2 Chronicles 34
1 Josiah was eight years old when he became the king [of Judah]. He ruled from Jerusalem for 31 years.
Yosia bɛdii adeɛ no, na wadi mfirinhyia nwɔtwe, na ɔdii ɔhene wɔ Yerusalem mfirinhyia 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 deɛ ɛsɔ Awurade ani, yɛɛ deɛ ne tete agya Dawid yɛeɛ no bi. Wamfiri adeteneneeyɛ 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 hyɛɛ aseɛ hwehwɛɛ ne tete agya Dawid Onyankopɔn akyiri ɛkwan wɔ ɛberɛ a na ɔda so yɛ abɔfra a wadi adeɛ mfeɛ nwɔtwe. Na ne mfeɛ dumienu so no, ɔdwiraa Yuda ne Yerusalem, sɛee abosonsom asɔreeɛ nyinaa, Asera afɔrebukyia, ahoni a wɔasene ne nsɛsodeɛ 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 wɔbubuu Baal nsɛsodeɛ afɔrebukyia no ne nnuhwam afɔrebukyia no nyinaa guiɛ. Ɔmaa wɔdwerɛɛ Asera afɔrebukyia, ahoni a wɔasene ne nsɛsodeɛ a wɔagu no nyinaa, na wɔto petee awufoɔ a wɔbɔɔ afɔdeɛ maa wɔn no damena 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.
Afei, ɔhyee abosomfoɔ nnompe. Ɔhyee no wɔn ankasa afɔrebukyia so, nam so dwiraa Yuda ne Yerusalem ho.
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 nkuro so, kɔeɛ ara mpo, kɔduruu 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 abosonsomfoɔ afɔrebukyia, Asera afɔrebukyia, na ɔyam ahoni no muhumuhu. Ɔdwirii nnuhwam afɔrebukyia a ɛwɔ Israelman mu nyinaa, na ɔsane 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.
Nʼadedie mfeɛ dunwɔtwe so no a ɔwiee asase no ne asɔredan no ho dwira no, Yosia yii Asalia babarima Safan, Maaseia a ɔyɛ Yerusalem amrado ne Yoahas babarima Yoa, adehyeɛ abakɔsɛm twerɛfoɔ, sɛ wɔnsiesie Awurade, ne Onyankopɔn 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 Lewifoɔ a wɔsom sɛ aponoanohwɛfoɔ agyegye wɔ Onyankopɔn Asɔredan no ho maa ɔsɔfopanin Hilkia. Manase ne Efraim nkurɔfoɔ ne Israel nkaeɛfoɔ nyinaa ne Yuda ne Benyamin ne Yerusalemfoɔ na wɔde akyɛdeɛ no baeɛ.
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 wɔtuaa 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 nnua dwumfoɔ ne adansifoɔ paa, tɔɔ aboɔ a wɔatwa a wɔde bɛsiesie afasuo no ne nnua a wɔde bɛyɛ nsamsoɔ ne mpunan. Wɔsiesiee deɛ anka Yuda ahemfo a wɔdii ɛkan 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,
Adwumayɛfoɔ no de nokorɛdie yɛɛ adwuma. Yahat ne Obadia a wɔyɛ Lewifoɔ a wɔfiri Merarifoɔ abusua mu, ne Sakaria ne Mesulam a wɔyɛ Lewifoɔ a wɔfiri Kohatfoɔ abusua mu na wɔhwɛɛ adwumafoɔ no so. Lewifoɔ a aka a wɔn nyinaa wɔ nnwontodeɛ 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].
wɔmaa wɔyɛɛ sohwɛfoɔ maa adwumayɛfoɔ akuo hodoɔ. Na afoforɔ bi nso yɛɛ adwuma sɛ atwerɛfoɔ, mpanimfoɔ ne aponoanohwɛfoɔ.
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 ɔsɔfopanin Hilkia retwerɛtwerɛ sika a wɔagyegye wɔ Awurade Asɔredan no ho no, ɔhunuu Awurade mmara nwoma a wɔnam Mose so de maeɛ 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 asɛnnie twerɛfoɔ no sɛ, “Mahunu mmara nwoma no wɔ Awurade Asɔredan no mu.” Na Hilkia de nwoma mmobɔeɛ 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 nwoma mmobɔeɛ no kɔmaa ɔhene kaa sɛ, “Wo mpanimfoɔ 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.”
Sika a wɔgyegyee no Awurade Asɔredan no mu no, wɔde ama sohwɛfoɔ ne adwumayɛfoɔ no.”
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 sɛ, “Ɔsɔfopanin Hilkia de nwoma mmobɔeɛ 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].
Ɛberɛ a ɔhene no tee mmara no mu nsɛm no, ɔde ahometeɛ sunsuanee ne ntadeɛ 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:
Afei, ɔhyɛɛ Hilkia, Safan babarima Ahikam, Mika babarima Abdon, asɛnnie twerɛfoɔ Safan ne ɔhene ɔfotufoɔ Asaia sɛ,
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 nkaeɛfoɔ nyinaa. Mommisa no nsɛm a wɔatwerɛ wɔ saa nwoma mmobɔeɛ a wɔahunu no ho nsɛm. Awurade abufuo aba yɛn so, ɛfiri sɛ, yɛn agyanom anni Awurade asɛm so. Yɛnyɛ deɛ nwoma mmobɔeɛ yi ka sɛ yɛnyɛ.”
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 aka no kɔɔ odiyifoɔ baa Hulda a na ɔyɛ Tikwa babarima Salum yere ne Hasra a na ɔhwɛ Asɔredan mu adakaten so no nana nkyɛn, wɔ Yerusalem fa bi a wɔfrɛ hɔ sɛ 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
Ɔbaa no ka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Awurade, Israel Onyankopɔn, akasa! Monkɔka nkyerɛ onipa a ɔsomaa mo no sɛ,
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.
‘Sɛdeɛ Awurade seɛ nie: Akyinnyeɛ biara nni ho sɛ, mɛsɛe saa kuro yi ne emu nnipa. Nnome a wɔatwerɛ wɔ nwoma mmobɔeɛ a moakenkane 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.
Ɛfiri sɛ, nnipa a wɔwɔ Yuda apa me na wɔsom abosonsomfoɔ anyame. Ɛno enti, me bo afu wɔn yie wɔ biribiara a wɔayɛ ho. Mʼabufuo bɛhwie agu saa beaeɛ ha, na biribiara rentumi nsi 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 sɛ, ‘Yei na Awurade, Israel Onyankopɔn, ka fa asɛm a motee seesei 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.
Ɛberɛ a wotee asɛm a meka de tiaa saa kuropɔn yi ne emu nnipa no, ɛhaa wo, maa wobrɛɛ wo ho ase Onyankopɔn anim. Wobrɛɛ wo ho ase, de ahometeɛ sunsuanee wʼatadeɛ mu, de ahonu suu wɔ mʼanim. Enti, nokorɛm, mate wo nne, Awurade na ɔseɛ.
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, kɔsi sɛ wobɛwu na wɔasie wo asomdwoeɛ mu. Worenhunu amanehunu a mede bɛba beaeɛ yi so.’” Enti, wɔsane de ɔbaa no nkra kɔmaa ɔhene no.
29 Then the king summoned all the elders of Jerusalem and [other places in] Judea.
Na ɔhene no frɛɛ ntuanofoɔ a wɔwɔ Yuda ne Yerusalem 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 manfoɔ nyinaa ne asɔfoɔ ne Lewifoɔ, nnipa no nyinaa, firi ɔkɛseɛ so kɔsi akumaa so, kɔɔ Awurade Asɔredan no mu. Ɛhɔ na ɔhene no kenkanee apam nwoma a wɔhunuu no 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 ɔtii apam no mu wɔ Awurade anim. Ɔhyɛɛ bɔ sɛ ɔfiri nʼakoma ne ne kra nyinaa mu bɛdi Awurade ɔhyɛ nsɛm, ahyɛdeɛ ne mmara so. Ɔhyɛɛ bɔ sɛ, ɔbɛdi apam no mu nhyehyɛeɛ a wɔatwerɛ wɔ nwoma mmobɔeɛ 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 sɛ, wɔnhyɛ bɔ saa ara. Ɔmanfoɔ a wɔwɔ Yerusalem yɛɛ saa no, wɔde tii wɔne Onyankopɔn, wɔn agyanom Onyankopɔn 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 akyiwadeɛ no firii Israel asase no nyinaa so. Na ɔhyɛɛ sɛ obiara nsom Awurade, wɔn Onyankopɔn. Na ne nkwa nna a aka no mu no nyinaa, wɔannane wɔn akyi ankyerɛ Awurade wɔn agyanom Onyankopɔn no da.
