< 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.
And Ezekias sent to all Israel and Juda, and wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasse, that they should come into the house of the Lord to Jerusalem, to keep the passover to the Lord 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, and the princes, and all the congregation in Jerusalem, designed 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 a sufficient number of priest had not purified themselves, and the people was not gathered to Jerusalem.
4 Pendekezo hili likaonekana sahihi katika macho ya mfalme na ya kusanyiko lote.
And the proposal pleased the king and the congregation.
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.
And they established a decree that a proclamation should go through all Israel, from Bersabee to Dan, that they should come and keep the passover to the Lord God of Israel at Jerusalem: for the multitude had not done it lately according to the scripture.
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.
And the posts went with the letters from the king and the princes to all Israel and Juda, according to the command of the king, saying, Children of Israel, return to the Lord God of Abraam, and Isaac, and Israel, and bring back them that have escaped [even] those that were left of the hand of the king of Assyria.
7 Msiwe kama babu zenu au ndugu zenu, ambao walimuasi Yahwe, Mungu wa mababu zao, hivyo akawaweka katika kuangamia, kama mnavyoona.
And be not as your fathers, and your brethren, who revolted from the Lord God of their fathers, and he gave them up to desolation, as ye 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.
And now harden not your hearts, as your fathers [did]: give glory to the Lord God, and enter into his sanctuary, which he has sanctified for ever: and serve the Lord your God, and he shall turn away [his] fierce anger 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 when ye turn to the Lord, your brethren and your children shall be pitied before all that have carried them captives, and he will restore [you] to this land: for the Lord our God is merciful and pitiful, and will not turn away his face from you, if we 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 posts went through from city to city in mount Ephraim, and Manasse, and as far as Zabulon: and they as it were laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.
11 Lakini, watu wengine wa Asheri na Manase na Zabuloni walijinyenyekesha wenyewe na wakaja Yerusalemu.
But the men of Aser, and [some] of Manasses and of Zabulon, were ashamed, and came to Jerusalem and Juda.
12 Mkono wa Mungu pia ukaja juu ya Yuda, kuwapa moyo mmmoja, ili kulikubali agizo la mfalme na viongozi kwa neno la Yahwe.
And the hand of the Lord was [present] to give them one heart to come, to do according to the commands of the king and of the princes, by the word of the Lord.
13 Watu wengi, kusanyiko kubwa, likakusanyika Yerusalemu kusherehekea Sikukuu ya Mikate Isiyochacha katika mwezi wa pili.
And a great multitude were gathered to Jerusalem to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.
14 Waliinuka na kuchukua madhabahu zizilizokuwa Yerusalemu, madhabahu zote kwa ajili ya sadaka za kufukiza; wakazirusha katika kijito Kidroni.
And they arose, and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all on which they burnt incense to false [gods] they tore down and cast into the brook Kedron.
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: and the priests and the Levites repented, and purified [themselves], and brought whole-burnt-offerings into the house of the Lord.
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.
And they stood at their post, according to their ordinance, according to the commandment of Moses the man of God: and the priests received the blood from 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 a great part of the congregation was not sanctified; and the Levites were [ready] to kill the passover for every one who could not sanctify himself 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 the greatest part of the people of Ephraim, and Manasse, and Issachar, and Zabulon, had not purified [themselves], but ate the passover contrary to the scripture. On this account also Ezekias prayed concerning them, saying,
19 ambaye anaulekeza moyo wake kumtafuta Mungu, Yahwe, Mungu wa babu zake, hata kama hajasafiswa kwa utakaso wa viwango vya patakatifu.”
The good Lord be merciful with regard to every heart that sincerely seeks the Lord God of their fathers, and [is] not [purified] according to the purification of the sanctuary.
20 Kwa hiyo Yahwe akamsikiliza Hezekia na akawaponya watu.
And the Lord hearkened to Ezekias, 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.
And the children of Israel who were present in Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great joy; and they continued to sing hymns to the Lord daily, and the priests and the Levites [played] on 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.
And Ezekias encouraged all the Levites, and those that had good understanding of the Lord: and they completely kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days, offering peace-offerings, and confessing to the Lord God of their fathers.
23 Kusanyiko lote kisha likaamua kusherehekea kwa siku zingine saba, na wakafanya hivyo kwa furaha.
And the congregation purposed together to keep other seven days: and they kept 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 Ezekias set apart for Juda, [even] for the congregation, a thousand calves and seven thousand sheep; and the princes set apart for the people a thousand calves and ten thousand sheep: and the holy things of the priests abundantly.
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.
And all the congregation, the priests and the Levites, rejoiced, and all the congregation of Juda, and they that were present of Jerusalem, and the strangers that came from the land of Israel, and the dwellers in Juda.
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.
And there was great joy in Jerusalem: from the days of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not such a feast 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 priests the Levites rose up and blessed the people: and their voice was heard, and their prayer came into his holy dwelling-place, [even] into heaven.