddess] Astarte. They also worshiped the gods of the Aram, Sidon, Moab, and Ammon people-groups, and the gods of the Philistia people-group. They abandoned Yahweh and stopped worshiping him.
7 Ulaka lweNkosi lwaselumvuthela uIsrayeli, yabathengisa ezandleni zamaFilisti lezandleni zabantwana bakoAmoni.
So Yahweh was very angry with them, and he allowed the Philistia and Ammon people-groups to defeat [IDM] the Israelis.
8 Asebachitha abacindezela abantwana bakoIsrayeli ngalowomnyaka - iminyaka elitshumi leyisificaminwembili, bonke abantwana bakoIsrayeli ababengaphetsheya kweJordani elizweni lamaAmori eliseGileyadi.
In that same year, those people started to oppress the Israelis who lived in [the] Gilead [region] on the east side of the Jordan [River]. That was where the Amor people-group also lived. were They caused the Israelis who lived in that region to suffer for 18 years.
9 Njalo abantwana bakoAmoni bachapha iJordani ukuze balwe ngitsho bemelene loJuda njalo bemelene loBhenjamini bemelene lendlu kaEfrayimi; ngalokho uIsrayeli wacindezeleka kakhulu.
Then the people of the Ammon people-group crossed the Jordan [River] to fight against the people of the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim. They caused the Israelis’ lives to be very miserable.
10 Abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebekhala eNkosini besithi: Sonile kuwe, njalo ngoba sitshiyile uNkulunkulu wethu, sasesikhonza oBhali.
So the Israelis cried out to Yahweh, saying “We have sinned against you. We have abandoned you, and we have been worshiping [the idols of their god] Baal.”
11 INkosi yasisithi ebantwaneni bakoIsrayeli: Kangilikhululanga yini kumaGibhithe lakumaAmori lakubantwana bakoAmoni lakumaFilisti?
Yahweh answered them, saying, “When the people of Egypt, and the Amor and Ammon and Philistia people-groups
12 AmaSidoni lawo lamaAmaleki lamaMahoni alicindezela, laselikhala kimi, ngalikhulula esandleni sawo.
and the Sidon and Amalek and Maon people-groups were cruel to you, you cried out to me, and then I rescued you.
13 Kanti lina lingitshiyile lakhonza abanye onkulunkulu; ngakho kangisayikulikhulula.
But now you have abandoned me again, and you have been worshiping other gods. So I will not rescue you again.
14 Hambani liyekhala kubonkulunkulu elibakhethileyo; kabalikhulule bona ngesikhathi sokuhlupheka kwenu.
You have chosen those gods [to be the ones that you worship]. So call to them to help you. Allow them to rescue you when you have a lot of trouble!”
15 Abantwana bakoIsrayeli-ke bathi eNkosini: Sonile; yenza wena kithi njengakho konke okuhle emehlweni akho; kuphela sikhulule, siyakuncenga, lamuhla.
But the Israeli people said to Yahweh, “Truly we have sinned. Punish us in whatever way you wish to, but please rescue us now!”
16 Basebesusa onkulunkulu bezizweni phakathi kwabo, bakhonza iNkosi; umphefumulo wayo wasudabuka ngohlupho lukaIsrayeli.
Then the Israelis threw away the [idols of the] gods that belonged to other people-groups, and they worshiped Yahweh again. He saw that they were suffering very much, and he felt sorry [IDM] for them.
17 Kwasekubizelwa ndawonye abantwana bakoAmoni, bamisa inkamba eGileyadi, labantwana bakoIsrayeli babuthana bamisa inkamba eMizipa.
The Ammon people-group gathered to fight [against the Israelis], and they set up their tents in [the] Gilead [region]. The Israeli men also gathered and set up their tents at Mizpah, [which was a city in Gilead].
18 Labantu, iziphathamandla zeGileyadi, bathi omunye komunye: Ngubani umuntu ozaqala ukulwa emelene labantwana bakoAmoni? Uzakuba yinhloko phezu kwabo bonke abahlali beGileyadi.
The Israeli leaders said, “Who will lead our soldiers to attack the Ammon people-group? The one who will lead us will become the leader of all us who live in this Gilead [region].”

< Abahluleli 10 >