< Waamuzi 1 >

1 Baada ya kifo cha Yoshua, wana wa Israeli walimuuliza Yahweh wakisema, “Ni nani atawashambulia kwanza Wakanaani kwa ajili yetu, ili kupigana nao?
After Joshua died, the Israeli people asked Yahweh, “Which [of our tribes] should attack the Canaan people-group first?”
2 Yahweh akasema, “Yuda atawashambulia. Tazama, nimewapa kumiliki nchi hii.
Yahweh replied, “I will enable the tribe of Judah to defeat [IDM] the Canaan people-group.”
3 Watu wa Yuda wakawaambia wana wa Simeoni, ndugu zao, “Njoo pamoja nasi katika eneo letu ambalo tumepewa ili kwa pamoja tupigane na Wakanaani. Na sisi pia tutakwenda nanyi katika eneo mlilopewa.” Basi kabila la Simeoni wakaenda pamoja nao.
The men of Judah went to their fellow Israelis, [the men] from the tribe of Simeon, and said to them, “Come and help us to fight the Canaan people-group [in order that we can take from them] the land [that Yahweh] allotted to us. If you do that, we will go with you [and help you] conquer the people in the land [that Yahweh promised to give to] you.” So the men from the tribe of Simeon went with the men of the tribe of Judah.
4 Watu wa Yuda wakashinda, na Bwana akawapa ushindi juu ya Wakanaani na Waperizi. Wakawaua watu elfu kumi huko Bezeki.
When the men of those two tribes attacked, Yahweh enabled them to defeat 10,000 men of the Canaan people-group and the Periz people-group [DOU] at Bezek [city].
5 Wakamkuta Adoni Bezeki huko Bezeki, nao wakapigana naye na kuwashinda Wakanaani na Waperizi.
During the battle they found Adoni-Bezek, the leader of the city,
6 Lakini Adoni Bezeki akamkimbilia, wakamfuata na kumshika, nao wakavikata vidole gumba na vidole vyake vikubwa.
but he [tried to] run away. The Israelis pursued him and caught him. Then they cut off his thumbs and his big toes.
7 Adoni Bezek akasema, “Wafalme sabini, ambao na vidole gumba vyako na vidole vikubwa vilivyokatwa, walikusanya chakula chao chini ya meza yangu. Kama nilivyofanya, hata hivyo Mungu amefanya kwangu.” Wakamleta Yerusalemu, naye akafa huko.
Adoni-Bezek said, “[My army captured] 70 kings. We cut off their thumbs and big toes. After that, [we forced] those kings to eat scraps that fell from our table. Now God has (paid me back for/done to me like) [what we did to them].” Then the men of Judah took Adoni-Bezek to Jerusalem, and he died there.
8 Watu wa Yuda wakapigana dhidi ya jiji la Yerusalemu na kulichukua. Walishambulia kwa makali ya upanga na wakauwasha mji kwa moto.
The army of Judah fought against the men of Jerusalem, and they captured the city. With their swords they killed [the people who lived there] and they burned [the houses in] the city.
9 Baada ya hayo, watu wa Yuda walikwenda kupigana na Wakanaani waliokaa mlimani, Negebu, na magharibi mwa milima.
Later, the men of Judah went down to fight the Canaan people-group who lived in the hilly area, in the desert to the south, and in the foothills [to the west].
10 Yuda akaenda dhidi ya Wakanaani waliokaa Hebroni (jina la Hebroni hapo awali ilikuwa Kiriath-arba), nao wakamshinda Sheshai, Ahimani na Talmai.
The men of Judah also went to fight against the Canaan people-group who lived in Hebron [city], which at that time was named Kiriath-Arba. They defeated [the armies of kings] Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.
11 Kutoka huko watu wa Yuda walipigana na wenyeji wa Debiri (jina la Debiri hapo awali ilikuwa Kiriath-seferi).
Then they left that area and went to fight against the people living in Debir [city], which was previously named Kiriath-Sepher.
12 Kalebu akasema, Yeyote atakayeivamia Kiriath-seferi na kuichukua, nitampa Aksa, binti yangu, awe mkewe.
[Before they attacked the city], Caleb said to them, “If one of you attacks and captures Kiriath-Sepher, I will allow him to marry my daughter.”
13 Otinieli, mwana wa Kenazi, ndugu mdogo wa Kalebu, akaiteka Debiri, naye Kalebu akampa Aksa, binti yake, awe mkewe.
Othniel, who was the son of Caleb’s younger brother Kenaz, captured the city. So Caleb gave his daughter Acsah to him, to become his wife.
14 Ndipo Aksa alifika kwa Othnieli, naye akamsihi amuombe baba yake ampe shamba. Alipokuwa akishuka katika punda wake, Kalebu akamwuliza, “Nikufanyie nini?”
When Acsah married Othniel, she told him to ask her father to give him a field. [But she decided to ask him herself. She rode to Caleb’s house on her donkey], and when she got off the donkey, Caleb [could see that something was troubling her. So he] asked her, “What do you want?”
15 Akamwambia, Nibariki. Kwa kuwa umenipa nchi ya Negebu, nipe pia chemchemi za maji. Kwa hiyo Kalebu akampa chemchemi za juu na chemchemi za chini.
She replied, “I want you to do a favor for me. You have given me some land in the southern desert, [but it is very dry there]. So please also give me some [land that has] springs of water.” So Caleb gave her some land on higher ground that had a spring, and some land on lower ground that also had a spring.
16 Kizazi cha Mkeeni shemeji yake na Musa, walikwenda kutoka mji wa Mitende pamoja na watu wa Yuda, mpaka jangwa la Yuda, ambalo liko Negevu, kuishi na watu wa Yuda karibu na Arad.
The people of the Ken people-group who were descendants of Moses’ father-in-law left Jericho, which was called ‘The City of Palm Trees’. They went with some of the men of Judah to live with them in the southern desert area, near Arad [city].
17 Nao watu wa Yuda wakaenda pamoja na wana wa Simeoni ndugu zao, wakawaangamiza Wakanaani waliokaa Zefathi, wakaiharibu kabisa. Mji uliitwa Horma.
The men of Judah and their fellow Israelis from the tribe of Simeon defeated the people of the Canaan people-group who lived in Zephath [city]. They completely destroyed the city and gave it a new name, Hormah, [which means ‘complete destruction’].
18 Watu wa Yuda pia waliiteka Gaza na nchi iliyoizunguka, Ashkeloni na nchi iliyoizunguka, na Ekron na nchi iliyoizunguka.
The men of Judah also captured Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ekron [cities] and all the land that is near those cities.
19 Yahweh alikuwa pamoja na watu wa Yuda na wakaimiliki nchi ya milima, lakini hawakuweza kuwatoa wenyeji wa kwenye bonde kwa sababu walikuwa na magari ya chuma.
Yahweh helped the men of Judah to capture the hilly area, but they could not force the people who were living in the plains to leave, because [those people had better weapons—] had iron chariots.
20 Hebroni alipewa Kalebu (kama Musa alivyosema), naye akawafukuza kutoka huko wana watatu wa Anaki.
Hebron [city] was given to Caleb because Moses had promised him that he could have that city. And Caleb forced the three clans descended from Anak to leave that area.
21 Lakini wana wa Benyamini hawakuwafukuza Wayebusi waliokaa Yerusalemu. Basi Wayebusi wakakaa na watu wa Benyamini huko Yerusalemu hata leo.
But the people of the tribe of Benjamin could not force the people of the Jebus people-group to leave Jerusalem. So, since that time the people of the Jebus people-group have lived in Jerusalem with the people of the tribe of Benjamin.
22 Nyumba ya Yusufu ilijiandaa kuishambulia Betheli, na Yahweh alikuwa pamoja nao.
The men of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh went to fight against [the men of] Bethel [city], and Yahweh helped them.
23 Walipeleka watu kuipeleleza Betheli (jiji lililoitwa Luzu).
They sent some spies to [find out everything that they could find out about] Bethel, which was previously called Luz.
24 Wapelelezi waliona mtu akitoka nje ya jiji, wakamwambia, “Tafadhali tuonyeshe jinsi ya kuingia ndani ya jiji, na tutakutendea mema.”
The spies saw a man who was coming out of the city. They said to him, “If you show us a way to get into the city, we will be kind to you [and we will not kill you].”
25 Aliwaonyesha njia ya kuingia kwenye mji. Waliuteka mji kwa makali ya upanga, lakini wakamuacha mtu huyo na ndugu zake wote waondoke.
So the man showed them a way to enter the city. The men of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh entered the city and killed all the people with their swords, but they did not kill the man [who showed them how to get into the city], and they did not kill his family.
26 Na mtu huyo akaenda nchi ya Wahiti, akajenga mji, akauita Luzu, ambalo jina lake hata leo.
That man went to the area where the descendants of Heth lived, and built a city. He named the city Luz, and that is still the name of that city.
27 Watu wa Manase hawakuwafukuza watu waliokuwa katika miji ya Bethsheani na vijiji vyake, au Taanaki na vijiji vyake, au wale waliokaa Dori na vijiji vyake, wala wale waliokaa Ibleamu na vijiji vyake, wala walioshi Megido na vijiji vyake, kwa sababu Wakanaani walikuwa wameamua kuishi katika nchi hiyo.
There were people of the Canaan people-group who lived in Beth-Shan, Taanach, Dor, Ibleam, and Megiddo [cities] and in the surrounding villages. [The men of] the tribe of Manasseh did not force those people to leave those towns, because the people of the Canaan people-group were determined to stay there.
28 Israeli ipokuwa na nguvu, waliwalazimisha Wakanaani wawatumikie kwa kazi ngumu, lakini hawakuwafukuza kabisa.
Later, the Israelis became (stronger/more numerous), and they forced the people of the Canaan people-group to work for them [as their slaves], but they did not force all the people of the Canaan people-group to leave their land.
29 Efraimu hakuwafukuza Wakanaani waliokaa Gezeri; kwa hiyo Wakanaani wakakaa kati yao.
[The men of] the tribe of Ephraim did not force the people of the Canaan people-group to leave Gezer [city]. So the people of the Canaan people-group continued to live with the people of the tribe of Ephraim.
30 Zebuloni hakuwafukuza watu wa Kitroni, wala watu waliokuwa Nahaloli; na Wakanaani wakaendelea kuishi pamoja nao; lakini Zabuloni akawalazimisha Wakanaani wawatumikie kwa kazi ngumu.
[The men of] the tribe of Zebulun did nor compel the people of the Canaan people-group who were living in Kitron and Nahalol [cities] to leave. They stayed there and lived among the people of the tribe of Zebulun, but the people of Zebulun forced them to work for them as their slaves.
31 Asheri hakuwafukuza watu wanaoishi Aka, au watu wanaoishi Sidoni, au wale wanaoishi Alabu, Akzib, Helba, Afeka, au Rehobu.
[The men of] the tribe of Asher did not force the people of the Canaan people-group who lived in Acco, Sidon, Ahlab, Aczib, Helbah, Aphek and Rehob [cities] to leave.
32 Kwa hiyo kabila ya Asheri iliishi kati ya Wakanaani (waliokaa katika nchi hiyo), kwa sababu hawakuwafukuza.
So the people of the tribe of Asher lived among them.
33 Na kabila la Naftali halikuwafukuza watu waliokuwa wakiishi Bethshemeshi, wala waliokuwa wakiishi Bethanathi. Kwa hiyo kabila la Naftali liliishi kati ya Wakanaani (watu waliokuwa wakiishi katika nchi hiyo). Hata hivyo, wenyeji wa Bethshemeshi na Bethanathi walilazimishwa kufanya kazi ngumu kwa Naphthali.
[The men of] the tribe of Naphtali did not compel the people who lived in Beth-Shemesh and Beth-Anath [cities] to leave, so the people in those two cities continued to live there, but the people of the Canaan people-group were forced to work as the slaves of the people of the tribe of Naphtali.
34 Waamori waliwalazimisha kabila la Dani kuishi katika nchi ya kilima, hawakuwaruhusu kuja bondeni.
The people of the Amor people-group forced the people of the tribe of Dan to live in the hills. They did not allow them to come down [and live] on the plain.
35 Basi Waamori waliishi katika mlima wa Heresi, huko Aiyaloni, na Shaalbimu, lakini nguvu za kijeshi za nyumba ya Yusufu ziliwashinda, nao wakalazimishwa kuwatumikia kwa kazi ngumu.
The people of the Amor people-group were determined to stay in Heres Mountain and in Aijalon and Shaalbim [cities]. But when the Israelis became (stronger/more numerous), they forced the people of the Amor people-group to work as their slaves.
36 Mpaka wa Waamori ulikuwa kutoka kilima cha Akrabimu huko Sela hadi nchi ya vilima.
The land where the Amor people-group lived extended from Scorpion Pass [toward the west] beyond Sela [town], up into the hilly area.

< Waamuzi 1 >