2 Nyakati 13

1 Katika mwaka wa kumi na nane wa utawala wa Yeroboamu, Abiya akawa mfalme wa Yuda,

In the eighteenth year of Jeroboam’s reign, Abijah became king of Judah,

2 naye akatawala huko Yerusalemu miaka mitatu. Mama yake aliitwa Maaka, binti Urieli wa Gibea. Basi kulikuwa na vita kati ya Abiya na Yeroboamu.

and he reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother’s name was Micaiah daughter of Uriel; she was from Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.

3 Abiya aliingia vitani na jeshi la watu 400,000 wenye uwezo wa kupigana, naye Yeroboamu akapanga jeshi dhidi ya Abiya akiwa na jeshi la watu 800,000 wenye uwezo.

Abijah went into battle with an army of 400,000 chosen men, while Jeroboam drew up in formation against him with 800,000 chosen and mighty men of valor.

4 Abiya akasimama juu ya Mlima Semaraimu, katika nchi ya vilima ya Efraimu, naye akasema, “Yeroboamu na Israeli yote, nisikilizeni mimi!

Then Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim in the hill country of Ephraim and said, “Hear me, O Jeroboam and all Israel!

5 Hamfahamu kwamba Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, alimpa Daudi na wazao wake ufalme juu ya Israeli milele kwa Agano la chumvi?

Do you not know that the LORD, the God of Israel, has given the kingship of Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt?

6 Hata hivyo Yeroboamu mwana wa Nebati afisa wa Solomoni mwana wa Daudi, aliasi dhidi ya bwana wake.

Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon son of David, rose up and rebelled against his master.

7 Baadhi ya watu wasiofaa kitu, wabaya kabisa walimkusanyikia na kumpinga Rehoboamu mwana wa Solomoni alipokuwa kijana mdogo asiyekuwa na uamuzi, asiye na nguvu za kuweza kupingana nao.

Then worthless and wicked men gathered around him to resist Rehoboam son of Solomon when he was young, inexperienced, and unable to resist them.

8 “Hata sasa unapanga kupingana na ufalme wa Bwana ambao uko mikononi mwa wazao wa Daudi. Kweli ninyi ni jeshi kubwa nanyi mnazo ndama za dhahabu Yeroboamu alizozitengeneza kuwa miungu yenu.

And now you think you can resist the kingdom of the LORD, which is in the hands of David’s descendants. You are indeed a vast army, and you have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made for you as gods.

9 Lakini je, hamkuwafukuza makuhani wa Bwana, wana wa Aroni na Walawi na kujifanyia makuhani wenu wenyewe kama yafanyavyo mataifa ya nchi nyingine? Yeyote anayekuja kujiweka wakfu akiwa na ndama dume na kondoo dume saba aweza kuwa kuhani wa kile ambacho ni miungu kwenu.

But did you not drive out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites? And did you not make priests for yourselves as do the peoples of other lands? Now whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams can become a priest of things that are not gods.

10 “Lakini kwetu sisi, Bwana ndiye Mungu wetu, wala hatujamwacha. Makuhani wanaomtumikia Bwana ni wana wa Aroni, nao Walawi wakiwasaidia.

But as for us, the LORD is our God. We have not forsaken Him; the priests who minister to the LORD are sons of Aaron, and the Levites attend to their duties.

11 Kila asubuhi na jioni wao hutoa sadaka za kuteketezwa na kufukiza uvumba wa harufu nzuri kwa Bwana. Wao huweka mikate juu ya meza safi kwa taratibu za kiibada na kuwasha taa kwenye kinara cha dhahabu kila jioni. Sisi tunazishika kanuni za Bwana Mungu wetu. Lakini ninyi mmemwacha Mungu.

Every morning and every evening they present burnt offerings and fragrant incense to the LORD. They set out the rows of showbread on the ceremonially clean table, and every evening they light the lamps of the gold lampstand. We are carrying out the requirements of the LORD our God, while you have forsaken Him.

12 Mungu yu pamoja nasi, yeye ndiye kiongozi wetu. Makuhani wake wakiwa na tarumbeta zao watapiga baragumu ya vita dhidi yenu. Watu wa Israeli, msipigane dhidi ya Bwana, Mungu wa baba zenu, kwa maana hamtashinda.”

Now behold, God Himself is with us as our head, and His priests with their trumpets sound the battle call against you. O children of Israel, do not fight against the LORD, the God of your fathers, for you will not succeed.”

13 Basi Yeroboamu alikuwa ametuma jeshi kuzunguka nyuma ya Yuda ili kwamba akiwa mbele ya Yuda, jeshi liwavizie kwa nyuma.

Now Jeroboam had sent troops around to ambush from the rear, so that while he was in front of Judah, the ambush was behind them.

14 Basi Yuda wakageuka na kuona kwamba wanashambuliwa mbele na nyuma. Ndipo wakamlilia Bwana. Makuhani wakapiga tarumbeta zao,

When Judah turned and discovered that the battle was both before and behind them, they cried out to the LORD. Then the priests blew the trumpets,

15 nao watu wa Yuda wakapaza sauti ya kilio cha vita. Katika kupiga kelele za vita, Mungu akawafukuza Yeroboamu na Israeli wote mbele ya Mfalme Abiya na Yuda.

and the men of Judah raised the battle cry. And when they raised the cry, God routed Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

16 Waisraeli wakakimbia mbele ya Yuda, naye Mungu akawatia Israeli mikononi mwao.

So the Israelites fled before Judah, and God delivered them into their hands.

17 Abiya na watu wake wakawachinja kwa machinjo makuu, hata wakawepo majeruhi 500,000 miongoni mwa watu wenye uwezo wa Israeli.

Then Abijah and his people struck them with a mighty blow, and 500,000 chosen men of Israel fell slain.

18 Watu wa Israeli walitiishwa katika tukio lile, nao watu wa Yuda wakawa washindi kwa sababu walimtegemea Bwana, Mungu wa baba zao.

Thus the Israelites were subdued at that time, and the men of Judah prevailed because they relied on the LORD, the God of their fathers.

19 Abiya akamfuatia Yeroboamu na kuteka miji ya Betheli, Yeshana na Efroni kutoka kwake, pamoja na vijiji vinavyoizunguka miji hiyo.

Abijah pursued Jeroboam and captured some cities from him: Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephron, along with their villages.

20 Yeroboamu hakupata nguvu tena wakati wa utawala wa Abiya. Naye Bwana akampiga Yeroboamu akafa.

Jeroboam did not again recover his power during the days of Abijah, and the LORD struck him down and he died.

21 Lakini Abiya akapata nguvu. Alioa wanawake kumi na wanne na alikuwa na wana ishirini na wawili na binti kumi na sita.

But Abijah grew strong, married fourteen wives, and became the father of twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.

22 Matukio mengine ya utawala wa Abiya, pamoja na mambo aliyofanya na aliyosema, yameandikwa katika kitabu cha maelezo cha nabii Ido.

Now the rest of the acts of Abijah, along with his ways and his words, are written in the Treatise of the Prophet Iddo.