Waamuzi 18
1 Siku hizo hapakuwa na mfalme huko Israeli. Kabila la Wadani lilikuwa linatafuta makazi ya kuishi, kwa maana mpaka siku hiyo hawakupokea urithi wowote kutoka miongoni mwa makabila ya Israeli.
In those days there was no king in Israel. And in those days the tribe of the Danites sought for them an inheritance to dwell in, for to that day their inheritance had not fallen to them among the tribes of Israel.
2 Watu wa Dani walituma watu watano kutoka kwa idadi yote ya kabila lao, wanaume wenye ujasiri kutoka Sora na kutoka Eshtaoi, ili kukagua ardhi kwa miguu, na kuiangalia. Wakawaambia, “Nendeni mkaangalie nchi.' Wakafika nchi ya mlima wa Efraimu, kwa nyumba ya Mika wakalala huko.
And the sons of Dan sent of their family five men from their whole number, men of valor, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to search it. And they said to them, Go, search the land. And they came to the hill-country of Ephraim to the house of Micah, and lodged there.
3 Walipokuwa karibu na nyumba ya Mika, walitambua maneno ya Mlawi. Basi wakamsimama na kumwuliza, “Nani alikuleta hapa? Unafanya nini hapa? Kwa nini uko hapa?”
When they were by the house of Micah, they recognized the voice of the young man the Levite. And they turned aside there, and said to him, Who brought thee here? And what are thou doing in this place? And what have thou here?
4 Akawaambia, “Hivi ndivyo Mika amefanya kwa ajili yangu Yeye aliniajiri mimi kuwa kahani wake.”
And he said to them, Thus and thus has Micah dealt with me, and he has hired me, and I have become his priest.
5 Wakamwambia, “Tafadhali tafuta ushauri kwa Mungu, ili tuweze kujua kama safari tunayoendea itafanikiwa.”
And they said to him, Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous.
6 Kuhani huyo akawaambia, “Nenda kwa amani. Bwana atakuongoza katika njia unayoiendea.”
And the priest said to them, Go in peace. Your way is before Jehovah in which ye go.
7 Kisha wale watu watano wakaondoka na wakafika Laishia, na waliona watu waliokuwa pale waliishi salama- vivyo hivyo Wasidoni waliishi bila kusumbuliwa na kwa usalama. Hapakuwa na mtu aliyewashinda katika nchi hiyo, au aliyewasumbua kwa namna yoyote. Waliishi mbali na Wasidoni, na hawakuwa na ushirikiano na mtu yeyote.
Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people that were in it, how they dwelt in security, according to the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and secure, for there was none in the land possessing authority, that might put them to shame in anything. And they were far from the Sidonians, and had no dealings with any man.
8 Walirudi kwa kabila lao huko Zora na Eshtaol. Ndugu zao waliwauliza, 'Mna habari gani?'
And they came to their brothers to Zorah and Eshtaol. And their brothers said to them, What say ye?
9 Wakasema, “Njoo! Hebu tuwashambulie! Tumeona ardhi na ni nzuri sana. Je hamfanyi kitu? Msiwe wavivu kushambulia na kuchukua ardhi.
And they said, Arise, and let us go up against them, for we have seen the land, and, behold, it is very good, and are ye idle? Be not slothful to go and to enter in to possess the land.
10 Mnapoenda, mtakuta watu wanaofikiri wapo salama, na nchi ni pana! Mungu amewapa ninyi-mahali ambako hapajapungukiwa kitu chochote duniani. '
When ye go, ye shall come to a people secure. And the land is large, for God has given it into your hand, a place where there is no want of anything that is on the earth.
11 Watu mia sita wa kabila la Dani, wenye silaha za vita, waliondoka kutoka Sora na Eshtaoli.
And there set forth from there of the family of the Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men girded with weapons of war.
12 Wakasafiri, wakapanga Kiriath-yearimu, huko Yuda. Ndio maana watu walipaita mahali pale Mahane Dani hata leo; ni magharibi ya Kiriath yearimu.
And they went up, and encamped in Kiriath-jearim, in Judah. Therefore they called that place Mahaneh-dan, to this day. Behold, it is behind Kiriath-jearim.
13 Wakaondoka huko na kwenda nchi ya mlima wa Efraimu, wakafika nyumbani kwa Mika.
And they passed from there to the hill-country of Ephraim, and came to the house of Micah.
14 Kisha watu watano waliokuwa wamekwenda kutazama nchi ya Laisha waliwaambia jamaa zao, “Je, mnajua kwamba katika nyumba hizi kuna efodi, miungu ya kaya, sanamu zilizochongwa, na sanamu za chuma? Amua sasa utakachofanya.”
Then the five men who went to spy out the country of Laish, answered and said to their brothers, Do ye know that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image? Now therefore consider what ye have to do.
15 Basi wakarudi huko, wakafika nyumbani mwa Mlawi, nyumbani mwa Mika; wakamsalimu.
And they turned aside there, and came to the house of the young man the Levite, even to the house of Micah, and asked him of his welfare.
16 Wana Daniani mia sita, wenye silaha za vita, walisimama kwenye maingilio ya lango.
And the six hundred men girded with their weapons of war, who were of the sons of Dan, stood by the entrance of the gate.
17 Wale watu watano waliokuwa wamekwenda kutembelea nchi walikwenda huko na wakachukua sanamu zilizochongwa, efodi, na miungu ya nyumba, na sanamu ya chuma, wakati kuhani alipokuwa amesimama kwenye maingilio ya lango na wanaume mia sita wenye silaha za vita.
And the five men who went to spy out the land went up, and came in there, and took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. And the priest stood by the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men girded with weapons of war.
18 Walipokuwa wakiingia nyumbani kwa Mika na kuchukua sanamu zilizochongwa, efodi, miungu ya nyumba, na sanamu za chuma, kuhani akasema, “mnafanya nini?”
And when these went into Micah's house, and fetched the graven image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image, the priest said to them, What do ye?
19 Wakamwambia, “Tulia! Weka mkono wako kwenye kinywa chako na uje nasi, na uwe kwetu baba na kuhani. Je, ni bora kuwa wewe kuhani kwa ajili ya nyumba ya mtu mmoja, au kuhani kwa kabila na jamaa katika Israeli?”
And they said to him, Hold thy peace, lay thy hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest. Is it better for thee to be priest to the house of one man, or to be priest to a tribe and a family in Israel?
20 Moyo wa kuhani ulifurahi. Akachukua efodi, miungu ya nyumba, na sanamu ya kuchongwa, akaenda pamoja na hao watu.
And the priest's heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the midst of the people.
21 Basi wakageuka wakaenda. Wameweka watoto wadogo mbele yao wenyewe, pamoja na ng'ombe na mali zao.
So they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the cattle and the goods before them.
22 Walipokuwa umbali mzuri kutoka kwa nyumba ya Mika, watu waliokuwa ndani ya nyumba iliyo karibu na nyumba ya Mika waliitwa, nao wakawafikia Wadani.
When they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men who were in the houses near to Micah's house were gathered together, and overtook the sons of Dan.
23 Waliwapigia kelele Wadani, nao wakageuka, wakamwambia Mika, “Kwa nini mmekuja pamoja?
And they cried out to the sons of Dan. And they turned their faces, and said to Micah, What troubles thee that thou come with such a company?
24 Akasema, “ninyi mmeiba miungu niliyoifanya, mmemchukua kuhani wangu, na mnaondoka. Je, nina nini tena? Unawezaje kuniuliza, 'Ni nini kinachokusumbua?'”
And he said, ye have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and have gone away, and what have I more? And how do ye then say to me, What troubles thee?
25 'Watu wa Dani wakamwambia,” Usiruhusu tusikie chochote unachosema, au baadhi ya watu wenye hasira sana watawapiga, wewe na familia yako mtauawa.”
And the sons of Dan said to him, Let not thy voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows fall upon you, and thou lose thy life, with the lives of thy household.
26 Ndipo watu wa Dani wakaenda zao. Mika alipoona kwamba walikuwa na nguvu sana juu yake, akageuka na kurudi nyumbani kwake.
And the sons of Dan went their way. And when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back to his house.
27 Watu wa Dani walichukua kile alichokifanya Mika, pamoja na kuhani wake, na wakafika Laisha, kwa watu waliokuwa hawasumbuliwi na wenye usalama na salama wakawaua kwa upanga na kuuchoma mji huo.
And they took that which Micah had made, and the priest whom he had, and came to Laish, to a people quiet and secure, and smote them with the edge of the sword, and they burnt the city with fire.
28 Hapakuwa na mtu wa kuwaokoa kwa sababu palikuwa na umbali mrefu kutoka Sidoni, na hawakuwa na uhusiano na mtu yeyote. Palikuwa katika bonde lililo karibu na Beth Rehobu. Wadani wakaujenga mji na kuishi huko.
And there was no deliverer because it was far from Sidon, and they had no dealings with any man, and it was in the valley that lies by Beth-rehob. And they built the city, and dwelt in it.
29 Wakauita jina lake Dani, jina la baba zao Dani, ambaye alikuwa mmoja wa wana wa Israeli. Lakini jina la mji hapo mwanzo ulikuwa Laisha.
And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father who was born to Israel. However the name of the city was Laish at first.
30 Watu wa Dani walijenga sanamu za kuchonga wenyewe. Naye Yonathani, mwana wa Gershomu, mwana wa Musa, yeye na wanawe walikuwa makuhani wa kabila la Wadani mpaka siku ya uhamisho wa nchi.
And the sons of Dan set up for themselves the graven image. And Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of the Danites until the day of the captivity of the land.
31 Basi wakaiabudu sanamu ya kuchonga ya Mika aliyoifanya wakati wa nyumba ya Mungu huko Shilo.
So they set up for them Micah's graven image which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.
