1
Ikawa katika siku hizo, hapo kulipokuwa hapana mfalme katika Israeli, alikuwapo Mlawi mmoja aliyekuwa akikaa hali ya ugeni upande wa mbele wa nchi ya vilima vilima ya Efraimu, aliyejitwalia suria katika Bethlehemu-yuda.
Now in those days, when there was no king in Israel, a Levite who lived in the remote hill country of Ephraim took for himself a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah.
2
Kisha huyo suria yake akaandama ukahaba kinyume chake, kumwacha kwenda nyumbani kwa baba yake huko Bethlehemu-yuda, akakaa kuko muda wa miezi minne.
But she was unfaithful to him and left him to return to her father’s house in Bethlehem in Judah. After she had been there four months,
3
Kisha mumewe akainuka akamfuata, aseme naye kwa upendo, ili apate kumrudisha tena, naye alikuwa na mtumishi wake pamoja naye na punda wawili; huyo mwanamke akamkaribisha katika nyumba ya baba yake; naye baba yake alipomwona akafurahi kuonana naye.
her husband got up and went after her to speak kindly to her and bring her back, taking his servant and a pair of donkeys. So the girl brought him into her father’s house, and when her father saw him, he gladly welcomed him.
4
Kisha mkwewe, babaye huyo mwanamke, akamzuia; akakaa naye siku tatu; basi wakala na kunywa na kulala kuko.
His father-in-law, the girl’s father, persuaded him to stay, so he remained with him three days, eating, drinking, and lodging there.
5
Kisha ilikuwa siku ya nne, wakaamka asubuhi na mapema, naye akaondoka ili aende zake; baba yake huyo mwanamke akamwambia mkwewe, Tuza moyo wako, ule chakula kidogo, kisha baadaye mtakwenda zenu.
On the fourth day, they got up early in the morning and prepared to depart, but the girl’s father said to his son-in-law, “Refresh your heart with a morsel of bread, and then you can go.”
6
Basi wakaketi, wakala na kunywa wote wawili pamoja; kisha baba yake mwanamke akamwambia huyo mtu, Uwe radhi, tafadhali, ukae usiku kucha, na moyo wako na ufurahi.
So they sat down and the two of them ate and drank together. Then the girl’s father said to the man, “Please agree to stay overnight and let your heart be merry.”
7
Yule mtu akainuka ili aondoke; lakini mkwewe akamsihi-sihi, naye akalala kuko tena.
The man got up to depart, but his father-in-law persuaded him, so he stayed there that night.
8
Basi akaamka asubuhi na mapema siku ya tano ili aende zake; na baba yake mwanamke akasema, Tuza moyo wako, tafadhali, ukae hata jua lipinduke; nao wakala chakula wote wawili.
On the fifth day, he got up early in the morning to depart, but the girl’s father said, “Please refresh your heart.” So they waited until late afternoon and the two of them ate.
9
Kisha hapo mtu huyo alipoinuka ili aende zake, yeye na suria yake, na mtumishi wake, huyo mkwewe, baba yake mwanamke, akamwambia, Tazama mchana wakaribia jioni, tafadhali kaa usiku kucha; tazama mchana wakaribia mwisho wake, lala hapa, ili moyo wako ufurahi; hata kesho uende zako asubuhi na mapema, ili upate kwenda kwenu.
When the man got up to depart with his concubine and his servant, his father-in-law, the girl’s father, said to him, “Look, the day is drawing to a close. Please spend the night. See, the day is almost over. Spend the night here, that your heart may be merry. Then you can get up early tomorrow for your journey home.”
10
Lakini huyo mtu hakukubali kukaa usiku huo, ila akainuka, akaenda zake, akafika mkabala wa Yebusi (huo ndio Yerusalemu); nao walikuwako pamoja naye punda wawili waliotandikwa; suria yake naye alikuwa pamoja naye.
But the man was unwilling to spend the night. He got up and departed, and arrived opposite Jebus (that is, Jerusalem), with his two saddled donkeys and his concubine.
11
Basi hapo walipokuwa karibu na Yebusi, mchana ulikuwa umeendelea mno; yule mtumishi akamwambia bwana wake, Haya, tafadhali, tugeuke kando na kuingia mji huu wa Wayebusi, tulale humu.
When they were near Jebus and the day was almost gone, the servant said to his master, “Please, let us stop at this Jebusite city and spend the night here.”
12
Bwana wake akamwambia, Hatutageuka sisi kuingia mji wa wageni, ambao si wa wana wa Israeli; lakini tutapita mpaka Gibea.
But his master replied, “We will not turn aside to the city of foreigners, where there are no Israelites. We will go on to Gibeah.”
13
Kisha akamwambia mtumishi wake, Haya, tuifikilie miji hii mmojawapo nasi tutalala katika Gibea au katika Rama.
He continued, “Come, let us try to reach one of these towns to spend the night in Gibeah or Ramah.”
14
Basi wakashika njia kwenda zao mbele; jua likawachwea walipokuwa karibu na Gibea, ambao ni mji wa Benyamini.
So they continued on their journey, and the sun set as they neared Gibeah in Benjamin.
15
Wakageuka huko, wapate kuingia na kulala katika Gibea; akaingia ndani, akaketi katika njia kuu ya mji; kwa kuwa hapakuwa na mtu awaye yote aliyewakaribisha nyumbani kwake kulala.
They stopped to go in and lodge in Gibeah. The Levite went in and sat down in the city square, but no one would take them into his home for the night.
16
Kisha, tazama, akatokea mtu mume mzee, atoka kazini kwake shambani, wakati wa jioni; mtu huyo alikuwa ni wa ile nchi ya vilima vilima ya Efraimu, naye alikuwa anakaa katika Gibea hali ya ugeni lakini wenyeji wa mahali hapo walikuwa Wabenyamini.
That evening an old man from the hill country of Ephraim, who was residing in Gibeah (the men of that place were Benjamites), came in from his work in the field.
17
Naye alipovua macho yake, akamwona huyo mtu msafiri katika njia kuu ya mji; huyo mzee akamwuliza, Waenda wapi wewe? Nawe watoka wapi?
When he looked up and saw the traveler in the city square, the old man asked, “Where are you going, and where have you come from?”
18
Akamwambia, Sisi twapita hapa kutoka Bethlehemu-yuda, twaenda huko upande wa mbali wa nchi ya vilima vilima ya Efraimu; ndiko nilikotoka nami nilikwenda Bethlehemu-yuda; nami sasa naiendea nyumba ya Bwana wala hapana mtu anikaribishaye nyumbani mwake.
The Levite replied, “We are traveling from Bethlehem in Judah to the remote hill country of Ephraim, where I am from. I went to Bethlehem in Judah, and now I am going to the house of the LORD; but no one has taken me into his home,
19
Walakini nyasi tunazo, na chakula cha hawa punda zetu; mkate pia tunao na divai kwa mimi na huyu kijakazi wako, na kwa huyu kijana aliye pamoja nasi watumishi wako; hapana uhitaji wa kitu cho chote.
even though there is both straw and feed for our donkeys, and bread and wine for me and the maidservant and young man with me. There is nothing that we, your servants, lack.”
20
Kisha huyo mzee alisema, Na iwe amani kwako; lakini na haya yaliyokupungukia na yawe juu yangu mimi lakini usilale njiani.
“Peace to you,” said the old man. “Let me supply everything you need. Only do not spend the night in the square.”
21
Basi akamtia ndani ya nyumba yake, akawapa punda chakula; nao wakaosha miguu, wakala na kunywa.
So he brought him to his house and fed his donkeys. And they washed their feet and ate and drank.
22
Hapo walipokuwa wakifurahisha mioyo yao, tazama, watu wa mji huo, watu mabaradhuli wakaizingira hiyo nyumba pande zote, wakagonga mlango; wakasema na huyo mwenye nyumba, huyo mzee, na kumwambia, Mlete nje mtu yule aliyefika nyumbani kwako, ili tupate kumjua.
While they were enjoying themselves, suddenly the wicked men of the city surrounded the house. Pounding on the door, they said to the old man who owned the house, “Bring out the man who came to your house, so we can have relations with him!”
23
Naye mtu mwenye nyumba akawatokea hapo nje, na kuwaambia, La, sivyo, ndugu zangu nawasihi msifanye uovu jinsi hii; kwa kuwa mtu huyu ameingia ndani ya nyumba yangu, msifanye upumbavu huu.
The owner of the house went out and said to them, “No, my brothers, do not do this wicked thing! After all, this man is a guest in my house. Do not commit this outrage.
24
Tazama, binti yangu yupo hapa, ni mwanamwali, na suria wake huyo mtu; nitawaleta hapa nje sasa nanyi watwezeni, na kuwatenda hayo myaonayo kuwa ni mema; lakini mtu huyu msimtende jambo la upumbavu namna hii.
Look, let me bring out my virgin daughter and the man’s concubine, and you can use them and do with them as you wish. But do not do such a vile thing to this man.”
25
Lakini hao watu hawakukubali kumsikia; basi mtu huyo akamshika suria wake, na kumleta nje kwao; nao wakamjua, na kumtenda uovu usiku kucha hata asubuhi kisha kulipoanza kupambauka wakamwacha aende zake.
But the men would not listen to him. So the Levite took his concubine and sent her outside to them, and they raped her and abused her throughout the night, and at dawn they let her go.
26
Ndipo huyo mwanamke akaja alfajiri, akaanguka chini mlangoni pa nyumba ya mtu yule alimokuwamo bwana wake, hata kulipokucha.
Early that morning, the woman went back to the house where her master was staying, collapsed at the doorway, and lay there until it was light.
27
Bwana wake akaondoka asubuhi, akaifungua milango ya nyumba, akatoka nje ili aende zake, na tazama, huyo mwanamke suria yake alikuwa ameanguka pale mlangoni pa nyumba, na mikono yake ilikuwa i pale kizingitini.
In the morning, when her master got up and opened the doors of the house to go out on his journey, there was his concubine, collapsed in the doorway of the house, with her hands on the threshold.
28
Akamwambia, Haya ondoka, twende zetu; lakini hakuna aliyemjibu; ndipo akamwinua akamweka juu ya punda; mtu huyo akaondoka, akaenda mahali pake mwenyewe.
“Get up,” he told her. “Let us go.” But there was no response. So the man put her on his donkey and set out for home.
29
Naye alipokwisha kuingia nyumbani mwake, akatwaa kisu, kisha akamshika huyo suria yake, akampasua kiungo kwa kiungo, vipande kumi na viwili akampeleka katika mipaka yote ya Israeli.
When he reached his house, he picked up a knife, took hold of his concubine, cut her limb by limb into twelve pieces, and sent her throughout the territory of Israel.
30
Basi ikawa, wote walioliona jambo hilo wakasema, Jambo kama hili halijatendeka wala kuonekana tangu siku hiyo wana wa Israeli walipokwea kutoka katika nchi ya Misri hata leo; haya, lifikirini, fanyeni shauri, mkanene.
And everyone who saw it said, “Nothing like this has been seen or done from the day the Israelites came out of the land of Egypt until this day. Think it over, take counsel, and speak up!”