2 Nyakati 15
1 Roho wa Bwana akamjia Azaria mwana wa Odedi.
The Spirit of God came upon 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, “Listen to me, Asa and all of Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you while you are with him. If you look for him, you will find him; but if you abandon him, he will abandon you.
3 Kwa muda mrefu Israeli walikuwa hawana Mungu wa kweli, walikuwa hawana kuhani wa kuwafundisha na wala hawakuwa na sheria.
For many years Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach them, and without the law.
4 Lakini katika taabu yao walimrudia Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli na kumtafuta, naye akaonekana kwao.
But when they were in trouble they returned to the Lord, the God of Israel—they looked for him, and they found him.
5 Katika siku hizo hapakuwa na amani kwa yeyote aliyesafiri, kutoka wala kuingia, kwa kuwa wakazi wote wa nchi walikuwa katika machafuko makubwa.
During those times travel was dangerous, for all the inhabitants of the lands were in great turmoil. People everywhere had terrible problems.
6 Taifa moja lilipigana na taifa lingine na mji mmoja ukapigana na mji mwingine, kwa sababu Mungu alikuwa anawahangaisha kwa taabu za kila aina.
Nation fought nation, and town fought town, for God threw them into a panic with all kinds of trouble.
7 Lakini kwa habari yenu ninyi, kuweni hodari wala msikate tamaa, kwa kuwa mtapata thawabu kwa kazi yenu.”
But you need to be strong, not weak, for you will be rewarded for the work you do.”
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 of prophecy from Azariah the prophet, son of Oded, he was encouraged. He removed the vile idols from the whole territory of Judah and Benjamin and from the towns he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. Then he repaired the altar of the Lord that stood in front of the porch of the Lord's Temple.
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.
Then Asa summoned all of Judah and Benjamin, along with those Israelites from the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who were living among them, for many people had deserted Israel and come over to Asa 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.
They gathered in Jerusalem in the third month of 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.
That day they sacrificed to the Lord seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep from the plunder they had brought back.
12 Wakafanya agano kumtafuta Bwana, Mungu wa baba zao kwa moyo wao wote na kwa roho yao yote.
Then they made an agreement to conscientiously and completely follow the Lord, the God of their forefathers.
13 Wale wote ambao hawangemtafuta Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli wangelazimika kuuawa, akiwa mdogo au mkubwa, mwanaume au mwanamke.
They also agreed that anyone who refused to follow the Lord, the God of Israel, would be put to death, whether young or old, man or woman.
14 Wakamwapia Bwana kwa sauti kuu, kwa kupiga kelele, tarumbeta na kwa mabaragumu.
They declared their oath with a loud shout, accompanied by trumpets and blasts from rams' horns.
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.
The whole of Judah was happy at the oath they had conscientiously sworn. They looked for him sincerely, and they found him. The Lord gave them peace from all their enemies.
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.
King Asa also removed Maacah from her position as queen mother for making an offensive Asherah pole. Asa cut down her vile idol, crushed it up, and burned it in the Kidron Valley.
17 Ijapokuwa hakuondoa mahali pa juu pa kuabudia miungu katika Israeli, moyo wa Asa ulikuwa umejiweka kwa Bwana kikamilifu maisha yake yote.
While the high places were not removed from Israel, Asa was completely devoted to the Lord all his life.
18 Akaleta ndani ya Hekalu la Mungu fedha na dhahabu na vile vyombo ambavyo yeye na baba yake walikuwa wameviweka wakfu.
He brought into God's Temple the silver and gold articles he and his father had dedicated.
19 Hapakuwepo vita tena mpaka mwaka wa thelathini na tano wa utawala wake Asa.
There was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of Asa's reign.
