Aamuli.
9.
Abimeleki, mwana wa Jerubaali waphiya Shekemu kpwa fuko rao, achiambira, 
“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.’ ” 
Phahi atu a fukore agomba maneno higa kpwa niabaye mbere za atu osi a Shekemu, nao achiamua kumlunga Abimeleki, mana aamba, “Hiyu ni ndugu yehu.” 
Achimupha vipande mirongo sabaa vya feza vyolaviwa kula nyumba ya Baali-Berithi, ambavyo Abimeleki wavihumira kukodi atu akorofi na a kuphupha ili amlunge. 
Achiphiya 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. 
Chisha 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. 
Jothamu ariphosikira zo habari, waphiya achendaima dzulu ya mwango Gerizimu, achigomba kpwa raka ra dzulu achiamba, “Niphundzani mwi atu a Shekemu, ichikala mnalonda Mlungu akuphundzeni. 
Siku mwenga mihi yauka phamwenga kpwendadzitawazira mfalume. Phahi ichiuamba mzaituni, ‘Hutawale.’ 
“Mzaituni uchijibu uchiamba, ‘Dze! Niriche kazi yangu ya kulavya mafuha ambago kutsupira higo milungu na anadamu anaishimiwa, nkadziyuge kukala mtawala wa mihi?’ 
Ndipho mihi ichiuamba mtini, ‘Kala mtawala wehu.’ 
Ela mtini uchirema uchiamba, ‘Dze! Niriche kazi yangu ya kuvyala matunda manono ga mtswano, nikadziyuge kutawala mihi?’ 
Alafu mihi ichiuamba mzabibu, ‘Kala mtawala wehu.’ 
Ela mzabibu uchirema uchiamba, ‘Dze! Niriche kulavya uchi unaohenda milungu na anadamu kusikira raha, niphiye nkatawale mihi?’ 
Mwishirowe mihi yosi ichiuamba muhi wa miya, ‘Kala mtawala wehu.’ 
Nao 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.’ ” 
Jothamu 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? 
Mana baba wazindza maishage kpwa kukupigirani viha, naye achikukombolani kula mikononi mwa Amidiani. 
Ela 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. 
Phahi ichikala mwahenda hivyo na nia nono na kumuishimu Jerubaali na atue, phahi hamirwani ni Abimeleki, naye Abimeleki ahamirwe ni mwimwi. 
Ela 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.” 
Chisha Jothamu wachimbira hadi Beeri ambako wakpwendasagala, kpwa kuogopha nduguye, Abimeleki. 
Abimeleki ariphokala akatawala Iziraeli miaka mihahu, 
Mlungu wahuma roho mbii ambaye wareha kusaelewana kahi ya Abimeleki na atu a Shekemu, nao atu a Shekemu achikala chinyume cha Abimeleki. 
Mlungu wahenda hivi ili kumriphiza Abimeleki kpwa kuolaga ana mirongo sabaa a Jerubaali na kuariphiza atu a Shekemu kpwa kumterya Abimeleki kuolaga nduguze. 
Atu a Shekemu aika atu a kumuoteya Abimeleki hiko dzulu za myango na achikala anaiyira atsupao na seemu hizo. Nago higa gaambirwa Abimeleki. 
Siku mwenga Gaali, mwana wa Ebedi, phamwenga na nduguze aphiya achendasagala Shekemu. Phahi atu a mudzi hinyo achimkuluphira. 
Bada 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. 
Gaali 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? 
Kalapho ndimi mtawala wa Shekemu, ningemuusa Abimeleki. Ningemuamba, ‘Enjereza jeshiro wedze hupigane.’ ” 
Zebuli, mkpwulu wa nyo mudzi ariphosikira maneno gogombwa ni Gaali mwana wa Ebedi, gamtsukiza sana. 
Iye 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. 
Hivi ndivyo nafikiriya uhende. Longoza jeshiro usiku mwedze mdzifwitse ko mindani ili muotee. 
Ligundzu chiti uvamie nyo mudzi. Wakati Gaali na atue achedza kupigana nawe undaweza kuahenda vira ulondavyo.” 
Phahi Abimeleki phamwenga na atu osi ariokala nao aandza charo usiku kpwedza Shekemu. Waaganya atue makundi mane na achiotea phephi na nyo mudzi. 
Gaali ariphotuluka na kuima ryango ra mudzi, Abimeleki na jeshi arirokala naro atuluka mwao mafwitsoni. 
Gaali 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.” 
Chisha 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.” 
Ndipho Zebuli achimuamba Gaali, “Kudzikaryako kuphaphi vino, uwe yeamba, ‘Abimeleki ni ani hata humuhumikire?’ Higa ni go majeshi urigogabera. Tuluka vivi sambi ukapigane nago.” 
Kpwa hivyo Gaali walongoza atu a Shekemu kpwendapigana na Abimeleki. 
Abimeleki wamzoresa Gaali naye achichimbira na atu anji ariolumizwa agbwa mo njirani mosi hadi pho ryangoni. 
Abimeleki wasagala hiko Aruma, naye Zebuli achizola Gaali na nduguze ili asisagale Shekemu. 
Siku ya phiri atu atuluka achiphiya kondze ya mudzi achiphiya mindani, gaga gachimfikira Abimeleki. 
Phahi wahala jeshire achiriganya makundi mahahu, nao aoteya ko mindani. Ariphoona atu anatuluka nyo mudzi, waapiga na achiaolaga. 
Abimeleki na kundi rosi arirokala naro raphiya upesi richendaima pho ryangoni, kuno gara makundi mairi gachishambuliya hara ariokala a hiko mindani na gachiaolaga. 
Siku ndzima Abimeleki wapigana na atu a nyo mudzi hadi mudzi achiuhala, na atue osi ariokala himo achiaolaga, mudzi achiubomola na achiumwagira-mwagira munyu. 
Ariphosikira higo, enyezi arioishi ndani ya mnara wa Shekemu, ainjira seemu ya ngome ya nyumba ya mlungu wao yeihwa Eli-Berithi. 
Abimeleki waambirwa kukala enyezi a mnara wa Shekemu akakusanyika phamwenga. 
Phahi 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.” 
Kpwa 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. 
Ariphomala kubomola Shekemu, Abimeleki waphiya Thebesi ambako wazangira nyo mudzi na achiuteka. 
Ela 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. 
Abimeleki waphiya ko munarani ili kuushambuliya, ela ariphokala anasengerera ro ryango ra kuinjirira kpwa autiye moho, 
mchetu mmwenga watsupha sago ya lala nayo ichivundza zekeya ra chitswa cha Abimeleki. 
Mara 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. 
Aiziraeli ariphoona Abimeleki akafwa, auka achiuya chila mmwenga kpwakpwe kaya. 
Hivyo ndivyo Mlungu arivyomriphiza Abimeleki kpwa uyi ariomuhendera ise kpwa kuolaga nduguze mirongo sabaa. 
Mlungu piya waariphiza uyi wosi wa atu a Shekemu kpwa kumterya Abimeleki, na yo lana ya Jothamu mwana wa Jerubaali ichikala ikaagbwira. 
