Waamuzi 19
1 Katika siku hizo, wakati hakuna mfalme katika Israeli, kulikuwa na mtu, Mlawi, aliyekuwa akiishi kwa muda kidogo katika eneo la mbali zaidi ya nchi ya Efraimu. Alijichukulia mwanamke, masuria kutoka Bethlehemu huko Yuda.
In those days, when there was no king in Israel, there was a man, a Levite, living for a while in the most remote area of the hill country of Ephraim. He took for himself a woman, a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah.
2 Lakini mkewe hakuwa mwaminifu kwake; akaondoka na kurudi nyumbani kwa baba yake huko Bethlehemu ya Yuda. Alikaa huko kwa muda wa miezi minne.
But his concubine was unfaithful to him; she left him and went back to her father's house in Bethlehem of Judah. She stayed there for four months.
3 Kisha mumewe akaondoka na kumfuata ili kumshawishi arudi. Mtumishi wake alikuwa pamoja naye, na punda wawili. Akamleta nyumbani kwa baba yake. Baba wa msichana alipomwona, alifurahi.
Then her husband got up and went after her in order to persuade her to come back. His servant was with him, and a pair of donkeys. She brought him into her father's house. When the girl's father saw him, he was glad.
4 Baba mkwe wake, baba wa msichana, alimshawishi kukaa siku tatu. Walikula na kunywa, na walikaa usiku huko.
His father-in-law, the girl's father, persuaded him to stay for three days. They ate and drank, and they spent the night there.
5 Siku ya nne waliamka mapema na alijiandaa kuondoka, lakini baba wa msichana akamwambia mkwewe, “Jipe nguvu na mkate kidogo, kisha unaweza kwenda.”
On the fourth day they got up early and he prepared to go, but the girl's father said to his son-in-law, “Strengthen yourself with a bit of bread, then you may go.”
6 Basi hao wawili wakaketi kula na kunywa pamoja. Kisha baba ya msichana akasema, “Tafadhali uwe tayari kukaa usiku huu na kuwa na wakati mzuri.'
So the two of them sat down to eat and drink together. Then the girl's father said, “Please be willing to spend the night and have a good time.”
7 Mlawi alipoinuka ili aondoke, baba wa mwanamke huyo alimwomba akae, hivyo alibadili mpango wake na akalala usiku tena.
When the Levite got up to leave, the father of the young woman urged him to stay, so he changed his plan and spent the night there again.
8 Siku ya tano aliamka mapema kuondoka, lakini baba wa msichana akasema, 'Jitie nguvu mwenyewe, na kusubiri mpaka alasiri.' Kwa hiyo hao wawili wakala chakula.
On the fifth day he woke up early to leave, but the girl's father said, “Strengthen yourself, and wait until the afternoon.” So the two of them had a meal.
9 Mlawi na suria wake na mtumishi wake wakainuka ili kuondoka, baba mkwe wake, baba wa msichana akamwambia, “Angalia, sasa mchana unaelekea jioni. Tafadhali kaa usiku mwingine, na uwe na wakati mzuri. Unaweza kuamka kesho mapema na kurudi nyumbani.”
When the Levite and his concubine and his servant rose up to depart, his father-in-law, the girl's father said to him, “See, now the day is advancing toward evening. Please stay another night, and have a good time. You can get up early tomorrow and go back home.”
10 Lakini Mlawi hakuwa tayari kukaa usiku. Aliamka na kuondoka. Akaenda kuelekea Yebusi (hiyo ni Yerusalemu). Alikuwa na pande mbili za punda-na masuria wake alikuwa pamoja naye.
But the Levite was not willing to spend the night. He got up and left. He went toward Jebus (that is Jerusalem). He had a pair of saddled donkeys—and his concubine was with him.
11 Walipokuwa karibu na Yebusi, siku hiyo ilikuwa imeenda mno, na mtumishi akamwambia bwana wake, Haya, tupate kwenda kwa mji wa Wayebusi, tukakae ndani yake usiku huu.
When they were near Jebus, the day was nearly over, and the servant said to his master, “Come, let us turn aside to the city of the Jebusites and spend the night in it.”
12 Bwana wake akamwambia, “Hatuwezi kwenda katika mji wa wageni ambao si wa wana wa Israeli.” Tutakwenda Gibea.
His master said to him, “We will not turn aside into a city of foreigners who do not belong to the people of Israel. We will go on to Gibeah.”
13 Mlawi akamwambia yule kijana, “Njoo, twende sehemu moja wapo, na tukae usiku huko Gibea au Rama.”
The Levite said to his young man, “Come, let us go to one of those other places, and spend the night in Gibeah or Ramah.”
14 Basi, wakaenda, na jua likachwea wakiwa karibu na Gibea, katika eneo la Benyamini.
So they went on, and the sun set as they came near to Gibeah, in the territory of Benjamin.
15 Wakageuka huko ili wawezenkukaa usiku huko Gibea. Naye akaingia na kukaa katika njia kuu ya jiji, maana hakuna mtu aliyewaingiza nyumbani kwake usiku.
They turned aside there to spend the night in Gibeah. They went and sat down in the city square, but no one took them into his house for the night.
16 Lakini mtu mzee alikuwa akija kutoka kazini kwake katika shamba jioni hiyo. Alikuwa kutoka mlima wa Efraimu, naye alikuwa akikaa kwa muda huko Gibea. Lakini watu wanaoishi mahali hapo walikuwa Wabenyamini.
But then an old man was coming from his work in the field that evening. He was from the hill country of Ephraim, and he was staying for a while in Gibeah. But the men living in that place were Benjamites.
17 Aliinua macho na kumwona msafiri katika njia kuu ya jiji. Huyo mzee akasema, “Unakwenda wapi? Unatoka wapi?”
He raised his eyes and saw the traveler in the city square. The old man said, “Where are you going? Where are you coming from?”
18 Mlawi akamwambia, “Tunaenda kutoka Betelehemu ya Yuda mpaka sehemu ya mbali zaidi ya nchi ya kilima ya Efraimu, ambako mimi hutoka. Nilikwenda Bethlehemu huko Yuda, nami nenda nyumbani mwa Bwana; lakini hakuna mtu atakayenichukua nyumbani kwake.
The Levite said to him, “We are on our way from Bethlehem in Judah to the most remote part of the hill country of Ephraim, which is where I come from. I went to Bethlehem in Judah, and I am going to the house of Yahweh, but there is no one who will take me into his house.
19 Tuna nyasi za kulisha punda zetu, na kuna mkate na divai kwa ajili yangu na mtumishi wako mwanamke hapa, na kwa kijana huyu pamoja na watumishi wako. Hatujapungukiwa chochote. '
We have straw and feed for our donkeys, and there is bread and wine for me and your female servant here, and for this young man with your servants. We lack nothing.”
20 Huyo mzee akawasalimu, “Amani iwe na wewe! Nitakupatia mahitaji yako yote. Usikae usiku tu katika njia kuu.”
The old man greeted them, “Peace be with you! I will take care of all your needs. Only do not spend the night in the square.”
21 Basi huyo mtu akamleta Mlawi nyumbani kwake, akawalisha punda. Wakaosha miguu yao na kula na kunywa.
So the man brought the Levite into his house and gave feed to the donkeys. They washed their feet and ate and drank.
22 Walipokuwa wakifurahisha mioyo yao, watu wengine wa jiji, watu wasiokuwa na maana, walizunguka nyumba, wakipiga mlango. Wakamwambia yule mzee, mwenye nyumba, wakisema, “Mtoe mtu aliyeingia nyumbani kwako, ili tuweze kufanya mapenzi naye.”
While they were making their hearts glad, some men of the city, worthless men, surrounded the house, beating on the door. They spoke to the old man, the master of the house, saying, “Bring out the man who came into your house, so we can have sex with him.”
23 Yule mtu, mwenye nyumba, akawajia, akawaambia, “Hapana, ndugu zangu, tafadhali msifanye jambo baya! Kwa kuwa mtu huyu ni mgeni nyumbani kwangu, musifanye jambo hili baya!”
The man, the master of the house, went out to them and said to them, “No, my brothers, please do not do this evil thing! Since this man is a guest in my house, do not do this wicked thing!
24 Angalia, binti yangu bikira na masuria wake hawa hapa. Ngoja niwalete sasa. Wapuuze na kufanya nao chochote mnachopenda. Lakini msifanyie jambo hili mbaya kwa mtu huyu!”
See, my virgin daughter and his concubine are here. Let me bring them out now. Violate them and do with them whatever you like. But do not do such a wicked thing to this man!”
25 Lakini watu hawakumsikiliza, kwa hiyo huyo mwanamume akamshika yule mwanamke, akamleta nje. Walimkamata, wakambaka, na kumtendea uovu usiku mzima, na asubuhi wakamruhusu aende.
But the men would not listen to him, so the man seized his concubine and brought her out to them. They raped her and abused her all throughout the night, and at dawn they let her go.
26 Asubuhi mwanamke alikuja akaanguka chini ya mlango wa nyumba ya mtu ambapo bwana wake alikuwa, na yeye akalala pale mpaka kulipokucha.
At dawn the woman came and she fell down at the door of the man's house where her master was, and she lay there until it was light.
27 Bwana wake akaondoka asubuhi na kufungua milango ya nyumba, akatoka kwenda njiani. Aliweza kumwona mwanamke wake amelala pale mlangoni, mikono yake ikiwa juu ya kizingiti.
Her master rose up in the morning and opened the doors of the house and went out to go on his way. He could see his concubine lying there at the door, with her hands on the threshold.
28 Mlawi akamwambia, “Simama twende.” Lakini hakujibiwa. Alimuweka juu ya punda, na huyo mtu akaondoka nyumbani.
The Levite said to her, “Get up. Let us go.” But there was no answer. He put her on the donkey, and the man set out for home.
29 Mlawi alipofika nyumbani kwake, akachukua kisu, naye akamshika suria wake, akamkataa, mguu kwa mguu, akafanya vipande kumi na viwili, akapeleka vipande kila mahali katika Israeli.
When the Levite came to his house, he took a knife, and he took hold of his concubine, and cut her up, limb by limb, into twelve pieces, and sent the pieces everywhere throughout Israel.
30 Wote waliona hili wakasema, “Kitu hicho hakijawahi kufanyika au kuonekana tangu siku ambayo watu wa Israeli walikuja kutoka nchi ya Misri mpaka leo. Fikiria juu ya hili! Tupe ushauri! Tuambie nini cha kufanya!”
All who saw this said, “Such a thing has never been done or seen from the day the people of Israel came up out of the land of Egypt to this present day. Think about it! Give us advice! Tell us what to do!”
