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 was looking for 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.
The people 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, explore the land." They came to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and stayed 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 knew the voice of the young man the Levite; and they turned in that direction, and said to him, "Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? And what is your business here?"
4 Akawaambia, “Hivi ndivyo Mika amefanya kwa ajili yangu Yeye aliniajiri mimi kuwa kahani wake.”
He said to them, "Thus and so 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.”
They said to him, "Please ask counsel 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.”
The priest said to them, "Go in peace. YHWH will watch over you on your journey."
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 who were there, and how they lived in security, after the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and secure; for there was no one in the land possessing authority that might trouble them in anyway, and they were far from the Sidonians, and had no dealings with Aram.
8 Walirudi kwa kabila lao huko Zora na Eshtaol. Ndugu zao waliwauliza, 'Mna habari gani?'
They came to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol, and their brothers said to them, "What do you say?"
9 Wakasema, “Njoo! Hebu tuwashambulie! Tumeona ardhi na ni nzuri sana. Je hamfanyi kitu? Msiwe wavivu kushambulia na kuchukua ardhi.
They said, "Arise, and let us go up against them, for we have entered and journeyed in the land as far as Laish, and we saw the people how they lived in security, after the manner of the Sidonians, and they were far from the Sidonians, and they had no dealings with Aram. But arise, and let us go up against them; for we have seen the land, and look, it is very good. Will you do nothing? Do not hesitate 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 you go, you shall come to a secure people, 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.
Then the family of the Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men armed with weapons of war, set forth from there.
12 Wakasafiri, wakapanga Kiriath-yearimu, huko Yuda. Ndio maana watu walipaita mahali pale Mahane Dani hata leo; ni magharibi ya Kiriath yearimu.
They went up, and camped in Kiriath Jearim, in Judah. Therefore they called that place Mahaneh Dan to this day; look, it is behind Kiriath Jearim.
13 Wakaondoka huko na kwenda nchi ya mlima wa Efraimu, wakafika nyumbani kwa Mika.
They passed 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 you know that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and an engraved image, and a molten image? Now therefore consider what you have to do."
15 Basi wakarudi huko, wakafika nyumbani mwa Mlawi, nyumbani mwa Mika; wakamsalimu.
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.
The six hundred men armed with their weapons of war, who were of the people 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.
The five men who went to spy out the land went up, and came in there, and took the engraved 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 armed 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 these went into Micah's house, and took the engraved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. And the priest said to them, "What are you doing?"
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?”
They said to him, "Hold your peace, lay your hand on your mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest. Is it better for you 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.
The priest's heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the engraved image, and the molten 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 livestock 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.
They were some distance from the house of Micah, and look, Micah and the men who were in the houses near Micah's house gathered together and overtook the people of Dan.
23 Waliwapigia kelele Wadani, nao wakageuka, wakamwambia Mika, “Kwa nini mmekuja pamoja?
They cried to the people of Dan. They turned their faces, and said to Micah, "What's wrong with you, that you 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?'”
He said, "You have taken away my gods which I made for myself, and the priest, and have gone away, and what more do I have? How then do you say to me, 'What's wrong with you?'"
25 'Watu wa Dani wakamwambia,” Usiruhusu tusikie chochote unachosema, au baadhi ya watu wenye hasira sana watawapiga, wewe na familia yako mtauawa.”
The people of Dan said to him, "Do not let your voice be heard among us, or angry men will attack you, and you lose your life, with the lives of your household."
26 Ndipo watu wa Dani wakaenda zao. Mika alipoona kwamba walikuwa na nguvu sana juu yake, akageuka na kurudi nyumbani kwake.
The people 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.
They took that which Micah had made, and the priest whom he had, and came to Laish, to a people quiet and secure, and struck 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.
There was no deliverer, because it was far from Sidon, and they had no dealings with anyone, and it was in the valley that lies by Beth Rehob. They built the city, and lived there.
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.
They called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their ancestor, who was born to Israel. However the name of the city was originally Laish.
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.
The people of Dan set up for themselves the engraved image. And Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, and his sons were priests to the tribe of the Danites until the day of the exile from the land.
31 Basi wakaiabudu sanamu ya kuchonga ya Mika aliyoifanya wakati wa nyumba ya Mungu huko Shilo.
So they set up for themselves Micah's engraved image which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.
