2 Ebyomumirembe 30
1 Awo Keezeekiya n’aweereza obubaka eri Isirayiri yonna ne Yuda, n’awandiikira ne Efulayimu ne Manase amabaluwa, ng’abayita okujja e Yerusaalemi mu yeekaalu ya Mukama, okukwata Embaga ey’Okuyitako eya Mukama Katonda wa Isirayiri.
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.
2 Kabaka n’abakungu be, n’ekibiina kyonna mu Yerusaalemi baasalawo okukwata Embaga ey’Okuyitako mu mwezi ogwokubiri;
3 baali tebasobola kukwata mbaga eyo mu kiseera kyayo kubanga bakabona abaali beetukuzizza, baali batono ate nga n’abantu tebanakuŋŋaanira mu Yerusaalemi.
4 Enteekateeka eyo n’erabika nga nnungi eri kabaka n’ekibiina kyonna.
The king and all the other people who had gathered thought that was a good plan.
5 Ne basalawo okulangirira mu Isirayiri yenna, okuva e Beeruseba okutuuka e Ddaani, nga bategeeza abantu okujja e Yerusaalemi okukwata Embaga ey’Okuyitako eya Mukama Katonda wa Isirayiri; baali batutte ebbanga nga tebagikwata ng’ekibiina ekinene eky’awamu, nga bwe kyawandiikibwa.
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].
6 Awo ababaka ne batwala amabaluwa mu Isirayiri yonna ne mu Yuda okuva ewa kabaka n’abakungu be, ng’ekiragiro kya kabaka bwe kyali nti, “Abantu ba Isirayiri, mudde eri Mukama Katonda wa Ibulayimu, ne Isaaka, ne Isirayiri, Katonda alyoke adde gye muli, mmwe ekitundu ekisigaddewo, ekiwonye omukono gwa bakabaka b’e Bwasuli.
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].
7 Temuba nga bajjajjammwe ne baganda bammwe abataali beesigwa eri Mukama Katonda wa bajjajjaabwe n’abafuula ekyelolerwa, nga bwe mulaba.
Do not act like they did, because what they did caused other people to become disgusted with them.
8 So temuba ba nsingo nkakanyavu nga bajjajjammwe bwe baali, naye mukkakkane eri Mukama, mujje mu watukuvu we, we yatukuza emirembe gyonna, muweereze Mukama Katonda wammwe, obusungu bwe bubaveeko.
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.
9 Bwe munadda eri Mukama, olwo ne baganda bammwe n’abaana bammwe banaalaba ekisa mu maaso g’abo abaabawamba, ne bakomawo mu nsi eno. Mukama Katonda wammwe wa kisa era ajjudde okusaasira, so taakyuse maaso ge, okubavaako bwe munadda gyali.”
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.”
10 Ababaka ne bagenda mu buli kibuga mu nsi ya Efulayimu ne Manase, ne batuuka ne mu Zebbulooni, naye abasinga obungi ne babasekerera, ne babaduulira.
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.
11 Kyokka abamu ku bantu ab’e Aseri, ne Manase ne Zebbulooni ne beetoowaza ne bagenda e Yerusaalemi.
But some of the people of [the tribes of] Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and went to Jerusalem.
12 Ne mu Yuda, omukono gwa Katonda ne gukwata ku bantu ne bakkiriziganya ku ekyo kabaka n’abakungu kye baalagira, nga bagoberera ekigambo kya Mukama.
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.
13 Awo abantu bangi ne bakuŋŋaanira mu Yerusaalemi mu mwezi ogwokubiri okukwata Embaga ey’Emigaati Egitali Mizimbulukuse.
So a huge crowd of people gathered in Jerusalem in May, to celebrate the Festival of Eating Unleavened Bread.
14 Ne baggyawo ebyoto ebyali mu Yerusaalemi, n’ebyoto byonna eby’okwoterezaako obubaane, ne babisuula mu Kiwonvu Kidulooni.
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.
15 Ne batta Endiga Ento ey’Embaga ey’Okuyitako ku lunaku olw’ekkumi n’ennya olw’omwezi ogwokubiri. Bakabona n’Abaleevi ne baswala, ne beetukuza, ne baleeta ebiweebwayo ebyokebwa mu yeekaalu ya Mukama.
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].
16 Ne bayimirira mu bifo byabwe ng’etteeka lya Musa omusajja wa Katonda bwe lyali libalagira. Bakabona ne bamansira omusaayi ogwabaweerezebwa Abaleevi.
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.
17 Bangi ku bo, baali tebeetukuzizza nga tebasobola kuwaayo ndiga zaabwe; Abaleevi kyebaava battira buli muntu ataali mulongoofu Endiga Ento ey’Embaga ey’Okuyitako, okubatukuza eri Mukama.
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.
18 Newaakubadde ng’abantu abasinga abaava mu Efulayimu, ne Manase, ne Isakaali, ne Zebbulooni baali tebeetukuzizza, baalya Embaga ey’Okuyitako, ekyali tekikkiriziganya na biwandiike. Naye Keezeekiya n’abasabira ng’agamba nti, “Mukama omulungi asonyiwe buli muntu
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
19 amaliridde mu mutima gwe okunoonya Katonda, Mukama Katonda wa bajjajjaabe, newaakubadde nga tabadde mulongoofu okusinziira ku mateeka g’awatukuvu.”
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.”
20 Mukama n’awulira okusaba kwa Keezeekiya, n’atabazikiriza.
And Yahweh heard what Hezekiah prayed; he forgave the people, [and did not punish them].
21 Abayisirayiri abaali mu Yerusaalemi ne bakwata Embaga ey’Emigaati Egitali Mizimbulukuse okumala ennaku musanvu nga bajjudde essanyu lingi; Abaleevi ne bakabona ne batenderezanga Mukama buli lunaku, nga bakuba n’ebivuga eby’okumutendereza.
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.
22 Keezeekiya n’ayogera ebigambo eby’okugumya Abaleevi bonna abaalaga nga bategeera obuweereza bwa Mukama. Abantu ne balya emmere ey’embaga okumala ennaku musanvu, ne bawaayo ssaddaaka ez’ebiweebwayo olw’emirembe, ne batendereza Mukama Katonda wa bajjajjaabwe.
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].
23 Ekibiina kyonna ne bakkiriziganya okweyongerayo ennaku endala musanvu nga bali ku mbaga; bwe batyo ne bamala ennaku endala musanvu nga bajaguza.
Then the whole group decided to celebrate for seven more days, so they did: They celebrated joyfully for seven more days.
24 Keezeekiya kabaka wa Yuda n’awa ekibiina ente ennume nga nto lukumi n’endiga kasanvu okuba ebiweebwayo, ne bakabona bangi nnyo ne beetukuza.
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.
25 Ekibiina kyonna ekya Yuda, ne bakabona, n’Abaleevi, n’ekibiina kyonna ekyava mu Isirayiri, n’abagenyi abaali bavudde mu nsi ya Isirayiri, n’abagenyi abaabeeranga mu Yuda ne bajaguliza wamu.
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.
26 Ne waba essanyu lingi mu Yerusaalemi kubanga okuva mu biro bya Sulemaani mutabani wa Dawudi kabaka wa Isirayiri, waali tewabangawo kintu kifaanana bwe kityo mu Yerusaalemi.
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.
27 Awo bakabona n’Abaleevi ne bayimirira ne basabira abantu omukisa, Katonda n’abawulira; kubanga okusaba kwabwe kwatuuka mu kifo kye ekitukuvu gy’abeera, mu ggulu.
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.
