2 Wafalme 17
1 Katika mwaka wa kumi na moja wa Ahazi mfalme Yuda, utawala wa Hoshea mwana wa Elahi ulianza. Alitawala katika Samaria juu ya Israeli kwa muda wa miaka minane.
Hoshea, son of Elah, became king of Israel, in the twelfth year of the reign of King Ahaz of Judah. He reigned in Samaria for nine years.
2 Alifanya yaliyo maovu usoni pa Yahwe, ila sio kama waflme wa Israeli ambao ulikuwa kabla yake.
He did what was evil in the Lord's sight, but not in the same way the kings of Israel who were before him.
3 Shalmanesa mfalme wa Ashuru akamshambulia, na Hoshea akawa mtumishi na kumletea kodi.
Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, came and attacked him, and Hoshea submitted to him and paid him tribute.
4 Kisha mfalme wa Ashuru akaona kwamba Hoshea alikuwa na njama dhidi ya yake, kwa kuwa Hoshea aliwatuma wajumbe kwa So mfalme wa Misri; pia, hakumpatia kodi mfalme wa Ashuru, kama alivyofanya mwaka hadi mwaka.
But then the king of Assyria discovered that Hoshea was being disloyal. Hoshea had sent messengers to So, king of Egypt, asking for help, and he also had stopped sending annual tribute to the king of Assyria as he had done previously. So the king of Assyria arrested Hoshea and put him in prison.
5 Basi mfalme wa Ashuru akamfunga akamtia kifungoni. Kisha mfalme wa Ashuru akaishambulia nchi yote, akaishambulia Samaria na kuizunguka kwa miaka mitatu.
Then the king of Assyria invaded the whole country, and attacked Samaria, besieging it for three years.
6 Katika mwaka wa tisa wa Hoshea, mfalme wa Ashuru akaichukua Samaria na akawapeleka Israeli hadi Ashuru. Akawaweka kwenye Hala, kwenye Habori Mto wa Gozani, na katika mji wa Wamedi.
In the ninth year of the reign of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the Israelites to Assyria. He settled them in Halah, in Gozan on the Habor River, and in the towns of the Medes.
7 Utekwaji huu ulitokea kwa sababu wana wa Israeli walifanya dhambi dhidi ya Yahwe Mungu wao, ambaye aliwaleta kutoka nchi ya Misri, kutoka chini ya mkono wa Farao mfalme wa Misri. Watu walikuwa wakiabudu miungu mingine
All this happened because the people of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, the one who had led them out of Egypt, saving them from the power of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. They had worshiped other gods,
8 na kutembea katika matendo ya wamataifa ambao Yahwe aliwafukuza mbele ya watu wa Israeli, na katika matendo ya wafalme wa Israeli ambayo waliyokuwa wameyafanya.
adopting the ways of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites, and the pagan practices introduced by the kings of Israel.
9 Wana wa Israeli wakafanya kwa siri mambo mabaya dhidi ya Yahwe Mungu wao. Wakajijengea mahala pa juu katika miji yao yote, kutoka mnara wa walinzi hadi mji wenye boma.
Secretly the Israelites did things that were not right against the Lord their God. They built high places in all their towns, from watchtowers to fortified cities.
10 Pia wakasimamisha nguzo za mawe na Ashera juu ya kila mlima chini ya kila mti mbichi.
They set up pagan stone pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree.
11 Huko wakafukiza ubani katika mahali pa juu pote, kama mataifa walivyokuwa wamefanya, ambao Yahwe aliwafukuza mbele yao. Waisraeli wakafanya mambo maovu ili kuchochea hasira ya Yahwe,
They offered sacrifices on all the high places, just like the nations the Lord drove out before them. They did evil things, angering the Lord.
12 wakaabudu sanamu, ambazo Yahwe alizokuwa amewaambia, “Msifanye jambo hili.”
They worshiped idols, even though the Lord had told them, “You are not to do this.”
13 Bado Yahwe aliwashuhudia Israeli na Yuda kwa kila nabii na kila muonaji, kusema, “Geukeni kutoka nija zenu mbaya na kuzishika amri zangu na hukumu zangu, na kuwa makini kufuata ile sheria yote niliyowaamuru baba zenu, na ambayo niliwapelekea kwa watumishi wangu manabii.”
Yet the Lord had warned Israel and Judah repeatedly through all his prophets and seers, saying, “Leave your wicked ways and keep my commandments and instructions. Follow the whole law that I ordered your forefathers to obey, and gave to you through my servants the prophets.”
14 Lakini hawakuweza kusikia; badala yake walikuwa wakaidi kama baba zao ambao hawakumwamini Yahwe Mungu wao.
But they refused listen, and they were as stubborn as their forefathers who did not trust the Lord their God.
15 Walizikataa sheria zake na lile agano ambalo alilifanya pamoja na babu zao, na hilo agano wakakubaliana wapewe. Wakafuata mambo yao yasiyofaa na wakawa hawafai. Wakawafuata mataifa ya kipagani ambao waliwazunguka, ambao Yahwe alikuwa amewaamuru wasiige.
They gave up on his regulations and the covenant he had made with their forefathers, as well as the decrees he had given them. They followed pointless idols and they became pointless themselves, copying the nations around them that the Lord ordered them not to copy.
16 Wakazipuuza amri zote za Yahwe Mungu wao. Wakatengeneza sanamu za kusubu za ndama wawili kuziabudu. Wakatengeza nguzo ya Ashera, na wakaziabudu nyota zote za mbinguni na Baali.
They ignored all the commandments of the Lord their God, and they made themselves two metal idols of calves and an Asherah pole. They bowed down in worship to the sun, moon, and stars and served Baal.
17 Wakawatupia watoto wao wakike kwa wakiume kwenye moto, wakapiga ramli na uchawi, wakajiuza wenyewe kufanya yale ambayo yalikuwa maovu usoni pa Yahwe, na kuichochea hasira yake.
They sacrificed their sons and daughters as pagan burnt offerings, and practiced fortune-telling and witchcraft. They gave themselves over to doing what was evil in the Lord's sight, making him angry.
18 Kwa hiyo Yahwe alikuwa na hasira na Israeli na kuwaondoa usoni mwake. Hakubakia mtu hata mmoja isipokuwa kabila la Yuda peke yake.
So the Lord was extremely angry with Israel, and he banished them from his presence. Only the tribe of Judah was left,
19 Hata watu wa Yuda hawakushika amri za Yahwe Mungu wao, lakini badala yake walifuata mambo hayo hayo ya kipagani ambayo Israeli walifuata.
but even Judah did not keep the commandments of the Lord their God, but followed the idolatry that Israel had introduced.
20 Hivyo Yahwe akawakataa vizazi vyote vya Israeli; akawatesa na kuwatia kwenye mkono wa wale wenye kuwateka nyara, hadi atakapokuwa amewatupa usoni mwake.
The Lord gave up on all the descendants of Israel. He punished them and handed them over to their enemies, until he had banished them from his presence.
21 Akawatoa Israeli kutoka kwenye mstari wa kifalme wa Daudi, na wakamfanya Yeroboamu mwana wa Nabeti mfalme. Yeroboamu akawapeleka Israeli mbali kutoka kumfuata Yahwe na kuwafanya wafanye dhambi kubwa.
When the Lord ripped Israel away from the house of David, they made Jeroboam, son of Nebat, their king. Jeroboam led Israel away from the Lord and made them commit terrible sins.
22 Wana wa Israeli wakafuata dhambi zote za Yeroboamu na hawakujiepusha nazo,
The Israelites continued to practice all the sins that Jeroboam committed. They did not stop doing them,
23 basi Yahwe akawaondoa Israeli kutoka usoni pake, kama alivyokuwa amesema kupitia watumishi wake wote manabii kwamba angeweza kufanya. Hivyo Israeli walichukuliwa kutoka nchi yao kwenda Ashuru, na iko hivyo hata leo.
so the Lord eventually expelled them from his presence, just as he had said he would through all his servants, the prophets. So the Israelites were deported from their land and taken to Assyria, where they are to this day.
24 Mfalme wa Ashuru akawaleta watu kutoka Babeli na kutoka Kutha, na kutoka Ava, na kutoka Hamathi na Sefarvaimu, na kuwaweka katika mji wa Samaria na kuishi katika huo mji wake.
The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Kuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settled them in the towns of Samaria instead of the Israelites. They took over ownership of Samaria and lived in its towns.
25 Ikatokea wakati walipoanza kuishi huko hawakumcha Yahwe. Hivyo Yahwe akatuma simba miongoni mwao ambao waliwaua baadhi yao.
When they first started living there they did not worship the Lord, so he sent lions there among them, killing some of them.
26 Basi wakaongea na mfalme wa Ashuru, wakisema, “Wale mataifa uliowaamisha na kuwaweka kwenye miji ya Samaria hawayajui mambo wanayotakiwa kuyafanya kutokana na mungu wa nchi. Hivyo alikuwa amewatuma simba kwenda kwao, na, tazama, wale simba walikuwa wakiwauua watu huko kwa sababu hawakufahamu yale mambo waliyokuwa wanatakiwa kuyafanya kwa mungu wa nchi.”
The king of Assyria was told, “The peoples that you brought and settled in the towns of Samaria they don't not know the rules of the God of the land. As a result, he has sent lions among them, which are killing them off because they don't know what the God of the land requires.”
27 Kisha mfalme wa Ashuru akatoa amri, akisema, “Mchukueni mmoja wa makuhani hapo ambaye mmemleta kutoka huko, na mumwache aende na kuishi huko, na mumwache awafundishe mambo yanayotakiwa kwa mungu wa nchi.”
The king of Assyria gave the order: “Send back one of the priests you deported from Samaria, and let him go back and live there and teach the rules of the God of the land.”
28 Hivyo mmoja wa makuhani ambaye walimchukua kutoka Samaria akaja na kuishi katika Betheli; akawafundisha jinsi wavyotakiwa mcha Yahwe.
So one of the priests who had been deported from Samaria returned to live in Bethel, and taught them how to worship the Lord.
29 Watu wa kila kabila wakajifanyia miungu yao wenyewe, na kuiweka mahala pa juu ambapo Wasamaria walifanya kila kabila katika mji ambako walipoishi.
But the people of the different nations went on making their own gods in the towns where they had settled, and they placed them in the shrines of the high places that the people of Samaria had made.
30 Watu wa Babeli wakatengeneza Sakoth Benithi; watu wa Sakoth wakatengeneza Nergali; watu wa Hamathi wakatengeza Ashima;
Those from Babylon made Sukkoth Benoth, those from Kuthah made Nergal, and those from Hamath made Ashima.
31 Waavi wakatengeneza Nibhazi na Tartaki. Nao Wasefarvi wakwachoma watoto wao kwenye moto kwa Adrameleki na Anameleki, wale miungu wa Sefarvaimu.
The Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites sacrificed their children as burnt offerings to their gods Adrammelech and Anammelech.
32 Pia wakamcha Yahwe, na kuwateua kutoka miongoni mwao makuhani wa mahali pa juu, ambao waliteketeza kwa ajili yao kwenye hekalun mahali pa juu.
While they worshiped the Lord, they also appointed priests from all kinds of their own people to offer sacrifices for them in the shrines of the high places.
33 Wakamcha Yahwe na pia kuabudu miungu yao wenyewe, sawa sawa na tamaduni za mataifa kutoka miongoni mwao waliokuwa wamewachukua.
So even though they worshiped the Lord, they also worshiped their own gods following the practices of the nations they had come from.
34 Hadi siku hii ya leo wameshikilia tamaduni zao za zamani. Wala hawamwogopi Yahwe, wala hawazifuati sheria zake, torati, au amri ambazo Yahwe aliwapa watu wa Yakobo ambaye alemwita jina Israeli
Even to this day they are still following their former practices. None of them truly worship the Lord or observe the regulations, requirements, laws, and commandments that the Lord gave to the descendants of Jacob, the one he named Israel.
35 pamoja na ambao Yahwe alifanya agano nao na kuwaamuru, “Msiiche miungu mingine, wala kuisujudia, wala kuiabudu, wala kuitolea sadaka.
For the Lord had made an agreement with the Israelites, ordering them, “Don't worship other gods or bow down to them; don't serve them or offer sacrifices to them.
36 Lakini Yahwe, ambaye aliwatoa kutoka nchi ya Misri kwa nguvu kubwa na mkono ulionyooshwa, yeye ndiye mnayetakiwa kumwabudu, yeye ndiye manayetakiwa kumsujudia, na yeye ndiye mnayetakiwa kumtolea sadaka.
You must worship only the Lord, who led you out of Egypt, helping you with his great power and strong arm. Only bow down to him; only offer sacrifices to him.
37 Na sheria na hukumu, na torati na amri ambazo alizoziandika kwa ajili yenu, mtazishika milele. Hivyo msiiche miungu mingine,
Always pay attention to observe the regulations, requirements, laws, and commandments he gave you in writing, and don't worship other gods.
38 na agano ambalo nimelifanya pamoja nanyi, hamtalisahau; wala kuicha miungu mingine.
Don't forget the agreement I have made with you, and don't worship other gods.
39 Lakini Yahwe Mungu wenu, ndiye ambaye mtakayemcha. Atawalinda mbali na nguvu ya maadui zenu,”
You must worship only the Lord your God, and he will save you from all your enemies.”
40 Hawatasikia, kwasababu waliendelea kufanya yale waliyokuwa wameyafanya nyuma.
But they refused to listen, and continued their former idolatrous practices.
41 Hivyo haya mataifa wakamcha Yahwe na pia wakaabudu sanamu zao za kuchonga, na watoto wao wakafanya hivyo hivyo na watoto wa watoto wao. Wakaendelea kufanya yale ambayo babu zao waliyoyafanya, hata leo.
Even while these people from different nations were worshiping the Lord, they were actually worshiping their idols. Their children and grandchildren continue to do as their forefathers did to this day.
