< Balam 3 >

1 Waliwo amawanga Mukama gaatazikiriza asobole okuyigiririzaako Abayisirayiri bonna abataamanya ntalo zonna ez’omu Kanani;
Now Yahweh left these nations to test Israel, namely everyone in Israel who had not experienced any of the wars fought in Canaan.
2 Kino kiyaambe Abayisirayiri ab’omulembe omuggya abatalwanangako okukuguka mu by’entalo.
(He did this to teach warfare to the new generation of the Israelites who had not known it before.)
3 Ge gano: Abakungu abataano ab’Abafirisuuti, Abakanani bonna, Abasidoni, n’Abakiivi abaabeeranga ku lusozi Lebanooni, okuva ku lusozi Baalukerumoni okutuuka awayingirirwa mu Kamasi.
These are the nations: the five kings from the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived in the Lebanon mountains, from Mount Baal Hermon to Hamath Pass.
4 Era gaalekebwawo okugezesa Abayisirayiri obanga baligondera amateeka ga Mukama ge yalagira bajjajjaabwe ng’ayita mu Musa.
These nations were left as a means by which Yahweh would test Israel, to confirm whether they would obey the commands he gave their ancestors through Moses.
5 Abayisirayiri ne babeeranga wamu n’Abakanani, Abakiiti, Abamoli, Abakiivi n’aba Yebusi.
So the people of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
6 Ne bawasanga abawala ab’omu mawanga ago era ne bafumbizanga bawala baabwe eri abalenzi b’omu mawanga ago ne basinzanga ne bakatonda baabwe.
Their daughters they took to be their wives, and their own daughters they gave to their sons, and they served their gods.
7 Abayisirayiri ne bakola ebibi mu maaso ga Mukama, ne beerabira Mukama Katonda waabwe ne basinzanga Babaali ne Baasera.
The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh and forgot Yahweh their God. They worshiped the Baals and the Asherahs.
8 Noolwekyo Mukama n’asunguwalira nnyo Abayisirayiri, kyeyava abawaayo okuwangulwa n’okufugibwa kabaka Kusanurisasaimu ow’e Mesopotamiya okumala emyaka munaana.
Therefore, the anger of Yahweh was set on fire against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram Naharaim. The people of Israel served Cushan-Rishathaim for eight years.
9 Naye Abayisirayiri bwe baalaajanira Mukama, kyeyava abawa omulwanyi omuzira okubanunula erinnya lye Osunieri azaalibwa Kenezi muto wa Kalebu.
When the people of Israel called out to Yahweh, Yahweh raised up someone who would come to help the people of Israel, and who would rescue them: Othniel son of Kenaz (Caleb's younger brother).
10 Osunieri n’ajjula Omwoyo wa Mukama n’akulembera Abayisirayiri, n’alumba Kusanurisaseyimu kabaka w’e Mesopotamiya era n’amuwangula kubanga Mukama yamuwaayo mu mikono gya Osunieri.
Yahweh's Spirit empowered him, and he judged Israel and he went out to war. Yahweh gave him victory over Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram. The hand of Othniel defeated Cushan-Rishathaim.
11 Awo ne wayitawo emyaka ana ng’Abayisirayiri bali mu mirembe okutuusa ddala Osunieri mutabani wa Kenazi lwe yafa.
The land had peace for forty years. Then Othniel son of Kenaz died.
12 Ate era Abayisirayiri ne bakola ebibi mu maaso ga Mukama; kyeyava awa Eguloni kabaka wa Mowaabu amaanyi okubawangula olw’ebibi byabwe.
After that, the Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and Yahweh gave strength to Eglon king of Moab to overpower the Israelites.
13 Ne yegatta n’Abamoni n’Abamaleki ne balumba Abayisirayiri era ne babawambako ekibuga kyabwe eky’enkindu.
Eglon joined with the Ammonites and the Amalekites and they went and defeated Israel, and they took possession of the City of Palms.
14 Abayisirayiri ne bafugibwa Egulooni kabaka wa Mowaabu emyaka kkumi na munaana.
The people of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab for eighteen years.
15 Naye Abayisirayiri bwe baalaajanira Mukama, kyeyava abawa omulwanyi omuzira okubanunula ayitibwa Ekudi ow’enkonokono mutabani wa Gera ow’omu kika kya Benyamini; era oyo Abayisirayiri gwe baatuma okutwala ekirabo kyabwe eri Egulooni kabaka wa Mowaabu.
When the people of Israel called out to Yahweh, Yahweh raised up someone who would help them, Ehud son of Gera, a Benjamite, a left-handed man. The people of Israel sent him, with their tribute payment, to Eglon king of Moab.
16 Ekudi ne yeewesezza ekitala ekirina obwogi erudda n’erudda nga kiweza sentimita ana mu ttaano obuwanvu. N’akyesiba ku kisambi kye ekya ddyo munda mu ngoye ze.
Ehud made himself a sword that had two edges, one cubit in length; he strapped it on under his clothing on his right thigh.
17 N’atwalira Egulooni kabaka wa Mowaabu ekirabo. Egulooni yali musajja munene nnyo.
He gave the tribute payment to King Eglon of Moab. (Now Eglon was a very fat man.)
18 Awo bwe yamala okuwaayo ekirabo, n’agobawo abajja bakyetisse.
After Ehud had presented the tribute payment, he left with those who had carried it in.
19 Ekudi n’akoma awaali amayinja amoole kumpi ne Girugaali n’addayo eri Egulooni n’amugamba nti, “Nnina obubaka obw’ekyama gy’oli.” Kabaka n’agobawo bonna be yali nabo era ne bamuviira.
As for Ehud himself, however, when he reached the place where the carved images were made near Gilgal, he turned and went back, and he said, “I have a secret message for you, my king.” Eglon said, “Silence!” So all those serving him left the room.
20 Awo kabaka bwe yali ng’atudde bw’omu mu nnyumba ye, mu kisenge ekya waggulu ekiweweevu, Ekudi n’amusemberera era n’amugamba nti, “Nnina obubaka obuva eri Katonda gy’oli.” Kabaka n’asituka mu ntebe ye.
Ehud came to him. The king was sitting by himself, alone in the coolness of the upper room. Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you.” The king got up out of his seat.
21 Ekudi n’asowolayo ekitala kye n’omukono ogwa kkono ng’akiggya ku kisambi kye ekya ddyo n’akisogga kabaka mu lubuto;
Ehud reached with his left hand and took the sword from his right thigh, and he stabbed it into the king's body.
22 ekitala kyonna n’ekiti kyakyo ne kimubuliramu, amasavu ne gakibuutikira era n’atayinza na kukisowolamu. Ebyenda bya kabaka ne biyiika.
The hilt of the sword also went into him following the blade. The tip of the sword came out of his back and the fat closed over it, for Ehud did not pull the sword out of his belly.
23 Ekudi n’asibawo oluggi oluyingira mu kisenge ekya waggulu, n’afulumira mu mulyango ogw’emanju.
Then Ehud went out on the porch and closed the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them.
24 Bwe yali nga yakafuluma abaweereza ba kabaka ne bajja. Bwe baalaba nga enzigi nsibe ne balowooza nti, “Kabaka ateekwa okuba ng’agenze manju.”
After Ehud had gone, the king's servants came; they saw that the doors of the upper room were locked, so they thought, “Surely he is relieving himself in the coolness of the upper room.”
25 Bwe baakoowa okulindirira ne baddira ekisumuluzo ne basumululawo, baagenda okulaba ng’omulambo gwa mukama waabwe gugudde bugazi mu kisenge.
They were growing more concerned until they felt they were neglecting their duty when the king still did not open the doors to the upper room. So they took the key and opened them, and there lay their master, fallen to the floor, dead.
26 Mu kiseera kye baamala nga balindirira kabaka okuggulawo Ekudi mwe yaddukira n’ayita ku mayinja amoole n’atuuka e Seyiri.
While the servants were waiting, wondering what they should do, Ehud escaped and passed beyond the place where there were carved images of idols, and so he escaped to Seirah.
27 Bwe yatuuka mu kitundu eky’ensozi ekya Efulayimu n’akiyitamu nga bw’afuuwa ekkondeere, Abayisirayiri ne bamwegattako ye nga abakulembeddemu.
When he arrived, he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim. Then the people of Israel went down with him from the hills, and he was leading them.
28 N’abagamba nti, “Mungoberere kubanga Mukama abawadde obuwanguzi ku balabe bammwe Abamowaabu.” Ne bamugoberera ne bawamba ekifo awasomokerwa ekyali kyolekedde aba Mowaabu ku mugga Yoludaani; Abayisirayiri ne bataganya muntu yenna kusomoka.
He said to them, “Follow me, for Yahweh is about to defeat your enemies, the Moabites.” They followed him and they captured the fords of the Jordan across from the Moabites, and they did not allow anyone to cross the river.
29 Ne batta ku basajja abalwanyi abazira aba Mowaabu mutwalo mulamba; teri n’omu ku bo yasimattuka.
At that time they killed about ten thousand men of Moab, and all were strong and capable men. Not one escaped.
30 Bwe batyo Abayisirayiri ne bajeemulula Abamowaabu ku lunaku olwo. Okuva ku olwo ensi n’ebaamu emirembe okumala emyaka kinaana.
So that day Moab was subdued by the strength of Israel, and the land had rest for eighty years.
31 Omukulembeze eyaddira Ekudi mu bigere ye Samugali mutabani wa Anasi era naye yanunula Abayisirayiri. Ye wuuyo eyatta abasajja Abafirisuuti lukaaga nga yeeyambisa omuwunda gwe bagobesa ente nga zirima.
After Ehud the next judge was Shamgar son of Anath who killed 600 men of the Philistines with a stick used to goad cattle. He also delivered Israel from danger.

< Balam 3 >