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 valour, and he was the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat 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.”
And Gilead’s wife bare him sons; and when his wife’s sons grew up, they drave out Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in our father’s house; for thou art 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 brethren, and dwelt 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,
And it came to pass after a while, that the children of Ammon made war against Israel.
5 viongozi wa Gileadi wakaenda kumchukua Yefta katika nchi ya Tobu.
And it was so, that when the children of Ammon made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of Tob:
6 Wakamwambia Yefta, “Uwe jemadari wetu, ili tuweze kupigana na Waamoni.”
and they said unto Jephthah, Come and be our chief, that we may fight with the children 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 unto the elders of Gilead, Did not ye hate me, and drive me out of my father’s house? and why are ye come unto me now when ye 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.”
And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, Therefore are we turned again to thee now, that thou mayest go with us, and fight with the children of Ammon, and thou shalt 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?”
And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home again to fight with the children of Ammon, and the LORD deliver them before me, shall I be your head?
10 Viongozi wa Gileadi wakamjibu Yefta, “Bwana ndiye shahidi yetu. Kwa hakika tutafanya kama usemavyo.”
And the elders of Gilead said unto Jephthah, The LORD shall be witness between us; surely according to thy 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 spake 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?”
And Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon, saying, What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come unto 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 children of Ammon answered unto the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, when he came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto Jordan: now therefore restore those [lands] again peaceably.
14 Yefta akarudisha wajumbe kwa mfalme wa Waamoni,
And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children of Ammon:
15 kusema: “Hili ndilo asemalo Yefta, Israeli hawakuchukua nchi ya Moabu wala ya Waamoni.
and he said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah: Israel took not away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children 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 walked through the wilderness unto 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 unto the king of Edom, saying, Let me, I pray thee, pass through thy land: but the king of Edom hearkened not. And in like manner he sent unto the king of Moab: but he would not: and Israel abode 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 he walked through the wilderness, and compassed the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came by the east side of the land of Moab, and they pitched on the other side of Arnon; but they came not within the border of Moab, for Arnon was the border 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.’
And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said unto him, Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy land unto my place.
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 trusted not Israel to pass through his border: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and pitched 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,
And the LORD, the God of Israel, delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they smote 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.
And they possessed all the border of the Amorites, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto 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, hath dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel, and shouldest thou possess them?
24 Je, haikupasi kuchukua kile ambacho mungu wako Kemoshi amekupa? Vivyo hivyo, chochote kile Bwana Mungu wetu alichotupa sisi, tutakimiliki.
Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess? So whomsoever the LORD our God hath dispossessed from before us, them will we 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 art thou any thing better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab? did he ever strive 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 dwelt in Heshbon and her towns, and in Aroer and her towns, and in all the cities that are along by the side of Arnon, three hundred years; wherefore did ye not recover 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 thee, but thou doest me wrong to war against me: the LORD, the Judge, be judge this day between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon.
28 Hata hivyo, Mfalme wa Waamoni, hakuyajali maneno ya ujumbe wa Yefta.
Howbeit the king of the children Ammon hearkened not unto 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 upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon.
30 Naye Yefta akaweka nadhiri mbele za Bwana akisema, “Ikiwa utawatia Waamoni mikononi mwangu,
And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou wilt indeed deliver the children of Ammon into mine 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 whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children 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 unto the children 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.
And he smote them from Aroer until thou come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and unto Abel-cheramim, with a very great slaughter. So the children 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.
And Jephthah came to Mizpah unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside 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 came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back.
36 Akajibu, “Baba yangu, umetoa neno lako kwa Bwana. Nitendee mimi kama vile ulivyoahidi, kwa kuwa Bwana amekupa ushindi dhidi ya adui zako Waamoni.”
And she said unto him, My father, thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD; do unto me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon.
37 Naye akamwambia baba yake, “Naomba nifanyiwe jambo hili. Nipewe miezi miwili ili kuzunguka vilimani nikaulilie ubikira wangu, mimi na wenzangu.”
And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months, that I may depart and go down upon the mountains, and bewail 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.
And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two months: and she departed, she and her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon 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,
And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and she had not known man. And it was 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 to celebrate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.
