< 2 Nyakati 30 >
1 Hzekia akatuma wajumbe kwa Israeli wote na Yuda, na pia akawaandikia barua Efraimu na Manase, kwamba waje kwenye nyumba ya Yahwe katika Yerusalemu, kusherekea Pasaka ya Yahwe, Mungu wa Israeli.
Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the LORD’s house at Jerusalem, to keep the Passover to the LORD, the God of Israel.
2 Kwa maana mfalme, viongozi wake, na kusanyiko lote katika Yerusalemu walikuwa wameshauriana pamoja, wakakubaliana kusherekea Pasaka katika mwezi wa pili.
For the king had taken counsel with his princes and all the assembly in Jerusalem to keep the Passover in the second month.
3 Hawakuweza kuisherekea mapema kabla ya hapo, kwa sababu hapakuwa na makuhani wa kutosha waliojitakasa wenyewe, wala watu hawakuwa wamekusanyika pamoja Yerusalemu.
For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves in sufficient number, and the people had not gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.
4 Pendekezo hili likaonekana sahihi katika macho ya mfalme na ya kusanyiko lote.
The thing was right in the eyes of the king and of all the assembly.
5 Kwa hiyo wakakubaliana kufanya tangazo katika Israeli yote, kuanzia Beer-sheba hadi Dani, kwamba watu lazima waje kusherehekea Paska ya Yahwe, Mungu wa Israeli, huko Yerusalemu. Kwa maana walikuwa hawakuwa wameisherehekea kwa hesabu kubwa ya watu, kwa mujibu wa jinsi ilivyokuwa imeandikwa.
So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the Passover to the LORD, the God of Israel, at Jerusalem, for they had not kept it in great numbers in the way it is written.
6 Hivyo matarishi wakaenda na barua kutoka kwa mfalme na viongozi wake katika Israeli na Yuda yote, kwa agizo la mfalme. wakasema, “Ninyi watu wa Israeli, rudini kwa Yahwe, Mungu wa Abrahamu, Isaka na Israeli, ili kwamba aweze kuwarudia masalia wenu ninyi mlipona kutoka kwenye mkono wa wafalme wa Ashuru.
So the couriers went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, according to the commandment of the king, saying, “You children of Israel, turn again to the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that he may return to the remnant of you that have escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.
7 Msiwe kama babu zenu au ndugu zenu, ambao walimuasi Yahwe, Mungu wa mababu zao, hivyo akawaweka katika kuangamia, kama mnavyoona.
Do not be like your fathers and like your brothers, who trespassed against the LORD, the God of their fathers, so that he gave them up to desolation, as you see.
8 Sasa msiwe wasumbufu, kama babu zenu walivyokuwa; badala yake, jitoeni wenyewe kwa Yahwe na njoeni kwenye sehemu yake takatifu, ambayo ameitakasa milele, na mwabuduni Yahwe Mungu wenu, ili kwamba uso wake wenye hasira uwageukie mbali.
Now do not be stiff-necked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the LORD, and enter into his sanctuary, which he has sanctified forever, and serve the LORD your God, that his fierce anger may turn away from you.
9 Kwa maana ikiwa mtageuka nyuma kwa Yahwe, ndugu zenu na watoto wenu watapata huruma mbele ya hao wanaowaongoza kama wafungwa, na watarudi katika nchi hii. Kwa maana Yahwe Mungu wenu, ni mkarimu na mwenye huruma, na hatawageuzia mbali uso wake, kama mtarudi kwake.”
For if you turn again to the LORD, your brothers and your children will find compassion with those who led them captive, and will come again into this land, because the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you if you return to him.”
10 Kwa hiyo matarishi wakapita mji kwa mji katika majimbo ya Efraimu na Manase, njia yote hadi Zabuloni, lakini watu waliwacheka na kuwazomea.
So the couriers passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, even to Zebulun, but people ridiculed them and mocked them.
11 Lakini, watu wengine wa Asheri na Manase na Zabuloni walijinyenyekesha wenyewe na wakaja Yerusalemu.
Nevertheless some men of Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem.
12 Mkono wa Mungu pia ukaja juu ya Yuda, kuwapa moyo mmmoja, ili kulikubali agizo la mfalme na viongozi kwa neno la Yahwe.
Also the hand of God came on Judah to give them one heart, to do the commandment of the king and of the princes by the LORD’s word.
13 Watu wengi, kusanyiko kubwa, likakusanyika Yerusalemu kusherehekea Sikukuu ya Mikate Isiyochacha katika mwezi wa pili.
Many people assembled at Jerusalem to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great assembly.
14 Waliinuka na kuchukua madhabahu zizilizokuwa Yerusalemu, madhabahu zote kwa ajili ya sadaka za kufukiza; wakazirusha katika kijito Kidroni.
They arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and they took away all the altars for incense and threw them into the brook Kidron.
15 Kisha wakamuua mwanakondoo wa Paska katika siku ya kumi na nne ya mwezi wa pili. Makuhani na Walawi wakaona aibu, kwa hiyo wakajitakasa wenyewe na kuleta sadaka za kuteketezwa katika nyumba ya Yahwe.
Then they killed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought burnt offerings into the LORD’s house.
16 Wakasimama katika sehemu zao katika makaundi yao, wakifuata maelekezo yaliyotolewa na sheria ya Musa, mtu wa Mungu. Makuhani wakainyunyiza damu waliyoipokea kutoka kwenye mikono ya Walawi.
They stood in their place after their order, according to the law of Moses the man of God. The priests sprinkled the blood which they received of the hand of the Levites.
17 Kwa maana walikuwepo wengi katika kusanyikao amaabao hawakuwa wamejitakasa wenyewe. Kwa hiyo Makuhani wakamchinja mwanakondoo wa Pasaka kwa ajili ya kila mmoja ambaye hakuwa amejisafisha na hakuweza kuzitakasa sadaka zake kwa Yahwe.
For there were many in the assembly who had not sanctified themselves; therefore the Levites were in charge of killing the Passovers for everyone who was not clean, to sanctify them to the LORD.
18 Kwa kuwa wingi wa watu, wengi wao kutoka Efraimu na Manase, Asakari na Zabuloni, hawakuwa wamejitakasa wenyewe, bado waliula mlo wa Paska, kinyume na maelekezo yaliyoandikwa. Kwa kuwa Hezekia alikuwa amewaombea, akisema, “Mungu Yahwe amsamehe kila mmoja
For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the Passover other than the way it is written. For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, “May the good LORD pardon everyone
19 ambaye anaulekeza moyo wake kumtafuta Mungu, Yahwe, Mungu wa babu zake, hata kama hajasafiswa kwa utakaso wa viwango vya patakatifu.”
who sets his heart to seek God, the LORD, the God of his fathers, even if they are not clean according to the purification of the sanctuary.”
20 Kwa hiyo Yahwe akamsikiliza Hezekia na akawaponya watu.
The LORD listened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.
21 Watu wa Israeli waliokuwepo Yerusalemu wakaitunza Sikukuu ya Mikaate Isiyochachwa na furaha kubwa kwa siku saba. Walawi na makuhani wakamsifu Yahwe siku baada ya siku, wakiimwimbia Yahwe kwa vyombo vya sauti kuu.
The children of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness. The Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud instruments to the LORD.
22 Hezekia akazungumza kwa kuwatia moyo Walawi wote walioilewa ibada ya Yahwe, Kwa hiyo wakala kwa kipindi cha siku saba, wakitoa sadaka za amani, na kufanya toba kwa Yahwe, Mungu wa babu zao.
Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites who had good understanding in the service of the LORD. So they ate throughout the feast for the seven days, offering sacrifices of peace offerings and making confession to the LORD, the God of their fathers.
23 Kusanyiko lote kisha likaamua kusherehekea kwa siku zingine saba, na wakafanya hivyo kwa furaha.
The whole assembly took counsel to keep another seven days, and they kept another seven days with gladness.
24 Kwa kuwa Hezekia mfalme wa Yuda aliwapa kusanyiko ng'ombe dume elf moja, na kondoo elfu saba kama sadaka; na viongozi wakawapa kusanyiko ng'ombe dume elfu moja na kondoo na mbuzi elfu kumi. Idadi kubwa ya makuhani wakajitakasa wenyewe.
For Hezekiah king of Judah gave to the assembly for offerings one thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the assembly a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep; and a great number of priests sanctified themselves.
25 Kusanyiko lote la Yuda, pamoja na makuhani na Walawi na watu wote walikuja pamoja kutoka nchi ya Israeli na wale walioishi Yuda—wote wakafurahia.
All the assembly of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the assembly who came out of Israel, and the foreigners who came out of the land of Israel and who lived in Judah, rejoiced.
26 Hivyo kulikuwa na furaha kuu katika Yerusalemu, kwa kuwa tangu wakati wa Solomoni mwana wa Daudi, mfalme wa Israeli, hapakuwa na kitu kama hicho katika Yerusalemu.
So there was great joy in Jerusalem; for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was nothing like this in Jerusalem.
27 Kisha makuhani, Walawi, wakainuka na kuwabariki watu. Sauti zao zilisikika na maombi yao yakaenda juu mbinguni, sehemu takatifu ambapo Mungu anaishi.
Then the Levitical priests arose and blessed the people. Their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy habitation, even to heaven.