¹Zvino Abhimereki, mwanakomana

¹And Abimelech son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother's brethren, and spoke to them, and to all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying,

²Taurirai henyu, varume vose veShekemu vanzwe, muti, Chinhu chakanaka ndechipiko, kuti mubatwe ushe navanakomana vose vaJerubhaari vanosvika vanhu vana makumi manomwe, kana mubatwe nomunhu mumwe chete? Rangariraiwo kuti ini ndiri pfupa renyu nenyama yenyu.

²Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the citizens of Shechem, Which is better for you, that seventy persons, all sons of Jerubbaal, rule over you, or that one man rule over you? And remember that I am your bone and your flesh.

³Zvino madzisekuru ake akataura mashoko awa ose pamusoro pake, varume veShekemu vachizvinzwa; moyo yavo ikada kutevera Abhimereki, nekuti vakati, Ihama yedu.

³And his mother's brethren spoke of him in the ears of all the citizens of Shechem all these words. And their heart inclined after Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother.

⁴Vakamupa mari yesirivha yakasvika mashekeri ana makumi manomwe, yavakatora paimba yaBhaari-bheriti, Abhimereki akaripira varume vakaipa, vasine hanya, ivo vakamutevera.

⁴And they gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-Berith, and Abimelech hired with them vain and wanton men, and they followed him.

⁵Akaenda kumba kwababa vake paOfura, akauraya pabwe rimwe vana vababa vake, ivo vanakomana vaJerubhaari, vaiva varume vana makumi manomwe; asi Jotamu, mwanakomana worugotwe waJerubhaari wakapukunyuka, nekuti wakange avanda.

⁵And he came to his father's house, to Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy persons upon one stone; but there remained Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal; for he had hid himself.

⁶Zvino varume vose veShekemu vakaungana pamwechete navose veimba yaMiro, vakandoita Abhimereki mambo pamuouki weshongwe yakamiswa paShekemu.

⁶And all the citizens of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went and made Abimelech king, by the memorial-oak that is in Shechem.

⁷Vakati vaudza Jotamu izvozvo, iye akaenda, akandomira pamusoro pegomo reGerizimi, akadana nenzwi guru, akati kwavari, Mundinzwei, imwi varume veShekemu, kuti Mwari akunzweiwo imi.

⁷And they told it to Jotham, and he went and stood on the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said to them, Hearken to me, ye citizens of Shechem, that God may hearken to you.

⁸Imwe nguva miti yakandozvizodzera mambo wayo; ikati kumuorivhi, Iva mambo wedu iwe.

⁸The trees once went forth to anoint a king over them; and they said to the olive-tree, Reign over us.

⁹Asi muorivhi wakati kwairi, Ko ini ndingarega mafuta angu, anorumbidzwa naMwari navanhu mandiri ndipepere uko nokoko pamusoro pemiti here?

⁹And the olive-tree said to them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to wave over the trees?

¹⁰Zvino miti ikati kumuonde, Uya iwe, uve mambo wedu.

¹⁰And the trees said to the fig-tree, Come thou, reign over us.

¹¹Asi muonde, wakati kwairi ko ini ndingarega kutapira kwangu nemichero yangu yakanaka, ndipepere uko nokoko pamusoro pemiti here?

¹¹But the fig-tree said to them, Should I leave my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to wave over the trees?

¹²Zvino miti ikati kumuzambiringa, Uya iwe, uve mambo wedu.

¹²Then said the trees to the vine, Come thou, reign over us.

¹³Muzambiringa ukati kwairi, Ko ini ndingarega waini yangu, inofadza Mwari navanhu, ndipepere uko nokoko pamusoro pemiti here?

¹³And the vine said to them, Should I leave my new wine, which cheers God and man, and go to wave over the trees?

¹⁴Ipapo miti yose yakati kurukato, Uya iwe, uve mambo wedu.

¹⁴Then said all the trees to the thorn-bush, Come thou, reign over us.

¹⁵Rukato rukati kumiti, Kana mukandizodza kuti ndive mambo wenyu zvirokwazvo, chiuyai muvande pamumvuri wangu; kana musingadi, moto ngaubude parukato, uparadze misidhari yeRebhanoni.

¹⁵And the thorn-bush said to the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, come, put confidence in my shadow; but if not, fire shall come out of the thorn-bush and devour the cedars of Lebanon.

¹⁶Saka zvino kana makaita zvakanaka nezvakarurama, zvamakaita Abhimereki mambo wenyu, uye kana makaitira Jerubhaari sezvaakafanirwa pamusoro pezvaakakuitirai,

¹⁶Now therefore, if ye have dealt truly and sincerely in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and if ye have done to him according to the deserving of his hands;

¹⁷(nokuti baba vangu vakakurwirai, vasingarangariri upenyu hwavo, vakakurwirai mumaoko avaMidhiani;

¹⁷-- for my father fought for you, and endangered his life, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian;

¹⁸imwi mukamukira nhasi imba yababa vangu, mukauraya pabwe rimwe vanakomana vake, vanhu vana makumi manomwe, mukaita Abhimereki, mwanakomana womurandakadzi wake, mambo wavarume veShekemu, zvairi hama yenyu;)

¹⁸but ye are risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, seventy men, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his handmaid, king over the citizens of Shechem, because he is your brother;

¹⁹kana makaitira Jerubhaari neimba yake zvakanaka nezvakarurama nhasi, chifarirai henyu Abhimereki, naiye akufarireiwo;

¹⁹-- if ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you;

²⁰asi kana zvisina kunaka, moto ngaubude kuna Abhimereki, uparadze varume veShekemu, naveimba yaMiro; uye moto ngaubude kuvarume veShekemu, naveimba yaMiro, uparadze Abhimereki.

²⁰but if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the citizens of Shechem and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the citizens of Shechem and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech.

²¹Ipapo Jotamu akamhanya, akatiza, akandogara paBheeri, nekuti wakatya Abhimereki mukuru wake.

²¹And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, because of Abimelech his brother.

²²Abhimereki akabata ushe pavaIsiraeri makore matatu.

²²And Abimelech ruled over Israel three years.

²³Mwari akazotuma mweya wetsvina pakati paAbhimereki navarume veShekemu; varume veShekemu vakanyengera Abhimereki;

²³And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem; and the citizens of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech,

²⁴kuti zvakashata zvakaitirwa vanakomana vaJerubhaari vana makumi manomwe zvitsibwe, neropa ravo ritsibwe kuna Abhimereki, munin'ina wavo wakavauraya, nokuvarume veShekemu vakanga vasimbisa maoko ake kuti auraye vana vababa vake.

²⁴that the violence [done] to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, who slew them, and upon the citizens of Shechem, who had strengthened his hands to slay his brethren.

²⁵Varume veShekemu vakaisa vanhu vakamuvandira pamusoro pamakomo, vakapamba vose vakanga vachipfuura kwavari nenzira iyo; Abhimereki akaudzwa izvozvo.

²⁵And the citizens of Shechem set liers in wait for him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them. And it was told Abimelech.

²⁶Zvino Gaari mwanakomana waEbhedhi, wakauya nehama dzake, vakaenda Shekemu; varume veShekemu vakavimba naye.

²⁶And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren, and went over to Shechem; and the citizens of Shechem put confidence in him.

²⁷Vakabudira kuminda yavo, vakakohwa mazambiringa avo vakatsika-tsika mazambiringa, vakatamba mutambo, ndokupinda mumba mamwari wavo, vakadya, vakamwa, vakatuka Abhimereki.

²⁷And they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards, and trode [the grapes], and made rejoicings, and went into the house of their god, and ate and drank, and cursed Abimelech.

²⁸Zvino Gaari mwanakomana waEbhedhi, akati, Abhimereki ndianiko, Shekemu ndianiko, kuti timushumire? Haazi mwanakomana waJerubhaari here? NaZebhuri haazi munyai wake here? imwi shumirai henyu varume vaHamori, baba vaShekemu; asi isu tichamushumireiko?

²⁸And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? is he not the son of Jerubbaal? and Zebul his overseer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem! and why should *we* serve him?

²⁹Haiwa, dai vanhu ava vaiva muruoko rwangu, ndaidzinga Abhimereki. Zvino akati kuna Abhimereki, Wedzera hondo yako, ubude kuzorwa.

²⁹Oh! would that this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.

³⁰Zvino Zebhuri mubati weguta, wakati achinzwa mashoko aGaari mwanakomana waEbhedhi, akatsamwa kwazvo.

³⁰And Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, and his anger was kindled;

³¹Akatuma nhume kuna Abhimereki nokunyengera, akati, Tarira, Gaari, mwanakomana waEbhedhi nehama dzake vasvika paShekemu; tarira vanokurudzira guta kurwa newe.

³¹and he sent messengers to Abimelech craftily, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brethren are come to Shechem, and behold, they shut up the city against thee;

³²Saka zvino chimuka usiku, iwe navanhu vaunavo, muvande musango.

³²and now, rise up by night, thou and the people that are with thee, and lie in ambush in the fields.

³³Zvino mangwanani, zuva richangobuda, unofanira kufumira kundovamba guta; kana iye navanhu vaanavo vachibuda kuzorwa newe, iwe ungaita navo sezvaunoda.

³³And it shall be in the morning when the sun is up, thou shalt rise early, and fall upon the city; and behold, he and the people that is with him shall come out against thee, and thou shalt do with him as thou shalt find occasion.

³⁴Ipapo Abhimereki akamuka usiku, iye navanhu vose vaakanga anavo, vakandovandira Shekemu vakaita mapoka mana.

³⁴And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they lay in ambush against Shechem in four companies.

³⁵Zvino Gaari, mwanakomana waEbhedhi, akamira pavanopinda napo pasuwo reguta; Abhimereki akasimuka, iye navanhu vaakanga anavo pavakanga vakavandira.

³⁵And Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city. Then Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him, out of the ambush.

³⁶Zvino Gaari wakati achiona vanhu, akati kuna Zebhuri, Tarira, kuna vanhu vanoburuka vachibva kumusoro kumakomo. Zebhuri akati kwaari, Unoona hako mimvuri yamakomo, yakafanana navanhu.

³⁶And Gaal saw the people, and said to Zebul, Behold, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains. And Zebul said to him, Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as men.

³⁷Gaari akapamhidzazve, akati, Tarira, kuna vanhu vanoburuka vachibva kurutivi rwokumusoro, nerimwe boka rinouya richibva nenzira yomuouki weMeonenimi.

³⁷And Gaal spoke again, and said, Behold, people are coming down from the high part of the land, and one company is coming along by the way of the Magician's oak.

³⁸Ipapo Zebhuri akati kwaari, Zvino muromo wako uripi, zvawakanga uchiti, Abhimereki ndianiko, kuti timushumire? Ko ava havazi vanhu avo vawakazvidza here? Zvino chiburuka hako undorwa navo.

³⁸Then said Zebul to him, Where is now thy mouth, thou that saidst, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? is not this the people that thou hast despised? go out now, I pray, and fight against them.

³⁹Ipapo Gaari akabuda pamberi pavarume veShekemu, akandorwa naAbhimereki.

³⁹And Gaal went out before the citizens of Shechem, and fought against Abimelech.

⁴⁰Abhimereki akadzingana naye, akatiza pamberi pake,

⁴⁰And Abimelech pursued him, and he fled before him, and there fell many wounded, as far as the entrance of the gate.

⁴¹Abhimereki akagara paAruma, Zebhuri akadzinga Gaari nehama dzake, kuti varege kuzogara paShekemu.

⁴¹And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah. And Zebul drove out Gaal and his brethren, that they might not dwell in Shechem.

⁴²Zvino fume mangwana vanhu vakabuda kusango; vakaudza Abhimereki.

⁴²And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech.

⁴³Iye akatora vanhu akavakamura, akaita mapoka matatu, akandovavandira kusango; akatarira, akaona vanhu vachibuda muguta, akasimuka, akandorwa navo, akavauraya.

⁴³And he took the people, and divided them into three companies, and lay in ambush in the field. And he looked, and behold, the people came forth out of the city; and he rose up against them and smote them.

⁴⁴Abhimereki namapoka akanga anaye, vakamhanya, vakandomira pavanopinda napo pasuwo reguta; namapoka maviri akamhanyira kuna vose vakanga vari kusango, vakavauraya.

⁴⁴And Abimelech, and the companies that were with him, rushed forward, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city; and two of the companies ran upon all that were in the fields, and slew them.

⁴⁵Abhimereki akarwa neguta musi iwoyo wose, akakunda guta, akauraya vanhu vakanga varimo; akaputsa guta, ndokurikusha munyu.

⁴⁵And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and slew the people that were in it, and broke down the city, and sowed it with salt.

⁴⁶Zvino varume vose vorusvingo rweShekemu vakati vazvinzwa, vakapinda munhare, mumba maEri-bheriti.

⁴⁶And all the men of the tower of Shechem heard [that], and they entered into the stronghold of the house of the ùgod Berith.

⁴⁷Abhimereki akaudzwa kuti varume vose vorusvingo rweShekemu vaungana pamwechete.

⁴⁷And it was told Abimelech that all the men of the tower of Shechem had gathered together.

⁴⁸Abhimereki akakwira pagomo reZarimoni, iye navanhu vose vaakanga anavo; Abhimereki akatora masanhu muruoko rwake, akatema davi romuti, akarisimudza, akariisa pafudzi rake; akati kuvanhu vaakanga anavo, Kurumidzai, muite sezvamakaona ndichiita ini.

⁴⁸Then Abimelech went up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it up and laid it on his shoulder, and said to the people that was with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, do as I have done.

⁴⁹Ipapo vanhu vose vakatema mumwe nomumwe davi rake, vakatevera Abhimereki; vakaaisa kunhare, vakapisa nhare nomoto, ivo varimo, naizvozvo vanhu vose vakanga vari murusvingo rweShekemu vakafa, vanenge chiuru chimwe chavarume navakadzi.

⁴⁹And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and they followed Abimelech, and put [them] to the hold, and burned the hold with fire upon them. And all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.

⁵⁰Zvino Abhimereki akaenda Tebhezi, akamisa misasa yavo paTebhezi, akarikunda.

⁵⁰And Abimelech went to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it.

⁵¹Asi mukati meguta makanga muno rusvingo rwakanga rwakasimba, varume navakadzi vose vakatiziramo, vose vakanga vari muguta vakazvipfigiramo, vakakwira kudenga rorusvingo.

⁵¹But there was a strong tower in the midst of the city, and thither fled all the men and women, all the citizens of the city; and they shut it behind them, and went up to the roof of the tower.

⁵²Abhimereki akasvika parusvingo, akarwa narwo, akaswedera pedo nomukova worusvingo, kuti arupise nomoto.

⁵²And Abimelech came to the tower, and fought against it, and he drew near to the entrance of the tower to burn it with fire;

⁵³Ipapo mumwe mukadzi akakanda guyo pamusoro waAbhimereki, akaputsa dehenya rake.

⁵³and a woman cast the upper stone of a handmill on Abimelech's head, and crushed his skull.

⁵⁴Ipapo akakurumidza kudana jaya raitakura nhumbi dzake dzokurwa nadzo, akati kwariri, Vhomora munondo wako, undiuraye, kuti vanhu varege kuzoti, Wakaurawa nomukadzi. Jaya rake rikamubaya, akafa.

⁵⁴Then he called hastily to the young man that carried his armour, and said to him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that they say not of me, A woman killed him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.

⁵⁵Zvino varume vaIsiraeri vakati vachiona kuti Abhimereki wafa, vakaenda mumwe nomumwe kumba kwake.

⁵⁵And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they went every man to his place.

⁵⁶Saizvozvo Mwari akatsiva zvakashata zvaAbhimereki zvaakaitira baba vake, zvaakauraya vana vababa vake vana makumi manomwe,

⁵⁶And God rendered back the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did to his father in slaying his seventy brethren.

⁵⁷nezvakashata zvose zvavarume veShekemu zvakatsibwa naMwari kwaari; kutuka kwaJotamu mwanakomana waJerubhaari, kukaitika kwavari.

⁵⁷And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render back upon their heads; and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.