1 And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? And they did chide with him sharply.
Basi watu wa Efraimu wakamwambia, Kwa nini wewe kututendea sisi kama haya? Hata usituite, hapo ulipokwenda kupigana na Midiani? Nao wakateta naye sana.
2 And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abi-ezer?
Lakini akawaambia, Je! Mimi nimefanya nini sasa kama mlivyofanya ninyi? Hayo masazo ya zabibu za Efraimu si mema kuliko mavuno ya Abiezeri?
3 God hath delivered into your hands the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you? Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that.
Mungu amewatia hao wakuu wa Midiani, Orebu na Zeebu, mikononi mwenu; na mimi nilipata kufanya nini kama mlivyofanya ninyi? Ndipo hasira zao walizokuwa nazo juu yake zikatulia aliposema maneno hayo.
4 And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them .
Basi Gideoni akafika Yordani, akauvuka, yeye na hao watu mia tatu waliokuwa pamoja naye, walikuwa wamepungukiwa na nguvu, lakini wawafuatia vivyo.
5 And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.
Naye akawaambia watu wa Sukothi, Tafadhali wapeni mikate hao watu waniandamao; kwa maana wanapungukiwa na nguvu, nami ni katika kuwafuatia Zeba na Salmuna, wafalme wa Midiani.
6 And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army?
Hao wakuu wa Sukothi wakasema, Je! Mikono ya Zeba na Salmuna i mkononi mwako sasa, hata sisi tukawape jeshi lako mikate?
7 And Gideon said, Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.
Ndipo Gideoni akasema, Kwa sababu hii, hapo Bwana atakapokuwa amewatia Zeba na Salmuna mkononi mwangu, ndipo nitaipura nyama ya miili yenu kwa miiba ya nyikani, na kwa michongoma.
8 And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise: and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him .
Basi kutoka hapo alikwea kwenda Penieli, akasema na watu wa mahali hapo maneno kama hayo; watu wa Penieli nao wakamjibu kama vile watu wa Sukothi walivyomjibu.
9 And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower.
Naye akawaambia hao watu wa Penieli nao, akisema, Nitakapokuja tena kwa amani, nitauvunja mnara huu.
10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men , all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew sword.
Basi hao kina Zebu na Salmuna walikuwa katika Karkori, na majeshi yao walikuwa pamoja nao, watu kama kumi na tano elfu hesabu yao, ni wote waliobaki wa hilo jeshi lote la hao wana wa mashariki; kwa sababu walianguka watu mia na ishirini elfu waliokuwa wenye kutumia upanga.
11 And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host: for the host was secure.
Basi Gideoni alikwea kwa njia ya hao waliokuwa wenye kukaa hemani upande wa mashariki wa Noba na Yogbeha, akalipiga hilo jeshi; kwa maana lile jeshi lilikuwa salama.
12 And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host.
Zeba na Salmuna walikimbia; naye akawaandamia; akawakamata hao wafalme wawili wa Midiani Zeba na Salmuna, akalitapanya-tapanya hilo jeshi lote.
13 And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was up ,
Kisha huyo Gideoni mwana wa Yoashi akarudi kutoka vitani, kutoka kwenye makweleo ya Heresi.
14 and caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and enquired of him: and he described unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen men.
Ndipo akamshika mtu mmoja hirimu katika watu wa Sukothi, akamwuliza; naye akamwandikia majina ya hao wakuu wa Sukothi, na wazee wa mji, watu sabini na saba.
15 And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary?
Kisha akawafikilia wale watu wa Sukothi, akawaambia, Tazama, Zeba na Salmuna, ambao ninyi mlinisimanga kwa ajili yao, mliposema, Je! Mikono ya Zeba na Salmuna iko sasa mikononi mwako wewe, hata tuwape watu wako waliochoka mikate?
16 And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.
Basi akawatwaa hao wazee wa mji, na miiba ya nyikani na michongoma, akawafunza hao watu wa Sukothi kwayo.
17 And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.
Kisha akaupomosha mnara wa Penieli, na kuwaua watu wa mji huo.
18 Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were they whom ye slew at Tabor? And they answered, As thou art , so were they; each one resembled the children of a king.
Ndipo akawaambia hao Zeba na Salmuna, Hao watu mliowaua huko Tabori walikuwa watu wa namna gani? Wakamjibu, Walikuwa kama wewe ulivyo; kila mmoja alikuwa anafanana na wana wa mfalme.
19 And he said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother: as the LORD liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you.
Naye akasema, Watu hao walikuwa ndugu zangu, wana wa mamaangu mimi; kama yeye Bwana alivyo hai, kwamba mliwaokoa hai watu hao, mimi nisingewaua ninyi.
20 And he said unto Jether his firstborn, Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth.
Kisha akamwambia Yetheri mwanawe mzaliwa wa kwanza, Haya, simama, uwaue hawa. Lakini huyo kijana hakutoa upanga wake; maana, akacha, kwa sababu alikuwa ni kijana tu.
21 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that were on their camels' necks.
Ndipo hapo Zeba na Salmuna wakasema, Simama wewe ukatuangukie sisi; kwa maana kama mtu alivyo, ndivyo zilivyo nguvu zake. Basi Gideoni akasimama, akawaua Zeba na Salmuna, akazitwaa koja zilizokuwa katika shingo za ngamia zao.
22 Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian.
Ndipo watu wa Israeli wakamwambia Gideoni, Tawala wewe juu yetu, wewe, na mwanao, na mjukuu wako pia; kwa kuwa wewe umetuokoa na mikono ya Midiani.
23 And Gideon said unto 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 mwanangu hatatawala juu yenu; yeye Bwana atatawala juu yenu.
24 And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)
Kisha Gideoni akawaambia, Mimi nina haja yangu niitakayo kwenu, ni ya kila mtu kunipa hizo pete za masikio ya mateka yake. (Kwa maana walikuwa na pete za masikio za dhahabu, kwa sababu walikuwa ni Waishmaeli.)
25 And they answered, We will willingly give them . And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey.
Wakajibu, Tutakupa kwa mioyo. Basi wakatandika nguo chini, wakatia humo kila mtu pete za masikio ya mateka yake.
26 And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels' necks.
Na uzani wa hizo pete za dhahabu alizozitaka ulipata shekeli za dhahabu elfu moja na mia saba; mbali na makoja na vidani, na mavazi ya rangi ya zambarau waliyokuwa wameyavaa hao wafalme wa Midiani, tena mbali na mikufu iliyokuwa katika shingo za ngamia zao.
27 And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.
Basi Gideoni akafanya naivera kwa vitu vile, akaiweka katika mji wake, mji huo wa Ofra; nao Israeli wote wakaenda na kuiandama kwa ukahaba huko; nayo ilikuwa ni tanzi kwa Gideoni na kwa nyumba yake.
28 Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.
Hivyo Midiani walishindwa mbele ya wana wa Israeli, wala hawakuinua vichwa vyao tena. Nayo nchi ilipata kuwa na amani muda wa miaka arobaini katika siku za Gideoni.
29 And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.
Kisha huyo Yerubaali, mwana wa Yoashi, akaenda kukaa katika nyumba yake mwenyewe.
30 And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives.
Gideoni alikuwa na wana sabini waliozawa na mwili wake; kwa maana alikuwa na wake wengi.
31 And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.
Na suria yake aliyekuwako Shekemu, yeye naye akamzalia mwana, naye akamwita jina lake Abimeleki.
32 And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites.
Basi Gideoni mwana wa Yoashi akafa mwenye umri wa uzee mwema, akazikwa katika kaburi la Yoashi baba yake, katika Ofra ya Waabiezeri.
33 And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baal-berith their god.
Kisha ikawa, mara alipokufa Gideoni, wana wa Israeli wakakengeuka tena, wakawaandama Mabaali kwa ukahaba, wakamfanya Baal-berithi kuwa ni mungu wao.
34 And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side:
Kwani wana wa Israeli hawakumkumbuka Bwana, Mungu wao, ambaye ndiye aliyewaokoa na mikono ya adui zao wote pande zote;
35 neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely , Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.
wala hawakuifanyia mema nyumba ya Yerubaali, yaani Gideoni, kwa kuyafuata hayo mema yote aliyowafanyia Israeli.
