< 1 Samweli 5 >
1 Basi Wafilisti wakawa wamelitwaa sanduku la Mungu, wakalileta kutoka Ebenezeri hadi Ashdodi.
And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Eben-ezer to Ashdod.
2 Wafilisti walilichukua sanduku la Mungu, wakalileta ndani ya nyumba ya Dagoni, na wakalikalisha pembeni mwa Dagoni.
And the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.
3 Watu wa Ashdodi walipoamka mapema siku ya pili, tazama, Dagoni ilianguka chini kifudifudi mbele ya sanduku la BWANA. Hivyo waliichukua Dagoni na kuisimamisha tena katika sehemu yake.
And when they of Ashdod arose early the next day, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of Jehovah. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again.
4 Lakini walipoamka mapema kesho yake, tazama, Dagoni alikuwa ameanguka chini kifudifudi mbele ya sanduku la BWANA. Kichwa cha Dagoni na vitanga vyake miwili vilikatika na kulala mlangoni. Kiwiliwili cha Dagoni ndicho kilibaki tu.
And when they arose early the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of Jehovah; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the fish-stump was left to him.
5 Na hii ndiyo sababu, makuhani wa Dagoni na yeyote aingiae ndani ya nyumba ya Dagoni, hata leo, hawezi kukanyaga mlango wa Dagoni katika Ashdodi.
Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor any that come into Dagon's house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.
6 Mkono wa BWANA ulikuwa mzito juu ya watu wa Ashdodi. Aliwaangamiza akawatesa kwa majipu, Ashdodi na wilaya zake kwa pamoja.
And the hand of Jehovah was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he laid them waste, and smote them with hemorrhoids, — Ashdod and its borders.
7 Watu wa Ashdodi walipotambua kilichokuwa kinatokea, walisema, “Sanduku la Mungu wa Israeli lisikae kwetu, kwa sababu mkono wake ni mzito juu yetu na juu ya mungu wetu Dagoni.”
And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The ark of the God of Israel shall not abide with us; for his hand is severe upon us, and upon Dagon our god.
8 Basi wakawatuma watu wawakusanye pamoja viongozi wote wa Wafilisti; wakawambia, “Tufanye nini na sanduku la Mungu wa Israeli?” Wakawajibu, “Sanduku la Mungu wa Israeli lihamishwe na kupelekwa Gathi.” Basi wakalihamisha hilo sanduku la Mungu wa Israeli hadi huko Gathi.
And they sent and gathered all the lords of the Philistines unto them, and said, What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? And they said, Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried about to Gath. And they carried the ark of the God of Israel about [thither].
9 Lakini baada ya kulipeleka huko, mkono wa BWANA ulikuwa juu ya mji huo, ukasababisha machafuko makubwa. Akawatesa watu wa mji huo, wakubwa kwa wadogo; na majipu yakaota juu ya miili yao.
And it came to pass that, after they had carried it about, the hand of Jehovah was against the city with very great panic; and he smote the men of the city, both small and great, and hemorrhoids broke out upon them.
10 Basi, wakalipeleka sanduku la Mungu hadi Ekroni. Lakini mara tu sanduku la Mungu lilipoingia Ekroni, watu wa Ekroni walipiga kelele wakisema, “Wametuletea sanduku la Mungu wa Israeli kutuua sisi na watu wetu.”
And they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, when the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to kill us and our people.
11 Basi wakawatuma watu wawakusanye pamoja viongozi wote wa Wafilisti; wakawambia, “Lipelekeni mbali sanduku la Mungu wa Israeli, na lirudishwe katika makao yake, ili lisije kutuua sisi na watu wetu.” Kwa maana kulikuwa na hofu ya kutisha mjini mwote; Mkono wa Mungu ulikuwa mzito mno huko.
And they sent and gathered all the lords of the Philistines, and said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to its own place, that it kill us not, and our people. For there was deadly alarm throughout the city: the hand of God was very heavy there;
12 Watu ambao hawakufa waliteswa na majipu, na kilio cha mji kilipanda hadi mbinguni.
and the men that died not were smitten with the hemorrhoids; and the cry of the city went up to heaven.