2 Ebyomumirembe 15
1 Awo Omwoyo wa Katonda n’akka ku Azaliya mutabani wa Obedi,
The Spirit of God came upon Azariah, the son of Obed.
2 n’agenda n’asisinkana Asa n’amugamba nti, “Mumpulirize, mmwe Asa, ne Yuda ne Benyamini mwenna, Mukama ali nammwe bwe muba mu ye. Bwe munaamunoonyanga, munaamulabanga, naye bwe munaamulekuliranga naye anaabalekuliranga.
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.
3 Isirayiri yamala ebbanga ddene nga tegondera Katonda ow’amazima, nga tebalina kabona abayigiriza, wadde okuba n’amateeka.
For many years the Israeli people did not know the true God, and they did not have priests or God’s laws.
4 Naye wakati mu nnaku yaabwe ne bakyukira Mukama Katonda wa Isirayiri, ne bamunoonya, era ne bamulaba.
But when they experienced trouble, they turned to Yahweh our God, and requested him to help them. And he helped them.
5 Mu biro ebyo tewaali mirembe abantu okutambula nga bwe baayagalanga, kubanga baali mu kweraliikirira kungi nnyo.
At that time, people were not safe when they traveled, because all the people who lived in the nearby countries were experiencing many difficulties.
6 Amawanga n’amawanga gaalwanagananga, n’ebibuga ne birumbagananga kubanga Katonda yabaleetako ebizibu bingi nnyo.
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.
7 Naye mmwe mugume omwoyo! Temuganya mikono gyammwe kunafuwa kubanga omulimu gwammwe guliko empeera.”
But you people, you must be strong and do not become discouraged, because [God] will reward you for what you do [to please him.”]
8 Awo Asa bwe yawulira ebigambo ebyo, n’ebyobunnabbi bwa Azaliya mutabani wa Obedi, n’aguma omwoyo, n’aggyawo ebifaananyi ebyole okuva mu nsi yonna eya Yuda ne Benyamini, n’okuva mu bibuga bye yali awambye mu nsi ey’ensozi eya Efulayimu. N’addaabiriza ekyoto kya Mukama ekyali mu maaso g’ekisasi ekya yeekaalu ya Mukama.
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].
9 N’akuŋŋaanya aba Yuda n’aba Benyamini bonna, n’abantu b’e Efulayimu, n’e Manase, n’e Simyoni abaabeeranga nabo, kubanga bangi basenga gyali okuva mu Isirayiri bwe baalaba nga Mukama Katonda ali wamu naye.
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.
10 Ne bakuŋŋaanira e Yerusaalemi mu mwezi ogwokusatu mu mwaka ogw’ekkumi n’ettaano ogw’obufuzi bwa Asa.
After Asa had been ruling for almost 15 years, in May of that year, those people gathered in Jerusalem.
11 Ku lunaku olwo ne bawaayo eri Mukama ebimu ku by’omunyago: ente lusanvu, n’endiga n’embuzi zonna kasanvu.
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].
12 Ne beeyama okunoonyanga Mukama, Katonda wa bajjajjaabwe, n’omutima gwabwe gwonna, n’emmeeme yaabwe yonna.
They solemnly made an agreement to very sincerely worship Yahweh, the God whom their ancestors [worshiped].
13 Era abo bonna abatanoonyanga Mukama, Katonda wa Isirayiri battibwanga, oba bato oba bakulu, oba bakazi oba basajja.
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.
14 Ne balayirira Mukama mu ddoboozi ery’omwanguka, wamu n’okufuuwa amakondeere n’eŋŋombe.
They shouted and blew trumpets and other horns while they solemnly promised to do that.
15 Yuda yonna ne basanyukira ekirayiro ekyo, kubanga baali balayidde n’omutima gwabwe gwonna, era nga bamunoonyezza n’okwagala kwabwe kwonna, ne bamulaba. Era Mukama n’abawa emirembe enjuuyi zonna.
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.
16 Kabaka Asa n’agoba jjajjaawe Maaka ku bwannamasole kubanga yali akoze ekifaananyi ekyole ekya Asera. Asa n’akitemaatema n’akimenyaamenya, n’akyokera mu kagga Kidulooni.
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.
17 Newaakubadde nga teyaggyawo bifo ebigulumivu mu Isirayiri, Asa yamalirira mu mutima gwe okunywerera ku Mukama ennaku ze zonna.
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.
18 Mu yeekaalu ya Mukama n’aleetamu effeeza ne zaabu, n’ebintu ye ne kitaawe bye baawonga.
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].
19 Ne wataba ntalo nate okumala emyaka amakumi asatu mu etaano egy’obufuzi bwa Asa.
There were no more wars [in Judah] until Asa had been ruling Judah almost 35 years.
