Waamuzi 8
1 Watu wa Efraimu wakamwambia Gideoni, “Ni nini hiki umetutenda? Haukuita wakati ulipokwenda kupigana na Midiani.” Wakamwambia kwa nguvu.
And the men of Ephraim said to him: What is this that thou meanest to do, that thou wouldst not call us when thou wentest to fight against Madian? and they chid him sharply and almost offered violence.
2 Akawaambia, “Nimefanya nini sasa kulinganisha na mlichofanya ninyi? Je! Mavuno ya zabibu za Efraimu si bora zaidi kuliko mavuno ya zabibu ya Abiezeri?
And he answered them: What could I have done like to that which you have done? Is not one bunch of grapes of Ephraim better than the vintages of Abiezer?
3 Mungu amewapa ushindi juu ya wakuu wa Midiani-Orebu na Zeeb! Mimi nimefanya nini ukilinganisha na ninyi?” Hasira yao ikashuka chini aliposema hili.
The Lord hath delivered into your bands the princes of Madian, Oreb and Zeb: what could I have done like to what you have done? And when he had said this, their spirit was appeased, with which they swelled against him.
4 Gideoni alikuja Yordani na akavuka juu yake, yeye na watu mia tatu waliokuwa pamoja naye. Walikuwa wamechoka, lakini bado waliendelea kufuatilia.
And when Gedeon was come to the Jordan, he passed over it with the three hundred men, that were with him: who were so weary that they could not pursue after them that fled.
5 Akawaambia watu wa Sukothi, “Tafadhali wape mikate kwa watu wanaonifuata, kwa kuwa wamechoka, nami niwafuatilia Zeba na Salmuna, wafalme wa Midiani.
And he said to the men of Soccoth: Give, I beseech you, bread to the people that is with me, for they are faint: that we may pursue Zebee, and Salmana the kings of Madian.
6 Na wakuu wakasema, “Je, mikono ya Zeba na Salmuna sasa ipo mikononi mwako? Kwa nini tulipe jeshi lako mikate?”
The princes of Soccoth answered: Peradventure the palms of the hands of Zebee and Salmana are in thy hand, and therefore thou demandest that we should give bread to thy army.
7 Gideoni akasema, “Bwana akitupa ushindi juu ya Zeba na Salmunna, nitainyunyiza ngozi yenu kwa miiba ya jangwani na michongoma.
And he said to them: When the Lord therefore shall have delivered Zebee and Salmana into my hands, I will thresh your flesh with the thorns and briers of the desert.
8 Akatoka huko, akaenda Penieli, akawaambia watu maneno hayo hayo; lakini watu wa Penieli wakamjibu kama watu wa Sukothi walivyojibu.
And going up from thence, he came to Phanuel: and he spoke the like things to the men of that place. And they also answered him, as the men of Soccoth had answered.
9 Akawaambia pia watu wa Penieli, akasema, “Nitakapokuja kwa amani, nitauangusha mnara huu.”
He said therefore to them also: When I shall return a conqueror in peace, I will destroy this tower.
10 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.
But Zebee and Salmana were resting with all their army. For fifteen thousand men were left of all the troops of the eastern people, and one hundred and twenty thousand warriors that drew the sword, were slain.
11 Gideoni akapanda barabara iliyochukuliwa na wakaazi wa hema, Noba na Yogbena. Akalishinda jeshi la adui, kwa sababu hawakuwa wanatarajia shambulio.
And Gedeon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents, on the east of Nobe and Jegbaa, and smote the camp of the enemies, who were secure, and suspected no hurt.
12 Zeba na Salmuna walikimbia, na Gideoni alipowafuata, akawatwaa wafalme wawili wa Midiani-Zeba na Salmunna- na kulifanya jeshi lote kuwa na hofu.
And Zebee and Salmana fled, and Gedeon pursued and took them, all their host being put in confusion.
13 Gideoni, mwana wa Yoashi, alirudi kutoka kwenye vita kwenda kupitia Heresi.
And returning from the battle before the sun rising,
14 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.
He took a boy of the men of Soccoth: and he asked him the names of the princes and ancients of Soccoth, and he described unto him seventy-seven men.
15 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.”
And he came to Soccoth and said to them: Behold Zebee and Salmana, concerning whom you upbraided me, saying: Peradventure the hands of Zebee and Salmana, are in thy hands, and therefore thou demandest that we should give bread to the men that are weary and faint.
16 Gideoni akawachukua wazee wa mji, naye akawaadhibu watu wa Sukothi pamoja na miiba ya jangwa na michongoma.
So he took the ancients of the city and thorns and briers of the desert, and tore them with the same, and cut in pieces the men of Soccoth.
17 Akaangusha mnara wa Penieli na kuwaua watu wa mji huo.
And he demolished the tower of Phanuel, and slew the men of the city.
18 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.”
And he said to Zebee and Salmana: What manner of men were they whom you slew in Thabor? They answered: They were like thee, and one of them as the son of a king.
19 Gideoni akasema, 'Wao walikuwa ndugu zangu, wana wa mama yangu. Kama Bwana anaishivyo, kama mngewaacha hai, nisingewauwa.”
He answered them: They were my brethren, the sons of my mother. As the Lord liveth, if you had saved them, I would not kill you.
20 Akamwambia Yetheri (mzaliwa wake wa kwanza), “Simama uwaue!” Lakini kijana huyo hakutoa upanga wake kwa kuwa aliogopa, kwa sababu alikuwa bado kijana mdogo.
And he said to Jether his eldest son: Arise, and slay them. But he drew not his sword: for he was afraid, being but yet a boy.
21 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.
And Zebee and Salmana said: Do thou rise, and run upon us: because the strength of a man is according to his age: Gedeon rose up and slew Zebee and Salmana: and he took the ornaments and bosses, with which the necks of the camels of kings are wont to be adorned.
22 Ndipo wana wa Israeli wakamwambia Gideoni, “Ututawale, wewe, mtoto wako, na mjukuu wako; kwa sababu umetuokoa mikononi mwa Midiani.”
And all the men of Israel said to Gedeon: Rule thou over us and thy son, and thy son’s son: because thou hast delivered us from the hand of Madian.
23 Gideoni akawaambia, “Mimi sitatawala juu yenu, wala mtoto wangu hatatawala juu yenu. Bwana atatawala juu yenu.”
And he said to them: I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you, but the Lord shall rule over you.
24 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.)
And he said to them: I desire one request of you: Give me the earlets of your spoils. For the Ismaelites were accustomed to wear golden earlets.
25 Wakamjibu, “Tunafurahi kukupa.” Wakatandika vazi na kila mtu akatupa pete kutoka kwenye nyara zake.
They answered: We will give them most willingly. And spreading a mantle on the ground, they cast upon it the earlets of the spoils.
26 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.
And the weight of the earlets that he requested, was a thousand seven hundred sicles of gold, besides the ornaments, and jewels, and purple raiment which the kings of Madian were went to use, and besides the golden chains that were about the camels’ necks.
27 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.
And Gedeon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city Ephra. And all Israel committed fornication with it, and it became a ruin to Gedeon and to all his house.
28 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.
But Madian was humbled before the children of Israel, neither could they any more lift up their beads: but the land rested for forty years, while Gedeon presided.
29 Yerubaali, mwana wa Yoashi, akaenda akakaa nyumbani kwake.
So Jerobaal the son of Joas went, and dwelt in his own house.
30 Gideoni alikuwa na wana sabini, waliokuwa uzao wake, kwa kuwa alikuwa na wake wengi.
And he had seventy sons, who came out of his thigh, for he had many wives.
31 Mwanamke wake, aliyekuwa Shekemu, akamzaa pia mwana, na Gideoni akampa jina lake Abimeleki.
And his concubine, that he had in Sichem, bore him a son, whose name was Abimelech.
32 Gideoni, mwana wa Yoashi, akafa katika uzee mzuri, akazikwa huko Ofra katika kaburi la baba yake Joashi, wa jamaa ya Abiyezeri.
And Gedeon the son of Joas died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father in Ephra of the family of Ezri.
33 Ikawa, Gideoni alipokufa, watu wa Israeli wakageuka tena na kujifanyia ukahaba wenyewe kwa kuabudu Mabaali. Wamlifanya Baali Berith kuwa mungu wao.
But after Gedeon was dead, the children of Israel turned again, and committed fornication with Baalim. And they made a covenant with Baal, that he should be their god:
34 Watu wa Israeli hawakukumbuka kumtukuza Bwana, Mungu wao, aliyewaokoa kutoka kwa mikono ya adui zao kila upande.
And they remembered not the Lord their God, who delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies round about:
35 Hawakuweka ahadi zao kwa nyumba ya Yerubaali (yaani Gidioni), kwa ajili ya mema yote aliyoyafanya katika Israeli.
Neither did they shew mercy to the house of Jerobaal Gedeon, according to all the good things he had done to Israel.
