Waamuzi 16
1 Siku moja Samsoni alienda Gaza, akamwona mwanamke kahaba, naye akaingia kwake.
Now Samson went to Gaza, and there he saw a loose woman and went in to her.
2 Watu wa Gaza wakaambiwa, “Samsoni amekuja huku!” Hivyo wakapazingira mahali pale nao wakamvizia usiku kucha, penye lango la mji. Wakanyamaza kimya usiku kucha, wakisema, “Tumvizie hadi mapambazuko, ndipo tutamuua.”
And it was said to the Gazites, Samson is here. So they went round, watching for him all day at the doorway of the town, but at night they kept quiet, saying, When daylight comes we will put him to death.
3 Samsoni akalala mpaka usiku wa manane. Akaondoka katikati ya usiku, akashika milango ya lango la mji pamoja na miimo yake miwili, akaingʼoa, makomeo yake na vyote. Akaviweka mabegani mwake na kuvipeleka mpaka kwenye kilele cha mlima ule unaokabili Hebroni.
And Samson was there till the middle of the night; then he got up, and took a grip on the doors of the town, pulling them up, together with their two supports and their locks, and put them on his back and took them up to the top of the hill in front of Hebron.
4 Baada ya hayo akampenda mwanamke mmoja katika Bonde la Soreki aliyeitwa Delila.
Now after this, he was in love with a woman in the valley of Sorek, named Delilah.
5 Viongozi wa Wafilisti wakamwendea yule mwanamke na kumwambia, “Umbembeleze ili upate kujua siri za nguvu zake zilizo nyingi na jinsi tutakavyoweza kumshinda ili tuweze kumfunga na kumtiisha. Nasi kila mmoja wetu tutakupa shekeli 1,100 za fedha.”
And the chiefs of the Philistines came up to her, and said to her, Make use of your power over him and see what is the secret of his great strength, and how we may get the better of him, and put bands on him, so that we may make him feeble; and every one of us will give you eleven hundred shekels of silver.
6 Hivyo Delila akamwambia Samsoni, “Naomba niambie siri ya hizi nguvu zako nyingi na jinsi utakavyoweza kufungwa ili kukutiisha.”
So Delilah said to Samson, Make clear to me now what is the secret of your great strength, and how you may be put in bands and made feeble.
7 Samsoni akamjibu, “Kama wakinifunga kwa kamba saba za upinde ambazo hazijakauka bado, hapo ndipo nitakapokuwa dhaifu kama mtu mwingine yeyote.”
And Samson said to her, If seven new bow-cords which have never been made dry are knotted round me, I will become feeble and will be like any other man.
8 Viongozi wa Wafilisti wakamletea yule mwanamke kamba saba za upinde ambazo hazijakauka bado, akamfunga nazo Samsoni.
So the chiefs of the Philistines gave her seven new bow-cords which had never been made dry, and she had them tightly knotted round him.
9 Wakati watu wakiwa wanamvizia katika chumba cha ndani, yule mwanamke akamwambia, “Samsoni, Wafilisti wanakujia!” Lakini yeye akazikata zile kamba za upinde, kama vile uzi wa pamba unapoguswa na moto. Hivyo siri ya nguvu zake haikujulikana.
Now she had men waiting secretly in the inner room; and she said to him, The Philistines are on you, Samson. And the cords were broken by him as a twist of thread is broken when touched by a flame. So the secret of his strength did not come to light.
10 Ndipo Delila akamwambia Samsoni, “Umenifanyia mzaha na kuniambia uongo. Tafadhali niambie waweza kufungwa kwa kitu gani?”
Then Delilah said to Samson, See, you have been making sport of me with false words; now, say truly how may you be put in bands?
11 Akamwambia, “Wakinifunga kwa uthabiti kwa kamba mpya ambazo hazijatumika, basi nitakuwa dhaifu kama mtu mwingine yeyote.”
And he said to her, If they only put round me new thick cords which have never been used, then I will become feeble and will be like any other man.
12 Hivyo Delila akachukua kamba mpya na kumfunga nazo. Kisha akamwambia, “Samsoni, Wafilisti wanakujia!” Wale watu waliokuwa wanamvizia walikuwa katika chumba cha ndani. Lakini akazikata zile kamba zilizokuwa zimefunga mikono yake kama akatavyo uzi.
So Delilah took new thick cords, knotting them tightly round him, and said to him, The Philistines are on you, Samson. And men were waiting secretly in the inner room. And the cords were broken off his arms like threads.
13 Ndipo Delila akamwambia Samsoni, “Mpaka sasa, umenifanyia mzaha na kuniambia uongo. Nieleze ni jinsi gani utakavyoweza kufungwa.” Samsoni akamwambia, “Kama ukivisuka hivi vishungi saba vya nywele za kichwa changu katika mtande wa nguo na kukaza kwa msumari, ndipo nitakuwa dhaifu kama mtu mwingine yeyote.” Hivyo Samsoni alipokuwa amelala, Delila akachukua vile vishungi saba vya nywele za kichwa chake na kuvifunga kwenye mtande wa nguo,
Then Delilah said to Samson, Up to now you have made sport of me with false words; now say truly, how may you be put in bands? And he said to her, If you get the seven twists of my hair worked into the cloth you are making and fixed with the pin, I will become feeble and will be like any other man.
14 na kuvikaza kwa msumari. Kisha akamwambia, “Samsoni, Wafilisti wanakujia!” Lakini akaamka kutoka usingizini na kuungʼoa ule msumari na ule mtande.
So while he was sleeping she got the seven twists of his hair worked into her cloth and fixed with the pin, and said to him, The Philistines are on you, Samson. Then awaking from his sleep, he got up quickly, pulling up cloth and machine together.
15 Ndipo Delila akamwambia, “Wawezaje kusema, ‘Nakupenda,’ wakati moyo wako haupo pamoja nami? Umenifanyia mzaha mara hizi tatu na hujaniambia siri ya hizi nguvu zako nyingi.”
And she said to him, Why do you say you are my lover when your heart is not mine? Three times you have made sport of me, and have not made clear to me the secret of your great strength.
16 Hatimaye, baada ya kuwa anamsumbua kwa maneno siku kwa siku na kumuudhi, roho yake ikataabika hata kufa.
So day after day she gave him no peace, for ever questioning him till his soul was troubled to death.
17 Hivyo akamwambia yule mwanamke siri yake yote, akamwambia, “Wembe haujapita kamwe kichwani mwangu, kwa kuwa mimi ni Mnadhiri wa Mungu tangu tumboni mwa mama yangu. Kama nywele za kichwa changu zikinyolewa, nguvu zangu zitanitoka, na nitakuwa dhaifu kama mtu mwingine yeyote!”
And opening all his heart to her, he said to her, My head has never been touched by a blade, for I have been separate to God from the day of my birth: if my hair is cut off, then my strength will go from me and I will become feeble, and will be like any other man.
18 Delila alipoona kuwa amemweleza siri yake yote, akatuma ujumbe kwa viongozi wa Wafilisti na kusema, “Njooni tena mara nyingine, maana amenieleza siri yake yote.” Basi viongozi wa Wafilisti wakaja kwa Delila, wakiwa na fedha mikononi mwao.
And when Delilah saw that he had let her see into his heart, she sent word to the chiefs of the Philistines saying, Come up this time, for he has let out all his heart to me. Then the chiefs of the Philistines came to her, with the money in their hands.
19 Delila akamfanya alale usingizi magotini pake, akamwita mtu akamnyoa vile vishungi saba vya nywele za kichwa chake. Akaanza kumsumbua ili aamke nazo nguvu zake zikamtoka.
And she made him go to sleep on her knees; and she sent for a man and had his seven twists of hair cut off; and while it was being done he became feeble and his strength went from him.
20 Yule mwanamke akamwita, “Samsoni, hao Wafilisti wanakujia!” Akaamka toka usingizini akasema, “Nitatoka nje kama hapo awali, nitawakungʼutia mbali na kuwa huru.” Lakini hakujua kuwa Bwana amemwacha.
Then she said, The Philistines are on you, Samson. And awaking from his sleep, he said, I will go out as at other times, shaking myself free. But he was not conscious that the Lord had gone from him.
21 Basi Wafilisti wakamkamata, wakamngʼoa macho yake, wakamchukua wakamteremsha mpaka Gaza. Wakiwa wamemfunga kwa pingu za shaba, wakamweka ili asage ngano huko gerezani.
So the Philistines took him and put out his eyes; then they took him down to Gaza, and, chaining him with bands of brass, put him to work crushing grain in the prison-house.
22 Wakati huo nywele za kichwa chake zikaanza kukua tena baada ya kunyolewa.
But the growth of his hair was starting again after it had been cut off.
23 Basi viongozi wa Wafilisti wakakusanyika pamoja ili kutoa kafara kwa mungu wao Dagoni na kufanya karamu, wakisema, “Mungu wetu amemtia adui yetu Samsoni mikononi mwetu.”
And the chiefs of the Philistines came together to make a great offering to Dagon their god, and to be glad; for they said, Our god has given into our hands Samson our hater.
24 Watu walipomwona Samsoni wakamsifu mungu wao, wakisema: “Sasa mungu wetu amemtia adui yetu mikononi mwetu, yule aliyeharibu nchi yetu na kuwaua watu wengi miongoni mwetu.”
And when the people saw him, they gave praise to their god; for they said, Our god has given into our hands the one who was fighting against us, who made our country waste, and who put great numbers of us to death.
25 Mioyo yao ilipokuwa imefurahishwa wakasema, “Mleteni Samsoni aje acheze ili tufurahi.” Basi wakamleta Samsoni kutoka mle gerezani naye akacheza mbele yao. Wakamweka kati ya nguzo mbili.
Now when their hearts were full of joy, they said, Send for Samson to make sport for us. And they sent for Samson out of the prison-house, and he made sport before them; and they put him between the pillars.
26 Samsoni akamwambia mtumishi aliyeshika mkono wake, “Niweke mahali ambapo ninaweza kuzigusa nguzo ambazo zinategemeza jengo ili nipate kuziegemea.”
And Samson said to the boy who took him by the hand, Let me put my hand on the pillars supporting the house, so that I may put my back against them.
27 Basi lile jengo lilikuwa na wingi wa watu waume kwa wake; viongozi wote wa Wafilisti walikuwamo humo, na kwenye sakafu ya juu walikuwepo watu 3,000 waume kwa wake, waliokuwa wakimtazama Samsoni wakati anacheza.
Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and about three thousand men and women were on the roof, looking on while Samson made sport.
28 Ndipo Samsoni akamwomba Bwana, akasema, “Ee Bwana Mwenyezi, unikumbuke. Ee Mungu, nakusihi ukanitie nguvu mara hii moja tena, ili kwa tendo hili nipate kulipiza kisasi juu ya Wafilisti kwa ajili ya macho yangu mawili.”
And Samson, crying out to the Lord, said, O Lord God, do have me now in mind, and do make me strong only this once, O God, so that I may take one last payment from the Philistines for my two eyes.
29 Ndipo Samsoni akazikaribia zile nguzo mbili za katikati ambazo lile jengo lilikuwa linazitegemea. Akazishika moja kwa mkono wa kuume na nyingine mkono wa kushoto.
Then Samson put his arms round the two middle pillars supporting the house, putting his weight on them, on one with his right hand and on the other with his left.
30 Samsoni akasema, “Nife pamoja na Wafilisti!” Ndipo akazisukuma zile nguzo kwa nguvu zake zote, lile jengo likaanguka juu ya viongozi na watu wote waliokuwamo mle ndani yake. Hivyo akawaua watu wengi wakati wa kufa kwake kuliko siku za uhai wake.
And Samson said, Let death overtake me with the Philistines. And he put out all his strength, and the house came down on the chiefs and on all the people who were in it. So the dead whom he sent to destruction by his death were more than all those on whom he had sent destruction in his life.
31 Basi ndugu zake na jamaa yote ya baba yake wakateremka kwenda kumchukua. Wakampandisha na kumzika kati ya Sora na Eshtaoli kwenye kaburi la Manoa baba yake. Naye Samsoni alikuwa mwamuzi wa Israeli kwa miaka ishirini.
Then his brothers and his father's people came down and took him up and put his body to rest in the earth between Zorah and Eshtaol in the resting-place of Manoah his father. And he had been judge of Israel for twenty years.
