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 did evil in the sight of YHWH: and YHWH delivered them into the hand of Midian 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 the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds.
3 Kisha ikawa kwamba wakati wowote Waisraeli walipopanda mazao yao, Wamidiani na Waamaleki na watu kutoka mashariki waliwavamia Waisraeli.
And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them;
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 they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.
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 came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it.
6 Midiani iliwadhoofisha Waisraeli sana mpaka watu wa Israeli wakamwita Bwana.
And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto YHWH.
7 Watu wa Israeli walipomwomba Bwana kwa sababu ya Midiani,
And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto YHWH because of the Midianites,
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.
That YHWH sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith YHWH Elohim of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth 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 I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, 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 unto you, I am YHWH your Elohim; fear not the elohim of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed 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 there came an angel of YHWH, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abi-ezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.
12 Malaika wa Bwana akamtokea, akamwambia, Bwana yu pamoja nanyi, mpiganaji mwenye nguvu!
And the angel of YHWH appeared unto him, and said unto him, YHWH is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.
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 Gideon said unto him, Oh my master, if YHWH be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not YHWH bring us up from Egypt? but now YHWH hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.
14 Bwana akamtazama na kusema, “Nenda katika nguvu uliyo nayo tayari. Uiokoe Israeli kutoka mkononi wa Midiani. Je, sikukutuma?”
And YHWH looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I 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.”
And he said unto him, Oh my master, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, 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 YHWH said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.
17 Gideoni akamwambia, “Ikiwa unapendezwa na mimi, nipe basi ishara kwamba wewe ndio unenena nami.
And he said unto him, If now I have found favour in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me.
18 Tafadhali, usiondoke hapa, mpaka nitakapokuja kwako na kuleta zawadi yangu na kuiweka mbele yako.” Bwana akasema, “Nitasubiri mpaka utakaporudi.”
Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again.
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.
And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it.
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 Elohim said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did 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.
Then the angel of YHWH put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of YHWH departed 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 when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of YHWH, Gideon said, Alas, O YHWH Elohim! for because I have seen an angel of YHWH face to face.
23 Bwana akamwambia, “Amani iwe kwako! Usiogope, huwezi kufa.”
And YHWH said unto him, Peace be unto 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.
Then Gideon built an altar there unto YHWH, and called it YHWH -shalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites.
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.
And it came to pass the same night, that YHWH said unto him, Take thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it:
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 build an altar unto YHWH thy Elohim upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down.
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 Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as YHWH had said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father's household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day, that he did it 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 the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that 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 thing? And when they inquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing.
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.”
Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that he may die: because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the grove that was by it.
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.”
And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be an elohim, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his alter.
32 Kwa hiyo siku hiyo wakamwita Gideoni “Yerubaali,” kwa sababu alisema, “Baali ajijitetee dhidi yake,” kwa sababu Gidioni alivunja madhabahu ya Baali.
Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.
33 Basi Wamidiani wote, Waamaleki, na watu wa mashariki walikusanyika pamoja. Wakavuka Yordani na wakapanga katika bonde la Yezreeli.
Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel.
34 Lakini Roho wa Bwana akaja juu ya Gideoni. Gideoni akapiga tarumbeta, akawaita jamaa ya Abiezeri, ili wapate kumfuata.
But the Spirit of YHWH came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abi-ezer was gathered after 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 throughout all Manasseh; who also was gathered after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.
36 Gideoni akamwambia Mungu, “Ikiwa ungependa kunitumia kuokoa Israeli, kama ulivyosema,
And Gideon said unto Elohim, If thou wilt save Israel by mine 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.”
Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said.
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: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.
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 Gideon said unto Elohim, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew.
40 Mungu alifanya kile alichoomba usiku huo. Ngozi ilikuwa kavu, na kulikuwa na umande katika ardhi yote iliyozunguka.
And Elohim did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.
