Waamuzi 11
1 Basi Yefta Mgileadi alikuwa mtu shujaa. Baba yake alikuwa Gileadi, naye mama yake alikuwa kahaba.
Jephthah of Gilead was a strong fighter. He was the son of a prostitute, and his father was Gilead.
2 Mke wa Gileadi akamzalia wana wengine, nao watoto hao walipokua, wakamfukuza Yefta na kumwambia, “Wewe huwezi kupata urithi katika jamii yetu, kwa sababu wewe ni mwana wa mwanamke mwingine.”
Gilead's wife gave him sons, who when they grew up, drove Jephthah away, telling him, “You won't inherit anything from our father because you are another woman's son.”
3 Basi Yefta akawakimbia ndugu zake akaenda kuishi katika nchi ya Tobu, mahali ambako watu waasi walijiunga naye na kumfuata.
Jephthah ran away from his brothers and went to live in the land of Tob. A gang of trouble-makers joined him and he led them out on raids.
4 Baada ya muda Waamoni wakafanya vita na Israeli,
Later on, the Ammonites were at war with Israel.
5 viongozi wa Gileadi wakaenda kumchukua Yefta katika nchi ya Tobu.
As the Ammonites were attacking Israel, the elders of Gilead came to get Jephthah from the land of Tob.
6 Wakamwambia Yefta, “Uwe jemadari wetu, ili tuweze kupigana na Waamoni.”
“Come and be our army commander,” they asked Jepthah, “so we can fight the Ammonites.”
7 Yefta akawaambia, “Je, hamkunichukia mimi na kunifukuza katika nyumba ya baba yangu? Kwa nini mnanijia sasa, wakati mna matatizo.”
“Weren't you the ones who hated me and drove me from my father's house?” Jephthah asked them, “Why are you coming to me now you're in trouble?”
8 Viongozi wa Gileadi wakamwambia Yefta, “Lakini sasa tumegeuka kukuelekea wewe, ili uende pamoja nasi kupigana na Waamoni, nawe utakuwa kiongozi wetu juu ya watu wote wa Gileadi.”
“Yes, that's why we've turned to you now,” the elders of Gilead replied. “Come with us and fight the Ammonites, and you will be the leader of all the people of Gilead.”
9 Yefta akawaambia, “Ikiwa mtanirudisha kwetu kupigana na Waamoni, naye Bwana akanisaidia kuwashinda, Je, ni kweli nitakuwa kiongozi wenu?”
“So if I go back with you and fight the Ammonites, and the Lord makes me victorious, then I'll be your leader?” Jephthah asked the elders of Gilead.
10 Viongozi wa Gileadi wakamjibu Yefta, “Bwana ndiye shahidi yetu. Kwa hakika tutafanya kama usemavyo.”
“The Lord will be a witness between us,” they replied. “We'll do whatever you say.”
11 Basi Yefta akaenda na viongozi wa Gileadi, nao watu wakamfanya kiongozi na jemadari wao. Naye akarudia maneno yake yote mbele za Bwana huko Mispa.
So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him their leader and army commander. And Jephthah repeated all his conditions before the Lord at Mizpah.
12 Ndipo Yefta akatuma wajumbe kwa mfalme wa Waamoni akisema, “Una nini juu yetu, hata umekuja kushambulia nchi yetu?”
Then Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites to ask him, “What have you got against me that you want to attack my land?”
13 Mfalme wa Waamoni akawajibu wajumbe wale wa Yefta, “Wakati Waisraeli walipopanda kutoka Misri, waliichukua nchi yangu kuanzia Arnoni mpaka Yaboki, hadi kufikia Yordani. Sasa rudisha kwa amani.”
The king of the Ammonites replied to Jephthah's messengers, “Israel seized my land when they came from Egypt. It extended from the Arnon River to the Jabbok River, and across to the Jordan River. So give it back and there'll be no fighting.”
14 Yefta akarudisha wajumbe kwa mfalme wa Waamoni,
Jephthah sent messengers back to the king of the Ammonites
15 kusema: “Hili ndilo asemalo Yefta, Israeli hawakuchukua nchi ya Moabu wala ya Waamoni.
to tell him, “This is Jephthah's reply: The Israelites did not take any land from Moab or from the Ammonites.
16 Lakini walipopanda kutoka Misri, Israeli walipitia katika jangwa hadi Bahari ya Shamu na wakafika Kadeshi.
When they left Egypt, the Israelites went through the desert to the Red Sea and arrived at Kadesh.
17 Ndipo Israeli wakatuma wajumbe kwa mfalme wa Edomu, wakisema, ‘Tupe ruhusa kupita katika nchi yako,’ Lakini mfalme wa Edomu hakutusikia. Wakapeleka pia wajumbe kwa mfalme wa Moabu, naye akakataa. Kwa hiyo Israeli wakakaa huko Kadeshi.
They sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, ‘Please let us pass through your country,’ but the king of Edom refused to listen. They also sent the same request to the king of Moab, and he refused too. So they remained at Kadesh.
18 “Baadaye wakasafiri kupitia jangwa, wakiambaa na nchi za Edomu na Moabu, wakapitia upande wa mashariki wa nchi ya Moabu na kupiga kambi upande mwingine wa Arnoni. Hawakuingia katika nchi ya Moabu, kwa kuwa Arnoni ilikuwa mpaka wake.
Eventually the Israelites traveled through the desert, avoiding the lands of Edom and Moab. They arrived on the east side of the land of Moab and camped on the other side of the Arnon River. But they did not enter Moab territory, for the Arnon River was its border.
19 “Kisha Israeli wakatuma wajumbe kwa Sihoni mfalme wa Waamori, aliyetawala Heshboni, na kumwambia, ‘Tupe ruhusa kupita katika nchi yako ili kufikia mahali petu.’
Then the Israelites sent messengers to Sihon, king of the Amorites, who ruled from Heshbon, and asked him, ‘Please let us pass through your land to our own country.’
20 Hata hivyo, Sihoni hakuwaamini Waisraeli kupita katika nchi yake. Akaandaa jeshi lake lote na kupiga kambi huko Yahasa, nao wakapigana na Israeli.
But Sihon didn't trust the Israelites to pass through his territory. So he assembled his army, set up camp at Jahaz, and attacked the Israelites.
21 “Ndipo Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, akamtia Sihoni na watu wake wote mikononi mwa Israeli, nao wakawashinda. Israeli wakaitwaa nchi yote ya Waamori, waliokuwa wakiishi katika nchi hiyo,
However, the Lord, the God of Israel, handed over Sihon and all his people to the Israelites, who defeated them. So the Israelites took over all the land inhabited by the Amorites.
22 wakiiteka nchi yote kuanzia Arnoni mpaka Yaboki, na kutoka jangwani mpaka Yordani.
They occupied all the territory of the Amorites from the Arnon River to the Jabbok River, and from the desert to the Jordan River.
23 “Basi kwa kuwa Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, amewafukuza Waamori watoke mbele ya watu wake Israeli, wewe unayo haki gani ya kuitamalaki?
It was the Lord, the God of Israel, who drove out the Amorites before his people Israel, so why should you take it over?
24 Je, haikupasi kuchukua kile ambacho mungu wako Kemoshi amekupa? Vivyo hivyo, chochote kile Bwana Mungu wetu alichotupa sisi, tutakimiliki.
Why don't you keep whatever your god Chemosh gave you, and we'll keep whatever the Lord our God has given us?
25 Je, wewe ni bora kuliko Balaki mwana wa Sipori, mfalme wa Moabu? Je, yeye alishagombana na Israeli au kupigana nao wakati wowote?
Do you think you're so much better than Balak, son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever quarrel with Israel or attack them?
26 Kwa maana kwa miaka 300 Israeli wameishi Heshboni na vijiji vyake, Aroeri na vijiji vyake, na katika miji yote iliyo kando ya Arnoni. Kwa nini wewe haukuyachukua wakati huo?
Israelites have been living in Heshbon, Aroer, their villages, and in all the towns along the banks of the Arnon River for three hundred years. Why didn't you take them back during that time?
27 Mimi sijakukosea jambo lolote, bali wewe ndiye unayenikosea kwa kufanya vita nami. Basi Bwana, aliye Mwamuzi, leo na aamue ugomvi kati ya Waisraeli na Waamoni.”
I have not sinned against you, but you have done me wrong by going to war against me. Let the Lord, the Judge, decide today between the Israelites and the Ammonites.”
28 Hata hivyo, Mfalme wa Waamoni, hakuyajali maneno ya ujumbe wa Yefta.
But the king of Ammon didn't pay any attention to what Jephthah had to say.
29 Ndipo Roho wa Bwana akaja juu ya Yefta. Akapita katikati ya Gileadi na Manase, pia akapita katika Mispa ya Gileadi, na kutokea huko akasonga mbele kushambulia Waamoni.
Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jephthah. He passed through Gilead and Manasseh, then on through Mizpah of Gilead. From there he advanced to attack the Ammonites.
30 Naye Yefta akaweka nadhiri mbele za Bwana akisema, “Ikiwa utawatia Waamoni mikononi mwangu,
Jephthah made a solemn promise to the Lord, saying, “If you make me victorious over the Ammonites,
31 chochote kile kitakachotoka katika mlango wa nyumba yangu cha kwanza ili kunilaki nirudipo kwa amani katika kuwashinda Waamoni, kitakuwa ni cha Bwana na nitakitoa kuwa sadaka ya kuteketezwa.”
I will dedicate to the Lord whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me on my safe return from the battle. I will present it as a burnt offering.”
32 Ndipo Yefta akavuka kupigana na hao Waamoni, naye Bwana akawatia mkononi mwake.
Jephthah advanced to attack the Ammonites, and the Lord gave him the victory over them.
33 Akawapiga kwa ushindi mkubwa kuanzia Aroeri mpaka karibu na Minithi na kuendelea mpaka Abel-Keramimu, miji yote iliyopigwa ni ishirini. Basi Israeli wakawashinda Waamoni.
He soundly defeated them, capturing twenty cities from Aroer to the area around Minnith, up as far as Abel-keramim. This is how the Ammonites were conquered by the Israelites.
34 Yefta aliporudi nyumbani Mispa, tazama, binti yake akatoka ili kumlaki kwa matari na kucheza. Alikuwa ndiye mtoto pekee, hakuwa na mwana wala binti mwingine.
When Jephthah arrived home in Mizpah, there came his daughter out to meet him, with tambourines and dancing! She was his only child—he had no son or daughter apart from her.
35 Alipomwona akararua mavazi yake akalia, “Ee! Binti yangu! Umenifanya niwe na huzuni na kunyongʼonyea sana, kwa kuwa nimeweka nadhiri kwa Bwana, ambayo siwezi kuivunja.”
The moment he saw her, he ripped his clothes in agony and cried out, “Oh no, my daughter! You have crushed me completely! You have destroyed me, for I made a solemn promise to the Lord and I can't go back on it.”
36 Akajibu, “Baba yangu, umetoa neno lako kwa Bwana. Nitendee mimi kama vile ulivyoahidi, kwa kuwa Bwana amekupa ushindi dhidi ya adui zako Waamoni.”
She replied, “Father, you have made a solemn promise to the Lord. Do to me what you promised, for the Lord brought vengeance your enemies, the Ammonites.”
37 Naye akamwambia baba yake, “Naomba nifanyiwe jambo hili. Nipewe miezi miwili ili kuzunguka vilimani nikaulilie ubikira wangu, mimi na wenzangu.”
Then she went on to say to him, “Just let me do this: let me walk through the hills for two months with my friends and grieve the fact that I'll never marry.”
38 Baba yake akamwambia, “Waweza kwenda.” Naye akamwacha aende kwa miezi miwili. Hivyo akaondoka pamoja na wasichana wenzake, naye akaulilia ubikira wake huko vilimani kwa sababu asingeolewa kamwe.
“You can go,” he told her. He sent her away for two months, and she and her friends went into the hills and cried because she would never marry.
39 Baada ya hiyo miezi miwili, alirejea kwa baba yake, naye baba yake akamtendea kama alivyokuwa ametoa nadhiri yake. Naye alikuwa bikira. Nayo ikawa desturi katika Israeli,
When the two months were over, she returned to her father, and he did to her as he had promised, and she was a virgin. This is the origin of the custom in Israel
40 kwamba kila mwaka binti wa Israeli huenda kwa siku nne ili kumkumbuka huyo binti wa Yefta, Mgileadi.
that every year the young women of Israel leave for four days to weep in commemoration of the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite.
