1
[Ikawa siku zile Wafilisti walikusanyika ili kupigana na Israeli,] nao Waisraeli wakatoka juu ya Wafilisti kwenda vitani;wakatua karibu na Ebenezeri ,nao Wafilisti wakatua huko Afeki.
Thus the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now the Israelites went out to meet the Philistines in battle and camped at Ebenezer, while the Philistines camped at Aphek.
2
Nao Wafilisti wakajipanga juu ya Israeli; na walipopigana, Israeli wakapigwa mbele ya Wafilisti; wakauawa watu wa jeshi lao lililokuwa uwandani wapata watu elfu nne.
The Philistines arrayed themselves against Israel, and as the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who struck down about four thousand men on the battlefield.
3
Hata watu walipofika kambini, wazee wa Israeli wakasema, Mbona Bwana ametupiga leo mbele ya Wafilisti? Twende tukalilete sanduku la agano la Bwana toka Shilo hata huku, lije kati yetu, na kutuokoa katika mikono ya adui zetu.
When the troops returned to the camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why has the LORD brought defeat on us before the Philistines today? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD from Shiloh, so that it may go with us to save us from the hand of our enemies.”
4
Basi wakatuma watu kwenda Shilo, nao wakalileta toka huko sanduku la agano la Bwana wa majeshi, akaaye juu ya makerubi; na Hofni na Finehasi, wana wawili wa Eli, walikuwako huko pamoja na sanduku la agano la Mungu.
So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the LORD of Hosts, who sits enthroned between the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
5
Na sanduku la agano la Bwana lilipoingia kambini, Israeli wote wakapiga kelele kwa sauti kuu, hata nchi ikavuma.
When the ark of the covenant of the LORD entered the camp, all the Israelites raised such a great shout that the ground shook.
6
Nao Wafilisti waliposikia mshindo wa zile kelele, walisema, Maana yake nini mshindo wa kelele hizi kubwa katika kambi ya Waebrania? Wakatambua ya kuwa sanduku la Bwana limefika kambini.
On hearing the noise of the shout, the Philistines asked, “What is this loud shouting in the camp of the Hebrews?” And when they realized that the ark of the LORD had entered the camp,
7
Wafilisti wakaogopa, maana walisema, Mungu ameingia kambini. Wakasema, Ole wetu! Kwani halijawa jambo kama hili tangu hapo.
the Philistines were afraid. “The gods have entered their camp!” they said. “Woe to us, for nothing like this has happened before.
8
Ole wetu! Ni nani atakayetuokoa na mkono wa miungu hawa walio hodari? Hawa ndio miungu waliowapiga Wamisri kwa mapigo ya kila namna jangwani.
Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness.
9
Iweni hodari, na kufanya kiume enyi Wafilisti, msije mkawa watumwa wa Waebrania, kama wao walivyokuwa watumwa wenu; fanyeni kiume, mkapigane nao.
Take courage and be men, O Philistines! Otherwise, you will serve the Hebrews just as they served you. Now be men and fight!”
10
Wafilisti wakapigana nao, Israeli wakapigwa, wakakimbia kila mtu hemani kwake; wakauawa watu wengi sana; maana katika Israeli walianguka watu thelathini elfu wenye kwenda vitani kwa miguu.
So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and each man fled to his tent. The slaughter was very great—thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell.
11
Hilo sanduku la Mungu Likatwaliwa; na Hofni na Finehasi, wale wana wawili wa Eli, wakauawa.
The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
12
Basi, mtu mmoja wa Benyamini akapiga mbio kutoka mle jeshini akafika Shilo siku ile ile, hali nguo zake zimeraruliwa, na mavumbi kichwani mwake.
That same day a Benjamite ran from the battle line all the way to Shiloh, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head.
13
Alipofika, tazama, Eli alikuwa ameketi kitini pake kando ya njia, akingojea; maana moyo wake ulitetemeka kwa ajili ya sanduku la Mungu. Na yule mtu alipoingia mjini, akatoa habari, mji wote ukalia.
When he arrived, there was Eli, sitting on his chair beside the road and watching, because his heart trembled for the ark of God. When the man entered the city to give a report, the whole city cried out.
14
Naye Eli aliposikia kelele za kile kilio, akasema, Maana yake nini kelele za kishindo hiki? Yule mtu akafanya haraka, akaenda, akamwambia Eli.
Eli heard the outcry and asked, “Why this commotion?” So the man hurried over and reported to Eli.
15
Basi Eli umri wake umepata miaka tisini na minane; na macho yake yamepofuka hata asiweze kuona.
Now Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his gaze was fixed because he could not see.
16
Yule mtu akamwambia Eli, Mimi ndimi niliyetoka jeshini, nami leo hivi nimekimbia toka jeshini. Naye akasema, Yalikwendaje, mwanangu?
“I have just come from the battle,” the man said to Eli. “I fled from there today.” “What happened, my son?” Eli asked.
17
Yeye aliyeleta habari akajibu, akasema, Israeli wamekimbia mbele ya Wafilisti, tena watu wengi sana wameuawa, hata na wana wako wawili, Hofni na Finehasi, wamekufa pia, na sanduku la Mungu limetwaliwa.
The messenger answered, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been a great slaughter among the people. Your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are both dead, and the ark of God has been captured.”
18
Ikawa alipolitaja sanduku la Mungu, Eli akaanguka kitini pake kwa nyuma, kando ya mlango, shingo yake ikavunjika, akafa; maana alikuwa mzee, tena mzito. Naye alikuwa amewaamua Israeli miaka arobaini.
As soon as the ark of God was mentioned, Eli fell backward from his chair by the city gate, and being old and heavy, he broke his neck and died. And Eli had judged Israel forty years.
19
Tena mkwewe, mkewe huyo Finehasi, alikuwa mja-mzito, karibu na kuzaa; basi, aliposikia habari ya kutwaliwa sanduku la Mungu, na ya kwamba mkwewe na mumewe wamekufa, akajiinamisha, akazaa; maana utungu wake ulimfikilia.
Now Eli’s daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and about to give birth. When she heard the news of the capture of God’s ark and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband, she collapsed and gave birth, for her labor pains overtook her.
20
Hata alipokuwa katika kufa, wale wanawake waliohudhuria karibu naye wakamwambia, Usiogope; kwa maana umezaa mtoto mwanamume. Walakini hakujibu, wala hakumtazama.
As she was dying, the women attending to her said, “Do not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son!” But she did not respond or pay any heed.
21
Akamwita mtoto, Ikabodi, akisema, Huo utukufu umeondoka katika Israeli; kwa sababu sanduku la Mungu lilikuwa limetwaliwa, na kwa sababu ya mkwewe na mumewe.
And she named the boy Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel,” because the ark of God had been captured and her father-in-law and her husband had been killed.
22
Naam, akasema, Huo utukufu umeondoka katika Israeli; maana sanduku la Mungu limetwaliwa.</p>
“The glory has departed from Israel,” she said, “for the ark of God has been captured.”