Waamuzi 8
1 Basi Waefraimu wakamuuliza Gideoni, “Mbona mmetutenda hivi? Kwa nini hukutuita ulipokwenda kupigana na Wamidiani?” Wakawalaumu kwa ukali sana.
And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why have you served us thus, that you called us not, when you went to fight with the Midianites? And they did chide with him sharply.
2 Gideoni akawajibu, “Nilichofanya mimi ni nini kulinganisha na kile ninyi mlichofanya? Je, kuokoa masazo ya zabibu za Efraimu si bora kuliko mavuno kamili ya zabibu ya Abiezeri?
And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?
3 Mungu amewatia Orebu na Zeebu, hao viongozi wa Wamidiani, mikononi mwenu. Je, mimi niliweza kufanya nini kulinganisha na mlichofanya ninyi?” Aliposema hili, hasira yao dhidi yake ikatulia.
God has delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then their anger was decreased toward him, when he had said that.
4 Gideoni akiwa pamoja na wale watu 300 waliofuatana naye, wakiwa wamechoka na wenye njaa lakini bado wakiwafuatia, wakafika Yordani na kuuvuka.
And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them.
5 Akawaambia watu wa Sukothi, “Tafadhali lipatieni jeshi langu mikate, kwa maana wamechoka, nami ningali ninawafuatia Zeba na Salmuna, wafalme wa Midiani.”
And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.
6 Lakini maafisa wa Sukothi wakasema, “Je, mikono ya Zeba na Salmuna tayari mnayo sasa ili tuweze kulipatia jeshi lako mikate?”
And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread unto your army?
7 Gideoni akajibu, “Kwa ajili ya hilo tu, Bwana atakapowatia Zeba na Salmuna mkononi mwangu, nitaichana nyama ya miili yenu kwenye miiba ya nyikani na kwenye michongoma.”
And Gideon said, Therefore when the LORD has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.
8 Kutoka hapo alikwea mpaka Penieli na kutoa ombi lile lile, lakini nao watu wa Penieli wakamjibu kama watu wa Sukothi walivyokuwa wamemjibu.
And he went up thence to Penuel, and spoke unto them likewise: and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him.
9 Hivyo akawaambia watu wa Penieli, “Nitakaporudi baada ya kushinda, nitaubomoa mnara huu.”
And he spoke also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.
10 Wakati huu Zeba na Salmuna walikuwa Karkori wakiwa na jeshi lenye watu wapatao 15,000 wale wote waliokuwa wamesalia wa mataifa ya mashariki, kwa kuwa watu wapatao 120,000 wenye panga walikuwa wameuawa.
Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.
11 Basi Gideoni akakwea kwa njia ya wasafiri mashariki ya Noba na Yogbeha na kulishambulia jeshi ambalo halikushuku lolote.
And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and stroke the host; for the host was secure.
12 Zeba na Salmuna, hao wafalme wawili wa Midiani, wakakimbia lakini yeye Gideoni akawafuata na kuwakamata, akalishinda hilo jeshi lao lote.
And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and humiliated all the host.
13 Gideoni mwana wa Yoashi akarudi kutoka vitani kwa kupitia Mwinuko wa Heresi.
And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was up,
14 Akamkamata kijana mmoja wa Sukothi na kumuuliza maswali, naye yule kijana akamwandikia majina ya maafisa sabini wa Sukothi, ambao ni viongozi wa mji.
And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and enquired of him: and he described unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen men.
15 Ndipo Gideoni akaja na kuwaambia watu wa Sukothi, “Tazama, hapa wapo Zeba na Salmuna mlionisimanga kwa ajili yao mkisema, ‘Je, mikono ya Zeba na Salmuna tayari mnayo sasa ili tuweze kulipatia jeshi lako mikate?’”
And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom all of you did reproach me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread unto your men that are weary?
16 Akawachukua hao viongozi wa mji na kuwafundisha watu wa Sukothi somo kwa kuwaadhibu kwa miiba na michongoma ya nyikani.
And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.
17 Pia akaubomoa mnara wa Penieli na kuwaua watu wa mji.
And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.
18 Kisha akawauliza Zeba na Salmuna, “Ni watu wa aina gani mliowaua huko Tabori?” Wakajibu, “Ni watu kama wewe, kila mmoja wao akiwa na nafasi ya uana wa mfalme.”
Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom all of you slew at Tabor? And they answered, As you are, so were they; each one resembled the children of a king.
19 Gideoni akajibu, “Hao walikuwa ndugu zangu, wana wa mama yangu hasa. Hakika kama aishivyo Bwana, kama mngekuwa mmewaacha hai, mimi nisingewaua ninyi.”
And he said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother: as the LORD lives, if all of you had saved them alive, I would not slay you.
20 Akamgeukia Yetheri, mwanawe mzaliwa wa kwanza, akasema, “Waue hawa!” Lakini Yetheri hakuufuta upanga wake, kwa sababu aliogopa, kwa kuwa alikuwa bado kijana mdogo tu.
And he said unto Jether his firstborn, Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth.
21 Zeba na Salmuna wakasema, “Njoo ufanye hivyo wewe mwenyewe. ‘Alivyo mtu, ndivyo zilivyo nguvu zake.’” Hivyo Gideoni akatoka mbele na kuwaua, naye akayaondoa mapambo kwenye shingo za ngamia zao.
Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise you, and fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that were on their camels' necks.
22 Waisraeli wakamwambia Gideoni, “Ututawale, wewe, wanao na wana wa wana wako, kwa kuwa umetuokoa kutoka mikononi mwa Wamidiani.”
Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule you over us, both you, and your son, and your son's son also: for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.
23 Lakini Gideoni akawaambia, “Mimi sitatawala juu yenu, wala wanangu hawatatawala juu yenu. Bwana ndiye atakayetawala juu yenu ninyi.”
And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you.
24 Naye akasema, “Ninalo ombi moja, kwamba kila mmoja wenu anipatie kipuli kutoka kwenye fungu lake la nyara.” (Ilikuwa desturi ya Waishmaeli kuvaa vipuli vya dhahabu.)
And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that all of you would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)
25 Wakajibu, “Tutafurahi kuvitoa.” Hivyo wakatanda vazi chini na kila mwanaume akatupia juu yake pete kutoka kwenye fungu lake la nyara.
And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey.
26 Uzito wa pete za dhahabu alizoomba zilifikia shekeli 1,700, bila kuhesabu mapambo mengine, pete za masikio na mavazi ya zambarau yaliyovaliwa na wafalme wa Midiani, au mikufu iliyokuwa kwenye shingo za ngamia zao.
And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels' necks.
27 Gideoni akatengeneza kisibau kwa kutumia ile dhahabu, ambacho alikiweka katika mji wake, yaani, Ofra. Waisraeli wote wakafanya uasherati kwa kukiabudu huko, nacho kikawa mtego kwa Gideoni na jamaa yake.
And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.
28 Hivyo Midiani ikashindwa mbele ya Israeli nayo haikuinua kichwa chake tena. Wakati wa siku za uhai wa Gideoni, nchi ikafurahia amani miaka arobaini.
Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.
29 Yerub-Baali mwana wa Yoashi akarudi kwenda kuishi katika nyumba yake.
And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.
30 Alikuwa na wana sabini wa kwake mwenyewe, kwa kuwa alikuwa na wake wengi.
And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.
31 Suria wake, aliyekuwa anaishi huko Shekemu, pia alimzalia mwana, ambaye alimwita Abimeleki.
And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.
32 Gideoni mwana wa Yoashi akafa akiwa na umri mzuri wa uzee, na akazikwa katika kaburi la Yoashi baba yake huko Ofra ya Waabiezeri.
And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the tomb of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
33 Mara tu alipofariki Gideoni, Waisraeli wakarudia hali ya uovu na kufanya uasherati kwa kuabudu Mabaali. Wakamsimamisha Baal-Berithi kuwa mungu wao na
And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baalberith their god.
34 wala hawakumkumbuka Bwana Mungu wao, aliyewaokoa kutoka mikononi mwa adui zao wote kutoka kila upande.
And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side:
35 Pia wakashindwa kuitendea mema jamaa ya Yerub-Baali (yaani Gideoni) kwa ajili ya mambo yote mema aliyokuwa amefanya kwa ajili yao.
Neither showed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had showed unto Israel.
