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 is no king in Israel, and in those days the tribe of the Danite is seeking for itself an inheritance to inhabit, for [that] hath not fallen to it unto that day in the midst of the tribes of Israel by inheritance.

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 send, out of their family, five men of them, men, sons of valour, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to traverse the land, and to search it, and they say unto them, 'Go, search the land;' and they come into the hill-country of Ephraim, unto the house of Micah, and lodge 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?”

They [are] with the household of Micah, and they have discerned the voice of the young man, the Levite, and turn aside there, and say to him, 'Who hath brought thee hither? and what art thou doing in this [place?] and what to thee here?'

4 Akawaambia, “Hivi ndivyo Mika amefanya kwa ajili yangu Yeye aliniajiri mimi kuwa kahani wake.”

And he saith unto them, 'Thus and thus hath Micah done to me; and he hireth me, and I am to him for a priest.'

5 Wakamwambia, “Tafadhali tafuta ushauri kwa Mungu, ili tuweze kujua kama safari tunayoendea itafanikiwa.”

And they say to him, 'Ask, we pray thee, at God, and we know whether our way is prosperous on which we are going.'

6 Kuhani huyo akawaambia, “Nenda kwa amani. Bwana atakuongoza katika njia unayoiendea.”

And the priest saith to them, 'Go in peace; over-against Jehovah [is] your way 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.

And the five men go, and come in to Laish, and see the people which [is] in its midst, dwelling confidently, according to the custom of Zidonians, quiet and confident; and there is none putting to shame in the land in [any] thing, possessing restraint, and they [are] far off from the Zidonians, and have no word with [any] man.

8 Walirudi kwa kabila lao huko Zora na Eshtaol. Ndugu zao waliwauliza, 'Mna habari gani?'

And they come in unto their brethren, at Zorah and Eshtaol, and their brethren say to them, 'What — ye?'

9 Wakasema, “Njoo! Hebu tuwashambulie! Tumeona ardhi na ni nzuri sana. Je hamfanyi kitu? Msiwe wavivu kushambulia na kuchukua ardhi.

And they say, 'Rise, and we go up against them, for we have seen the land, and lo, very good; and ye are keeping silent! be not slothful to go — to enter 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 come in unto a people confident, and the land [is] large on both hands, for God hath given it into your hand, a place where there is no lack of anything which [is] in the land.'

11 Watu mia sita wa kabila la Dani, wenye silaha za vita, waliondoka kutoka Sora na Eshtaoli.

And there journey thence, of the family of the Danite, from Zorah, and from 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 go up and encamp in Kirjath-Jearim, in Judah, therefore they have called that place, 'Camp of Dan,' till this day; lo, behind Kirjath-Jearim.

13 Wakaondoka huko na kwenda nchi ya mlima wa Efraimu, wakafika nyumbani kwa Mika.

And they pass over thence [to] the hill-country of Ephraim, and come in unto 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.”

And the five men, those going to traverse the land of Laish, answer and say unto their brethren, 'Have ye known that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and graven image, and molten image? and now, know what ye do.'

15 Basi wakarudi huko, wakafika nyumbani mwa Mlawi, nyumbani mwa Mika; wakamsalimu.

And they turn aside thither, and come in unto the house of the young man the Levite, the house of Micah, and ask of him of 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 [are] of the sons of Dan, are standing at the opening 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.

yea, the five men, those going to traverse the land, go up — they have come in thither — they have taken the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image — and the priest is standing at the opening of the gate, and the six hundred men who are 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?”

yea, these have entered the house of Micah, and take the graven image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image; and the priest saith unto them, 'What are ye 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?”

and they say to him, 'Keep silent, lay thy hand on thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us for a father and for a priest: is it better thy being a priest to the house of one man, or thy being priest to a tribe and to 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 heart of the priest is glad, and he taketh the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and goeth into the midst of the people,

21 Basi wakageuka wakaenda. Wameweka watoto wadogo mbele yao wenyewe, pamoja na ng'ombe na mali zao.

and they turn and go, and put the infants, and the cattle, and the baggage, 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 have been far off from the house of Micah — and the men who [are] in the houses which [are] near the house of Micah have been called together, and overtake the sons of Dan,

23 Waliwapigia kelele Wadani, nao wakageuka, wakamwambia Mika, “Kwa nini mmekuja pamoja?

and call unto the sons of Dan, and they turn round their faces, and say to Micah, 'What — to thee that thou hast been called together?'

24 Akasema, “ninyi mmeiba miungu niliyoifanya, mmemchukua kuhani wangu, na mnaondoka. Je, nina nini tena? Unawezaje kuniuliza, 'Ni nini kinachokusumbua?'”

And he saith, 'My gods which I made ye have taken, and the priest, and ye go; and what to me more? and what [is] this ye say unto me, What — to 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 say unto him, 'Let not thy voice be heard with us, lest men bitter in soul fall upon you, and thou hast gathered thy life, and the life 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 go on their way, and Micah seeth that they are stronger than he, and turneth, and goeth back unto 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 have taken that which Micah had made, and the priest whom he had, and come in against Laish, against a people quiet and confident, and smite them by the mouth of the sword, and the city have burnt 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 is no deliverer, for it [is] far off from Zidon, and they have no word with [any] man, and it [is] in the valley which [is] by Beth-Rehob; and they build the city, and dwell 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 call the name of the city Dan, by the name of Dan their father, who was born to Israel; and yet Laish [is] the name of the city at the 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 raise up for themselves the graven image, and Jonathan son of Gershom, son of Manasseh, he and his sons have been priests to the tribe of the Danite, till the day of the removal of [the people] of the land.

31 Basi wakaiabudu sanamu ya kuchonga ya Mika aliyoifanya wakati wa nyumba ya Mungu huko Shilo.

And they appoint for them the graven image of Micah, which he had made, all the days of the house of God being in Shiloh.