Waamuzi 13
1 Waisraeli wakafanya maovu tena mbele za Bwana. Hivyo Bwana akawatia mikononi mwa Wafilisti kwa muda wa miaka arobaini.
The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.
2 Basi palikuwa na mtu mmoja wa Sora, aliyeitwa Manoa, wa kabila la Wadani, naye alikuwa na mke ambaye alikuwa tasa na hakuwa na mtoto.
There was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and childless.
3 Malaika wa Bwana akamtokea huyo mwanamke na kumwambia, “Wewe ni tasa na huna mtoto, lakini utachukua mimba na utamzaa mtoto mwanaume.
The LORD’s angel appeared to the woman, and said to her, “See now, you are barren and childless; but you shall conceive and bear a son.
4 Lakini ujihadhari sana usinywe mvinyo wala kileo kingine chochote, wala usile kitu chochote kilicho najisi,
Now therefore please beware and drink no wine nor strong drink, and do not eat any unclean thing;
5 kwa kuwa utachukua mimba na utamzaa mtoto mwanaume. Wembe usipite kichwani pake, kwa kuwa huyo mwana atakuwa Mnadhiri wa Mungu, aliyewekwa wakfu kwa ajili ya Mungu tangu tumboni mwa mama yake, naye ataanza kuwaokoa Waisraeli kutoka mikononi mwa Wafilisti.”
for, behold, you shall conceive and give birth to a son. No razor shall come on his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb. He shall begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.”
6 Ndipo huyo mwanamke akamwendea mumewe na kumweleza kuwa, “Mtu wa Mungu alinijia. Kule kuonekana kwake kulikuwa kama kwa malaika wa Mungu, wa kutisha sana. Sikumuuliza alikotoka wala hakuniambia jina lake.
Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, “A man of God came to me, and his face was like the face of the angel of God, very awesome. I did not ask him where he was from, neither did he tell me his name;
7 Lakini aliniambia, ‘Utachukua mimba na utazaa mtoto mwanaume. Basi sasa, usinywe mvinyo wala kileo kingine chochote wala usile kitu kilicho najisi, kwa kuwa huyo mtoto atakuwa Mnadhiri wa Mungu tangu tumboni mwa mama yake mpaka kufa kwake.’”
but he said to me, ‘Behold, you shall conceive and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink. Do not eat any unclean thing, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death.’”
8 Ndipo Manoa akamwomba Bwana, akasema: “Ee Bwana, nakusihi, huyo mtu wa Mungu uliyemtuma kwetu aje tena ili atufundishe jinsi ya kumlea huyo mwana atakayezaliwa.”
Then Manoah entreated the LORD, and said, “Oh, Lord, please let the man of God whom you sent come again to us, and teach us what we should do to the child who shall be born.”
9 Mungu akamsikia Manoa, naye malaika wa Mungu akamjia tena huyo mwanamke alipokuwa shambani, lakini mumewe Manoa hakuwepo.
God listened to the voice of Manoah, and the angel of God came again to the woman as she sat in the field; but Manoah, her husband, was not with her.
10 Basi yule mwanamke akaenda haraka na kumwambia mumewe, “Tazama mtu yule aliyenitokea siku ile yupo hapa!”
The woman hurried and ran, and told her husband, saying to him, “Behold, the man who came to me that day has appeared to me.”
11 Manoa akainuka akaandamana na mkewe. Alipomfikia yule mtu akamuuliza, “Je, wewe ndiye yule uliyesema na mke wangu?” Akasema, “Mimi ndiye.”
Manoah arose and followed his wife, and came to the man, and said to him, “Are you the man who spoke to my wife?” He said, “I am.”
12 Basi Manoa akamuuliza, “Wakati maneno yako yatakapotimia, masharti ya maisha ya mtoto huyu yatakuwa nini na kazi yake itakuwa ni nini?”
Manoah said, “Now let your words happen. What shall the child’s way of life and mission be?”
13 Malaika wa Bwana akamjibu, “Mke wako hana budi kufanya yale yote niliyomwambia.
The LORD’s angel said to Manoah, “Of all that I said to the woman let her beware.
14 Kamwe asile kitu chochote kitakachotoka katika mzabibu, wala asinywe mvinyo wa aina yoyote wala kileo chochote wala asile kitu chochote kilicho najisi. Hana budi kufanya kila kitu nilichomwagiza.”
She may not eat of anything that comes of the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing. Let her observe all that I commanded her.”
15 Manoa akamjibu yule malaika wa Bwana, “Twakuomba usubiri kwanza ili tuweze kuandaa mwana-mbuzi kwa ajili yako.”
Manoah said to the LORD’s angel, “Please stay with us, that we may make a young goat ready for you.”
16 Malaika wa Bwana akamjibu, “Hata kama utanizuia, sitakula chochote kwako. Lakini ukitaka kuandaa sadaka ya kuteketezwa, mtolee Bwana hiyo sadaka.” (Kwa kuwa Manoa hakujua kuwa alikuwa malaika wa Bwana.)
The LORD’s angel said to Manoah, “Though you detain me, I will not eat your bread. If you will prepare a burnt offering, you must offer it to the LORD.” For Manoah did not know that he was the LORD’s angel.
17 Ndipo Manoa akamuuliza yule malaika wa Bwana, “Jina lako ni nani, ili kwamba tuweze kukupa heshima hapo hayo uliyonena yatakapotimia?”
Manoah said to the LORD’s angel, “What is your name, that when your words happen, we may honor you?”
18 Akamjibu, “Kwa nini unauliza Jina langu? Ni Jina la ajabu.”
The LORD’s angel said to him, “Why do you ask about my name, since it is incomprehensible?”
19 Ndipo Manoa akamchukua mwana-mbuzi, pamoja na sadaka ya unga, naye akamtolea Bwana dhabihu hapo juu ya mwamba. Naye yule malaika wa Bwana akafanya jambo la ajabu wakati Manoa na mkewe wakiwa wanaangalia:
So Manoah took the young goat with the meal offering, and offered it on the rock to the LORD. Then the angel did an amazing thing as Manoah and his wife watched.
20 Mwali wa moto kutoka hapo madhabahuni ulipowaka kuelekea mbinguni, malaika wa Bwana akapaa ndani ya huo mwali. Manoa na mkewe, kwa kuona jambo hili, wakaanguka chini kifudifudi.
For when the flame went up toward the sky from off the altar, the LORD’s angel ascended in the flame of the altar. Manoah and his wife watched; and they fell on their faces to the ground.
21 Malaika wa Bwana hakumtokea tena Manoa na mkewe. Ndipo Manoa akatambua kuwa huyo alikuwa malaika wa Bwana.
But the LORD’s angel did not appear to Manoah or to his wife any more. Then Manoah knew that he was the LORD’s angel.
22 Manoa akamwambia mkewe, “Hakika tutakufa, kwa kuwa tumemwona Mungu.”
Manoah said to his wife, “We shall surely die, because we have seen God.”
23 Lakini mkewe akamwambia, “Ikiwa Bwana alikuwa amekusudia kutuua, asingelipokea sadaka ya kuteketezwa na sadaka ya unga kutoka mikononi mwetu, wala asingelituonyesha mambo haya yote wala kututangazia mambo kama haya wakati huu.”
But his wife said to him, “If the LORD were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meal offering at our hand, and he would not have shown us all these things, nor would he have told us such things as these at this time.”
24 Yule mwanamke akazaa mtoto wa kiume akamwita jina lake Samsoni. Kijana akakua, naye Bwana akambariki.
The woman bore a son and named him Samson. The child grew, and the LORD blessed him.
25 Roho wa Bwana akaanza kumsukuma wakati alipokuwa huko Mahane-Dani, kati ya Sora na Eshtaoli.
The LORD’s Spirit began to move him in Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.
