Judges 18
1 In those days there was no king in Israel; and in those days the tribe of the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in; for unto that day there had nothing been allotted unto them among the tribes of Israel for an inheritance.
Katika siku hizo Israeli walikuwa hawana mfalme. Katika siku hizo kabila la Wadani walikuwa wanatafuta mahali pao wenyewe pa kuishi, kwa sababu walikuwa hawajafika kwenye urithi wao miongoni mwa makabila ya Israeli.
2 And the children of Dan sent of their family five men from their whole number, men of valour, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land, and to search it; and they said unto them: 'Go, search the land'; and they came to the hill-country of Ephraim, unto the house of Micah, and lodged there.
Hivyo Wadani wakatuma mashujaa watano kutoka Sora na Eshtaoli ili kupeleleza nchi na kuichunguza. Hawa watu waliwakilisha koo zao zote. Waliwaambia, “Nendeni mkaichunguze hiyo nchi.” Watu hao wakaingia katika nchi ya vilima ya Efraimu, nao wakafika nyumba ya Mika, ambako walilala usiku huo.
3 When they were by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the young man the Levite; and they turned aside thither, and said unto him: 'Who brought thee hither? and what doest thou in this place? and what hast thou here?'
Walipofika karibu na nyumba ya Mika, waliitambua sauti ya yule kijana Mlawi; hivyo wakaingia humo na kumuuliza, “Ni nani aliyekuleta hapa? Unafanya nini mahali hapa? Kwa nini uko hapa?”
4 And he said unto them: 'Thus and thus hath Micah dealt with me, and he hath hired me, and I am become his priest.'
Akawaeleza yale Mika aliyomtendea, naye akasema, “Ameniajiri nami ni kuhani wake.”
5 And they said unto him: 'Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that we may know whether our way which we are going shall be prosperous.'
Kisha wakamwambia, “Tafadhali tuulizie kwa Mungu kama safari yetu itafanikiwa.”
6 And the priest said unto them: 'Go in peace; before the LORD is your way wherein ye go.'
Yule kuhani akawajibu, “Enendeni kwa amani. Safari yenu ina kibali cha Bwana.”
7 Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people that were therein, how they dwelt in security, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure; for there was none in the land, possessing authority, that might put them to shame in any thing, and they were far from the Zidonians, and had no dealings with any man.
Basi hao watu watano wakaondoka na kufika Laishi, mahali ambapo waliwakuta watu wanaishi salama, kama Wasidoni, kwa utulivu na bila mashaka. Nchi yao haikupungukiwa na kitu chochote, hivyo wakawa tajiri. Pia walikaa mbali sana na Wasidoni, wala hawakushughulika na mtu yeyote.
8 And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol; and their brethren said unto them: 'What say ye?'
Waliporudi kwa ndugu zao huko Sora na Eshtaoli, ndugu zao wakawauliza, “Mlionaje mambo huko?”
9 And they said: 'Arise, and let us go up against them; for we have seen the land, and, behold, it is very good; and are ye still? be not slothful to go and to enter in to possess the land.
Wakajibu, “Twendeni, tukapigane nao! Tumeona kuwa nchi ni nzuri sana. Je, hamtafanya chochote? Msisite kupanda ili kuimiliki.
10 When ye go, ye shall come unto a people secure, and the land is large; for God hath given it into your hand; a place where there is no want; it hath every thing that is in the earth.'
Mtakapokwenda huko mtakuta watu waliotulia walio salama, nayo nchi hiyo ni kubwa na Mungu ameitia mikononi mwenu, nayo ni nchi ambayo haikupungukiwa na kitu chochote kilicho duniani.”
11 And there set forth from thence of the family of the Danites, out of Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men girt with weapons of war.
Ndipo watu 600 toka ukoo wa Wadani, waliojifunga silaha za vita, wakaondoka Sora na Eshtaoli.
12 And they went up, and encamped in Kiriath-jearim, in Judah; wherefore that place was called Mahaneh-dan unto this day; behold, it is behind Kiriath-jearim.
Walipokuwa wakisafiri wakapiga kambi huko Kiriath-Yearimu katika Yuda. Hii ndiyo sababu sehemu ya magharibi ya Kiriath-Yearimu inaitwa Mahane-Dani mpaka leo.
13 And they passed thence unto the hill-country of Ephraim, and came unto the house of Micah.
Kutoka hapo wakaendelea mbele mpaka nchi ya vilima ya Efraimu na kufika katika nyumba ya Mika.
14 Then answered the five men that went to spy out the country of Laish, and said unto their brethren: 'Do ye know that there is in these houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image? now therefore consider what ye have to do.'
Ndipo wale watu watano waliopeleleza nchi ya Laishi wakawaambia ndugu zao, “Je, mwajua kuwa mojawapo ya nyumba hizi kuna naivera, sanamu ndogo za nyumbani, sanamu ya kuchonga na sanamu ya kusubu? Sasa basi fikirini mtakalofanya.”
15 And they turned aside thither, and came to the house of the young man the Levite, even unto the house of Micah, and asked him of his welfare.
Basi wakaingia humo na kwenda kwenye nyumba ya yule kijana Mlawi katika nyumba ya Mika na kumsalimu.
16 And the six hundred men girt with their weapons of war, who were of the children of Dan, stood by the entrance of the gate.
Wale Wadani 600, waliovaa silaha za vita, wakasimama penye ingilio la lango.
17 And the five men that went to spy out the land went up, and came in thither, and took the graven image, and the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image; and the priest stood by the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men girt with weapons of war.
Wale watu watano waliokwenda kupeleleza nchi wakaingia ndani na kuchukua ile sanamu ya kuchonga, ile naivera, na zile sanamu nyingine ndogo za nyumbani pamoja na ile sanamu ya kusubu, wakati yule kuhani akiwa amesimama pale penye ingilio la lango pamoja na wale watu 600 waliokuwa wamejifunga silaha za vita.
18 And when these went into Micah's house, and fetched the graven image of the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image, the priest said unto them: 'What do ye?'
Hao watu walipoingia katika nyumba ya Mika na kuchukua ile sanamu ya kuchonga, ile naivera, na zile sanamu nyingine ndogo za nyumbani, pamoja na ile sanamu ya kusubu, yule kuhani akawauliza, “Mnafanya nini?”
19 And they said unto him: 'Hold thy peace, lay thy hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest; is it better for thee to be priest unto the house of one man, or to be priest unto a tribe and a family in Israel?'
Wakamjibu, “Nyamaza kimya! Weka mkono wako juu ya kinywa chako na ufuatane nasi, uwe baba yetu na kuhani wetu. Si ni afadhali utumikie kabila na ukoo katika Israeli kama kuhani kuliko kumtumikia mtu mmoja na watu wa nyumbani mwake?”
20 And the priest's heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the midst of the people.
Yule kuhani akafurahi. Akachukua ile naivera, zile sanamu nyingine ndogo za nyumbani, na sanamu ya kuchonga, naye akaenda pamoja na wale watu.
21 So they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the cattle and the goods before them.
Ndipo wakageuka na kuondoka wakiwatanguliza mbele watoto wao wadogo, wanyama wao wa kufugwa na mali zao.
22 When they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men that were in the houses near to Micah's house were gathered together, and overtook the children of Dan.
Walipokuwa wamesafiri umbali kidogo toka nyumbani kwa Mika, watu walioishi karibu na Mika wakaitwa wakakusanyika pamoja, nao wakawafikia Wadani.
23 And they cried unto the children of Dan. And they turned their faces, and said unto Micah: 'What aileth thee, that thou comest with such a company?'
Walipofuatilia wakipiga kelele Wadani wakawageukia na kumwambia Mika, “Una nini wewe hata ukaja na kundi la watu namna hii ili kupigana?”
24 And he said: 'Ye have taken away my god which I made, and the priest, and are gone away, and what have I more? and how then say ye unto me: What aileth thee?'
Akawajibu, “Mmechukua miungu yote niliyoitengeneza, mkachukua na kuhani wangu, nanyi mkaondoka. Nimebaki na nini kingine? Mnawezaje kuniuliza, ‘Una nini wewe?’”
25 And the children of Dan said unto him: 'Let not thy voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows fall upon you, and thou lose thy life, with the lives of thy household.'
Wadani wakamjibu, “Usibishane na sisi, la sivyo watu wenye hasira kali watakushambulia, nawe na watu wa nyumbani mwako mtapoteza maisha.”
26 And the children of Dan went their way; and when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back unto his house.
Basi Wadani wakaenda zao, naye Mika alipoona kuwa wana nguvu kumliko yeye, akageuka na kurudi nyumbani kwake.
27 And they took that which Micah had made, and the priest whom he had, and came unto Laish, unto a people quiet and secure, and smote them with the edge of the sword; and they burnt the city with fire.
Kisha wakachukua vile Mika alivyokuwa ametengeneza, na kuhani wake, wakaendelea hadi Laishi, dhidi ya watu walio na amani, wasiokuwa na wasiwasi. Wakawashambulia kwa upanga na kuuteketeza mji wao kwa moto.
28 And there was no deliverer, because it was far from Zidon, and they had no dealings with any man; and it was in the valley that lieth by Beth-rehob. And they built the city, and dwelt therein.
Hapakuwa na yeyote wa kuwaokoa, kwa kuwa kulikuwa mbali sana na Sidoni na hawakuwa na ushirikiano na mtu mwingine yeyote. Mji ulikuwa kwenye bonde karibu na Beth-Rehobu. Wadani wakaujenga upya huo mji na kuishi humo.
29 And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born unto Israel; howbeit the name of the city was Laish at the first.
Wakauita ule mji Dani kwa kufuata jina la baba yao aliyezaliwa na Israeli, ingawa mji huo ulikuwa ukiitwa Laishi hapo kwanza.
30 And the children of Dan set up for themselves the graven image; and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of the Danites until the day of the captivity of the land.
Kisha Wadani wakajisimamishia sanamu ile ya kuchonga, naye Yonathani mwana wa Gershomu, mwana wa Mose pamoja na wanawe walikuwa makuhani wa kabila la Wadani mpaka nchi hiyo ilipotekwa.
31 So they set them up Micah's graven image which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.
Wakaisimamisha na kuiabudu hiyo sanamu ya kuchonga ya Mika aliyokuwa ameitengeneza, wakati wote ule nyumba ya Mungu ilipokuwa huko Shilo.
