Waamuzi 6
1 Wana wa Israeli wakafanya yaliyo mabaya machoni pa Bwana; naye akawatia mikononi mwa Midiani kwa miaka saba.
And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord: and he delivered them into the hand of Madian seven years.
2 Uwezo wa Midiani uliwanyanyasa Israeli. Kwa sababu ya Midiani, watu wa Israeli walitengeneza makao wenyewe kutoka kwenye mabwawa katika milima, mapango, na ngome.
And they were grievously oppressed by them. And they made themselves dens and eaves in the mountains, and strong holds to resist.
3 Kisha ikawa kwamba wakati wowote Waisraeli walipopanda mazao yao, Wamidiani na Waamaleki na watu kutoka mashariki waliwavamia Waisraeli.
And when Israel had sown, Madian and Amalec, and the rest of the eastern nations came up:
4 Waliweza kutengenezajeshi lao juu ya ardhi na kuharibu mazao, mpaka njia ya Gaza. Hawakuacha chakula huko Israeli, wala kondoo wala ng'ombe wala punda.
And pitching their tents among them, wasted all things as they were in the blade even to the entrance of Gaza: and they left nothing at all in Israel for sustenance of life, nor sheep, nor oxen, nor asses.
5 Kila wakati wao na mifugo yao na mahema walipokuja, walikuja kama kundi la nzige, na haikuwezekana kuhesabu watu au ngamia zao. Walivamia ardhi ili kuiharibu.
For they and all their flocks came with their tents, and like locusts filled all places, an innumerable multitude of men, and of camels, wasting whatsoever they touched.
6 Midiani iliwadhoofisha Waisraeli sana mpaka watu wa Israeli wakamwita Bwana.
And Israel was humbled exceedingly in the sight of Madian.
7 Watu wa Israeli walipomwomba Bwana kwa sababu ya Midiani,
And he cried to the Lord desiring help against the Madianites.
8 Bwana alimtuma nabii kwa wana wa Israeli. Nabii akawaambia, Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, asema hivi, Nimekuleta kutoka Misri; Nilikutoa nje ya nyumba ya utumwa.
And he sent unto them a prophet, and he spoke: Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: I made you to come up out of Egypt, and brought you out of the house of bondage,
9 Naliwaokoa kutoka kwenye mikono ya Wamisri, na kutoka kwenye mkono wa wote waliokuwa wakikunyanyasa. Niliwafukuza mbele yenu, na nimewapa nchi yao.
And delivered you out of the hands of the Egyptians, and of all the enemies that afflicted you: and I cast them out at your coming in, and gave you their land.
10 Niliwaambia, “Mimi ndimi Bwana, Mungu wenu; Nimewaamuru msiabudu miungu ya Waamori, ambao mnaishi katika nchi yao. Lakini hamkuitii sauti yangu.”
And I said: I am the Lord your God, fear not the gods of the Amorrhites, in whose land you dwell. And you would not hear my voice.
11 Basi malaika wa Bwana akaja na kukaa chini ya mwaloni huko Ofra, uliokuwa wa Yoashi (Mwabiyezeri), wakati Gidioni, mwana wa Yoashi, akitenganisha ngano katika sakafu, katika kikapu cha divai-kuificha toka kwa Wamidiani.
And an angel of the Lord came, and sat under an oak, that was in Ephra, and belonged to Joas the father of the family of Ezri. And when Gedeon his son was threshing and cleansing wheat by the winepress, to flee from Madian,
12 Malaika wa Bwana akamtokea, akamwambia, Bwana yu pamoja nanyi, mpiganaji mwenye nguvu!
The angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said: The Lord is with thee, O most valiant of men.
13 Gideoni akamwambia, Oo, bwana wangu, ikiwa Bwana yu pamoja nasi, kwa nini basi yote haya yanatupata? Je, yako wapi matendo yake yote mazuri ambayo baba zetu walituambia, waliposema, 'Je! si Bwana aliyetukomboa kutoka Misri?' Lakini sasa Bwana ametuacha na kututia mikononi mwa Midiani. '
And Gedeon said to him: I beseech thee, my lord, if the Lord be with us, why have these evils fallen upon us? Where are his miracles, which our fathers have told us of, saying: The Lord brought us Out of Egypt? but now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the bands of Madian.
14 Bwana akamtazama na kusema, “Nenda katika nguvu uliyo nayo tayari. Uiokoe Israeli kutoka mkononi wa Midiani. Je, sikukutuma?”
And the Lord looked upon him, and said: Go in this thy strength, and then shalt deliver Israel out of the hand of Madian: know that I have sent thee.
15 Gideoni akamwambia, “Tafadhali, Bwana, nawezeje kuwaokoa Israeli? Angalia, familia yangu ni dhaifu zaidi katika Manase, na mimi si muhimu katika nyumba ya baba yangu.”
He answered and said: I beseech thee, my lord, wherewith shall I deliver Israel? Behold my family is the meanest in Manasses, and I am the least in my father’s house.
16 Bwana akamwambia, “Nitakuwa pamoja nawe, nawe utalishinda jeshi lote la Midiani kama mtu mmoja.”
And the Lord said to him: I will be with thee: and thou shalt cut off Madian as one man.
17 Gideoni akamwambia, “Ikiwa unapendezwa na mimi, nipe basi ishara kwamba wewe ndio unenena nami.
And he said: If I have found grace before thee, give me a sign that it is thou that speakest to me,
18 Tafadhali, usiondoke hapa, mpaka nitakapokuja kwako na kuleta zawadi yangu na kuiweka mbele yako.” Bwana akasema, “Nitasubiri mpaka utakaporudi.”
And depart not hence, till I return to thee, and bring a sacrifice, and offer it to thee. And he answered: I will wait thy coming.
19 Gideoni akaenda, akaandaa mwana mbuzi, na efa moja ya unga akafanya mikate isiyotiwa chachu. Akaiweka nyama hiyo katika kikapu, na akaweka mchuzi ndani ya sufuria na kuviletea chini ya mti wa mwaloni, akavitowa.
So Gedeon went in, and boiled a kid, and made unleavened loaves of a measure of flour: and putting the flesh in a basket, and the broth of the flesh into a pot, he carried all under the oak, and presented to him.
20 Malaika wa Mungu akamwambia, “Chukua nyama na mikate isiyotiwa chachu, ukaweke juu ya mwamba huu, ukamwage mchuzi juu yake.” Gideoni akafanya hivyo.
And the angel of the Lord said to him: Take the flesh and the unleavened loaves, and lay them upon that rock, and pour out the broth thereon. And when he had done so,
21 Kisha malaika wa Bwana akashika ncha ya fimbo mkononi mwake. Kwa hiyo akagusa nyama na mikate isiyotiwa chachu; moto ukatoka nje ya mwamba, ukateketeza nyama na mikate isiyotiwa chachu. Kisha malaika wa Bwana akaenda, na Gideoni hakuweza kumwona tena.
The angel of the Lord put forth the tip of the rod, which he held in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened loaves: and there arose a fire from the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened loaves: and the angel of the Lord vanished out of his sight.
22 Gideoni alielewa kuwa yule alikuwa malaika wa Bwana. Gideoni akasema, “Ewe Bwana MUNGU! Kwa maana nimemwona malaika wa Bwana uso kwa uso!”
And Gedeon seeing that it was the angel of the Lord, said: Alas, my Lord God: for I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.
23 Bwana akamwambia, “Amani iwe kwako! Usiogope, huwezi kufa.”
And the Lord said to him: Peace be with thee: fear not, thou shalt not die.
24 Basi Gideoni akamjengea Bwana madhabahu huko. Aliiita, “Bwana ni Amani.” Hadi leo bado iko katika Ofra ya jamaa ya Waabiezeri.
And Gedeon built there an altar to the Lord, and called it the Lord’s peace, until this present day. And when he was yet in Ephra, which is of the family of Ezri,
25 Usiku huo, Bwana akamwambia, “Twaa ng'ombe wa baba yako, na ng'ombe wa pili wa umri wa miaka saba, ukaondoe madhabahu ya Baali, ambayo ni ya baba yako, na kukata Ashera iliyo karibu nayo.
That night the Lord said to him: Take a bullock of thy father’s, and another bullock of seven years, and thou shalt destroy the altar of Baal, which is thy father’s: and cut down the grove that is about the altar:
26 Jenga madhabahu kwa Bwana, Mungu wako juu ya mahali pa kukimbilia, na kuijenga njia sahihi. Toa ng'ombe ya pili kama sadaka ya kuteketezwa, ukitumia kuni kutoka Ashera uliyoikata. '
And thou shalt build an altar to the Lord thy God in the top of this rock, whereupon thou didst lay the sacrifice before: and thou shalt take the second bullock, and shalt offer a holocaust upon a pile of the wood, which thou shalt cut down out of the grove.
27 Gideoni akachukua watumishi wake kumi na kufanya kama Bwana alivyomwambia. Lakini kwa sababu aliogopa sana watu wa nyumba ya baba yake na watu wa mji hakufanya hivyo wakati wa mchana, alifanya hivyo usiku.
Then Gedeon taking ten men of his servants, did as the Lord had commanded him. But fearing his father’s house, and the men of that city, he would not do it by day, but did all by night.
28 Asubuhi wakati watu wa mji walipoamka, madhabahu ya Baali imebomolewa, na Ashera iliyokuwa karibu nayo imekatwa, na ng'ombe wa pili ametolewa sadaka kwenye madhabahu iliyojengwa.
And when the men of that town were risen in the morning, they saw the altar of Baal destroyed, and the grove cut down, and the second bullock laid upon the altar, which then was built.
29 Watu wa mji wakaambiana, “Ni nani aliyefanya jambo hili?” Walipokuwa wakiongea na wengine na kutafuta majibu, wakasema, 'Gidioni mwana wa Yoashi amefanya jambo hili.”
And they said one to another: Who hath done this? And when they inquired for the author of the fact, it was said: Gedeon the son of Joas did all this.
30 Ndipo watu wa mji wakamwambia Yoashi, “Mtoe mtoto wako ili afe, kwa sababu ameibomoa madhabahu ya Baali, na kwa sababu ameikata Ashera karibu nayo.”
And they said to Joas: Bring out thy son hither, that he may die: because he hath destroyed the altar of Baal, and hath cut down his grove.
31 Yoashi akawaambia wote waliompinga, “Je, ninyi mtamsihi Baali? Je, mtamuokoa? Mtu yeyote atakayemtetea, basi atauawa asubuhi hii. Ikiwa Baali ni mungu, basi atajitetea mwenyewe wakati mtu anaibomoa madhabahu yake.”
He answered them: Are you the avengers of Baal, that you fight for him? he that is his adversary, let him die before tomorrow light appear: if he be a god, let him revenge himself on him that hath cast down his altar.
32 Kwa hiyo siku hiyo wakamwita Gideoni “Yerubaali,” kwa sababu alisema, “Baali ajijitetee dhidi yake,” kwa sababu Gidioni alivunja madhabahu ya Baali.
From that day Gedeon was called Jerobaal, because Joss had said: Let Baal revenge himself on him that hath cast down his altar.
33 Basi Wamidiani wote, Waamaleki, na watu wa mashariki walikusanyika pamoja. Wakavuka Yordani na wakapanga katika bonde la Yezreeli.
Now all Madian, and Amalec, and the eastern people were gathered together, and passing over the Jordan, camped in the valley of Jezrael.
34 Lakini Roho wa Bwana akaja juu ya Gideoni. Gideoni akapiga tarumbeta, akawaita jamaa ya Abiezeri, ili wapate kumfuata.
But the spirit of the Lord came upon Gedeon, and be sounded the trumpet and called together the house of Abiezer, to follow him.
35 Aliwatuma wajumbe wote katika Manase, na wao pia, waliitwa nje kumfuata. Naye akatuma wajumbe kwa Asheri, na Zabuloni, na Naftali; nao wakaenda kumlaki.
And he sent messengers into all Manasses, and they also followed him: and other messengers into Aser and Zabulon and Nephtali, and they came to meet him.
36 Gideoni akamwambia Mungu, “Ikiwa ungependa kunitumia kuokoa Israeli, kama ulivyosema,
And Gedeon said to God: If thou wilt save Israel by my hand, as thou hast said,
37 tazameni, ninaweka ngozi ya samazi kwenye sakafu. Ikiwa kuna umande tu juu ya ngozi, na ni kavu duniani, basi nitajua kwamba utanitumia kuokoa Israeli, kama ulivyosema.”
I will put this fleece of wool on the floor: if there be dew on the fleece only, and it be dry on all the ground beside, I, shall know that by my hand, as thou hast said, thou wilt deliver Israel.
38 Hivi ndivyo ilivyotokea-Gideoni aliamka mapama asubuhi, akaikamua ngozi hiyo, na akatoa umande kwenye ngozi, wa kutosha kujaza bakuli kwa maji.
And it was so. And rising before day wringing the fleece, he filled a vessel with the dew.
39 Gideoni akamwambia Mungu, 'Usinikasirikie, nitasema tena kwa mara nyingine. Tafadhali niruhusu nijaribu tena kwa kutumia ngozi. Wakati huu uifanye kavu, na iwe na umande juu ya ardhi yote kuzunguka.
And he said again to God: let not thy wrath be kindled against me if I try once more, seeking a sign in the fleece. I pray that the fleece only may be dry, and all the ground wet with dew.
40 Mungu alifanya kile alichoomba usiku huo. Ngozi ilikuwa kavu, na kulikuwa na umande katika ardhi yote iliyozunguka.
And God did that night as he had requested: and it was dry on the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.
