1
Sauli alikuwa na umri wa miaka kadha wa kadha hapo alipoanza kutawala;naye akatawala miaka kadha wa kadha juu ya Israeli.
Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty-two years.
2
Naye Sauli alijichagulia watu elfu tatu wa Israeli; ambao katika hao, elfu mbili walikuwa pamoja na Sauli katika Mikmashi, na katika mlima wa Betheli na elfu moja pamoja na Yonathani katika Gibea ya Benyamini; nao wale watu waliosalia akawaruhusu waende kila mtu hemani kwake.
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.
3
Yonathani akaipiga hiyo ngome ya Wafilisti, iliyokuwako huko Gibea, nao Wafilisti wakapata habari. Naye Sauli akapiga tarumbeta katika nchi yote, huku akisema, Na wasikie Waebrania.
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!”
4
Waisraeli wote wakasikia habari ya kwamba Sauli ameipiga hiyo ngome ya Wafilisti, na ya kwamba Waisraeli wamepata kuwa makuruhi kwa Wafilisti. Basi hao watu wakakusanyika pamoja kumfuata Sauli huko Gilgali.
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.
5
Nao Wafilisti wakakusanyana ili wapigane na Waisraeli, magari thelathini elfu, na wapanda farasi sita elfu, na watu kama mchanga ulio ufuoni mwa bahari kwa wingi wao; wakapanda juu, wakapiga kambi yao katika Mikmashi, upande wa mashariki wa Beth-aveni.
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.
6
Hata Waisraeli walipoona ya kuwa wa katika dhiki, (maana watu walifadhaishwa), ndipo hao watu wakajificha katika mapango, na katika vichaka, na katika miamba, na katika mashimo, na katika mabirika.
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.
7
Hata baadhi ya Waebrania walivuka Yordani, wakaingia nchi ya Gadi na Gileadi; lakini Sauli alikuwa akaliko huko Gilgali, nao watu wote wakamfuata wakitetemeka.
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.
8
Akangoja siku saba, kwa kadiri ya muhula uliowekwa na Samweli lakini Samweli hakuja Gilgali; na hao watu wakatawanyika mbali naye.
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.
9
Sauli akasema, Nileteeni hapa sadaka ya kuteketezwa na sadaka za amani. Akaitoa sadaka ya kuteketezwa.
So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings.” And he offered up the burnt offering.
10
Hata mara alipokwisha kuitoa hiyo sadaka ya kuteketezwa, kumbe! Samweli akatokea. Naye Sauli akatoka kwenda kumlaki na kumsalimu.
Just as he finished offering the burnt offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him.
11
Samweli akasema, Umefanya nini? Naye Sauli akasema, Ni kwa sababu naliona ya kuwa watu wanatawanyika mbali nami, na wewe hukuja siku zile zilizonenwa; nao Wafilisti wamekusanyika pamoja huko Mikmashi;
“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,
12
basi nikasema, Wafilisti watanishukia sasa mpaka Gilgali, kabla sijaomba fadhili za Bwana; kwa hiyo nalijishurutisha, nikatoa sadaka ya kuteketezwa.
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.”
13
Naye Samweli akamwambia Sauli, Umefanya upumbavu; hukuishika amri ya Bwana, Mungu wako, aliyokuamuru; kwa maana Bwana angaliufanya ufalme wako kuwa imara juu ya Israeli milele.
“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.
14
Lakini sasa ufalme wako hautadumu; Bwana amejitafutia mtu aupendezaye moyo wake, naye Bwana amemwamuru yeye kuwa mkuu juu ya watu wake, kwa sababu wewe hukulishika neno lile Bwana alilokuamuru.
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.”
15
Basi Samweli akaondoka, akapanda kutoka Gilgali mpaka Gibea ya Benyamini. Naye Sauli akawahesabu watu waliokuwapo pamoja naye, wapata kama mia sita.
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.
16
Naye Sauli, na mwanawe Yonathani, na watu waliokuwapo pamoja nao, wakakaa huko Geba ya Benyamini; lakini Wafilisti wakatua katika Mikmashi.
Now Saul and Jonathan his son and the troops with them were staying in Geba of Benjamin, while the Philistines camped at Michmash.
17
Nao watekaji wa nyara wakatoka katika marago ya hao Wafilisti, vikosi vitatu; kikosi kimoja kikageukia njia iendayo Ofra, mpaka nchi ya Shuali;
And raiders went out of the Philistine camp in three divisions. One headed toward Ophrah in the land of Shual,
18
na kikosi kingine kikageukia njia iendayo Beth-horoni; na kikosi kingine kikageukia njia ya mpakani ielekeayo bonde la Seboimu upande wa nyika.
another toward Beth-horon, and the third down the border road overlooking the Valley of Zeboim facing the wilderness.
19
Basi, hakuonekana mhunzi ye yote katika nchi yote ya Israeli; kwa kuwa Wafilisti walisema, Waebrania wasije wakajifanyizia panga au mikuki;
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.”
20
lakini Waisraeli wote hushuka kwa Wafilisti, ili kunoa kila mtu jembe lake, na mundu wake, na shoka lake, na sululu yake;
Instead, all the Israelites would go down to the Philistines to sharpen their plowshares, mattocks, axes, and sickles.
21
ila walikuwa na tupa za kunolea sululu, na miundu, na mauma, na mashoka; na kwa kuinoa michokoo.
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.
22
Hivyo ikawa, siku ya vita, haukuonekana mkononi mwa mtu ye yote, miongoni mwa watu waliokuwa pamoja na Sauli na Yonathani, upanga wala mkuki; isipokuwa Sauli mwenyewe na mwanawe Yonathani walikuwa navyo.
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.
23
Na jeshi la Wafilisti wakatoka hata mwanya wa Mikmashi.
And a garrison of the Philistines had gone out to the pass at Michmash.