< 2 Samweli 4 >

1 Ish-Boshethi mwana wa Sauli aliposikia kwamba Abneri amekufa huko Hebroni, akakosa ujasiri, nayo Israeli yote wakatiwa hofu kuu.
When Saul’s son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands became feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.
2 Basi mwana wa Sauli alikuwa na watu wawili waliokuwa viongozi wa vikundi vya uvamizi. Mmoja aliitwa Baana na mwingine Rekabu, waliokuwa wana wa Rimoni, Mbeerothi, kutoka kabila la Benyamini. Beerothi alihesabiwa kuwa sehemu ya Benyamini,
Saul’s son had two men who were captains of raiding bands. The name of one was Baanah and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin (for Beeroth also is considered a part of Benjamin;
3 kwa sababu watu wa Beerothi walikimbilia huko Gitaimu na wameishi huko kama wageni mpaka siku hii ya leo.
and the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and have lived as foreigners there until today).
4 (Yonathani mwana wa Sauli alikuwa na mwana aliyekuwa mlemavu miguu yote miwili. Alikuwa na miaka mitano wakati habari kuhusu Sauli na Yonathani zilipofika kutoka Yezreeli. Yaya wake akambeba ili kukimbia, lakini yaya alipokuwa anaharakisha kuondoka, mtoto alianguka akawa kiwete. Jina lake aliitwa Mefiboshethi.)
Now Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son who was lame in his feet. He was five years old when the news came about Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel; and his nurse picked him up and fled. As she hurried to flee, he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.
5 Basi Rekabu na Baana, wana wa Rimoni Mbeerothi wakaenda nyumbani kwa Ish-Boshethi, nao walifika huko wakati alipokuwa kwenye mapumziko yake ya mchana.
The sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went out and came at about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth as he took his rest at noon.
6 Wakaingia kwenye chumba cha ndani kana kwamba wanachukua ngano, wakamchoma Ish-Boshethi mkuki wa tumboni. Ndipo Rekabu na Baana nduguye wakatoroka.
They came there into the middle of the house as though they would have fetched wheat, and they struck him in the body; and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.
7 Walikuwa wameingia ndani ya nyumba wakati alipokuwa amelala kitandani chumbani kwake. Baada ya kumchoma mkuki na kumuua, walikata kichwa chake. Wakiwa wamekichukua, walitembea usiku kucha kwa njia ya Araba.
Now when they came into the house as he lay on his bed in his bedroom, they struck him, killed him, beheaded him, and took his head, and went by the way of the Arabah all night.
8 Wakamletea Daudi kichwa cha Ish-Boshethi huko Hebroni, wakamwambia mfalme, “Hiki hapa kichwa cha Ish-Boshethi mwana wa Sauli, adui yako, aliyejaribu kuondoa uhai wako. Siku hii ya leo Bwana amemlipia kisasi mfalme bwana wangu dhidi ya Sauli na mzao wake.”
They brought the head of Ishbosheth to David to Hebron, and said to the king, “Behold, the head of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life! The LORD has avenged my lord the king today of Saul and of his offspring.”
9 Daudi akawajibu Rekabu na Baana nduguye, wana wa Rimoni, Mbeerothi, akasema, “Hakika kama Bwana aishivyo, ambaye ameniokoa kutoka taabu zote,
David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, “As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity,
10 yule mtu aliponiambia, ‘Sauli amekufa,’ akadhani ananiletea habari njema, nilimkamata, nikamuua huko Siklagi. Hiyo ndiyo zawadi niliyompa kwa ajili ya taarifa yake!
when someone told me, ‘Behold, Saul is dead,’ thinking that he brought good news, I seized him and killed him in Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news.
11 Je, ni mara ngapi zaidi wakati watu waovu wamemuua mtu asiye na hatia akiwa ndani ya nyumba yake mwenyewe na kwenye kitanda chake mwenyewe? Je, sasa nisidai damu yake mikononi mwenu na kuwaondoa duniani?”
How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house on his bed, should I not now require his blood from your hand, and rid the earth of you?”
12 Kwa hiyo Daudi akawaamuru watu wake, wakawaua. Wakakata mikono yao na miguu, na kutundika viwiliwili vyao kando ya dimbwi huko Hebroni. Lakini wakakichukua kichwa cha Ish-Boshethi na kukizika katika kaburi la Abneri huko Hebroni.
David commanded his young men, and they killed them, cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up beside the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth and buried it in Abner’s grave in Hebron.

< 2 Samweli 4 >