| 1 Ma gli uomini di Efraim si radunarono, passarono in direzione di Zafon e dissero a Jefte: « Perchè sei andato a combattere i figli di Ammon senza invitarci a venire con te? Noi metteremo a fuoco te e la tua casa». | 1 And behold, a sedition rose up in Ephraim. Then, while passing by toward the north, they said to Jephthah: “When you were going to fight against the sons of Ammon, why were you unwilling to summon us, so that we might go with you? Therefore, we will burn down your house.” |
| 2 Jefte rispose loro: « Ero in lotta io e il mio popolo e i figli di Ammon mi opprimevano duramente: vi ho chiamato in aiuto ma voi non mi avete liberato dalle loro mani. | 2 And he answered them: “I and my people were in a great conflict against the sons of Ammon. And I called you, so that you might offer assistance to me. And you were not willing to do so. |
| 3 Quando ho visto che nessuno mi veniva a liberare, ho esposto la mia vita al pericolo: ho marciato contro i figli di Ammon e Jahve li ha messi nella mia mano. Perchè adesso voi siete saliti contro di me per farmi guerra? ». | 3 And discerning this, I put my life in my own hands, and I crossed to the sons of Ammon, and the Lord delivered them into my hands. What am I guilty of, that you would rise up in battle against me?” |
| 4 Allora Jefte raccolse tutti gli uomini di Galaad e diede battaglia a Efraim. Gli uomini di Galaad sconfissero Efraim, perchè questi dicevano: «Voi non siete che gente emigrata da Efraim: Galaad è in mezzo a Efraim e a Manasse ». | 4 And so, calling to himself all the men of Gilead, he fought against Ephraim. And the men of Gilead struck down Ephraim, because he had said, “Gilead is a fugitive from Ephraim, and he lives in the midst of Ephraim and Manasseh.” |
| 5 Galaad occupò i guadi sul Giordano verso Efraim. E, quando i fuggiaschi di Efraim dicevano: « Voglio passare! », quelli di Galaad dicevano: « Sei di Efraim? »; e quelli rispondevano: «No!» | 5 And the Gileadites occupied the fords of the Jordan, along which Ephraim was to return. And when anyone from the number of Ephraim had arrived, fleeing, and had said, “I beg that you permit me to pass,” the Gileadites would say to him, “Could you be an Ephraimite?” And if he said, “I am not,” |
| 6 Allora gli dicevano: « Pronuncia dunque: “ Shibbolet ” ». L’altro diceva: « Sibbolet »; perchè non riusciva a pronunciare bene. Allora lo pigliavano e lo ammazzavano al guado, al Giordano. In quella occasione caddero quarantaduemila uomini di Efraim. | 6 they would ask him, then say ‘Shibboleth,’ which is translated as ‘ear of grain.’ But he would answer ‘Sibboleth,’ not being able to express the word for an ear of grain in the same letters. And immediately apprehending him, they would cut his throat, at the same crossing point of the Jordan. And in that time of Ephraim, forty-two thousand fell. |
| 7 Jefte fu Giudice di Israele per sei anni; poi Jefte il Galaadita morì e fu sepolto nella sua città, in Galaad. | 7 And so Jephthah, the Gileadite, judged Israel for six years. And he died, and he was buried in his city in Gilead. |
| 8 Dopo di lui fu Giudice di Israele Ibzan da Betlemme. | 8 After him, Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. |
| 9 Egli aveva trenta figli e trenta figlie. Accasò queste fuori e fece venire di fuori trenta figlie per i suoi figli. Fu Giudice di Israele per sette anni; | 9 He had thirty sons, and the same number of daughters, whom he sent away to be given to husbands. And he accepted wives for his sons of the same number, bringing them into his house. And he judged Israel for seven years. |
| 10 poi Ibzan morì e fu sepolto a Betlemme. | 10 And he died, and he was buried in Bethlehem. |
| 11 Dopo di lui fu Giudice di Israele Elon lo Zabulonita e fu Giudice di Israele per dieci anni. | 11 After him succeeded Elon, a Zebulunite. And he judged Israel for ten years. |
| 12 Poi Elon lo Zabulonita morì e fu sepolto ad Aialon, nella terra di Zabulon. | 12 And he died, and he was buried in Zebulun. |
| 13 Dopo di lui fu Giudice di Israele Abdon figlio di Hillel, da Paraton. | 13 After him, Abdon, the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel. |
| 14 Egli aveva quaranta figli e trenta nipoti, che montavano su settanta asini; fu Giudice di Israele per otto anni. | 14 And he had forty sons, and from them thirty grandsons, all riding upon seventy young donkeys. And he judged Israel for eight years. |
| 15 Poi Abdon figlio di Hillel da Paraton morì e fu sepolto a Paraton, nel territorio di Efraim, sul monte di Amalec. | 15 And he died, and he was buried at Pirathon, in the land of Ephraim, on the mountain of Amalek. |
