2 Nyakati 17
1 Yehoshafati mwana wa Asa akawa mfalme katika nafasi yake. Yehoshafati akajiimarisha dhidi ya Israeli.
Asa’s son Jehoshaphat became the king [of Judah], and he enabled his army to become very strong, with the result that they could resist attacks from [the army of] Israel.
2 Akaweka majeshi katika miji yote Yuda yenye ngome, na akaweka magereza katika nchi ya Yuda na katika miji ya Efraimu, ambayo Asa baba yake alikuwa ameiteka.
He put soldiers in all the cities in Judah around which they had built walls, and he put soldiers in other places in Judah and in the towns in the area belonging to the tribe of Ephraim that [soldiers of] his father Asa had captured.
3 Yahwe alikuwa pamoja na Yehoshafati kwa sababu alitembea katika njia za kwanza za baba yake Daudi, na hakuwatafuta Mabaali. (Baadhi ya mandiko ya kale hayana “Daudi”, na baadhi ya matoleo ya kisasa yameacha hili jina “Daudi).
Yahweh helped Jehoshaphat because when he started [to rule Judah], he did the things that pleased Yahweh like his ancestor [King] David had done. He did not worship the idols of Baal.
4 Badala yake, alimtegemea Mungu wa baba yake, na alitembea katika amri zake, siyo katika tabia ya Israeli.
Instead, he sought advice from the God whom his father [had worshiped], and he obeyed God’s commands, and did not do the [evil things that the kings of] Israel continually did.
5 Kwa hiyo Yahwe akaimarisha sheria katika mkono wake; Yuda wote wakaleta kodi kwa Yehoshafati. Alikuwa na utajiri na heshima kubwa.
Yahweh enabled him to completely control his kingdom. All [the people of] Judah brought gifts to him, with the result that he became very rich and was greatly honored.
6 Moyo wake ulikuwa umejikita katika njia za Yahwe. Pia aliziondoa sehemu za juu na Maashera mbali na Yuda.
He was completely devoted to doing what pleased Yahweh. His workers got rid of the shrines on the hilltops and the poles for [worshiping the goddess] Asherah throughout Judah.
7 Katika mwaka wa tatu wa utawala wake aliwatuma wakuu wake Ben-haili, Obadia, Zekaria, Nethania, na Mikaya, ili wafundishe katika miji ya Yuda.
When he had been ruling [Judah] for almost three years, he sent some of his officials—Ben-Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah—to teach the people in various towns in Judah.
8 Pamoja nao walikuwepo Walawi: Shemaya, Nethanieli, Zebadia, Asaheli, Shemiramothi, Yehonathani, Adoniya, Tobia, na Tob-adonia, pamoja nao walikuwepo makuhani Elishama na Yehoramu.
With them he sent several descendants of Levi—Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-Adonijah—and two priests, Elishama and Jehoram.
9 Walifundisha katika Yuda, wakiwa na kitabau cha sheria ya Yahwe. Wakaenda karibu miji yote ya Yuda na kufundisha miongoni mwa watu.
They took with them a scroll on which were written the laws of Yahweh and taught them to the people in all the towns throughout Judah,
10 Hofu ya Yahwe ikashuka juu ya falme zote za nchi, zilizouzunguka Yuda, kwa hiyo hazikufanya vita dhidi ya Yehoshafati.
The people in all the kingdoms surrounding Judah became very afraid of [what Yahweh might do to punish them if they fought against Judah], so they did not start wars with Jehoshaphat’s army.
11 Baadhi ya Wafilisti wakamletea Yehoshafati zawadi, fedha kama kodi. Waarabu pia wakamletea makundi, 7, 700 kondoo waume, na mbuzi 7, 770.
Some people from Philistia brought gifts to Jehoshaphat, and they also brought to him the silver that he demanded that they pay to him. Some Arabs brought to him 7,700 rams and 7,700 goats.
12 Yehoshafati akawa na nguvu sana.
Jehoshaphat continued to become more powerful/influential. His workers built forts and places to store supplies in various towns in Judah.
13 Akajenga ngome na miji ya maghala katika Yuda. Alikuwa na kazi nyingi katika miji ya Yuda, na wanajeshsi—imara, wanaume hodari—katika Yerusalemu.
Then they put large amounts of supplies in those storehouses. Jehoshaphat also placed in Jerusalem soldiers who were experienced.
14 Hapa ni rodha yao, wamepangwa kwa majina ya nyumba za baba zo: Kutoka Yuda, maakida wa maelfu; Adna yule jemedari, na pamoja naye wanaume wa kwenda vitani 300, 000;
The leaders and numbers from each tribe were as follows: From the tribe of Judah, Adnah was the leader of the soldiers, and he commanded 300,000 soldiers.
15 akifuatiwa na Yehonani jemedari, na pamoja naye wanaume 280, 00;
His assistant was Jehohanan, who commanded 280,000 soldiers.
16 akifuatiwa na Amasia mwana wa Zikri, ambaye kwa hiari alijitoa kumtumikia Yahwe; na pamoja naye wanaume wa kwenda vitani 200, 000.
Next was Zicri’s son Amasiah, who volunteered to serve Yahweh in this way; he commanded 200,000 soldiers.
17 Kutoka Benyamini: Eliada mtu jasiri, na pamoja naye watu 200, 000 waliovaa upinde na ngao;
From the tribe of Benjamin, Eliada, who was a brave soldier, was the leader of the soldiers; he commanded 200,000 men who had bows [and arrows] and shields.
18 akifutiwa na Yehozabadi, na pamoja naye askari 180, 000 waliotayari kwa vita.
Next was Jehozabad, who commanded 180,000 men who had weapons for fighting battles.
19 Hawa walikuwa ni wale ambao walimtumikia mfalme, miongoni mwao wale ambao mfalme aliwaweka katika miji ya ngome katika Yuda yote.
Those were the soldiers who served the king [in Jerusalem], in addition to the men whom the king had placed in the other cities in Judah that had walls around them.
