< 2 Wafalme 17 >
1 Katika mwaka wa kumi na mbili wa utawala wa Ahazi mfalme wa Yuda, Hoshea mwana wa Ela akawa mfalme wa Israeli katika Samaria, akatawala kwa miaka tisa.
In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, the reign of Hoshea son of Elah began. He ruled in Samaria over Israel for nine years.
2 Akafanya maovu machoni pa Bwana, lakini si kama wafalme wengine wa Israeli waliomtangulia.
He did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh, yet not as the kings of Israel who were before him.
3 Mfalme Shalmanesa wa Ashuru akainuka dhidi ya Mfalme Hoshea, ambaye hapo mbeleni alikuwa mtumwa wake na kumlipa ushuru.
Shalmaneser king of Assyria attacked him, and Hoshea became his servant and brought him tribute.
4 Lakini mfalme wa Ashuru akagundua kuwa Hoshea alikuwa msaliti, kwa kuwa alikuwa ametuma wajumbe kwa So mfalme wa Misri, naye hakuendelea kulipa ushuru kwa mfalme wa Ashuru tena kama alivyokuwa anafanya kila mwaka. Kwa hiyo Shalmanesa akamkamata na kumtia gerezani.
Then the king of Assyria realized that Hoshea had been plotting against him, for Hoshea had sent messengers to So king of Egypt; also, he offered no tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year. So the king of Assyria shut him up and bound him in prison.
5 Mfalme wa Ashuru akaishambulia nchi yote, akapigana dhidi ya Samaria na kuizunguka kwa majeshi miaka mitatu.
Then the king of Assyria attacked throughout all the land, and attacked Samaria and besieged it for three years.
6 Katika mwaka wa tisa wa Hoshea, mfalme wa Ashuru akaiteka Samaria na kuwahamishia Waisraeli huko Ashuru. Akawaweka huko Hala, na Gozani karibu na Mto Habori, na katika miji ya Wamedi.
In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria took Samaria and carried Israel away to Assyria. He put them in Halah, at the Habor River of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.
7 Yote haya yalitokea kwa sababu Waisraeli walikuwa wametenda dhambi dhidi ya Bwana Mungu wao, ambaye alikuwa amewapandisha kutoka Misri akiwatoa chini ya utawala wa nguvu wa Farao mfalme wa Misri. Waliabudu miungu mingine
This captivity happened because the people of Israel had sinned against Yahweh their God, who had brought them up from the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. The people had been worshiping other gods
8 na kufuata desturi za mataifa ambayo Bwana alikuwa ameyafukuza mbele yao, pamoja na desturi ambazo wafalme wa Israeli walizileta.
and walking in the practices of the nations whom Yahweh had driven out before the people of Israel, and in the practices of the kings of Israel that they had done.
9 Waisraeli wakafanya vitu kwa siri dhidi ya Bwana Mungu wao, ambavyo havikuwa sawa. Kuanzia kwenye mnara wa ulinzi hadi kwenye mji wenye maboma walijijengea wenyewe mahali pa juu pa kuabudia miungu katika miji yao yote.
The people of Israel did secretly—against Yahweh their God—things that were not right. They built for themselves high places in all their cities, from the watchtower to the fortress.
10 Wakaweka mawe ya kuabudiwa na nguzo za Ashera juu ya kila kilima kirefu na chini ya kila mti uliotanda.
They also set up stone pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree.
11 Wakafukiza uvumba kila mahali palipoinuka, kama yalivyofanya yale mataifa ambayo Bwana alikuwa ameyafukuza mbele yao. Wakafanya mambo maovu ambayo yalimghadhibisha Bwana.
There they burned incense in all the high places, as the nations had done, those whom Yahweh had carried away before them. The Israelites performed wicked things to provoke Yahweh to anger;
12 Wakaabudu sanamu, ingawa Bwana alikuwa amesema, “Msifanye mambo haya.”
they worshiped idols, about which Yahweh had said to them, “You will not do this thing.”
13 Bwana akawaonya Israeli na Yuda kupitia kwa manabii na waonaji wake wote: “Acheni njia zenu mbaya. Shikeni amri na maagizo yangu, kufuatana na sheria yangu yote niliyowaagiza baba zenu kuitii ambayo niliileta kwenu kupitia kwa watumishi wangu manabii.”
Yet Yahweh had testified to Israel and to Judah by every prophet and every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments and my statutes, and be careful to keep all the law I commanded your fathers, and that I sent to you by my servants the prophets.”
14 Lakini hawakusikiliza, walikuwa na shingo ngumu kama baba zao, ambao hawakumtegemea Bwana Mungu wao.
But they would not listen; instead they were very stubborn like their fathers who did not trust in Yahweh their God.
15 Walizikataa amri zake, na agano alilokuwa amelifanya na baba zao, na maonyo aliyokuwa amewapa. Wakafuata sanamu zisizofaa, nao wenyewe wakawa hawafai. Wakayaiga mataifa yaliyowazunguka, ingawa Bwana alikuwa amewaonya akiwaambia, “Msifanye kama wanavyofanya,” nao wakafanya mambo ambayo Bwana alikuwa amewakataza wasifanye.
They rejected his statutes and the covenant that he had made with their ancestors, and the covenant decrees that he had given to them. They followed useless practices and they themselves became useless. They followed the pagan nations who were around them, those that Yahweh had commanded them not to imitate.
16 Wakayaacha maagizo yote ya Bwana Mungu wao na kujitengenezea sanamu mbili, walizozisubu katika sura ya ndama na nguzo ya Ashera. Wakasujudia mianga yote ya angani, na wakamtumikia Baali.
They ignored all the commandments of Yahweh their God. They made cast metal figures of two calves to worship. They made an Asherah pole, and they worshiped all the stars of the heavens and Baal.
17 Wakawatoa kafara wana wao na mabinti zao katika moto. Wakafanya uaguzi na uchawi, nao wakajiuza wenyewe katika kutenda uovu machoni pa Bwana, wakamghadhibisha.
They made their sons and daughters pass through the fire, they used divination and enchantments, they sold themselves to do that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and they provoked him to anger.
18 Basi Bwana akawakasirikia sana Israeli na kuwaondoa kwenye uwepo wake. Ni kabila la Yuda tu lililobaki;
Therefore Yahweh was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight. There was no one left but the tribe of Judah alone.
19 na hata hivyo nao Yuda hawakuzishika amri za Bwana Mungu wao. Wakafuata desturi ambazo Israeli walikuwa wamezianzisha.
Even Judah did not keep the commandments of Yahweh their God, and they followed the practices that Israel had done.
20 Kwa hiyo Bwana aliwakataa watu wote wa Israeli; akawatesa na kuwaachia katika mikono ya wateka nyara hadi alipowaondoa kutoka kwenye uwepo wake.
So Yahweh rejected all the descendants of Israel; he afflicted them and gave them into the hand of those who would take the possession as spoil, until he had cast them out of his sight.
21 Alipokwisha kuwatenga Israeli mbali na nyumba ya Daudi, wakamfanya Yeroboamu mwana wa Nebati kuwa mfalme wao. Yeroboamu akawashawishi Israeli waache kumfuata Bwana na akawasababisha kutenda dhambi kuu.
He tore Israel from the royal line of David, and they made Jeroboam son of Nebat king. Jeroboam drove Israel away from following Yahweh and made them commit a great sin.
22 Nao Israeli wakadumu katika dhambi zote za Yeroboamu mwana wa Nebati, nao hawakuziacha
The people of Israel followed all the sins of Jeroboam and they did not depart from them,
23 hadi Bwana alipowaondoa kutoka kwenye uwepo wake, kama vile alivyokuwa ameonya kupitia watumishi wake wote manabii. Hivyo watu wa Israeli wakaondolewa kutoka nchi yao kwenda uhamishoni Ashuru, nao wako huko mpaka sasa.
so Yahweh removed Israel from his sight, as he had said through all his servants the prophets that he would. So Israel was carried away out of their own land to Assyria, and it is this way to this present day.
24 Mfalme wa Ashuru akawaleta watu kutoka Babeli, Kutha, Ava, Hamathi na Sefarvaimu na kuwaweka katika miji ya Samaria badala ya Waisraeli. Wakaimiliki Samaria na kuishi katika miji yake.
The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon and from Kuthah, and from Avva, and from Hamath and Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria in place of the people of Israel. They took over Samaria and lived in its cities.
25 Wakati walianza kuishi humo, hawakumwabudu Bwana, kwa hiyo akatuma simba miongoni mwao, wakawaua baadhi ya watu.
It happened at the beginning of their residence there that they did not honor Yahweh. So Yahweh sent lions among them which killed some of them.
26 Habari ikapelekwa kwa mfalme wa Ashuru, kusema: “Watu uliowahamisha na kuwaweka katika miji ya Samaria hawajui kile Mungu wa nchi hiyo anachokitaka. Ametuma simba miongoni mwao, ambao wanawaua, kwa sababu watu hawajui anachokitaka.”
So they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, “The nations that you have carried away and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the practices required by the god of the land. So he has sent lions among them, and, see, the lions are killing people there because they do not know the practices required by the god of the land.”
27 Ndipo mfalme wa Ashuru akaamuru hivi: “Mtwae mmoja wa makuhani uliowachukua mateka kutoka Samaria ili arudi kuishi humo na awafundishe watu kile ambacho Mungu wa nchi anataka.”
Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, “Take one of the priests there whom you brought from there, and let him go and live there, and let him teach them the practices required by the god of the land.”
28 Basi mmoja wa makuhani ambaye alikuwa amepelekwa uhamishoni kutoka Samaria akaja kuishi Betheli na kuwafundisha jinsi ya kumwabudu Bwana.
So one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and lived in Bethel; he taught them how they should honor Yahweh.
29 Hata hivyo, kila kikundi cha taifa lililoletwa Samaria kilitengeneza miungu yao wenyewe katika miji kadhaa mahali walipoishi, nao wakaiweka mahali pa ibada za miungu ambapo watu wa Samaria walikuwa wametengeneza katika mahali pa juu.
Every ethnic group made gods of their own, and put them in the high places that the Samaritans had made—every ethnic group in the cities where they lived.
30 Watu kutoka Babeli wakamtengeneza Sukoth-Benothi kuwa mungu wao, watu kutoka Kutha wakamtengeneza Nergali, na watu kutoka Hamathi wakamtengeneza Ashima;
The people of Babylon made Succoth Benoth; the people of Kuthah made Nergal; the people of Hamath made Ashima;
31 Waavi wakatengeneza Nibhazi na Tartaki, nao Wasefarvi wakachoma watoto wao kama kafara kwa Adrameleki na Anameleki, miungu ya Sefarvaimu.
the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak. The Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to Adrammelek and Anammelek, the gods of the Sepharvites.
32 Walimwabudu Bwana, lakini pia waliteua aina zote za watu wao ili kuwawakilisha kama makuhani katika mahali pa kuabudia miungu kwenye mahali pa juu pa ibada.
They also honored Yahweh, and appointed from among themselves priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the temples at the high places.
33 Walimwabudu Bwana, lakini pia waliitumikia miungu yao kulingana na desturi za mataifa walikotoka.
They honored Yahweh and also worshiped their own gods, in the customs of the nations from among whom they had been taken away.
34 Mpaka leo wanashikilia desturi zao za zamani. Hawamwabudu Bwana wala kuzishika hukumu na maagizo, sheria na amri ambazo Bwana aliwapa uzao wa Yakobo, ambaye alimwita Israeli.
To this day they persist in their old customs. They neither honor Yahweh, nor do they follow the statutes, decrees, the law, or the commandments that Yahweh gave to the people of Jacob—whom he named Israel—
35 Wakati Bwana alipofanya Agano na Waisraeli, aliwaamuru akisema: “Msiiabudu miungu mingine yoyote wala kuisujudia, wala kuitumikia wala kuitolea dhabihu.
and with whom Yahweh had made a covenant and commanded them, “You will not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor worship them, nor sacrifice to them.
36 Bali imewapasa kumwabudu Bwana aliyewapandisha kutoka Misri kwa uwezo wake mkuu na kwa mkono wake ulionyooshwa. Kwake yeye mtasujudu na kwake yeye mtatoa dhabihu.
But Yahweh, who brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and a raised arm, is the one you must honor; it is to him that you will prostrate yourselves, and it is to him that you will sacrifice.
37 Imewapasa daima kuwa waangalifu kutunza hukumu na maagizo, sheria na amri alizowaandikia. Msiabudu miungu mingine.
The statutes and the decrees, the law and the commandments that he wrote for you, you will keep them forever. So you must not fear other gods,
38 Msisahau agano nililofanya nanyi, wala msiabudu miungu mingine.
and the covenant that I have made with you, you will not forget; neither will you honor other gods.
39 Bali, mtamwabudu Bwana Mungu wenu, kwani yeye ndiye atakayewakomboa kutoka mikononi mwa adui zenu wote.”
But Yahweh your God is who you will honor. He will rescue you from the might of your enemies.”
40 Hata hivyo hawakusikiliza, lakini waliendelea na desturi zao za awali.
They would not listen, because they continued to do what they had done in the past.
41 Hata wakati watu hawa walipokuwa wanamwabudu Bwana, walikuwa bado wakitumikia sanamu zao. Mpaka leo watoto wao na watoto wa watoto wao wanaendelea kufanya kama baba zao walivyofanya.
So these nations feared Yahweh and they also worshiped their carved figures, and their children did the same—as did their children's children. They continue to do what their ancestors did, up to this day.