2 Nyakati 15
1 Roho wa Bwana akamjia Azaria mwana wa Odedi.
The Spirit of God came on Azariah the son of Oded.
2 Akatoka ili kumlaki Asa na kumwambia, “Nisikilizeni, Asa na Yuda wote na Benyamini. Bwana yu pamoja nanyi mkiwa pamoja naye. Kama mkimtafuta, ataonekana kwenu, lakini kama mkimwacha yeye, naye atawaacha ninyi.
He went out to meet Asa, and said to him, “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin! The LORD is with you while you are with him; and if you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.
3 Kwa muda mrefu Israeli walikuwa hawana Mungu wa kweli, walikuwa hawana kuhani wa kuwafundisha na wala hawakuwa na sheria.
Now for a long time Israel was without the true God, without a teaching priest, and without law.
4 Lakini katika taabu yao walimrudia Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli na kumtafuta, naye akaonekana kwao.
But when in their distress they turned to the LORD, the God of Israel, and sought him, he was found by them.
5 Katika siku hizo hapakuwa na amani kwa yeyote aliyesafiri, kutoka wala kuingia, kwa kuwa wakazi wote wa nchi walikuwa katika machafuko makubwa.
In those times there was no peace to him who went out, nor to him who came in; but great troubles were on all the inhabitants of the lands.
6 Taifa moja lilipigana na taifa lingine na mji mmoja ukapigana na mji mwingine, kwa sababu Mungu alikuwa anawahangaisha kwa taabu za kila aina.
They were broken in pieces, nation against nation, and city against city; for God troubled them with all adversity.
7 Lakini kwa habari yenu ninyi, kuweni hodari wala msikate tamaa, kwa kuwa mtapata thawabu kwa kazi yenu.”
But you be strong! Do not let your hands be slack, for your work will be rewarded.”
8 Asa aliposikia maneno haya na unabii wa Azaria mwana wa Odedi nabii, akajipa moyo. Akaziondoa sanamu zote zilizokuwa machukizo katika nchi yote ya Yuda na Benyamini na kutoka miji aliyoiteka ya vilima vya Efraimu. Akakarabati madhabahu ya Bwana iliyokuwa mbele ya ukumbi wa Hekalu la Bwana.
When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominations out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from the hill country of Ephraim; and he renewed the LORD’s altar that was before the LORD’s porch.
9 Kisha akakutanisha Yuda wote, Benyamini na watu kutoka Efraimu, watu wa Manase na Simeoni waliokuwa wanaishi miongoni mwao, kwa maana idadi kubwa walikuwa wamemjia kutoka Israeli walipoona kwamba Bwana Mungu wake alikuwa pamoja naye.
He gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and those who lived with them out of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon; for they came to him out of Israel in abundance when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.
10 Basi wakakusanyika huko Yerusalemu mwezi wa tatu katika mwaka wa kumi na tano wa utawala wa Asa.
So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign.
11 Wakati huo wakamtolea Bwana dhabihu za ngʼombe 700, kondoo na mbuzi 7,000 kutoka zile nyara walizoteka.
They sacrificed to the LORD in that day, of the plunder which they had brought, seven hundred head of cattle and seven thousand sheep.
12 Wakafanya agano kumtafuta Bwana, Mungu wa baba zao kwa moyo wao wote na kwa roho yao yote.
They entered into the covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their soul;
13 Wale wote ambao hawangemtafuta Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli wangelazimika kuuawa, akiwa mdogo au mkubwa, mwanaume au mwanamke.
and that whoever would not seek the LORD, the God of Israel, should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.
14 Wakamwapia Bwana kwa sauti kuu, kwa kupiga kelele, tarumbeta na kwa mabaragumu.
They swore to the LORD with a loud voice, with shouting, with trumpets, and with cornets.
15 Yuda wote wakafurahia kile kiapo kwa sababu walikuwa wameapa kwa moyo wao wote. Wakamtafuta Mungu kwa bidii, naye akaonekana kwao. Kwa hiyo Bwana akawastarehesha pande zote.
All Judah rejoiced at the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found by them. Then the LORD gave them rest all around.
16 Mfalme Asa akamwondolea Maaka mama yake wadhifa wake kama mama malkia kwa sababu alikuwa ametengeneza nguzo ya Ashera ya kuchukiza. Asa akaikata hiyo nguzo, akaivunjavunja na kuiteketeza kwa moto katika Bonde la Kidroni.
Also Maacah, the mother of Asa the king, he removed from being queen mother, because she had made an abominable image for an Asherah; so Asa cut down her image, ground it into dust, and burned it at the brook Kidron.
17 Ijapokuwa hakuondoa mahali pa juu pa kuabudia miungu katika Israeli, moyo wa Asa ulikuwa umejiweka kwa Bwana kikamilifu maisha yake yote.
But the high places were not taken away out of Israel; nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.
18 Akaleta ndani ya Hekalu la Mungu fedha na dhahabu na vile vyombo ambavyo yeye na baba yake walikuwa wameviweka wakfu.
He brought the things that his father had dedicated and that he himself had dedicated, silver, gold, and vessels into God’s house.
19 Hapakuwepo vita tena mpaka mwaka wa thelathini na tano wa utawala wake Asa.
There was no more war to the thirty-fifth year of Asa’s reign.
