< 1 Samweli 13 >
1 Sauli alikuwa na miaka thelathini, alipokuwa mfalme, akatawala Israeli miaka arobaini na miwili.
Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty-two years.
2 Sauli alichagua watu 3,000 kutoka Israeli; miongoni mwa hao watu 2,000 walikuwa pamoja naye huko Mikmashi na katika nchi ya vilima ya Betheli, nao watu 1,000 walikuwa pamoja na Yonathani huko Gibea ya Benyamini. Watu waliosalia aliwarudisha nyumbani mwao.
Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel, of which two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the Mount of Bethel, and one thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. He sent the rest of the people to their own tents.
3 Yonathani akashambulia ngome ya Wafilisti huko Geba, nao Wafilisti wakapata habari hizo. Kisha Sauli akaamuru tarumbeta ipigwe nchi yote na kusema, “Waebrania na wasikie!”
Jonathan struck the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!”
4 Hivyo Israeli wote wakasikia habari kwamba: “Sauli ameshambulia ngome ya Wafilisti, nao sasa Israeli wamekuwa harufu mbaya kwa Wafilisti.” Basi watu waliitwa kuungana na Sauli huko Gilgali.
All Israel heard that Saul had struck the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel was considered an abomination to the Philistines. The people were gathered together after Saul to Gilgal.
5 Wafilisti wakakusanyika ili kupigana na Israeli, wakiwa na magari ya vita 3,000, waendesha magari ya vita 6,000 na askari wa miguu wengi kama mchanga wa ufuoni mwa bahari. Walipanda na kupiga kambi huko Mikmashi, mashariki ya Beth-Aveni.
The Philistines assembled themselves together to fight with Israel: thirty thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude. They came up and encamped in Michmash, eastward of Beth Aven.
6 Watu wa Israeli walipoona kuwa hali yao ni ya hatari na kuwa jeshi lao limesongwa sana, wakajificha katika mapango na katika vichaka, katikati ya miamba, kwenye mashimo na kwenye mahandaki.
When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble (for the people were distressed), then the people hid themselves in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in tombs, and in pits.
7 Hata baadhi ya Waebrania wakavuka Yordani mpaka nchi ya Gadi na Gileadi. Sauli akabaki huko Gilgali, navyo vikosi vyote vilivyokuwa pamoja naye vilikuwa vikitetemeka kwa hofu.
Now some of the Hebrews had gone over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead; but as for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.
8 Akangoja kwa siku saba, muda uliowekwa na Samweli; lakini Samweli hakuja Gilgali, nao watu wa Sauli wakaanza kutawanyika.
He stayed seven days, according to the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him.
9 Basi akasema, “Nileteeni hapa sadaka ya kuteketezwa na sadaka za amani.” Naye Sauli akatoa sadaka ya kuteketezwa.
Saul said, “Bring the burnt offering to me here, and the peace offerings.” He offered the burnt offering.
10 Mara alipomaliza kutoa hiyo sadaka, Samweli akatokea, naye Sauli akaondoka kwenda kumlaki.
It came to pass that as soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him.
11 Samweli akamuuliza, “Umefanya nini?” Sauli akajibu, “Nilipoona kwamba watu wanatawanyika, na kwamba hukuja wakati uliopangwa na kwamba Wafilisti walikuwa wakikusanyika huko Mikmashi,
Samuel said, “What have you done?” Saul said, “Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines assembled themselves together at Michmash,
12 nikawaza, ‘Sasa Wafilisti watateremka dhidi yangu huko Gilgali nami sijaomba kibali kwa Bwana.’ Hivyo nikalazimika kutoa sadaka ya kuteketezwa.”
therefore I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down on me to Gilgal, and I have not entreated the favor of the LORD.’ I forced myself therefore, and offered the burnt offering.”
13 Samweli akasema, “Umetenda kwa upumbavu. Hukuyashika maagizo ya Bwana Mungu wako aliyokupa. Kama ungelitii, angeudumisha ufalme wako juu ya Israeli kwa wakati wote.
Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which he commanded you; for now the LORD would have established your kingdom on Israel forever.
14 Lakini sasa ufalme wako hautadumu; Bwana amemtafuta mtu aupendezaye moyo wake, na amemchagua awe kiongozi wa watu wake, kwa sababu hukuyatii maagizo ya Bwana.”
But now your kingdom will not continue. The LORD has sought for himself a man after his own heart, and the LORD has appointed him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept that which the LORD commanded you.”
15 Kisha Samweli akaondoka Gilgali, akapanda Gibea ya Benyamini, naye Sauli akawahesabu watu aliokuwa nao. Jumla yao walikuwa watu 600.
Samuel arose, and went from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul counted the people who were present with him, about six hundred men.
16 Sauli, mwanawe Yonathani na watu waliokuwa pamoja nao walikuwa wakiishi huko Gibea ya Benyamini, wakati Wafilisti wakiwa wamepiga kambi huko Mikmashi.
Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people who were present with them, stayed in Geba of Benjamin; but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.
17 Makundi ya wavamiaji walikuja kutoka kambi ya Wafilisti katika vikosi vitatu. Kikosi kimoja kilielekea Ofra karibu na Shuali,
The raiders came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned to the way that leads to Ophrah, to the land of Shual;
18 kikosi kingine kilielekea Beth-Horoni, nacho kikosi cha tatu kilielekea kwenye nchi ya mpakani ielekeayo Bonde la Seboimu linalotazamana na jangwa.
another company turned the way to Beth Horon; and another company turned the way of the border that looks down on the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.
19 Hapakuwa na mhunzi ambaye angeweza kupatikana katika nchi yote ya Israeli, kwa sababu Wafilisti walikuwa wamesema, “Waebrania wasije wakatengeneza panga au mikuki!”
Now there was no blacksmith found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, “Lest the Hebrews make themselves swords or spears”;
20 Hivyo Waisraeli wote huteremka kwa Wafilisti ili kunoa majembe ya plau, majembe ya mkono, mashoka na miundu.
but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, each man to sharpen his own plowshare, mattock, ax, and sickle.
21 Bei ilikuwa fedha theluthi mbili za shekeli kunoa majembe ya plau na majembe ya mkono, na theluthi moja ya shekeli kwa nyuma, mashoka na michokoo.
The price was one payim each to sharpen mattocks, plowshares, pitchforks, axes, and goads.
22 Kwa hiyo siku ya vita hakuna askari yeyote aliyekuwa kambini na Sauli na Yonathani ambaye alikuwa na upanga wala mkuki mkononi mwake; Sauli tu na mwanawe Yonathani ndio waliokuwa navyo.
So it came to pass in the day of battle that neither sword nor spear was found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan; but Saul and Jonathan his son had them.
23 Basi kikosi cha Wafilisti kilikuwa kimetoka kuelekea njia iendayo Mikmashi.
The garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash.