Waamuzi 3

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

Now these are the nations which YHWH left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan;

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

Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof;

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

Namely, five rulers of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baal-hermon unto the entering in of Hamath.

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

And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of YHWH, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

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

And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites:

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

And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their elohim.

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

And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of YHWH, and forgat YHWH their Elohim, and served Baalim and the groves.

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.

Therefore the anger of YHWH was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushan-rishathaim eight years.

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

And when the children of Israel cried unto YHWH, YHWH raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.

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 YHWH came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and YHWH delivered Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushan-rishathaim.

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

And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz 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 YHWH: and YHWH strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of YHWH.

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

And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.

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

So the children of Israel served Eglon the 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.

But when the children of Israel cried unto YHWH, YHWH raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab.

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.

But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh.

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

And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man.

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

And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people that bare the present.

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.

But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from 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,

And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from Elohim unto thee. And he arose out of his seat.

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

And Ehud 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.

And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out.

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

Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked 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.”

When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlour were locked, they said, Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber.

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

And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the doors of the parlour; therefore they took a key, and opened them: and, behold, their master was fallen down dead on the earth.

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

And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirath.

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

And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them.

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 unto them, Follow after me: for YHWH hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a 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.

And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man.

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

So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.

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

And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.