Waamuzi 3
1 Sasa Bwana aliyaacha mataifa haya yaijaribu Israeli, yaani kila mtu katika Israeli ambaye hakushiriki vita yoyote huko Kanaani.
Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them, even as many as had not known all the wars of Canaan;
2 (Alifanya hivyo ili kuwafundisha vita kizazi kipya cha Waisraeli ambao hawakujua kabla).
only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as beforetime knew nothing thereof;
3 Haya ndio mataifa: wafalme watano kutoka kwa Wafilisti, Wakanaani wote, Wasidoni, na Wahivi waliokaa milima ya Lebanoni, kutoka Mlima Baali Hermoni hadi Hamathi.
namely, the five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Zidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baal-hermon unto the entrance of Hamath.
4 Mataifa haya yaliachwa kama njia ambayo Bwana angeijaribu Israeli, kuthibitisha kama watazitii amri alizowapa babu zao kupitia Musa.
And they were there, to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the LORD, which He commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.
5 Basi wana wa Israeli wakakaa kati ya Wakanaani, na Wahiti, na Waamori, na Waperizi, na Wahivi, na Wayebusi.
And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites;
6 Waliwachukua binti zao kuwa wake zao, nao wakawapa wana wao binti zao, nao wakaitumikia miungu yao.
and they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.
7 Wana wa Israeli walifanya yaliyo mabaya machoni pa Bwana, wakamsahau Bwana, Mungu wao. Waliabudu Baali na Asherah.
And the children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgot the LORD their God, and served the Baalim and the Asheroth.
8 Basi, hasira ya Bwana ikawaka juu ya Israeli, naye akawauza mkononi mwa Kushan-rishathaimu mfalme wa Aram Naharaimu. Watu wa Israeli walitumikia Kushan Rishathaimu kwa miaka nane.
Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and He gave them over into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Aram-naharaim; and the children of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years.
9 Watu wa Israeli walipomwomba Bwana, Bwana akamuinua mtu atakayewasaidia wana wa Israeli, na mtu atakayewaokoa: Othnieli mwana wa Kenazi (ndugu mdogo wa Kalebu).
And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a saviour to the children of Israel, who saved them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.
10 Roho wa Bwana akamtia nguvu, naye akahukumu Israeli na akatoka kwenda vitani. Bwana akampa kuishinda Kush-rishataimu mfalme wa Aramu. Mkono wa Othnieli alishinda Kushan Rishathaimu.
And the spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war, and the LORD delivered Cushan-rishathaim king of Aram into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Cushan-rishathaim.
11 Nchi ilikuwa na amani kwa miaka arobaini. Ndipo Otinieli mwana wa Kenazi akafa.
And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
12 Baada ya hayo, Waisraeli wakafanya yaliyo mabaya machoni pa Bwana; Bwana akampa Egloni mfalme wa Moabu nguvu, kuwashinda Waisraeli.
And the children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done that which was evil in the sight of the LORD.
13 Eglon alijiunga na wana wa Amoni na Waamaleki wakaenda na kuwashinda Israeli, na walichukua mji wa Mitende.
And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek; and he went and smote Israel, and they possessed the city of palm-trees.
14 Watu wa Israeli walimtumikia Eglon mfalme wa Moabu kwa miaka kumi na nane.
And the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.
15 Wana wa Israeli walipomwomba Bwana, Bwana akamwinua mtu aliyewasaidia, Ehudi mwana wa Gera, Mbenjamini, mtu shoto. Wana wa Israeli wakamtuma kwa Egloni, mfalme wa Moabu, kwa malipo yao ya kodi.
But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a saviour, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a man left-handed; and the children of Israel sent a present by him unto Eglon the king of Moab.
16 Ehudi akajifanyia upanga uliokuwa na makali kuwili, urefu wa dhiraa moja; aliufunga chini ya nguo zake juu ya mguu wake wa kulia.
And Ehud made him a sword which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he girded it under his raiment upon his right thigh.
17 Akampa Egloni Mfalme wa Moabu malipo ya kodi. (Egloni alikuwa mtu mnene sana.)
And he offered the present unto Eglon king of Moab — now Eglon was a very fat man.
18 Baada ya Ehudi kulipa malipo ya kodi, aliondoka na wale waliokuwa wameibeba.
And when he had made an end of offering the present, he sent away the people that bore the present.
19 Hata hivyo Ehudi mwenyewe, alipofikia mahali ambapo sanamu za kuchonga zilitengenezwa karibu na Gilgali, akageuka na kurudi, akasema, 'Nina ujumbe wa siri kwako, mfalme wangu.' Eglon akasema, 'Nyamazeni kimya!' Kwa hiyo wote waliomtumikia wakatoka kwenye chumba.
But he himself turned back from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said: 'I have a secret errand unto thee, O king.' And he said: 'Keep silence.' And all that stood by him went out from him.
20 Ehudi akaja kwake. Mfalme alikuwa amekaa peke yake, peke yake katika chumba cha juu cha baridi. Ehudi akasema, 'Nina ujumbe kutoka kwa Mungu kwa ajili yeko.' Mfalme akasimama kutoka katika kiti chake.
And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting by himself alone in his cool upper chamber. And Ehud said: 'I have a message from God unto thee.' And he arose out of his seat.
21 Ehudi akanyoosha mkono wake wa kushoto na akachukua upanga kutoka mguu wake wa kulia, na akautia ndani ya mwili wa mfalme.
And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly.
22 Na kipini cha upanga kikaingia ndani yake baada ya upanga, nao ukatokea nyuma yake, na mafuta yakashikamana juu ya upanga, kwa kuwa Ehudi hakuutoa upanga nje ya mwili wake.
And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, for he drew not the sword out of his belly; and it came out behind.
23 Kisha Ehudi akatoka kwenye ukumbi na akafunga milango ya chumba cha juu nyuma yake na akawafungia.
Then Ehud went forth into the porch, and shut the doors of the upper chamber upon him, and locked them.
24 Baada ya Ehudi kuondoka, watumishi wa mfalme wakaja; wakaona milango ya chumba cha juu imefungwa, kwa hiyo wakafikiri, 'Hakika atakuwa anajitoa mwenyewe katika hali ya baridi ya chumba cha juu.'
Now when he was gone out, his servants came; and they saw, and, behold, the doors of the upper chamber were locked; and they said: 'Surely he is covering his feet in the cabinet of the cool chamber.'
25 Walizidi kuwa na wasiwasi hata walipoanza kuhisi kuwa walikuwa wakipuuza wajibu wao wakati mfalme bado hakufungua milango ya chumba cha juu. Kwa hiyo walichukua ufunguo wakawafungua, tazama bwana wao, ameanguka chini, amekufa.
And they tarried till they were ashamed; and, behold, he opened not the doors of the upper chamber; therefore they took the key, and opened them; and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.
26 Wakati watumishi wakisubiri, wakijiuliza nini wanapaswa kufanya, Ehudi alikimbia na kupita mahali ambako kulikuwa na sanamu za kuchonga, na hivyo akakimbia kwenda Seira.
And Ehud escaped while they lingered, having passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirah.
27 Alipofika, alipiga tarumbeta katika nchi ya mlima wa Efraimu. Kisha wana wa Israeli wakashuka pamoja naye kutoka milimani, naye akawaongoza.
And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a horn in the hill-country of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the hill-country, and he before them.
28 Akawaambia, Nifuate, kwa kuwa Bwana atawashinda adui zenu, Wamoabu. Wakamfuata, wakakamata vivuko vya Bonde la Yordani, toka kwa Wamoabi, wala hawakuruhusu mtu yeyote kuvuka mto.
And he said unto them: 'Follow after me; for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand.' And they went down after him, and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites, and suffered not a man to pass over.
29 Wakati huo waliwaua watu elfu kumi wa Moabu, na wote walikuwa watu wenye nguvu na wenye uwezo. Hakuna aliyekimbia.
And they smote of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, every lusty man, and every man of valour; and there escaped not a man.
30 Kwa hiyo siku hiyo Moabu ilishindwa na nguvu ya Israeli. Na nchi ilikuwa na amani kwa miaka thelathini.
So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.
31 Baada ya Ehudi, mwamuzi aliyefuata alikuwa Shamgari mwana wa Anathi ambaye aliwaua Wafilisti 600 kwa konzo la ng'ombe. Pia aliwaokoa Israeli kutoka kwenye hatari.
And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who smote of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox-goad; and he also saved Israel.
