1Abimeleki, mwana wa Jerubaali waphiya Shekemu kpwa fuko rao, achiambira, 2“Auzeni atu osi a Shekemu, ‘Ni riphi nono kpwenu, ya kpwamba ana osi mirongo sabaa a chilume a Jerubaali akutawaleni au mwana mmwenga? Tambukirani kukala mimi ni mlatso wenu.’ ” 3Phahi atu a fukore agomba maneno higa kpwa niabaye mbere za atu osi a Shekemu, nao achiamua kumlunga Abimeleki, mana aamba, “Hiyu ni ndugu yehu.” 4Achimupha vipande mirongo sabaa vya feza vyolaviwa kula nyumba ya Baali-Berithi, ambavyo Abimeleki wavihumira kukodi atu akorofi na a kuphupha ili amlunge. 5Achiphiya nao Ofura kpwa ise na hiko achendaolaga nduguze osi mirongo sabaa dzulu ya dziwe mwenga. Ela Jothamu mwana mdide wa Jerubaali kayaolagbwa mana wachimbira achendadzifwitsa. 6Chisha atu a Shekemu na atu a Bethi-Milo akusanyika phamwenga achiphiya kpwenye muhi mkpwulu wa mwaloni phephi na nguzo hiko Shekemu, achimuhenda Abimeleki kukala mfalume wao.

7Jothamu ariphosikira zo habari, waphiya achendaima dzulu ya mwango Gerizimu, achigomba kpwa raka ra dzulu achiamba, “Niphundzani mwi atu a Shekemu, ichikala mnalonda Mlungu akuphundzeni. 8Siku mwenga mihi yauka phamwenga kpwendadzitawazira mfalume. Phahi ichiuamba mzaituni, ‘Hutawale.’

9“Mzaituni uchijibu uchiamba, ‘Dze! Niriche kazi yangu ya kulavya mafuha ambago kutsupira higo milungu na anadamu anaishimiwa, nkadziyuge kukala mtawala wa mihi?’ 10Ndipho mihi ichiuamba mtini, ‘Kala mtawala wehu.’ 11Ela mtini uchirema uchiamba, ‘Dze! Niriche kazi yangu ya kuvyala matunda manono ga mtswano, nikadziyuge kutawala mihi?’ 12Alafu mihi ichiuamba mzabibu, ‘Kala mtawala wehu.’ 13Ela mzabibu uchirema uchiamba, ‘Dze! Niriche kulavya uchi unaohenda milungu na anadamu kusikira raha, niphiye nkatawale mihi?’ 14Mwishirowe mihi yosi ichiuamba muhi wa miya, ‘Kala mtawala wehu.’ 15Nao muhi wa miya uchijibu hira mihi uchiamba, ‘Ichikala kpweli mnalonda nikale mtawala wenu, ndzoni msagale tsini ya chivurivuri changu. Ela ichikala tamlonda kuhenda hivyo, phahi moho nautuluke kula mwangu miyani ukaoche mierezi ya Lebanoni.’ ”

16Jothamu waenderera kugomba achiamba, “Vino kale mkahenda kpwa nia nono na uaminifu kpwa kumuhenda Abimeleki mfalume, na ikale mkamuhendera Jerubaali na atue kama inavyostahili kpwa mahendo arigohenda? 17Mana baba wazindza maishage kpwa kukupigirani viha, naye achikukombolani kula mikononi mwa Amidiani. 18Ela rero mkaphiya chinyume cha baba na atue, kpwa kuolaga anae mirongo sabaa dzulu ya dziwe mwenga. Namwi mkamtsambula Abimeleki, mwana wa yekala muhendadzi-kazi wa baba, akale mfalume wenu kpwa kukala ni mʼbari wenu. 19Phahi ichikala mwahenda hivyo na nia nono na kumuishimu Jerubaali na atue, phahi hamirwani ni Abimeleki, naye Abimeleki ahamirwe ni mwimwi. 20Ela ichikala si hivyo, moho nautuluke kula kpwa Abimeleki uoche atu a Shekemu na Bethi-Milo; na moho nautuluke kula kpwa atu a Shekemu na Bethi-Milo, umuoche Abimeleki.” 21Chisha Jothamu wachimbira hadi Beeri ambako wakpwendasagala, kpwa kuogopha nduguye, Abimeleki.

22Abimeleki ariphokala akatawala Iziraeli miaka mihahu, 23Mlungu wahuma roho mbii ambaye wareha kusaelewana kahi ya Abimeleki na atu a Shekemu, nao atu a Shekemu achikala chinyume cha Abimeleki. 24Mlungu wahenda hivi ili kumriphiza Abimeleki kpwa kuolaga ana mirongo sabaa a Jerubaali na kuariphiza atu a Shekemu kpwa kumterya Abimeleki kuolaga nduguze. 25Atu a Shekemu aika atu a kumuoteya Abimeleki hiko dzulu za myango na achikala anaiyira atsupao na seemu hizo. Nago higa gaambirwa Abimeleki.

26Siku mwenga Gaali, mwana wa Ebedi, phamwenga na nduguze aphiya achendasagala Shekemu. Phahi atu a mudzi hinyo achimkuluphira. 27Bada ya kukala akaphiya mindani kuhunda zabibu na kuziminya, ahenda sharee. Sharee iyo aihenda ndani ya nyumba ya mlungu wa nyo mudzi. Atu phokala akarya na kunwa uchi, aandza kumlani Abimeleki. 28Gaali mwana wa Ebedi achiamba, “Abimeleki ni ani kpwehu na swino atu a Shekemu hu ano ani kpwakpwe hata humuhumikire? Ye si ni mwana wa Jerubaali? Na Zebuli si ni mwanatsiniwe? Nahumuhumikire Hamori, ise wa Shekemu. Kpwa utu wani humuhumikire Abimeleki? 29Kalapho ndimi mtawala wa Shekemu, ningemuusa Abimeleki. Ningemuamba, ‘Enjereza jeshiro wedze hupigane.’ ”

30Zebuli, mkpwulu wa nyo mudzi ariphosikira maneno gogombwa ni Gaali mwana wa Ebedi, gamtsukiza sana. 31Iye wahuma ahumwa chisiri kpwa Abimeleki achendamuamba, “Gaali mwana wa Ebedi na nduguze akpwedzaishi Shekemu na vivi anakutiira ndzili ili atu a mudzi akale chinyume nawe. 32Hivi ndivyo nafikiriya uhende. Longoza jeshiro usiku mwedze mdzifwitse ko mindani ili muotee. 33Ligundzu chiti uvamie nyo mudzi. Wakati Gaali na atue achedza kupigana nawe undaweza kuahenda vira ulondavyo.”

34Phahi Abimeleki phamwenga na atu osi ariokala nao aandza charo usiku kpwedza Shekemu. Waaganya atue makundi mane na achiotea phephi na nyo mudzi. 35Gaali ariphotuluka na kuima ryango ra mudzi, Abimeleki na jeshi arirokala naro atuluka mwao mafwitsoni.

36Gaali ariphoona nyo atu wamuamba Zebuli, “Kuna atu anatserera kula dzulu ya myango!” Naye Zebuli achimuamba, “Ni vivuri-vuri vya ko myangoni ndivyo unaona ni atu.” 37Chisha Gaali wagomba tsona achiamba, “Lola, atu aredza kula kahi-kahi ya tsi, na anjina aredza kula uphande wa pharipho na muhi wa mwaloni wa apigi a mburuga.” 38Ndipho Zebuli achimuamba Gaali, “Kudzikaryako kuphaphi vino, uwe yeamba, ‘Abimeleki ni ani hata humuhumikire?’ Higa ni go majeshi urigogabera. Tuluka vivi sambi ukapigane nago.” 39Kpwa hivyo Gaali walongoza atu a Shekemu kpwendapigana na Abimeleki. 40Abimeleki wamzoresa Gaali naye achichimbira na atu anji ariolumizwa agbwa mo njirani mosi hadi pho ryangoni. 41Abimeleki wasagala hiko Aruma, naye Zebuli achizola Gaali na nduguze ili asisagale Shekemu.

42Siku ya phiri atu atuluka achiphiya kondze ya mudzi achiphiya mindani, gaga gachimfikira Abimeleki. 43Phahi wahala jeshire achiriganya makundi mahahu, nao aoteya ko mindani. Ariphoona atu anatuluka nyo mudzi, waapiga na achiaolaga. 44Abimeleki na kundi rosi arirokala naro raphiya upesi richendaima pho ryangoni, kuno gara makundi mairi gachishambuliya hara ariokala a hiko mindani na gachiaolaga. 45Siku ndzima Abimeleki wapigana na atu a nyo mudzi hadi mudzi achiuhala, na atue osi ariokala himo achiaolaga, mudzi achiubomola na achiumwagira-mwagira munyu.

46Ariphosikira higo, enyezi arioishi ndani ya mnara wa Shekemu, ainjira seemu ya ngome ya nyumba ya mlungu wao yeihwa Eli-Berithi. 47Abimeleki waambirwa kukala enyezi a mnara wa Shekemu akakusanyika phamwenga. 48Phahi Abimeleki na atu ariokala nao aphiya mwango Salimoni. Abimeleki achihala mbadzo, achikata panda ya muhi achiyiika fuzini. Chisha achiambira jeshire, “Mchivyoona nahenda namwi upesi hendani dza vivyo.” 49Kpwa hivyo chila mmwenga wa hara anajeshi wakata panda ya muhi na achimlunga Abimeleki. Ahumbirira zira panda za mihi iyo ngome chisha achiitiya moho. Ariokala mumo kala ni atu elufu mwenga, nao atu osi achifwa achetu kpwa alume.

50Ariphomala kubomola Shekemu, Abimeleki waphiya Thebesi ambako wazangira nyo mudzi na achiuteka. 51Ela kahi-kahi ya nyo mudzi kala phana mnara wa kuaminika. Phahi atu osi a mudzi uho, achetu kpwa alume na vilongozi aho ainjira na kudzifungira ndani, chisha achipanda dzulu ya nyo mnara. 52Abimeleki waphiya ko munarani ili kuushambuliya, ela ariphokala anasengerera ro ryango ra kuinjirira kpwa autiye moho, 53 *mchetu mmwenga watsupha sago ya lala nayo ichivundza zekeya ra chitswa cha Abimeleki. 54Mara mwenga achiiha yuya mwanajeshi kala achimtsukurira silahaze achimuamba, “Tsomola upangao uniolage. Simendze atu aambe naolagbwa ni mchetu.” Phahi yuya mwanajeshi wamdunga upanga na Abimeleki achifwa. 55Aiziraeli ariphoona Abimeleki akafwa, auka achiuya chila mmwenga kpwakpwe kaya. 56Hivyo ndivyo Mlungu arivyomriphiza Abimeleki kpwa uyi ariomuhendera ise kpwa kuolaga nduguze mirongo sabaa. 57Mlungu piya waariphiza uyi wosi wa atu a Shekemu kpwa kumterya Abimeleki, na yo lana ya Jothamu mwana wa Jerubaali ichikala ikaagbwira.