2 Chronicles 30
1 The king and his officials and all the other people who had gathered in Jerusalem wanted to celebrate the Passover Festival. But they were not able to celebrate it at the usual time, because many of the priests had still not performed the rituals to purify themselves; therefore they were not allowed to do serve in the festival. Also, everyone had still not come to Jerusalem [to celebrate the Passover]. So they decided to celebrate it one month later than usual.
Hzekia akatuma wajumbe kwa Israeli wote na Yuda, na pia akawaandikia barua Efraimu na Manase, kwamba waje kwenye nyumba ya Yahwe katika Yerusalemu, kusherekea Pasaka ya Yahwe, Mungu wa Israeli.
Kwa maana mfalme, viongozi wake, na kusanyiko lote katika Yerusalemu walikuwa wameshauriana pamoja, wakakubaliana kusherekea Pasaka katika mwezi wa pili.
Hawakuweza kuisherekea mapema kabla ya hapo, kwa sababu hapakuwa na makuhani wa kutosha waliojitakasa wenyewe, wala watu hawakuwa wamekusanyika pamoja Yerusalemu.
4 The king and all the other people who had gathered thought that was a good plan.
Pendekezo hili likaonekana sahihi katika macho ya mfalme na ya kusanyiko lote.
5 So they decided to send messages to all the towns in Judah and in Israel, from Beersheba [in the far south] to Dan [in the far north], including towns in the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, to invite people to come to the temple in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover [Festival] to [honor] Yahweh, the God whom the Israeli people [worshiped/belonged to]. Many of the people had not previously celebrated that festival, even though it had been written [in the laws of Moses that they should do that].
Kwa hiyo wakakubaliana kufanya tangazo katika Israeli yote, kuanzia Beer-sheba hadi Dani, kwamba watu lazima waje kusherehekea Paska ya Yahwe, Mungu wa Israeli, huko Yerusalemu. Kwa maana walikuwa hawakuwa wameisherehekea kwa hesabu kubwa ya watu, kwa mujibu wa jinsi ilivyokuwa imeandikwa.
6 Obeying what the king commanded, messengers went throughout Judah and Israel, taking messages that had been written by the king and his officials. This is what they wrote: “You Israeli people, you who survived after being slaves of the kings of Assyria, return to Yahweh, the God whom [our great ancestors] Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob [worshiped/belonged to], in order that he may return to you. Your fathers and brothers did not faithfully obey Yahweh, the God whom our ancestors [worshiped].
Hivyo matarishi wakaenda na barua kutoka kwa mfalme na viongozi wake katika Israeli na Yuda yote, kwa agizo la mfalme. wakasema, “Ninyi watu wa Israeli, rudini kwa Yahwe, Mungu wa Abrahamu, Isaka na Israeli, ili kwamba aweze kuwarudia masalia wenu ninyi mlipona kutoka kwenye mkono wa wafalme wa Ashuru.
7 Do not act like they did, because what they did caused other people to become disgusted with them.
Msiwe kama babu zenu au ndugu zenu, ambao walimuasi Yahwe, Mungu wa mababu zao, hivyo akawaweka katika kuangamia, kama mnavyoona.
8 Do not be stubborn as our ancestors were. Do what Yahweh desires. Come [to Jerusalem] to the temple, which he has set apart forever. Do what pleases Yahweh our God, in order that he will no longer be angry with you.
Sasa msiwe wasumbufu, kama babu zenu walivyokuwa; badala yake, jitoeni wenyewe kwa Yahwe na njoeni kwenye sehemu yake takatifu, ambayo ameitakasa milele, na mwabuduni Yahwe Mungu wenu, ili kwamba uso wake wenye hasira uwageukie mbali.
9 If you return to Yahweh, the people who have captured our brothers [and sisters] and our children will be kind to them, and allow them to return to this land. Do not forget that Yahweh our God is kind and merciful. If you return to him, he will no longer reject you.”
Kwa maana ikiwa mtageuka nyuma kwa Yahwe, ndugu zenu na watoto wenu watapata huruma mbele ya hao wanaowaongoza kama wafungwa, na watarudi katika nchi hii. Kwa maana Yahwe Mungu wenu, ni mkarimu na mwenye huruma, na hatawageuzia mbali uso wake, kama mtarudi kwake.”
10 The messengers went to all the towns in the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, as far [north] as the tribe of Zebulun, [and gave them this message, ] but most of the people there scorned them and ridiculed them.
Kwa hiyo matarishi wakapita mji kwa mji katika majimbo ya Efraimu na Manase, njia yote hadi Zabuloni, lakini watu waliwacheka na kuwazomea.
11 But some of the people of [the tribes of] Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and went to Jerusalem.
Lakini, watu wengine wa Asheri na Manase na Zabuloni walijinyenyekesha wenyewe na wakaja Yerusalemu.
12 Also in Judah God motivated the people to be united in wanting to do what Yahweh wanted them to do, which is what the king and his officials had told them to do in the message that they sent.
Mkono wa Mungu pia ukaja juu ya Yuda, kuwapa moyo mmmoja, ili kulikubali agizo la mfalme na viongozi kwa neno la Yahwe.
13 So a huge crowd of people gathered in Jerusalem in May, to celebrate the Festival of Eating Unleavened Bread.
Watu wengi, kusanyiko kubwa, likakusanyika Yerusalemu kusherehekea Sikukuu ya Mikate Isiyochacha katika mwezi wa pili.
14 They removed the altars [of Baal] in Jerusalem and took away the altars for burning incense [to honor other gods, and burned them] in Kidron Valley.
Waliinuka na kuchukua madhabahu zizilizokuwa Yerusalemu, madhabahu zote kwa ajili ya sadaka za kufukiza; wakazirusha katika kijito Kidroni.
15 They slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth day of that month. Some of the priests and the other descendants of Levi were ashamed [because they had not performed the rituals to cause them to be acceptable to work for Yahweh]. So they performed those rituals, and brought to the temple animals to be completely burned [on the altar].
Kisha wakamuua mwanakondoo wa Paska katika siku ya kumi na nne ya mwezi wa pili. Makuhani na Walawi wakaona aibu, kwa hiyo wakajitakasa wenyewe na kuleta sadaka za kuteketezwa katika nyumba ya Yahwe.
16 Then they stood at the places where Moses had written in his laws that they should stand. Then the descendants of Levi gave to the priests [bowls containing blood of the animals that were being sacrificed], and the priests sprinkled [the altar] with some of the blood.
Wakasimama katika sehemu zao katika makaundi yao, wakifuata maelekezo yaliyotolewa na sheria ya Musa, mtu wa Mungu. Makuhani wakainyunyiza damu waliyoipokea kutoka kwenye mikono ya Walawi.
17 Many people in the crowd had not purified themselves, and therefore they were not able to kill the lambs [and dedicate them] to Yahweh. So it was necessary for the descendants of Levi to kill the lambs for them.
Kwa maana walikuwepo wengi katika kusanyikao amaabao hawakuwa wamejitakasa wenyewe. Kwa hiyo Makuhani wakamchinja mwanakondoo wa Pasaka kwa ajili ya kila mmoja ambaye hakuwa amejisafisha na hakuweza kuzitakasa sadaka zake kwa Yahwe.
18 Although most of the people who had come from [the tribes of] Ephraim, Manasseh, and Issachar had not purified themselves, they ate the food of the Passover Festival anyway, ignoring the rules written [by Moses]. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying “Yahweh, you always do what is good; I pray that you will forgive everyone
Kwa kuwa wingi wa watu, wengi wao kutoka Efraimu na Manase, Asakari na Zabuloni, hawakuwa wamejitakasa wenyewe, bado waliula mlo wa Paska, kinyume na maelekezo yaliyoandikwa. Kwa kuwa Hezekia alikuwa amewaombea, akisema, “Mungu Yahwe amsamehe kila mmoja
19 who sincerely wants to honor you, the God whom our ancestors [worshiped], even if they have not purified themselves by obeying the sacred laws that you gave to us.”
ambaye anaulekeza moyo wake kumtafuta Mungu, Yahwe, Mungu wa babu zake, hata kama hajasafiswa kwa utakaso wa viwango vya patakatifu.”
20 And Yahweh heard what Hezekiah prayed; he forgave the people, [and did not punish them].
Kwa hiyo Yahwe akamsikiliza Hezekia na akawaponya watu.
21 The Israeli people who were there in Jerusalem celebrated the Festival of Eating Unleavened Bread for seven days. They rejoiced greatly as they celebrated, while the priests and other descendants of Levi sang to Yahweh every day, and played musical instruments to [praise] God.
Watu wa Israeli waliokuwepo Yerusalemu wakaitunza Sikukuu ya Mikaate Isiyochachwa na furaha kubwa kwa siku saba. Walawi na makuhani wakamsifu Yahwe siku baada ya siku, wakiimwimbia Yahwe kwa vyombo vya sauti kuu.
22 Hezekiah thanked all the descendants of Levi for doing this work for Yahweh, and for very skillfully leading the people who were worshiping. For those seven days the people ate the Passover food and brought offerings to maintain fellowship with Yahweh and praised Yahweh, the God whom their ancestors [belonged to/had worshiped].
Hezekia akazungumza kwa kuwatia moyo Walawi wote walioilewa ibada ya Yahwe, Kwa hiyo wakala kwa kipindi cha siku saba, wakitoa sadaka za amani, na kufanya toba kwa Yahwe, Mungu wa babu zao.
23 Then the whole group decided to celebrate for seven more days, so they did: They celebrated joyfully for seven more days.
Kusanyiko lote kisha likaamua kusherehekea kwa siku zingine saba, na wakafanya hivyo kwa furaha.
24 King Hezekiah provided 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep to be slaughtered for the people [to eat during the festival], and the officials also gave them 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep and goats. Many priests consecrated themselves.
Kwa kuwa Hezekia mfalme wa Yuda aliwapa kusanyiko ng'ombe dume elf moja, na kondoo elfu saba kama sadaka; na viongozi wakawapa kusanyiko ng'ombe dume elfu moja na kondoo na mbuzi elfu kumi. Idadi kubwa ya makuhani wakajitakasa wenyewe.
25 All the people of Judah rejoiced, including the priests and other descendants of Levi and all the people from Israel who had come, and including some from other countries who were living in Israel and some from other countries who were living in Judah.
Kusanyiko lote la Yuda, pamoja na makuhani na Walawi na watu wote walikuja pamoja kutoka nchi ya Israeli na wale walioishi Yuda—wote wakafurahia.
26 Everyone in Jerusalem was very joyful, because nothing like this had happened in Jerusalem since the time when David’s son Solomon was the king of Israel.
Hivyo kulikuwa na furaha kuu katika Yerusalemu, kwa kuwa tangu wakati wa Solomoni mwana wa Daudi, mfalme wa Israeli, hapakuwa na kitu kama hicho katika Yerusalemu.
27 The priests and the other descendants of Levi stood up to bless the people, and God heard them in heaven, the holy place where he lives.
Kisha makuhani, Walawi, wakainuka na kuwabariki watu. Sauti zao zilisikika na maombi yao yakaenda juu mbinguni, sehemu takatifu ambapo Mungu anaishi.
