1 And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Eben-ezer unto Ashdod.
Basi Wafilisti walikuwa wamelichukua sanduku la Mungu, wakaenda nalo kutoka Eben-ezeri hata Ashdodi.
2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.
Wafilisti wakalichukua sanduku la Mungu, wakalitia katika nyumba ya Dagoni, wakaliweka karibu na Dagoni.
3 And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again.
Na watu wa Ashdodi, walipoamka alfajiri siku ya pili, kumbe! Dagoni imeanguka chini kifudifudi, mbele ya sanduku la Bwana. Wakaitwaa Dagoni, wakaisimamisha mahali pake tena.
4 And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him.
Hata walipoamka kesho yake asubuhi, kumbe! Dagoni ilikuwa imeanguka chini kifudifudi, mbele ya sanduku la Bwana; na kichwa chake Dagoni na vitanga vya mikono yake vyote viwili vimekatika, vipo vimelala kizingitini; Dagoni ikasalia kiwiliwili chake tu.
5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day.
Kwa hiyo makuhani wa Dagoni, na mtu awaye yote aingiaye nyumbani mwa Dagoni, hawakanyagi kizingiti cha nyumba ya Dagoni huko Ashdodi, hata leo.
6 But the hand of the LORD was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and smote them with emerods, even Ashdod and the coasts thereof.
Lakini mkono wa Bwana ulikuwa mzito juu ya watu wa Ashdodi, akawaharibu, akawapiga kwa majipu, huko Ashdodi na mipakani mwake.
7 And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The ark of the God of Israel shall not abide with us: for his hand is sore upon us, and upon Dagon our god.
Kisha hao watu wa Ashdodi, walipoona ilivyokuwa, walisema, Hilo sanduku la Mungu wa Israeli halitakaa kwetu; kwa maana mkono wake ni mzito juu yetu, na juu ya Dagoni, mungu wetu.
8 They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines unto them, and said, What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel? And they answered, Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried about unto Gath. And they carried the ark of the God of Israel about thither .
Basi wakatuma watu waende kuwakusanya kwao mashehe wote wa Wafilisti, wakasema, Tulifanyieje sanduku la Mungu wa Israeli? Nao wakajibu, Sanduku la Mungu wa Israeli na lihamishwe liende Gathi. Wakalihamisha sanduku la Mungu wa Israeli.
9 And it was so , that, after they had carried it about, the hand of the LORD was against the city with a very great destruction: and he smote the men of the city, both small and great, and they had emerods in their secret parts.
Ikawa, walipokwisha lihamisha, mkono wa Bwana ulikuwa juu ya mji huo, kwa kuwafadhaisha sana; akawapiga watu wa mjini, wadogo kwa wakubwa, wakapatwa na majipu.
10 Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people.
Basi, wakalipeleka sanduku la Mungu mpaka Ekroni. Ikawa, sanduku la Mungu lilipofika Ekroni, watu wa Ekroni walifanya kelele, wakasema, Wamelileta hilo sanduku la Mungu wa Israeli kwetu, hata kutuua sisi na watu wetu.
11 So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go again to his own place, that it slay us not, and our people: for there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.
Kwa hiyo wakatuma watu waende kuwakusanya mashehe wote wa Wafilisti, wakasema, Liondoeni hilo sanduku la Mungu wa Israeli, liende tena mahali pake, ili lisituue sisi, wala watu wetu; kwa sababu kulikuwa na fadhaa kubwa sana mjini mwote; mkono wa Mungu ulikuwa mzito mno huko.
12 And the men that died not were smitten with the emerods: and the cry of the city went up to heaven.
Na wale wasiokufa walipigwa kwa yale majipu; na kilio cha mji kikafika mbinguni.
