Judges 18

1 In those days there was no king in Israel, and the tribe of the Danites was looking for territory to occupy. For up to that time they had not come into an inheritance among the tribes of Israel.

1 Katika siku hizo Israeli walikuwa hawana mfalme. Katika siku hizo kabila la Wadani walikuwa wanatafuta mahali pao wenyewe pa kuishi, kwa sababu walikuwa hawajafika kwenye urithi wao miongoni mwa makabila ya Israeli.

2 So the Danites sent out five men from their clans, men of valor from Zorah and Eshtaol, to spy out the land and explore it. “Go and explore the land,” they told them. The men entered the hill country of Ephraim and came to the house of Micah, where they spent the night.

2 Hivyo Wadani wakatuma mashujaa watano kutoka Sora na Eshtaoli ili kupeleleza nchi na kuichunguza. Hawa watu waliwakilisha koo zao zote. Waliwaambia, “Nendeni mkaichunguze hiyo nchi.” Watu hao wakaingia katika nchi ya vilima ya Efraimu, nao wakafika nyumba ya Mika, ambako walilala usiku huo.

3 And while they were near Micah’s house, they recognized the voice of the young Levite; so they went over and asked him, “Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? Why are you here?”

3 Walipofika karibu na nyumba ya Mika, waliitambua sauti ya yule kijana Mlawi; hivyo wakaingia humo na kumuuliza, “Ni nani aliyekuleta hapa? Unafanya nini mahali hapa? Kwa nini uko hapa?”

4 “Micah has done this and that for me,” he replied, “and he has hired me to be his priest.”

4 Akawaeleza yale Mika aliyomtendea, naye akasema, “Ameniajiri nami ni kuhani wake.”

5 Then they said to him, “Please inquire of God to determine whether we will have a successful journey.”

5 Kisha wakamwambia, “Tafadhali tuulizie kwa Mungu kama safari yetu itafanikiwa.”

6 And the priest told them, “Go in peace. The LORD is watching over your journey.”

6 Yule kuhani akawajibu, “Enendeni kwa amani. Safari yenu ina kibali cha Bwana.”

7 So the five men departed and came to Laish, where they saw that the people were living securely, like the Sidonians, quiet and unsuspecting. There was nothing lacking in the land and no oppressive ruler. And they were far away from the Sidonians and had no alliance with anyone.

7 Basi hao watu watano wakaondoka na kufika Laishi, mahali ambapo waliwakuta watu wanaishi salama, kama Wasidoni, kwa utulivu na bila mashaka. Nchi yao haikupungukiwa na kitu chochote, hivyo wakawa tajiri. Pia walikaa mbali sana na Wasidoni, wala hawakushughulika na mtu yeyote.

8 When the men returned to Zorah and Eshtaol, their brothers asked them, “What did you find?”

8 Waliporudi kwa ndugu zao huko Sora na Eshtaoli, ndugu zao wakawauliza, “Mlionaje mambo huko?”

9 They answered, “Come on, let us go up against them, for we have seen the land, and it is very good. Why would you fail to act? Do not hesitate to go there and take possession of the land!

9 Wakajibu, “Twendeni, tukapigane nao! Tumeona kuwa nchi ni nzuri sana. Je, hamtafanya chochote? Msisite kupanda ili kuimiliki.

10 When you enter, you will come to an unsuspecting people and a spacious land, for God has delivered it into your hand. It is a place where nothing on earth is lacking.”

10 Mtakapokwenda huko mtakuta watu waliotulia walio salama, nayo nchi hiyo ni kubwa na Mungu ameitia mikononi mwenu, nayo ni nchi ambayo haikupungukiwa na kitu chochote kilicho duniani.”

11 So six hundred Danites departed from Zorah and Eshtaol, armed with weapons of war.

11 Ndipo watu 600 toka ukoo wa Wadani, waliojifunga silaha za vita, wakaondoka Sora na Eshtaoli.

12 They went up and camped at Kiriath-jearim in Judah. That is why the place west of Kiriath-jearim is called Mahaneh-dan to this day.

12 Walipokuwa wakisafiri wakapiga kambi huko Kiriath-Yearimu katika Yuda. Hii ndiyo sababu sehemu ya magharibi ya Kiriath-Yearimu inaitwa Mahane-Dani mpaka leo.

13 And from there they traveled to the hill country of Ephraim and came to Micah’s house.

13 Kutoka hapo wakaendelea mbele mpaka nchi ya vilima ya Efraimu na kufika katika nyumba ya Mika.

14 Then the five men who had gone to spy out the land of Laish said to their brothers, “Did you know that one of these houses has an ephod, household gods, a graven image, and a molten idol? Now think about what you should do.”

14 Ndipo wale watu watano waliopeleleza nchi ya Laishi wakawaambia ndugu zao, “Je, mwajua kuwa mojawapo ya nyumba hizi kuna naivera, sanamu ndogo za nyumbani, sanamu ya kuchonga na sanamu ya kusubu? Sasa basi fikirini mtakalofanya.”

15 So they turned aside there and went to the home of the young Levite, the house of Micah, and greeted him.

15 Basi wakaingia humo na kwenda kwenye nyumba ya yule kijana Mlawi katika nyumba ya Mika na kumsalimu.

16 The six hundred Danites stood at the entrance of the gate, armed with their weapons of war.

16 Wale Wadani 600, waliovaa silaha za vita, wakasimama penye ingilio la lango.

17 And the five men who had gone to spy out the land went inside and took the graven image, the ephod, the household idols, and the molten idol, while the priest stood at the entrance of the gate with the six hundred armed men.

17 Wale watu watano waliokwenda kupeleleza nchi wakaingia ndani na kuchukua ile sanamu ya kuchonga, ile naivera, na zile sanamu nyingine ndogo za nyumbani pamoja na ile sanamu ya kusubu, wakati yule kuhani akiwa amesimama pale penye ingilio la lango pamoja na wale watu 600 waliokuwa wamejifunga silaha za vita.

18 When they entered Micah’s house and took the graven image, the ephod, the household idols, and the molten idol, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”

18 Hao watu walipoingia katika nyumba ya Mika na kuchukua ile sanamu ya kuchonga, ile naivera, na zile sanamu nyingine ndogo za nyumbani, pamoja na ile sanamu ya kusubu, yule kuhani akawauliza, “Mnafanya nini?”

19 “Be quiet,” they told him. “Put your hand over your mouth and come with us and be a father and a priest to us. Is it better for you to be a priest for the house of one person or a priest for a tribe and family in Israel?”

19 Wakamjibu, “Nyamaza kimya! Weka mkono wako juu ya kinywa chako na ufuatane nasi, uwe baba yetu na kuhani wetu. Si ni afadhali utumikie kabila na ukoo katika Israeli kama kuhani kuliko kumtumikia mtu mmoja na watu wa nyumbani mwake?”

20 So the priest was glad and took the ephod, the household idols, and the graven image, and went with the people.

20 Yule kuhani akafurahi. Akachukua ile naivera, zile sanamu nyingine ndogo za nyumbani, na sanamu ya kuchonga, naye akaenda pamoja na wale watu.

21 Putting their small children, their livestock, and their possessions in front of them, they turned and departed.

21 Ndipo wakageuka na kuondoka wakiwatanguliza mbele watoto wao wadogo, wanyama wao wa kufugwa na mali zao.

22 After they were some distance from Micah’s house, the men in the houses near Micah’s house mobilized and overtook the Danites.

22 Walipokuwa wamesafiri umbali kidogo toka nyumbani kwa Mika, watu walioishi karibu na Mika wakaitwa wakakusanyika pamoja, nao wakawafikia Wadani.

23 When they called out after them, the Danites turned to face them and said to Micah, “What is the matter with you that you have called out such a company?”

23 Walipofuatilia wakipiga kelele Wadani wakawageukia na kumwambia Mika, “Una nini wewe hata ukaja na kundi la watu namna hii ili kupigana?”

24 He replied, “You took the gods I had made, and my priest, and went away. What else do I have? How can you say to me, ‘What is the matter with you?’”

24 Akawajibu, “Mmechukua miungu yote niliyoitengeneza, mkachukua na kuhani wangu, nanyi mkaondoka. Nimebaki na nini kingine? Mnawezaje kuniuliza, ‘Una nini wewe?’”

25 The Danites said to him, “Do not raise your voice against us, or angry men will attack you, and you and your family will lose your lives.”

25 Wadani wakamjibu, “Usibishane na sisi, la sivyo watu wenye hasira kali watakushambulia, nawe na watu wa nyumbani mwako mtapoteza maisha.”

26 So the Danites went on their way, and Micah turned to go back home, because he saw that they were too strong for him.

26 Basi Wadani wakaenda zao, naye Mika alipoona kuwa wana nguvu kumliko yeye, akageuka na kurudi nyumbani kwake.

27 After they had taken Micah’s idols and his priest, they went to Laish, to a quiet and unsuspecting people, and they struck them with their swords and burned down the city.

27 Kisha wakachukua vile Mika alivyokuwa ametengeneza, na kuhani wake, wakaendelea hadi Laishi, dhidi ya watu walio na amani, wasiokuwa na wasiwasi. Wakawashambulia kwa upanga na kuuteketeza mji wao kwa moto.

28 There was no one to deliver them, because the city was far from Sidon and had no alliance with anyone; it was in a valley near Beth-rehob. And the Danites rebuilt the city and lived there.

28 Hapakuwa na yeyote wa kuwaokoa, kwa kuwa kulikuwa mbali sana na Sidoni na hawakuwa na ushirikiano na mtu mwingine yeyote. Mji ulikuwa kwenye bonde karibu na Beth-Rehobu. Wadani wakaujenga upya huo mji na kuishi humo.

29 They named it Dan, after their forefather Dan, who was born to Israel—though the city was formerly named Laish.

29 Wakauita ule mji Dani kwa kufuata jina la baba yao aliyezaliwa na Israeli, ingawa mji huo ulikuwa ukiitwa Laishi hapo kwanza.

30 The Danites set up idols for themselves, and Jonathan son of Gershom, the son of Moses, and his sons were priests for the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.

30 Kisha Wadani wakajisimamishia sanamu ile ya kuchonga, naye Yonathani mwana wa Gershomu, mwana wa Mose pamoja na wanawe walikuwa makuhani wa kabila la Wadani mpaka nchi hiyo ilipotekwa.

31 So they set up for themselves Micah’s graven image, and it was there the whole time the house of God was in Shiloh.

31 Wakaisimamisha na kuiabudu hiyo sanamu ya kuchonga ya Mika aliyokuwa ameitengeneza, wakati wote ule nyumba ya Mungu ilipokuwa huko Shilo.