Waamuzi 18
1 Katika siku hizo Israeli walikuwa hawana mfalme. Katika siku hizo kabila la Wadani walikuwa wanatafuta mahali pao wenyewe pa kuishi, kwa sababu walikuwa hawajafika kwenye urithi wao miongoni mwa makabila ya Israeli.
In those days there is no king in Israel, and in those days the tribe of the Danite is seeking an inheritance to inhabit for itself, for [that] has not fallen to it to that day in the midst of the tribes of Israel by inheritance.
2 Hivyo Wadani wakatuma mashujaa watano kutoka Sora na Eshtaoli ili kupeleleza nchi na kuichunguza. Hawa watu waliwakilisha koo zao zote. Waliwaambia, “Nendeni mkaichunguze hiyo nchi.” Watu hao wakaingia katika nchi ya vilima ya Efraimu, nao wakafika nyumba ya Mika, ambako walilala usiku huo.
And the sons of Dan send, out of their family, five of their men—men, sons of valor—from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to traverse the land, and to search it, and they say to them, “Go, search the land”; and they come into the hill-country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodge there.
3 Walipofika karibu na nyumba ya Mika, waliitambua sauti ya yule kijana Mlawi; hivyo wakaingia humo na kumuuliza, “Ni nani aliyekuleta hapa? Unafanya nini mahali hapa? Kwa nini uko hapa?”
They [are] with the household of Micah, and they have discerned the voice of the young man, the Levite, and turn aside there, and say to him, “Who has brought you here? And what are you doing in this [place]? And why are you here?”
4 Akawaeleza yale Mika aliyomtendea, naye akasema, “Ameniajiri nami ni kuhani wake.”
And he says to them, “Thus and thus has Micah done to me; and he hires me, and I am for a priest to him.”
5 Kisha wakamwambia, “Tafadhali tuulizie kwa Mungu kama safari yetu itafanikiwa.”
And they say to him, “Please ask of God, and we know whether our way on which we are going is prosperous.”
6 Yule kuhani akawajibu, “Enendeni kwa amani. Safari yenu ina kibali cha Bwana.”
And the priest says to them, “Go in peace; before YHWH [is] your way in which you go.”
7 Basi hao watu watano wakaondoka na kufika Laishi, mahali ambapo waliwakuta watu wanaishi salama, kama Wasidoni, kwa utulivu na bila mashaka. Nchi yao haikupungukiwa na kitu chochote, hivyo wakawa tajiri. Pia walikaa mbali sana na Wasidoni, wala hawakushughulika na mtu yeyote.
And the five men go, and come to Laish, and see the people which [is] in its midst, dwelling confidently, according to the custom of Zidonians, quiet and confident; and there is none putting to shame in the land in [any] thing, possessing restraint, and they [are] far off from the Zidonians, and have no word with [any] man.
8 Waliporudi kwa ndugu zao huko Sora na Eshtaoli, ndugu zao wakawauliza, “Mlionaje mambo huko?”
And they come to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol, and their brothers say to them, “What [did] you [find]?”
9 Wakajibu, “Twendeni, tukapigane nao! Tumeona kuwa nchi ni nzuri sana. Je, hamtafanya chochote? Msisite kupanda ili kuimiliki.
And they say, “Rise, and we go up against them, for we have seen the land, and behold—very good; and you are keeping silent! Do not be slothful to go—to enter to possess the land.
10 Mtakapokwenda huko mtakuta watu waliotulia walio salama, nayo nchi hiyo ni kubwa na Mungu ameitia mikononi mwenu, nayo ni nchi ambayo haikupungukiwa na kitu chochote kilicho duniani.”
When you go, you come to a confident people, and the land [is] large on both hands, for God has given it into your hand, a place where there is no lack of anything which [is] in the land.”
11 Ndipo watu 600 toka ukoo wa Wadani, waliojifunga silaha za vita, wakaondoka Sora na Eshtaoli.
And there journey there, of the family of the Danite, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, six hundred men girded with weapons of war.
12 Walipokuwa wakisafiri wakapiga kambi huko Kiriath-Yearimu katika Yuda. Hii ndiyo sababu sehemu ya magharibi ya Kiriath-Yearimu inaitwa Mahane-Dani mpaka leo.
And they go up and encamp in Kirjath-Jearim, in Judah, therefore they have called that place, “Camp of Dan,” until this day; behold, behind Kirjath-Jearim.
13 Kutoka hapo wakaendelea mbele mpaka nchi ya vilima ya Efraimu na kufika katika nyumba ya Mika.
And they pass over there [to] the hill-country of Ephraim, and come to the house of Micah.
14 Ndipo wale watu watano waliopeleleza nchi ya Laishi wakawaambia ndugu zao, “Je, mwajua kuwa mojawapo ya nyumba hizi kuna naivera, sanamu ndogo za nyumbani, sanamu ya kuchonga na sanamu ya kusubu? Sasa basi fikirini mtakalofanya.”
And the five men, those going to traverse the land of Laish, answer and say to their brothers, “Have you known that in these houses there is an ephod, and teraphim, and carved image, and molten image? And now, know what you do.”
15 Basi wakaingia humo na kwenda kwenye nyumba ya yule kijana Mlawi katika nyumba ya Mika na kumsalimu.
And they turn aside there, and come to the house of the young man, the Levite, the house of Micah, and ask of him of welfare—
16 Wale Wadani 600, waliovaa silaha za vita, wakasimama penye ingilio la lango.
(and the six hundred men girded with their weapons of war, who [are] of the sons of Dan, are standing at the opening of the gate)—
17 Wale watu watano waliokwenda kupeleleza nchi wakaingia ndani na kuchukua ile sanamu ya kuchonga, ile naivera, na zile sanamu nyingine ndogo za nyumbani pamoja na ile sanamu ya kusubu, wakati yule kuhani akiwa amesimama pale penye ingilio la lango pamoja na wale watu 600 waliokuwa wamejifunga silaha za vita.
indeed, the five men, those going to traverse the land, go up—they have come in there—they have taken the carved image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image—and the priest is standing at the opening of the gate, and the six hundred men who are girded with weapons of war—
18 Hao watu walipoingia katika nyumba ya Mika na kuchukua ile sanamu ya kuchonga, ile naivera, na zile sanamu nyingine ndogo za nyumbani, pamoja na ile sanamu ya kusubu, yule kuhani akawauliza, “Mnafanya nini?”
indeed, these have entered the house of Micah, and take the carved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image; and the priest says to them, “What are you doing?”
19 Wakamjibu, “Nyamaza kimya! Weka mkono wako juu ya kinywa chako na ufuatane nasi, uwe baba yetu na kuhani wetu. Si ni afadhali utumikie kabila na ukoo katika Israeli kama kuhani kuliko kumtumikia mtu mmoja na watu wa nyumbani mwake?”
And they say to him, “Keep silent, lay your hand on your mouth, and go with us, and be for a father and for a priest to us: is it better your being a priest for the house of one man, or your being priest for a tribe and for a family in Israel?”
20 Yule kuhani akafurahi. Akachukua ile naivera, zile sanamu nyingine ndogo za nyumbani, na sanamu ya kuchonga, naye akaenda pamoja na wale watu.
And the heart of the priest is glad, and he takes the ephod, and the teraphim, and the carved image, and goes into the midst of the people,
21 Ndipo wakageuka na kuondoka wakiwatanguliza mbele watoto wao wadogo, wanyama wao wa kufugwa na mali zao.
and they turn and go, and put the infants, and the livestock, and the baggage, before them.
22 Walipokuwa wamesafiri umbali kidogo toka nyumbani kwa Mika, watu walioishi karibu na Mika wakaitwa wakakusanyika pamoja, nao wakawafikia Wadani.
They have been far off from the house of Micah—and the men who [are] in the houses which [are] near the house of Micah have been called together, and overtake the sons of Dan,
23 Walipofuatilia wakipiga kelele Wadani wakawageukia na kumwambia Mika, “Una nini wewe hata ukaja na kundi la watu namna hii ili kupigana?”
and call to the sons of Dan, and they turn their faces around, and say to Micah, “What [is this] to you that you have been called together?”
24 Akawajibu, “Mmechukua miungu yote niliyoitengeneza, mkachukua na kuhani wangu, nanyi mkaondoka. Nimebaki na nini kingine? Mnawezaje kuniuliza, ‘Una nini wewe?’”
And he says, “You have taken my gods which I made, and the priest, and you go; and what more do I [have]? And what [is] this you say to me, What [is this] to you?”
25 Wadani wakamjibu, “Usibishane na sisi, la sivyo watu wenye hasira kali watakushambulia, nawe na watu wa nyumbani mwako mtapoteza maisha.”
And the sons of Dan say to him, “Do not let your voice be heard with us, lest men bitter in soul fall on you, and you have gathered your life, and the life of your household”;
26 Basi Wadani wakaenda zao, naye Mika alipoona kuwa wana nguvu kumliko yeye, akageuka na kurudi nyumbani kwake.
and the sons of Dan go on their way, and Micah sees that they are stronger than he, and turns, and goes back to his house.
27 Kisha wakachukua vile Mika alivyokuwa ametengeneza, na kuhani wake, wakaendelea hadi Laishi, dhidi ya watu walio na amani, wasiokuwa na wasiwasi. Wakawashambulia kwa upanga na kuuteketeza mji wao kwa moto.
And they have taken that which Micah had made, and the priest whom he had, and come in against Laish, against a people quiet and confident, and strike them by the mouth of the sword, and have burned the city with fire,
28 Hapakuwa na yeyote wa kuwaokoa, kwa kuwa kulikuwa mbali sana na Sidoni na hawakuwa na ushirikiano na mtu mwingine yeyote. Mji ulikuwa kwenye bonde karibu na Beth-Rehobu. Wadani wakaujenga upya huo mji na kuishi humo.
and there is no deliverer, for it [is] far off from Sidon, and they have no word with [any] man, and it [is] in the valley which [is] by Beth-Rehob; and they build the city, and dwell in it,
29 Wakauita ule mji Dani kwa kufuata jina la baba yao aliyezaliwa na Israeli, ingawa mji huo ulikuwa ukiitwa Laishi hapo kwanza.
and call the name of the city Dan, by the name of their father Dan, who was born to Israel; and yet Laish [is] the name of the city at the first.
30 Kisha Wadani wakajisimamishia sanamu ile ya kuchonga, naye Yonathani mwana wa Gershomu, mwana wa Mose pamoja na wanawe walikuwa makuhani wa kabila la Wadani mpaka nchi hiyo ilipotekwa.
And the sons of Dan raise up the carved image for themselves, and Jonathan son of Gershom, son of Manasseh, he and his sons have been priests for the tribe of the Danite, until the day of the expulsion of [the people] of the land.
31 Wakaisimamisha na kuiabudu hiyo sanamu ya kuchonga ya Mika aliyokuwa ameitengeneza, wakati wote ule nyumba ya Mungu ilipokuwa huko Shilo.
And they appoint for themselves the carved image of Micah, which he had made, all the days of the house of God being in Shiloh.
