Waamuzi 11
1 Basi Yefta Mgileadi alikuwa mtu shujaa. Baba yake alikuwa Gileadi, naye mama yake alikuwa kahaba.
Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, and he was the son of a prostitute. And Gilead became the father of Jephthah.
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 bore him sons; and when his wife's sons grew up, they drove out Jephthah, and said to him, "You shall not inherit in our father's house; for you are the son of another woman."
3 Basi Yefta akawakimbia ndugu zake akaenda kuishi katika nchi ya Tobu, mahali ambako watu waasi walijiunga naye na kumfuata.
Then Jephthah fled from his brothers, and lived in the land of Tob: and there were gathered vain fellows to Jephthah, and they went out with him.
4 Baada ya muda Waamoni wakafanya vita na Israeli,
It happened after a while, that the people of Ammon made war against Israel.
5 viongozi wa Gileadi wakaenda kumchukua Yefta katika nchi ya Tobu.
It was so, that when the people of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah out of the land of Tob;
6 Wakamwambia Yefta, “Uwe jemadari wetu, ili tuweze kupigana na Waamoni.”
and they said to Jephthah, "Come and be our chief, that we may fight with the people of Ammon."
7 Yefta akawaambia, “Je, hamkunichukia mimi na kunifukuza katika nyumba ya baba yangu? Kwa nini mnanijia sasa, wakati mna matatizo.”
And Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, "Did you not hate me, and drive me out of my father's house, and sent me away from you? And why have you come to me now when you are in distress?"
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.”
The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, "Not so. We have turned to you now, that you may go with us, and fight with the people of Ammon; and you shall be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead."
9 Yefta akawaambia, “Ikiwa mtanirudisha kwetu kupigana na Waamoni, naye Bwana akanisaidia kuwashinda, Je, ni kweli nitakuwa kiongozi wenu?”
Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, "If you bring me home again to fight with the people of Ammon, and the LORD delivers them before me, shall I be your head?"
10 Viongozi wa Gileadi wakamjibu Yefta, “Bwana ndiye shahidi yetu. Kwa hakika tutafanya kama usemavyo.”
The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, "The LORD shall be witness between us; surely according to your word so will we do."
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.
Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and chief over them. And Jephthah spoke all his words before the LORD in Mizpah.
12 Ndipo Yefta akatuma wajumbe kwa mfalme wa Waamoni akisema, “Una nini juu yetu, hata umekuja kushambulia nchi yetu?”
Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the people of Ammon, saying, "What have you to do with me, that you have come to me to fight against 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.”
And the king of the people of Ammon answered the messengers of Jephthah, "Because Israel took away my land, when he came up out of Egypt, from the Arnon even to the Jabbok, and to the Jordan. Now therefore restore it peaceably, and I will depart."
14 Yefta akarudisha wajumbe kwa mfalme wa Waamoni,
And the messengers returned to Jephthah, and Jephthah sent messengers again to the king of the people of Ammon;
15 kusema: “Hili ndilo asemalo Yefta, Israeli hawakuchukua nchi ya Moabu wala ya Waamoni.
and he said to him, "Thus says Jephthah: 'Israel did not take away the land of Moab, nor the land of the people of Ammon,
16 Lakini walipopanda kutoka Misri, Israeli walipitia katika jangwa hadi Bahari ya Shamu na wakafika Kadeshi.
but when they came up from Egypt, and Israel went through the wilderness to the Red Sea, and came to 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.
then Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, 'Please let me pass through your land.' But the king of Edom did not listen. In the same way, he sent to the king of Moab; but he would not. So Israel stayed in 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.
Then they went through the wilderness, and went around the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came by the east side of the land of Moab, and they camped on the other side of the Arnon; but they did not come within the territory of Moab, for the Arnon was the boundary of Moab.
19 “Kisha Israeli wakatuma wajumbe kwa Sihoni mfalme wa Waamori, aliyetawala Heshboni, na kumwambia, ‘Tupe ruhusa kupita katika nchi yako ili kufikia mahali petu.’
Israel sent messengers to Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said to him, "Please let me pass through your land to our land.'
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 did not trust Israel to pass through his territory; but Sihon gathered all his people together, and camped in Jahaz, and fought against Israel.
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,
The LORD, the God of Israel, delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they struck them. So Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country.
22 wakiiteka nchi yote kuanzia Arnoni mpaka Yaboki, na kutoka jangwani mpaka Yordani.
They possessed all the territory of the Amorites, from the Arnon even to the Jabbok, and from the wilderness even to the Jordan.
23 “Basi kwa kuwa Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, amewafukuza Waamori watoke mbele ya watu wake Israeli, wewe unayo haki gani ya kuitamalaki?
So now the LORD, the God of Israel, has driven out the Amorites from before his people Israel, and should you possess them?
24 Je, haikupasi kuchukua kile ambacho mungu wako Kemoshi amekupa? Vivyo hivyo, chochote kile Bwana Mungu wetu alichotupa sisi, tutakimiliki.
Won't you possess that which Chemosh your god gives you to possess? So whoever the LORD our God has driven out from before us, we will possess.
25 Je, wewe ni bora kuliko Balaki mwana wa Sipori, mfalme wa Moabu? Je, yeye alishagombana na Israeli au kupigana nao wakati wowote?
And now are you anything better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he ever contend against Israel, or did he ever fight against 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?
While Israel lived in Heshbon and its towns, and in Aroer and its towns, and in all the cities that are along by the side of the Arnon, three hundred years; why did you not liberate them within 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 therefore have not sinned against you, but you do me wrong by making war against me. The LORD, the Judge, be judge this day between the children of Israel and the people of Ammon."
28 Hata hivyo, Mfalme wa Waamoni, hakuyajali maneno ya ujumbe wa Yefta.
However the king of the people of Ammon did not listen to the words of Jephthah which he sent him.
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, and he passed over Gilead and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over to the people of Ammon.
30 Naye Yefta akaweka nadhiri mbele za Bwana akisema, “Ikiwa utawatia Waamoni mikononi mwangu,
Jephthah made a vow to the LORD, and said, "If you will indeed deliver the people of Ammon into my hand,
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.”
then it shall be that whatever comes forth from the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the people of Ammon, it shall be the LORD's, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering."
32 Ndipo Yefta akavuka kupigana na hao Waamoni, naye Bwana akawatia mkononi mwake.
So Jephthah passed over to the people of Ammon to fight against them; and the LORD delivered them into his hand.
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 struck them from Aroer until you come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and to Abel Keramim, with a very great slaughter. So the people of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel.
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.
Jephthah came to Mizpah to his house; and look, his daughter came out to meet him with tambourines and with dances: and she was his only child; besides her he had neither son nor daughter.
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.”
And it happened, when he saw her, that he tore his clothes, and said, "Alas, my daughter. You have brought me very low. You have become a stumbling block in my sight. And you are among those who trouble me. For I have given my word to the LORD, and I can't break 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 said to him, "My father, since you have given your word to the LORD; do to me as you promised, because the LORD has taken vengeance for you on your enemies, even on the people of Ammon."
37 Naye akamwambia baba yake, “Naomba nifanyiwe jambo hili. Nipewe miezi miwili ili kuzunguka vilimani nikaulilie ubikira wangu, mimi na wenzangu.”
She said to her father, "Let this thing be done for me: leave me alone two months, that I may depart and go down on the mountains, and weep because of my virginity, I and my companions."
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.
He said, "Go." He sent her away for two months: and she departed, she and her companions, and wept because of her virginity on the mountains.
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,
It happened at the end of two months, that she returned to her father, who did with her according to what he had vowed. And she was a virgin. It became a custom in Israel,
40 kwamba kila mwaka binti wa Israeli huenda kwa siku nne ili kumkumbuka huyo binti wa Yefta, Mgileadi.
that the daughters of Israel went yearly four days in a year to commemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite.
