2 Chronicles 15
1 The Spirit of God came upon Azariah, the son of Obed.
Roho wa Bwana akamjia Azaria mwana wa Odedi.
2 Azariah went to talk with Asa, and said to him, “Asa and all [you men of the tribes of] Judah and Benjamin, listen to me. Yahweh is with you whenever you are trusting in him. If you request him [to help you], he will help you, but if you abandon him, he will abandon you.
Akatoka ili kumlaki Asa na kumwambia, “Nisikilizeni, Asa na Yuda wote na Benyamini. Bwana yu pamoja nanyi mkiwa pamoja naye. Kama mkimtafuta, ataonekana kwenu, lakini kama mkimwacha yeye, naye atawaacha ninyi.
3 For many years the Israeli people did not know the true God, and they did not have priests or God’s laws.
Kwa muda mrefu Israeli walikuwa hawana Mungu wa kweli, walikuwa hawana kuhani wa kuwafundisha na wala hawakuwa na sheria.
4 But when they experienced trouble, they turned to Yahweh our God, and requested him to help them. And he helped them.
Lakini katika taabu yao walimrudia Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli na kumtafuta, naye akaonekana kwao.
5 At that time, people were not safe when they traveled, because all the people who lived in the nearby countries were experiencing many difficulties.
Katika siku hizo hapakuwa na amani kwa yeyote aliyesafiri, kutoka wala kuingia, kwa kuwa wakazi wote wa nchi walikuwa katika machafuko makubwa.
6 The people of various nations were thoroughly defeated by [armies of] other nations, and people in some cities were crushed by [armies from] other cities, because God was allowing them to experience many difficulties.
Taifa moja lilipigana na taifa lingine na mji mmoja ukapigana na mji mwingine, kwa sababu Mungu alikuwa anawahangaisha kwa taabu za kila aina.
7 But you people, you must be strong and do not become discouraged, because [God] will reward you for what you do [to please him.”]
Lakini kwa habari yenu ninyi, kuweni hodari wala msikate tamaa, kwa kuwa mtapata thawabu kwa kazi yenu.”
8 When Asa heard what the prophet Azariah said, he was encouraged. He [commanded his workers to] remove all the detestable idols from everywhere in the land of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and from the towns that [his soldiers] had captured in the hills of the tribe of Ephraim. Asa’s workers repaired the altar [where people offered sacrifices] to Yahweh that was in front of the entrance to the temple [in Jerusalem].
Asa aliposikia maneno haya na unabii wa Azaria mwana wa Odedi nabii, akajipa moyo. Akaziondoa sanamu zote zilizokuwa machukizo katika nchi yote ya Yuda na Benyamini na kutoka miji aliyoiteka ya vilima vya Efraimu. Akakarabati madhabahu ya Bwana iliyokuwa mbele ya ukumbi wa Hekalu la Bwana.
9 Then he gathered all [the people of the tribes of] Judah and Benjamin and many people from the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who were living among them. [He was able to do that] because many people from [those tribes in] Israel had come to me to Judah when they realized that Yahweh, the God that Asa [worshiped], was helping him.
Kisha akakutanisha Yuda wote, Benyamini na watu kutoka Efraimu, watu wa Manase na Simeoni waliokuwa wanaishi miongoni mwao, kwa maana idadi kubwa walikuwa wamemjia kutoka Israeli walipoona kwamba Bwana Mungu wake alikuwa pamoja naye.
10 After Asa had been ruling for almost 15 years, in May of that year, those people gathered in Jerusalem.
Basi wakakusanyika huko Yerusalemu mwezi wa tatu katika mwaka wa kumi na tano wa utawala wa Asa.
11 At that time they sacrificed to Yahweh 700 bulls and 7,000 sheep and goats, from the animals that they had captured [when they defeated the army of Ethiopia/Sudan].
Wakati huo wakamtolea Bwana dhabihu za ngʼombe 700, kondoo na mbuzi 7,000 kutoka zile nyara walizoteka.
12 They solemnly made an agreement to very sincerely worship Yahweh, the God whom their ancestors [worshiped].
Wakafanya agano kumtafuta Bwana, Mungu wa baba zao kwa moyo wao wote na kwa roho yao yote.
13 They promised to execute all those who would not worship Yahweh, including those who were important and those who were not important, both men and women.
Wale wote ambao hawangemtafuta Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli wangelazimika kuuawa, akiwa mdogo au mkubwa, mwanaume au mwanamke.
14 They shouted and blew trumpets and other horns while they solemnly promised to do that.
Wakamwapia Bwana kwa sauti kuu, kwa kupiga kelele, tarumbeta na kwa mabaragumu.
15 All the people who were living in Judah were happy with the agreement because they had solemnly and very sincerely promised to keep it. They eagerly requested help from Yahweh, and he helped them. So he enabled them to have peace throughout their country.
Yuda wote wakafurahia kile kiapo kwa sababu walikuwa wameapa kwa moyo wao wote. Wakamtafuta Mungu kwa bidii, naye akaonekana kwao. Kwa hiyo Bwana akawastarehesha pande zote.
16 King Asa’s grandmother Maacah had made a disgusting pole for [worshiping the goddess] Asherah. So Asa [commanded his workers to] cut down that pole and chop it into pieces and burn it in the Kidron Valley. He then did not allow Maacah to continue [to influence the people because of her] being the mother of the previous king.
Mfalme Asa akamwondolea Maaka mama yake wadhifa wake kama mama malkia kwa sababu alikuwa ametengeneza nguzo ya Ashera ya kuchukiza. Asa akaikata hiyo nguzo, akaivunjavunja na kuiteketeza kwa moto katika Bonde la Kidroni.
17 Although Asa’s [workers] did not get rid of the shrines on the hilltops in Israel, he was very determined to [do what] pleased Yahweh all his life.
Ijapokuwa hakuondoa mahali pa juu pa kuabudia miungu katika Israeli, moyo wa Asa ulikuwa umejiweka kwa Bwana kikamilifu maisha yake yote.
18 He [ordered his workers to] bring into God’s temple all the silver and gold and other valuable items that he and his father had dedicated [to God].
Akaleta ndani ya Hekalu la Mungu fedha na dhahabu na vile vyombo ambavyo yeye na baba yake walikuwa wameviweka wakfu.
19 There were no more wars [in Judah] until Asa had been ruling Judah almost 35 years.
Hapakuwepo vita tena mpaka mwaka wa thelathini na tano wa utawala wake Asa.
