Waamuzi 21
1 Wana wa Israeli walikuwa wameapa kwa kiapo kule Mispa: “Hapana mtu yeyote atakayemwoza binti yake kwa Wabenyamini.”
And the men of Israel have sworn in Mizpeh, saying, “None of us gives his daughter to Benjamin for a wife.”
2 Watu wakaenda Betheli, wakaketi mbele za Mungu mpaka jioni, wakapaza sauti zao, wakalia sana.
And the people come to Beth-El, and sit there until the evening before God, and lift up their voice, and weep [with] a great weeping,
3 Wakasema, “Ee Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, kwa nini jambo hili limewapata Waisraeli? Kwa nini kabila moja la Israeli limekosekana?”
and say, “Why, O YHWH, God of Israel, has this been in Israel—to be lacking one tribe from Israel today?”
4 Kesho yake asubuhi na mapema watu wakajenga madhabahu na kuleta sadaka za kuteketezwa na sadaka za amani.
And it comes to pass on the next day, that the people rise early, and build an altar there, and cause burnt-offerings and peace-offerings to ascend.
5 Ndipo Waisraeli wakasema, “Ni kabila lipi la Israeli ambalo halikufika katika mkutano kumkaribia Bwana?” Kwa kuwa walikuwa wameweka kiapo kikuu kuwa yeyote asiyefika mbele za Bwana huko Mispa, kwa hakika angeuawa.
And the sons of Israel say, “Who [is] he that has not come up in the assembly to YHWH out of all the tribes of Israel?” For the great oath has been concerning him who has not come up to YHWH to Mizpeh, saying, “He is surely put to death.”
6 Basi Waisraeli wakaghairi kwa ajili ya ndugu zao Wabenyamini, wakasema, “Leo kabila moja limekatiliwa mbali na Israeli.
And the sons of Israel sigh concerning their brother Benjamin, and say, “Today there has been one tribe cut off from Israel,
7 Sasa tutawezaje kuwapa mabinti zetu wawe wake zao kwa hao waliobaki maadamu tumeapa kwa Bwana kuwa hatutawapa binti zetu kuwa wake zao?”
what do we do for them—for those who are left—for wives, since we have sworn by YHWH not to give to them from our daughters for wives?”
8 Ndipo wakasema, “Ni kabila lipi la Israeli ambalo halikufika mbele za Bwana huko Mispa?” Wakagundua kuwa hakuna hata mmoja aliyetoka Yabeshi-Gileadi aliyefika kambini kwa ajili ya kusanyiko la mkutano.
And they say, “Who is [that] one out of the tribes of Israel who has not come up to YHWH to Mizpeh?” And behold, none has come to the camp from Jabesh-Gilead—to the assembly.
9 Walipohesabu waliona hakuna mtu yeyote wa Yabeshi-Gileadi aliyekuwepo.
And the people numbered themselves, and behold, there is no man from the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead.
10 Ndipo mkutano wakatuma askari 12,000 na wakawaamuru kwenda Yabeshi-Gileadi na kuwaua wale wote waishio huko, walikuwepo wake na watoto.
And the congregation sends twelve thousand men of the sons of valor there, and commands them, saying, “Go—and you have struck the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead by the mouth of the sword, even the women and the infants.
11 Wakasema, “Hilo ndilo mtakalofanya. Ueni kila mtu mume na mke ambaye si bikira.”
And this [is] the thing which you do; every male, and every woman knowing the lying of a male, you devote.”
12 Wakakuta kati ya watu walioishi Yabeshi-Gileadi wanawali mia nne ambao hawajakutana kimwili na mwanaume, nao wakawachukua kwenye kambi huko Shilo katika nchi ya Kanaani.
And they find four hundred young women, virgins, out of the inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead, who have not known man by the lying of a male, and they bring them to the camp at Shiloh, which [is] in the land of Canaan.
13 Ndipo mkutano ukatuma ujumbe wa amani kwa Wabenyamini huko katika mwamba wa Rimoni.
And all the congregation sends [word] and speaks to the sons of Benjamin who [are] in the rock of Rimmon, and proclaims peace to them;
14 Basi Wabenyamini wakarudi nyumbani mwao, wakapewa wale wanawali wa Yabeshi-Gileadi waliowaponya. Lakini hawakuwatosha wanaume wote.
and Benjamin turns back at that time, and they give to them the women whom they have kept alive of the women of Jabesh-Gilead, and they have not found for [all of] them so.
15 Waisraeli wakasikitika kwa ajili ya Wabenyamini, kwa kuwa Bwana ameweka ufa katika makabila ya Israeli.
And the people sighed concerning Benjamin, for YHWH had made a breach among the tribes of Israel.
16 Viongozi wa kusanyiko wakasema, “Kwa kuwa wanawake wa Wabenyamini wameangamizwa, tufanyeje ili kuwapatia wake wale wanaume waliosalia?
And [the] elderly of the congregation say, “What do we do to the remnant for wives—for the women have been destroyed out of Benjamin?”
17 Wale waliopona wa Wabenyamini ni lazima tuwape wake, ili wawe na warithi, ili kabila lolote katika Israeli lisifutike.
And they say, “A possession of an escaped party [is] to Benjamin, and a tribe is not blotted out from Israel;
18 Hatuwezi kuwapa binti zetu kuwa wake, kwa kuwa sisi Waisraeli tumeapa kiapo hiki: ‘Alaaniwe mtu yeyote ampaye Mbenyamini mke.’”
and we are not able to give wives to them out of our daughters, for the sons of Israel have sworn, saying, Cursed [is] he who is giving a wife to Benjamin.”
19 Ndipo waliposema, “Tazama iko sikukuu ya kila mwaka ya Bwana katika Shilo, kaskazini ya Betheli na mashariki mwa ile barabara itokayo Betheli kwenda Shekemu, upande wa kusini wa Lebona.”
And they say, “Behold, a festival of YHWH [is] in Shiloh, from time to time, which [is] on the north of Beth-El, at the rising of the sun, by the highway which is going up from Beth-El to Shechem, and on the south of Lebonah.”
20 Hivyo wakawaelekeza Wabenyamini wakisema, “Nendeni mkajifiche kwenye mashamba ya mizabibu,
And they command the sons of Benjamin, saying, “Go—and you have laid wait in the vineyards,
21 nanyi mwangalie. Wasichana wa Shilo watakapojiunga kwenye kucheza, ninyi tokeni kwenye hayo mashamba ya mizabibu na kila mmoja akamate mwanamke mmoja toka miongoni mwa hao wasichana wa Shilo na mwende nao katika nchi ya Benyamini.
and have seen, and behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances—then you have gone out from the vineyards, and each caught his wife out of the daughters of Shiloh for yourselves, and have gone to the land of Benjamin;
22 Baba zao au ndugu zao waume watakapotulalamikia, tutawaambia, ‘Kuweni wakarimu kwetu, nanyi mturuhusu tuwe nao kwa kuwa hatukuweza kumpa kila mtu mke tulipopigana. Lakini ninyi pia hamna hatia, kwa kuwa hamkuwapa wao binti zenu kuwa wake.’”
and it has been, when their fathers or their brothers come in to plead to us, that we have said to them, Favor us [by] them, for we have not each taken his wife in battle, for you have not given [wives] to them at this time, [so] you are [not] guilty.”
23 Basi hivyo ndivyo Wabenyamini walivyofanya. Wakati wasichana walipokuwa wakicheza, kila mtu akamkamata msichana mmoja akamchukua akaenda naye ili awe mke wake. Kisha wakarudi katika urithi wao na kuijenga upya miji na kuishi humo.
And the sons of Benjamin do so, and take women according to their number, out of the dancers whom they have seized; and they go, and return to their inheritance, and build the cities, and dwell in them.
24 Wakati huo Waisraeli wakaondoka sehemu ile na kwenda nyumbani kwao, kwenye makabila yao na kwa jamaa zao, kila mmoja kwenye urithi wake mwenyewe.
And the sons of Israel go up and down there at that time, each to his tribe, and to his family; and they each go out there to his inheritance.
25 Katika siku hizo kulikuwa hakuna mfalme katika Israeli; kila mtu alifanya kile alichoona ni sawa machoni pake mwenyewe.
In those days there is no king in Israel; each does that which is right in his own eyes.
