< Judges 8 >

1 The men of Ephraim said to him, “Why have you treated us this way, that you did not call us when you went to fight with Midian?” They rebuked him sharply.
Watu wa Efraimu wakamwambia Gideoni, “Ni nini hiki umetutenda? Haukuita wakati ulipokwenda kupigana na Midiani.” Wakamwambia kwa nguvu.
2 He said to them, “What have I now done in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer?
Akawaambia, “Nimefanya nini sasa kulinganisha na mlichofanya ninyi? Je! Mavuno ya zabibu za Efraimu si bora zaidi kuliko mavuno ya zabibu ya Abiezeri?
3 God has delivered into your hand the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb! What was I able to do in comparison with you?” Then their anger was abated toward him when he had said that.
Mungu amewapa ushindi juu ya wakuu wa Midiani-Orebu na Zeeb! Mimi nimefanya nini ukilinganisha na ninyi?” Hasira yao ikashuka chini aliposema hili.
4 Gideon came to the Jordan and passed over, he and the three hundred men who were with him, faint, yet pursuing.
Gideoni alikuja Yordani na akavuka juu yake, yeye na watu mia tatu waliokuwa pamoja naye. Walikuwa wamechoka, lakini bado waliendelea kufuatilia.
5 He said to the men of Succoth, “Please give loaves of bread to the people who follow me; for they are faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.”
Akawaambia watu wa Sukothi, “Tafadhali wape mikate kwa watu wanaonifuata, kwa kuwa wamechoka, nami niwafuatilia Zeba na Salmuna, wafalme wa Midiani.
6 The princes of Succoth said, “Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your army?”
Na wakuu wakasema, “Je, mikono ya Zeba na Salmuna sasa ipo mikononi mwako? Kwa nini tulipe jeshi lako mikate?”
7 Gideon said, “Therefore when the LORD has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.”
Gideoni akasema, “Bwana akitupa ushindi juu ya Zeba na Salmunna, nitainyunyiza ngozi yenu kwa miiba ya jangwani na michongoma.
8 He went up there to Penuel, and spoke to them in the same way; and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered.
Akatoka huko, akaenda Penieli, akawaambia watu maneno hayo hayo; lakini watu wa Penieli wakamjibu kama watu wa Sukothi walivyojibu.
9 He spoke also to the men of Penuel, saying, “When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.”
Akawaambia pia watu wa Penieli, akasema, “Nitakapokuja kwa amani, nitauangusha mnara huu.”
10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their armies with them, about fifteen thousand men, all who were left of all the army of the children of the east; for there fell one hundred twenty thousand men who drew sword.
Sasa Zeba na Salmuna walikuwa huko Karkori pamoja na jeshi lao, karibu na watu elfu kumi na tano, wote waliosalia nje ya jeshi lote la watu wa Mashariki, kwa kuwa walianguka watu 120, 000 waliofundishwa kupigana na upanga.
11 Gideon went up by the way of those who lived in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and struck the army; for the army felt secure.
Gideoni akapanda barabara iliyochukuliwa na wakaazi wa hema, Noba na Yogbena. Akalishinda jeshi la adui, kwa sababu hawakuwa wanatarajia shambulio.
12 Zebah and Zalmunna fled and he pursued them. He took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and confused all the army.
Zeba na Salmuna walikimbia, na Gideoni alipowafuata, akawatwaa wafalme wawili wa Midiani-Zeba na Salmunna- na kulifanya jeshi lote kuwa na hofu.
13 Gideon the son of Joash returned from the battle from the ascent of Heres.
Gideoni, mwana wa Yoashi, alirudi kutoka kwenye vita kwenda kupitia Heresi.
14 He caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and inquired of him; and he described for him the princes of Succoth, and its elders, seventy-seven men.
Akamkimbilia kijana mmoja wa watu wa Sukothi na kutafuta ushauri kutoka kwake. Kijana huyo alimwelezea viongozi wa Sukothi na wazee wake, watu sabini na saba.
15 He came to the men of Succoth, and said, “See Zebah and Zalmunna, concerning whom you taunted me, saying, ‘Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give bread to your men who are weary?’”
Gideoni akaja kwa watu wa Sukothi, akasema, “Tazameni Zeba na Salmuna, ambao mlinidhihaki kwa ajili yao, nikasema, 'Je! mmemshinda Zeba na Salmuna? Hatujui kwamba tunapaswa kulipa jeshi lako mkate.”
16 He took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.
Gideoni akawachukua wazee wa mji, naye akawaadhibu watu wa Sukothi pamoja na miiba ya jangwa na michongoma.
17 He broke down the tower of Penuel, and killed the men of the city.
Akaangusha mnara wa Penieli na kuwaua watu wa mji huo.
18 Then he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “What kind of men were they whom you killed at Tabor?” They answered, “They were like you. They all resembled the children of a king.”
Gideoni akamwambia Zeba na Salmuna, “Ni watu wa aina gani mliwauawa Tabori?” Wakajibu, “Kama wewe ulivyo, ndivyo walivyokuwa. Kila mmoja wao alionekana kama mwana wa mfalme.”
19 He said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As the LORD lives, if you had saved them alive, I would not kill you.”
Gideoni akasema, 'Wao walikuwa ndugu zangu, wana wa mama yangu. Kama Bwana anaishivyo, kama mngewaacha hai, nisingewauwa.”
20 He said to Jether his firstborn, “Get up and kill them!” But the youth did not draw his sword; for he was afraid, because he was yet a youth.
Akamwambia Yetheri (mzaliwa wake wa kwanza), “Simama uwaue!” Lakini kijana huyo hakutoa upanga wake kwa kuwa aliogopa, kwa sababu alikuwa bado kijana mdogo.
21 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, “You rise and fall on us; for as the man is, so is his strength.” Gideon arose, and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and took the crescents that were on their camels’ necks.
Ndipo Zeba na Salmuna wakasema, simama mwenyewe, utuue! Kwa maana kama mtu alivyo, ndivyo zilivyo nguvu zake. Gideoni akasimama na kumwua Zeba na Salmuna. Pia aliondoa mapambo yaliyokuwa juu ya shingo za ngamia zao.
22 Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, both you, your son, and your son’s son also; for you have saved us out of the hand of Midian.”
Ndipo wana wa Israeli wakamwambia Gideoni, “Ututawale, wewe, mtoto wako, na mjukuu wako; kwa sababu umetuokoa mikononi mwa Midiani.”
23 Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you. The LORD shall rule over you.”
Gideoni akawaambia, “Mimi sitatawala juu yenu, wala mtoto wangu hatatawala juu yenu. Bwana atatawala juu yenu.”
24 Gideon said to them, “I do have a request: that you would each give me the earrings of his plunder.” (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)
Gideoni akawaambia, “Nina haja yangu niitakayo kwenu kwamba kila mmoja wenu atanipe pete kutoka kwenye nyara zake.” (Wamidiani walikuwa na pete za dhahabu kwa sababu walikuwa Waishmaeli.)
25 They answered, “We will willingly give them.” They spread a garment, and every man threw the earrings of his plunder into it.
Wakamjibu, “Tunafurahi kukupa.” Wakatandika vazi na kila mtu akatupa pete kutoka kwenye nyara zake.
26 The weight of the golden earrings that he requested was one thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold, in addition to the crescents, and the pendants, and the purple clothing that was on the kings of Midian, and in addition to the chains that were about their camels’ necks.
Uzito wa pete za dhahabu alizoomba zilikuwa shekeli 1, 700 za dhahabu. Nyara hizi zilikuwa ni pamoja na mapambo ya makoja, vidani, nguo ya rangi ya zambarau waliyovaa na wafalme wa Midiani, na zaidi ya minyororo iliyokuwa karibu na shingo za ngamia zao.
27 Gideon made an ephod out of it, and put it in Ophrah, his city. Then all Israel played the prostitute with it there; and it became a snare to Gideon and to his house.
Gideoni akafanya efodi kutoka katika pete na kuiweka katika mji wake, huko Ofra, na Israeli wote wakaiandama kwa ukahaba na kuabudu. Ilikuwa mtego kwa Gideoni na kwa wale walio nyumbani kwake.
28 So Midian was subdued before the children of Israel, and they lifted up their heads no more. The land had rest forty years in the days of Gideon.
Kwa hiyo Midiani ilishindwa mbele ya watu wa Israeli na hawakuinua vichwa vyao tena. Na nchi ikawa na amani kwa miaka arobaini siku za Gideoni.
29 Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and lived in his own house.
Yerubaali, mwana wa Yoashi, akaenda akakaa nyumbani kwake.
30 Gideon had seventy sons conceived from his body, for he had many wives.
Gideoni alikuwa na wana sabini, waliokuwa uzao wake, kwa kuwa alikuwa na wake wengi.
31 His concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech.
Mwanamke wake, aliyekuwa Shekemu, akamzaa pia mwana, na Gideoni akampa jina lake Abimeleki.
32 Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the tomb of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
Gideoni, mwana wa Yoashi, akafa katika uzee mzuri, akazikwa huko Ofra katika kaburi la baba yake Joashi, wa jamaa ya Abiyezeri.
33 As soon as Gideon was dead, the children of Israel turned again and played the prostitute following the Baals, and made Baal Berith their god.
Ikawa, Gideoni alipokufa, watu wa Israeli wakageuka tena na kujifanyia ukahaba wenyewe kwa kuabudu Mabaali. Wamlifanya Baali Berith kuwa mungu wao.
34 The children of Israel did not remember the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hand of all their enemies on every side;
Watu wa Israeli hawakukumbuka kumtukuza Bwana, Mungu wao, aliyewaokoa kutoka kwa mikono ya adui zao kila upande.
35 neither did they show kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, that is, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shown to Israel.
Hawakuweka ahadi zao kwa nyumba ya Yerubaali (yaani Gidioni), kwa ajili ya mema yote aliyoyafanya katika Israeli.

< Judges 8 >