Waamuzi 3

1 Haya ndiyo mataifa Bwana aliyoyaacha ili kuwajaribu Waisraeli wote ambao hawakujua vita vyovyote vya Kanaani

These are the nations which the Lord left, that by them he might instruct Israel, and all that had not known the wars of the Chanaanites:

2 (alifanya hivi ili tu kuwafundisha wazao wa Waisraeli ambao hawakuwa wamejua vita hapo awali):

That afterwards their children might learn to fight with their enemies, and to be trained up to war:

3 wafalme watano wa Wafilisti, Wakanaani wote, Wasidoni, Wahivi waishio katika milima ya Lebanoni kuanzia Mlima wa Baal-Hermoni hadi Lebo-Hamathi.

The five princes of the Philistines, and all the Chanaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hevites that dwelt in mount Libanus, from mount Baal Hermon to the entering into Emath.

4 Waliachwa ili kuwajaribu Waisraeli kuona kama wangetii amri za Bwana, alizokuwa amewapa baba zao kwa mkono wa Mose.

And he left them, that he might try Israel by them, whether they would hear the commandments of the Lord, which he had commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses, or not.

5 Waisraeli wakaishi miongoni mwa Wakanaani, Wahiti, Waamori, Waperizi, Wahivi na Wayebusi.

So the children of Israel dwelt in the midst of the Chanaanite, and the Hethite, and the Amorrhite, and the Pherezite, and the Hevite, and the Jebusite:

6 Wakawaoa binti zao, nao wakawatoa binti zao waolewe na wana wa hayo mataifa, na kuitumikia miungu yao.

And they took their daughters to wives, and they gave their own daughters to their sons, and they served their gods.

7 Waisraeli wakafanya maovu machoni pa Bwana, wakamsahau Bwana Mungu wao na kutumikia Mabaali na Maashera.

And they did evil in the sight of the Lord, and they forgot their God, and served Baalim and Astaroth.

8 Hasira ya Bwana ikawaka dhidi ya Israeli, hivyo akawauza na kuwatia mikononi mwa Kushan-Rishathaimu mfalme wa Aramu-Naharaimu ambaye Israeli walikuwa chini yake wakimtumikia kwa muda wa miaka minane.

And the Lord being angry with Israel, delivered them into the hands of Chusan Rasathaim king of Mesopotamia, and they served him eight years.

9 Waisraeli walipomlilia Bwana, yeye akawainulia mwokozi, Othnieli mwana wa Kenazi, ndugu mdogo wa Kalebu, ambaye aliwaokoa.

And they cried to the Lord, who raised them up a saviour, and delivered them, to wit, Othoniel the son of Cenez, the younger brother of Caleb:

10 Roho wa Bwana akaja juu yake, hivyo akawa mwamuzi wa Israeli, akaenda vitani. Bwana akamtia Kushan-Rishathaimu mfalme wa Aramu mikononi mwa Othnieli, naye akamshinda.

And the spirit of the Lord was in him, and he judged Israel. And he went out to fight, and the Lord delivered into his hands Chusan Rasathaim king of Syria, and he overthrew him.

11 Hivyo nchi ikawa na amani kwa muda wa miaka arobaini, mpaka Othnieli mwana wa Kenazi alipofariki.

And the land rested forty years, and Othoniel the son of Cenez died.

12 Waisraeli wakafanya maovu mbele za Bwana tena, kwa kuwa walifanya maovu hayo Bwana akamtia nguvu Egloni mfalme wa Moabu dhidi ya Israeli.

And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord: who strengthened against them Eglon king of Moab: because they did evil in his sight.

13 Egloni akawataka Waamoni na Waamaleki waungane naye, akaja kuishambulia Israeli, nao wakatwaa Mji wa Mitende

And he joined to him the children of Ammon, and Amalec: and he went and overthrew Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.

14 Waisraeli wakawa chini ya Egloni mfalme wa Moabu kwa muda wa miaka kumi na minane.

And the children of Israel served Eglon king of Moab eighteen years:

15 Waisraeli wakamlilia tena Bwana, naye akawapa mwokozi: Ehudi, mtu wa shoto, mwana wa Gera, Mbenyamini. Waisraeli wakatuma kwa Egloni mfalme wa Moabu ushuru kwa mkono wa Ehudi.

And afterwards they cried to the Lord, who raised them up a saviour called Aod, the son of Gera, the son of Jemini, who used the left hand as well as the right. And the children of Israel sent presents to Eglon king of Moab by him.

16 Basi Ehudi alikuwa ametengeneza upanga wenye ukatao kuwili, urefu wake ni kama dhiraa moja, akaufunga upanga huo ndani ya nguo yake kwenye paja lake la mkono wa kuume.

And he made himself a two-edged sword, with a haft in the midst of the length of the palm of the hand, and was girded therewith under his garment on the right thigh.

17 Akamkabidhi ushuru Egloni mfalme wa Moabu, ambaye alikuwa mtu mnene sana.

And he presented the gifts to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was exceeding fat.

18 Baada ya Ehudi kumkabidhi ule ushuru, wale watu waliokuwa wameubeba huo ushuru aliwaruhusu waende zao.

And when he had presented the gifts unto him, he followed his companions that came along with him.

19 Yeye mwenyewe akafuatana nao hadi kwenye sanamu ya kuchora kwenye mawe karibu na Gilgali, ndipo yeye akarudi, akafika kwa Egloni na kusema, “Ee Mfalme, ninao ujumbe wa siri kwa ajili yako.” Mfalme akasema, “Nyamazeni kimya!” Nao wale waliomhudumia wote wakamwacha, wakatoka nje.

Then returning from Galgal, where the idols were, be said to the king: I have a secret message to thee, O king. And he commanded silence: and all being gone out that were about him,

20 Ndipo Ehudi akamsogelea alipokuwa ameketi peke yake kwenye chumba cha juu cha jumba lake la kifalme la majira ya kiangazi, na kusema, “Ninao ujumbe kutoka kwa Mungu kwa ajili yako.” Mfalme alipokuwa anainuka kutoka kwenye kiti chake,

Aod went in to him: now he was sitting in a summer parlour alone, and he said: I have a word from God to thee. And he forthwith rose up from his throne,

21 Ehudi akaunyoosha mkono wake wa kushoto na kuufuta ule upanga aliokuwa ameufunga kwenye paja lake la kulia, akamdunga Mfalme Egloni tumboni mwake.

And Aod put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly,

22 Hata mpini nao ukazama tumboni pamoja na upanga wenyewe, nao upanga ukatokea mgongoni mwake. Ehudi hakuuchomoa huo upanga, nayo mafuta yakashikamana juu ya upanga.

With such force that the haft went in after the blade into the wound, and was closed up with the abundance of fat. So that he did not draw out the dagger, but left it in his body as he had struck it in. And forthwith by the secret parts of nature the excrements of the belly came out.

23 Ehudi akatoka nje barazani; akamfungia milango ya chumba cha juu na kuifunga kwa funguo.

But Aod carefully shutting the doors of the parlour and locking them,

24 Baada ya kuondoka, watumishi wakaja na kukuta milango ya chumba cha juu imefungwa kwa funguo. Wakasema, “Bila shaka amejipumzisha kwenye chumba cha ndani cha nyumba yake ya majira ya kiangazi.”

Went out by a postern door. And the king’s servants going in, saw the doors of the parlour shut, and they said: Perhaps he is easing nature in his summer parlour.

25 Wakangoja hata wakawa na fadhaa, basi wakati hakufungua milango ya chumba, wakachukua funguo na kuifungua. Tazama wakaona bwana wao amelala sakafuni, amekufa.

And waiting a long time till they were ashamed, and seeing that no man opened the door, they took a key: and opening, they found their lord lying dead on the ground.

26 Walipokuwa wangali wanangoja, Ehudi akatoroka, akapita hapo kwenye sanamu ya kuchora kwenye mawe na kukimbilia Seira.

But Aod, while they were in confusion, escaped, and passed by the place of the idols, from whence he had returned. And he came to Seirath:

27 Alipofika huko, akapiga tarumbeta katika nchi ya vilima ya Efraimu, nao Waisraeli wakateremka pamoja naye kutoka vilimani, yeye akiwa anawaongoza.

And forthwith he sounded the trumpet in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel went down with him, he himself going in the front.

28 Akawaagiza, “Nifuateni, kwa kuwa Bwana amewatia Moabu, adui zenu, mikononi mwenu.” Kwa hiyo wakateremka wakamfuata, wakavishika vivuko vya Yordani kuelekea Moabu, wala hawakuacha mtu yeyote kuvuka.

And he said to them: Follow me: for the Lord hath delivered our enemies the Moabites into our hands. And they went down after him, and seized upon the fords of the Jordan, which are in the way to Moab: and they suffered no man to pass over.

29 Wakati huo wakawaua Wamoabu watu waume wapatao 10,000 ambao wote walikuwa wenye nguvu na mashujaa; hakuna mtu yeyote aliyetoroka.

But they slew of the Moabites at that time, about ten thousand, all strong and Valiant men: none of them could escape.

30 Siku ile Moabu wakashindwa na Israeli, nayo nchi ikawa na amani kwa miaka themanini.

And Moab was humbled that day under the hand of Israel: and the land rested eighty years.

31 Baada ya Ehudi akaja Shamgari mwana wa Anathi, aliyewapiga Wafilisti 600 kwa fimbo iliyochongoka ya kuongozea ngʼombe. Naye pia akawaokoa Waisraeli.

After him was Samgar the son of Anath, who slew of the Philistines six hundred men with a ploughshare: and he also defended Israel.