1 Samuel 13

1 Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty-two years.

1 Sauli alikuwa na miaka thelathini, alipokuwa mfalme, akatawala Israeli miaka arobaini na miwili.

2 He chose for himself three thousand men of Israel: Two thousand were with Saul at Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. And the rest of the troops he sent away, each to his own home.

2 Sauli alichagua watu 3,000 kutoka Israeli; miongoni mwa hao watu 2,000 walikuwa pamoja naye huko Mikmashi na katika nchi ya vilima ya Betheli, nao watu 1,000 walikuwa pamoja na Yonathani huko Gibea ya Benyamini. Watu waliosalia aliwarudisha nyumbani mwao.

3 Then Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost at Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. So Saul blew the ram’s horn throughout the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!”

3 Yonathani akashambulia ngome ya Wafilisti huko Geba, nao Wafilisti wakapata habari hizo. Kisha Sauli akaamuru tarumbeta ipigwe nchi yote na kusema, “Waebrania na wasikie!”

4 And all Israel heard the news: “Saul has attacked an outpost of the Philistines, and now Israel has become a stench to the Philistines!” Then the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.

4 Hivyo Israeli wote wakasikia habari kwamba: “Sauli ameshambulia ngome ya Wafilisti, nao sasa Israeli wamekuwa harufu mbaya kwa Wafilisti.” Basi watu waliitwa kuungana na Sauli huko Gilgali.

5 Now the Philistines assembled to fight against Israel with three thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and troops as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They went up and camped at Michmash, east of Beth-aven.

5 Wafilisti wakakusanyika ili kupigana na Israeli, wakiwa na magari ya vita 3,000, waendesha magari ya vita 6,000 na askari wa miguu wengi kama mchanga wa ufuoni mwa bahari. Walipanda na kupiga kambi huko Mikmashi, mashariki ya Beth-Aveni.

6 Seeing that they were in danger because their troops were hard-pressed, the men of Israel hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in cellars and cisterns.

6 Watu wa Israeli walipoona kuwa hali yao ni ya hatari na kuwa jeshi lao limesongwa sana, wakajificha katika mapango na katika vichaka, katikati ya miamba, kwenye mashimo na kwenye mahandaki.

7 Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan into the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul, however, remained at Gilgal, and all his troops were quaking in fear.

7 Hata baadhi ya Waebrania wakavuka Yordani mpaka nchi ya Gadi na Gileadi. Sauli akabaki huko Gilgali, navyo vikosi vyote vilivyokuwa pamoja naye vilikuwa vikitetemeka kwa hofu.

8 And Saul waited seven days for the time appointed by Samuel, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the troops began to desert Saul.

8 Akangoja kwa siku saba, muda uliowekwa na Samweli; lakini Samweli hakuja Gilgali, nao watu wa Sauli wakaanza kutawanyika.

9 So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings.” And he offered up the burnt offering.

9 Basi akasema, “Nileteeni hapa sadaka ya kuteketezwa na sadaka za amani.” Naye Sauli akatoa sadaka ya kuteketezwa.

10 Just as he finished offering the burnt offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him.

10 Mara alipomaliza kutoa hiyo sadaka, Samweli akatokea, naye Sauli akaondoka kwenda kumlaki.

11 “What have you done?” Samuel asked. And Saul replied, “When I saw that the troops were deserting me, and that you did not come at the appointed time and the Philistines were gathering at Michmash,

11 Samweli akamuuliza, “Umefanya nini?” Sauli akajibu, “Nilipoona kwamba watu wanatawanyika, na kwamba hukuja wakati uliopangwa na kwamba Wafilisti walikuwa wakikusanyika huko Mikmashi,

12 I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will descend upon me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the LORD.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.”

12 nikawaza, ‘Sasa Wafilisti watateremka dhidi yangu huko Gilgali nami sijaomba kibali kwa Bwana.’ Hivyo nikalazimika kutoa sadaka ya kuteketezwa.”

13 “You have acted foolishly,” Samuel declared. “You have not kept the command that the LORD your God gave you; if you had, the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time.

13 Samweli akasema, “Umetenda kwa upumbavu. Hukuyashika maagizo ya Bwana Mungu wako aliyokupa. Kama ungelitii, angeudumisha ufalme wako juu ya Israeli kwa wakati wote.

14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought a man after His own heart and appointed him ruler over His people, because you have not kept the command of the LORD.”

14 Lakini sasa ufalme wako hautadumu; Bwana amemtafuta mtu aupendezaye moyo wake, na amemchagua awe kiongozi wa watu wake, kwa sababu hukuyatii maagizo ya Bwana.”

15 Then Samuel set out from Gilgal and went up to Gibeah in Benjamin. And Saul numbered the troops who were with him, about six hundred men.

15 Kisha Samweli akaondoka Gilgali, akapanda Gibea ya Benyamini, naye Sauli akawahesabu watu aliokuwa nao. Jumla yao walikuwa watu 600.

16 Now Saul and Jonathan his son and the troops with them were staying in Geba of Benjamin, while the Philistines camped at Michmash.

16 Sauli, mwanawe Yonathani na watu waliokuwa pamoja nao walikuwa wakiishi huko Gibea ya Benyamini, wakati Wafilisti wakiwa wamepiga kambi huko Mikmashi.

17 And raiders went out of the Philistine camp in three divisions. One headed toward Ophrah in the land of Shual,

17 Makundi ya wavamiaji walikuja kutoka kambi ya Wafilisti katika vikosi vitatu. Kikosi kimoja kilielekea Ofra karibu na Shuali,

18 another toward Beth-horon, and the third down the border road overlooking the Valley of Zeboim facing the wilderness.

18 kikosi kingine kilielekea Beth-Horoni, nacho kikosi cha tatu kilielekea kwenye nchi ya mpakani ielekeayo Bonde la Seboimu linalotazamana na jangwa.

19 And no blacksmith could be found in all the land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, “The Hebrews must not be allowed to make swords or spears.”

19 Hapakuwa na mhunzi ambaye angeweza kupatikana katika nchi yote ya Israeli, kwa sababu Wafilisti walikuwa wamesema, “Waebrania wasije wakatengeneza panga au mikuki!”

20 Instead, all the Israelites would go down to the Philistines to sharpen their plowshares, mattocks, axes, and sickles.

20 Hivyo Waisraeli wote huteremka kwa Wafilisti ili kunoa majembe ya plau, majembe ya mkono, mashoka na miundu.

21 The charge was a pim for sharpening a plowshare or mattock, a third of a shekel for sharpening a pitchfork or an axe, and a third of a shekel for repointing an oxgoad.

21 Bei ilikuwa fedha theluthi mbili za shekeli kunoa majembe ya plau na majembe ya mkono, na theluthi moja ya shekeli kwa nyuma, mashoka na michokoo.

22 So on the day of battle not a sword or spear could be found in the hands of the troops with Saul and Jonathan; only Saul and his son Jonathan had weapons.

22 Kwa hiyo siku ya vita hakuna askari yeyote aliyekuwa kambini na Sauli na Yonathani ambaye alikuwa na upanga wala mkuki mkononi mwake; Sauli tu na mwanawe Yonathani ndio waliokuwa navyo.

23 And a garrison of the Philistines had gone out to the pass at Michmash.

23 Basi kikosi cha Wafilisti kilikuwa kimetoka kuelekea njia iendayo Mikmashi.