< 2 Nyakati 20 >
1 Ikawa baada ya jambo hili, Wamoabu na Waamoni, pamoja na baadhi ya Wameuni wakaja ili wapigane vita na Yehoshafati.
After this the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them of the Ammonites, were gathered together to fight against Josaphat.
2 Watu fulani wakaja wakamwambia Yehoshafati, “Jeshi kubwa linakuja dhidi yako kutoka Edomu tokea ngʼambo ile nyingine ya Bahari. Tayari liko Hasason-Tamari” (yaani En-Gedi).
And there came messengers, and told Josaphat, saying: There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea, and out of Syria, and behold they are in Asasonthamar, which is Engaddi.
3 Yehoshafati akaogopa, akaazimu kumtafuta Bwana, na akatangaza kwa Yuda wote kufunga.
And Josaphat being seized with fear betook himself wholly to pray to the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Juda.
4 Watu wa Yuda wakakusanyika pamoja ili kutafuta msaada kutoka kwa Bwana. Wakaja kutoka kila mji wa Yuda ili kumtafuta.
And Juda gathered themselves together to pray to the Lord: and all came out of their cities to make supplication to him.
5 Kisha Yehoshafati akasimama katika kusanyiko la Yuda na Yerusalemu katika Hekalu la Bwana, mbele ya ua mpya,
And Josaphat stood in the midst of the assembly of Juda, and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord before the new court,
6 akasema: “Ee Bwana, Mungu wa baba zetu, si wewe ndiwe uliye Mungu mbinguni? Si wewe ndiwe utawalaye juu ya falme zote za mataifa? Uweza na nguvu viko mkononi mwako, wala hakuna yeyote awezaye kushindana nawe.
And said: O Lord God of our fathers, thou art God in heaven, and rulest over all the kingdoms and nations, in thy hand is strength and power, and no one can resist thee.
7 Je, si wewe, Ee Mungu wetu, uliyewafukuza wenyeji wa nchi hii mbele ya watu wako Israeli, ukawapa wazao wa Abrahamu, rafiki yako, hata milele?
Didst not thou our God kill all the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?
8 Wameishi ndani yake na humo wamekujengea mahali patakatifu kwa ajili ya Jina lako, wakisema:
And they dwelt in it, and built in it a sanctuary to thy name, saying:
9 ‘Kama maafa yakitujia, ikiwa ni upanga, hukumu, tauni, au njaa, tutasimama mbele zako, mbele ya Hekalu hili ambalo limeitwa kwa Jina lako na kukulilia katika shida yetu, nawe utatusikia na kutuokoa.’
If evils fall upon us, the sword of judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand in thy presence before this house, in which thy name is called upon: and we will cry to thee in our afflictions, and thou wilt hear, and save us.
10 “Lakini sasa hawa watu wa kutoka Amoni, Moabu na Mlima Seiri, ambao hukuwaruhusu Israeli wazivamie nchi zao wakati walitoka Misri, hivyo wakageukia mbali nao na hawakuwaangamiza,
Now therefore behold the children of Ammon, and of Moab, and mount Seir, through whose lands thou didst not allow Israel to pass, when they came out of Egypt, but they turned aside from them, and slew them not,
11 tazama jinsi wanavyotulipa kwa kuja kututupa nje ya milki uliyotupa sisi kuwa urithi.
Do the contrary, and endeavour to cast us out of the possession which thou hast delivered to us.
12 Ee Mungu wetu, je, wewe hutawahukumu? Kwa kuwa sisi hatuna uwezo wa kukabiliana na jeshi hili kubwa linalokuja kutushambulia. Sisi hatujui la kufanya, bali macho yetu yanakutazama wewe.”
O our God, wilt thou not then judge them? as for us we have not strength enough, to be able to resist this multitude, which cometh violently upon us. But as we know not what to do, we can only turn our eyes to thee.
13 Watu wote wa Yuda pamoja na wake zao, watoto wao na wadogo wao wakasimama pale mbele za Bwana.
And all Juda stood before the Lord with their little ones, and their wives, and their children.
14 Ndipo Roho wa Bwana akaja juu ya mtu mmoja jina lake Yahazieli mwana wa Zekaria, mwana wa Benaya, Mwana wa Yeieli, mwana wa Matania, Mlawi mzao wa Asafu alipokuwa amesimama katika kusanyiko.
And Jahaziel the son of Zacharias, the son of Banaias, the son of Jehiel, the son of Mathanias, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, was there, upon whom the spirit of the Lord came in the midst of the multitude,
15 Akasema: “Sikilizeni, enyi Yuda wote nanyi nyote mkaao Yerusalemu, nawe Mfalme Yehoshafati! Hili ndilo Bwana asemalo kwenu, ‘Msiogope wala msifadhaike kwa sababu ya jeshi hili kubwa. Kwa maana vita hivi si vyenu, bali ni vya Mungu.
And he said: Attend ye, all Juda, and you that dwell in Jerusalem, and thou king Josaphat: Thus saith the Lord to you: Fear ye not, and be not dismayed at this multitude: for the battle is not yours, but God’s.
16 Kesho shukeni kukabiliana nao. Watakwea kwa kupandia Genge la Sisi, nanyi mtawakuta mwisho wa bonde, kabla ya Jangwa la Yerueli.
Tomorrow you shall go down against them: for they will come up by the ascent named Sis, and you shall find them at the head of the torrent, which is over against the wilderness of Jeruel.
17 Hamtahitaji kupigana vita hivi. Kaeni kwenye nafasi zenu, simameni imara na mkaone wokovu Bwana atakaowapatia, enyi Yuda na Yerusalemu. Msiogope, wala msifadhaike. Kesho tokeni mwende mkawakabili, naye Bwana atakuwa pamoja nanyi.’”
It shall not be you that shall fight, but only stand with confidence, and you shall see the help of the Lord over you, O Juda, and Jerusalem: fear ye not, nor be you dismayed: tomorrow you shall go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.
18 Yehoshafati akainamisha uso wake chini, nao watu wote wa Yuda na Yerusalemu wakaanguka chini ili kuabudu mbele za Bwana.
Then Josaphat, and Juda, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell hat on the ground before the Lord, and adored him.
19 Ndipo baadhi ya Walawi kutoka kwa Wakohathi na kwa wana wa Kora wakasimama na kumsifu Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, kwa sauti kuu sana.
And the Levites of the sons of Caath, and of the sons of Core praised the Lord the God of Israel with a loud voice, on high.
20 Asubuhi na mapema wakaondoka kuelekea Jangwa la Tekoa. Walipoanza safari, Yehoshafati akasimama akasema, “Nisikilizeni, enyi Yuda, na watu wa Yerusalemu! Mwaminini Bwana Mungu wenu, hivyo mtathibitika, wasadikini manabii wake nanyi mtafanikiwa.
And they rose early in the morning, and went out through the desert of Thecua: and as they were marching, Josaphat standing in the midst of them, said: Hear me, ye men of Juda, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem: believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be secure: believe his prophets, and all things shall succeed well.
21 Alipomaliza kushauriana na watu, Yehoshafati akawaweka watu wa kumwimbia Bwana na kumsifu katika utukufu wa utakatifu wake walipokuwa wametangulia mbele ya jeshi, wakisema: “Mshukuruni Bwana kwa kuwa upendo wake wadumu milele.”
And he gave counsel to the people, and appointed the singing men of the Lord, to praise him by their companies, and to go before the army, and with one voice to say: Give glory to the Lord, for his mercy endureth for ever.
22 Walipoanza kuimba na kusifu, Bwana akaweka waviziao dhidi ya watu wa Amoni, Moabu na wale wa Mlima Seiri waliokuwa wamekuja kuishambulia Yuda, nao wakashindwa.
And when they began to sing praises, the Lord turned their ambushments upon themselves, that is to say, of the children of Ammon, and of Moab, and of mount Seir, who were come out to fight against Juda, and they were slain.
23 Watu wa Amoni na Moabu wakawainukia watu wa Mlima Seiri ili kuwaua na kuwaangamiza kabisa. Baada ya kumaliza kuwachinja watu wa Seiri, wakaangamizana wao kwa wao.
For the children of Ammon, and of Moab, rose up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, to kill and destroy them: and when they had made an end of them, they turned also against one another, and destroyed one another.
24 Yuda walipofika katika mnara wa ulinzi wa jangwani, wakaliangalia lile jeshi kubwa, wakaona ni maiti tupu zimetapakaa ardhini, wala hakuna yeyote aliyenusurika.
And when Juda came to the watch tower, that looketh toward the desert, they saw afar off all the country, for a great space, full of dead bodies, and that no one was left that could escape death.
25 Hivyo Yehoshafati na watu wake wakaenda kujitwalia nyara kutoka kwao, nao wakakuta humo wingi wa mifugo, mali, nguo na vitu vya thamani, ambavyo vilikuwa vingi zaidi ya vile walivyoweza kuchukua. Wakakusanya nyara kwa siku tatu kwa sababu zilikuwa nyingi mno.
Then Josaphat came, and all the people with him to take away the spoils of the dead, and they found among the dead bodies, stuff of various kinds, and garments, and most precious vessels: and they took them for themselves, insomuch that they could not carry all, nor in three days take away the spoils, the booty was so great.
26 Siku ya nne wakakusanyika katika Bonde la Beraka kwa maana huko ndiko walikomsifu Bwana. Ndiyo sababu linaitwa Bonde la Beraka mpaka leo.
And on the fourth day they were assembled in the valley of Blessing: for there they blessed the Lord, and therefore they called that place the valley of Blessing until this day.
27 Kisha watu wote wa Yuda na Yerusalemu, wakiongozwa na Yehoshafati, wakarudi Yerusalemu wakiwa na furaha kwa kuwa Bwana alikuwa amewasababisha wafurahi juu ya adui zao.
And every man of Juda, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem returned, and Josaphat at their head, into Jerusalem with great joy, because the Lord had made them rejoice over their enemies.
28 Wakaingia Yerusalemu na kwenda hekaluni mwa Bwana wakiwa na vinubi, zeze na tarumbeta.
And they came into Jerusalem with psalteries, and harps, and trumpets into the house of the Lord.
29 Hofu ya Mungu ikazipata falme zote za nchi waliposikia jinsi Bwana alivyokuwa amepigana dhidi ya adui za Israeli.
And the fear of the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands when they heard that the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel.
30 Ufalme wa Yehoshafati ukawa na amani, kwa kuwa Mungu wake alikuwa amemstarehesha pande zote.
And the kingdom of Josaphat was quiet, and God gave him peace round about.
31 Hivyo Yehoshafati akatawala Yuda. Alikuwa na umri wa miaka thelathini na mitano alipoanza kutawala, akatawala katika Yerusalemu kwa miaka ishirini na mitano. Mama yake aliitwa Azuba binti Shilhi.
And Josaphat reigned over Juda, and he was five and thirty years old when he began to reign: and he reigned five and twenty years in Jerusalem: and the name of his mother was Azuba the daughter of Selahi.
32 Alienenda katika njia za Asa baba yake wala hakwenda kinyume chake. Alifanya yaliyo mema machoni pa Bwana.
And he walked in the way of his father Asa, and departed not from it, doing the things that were pleasing before the Lord.
33 Hata hivyo mahali pa juu pa kuabudia hapakuondolewa, na watu wakawa bado hawajaelekeza mioyo yao kwa Mungu wa baba zao.
But yet he took not away the high places, and the people had not yet turned their heart to the Lord the God of their fathers.
34 Matukio mengine ya utawala wa Yehoshafati, kuanzia mwanzo hadi mwisho, yameandikwa katika kitabu cha kumbukumbu cha Yehu mwana wa Hanani, ambazo zimeandikwa katika kitabu cha wafalme wa Israeli.
But the rest of the acts of Josaphat, first and last, are written in the words of Jehu the son of Hanani, which he digested into the books of the kings of Israel.
35 Hatimaye Yehoshafati mfalme wa Yuda akafanya urafiki na Ahazia mfalme wa Israeli ambaye alifanya maovu sana.
After these things Josaphat king of Juda made friendship with Ochozias king of Israel, whose works were very wicked.
36 Akaungana naye kutengeneza meli nyingi za kwenda Tarshishi, nazo zilitengenezwa huko Esion-Geberi.
And he was partner with him in making ships, to go to Tharsis: and they made the ships in Asiongaber.
37 Ndipo Eliezeri mwana wa Dodavahu wa Maresha akatoa unabii dhidi ya Yehoshafati, akasema, “Kwa kuwa umeungana na Ahazia, Bwana ataangamiza vile mlivyotengeneza.” Zile meli zikavunjika na hazikuweza kungʼoa nanga ili kwenda Tarshishi.
And Eliezer the son of Dodau of Maresa prophesied to Josaphat, saying: Because thou hast made a league with Ochozias, the Lord hath destroyed thy works, and the ships are broken, and they could not go to Tharsis.