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 test 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 least those who knew nothing of it before:
3 Haya ndio mataifa: wafalme watano kutoka kwa Wafilisti, Wakanaani wote, Wasidoni, na Wahivi waliokaa milima ya Lebanoni, kutoka Mlima Baali Hermoni hadi Hamathi.
the five lords of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to the entrance of Hamath.
4 Mataifa haya yaliachwa kama njia ambayo Bwana angeijaribu Israeli, kuthibitisha kama watazitii amri alizowapa babu zao kupitia Musa.
They were left to test Israel by them, to know whether they would listen to the LORD’s commandments, which he commanded their fathers by Moses.
5 Basi wana wa Israeli wakakaa kati ya Wakanaani, na Wahiti, na Waamori, na Waperizi, na Wahivi, na Wayebusi.
The children of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
6 Waliwachukua binti zao kuwa wake zao, nao wakawapa wana wao binti zao, nao wakaitumikia miungu yao.
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.
The children of Israel did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, and forgot the LORD their God, and served the Baals 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 LORD’s anger burned against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia; 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).
When the children of Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD raised up a savior 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.
The LORD’s Spirit came on him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war, and the LORD delivered Cushan Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. His hand prevailed against Cushan Rishathaim.
11 Nchi ilikuwa na amani kwa miaka arobaini. Ndipo Otinieli mwana wa Kenazi akafa.
The land had rest forty years, then 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.
The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done that which was evil in the LORD’s sight.
13 Eglon alijiunga na wana wa Amoni na Waamaleki wakaenda na kuwashinda Israeli, na walichukua mji wa Mitende.
He gathered the children of Ammon and Amalek to himself; and he went and struck Israel, and they possessed the city of palm trees.
14 Watu wa Israeli walimtumikia Eglon mfalme wa Moabu kwa miaka kumi na nane.
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 to the LORD, the LORD raised up a savior for them: Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. The children of Israel sent tribute by him to 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.
Ehud made himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length; and he wore it under his clothing on his right thigh.
17 Akampa Egloni Mfalme wa Moabu malipo ya kodi. (Egloni alikuwa mtu mnene sana.)
He offered the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man.
18 Baada ya Ehudi kulipa malipo ya kodi, aliondoka na wale waliokuwa wameibeba.
When Ehud had finished offering the tribute, he sent away the people who carried the tribute.
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 stone idols that were by Gilgal, and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” The king said, “Keep silence!” All who stood by him left 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.
Ehud came to him; and he was sitting by himself alone in the cool upper room. Ehud said, “I have a message from God to you.” 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.
Ehud put out his left hand, and took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his body.
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.
The handle also went in after the blade; and the fat closed on the blade, for he didn’t draw the sword out of his body; 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 out onto the porch, and shut the doors of the upper room on 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.'
After he had gone, his servants came and saw that the doors of the upper room were locked. They said, “Surely he is covering his feet in the upper room.”
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.
They waited until they were ashamed; and behold, he didn’t open the doors of the upper room. Therefore they took the key and opened them, and behold, their lord had fallen down dead on the floor.
26 Wakati watumishi wakisubiri, wakijiuliza nini wanapaswa kufanya, Ehudi alikimbia na kupita mahali ambako kulikuwa na sanamu za kuchonga, na hivyo akakimbia kwenda Seira.
Ehud escaped while they waited, passed beyond the stone idols, and escaped to Seirah.
27 Alipofika, alipiga tarumbeta katika nchi ya mlima wa Efraimu. Kisha wana wa Israeli wakashuka pamoja naye kutoka milimani, naye akawaongoza.
When he had come, he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim; and the children of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he led 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.
He said to them, “Follow me; for the LORD has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” They followed him, and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites, and didn’t allow any man to pass over.
29 Wakati huo waliwaua watu elfu kumi wa Moabu, na wote walikuwa watu wenye nguvu na wenye uwezo. Hakuna aliyekimbia.
They struck at that time about ten thousand men of Moab, every strong man and every man of valor. No man escaped.
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. Then the land had rest eighty 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.
After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who struck six hundred men of the Philistines with an ox goad. He also saved Israel.
