2 Chronicles 34
1 Josiah was eight years old when he became the king [of Judah]. He ruled from Jerusalem for 31 years.
Yosia bedii ade no, na wadi mfirihyia awotwe, na odii hene wɔ Yerusalem mfirihyia aduasa baako.
2 He did things that were pleasing to Yahweh and conducted his life like his ancestor King David had done. He fully obeyed [IDM] all the laws of God.
Ɔyɛɛ nea ɛsɔ Awurade ani, yɛɛ nea ne tete agya Dawid yɛe no bi. Wamfi adetreneeyɛ ho.
3 When he had been ruling for almost eight years, while he was still a young man, he began to worship God like his ancestor [King] David had done. Four years later, he began to get rid of all the pagan shrines on hilltops in Jerusalem and in [other places in] Judah, and the poles to [honor the goddess] Asherah, and the carved idols and statues of gods.
Yosia fii ase hwehwɛɛ ne tete agya Dawid Nyankopɔn akyi kwan bere a na ɔda so yɛ abofra a wadi ade mfe awotwe no. Ne mfe dumien so no, odwiraa Yuda ne Yerusalem, sɛee abosonsom nsɔree so nyinaa, Asera nnua, ahoni a wɔasen ne nsɛsode a wɔagu no nyinaa.
4 While he directed them, his workers tore down the altars where people worshiped Baal. They smashed the altars that were near those altars, where people burned incense. They smashed the poles [honor the goddess] Asherah and the idols and statues. They smashed them to bits and scattered the bits over the graves of those who had offered sacrifices to them.
Ɔhwɛ ma wobubuu Baal afɔremuka no ne nnuhuam afɔremuka no nyinaa gui. Ɔma wɔdwerɛw Asera nnua ne ahoni nyinaa, na wɔtow petee awufo a wɔbɔɔ saa afɔre no nna so.
5 They burned the bones of the priests [who had offered sacrifices]; they burned them on their own altars. In that way Josiah caused Jerusalem and other places in Judah to be acceptable places to worship Yahweh again.
Ɔhyew akɔmfo no nnompe no wɔ wɔn ankasa afɔremuka so, nam so dwiraa Yuda ne Yerusalem.
6 In the towns in [the tribes of] Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, and as far [north] as [the tribe of] Naphtali and in the ruins around all those towns,
Ɔyɛɛ saa ara wɔ Manase, Efraim ne Simeon nkurow so de koduu Naftali.
7 Josiah’s [workers] tore down the pagan altars and the poles to [honor the goddess] Asherah, and crushed the idols to powder. They also smashed to pieces all the altars for burning incense throughout Israel. Then Josiah returned to Jerusalem.
Ɔsɛee abosonsomfo afɔremuka, Asera nnua, na ɔyam ahoni no muhumuhu. Odwiriw nnuhuam afɔremuka a ɛwɔ Israelman mu nyinaa, na ɔsan kɔɔ Yerusalem.
8 When Josiah had been ruling for almost 18 years, he [did something else to] cause the land and the temple to be acceptable places to worship Yahweh. He sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah and Maaseiah the governor of the city and Joah the son of Joahaz, who wrote on a scroll what happened in the city, to repair the temple of Yahweh.
Nʼadedi mfe dunwɔtwe so no a owiee asase no ne asɔredan no ho dwira no, Yosia yii Asalia babarima Safan, Maaseia a ɔyɛ Yerusalem amrado ne Yoahas babarima Yoa, adehye abakɔsɛm kyerɛwfo, sɛ wonsiesie Awurade, ne Nyankopɔn asɔredan no.
9 They went to Hilkiah the Supreme Priest and gave him the money that had been brought to the temple. That was the money that the descendants of Levi who guarded the doors of the temple had collected from the people of [the tribes of] Manasseh and Ephraim and [other places in northern] Israel, and also from all the people in Jerusalem and other places in the tribes of Judah and Benjamin.
Wɔde sika a Lewifo a wɔsom sɛ aponanohwɛfo agyigyee wɔ Onyankopɔn Asɔredan ho no maa ɔsɔfopanyin Hilkia. Manase ne Efraim nkurɔfo ne Israel nkae nyinaa ne Yuda ne Benyamin ne Yerusalemfo na wɔde akyɛde no bae.
10 Then Hilkiah gave some of the money to the men who had been appointed to supervise the work of repairing the temple. The supervisors paid the men who did the repair work.
Ɔde sika no maa nnipa a wɔayi wɔn sɛ wɔnhwɛ, nsiesie Awurade Asɔredan no. Na wotuaa wɔn a wɔyɛɛ adwuma no ka.
11 They also gave some of the money to the carpenters and builders to buy the cut stones and the timber for the joists and the beams for the buildings that the kings of Judah had allowed to decay.
Wɔbɔɔ nnuadwumfo ne adansifo paa, tɔɔ abo a wɔatwa a wɔde besiesie afasu no ne nnua a wɔde bɛyɛ nsɛmso ne mpuran. Wosiesie nea anka Yuda ahemfo a wodii kan no rema asɛe no.
12 The workers did their work faithfully. Their supervisors were Jahath and Obadiah, who were descendants of [Levi’s son] Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, who were descendants of [Levi’s son] Kohath. All the other descendants of Levi, those who played musical instruments well,
Adwumayɛfo no de nokwaredi yɛɛ adwuma. Yahat ne Obadia a wɔyɛ Lewifo a wofi Merarifo abusua mu, ne Sakaria ne Mesulam a wɔyɛ Lewifo a wofi Kohatfo abusua mu na wɔhwɛɛ adwumayɛfo no so. Lewifo a wɔaka a wɔn nyinaa wɔ nnwontode ho nimdeɛ no,
13 supervised all the workers as they did their various jobs. Some of the descendants of Levi were secretaries and some kept records and some guarded the gates [of the temple].
wɔma wɔhwɛɛ adwumayɛfo akuw ahorow no so. Na afoforo bi nso yɛɛ adwuma sɛ akyerɛwfo, mpanyimfo ne aponanohwɛfo.
14 While they were giving to the supervisors the money that had been taken to the temple, Hilkiah the [Supreme] Priest found a scroll on which were written the laws that Yahweh had told Moses to give to the people.
Na ɔsɔfopanyin Hilkia rekyerɛkyerɛw sika a wɔagyigye wɔ Awurade Asɔredan no ho no, ohuu Awurade mmara nhoma a wɔnam Mose so de mae no.
15 So Hilkiah said to Shaphan, “I have found in the temple a scroll on which are written the laws [that God gave to Moses]!” Then Hilkiah gave the scroll to Shaphan.
Na Hilkia ka kyerɛɛ Safan a ɔyɛ asennii kyerɛwfo no se, “Mahu mmara nhoma no wɔ Awurade Asɔredan no mu.” Na Hilkia de nhoma mmobɔwee no maa Safan.
16 Shaphan [took the scroll] to the king and said to him, “Your officials are doing everything that you told them to do.
Safan de nhoma mmobɔwee no kɔmaa ɔhene kae se, “Wo mpanyimfo no reyɛ biribiara a wɔkyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ wɔnyɛ no.
17 They have taken the money that was in the temple, and they have given it to the men who will supervise the workers who will repair the temple.”
Wɔatua sika a wogyigyee wɔ Awurade Asɔredan no mu no na wɔde ahyɛ wɔn a wɔhwɛ so no ne adwumayɛfo no nsa.”
18 Then Shaphan said to the king, “[I have brought to you] a scroll [that] Hilkiah gave to me.” And Shaphan started to read it to the king.
Safan ka kyerɛɛ ɔhene no se, “Ɔsɔfopanyin Hilkia de nhoma mmobɔwee bi ama me.” Na Safan kenkan kyerɛɛ ɔhene.
19 When the king heard the laws [that were written in the scroll], he tore his clothes [because he was very dismayed/worried].
Bere a ɔhene no tee mmara no mu nsɛm no, ɔde ahometew sunsuan ne ntade mu.
20 Then he gave these instructions to Hilkiah, to Shaphan’s son Ahikam, to Micah’s son Abdon, to Shaphan, and to Asaiah the king’s special advisor:
Ɔhyɛɛ Hilkia, Safan babarima Ahikam, Mika babarima Abdon, asennii kyerɛwfo Safan ne ɔhene fotufo Asaia se,
21 “Go and ask Yahweh for me, and for all his people who are still alive in Judah and Israel, about what is written in this scroll that has been found. Because [it is clear that] Yahweh is very angry with us because our ancestors disobeyed what Yahweh said; they did not obey the laws that are written on this scroll.”
“Monkɔ Asɔredan no mu na mo ne Awurade nkɔkasa mma me ne Israel ne Yuda nkae nyinaa. Mummisa no nsɛm a wɔakyerɛw wɔ saa nhoma mmobɔwee a wɔahu no mu ho nsɛm. Awurade abufuw aba yɛn so, efisɛ yɛn agyanom anni Awurade asɛm so. Yɛnyɛ nea nhoma mmobɔwee yi ka sɛ yɛnyɛ no.”
22 So Hilkiah and the others went to talk with a woman whose name was Huldah, who was a prophetess who lived in the newer part of Jerusalem. Her husband Shallum who was the son of Tikvah, took care of the robes that were worn [in the temple].
Hilkia ne mmarima a wɔaka no kɔɔ odiyifobea Hulda a na ɔyɛ Tikwat babarima Salum yere ne Hasra a na ɔhwɛ Asɔredan mu adakaten so no nena nkyɛn, wɔ Yerusalem fa bi a wɔfrɛ hɔ se Misne.
23 [When they told her what the king had said, ] she said to them, “This is what Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis [worship], says: ‘Go back and tell the king who sent you
Ɔbea no ka kyerɛɛ wɔn se, “Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn, akasa! Monkɔka nkyerɛ onipa a ɔsomaa mo no se,
24 that this is what Yahweh says: “Listen to this carefully. I am going to cause a disaster to strike Jerusalem and all the people who live here. I will cause them to experience the curses that were written in the scroll that was read to the king of Judah.
‘Sɛnea Awurade se ni: Akyinnye biara nni ho sɛ, mɛsɛe saa kurow yi ne emu nnipa. Nnome a wɔakyerɛw wɔ nhoma mmobɔwee a moakenkan yi mu nyinaa bɛba mu.
25 I will do that because they have rejected me, and they burn incense to [honor] other gods. They have caused me to become very angry because of all the idols that they have made (OR, because of all the wicked things that they have done), [and my anger is like] a fire that will not be extinguished.
Efisɛ nnipa a wɔwɔ Yuda apa me na wɔsom abosonsomfo anyame. Ɛno nti, me bo afuw wɔn yiye wɔ biribiara a wɔayɛ ho. Mʼabufuw behwie agu saa beae ha, na biribiara rentumi nsiw ano.’
26 The king of Judah sent you to ask what I, Yahweh, want. Go and tell him that this is what I, Yahweh, the God whom you Israelis worship, say about what you read:
Na monkɔ Yudahene a ɔsomaa mo sɛ monkɔhwehwɛ Awurade no nkyɛn, na monka nkyerɛ no se, ‘Sɛɛ na Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn, ka fa asɛm a motee mprempren no ho.
27 “Because you heeded [what was written in the scroll], and you humbled yourself when you heard what I said to warn [about what would happen to] this city and the people who live here, and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you.
Bere a wotee asɛm a meka de tiaa saa kuropɔn yi ne mu nnipa no, ɛhaw wo ma wobrɛɛ wo ho ase wɔ Onyankopɔn anim. Wobrɛɛ wo ho ase, de ahometew sunsuan wʼatade mu, de ahonu suu wɔ mʼanim. Enti nokware, mate wo nne, Awurade na ose.
28 So I will allow you to die and be buried peacefully. I will cause a great disaster to strike this place and the people who live here, but you will not [be alive to] see it.”’” So they reported her reply to the king.
Meremma amanehunu a mahyehyɛ atia kuropɔn yi ne emu nnipa no mma mu, kosi sɛ wubewu na wɔasie wo asomdwoe mu. Worenhu amane a mede bɛba beae yi so.’” Enti wɔsan de ɔbea no nkra kɔmaa ɔhene no.
29 Then the king summoned all the elders of Jerusalem and [other places in] Judea.
Na ɔhene no frɛɛ Yuda ne Yerusalem ntuanofo nyinaa.
30 They went up together to the temple with the leaders of Judah and many other people of Jerusalem and the priests and other descendants of Levi, from the least important to the most important ones. And while they listened, the king read to them everything that was in the scroll containing God’s laws that had been found in the temple.
Na ɔhene no ne Yuda ne Yerusalem manfo nyinaa ne asɔfo ne Lewifo, nnipa no nyinaa, fi ɔkɛse so kosi akumaa so, kɔɔ Awurade Asɔredan no mu. Ɛhɔ na ɔhene no kenkan apam nhoma a wohuu wɔ Awurade Asɔredan mu no kyerɛɛ wɔn.
31 Then the king stood next to the pillar [at the entrance to the temple, where kings stood when they announced something important], and while Yahweh was listening, he repeated his promise to very sincerely and completely obey Yahweh and all his commands and regulations and decrees that were written on the scroll.
Ɔhene no gyinaa nʼafa wɔ afadum no nkyɛn, na otii apam no mu wɔ Awurade anim. Ɔhyɛɛ bɔ sɛ ofi ne koma ne ne kra nyinaa mu bedi Awurade mmaransɛm, ahyɛde ne mmara so. Ɔhyɛɛ bɔ sɛ, obedi apam no mu nhyehyɛe a wɔakyerɛw wɔ nhoma mmobɔwee no mu no so.
32 Then the king said that everyone who lived in Jerusalem and from [the tribe of] Benjamin should promise that they also would obey those laws. And they did that, agreeing that they would keep the agreement that God, whom their ancestors had worshiped, had made with them.
Na ɔka kyerɛɛ obiara a ɔwɔ Yerusalem ne nnipa a wɔwɔ Benyamin no se, wɔnhyɛ bɔ saa ara. Ɔmanfo a wɔwɔ Yerusalem yɛɛ saa no, wɔde tii wɔne Onyankopɔn, wɔn agyanom Nyankopɔn apam no mu.
33 Josiah [instructed his workers to] remove all the detestable idols from everywhere in the land of the Israeli people, and he commanded that all the people from Israel who were there should worship [only] Yahweh their God. And as long as Josiah was alive, the people did what was pleasing to Yahweh, the God whom their ancestors [worshiped].
Enti Yosia yiyii ahoni a ɛyɛ akyiwade no fii Israel asase no nyinaa so. Na ɔhyɛɛ sɛ obiara nsom Awurade, wɔn Nyankopɔn. Na ne nkwanna a aka no mu no nyinaa, wɔannan wɔn akyi ankyerɛ Awurade wɔn agyanom Nyankopɔn no da.
