1 Wafalme 12
1 Rehoboamu akaenda Shekemu, kwa kuwa Waisraeli wote walikuwa wamekwenda huko kumfanya yeye kuwa mfalme.
And king Roboam goes to Sikima; for all Israel were coming to Sikima to make him king.
2 Yeroboamu mwana wa Nebati aliposikia hili (alikuwa bado yuko Misri alikokuwa amekimbilia awe mbali na Mfalme Solomoni), akarudi kutoka Misri.
3 Kwa hiyo wakatuma watu kumwita Yeroboamu, yeye na kusanyiko lote la Israeli wakamwendea Rehoboamu na kumwambia,
And the people spoke to king Roboam, saying, Your father made our yoke heavy;
4 “Baba yako aliweka nira nzito juu yetu, lakini sasa tupunguzie kazi za kikatili na nira nzito aliyoweka juu yetu, nasi tutakutumikia.”
but do you now lighten somewhat of the hard service of your father, and of his heavy yoke which he put upon us, and we will serve you.
5 Rehoboamu akajibu, “Nendeni kwa muda wa siku tatu na kisha mnirudie.” Basi watu wakaenda zao.
And he said to them, Depart for three days, and return to me. And they departed.
6 Kisha Mfalme Rehoboamu akataka shauri kwa wazee ambao walimtumikia Solomoni baba yake wakati wa uhai wake akawauliza, “Mnanishauri nini katika kuwajibu watu hawa?”
And the king referred [the matter] to the elders, who stood before Solomon his father while he was yet living, saying, How do you advise that I should answer this people?
7 Wakajibu, “Kama leo utakuwa mtumishi wa watu hawa na kuwahudumia na kuwapa jibu linaloridhisha, watakuwa watumishi wako daima.”
And they spoke to him, saying, If you will this day be a servant to this people, and will serve them, and will speak to them good words, then will they be your servants continually.
8 Lakini Rehoboamu akakataa shauri alilopewa na wazee na akataka ushauri kwa vijana wanaume rika lake waliokuwa wakimtumikia.
But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they gave him, and consulted with the young men who were brought up with him, who stood in his presence.
9 Akawauliza, “Ninyi ushauri wenu ni nini? Tutawajibuje watu hawa wanaoniambia, ‘Ifanye nyepesi nira baba yako aliyoweka juu yetu?’”
And he said to them, What counsel do you give? And what shall I answer to this people who speak to me, saying, Lighten somewhat of the yoke which your father has put upon us?
10 Wale vijana wa rika lake wakamjibu, “Waambie watu hawa waliokuambia, ‘Baba yako aliweka nira nzito juu yetu, lakini ifanye nira yetu nyepesi,’ kuwa, ‘Kidole changu kidogo ni kinene kuliko kiuno cha baba yangu.
And the young men who had been brought up with him, who stood before his face, spoke to him, saying, Thus shall you say to this people who have spoken to you, saying, Your father made our yoke heavy, and do you now lighten it from off us: thus shall say to them, My little [finger shall be] thicker than my father's loins.
11 Baba yangu aliweka nira nzito juu yenu, mimi nitaifanya hata iwe nzito zaidi. Baba yangu aliwachapa kwa mijeledi, mimi nitawachapa kwa nge.’”
And whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I also will add to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
12 Siku tatu baadaye, Yeroboamu na watu wote wakamrudia Rehoboamu, kama mfalme alivyokuwa amesema, “Rudini kwangu baada ya siku tatu.”
And all Israel came to king Roboam on the third day, as the king spoke to them, saying, Return to me on the third day.
13 Mfalme akawajibu watu kwa ukatili. Akikataa shauri alilopewa na wazee,
And the king answered the people harshly; and Roboam forsook the counsel of the old men which they counselled him.
14 akafuata shauri la vijana wa rika lake na kusema, “Baba yangu alifanya nira yenu kuwa nzito, mimi nitaifanya kuwa nzito zaidi. Baba yangu aliwachapa kwa mijeledi, mimi nitawachapa kwa nge.”
And he spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
15 Kwa hiyo mfalme hakuwasikiliza watu, kwa kuwa jambo hili lilitoka kwa Bwana, ili kutimiza neno ambalo Bwana alikuwa amenena kwa Yeroboamu mwana wa Nebati kupitia Ahiya Mshiloni.
And the king listened not to the people, because the change was from the Lord, that he might establish his word which he spoke by Achia the Selonite concerning Jeroboam the son of Nabat.
16 Israeli wote walipoona kuwa mfalme amekataa kuwasikiliza, wakamjibu mfalme: “Tuna fungu gani kwa Daudi? Sisi hatuna urithi kwa mwana wa Yese. Nendeni kwenye mahema yenu, ee Israeli! Angalia nyumba yako mwenyewe, ee Daudi!” Hivyo Waisraeli wakaenda kwenye mahema yao.
And all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them: and the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we any inheritance in the son of Jessae. Depart, O Israel, to your tents: now feed your own house, David. So Israel departed to his tents.
17 Lakini kwa habari ya Waisraeli waliokuwa wakiishi katika miji ya Yuda, Rehoboamu akaendelea kuwatawala bado.
18 Mfalme Rehoboamu akamtuma Adoramu, aliyekuwa msimamizi wa wale waliofanya kazi ngumu kwa kulazimishwa, lakini Israeli wote wakampiga kwa mawe hadi akafa. Hata hivyo, Mfalme Rehoboamu, akafanikiwa kuingia kwenye gari lake na kutorokea Yerusalemu.
And the king sent Adoniram who was over the tribute; and they stoned him with stones, and he died: and king Roboam made haste to rise to flee to Jerusalem.
19 Hivyo Israeli wakaasi dhidi ya nyumba ya Daudi hadi leo.
So Israel rebelled against the house of David until this day.
20 Waisraeli wote waliposikia kwamba Yeroboamu amerudi, wakatuma watu na kumwita kwenye kusanyiko na kumfanya mfalme juu ya Israeli yote. Ni kabila la Yuda peke yake lililobaki kuwa tiifu kwa nyumba ya Daudi.
And it came to pass when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned out of Egypt, that they sent and called him to the assembly, and they made him king over Israel: and none followed the house of David except the tribe of Juda and Benjamin only.
21 Ikawa Rehoboamu alipofika Yerusalemu, akakusanya nyumba yote ya Yuda na kabila la Benyamini, wanaume wapiganaji 180,000, kufanya vita dhidi ya nyumba ya Israeli na kuurudisha tena ufalme kwa Rehoboamu mwana wa Solomoni.
And Roboam went into Jerusalem, and he assembled the congregation of Juda, and the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and twenty thousand young men, warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to recover the kingdom to Roboam the son of Solomon.
22 Lakini neno hili la Mungu likamjia Shemaya mtu wa Mungu:
And the word of the Lord came to Samaia the man of God, saying,
23 “Mwambie Rehoboamu mwana wa Solomoni mfalme wa Yuda, na nyumba yote ya Yuda na Benyamini, na watu wengine wote,
Speak to Roboam the son of Solomon, king of Juda, and to all the house of Juda and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the people, saying,
24 ‘Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: Msipande kupigana dhidi ya ndugu zenu, Waisraeli. Nendeni nyumbani, kila mmoja wenu, kwa kuwa hili nimelitenda mimi.’” Kwa hiyo wakalitii neno la Bwana na kurudi nyumbani, kama Bwana alivyokuwa ameagiza.
Thus says the Lord, You shall not go up, neither shall you fight with your brethren the sons of Israel: return each man to his own home; for this thing is from me; and they listened to the word of the Lord, and they ceased from going up, according to the word of the Lord.
25 Kisha Yeroboamu akajenga Shekemu akaizungushia ngome katika nchi ya vilima ya Efraimu na akaishi huko. Akatoka huko, akaenda akajenga Penueli.
And Jeroboam built Sikima in mount Ephraim and lived in it, and went forth thence and built Phanuel.
26 Yeroboamu akawaza moyoni mwake, “Sasa inawezekana ufalme ukarudi katika nyumba ya Daudi.
And Jeroboam said in his heart, Behold, now the kingdom will return to the house of David.
27 Kama watu hawa watapanda kwenda kutoa dhabihu katika Hekalu la Bwana huko Yerusalemu, mioyo yao itamrudia bwana wao, Rehoboamu mfalme wa Yuda. Wataniua mimi na kurudi kwa Mfalme Rehoboamu.”
If this people shall go up to offer sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then the heart of the people will return to the Lord, and to their master, to Roboam king of Juda, and they will kill me.
28 Baada ya kutafuta shauri, mfalme akatengeneza ndama wawili wa dhahabu. Akawaambia watu, “Ni gharama kubwa kwenu kukwea kwenda Yerusalemu. Hii hapa miungu yenu, ee Israeli, iliyowapandisha kutoka Misri.”
And the king took counsel, and went, and made two golden heifers, and said to the people, Let it suffice you to have gone [hitherto] to Jerusalem: behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
29 Ndama mmoja akamweka Betheli na mwingine Dani.
And he put one in Bethel, and he put the other in Dan.
30 Nalo jambo hili likawa dhambi, watu wakawa wanaenda hadi Dani kumwabudu huyo aliyewekwa huko.
And this thing became a sin; and the people went before one as far as Dan, and left the house of the Lord.
31 Yeroboamu akajenga madhabahu mahali pa juu pa kuabudia miungu na kuwateua makuhani kutoka watu wa aina zote, ijapokuwa hawakuwa Walawi.
And he made houses on the high places, and made priests of any part of the people, who were not of the sons of Levi.
32 Pia Yeroboamu akaweka sikukuu katika siku ya kumi na tano ya mwezi wa nane, kama sikukuu iliyokuwa ikifanyika huko Yuda, na akatoa dhabihu juu ya madhabahu. Akafanya hivyo huko Betheli akitoa dhabihu kwa ndama alizotengeneza. Huko Betheli akawaweka makuhani, na pia katika sehemu za juu za kuabudia miungu alizozitengeneza.
And Jeroboam appointed a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, according to the feast in the land of Juda;
33 Katika siku ya kumi na tano ya mwezi wa nane, mwezi aliouchagua mwenyewe, alitoa dhabihu juu ya madhabahu aliyokuwa amejenga huko Betheli. Kwa hiyo akaweka sikukuu kwa ajili ya Waisraeli na akapanda madhabahuni kutoa sadaka.
and went up to the altar which he made in Baethel to sacrifice to the heifers which he made, and he placed in Baethel the priests of the high places which he had made. And he went up to the altar which he had made, on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, at the feast which he devised out of his own heart; and he made a feast to the children of Israel, and went up to the altar to sacrifice.
