Ii Paralipomenon 19
1 Reversus est autem Iosaphat rex Iuda in domum suam pacifice in Ierusalem.
When King Jehoshaphat was returning safely to his palace in Jerusalem,
2 Cui occurrit Iehu filius Henani Videns, et ait ad eum: Impio praebes auxilium, et his qui oderunt Dominum amicitia iungeris, et idcirco iram quidem Domini merebaris:
the prophet Jehu, the son of [the prophet] Hanani, went out of the city to meet the king, and said to him, “It was not right for you to help a wicked man and to love those who hate Yahweh. Because of what you have done, Yahweh is angry with you.
3 sed bona opera inventa sunt in te, eo quod abstuleris lucos de terra Iuda, et praeparaveris cor tuum ut requireres Dominum Deum patrum tuorum.
But you have done some good things; you got rid of the poles in this country for [worshiping the goddess] Asherah, and you have strongly determined to do what pleases God.”
4 Habitavit ergo Iosaphat in Ierusalem: rursumque egressus est ad populum de Bersabee usque ad montem Ephraim, et revocavit eos ad Dominum Deum patrum suorum.
Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem. But [one time], like he had done once previously, he went out among all the people in the country, from Beersheba [city in the far south] to the hilly area of [the tribe of] Ephraim [in the far north], and he convinced them to return to [worshiping] Yahweh, the God whom their ancestors [worshiped].
5 Constituitque iudices terrae in cunctis civitatibus Iuda munitis per singula loca,
He appointed judges throughout Judah, in each of the cities that had walls around them.
6 et praecipiens iudicibus, Videte, ait, quid faciatis: non enim hominis exercetis iudicium, sed Domini: et quodcumque iudicaveritis, in vos redundabit.
He told them, “Make your decisions carefully, because you are judging cases not [in order] to [please] people but to [please] Yahweh. And he will be watching you whenever you make a decision.
7 Sit timor Domini vobiscum, et cum diligentia cuncta facite: non est enim apud Dominum Deum nostrum iniquitas, nec personarum acceptio, nec cupido munerum.
So now revere Yahweh, and judge cases carefully, [and do not forget that] Yahweh our God never acts unjustly, and he never does what people want because of their offering him money; he never accepts bribes.”
8 In Ierusalem quoque constituit Iosaphat Levitas, et Sacerdotes, et Principes familiarum ex Israel, ut iudicium et causam Domini iudicarent habitatoribus eius.
In Jerusalem also, Jehoshaphat appointed some priests and other descendants of Levi and some leaders of Israeli families [to be judges]. He told them to do what Yahweh’s laws said was right when they settled disputes. Those men lived in Jerusalem.
9 Praecepitque eis, dicens: Sic agetis in timore Domini fideliter et corde perfecto.
He told them this: “You must always do your work faithfully, revering Yahweh.
10 Omnem causam, quae venerit ad vos fratrum vestrorum, qui habitant in urbibus suis inter cognationem et cognationem, ubicumque quaestio est de lege, de mandato, de ceremoniis, de iustificationibus: ostendite eis, ut non peccent in Dominum, et ne veniat ira super vos et super fratres vestros: sic ergo agentes non peccabitis.
In every dispute that your fellow Israelis who live in the cities want you to settle, you must warn them to not sin against Yahweh [by telling lies during the trial]. If you do not warn them, God will punish both you and your fellow Israelis. If you warn them, you will not be sinning. You must warn them whether [someone has accused them] of murdering someone, or of disobeying some other law or command or decree [of Yahweh].
11 Amarias autem sacerdos et pontifex vester, in his, quae ad Deum pertinent, praesidebit: porro Zabadias filius Ismahel, qui est dux in domo Iuda, super ea opera erit, quae ad regis officium pertinent: habetisque magistros Levitas coram vobis, confortamini, et agite diligenter, et erit Dominus vobiscum in bonis.
Amariah the Supreme Priest will supervise you in any matter that Yahweh is concerned about, and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the leader of the tribe of Judah, will supervise you in any matter that I am responsible for. And the descendants of Levi will assist you. Act courageously, and I pray that Yahweh will help those who do their work well.”
