2 Nyakati 32
1 Baada ya yale yote aliyokuwa amefanya Hezekia kwa uaminifu mkubwa, Senakeribu mfalme wa Ashuru akaja na kuvamia Yuda. Akaizunguka miji yenye ngome kwa jeshi, akifikiri kuiteka iwe yake.
After these things, and this truth, Sennacherib king of the Assyrians came and entered into Juda, and besieged the fenced cities, desiring to take them.
2 Hezekia alipoona kuwa Senakeribu amekuja na kwamba alikusudia kufanya vita juu ya Yerusalemu,
And when Ezechias saw that Sennacherib was come, and that the whole force of the war was turning against Jerusalem,
3 akafanya shauri na maafisa wake na mashujaa wake juu ya kuzuia maji kutoka chemchemi zilizo nje ya mji, nao wakamsaidia.
He took counsel with the princes, and the most valiant men, to stop up the heads of the springs, that were without the city: and as they were all of this mind,
4 Umati mkubwa wa watu ukakusanyika na kuzuia chemchemi zote na vijito vilivyotiririka katika nchi yote, wakisema: “Kwa nini wafalme wa Ashuru waje na kukuta maji tele?”
He gathered together a very great multitude, and they stopped up all the springs, and the brook, that ran through the midst of the land, saying: Lest the kings of the Assyrians should come, and And abundance of water.
5 Hezekia akafanya kazi kwa bidii kukarabati sehemu zote zilizokuwa zimebomoka za ukuta na kujenga minara juu yake. Akajenga ukuta mwingine nje ya ule uliokuwepo na kuimarisha Milo katika Mji wa Daudi. Akatengeneza pia silaha nyingi na ngao.
He built up also with great diligence all the wall that had been broken down, and built towers upon it, and another wall without: and he repaired Mello in the city of David, and made all sorts of arms and shields:
6 Akaweka maafisa wa jeshi juu ya watu, wakawakutanisha mbele yake katika uwanja kwenye lango la mji, naye akawatia moyo kwa maneno haya:
And he appointed captains of the soldiers of the army: and he called them all together in the street of the gate of the city, and spoke to their heart, saying:
7 “Kuweni hodari na wenye moyo mkuu. Msiogope, msifadhaike wala msikate tamaa kwa sababu ya mfalme wa Ashuru na hili jeshi kubwa lililo pamoja naye, kwa kuwa aliye pamoja nasi ni mkuu kuliko aliye pamoja naye.
Behave like men, and take courage: be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of the Assyrians, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there are many more with us than with him.
8 Kwake uko mkono wa mwili tu, bali kwetu yuko Bwana Mungu wetu kutusaidia na kutupigania vita vyetu.” Nao watu wakatiwa moyo kutokana na maneno aliyowaambia Hezekia mfalme wa Yuda.
For with him is an arm of flesh: with us the Lord our God, who is our helper, and fighteth for us. And the people were encouraged with these words of Ezechias king of Juda.
9 Hatimaye Senakeribu mfalme wa Ashuru na majeshi yake yote walipokuwa wameuzunguka Lakishi, akawatuma maafisa wake kwenda Yerusalemu wakiwa na ujumbe huu kwa Hezekia mfalme wa Yuda, na kwa watu wote wa Yuda waliokuwako humo, kusema:
After this, Sennacherib king of the Assyrians sent his servants to Jerusalem, (for he with all his army was besieging Lachis, ) to Ezechias king of Juda, and to all the people that were in the city, saying:
10 “Hili ndilo asemalo Senakeribu mfalme wa Ashuru: Je, mmeweka tumaini lenu wapi, hata mnaendelea kukaa katika Yerusalemu, hali mmezungukwa na jeshi?
Thus saith Sennacherib king of the Assyrians: In whom do you trust, that you sit still besieged in Jerusalem?
11 Hezekia asemapo, ‘Bwana Mungu wetu atatuokoa kutokana na mkono wa mfalme wa Ashuru,’ anawapotosha ninyi, naye atawaacha mfe kwa njaa na kiu.
Doth not Ezechias deceive you, to give you up to die by hunger and thirst, affirming that the Lord your God shall deliver you from the hand of the king of the Assyrians?
12 Je, si Hezekia mwenyewe aliyeondoa mahali pa juu pa kuabudia miungu pamoja na madhabahu zake, akiwaambia Yuda wa Yerusalemu, ‘Ni lazima mwabudu mbele ya madhabahu moja na kuteketeza dhabihu juu yake’?
Is it not this same Ezechias, that hath destroyed his high places, and his altars, and commanded Juda and Jerusalem, saying: You shall worship before one altar, and upon it you shall burn incense?
13 “Je, hamjui yale mimi na baba zangu tuliyoyafanya kwa mataifa yote ya nchi zingine? Je, miungu ya mataifa hayo iliweza kuokoa nchi zao kutoka mkononi mwangu?
Know you not what I and my fathers have done to all the people of the lands? have the gods of any nations and lands been able to deliver their country out of my hand?
14 Ni yupi miongoni mwa miungu yote ya mataifa haya ambayo baba zangu waliyaangamiza ameweza kuwaokoa watu wake mkononi mwangu? Inawezekanaje basi Mungu wenu kuwaokoa mkononi mwangu?
Who is there among all the gods of the nations, which my fathers have destroyed, that could deliver his people out of my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of this hand?
15 Sasa basi, msikubali Hezekia awadanganye na kuwapotosha namna hii. Msimwamini, kwa kuwa hakuna mungu wa taifa lolote wala wa ufalme wowote aliyeweza kuwaokoa watu wake kutoka mkononi mwangu au mkononi mwa baba zangu. Sembuse huyo mungu wenu atawaokoaje kutoka mkononi mwangu!”
Therefore let not Ezechias deceive you, nor delude you with a vain persuasion, and do not believe him. For if no god of all the nations and kingdoms, could deliver his people out of my hand, and out of the hand of my fathers, consequently neither shall your God be able to deliver you out of my hand.
16 Maafisa wa Senakeribu wakaendelea kunena dhidi ya Bwana aliye Mungu na dhidi ya mtumishi wake Hezekia.
And many other things did his servants speak against the Lord God, and against Ezechias his servant.
17 Mfalme pia aliandika barua akimtukana Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli na kusema haya dhidi yake: “Kama vile miungu ya mataifa ya nchi nyingine ilivyoshindwa kuwaokoa watu wao mkononi mwangu, vivyo hivyo Mungu wa Hezekia hataweza kuwaokoa watu wake kutoka mkononi mwangu.”
He wrote also letters full of blasphemy against the Lord the God of Israel, and he spoke against him: As the gods of other nations could not deliver their people out of my hand, so neither can the God of Ezechias deliver his people out of this hand.
18 Kisha wakawaita kwa Kiebrania watu wa Yerusalemu waliokuwa juu ya ukuta ili kuwatisha na kuwatia hofu ili waweze kuuteka mji.
Moreover he cried out with a loud voice, in the Jews’ tongue, to the people that sat on the walls of Jerusalem, that he might frighten them, and take the city.
19 Wakanena juu ya Mungu wa Yerusalemu kama vile walivyonena juu ya miungu ya mataifa mengine ya dunia ambayo ni kazi ya mikono ya wanadamu.
And he spoke against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth, the works of the hands of men.
20 Mfalme Hezekia na nabii Isaya mwana wa Amozi wakalilia mbingu katika maombi kuhusu jambo hili.
And Ezechias the king, and Isaias the prophet the son of Amos, prayed against this blasphemy, and cried out to heaven.
21 Naye Bwana akamtuma malaika ambaye aliangamiza wanajeshi wote, na viongozi na maafisa katika kambi ya mfalme wa Ashuru. Kwa hiyo, mfalme wa Ashuru akarudi nchini mwake kwa aibu. Naye alipokwenda katika hekalu la mungu wake, baadhi ya watoto wake wakamuua kwa upanga.
And the Lord sent an angel who cut off all the stout men and the warriors, and the captains of the army of the king of the Assyrians: and he returned with disgrace into his own country. And when he was come into the house of his god, his sons that came out of his bowels, slew him with the sword.
22 Hivyo Bwana akamwokoa Hezekia na watu wa Yerusalemu kutoka mkononi mwa Senakeribu mfalme wa Ashuru na kutoka mikononi mwa wengine wote. Bwana akawastarehesha kila upande.
And the Lord saved Ezechias and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of the hand of Sennacherib king of the Assyrians, and out of the hand of all, and gave them treasures on every side.
23 Watu wengi wakaleta sadaka Yerusalemu kwa ajili ya Bwana na zawadi za thamani kwa ajili ya Hezekia mfalme wa Yuda. Tangu hapo na kuendelea, Hezekia aliheshimiwa sana na mataifa yote.
Many also brought victims, and sacrifices to the Lord to Jerusalem, and presents to Ezechias king of Juda: and he was magnified thenceforth in the sight of all nations.
24 Katika siku hizo, Hezekia akaugua, naye akawa karibu kufa. Akamwomba Bwana, ambaye alimjibu na kumpa ishara.
In those days Ezechias was sick even to death, and he prayed to the Lord: and he heard him, and gave him a sign.
25 Lakini moyo wa Hezekia ukajaa majivuno na hakuonyesha itikio kwa wema aliotendewa, kwa hiyo ghadhabu ya Bwana ikawa juu yake na juu ya Yuda na Yerusalemu.
But he did not render again according to the benefits which he had received, for his heart was lifted up: and wrath was enkindled against him, and against Juda and Jerusalem.
26 Ndipo Hezekia akatubu kwa ajili ya kiburi cha moyo wake, kama walivyofanya watu wa Yerusalemu, kwa hiyo ghadhabu ya Bwana haikuja juu yao katika siku za Hezekia.
And he humbled himself afterwards, because his heart had been lifted up, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: and therefore the wrath of the Lord came not upon them in the days of Ezechias.
27 Hezekia alikuwa na utajiri mwingi sana na heshima, naye akajifanyia hazina kwa ajili ya fedha yake na dhahabu na kwa ajili ya vito vyake vya thamani, vikolezi, ngao na aina zote za vyombo vya thamani.
And Ezechias was rich, and very glorious, and he gathered himself great treasures of silver and of gold, and of precious stones, of spices, and of arms, of all kinds, and of vessels of great price.
28 Akajenga pia maghala ya kuhifadhi mavuno ya nafaka, divai mpya na mafuta. Akatengeneza mabanda kwa ajili ya aina mbalimbali za mifugo, na mazizi kwa ajili ya kondoo na mbuzi.
Storehouses also of corn, of wine, and of oil, and stalls for all beasts, and folds for cattle.
29 Akajenga vijiji na kujipatia idadi kubwa ya kondoo na mbuzi, pamoja na ngʼombe kwa kuwa Mungu alikuwa amempa utajiri mwingi sana.
And he built himself cities: for he had flocks of sheep, and herds without number, for the Lord had given him very much substance.
30 Ilikuwa ni Hezekia aliyeziba njia za kutolea maji za chemchemi za juu za Gihoni na kuyaelekeza maji kutiririkia upande wa magharibi wa Mji wa Daudi. Akafanikiwa katika kila kitu alichofanya.
This same Ezechias was, he that stopped the upper source of the waters of Gihon, and turned them away underneath toward the west of the city of David: in ail his works he did prosperously what he would.
31 Lakini wakati wajumbe walipotumwa na watawala wa Babeli kumuuliza juu ya ishara ambayo ilitokea katika nchi, Mungu alimwacha ili kumjaribu na kujua kila kitu kilichokuwa moyoni mwake.
But yet in the embassy of the princes of Babylon, that were sent to him, to inquire of the wonder that had happened upon the earth, God left him that he might be tempted, and all things might be made known that were in his heart.
32 Matukio mengine ya utawala wa Hezekia na matendo yake ya kujitoa kwa moyo yameandikwa katika maono ya nabii Isaya mwana wa Amozi kwenye kitabu cha wafalme wa Yuda na Israeli.
Now the rest of the acts of Ezechias, and of his mercies are written in the book of the kings of Juda and Israel.
33 Hezekia akalala na baba zake na akazikwa kwenye kilima mahali yalipo makaburi ya wazao wa Daudi. Yuda wote na watu wa Yerusalemu wakamheshimu alipofariki. Naye Manase mwanawe akawa mfalme baada yake.
And Ezechias slept with his fathers, and they buried him above the sepulchres of the sons of David: and all Juda, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem celebrated his funeral: and Manasses his son reigned in his stead.
