1 Umusi umwe, Abimeleki mwene Yerubayali aja kuramutsa ba inarume. Arababwira be n’abo mu muryango wa nyina bose ati: 2 "Nimubaze abatware b’i Shekemu muti: ‘Mbega ikibereye ni iki? Ko mwotwarwa n’abahungu mirongo indwi ba Yerubayali, canke ko mwotwarwa n’umwe?’ Kandi mwibuke ko dusangiye amaraso."

3 Ba inarume babishikirije abantu b’i Shekemu, bose bemera kurongorwa na Abimeleki, kuko bavuga bati: "Ni umuvukanyi wacu." 4 Baca baha Abimeleki shekeli mirongo indwi* z’ifeza bakuye mu ngoro ya Bayali-Beriti, na we azikoresha mu guhemba abantu b’imburakimazi kandi b’inkozi z’ibibi bamugendanira. 5 Aja i muhira kwa se muri Ofura, yicira ku gitandara kimwe benewabo mirongo indwi, ari bo bahungu ba Yerubayali. Ariko Yotamu, umuhungu mutoya, aramucika kuko yari yinyegeje. 6 Maze ababa i Shekemu n’i Beti-Milo bose baca bakoranira musi y’igiti kinini kiri impande y’inkingi y’i Shekemu bimika Abimeleki nk’umwami.

7 Yotamu avyumvise, aca aduga ku musozi Gerizimu, arasemerera ati: "Nimunyumvirize yemwe batware b’i Shekemu! Nimunyumvirize nimba mushaka ko Imana ibumviriza. 8 Umusi umwe ibiti vyagiye kwiyimikira umwami wavyo. Ubwa mbere bibarira umwelayo biti: ‘Tubere umwami.’

9 Ariko umwelayo uravyishura uti: ‘Ariko noheba amavuta yanje ahesha icubahiro Imana n’abantu, ngo nze kwirirwa ndahungabana hejuru y’ibiti?’

10 Hanyuma bibwira umusukoni bati: ‘Ingo wewe utubere umwami.’

11 Ariko na wo nyene uvyishura uti: ‘Ariko noheba insukoni zanje n’ukuntu zisosa, nkirirwa ndahungabana hejuru y’ibiti?’

12 Ni ko kubaza umuzabibu biti: ‘Ingo wewe utubere umwami.’

13 Ariko umuzabibu uvyishura uti: ‘Ariko noheba umutobe wanje, uryohera Imana n’abantu, nkaja kwirirwa ndahungabana hejuru y’ibiti?’

14 Ubwa nyuma ibiti vyose bibwira umukere, biti: ‘Ingo utubere umwami.’

15 Umukere wishura ibiti uti: ‘Nimba mushaka kunyimika ngo mbe umwami wanyu vy’ukuri, nimuze muhungire musi y’igitutu canje; bitari uko, umuriro uce uza uvuye mu mukere uturire amasederi yose y’i Libani!’ "

16 Yotamu abandanya ababwira ati: "None rero nimurabe neza nimba mwakoze ibibereye kandi bivuye mu kwizera mu kwimika Abimeleki nk’umwami, kandi nimba mwakoreye ibibereye Yerubayali n’umuryango wiwe, mukamufata uko bibereye. 17 Kuko mwibuke ko data yabagwaniye, ntiyatinyira ubuzima bwiwe kugira ngo abarokore mu maboko y’Abamidiyani. 18 Ariko uwu musi mwagararije data n’uruvyaro rwiwe, mwicira abahungu biwe mirongo indwi ku gitandara kimwe. Kandi mufashe umuhungu wo ku mugore w’umugurano wiwe Abimeleki aba ari we mwimika nk’umwami wa Shekemu kuko ari incuti yanyu. 19 None rero nimba Yerubayali n’uruvyaro rwiwe mwabakoreye ivy’icubahiro, vyiza kandi bivuye mu kwizera, nimunezerererwe Abimeleki, kandi na we nabanezerererwe. 20 Ariko nimba mutakoze ibikorwa vyiza bivuye mu kwizera, umuriro uce uza uvuye kuri Abimeleki ubatongore, mwebwe abatware b’i Shekemu n’i Beti-Milo, kandi umuriro uce ugenda uvuye muri mwebwe ab’i Shekemu n’i Beti-Milo, utongore Abimeleki."

21 Yotamu aca arahunga aja i Beyeri, agumayo kuko yatinya mwenewabo Abimeleki.

22 Inyuma y’ivyo Abimeleki atwara Isirayeli imyaka itatu, 23 maze Imana irungika impwemu hagati ya Abimeleki n’abatware b’i Shekemu, baramuhemukira, baramugumukana. 24 Ivyo Imana yabikoze kugira ngo ihore ikibi bene Yerubayali bakorewe mu guseserwa amaraso na mwenewabo Abimeleki hamwe n’ab’i Shekemu bamufashije kwica benewabo. 25 Mu kumugarariza, abatware b’i Shekemu barungitse abantu baja kwinyegeza ku misozi hejuru, bagasahura uwurengana wese. Ariko ivyo birahava bishikira Abimeleki.

26 Umusi umwe Gayali mwene Ebedi aja i Shekemu ari kumwe na benewabo, maze yizerwa n’abatware b’i Shekemu. 27 Bamaze kuja mu mirima bakimbura inzabibu bakazigana, bagirira umusi mukuru w’iyimbura mu ngoro y’ikigirwamana cabo. Bariko bararya banywa, batangura kuvuma Abimeleki. 28 Gayali mwene Ebedi aravuga ati: "Mbega Abimeleki ni iki, kandi Shekemu ni iki kugira ngo tube abasavyi biwe? Mbe si mwene Yerubayali, kandi uwu Zebuli si icegera ciwe? Enda nimuze dukorere abakomoka kuri Hamori, sekuruza w’ab’i Shekemu aho gukorera Abimeleki. 29 Icari kumpa aba bantu nkabatwara, noca nkuraho Abimeleki. Nobwira Abimeleki nti: ‘Shaka uzanane n’ingabo zawe zose tugwane!’ "

30 Zebuli umukuru w’ico gisagara yumvise ivyo Gayali mwene Ebedi avuze, ararakara cane. 31 Aca arungika intumwa kuri Abimeleki muri Aruma, amubwira ati: "Gayali mwene Ebedi hamwe na benewabo baje kuba i Shekemu, none bariko baragumura igisagara cose ngo bakugararize. 32 None rero uze guhengera mw’ijoro uzanane n’ingabo zawe, mubategerere mu gahinga. 33 Mu gatondo ka kare izuba rigiye guseruka muje gutera igisagara. Gayali n’ingabo ziwe nibaza kubagwanya, muze kubagira uko mushaka."

34 Nuko Abimeleki n’ingabo ziwe zose bafata inzira mw’ijoro baragenda, bicamwo imigwi ine, bagira ibirindiro bikikuje Shekemu. 35 Gayali mwene Ebedi yari ahagaze mw’irembo ry’igisagara igihe Abimeleki n’abasoda biwe basokoroka bava aho bari binyegeje.

36 Gayali ababonye abarira Zebuli ati: "Ehe bariya bantu bariko baramanuka bavuye hejuru ku misozi!"

Zebuli amwishura ati: "Eka si bo witiranije ibitutu vy’imisozi n’abantu."

37 Ariko Gayali aramubwira ati: "Eka raba, ni abantu bariko baramanuka bavuye ku misozi, kandi uwundi mugwi na wo uriko uzanana mu nzira ica impande y’igiti ca ba kamenyi."

38 Maze Zebuli aramubwira ati: "Aho wahereye wirata, reka ubu rero turabe ingene ubigenza. Ntiwavuze ngo: ‘Mbega Abimeleki ni iki aho adutwara?’ Aba si ba bantu wacokora? Genda rero ubagwanye turabe!"

39 Nuko Gayali asohokana abatware b’i Shekemu baja kugwanya Abimeleki. 40 Abimeleki aramwirukana, kandi benshi mu b’i Shekemu barakomereka, bagenda baragwa mu nzira gushika kw’irembo ry’igisagara. 41 Abimeleki aca asubira muri Aruma, Zebuli na we yomora Gayali na benewabo abakura mu gisagara ca Shekemu.

42 Ku musi ukurikira, abantu b’i Shekemu baja mu ntambara. Abimeleki abimenye, 43 aca agabura ingabo ziwe mu migwi itatu baja kubunda mu gahinga. Abonye basohotse igisagara, aca arahaguruka aho yari abunze, arabatera. 44 Abimeleki n’umugwi bari kumwe baca bihutira gutangira ku muryango w’igisagara kugira ngo abuze abagaruka mu gihe iyindi migwi yariko iratikiriza abandi mu gahinga. 45 Uwo musi wose Abimeleki yawumaze atera ico gisagara, gushika agifate. Aca agisanzamwo umunyu cose.

46 Ababa mu munara w’i Shekemu bavyumvise baca baja kwinyegeza mu ruzitiro rukomeye rw’ikibanza co gusengeramwo ibigirwamana ca Bayali-Beriti. 47 Abimeleki yumvise ko bakoraniyeyo, 48 aca aduga ku musozi Zalumoni. Aca afata ishoka, atemagura amashami y’ibiti, ayikorera ku bitugu. Aca abwira abo bari kumwe ati: "Nimunyarutse, mugire nk’uko nagize." 49 Nuko bose baca amashami, bakurikira Abimeleki. Bayarundanya kuri wa munara, bawuturirana n’abantu bari muri wo. Abari muri wo bose bapfirayo, bashika nk’abantu igihumbi, abagore n’abagabo.

50 Mu nyuma y’aho, Abimeleki aca atera igisagara ca Tebezi, aragifata. 51 Ariko hagati muri ico gisagara harimwo iminara ikomakomeye abagore n’abagabo, ndetse n’abantu bose baba muri ico gisagara bayihungiramwo. Bayiyugaraniramwo baca baduga ku nsenge zayo. 52 Abimeleki aja kuri iyo minara arayugariza. Yegereye ku miryango yayo ngo ayiturire, 53 umugore yari hejuru ku munara aca amukororerako urusyo, rumumena umutwe.

54 Abimeleki aca abarira umugendanyi wiwe yamutwaza ibigwanisho yihuta ati: "Fata inkota yawe ningoga unyice, ntibazovuge ngo Abimeleki yishwe n’umugore!" Wa mugendanyi wiwe aca arayimusogota, aca arapfa. 55 Abisirayeli babonye Abimeleki apfuye, baca basubira mu mihana yabo.

56 Gutyo Imana iba irahanye Abimeleki kubera ikibi yakoreye se wiwe mu kugandagura benewabo mirongo indwi. 57 Imana yongera iba ihaniye abantu b’i Shekemu ububisha bwabo. Umuvumo wa Yotamu mwene Yerubayali ari we Gidiyoni uba urabashitseko.