2 Wafalme 18

1 Ikawa katika mwaka wa tatu wa Hoshea mwana wa Ela, mfalme wa Israeli, Hezekia mwana wa Ahazi, mfalme wa Yuda akaanza kutawala.

Now in the third year of Hoshea, son of Elah, king of Israel, Hezekiah, the son of Ahaz, became king of Judah.

2 Alikuwa na umri wa miaka ishirini na tano alipoanza kutawala; alitawala miaka ishirini na tisa katika Yerusalemu. Jina la mama yake alikuwa anaitwa Abija; alikuwa binti wa Zekaria.

He was twenty-five years old when he became king, ruling in Jerusalem for twenty-nine years; his mother's name was Abi, the daughter of Zechariah.

3 Alifanya yaliyo mema usoni pa Yahwe, kufuata mfano wa yote ambayo Daudi, babu yake, aliyoyafanya.

He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord as David his father had done.

4 Alipaondoa mahali pa juu, akaiharibu nguzo ya jiwe, akaikata hiyo nguzo ya Ashera. Akavunja vipande vipande ile nyoka ambayo Musa aliyokuwa ameifanya, kwa sababu siku zile wana wa Israeli walikuwa wakichoma ubani katika hiyo; ilikuwa inaitwa “Nehushtani.”

He had the high places taken away, and the stone pillars broken to bits, and the Asherah cut down; and the brass snake which Moses had made was crushed to powder at his order, because in those days the children of Israel had offerings burned before it, and he gave it the name Nehushtan.

5 Hezekia alimwamini Yahwe, Mungu wa Israeli, hivyo basi baada ya yeye hapakuwa kama yeye miongoni mwa wafalme wote wa Yuda, wala miongoni mwa wafalme ambao walikuwa kabla yake.

He had faith in the Lord, the God of Israel; so that there was no one like him among all the kings of Judah who were before him.

6 Aliambatana na Yahwe. Hakuacha kumfuata lakini alizifuata amri zake, ambazo Yahwe alimwamuru Musa.

For his heart was fixed on the Lord, not turning from his ways, and he did his orders which the Lord gave to Moses.

7 Hivyo Yahwe alikuwa na Hezekia, kila alipokwenda alifanikiwa. Akaasi dhidi ya mfalme wa Ashuru na hakumtumikia.

And the Lord was with him; he did well in all his undertakings: and he took up arms against the king of Assyria and was his servant no longer.

8 Akawashambulia Wafilisti hadi Gaza na mipaka inayoizunguka, kutoka mnara wa walinzi hadi hadi mji wenye ngome.

He overcame the Philistines as far as Gaza and its limits, from the tower of the watchman to the walled town.

9 Katika mwaka wa nne wa Mfalme Hezekia, ambao ulikuwa mwaka wa saba wa Hoshea mwana wa Ela mfalme wa Israeli, Shalmanesa mfalme wa Ashuru akapanda hadi Samaria na kuizunguka.

Now in the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea, son of Elah, king of Israel, Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, came up against Samaria, shutting it in with his armies.

10 Mwishoni mwa miaka mitatu wakaichukua, katika mwaka wa sita wa Hezekia, ambao ulikuwa mwaka wa tisa wa Hoshea mfalme wa Israeli; hivi ndivyo Samaria ilivyotekwa.

And at the end of three years they took it; in the sixth year of Hezekiah's rule, which was the ninth year of Hoshea, king of Israel, Samaria was taken.

11 Basi mfalme wa Ashuru akawachukua Israeli kwenda Ashuru na kuwaweka kwenye Hala, na katika mto Habori katika Gozani, na katika mji wa Wamedi.

And the king of Assyria took Israel away as prisoners into Assyria, placing them in Halah and in Habor on the river Gozan, and in the towns of the Medes;

12 Alifanya hivi kwasababu hakutii sauti ya Yahwe Mungu wao, lakini walikiuka makubaliano ya agano lake, yote yale ambayo Musa yule mtumishi wa Yahwe aliwaamuru. Walikataa kuyasikiliza au kuyafanya.

Because they did not give ear to the voice of the Lord their God, but went against his agreement, even against everything ordered by Moses, the servant of the Lord, and they did not give ear to it or do it.

13 Kisha katika mwaka wa kumi na nne wa mfalme Hezekia, Senakerebu mfalme wa Ashuru akaishambulia miji yote yenye boma na kuwateka mateka.

Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, came up against all the walled towns of Judah and took them.

14 Basi Hezekia mfalme wa Yuda akatuma neno kwenda kwa mfalalme wa Yuda akatuma neno kwa mfalme wa Ashuru, ambaye alikuwa Lachishi, akisema, “Nimekuudhi. Nichukue. Popote utakaponiweka nitavumulia”. Mfalme wa Ashuru akamtaka Hezekia mfalme wa Yuda kulipa talanta mia tatu za fedha na talanta thelathini za dhahabu.

And Hezekiah, king of Judah, sent to Lachish, to the king of Assyria, saying, I have done wrong; give up attacking me, and whatever you put on me I will undergo. And the payment he was to make was fixed by the king of Assyria at three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.

15 Hivyo Hezekia akampatia fedha zote ambazo zilikuwa zimepatikana kwenye nyumba ya Yahwe na kawenye hazina nyumba ya mfalme.

So Hezekiah gave him all the silver in the house of the Lord, and in the king's store-house.

16 Kisha Hezekia akaikata ile dhahabu kutoka kwenye milango ya hekalu la Yahwe na kutoka juu ya nguzo; akampatia dhahabu mfalme wa Ashuru.

And at that time Hezekiah had the gold from the doors of the Lord's house, and from the door-pillars plated by him, cut off and gave it to the king of Assyria.

17 Lakini mfalme wa Ashuru akalihamasisha jeshi lake kubwa, akawatuma Tartani na Rabsarisi na amiri jeshi mkuu kutoka Lakishi kwenda kwa Hezekia huko Yerusalemu. Wakasafiri hadi kwenye mabarabara na kufika nje ya Yerusalemu. Wakakaribia karibu na mfereji wa birika la juu, kwenye barabara kuu ya shamba la dobi, na kusimama hapo.

Then the king of Assyria sent the Tartan and the Rab-saris and the Rab-shakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem, to King Hezekiah, with a strong force. And they went up and came to Jerusalem, and took up their position by the stream of the higher pool, by the highway of the washerman's field.

18 Wakati walipokuwa wamemwita Mfalme Hezekia, Eliakimu mwana wa Hilkia, ambaye alikuwa kiongozi wa nyumba ya mfalme na Shebna mwandishi, na Joa mwana wa Asafu, anayeandika kumbukumbu, wakatoka nje kwenda kuwalaki

And they sent for the king, and Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, who was over the house, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder, came out to them.

19 Basi yule amiri jeshi mkuu akawaambia wamwambie Hezekia kile alichosema mfalme mkuu, mfalme wa Ashuru, amesema: “Nini chanzo cha ujasiri wako?

And the Rab-shakeh said to them, Say now to Hezekiah, These are the words of the great king, the king of Assyria: In what are you placing your hope?

20 Unaongea maneno yasiyo na maana, kusema lipo neno na nguvu ya vita. Sasa unamtumainia nani? Nani anakupa ujasiri wa kuasi dhidi yangu?

You say you have a design, and strength for war, but these are only words. Now to whom are you looking for support, that you have gone against my authority?

21 Tazama, unatumainia kutembelea fimbo ya mwanzi huu uliopondeka wa Misri, lakini kama mtu akiutegemea, utamchapa kwenye mkono wake na kuutoboa. Hicho ndicho Farao mfalme wa Misri kwa ymtu yeyote ambaye anayemtumainia.

See, now, you are basing your hope on that broken rod of Egypt, which will go through a man's hand if he makes use of it for a support; for so is Pharaoh, king of Egypt, to all who put their faith in him.

22 Lakini kama ukiniambia, 'Tunamwamini Yahwe Mungu watu; je si yeye ambaye mahali pa juu na madhabahu Hezekia amezichukua, na kumwambia Yuda na kwa Yerusalemu, 'Lazima uabudu mbele ya hii madhabahu katika Yerusalemu'?

And if you say to me, Our hope is in the Lord our God: is it not he, whose high places and altars Hezekiah has taken away, saying to Judah and Jerusalem that worship may only be given before this altar in Jerusalem?

23 Basi kwa hiyo, nataka kukufanyia ahadi nzuri kutoka kwa bwana wangu mfalme wa Ashuru. Nitakupatia farasi elfu mbili, kama unaweza kuwatafuta kuwaendesha kwa ajili yao.

And now, take a chance with my master, the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able to put horsemen on them.

24 Wanawezaje kumpinga hata nahodha mmoja wa watumishi walio wadogo? Mmeweka tumaini lenu katika Misri kwa magari ya farasi na waendesha farasi!

How then may you put to shame the least of my master's servants? and you have put your hope in Egypt for war-carriages and horsemen:

25 Je nimesafiri kwenda huko juu bila Yahwe kupapigania hapa mahali na kupaharibu? Yahwe ameniambia, 'Ishambulie hii nchi na uiharibu.”'

And have I now come up to send destruction on this place without the Lord's authority? It was the Lord himself who said to me, Go up against this land and make it waste.

26 Kisha Elikana mwana wa Hilkia, na Shebna, na Joa wakamwambia amiri jeshi mkuu, “Tafadhali ongea na watumishi wako katika lugha ya Kiaramu, kwa kuwa tunaielewa. Usiongee nasi katika lugha ya Yuda katika masikio ya watu ambao wako ukutani.”

Then Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna and Joah said to the Rab-shakeh, Will you kindly make use of the Aramaean language in talking to your servants, for we are used to it, and do not make use of the Jews' language in the hearing of the people on the wall.

27 Lakini yule amiri jeshi mkuu akawaambia, “Je bwana wangu amenituma kwa bwana wako na kuwachukua kuongea haya maneno? Je hajanituma kwa hawa watu ambao wameketi kwenye ukuta, ambao watakula kinyesi chao na kunywa mkojo wao wenyewe?”

But the Rab-shakeh said to them, Is it to your master or to you that my master has sent me to say these words? has he not sent me to the men seated on the wall? for they are the people who will be short of food with you when the town is shut in.

28 Kisha yule amiri jeshi mkuu akasimama na akapiga kelele kubwa kwa lugha ya Kiyahudi, akisema, “Sikilizeni neno la mfalme mkuu, mfale wa Ashuru.

Then the Rab-shakeh got up and said with a loud voice in the Jews' language, Give ear to the words of the great king, the king of Assyria;

29 Mfalme asema, 'Msimwache Hezekia akawadanganya, kwa kuwa hataweza kuwaokoa kwenye nguvu yangu.

This is what the king says: Do not be tricked by Hezekiah, for there is no salvation for you in him.

30 Msimwache Hezekia akawatumainisha katika Yahwe, akisema, “Yahwe atatuokoa hakika, na huu mji hautawekwa kwenye mkono wa mfalme wa Ashuru.'”

And do not let Hezekiah make you put your faith in the Lord, saying, The Lord will certainly keep us safe, and this town will not be given into the hands of the king of Assyria.

31 Msikilize Hezekia, kwa kuwa hivi ndivyo mfalme wa Ashuru asemavyo: 'Fanyeni amani pamoja nami na njooni kwangu. Kisha kila mmoja wenu atakula kutoka kwenye mzabibu wake mwenyewe na kutoka kwenye mtini wake mwenyewe, na kunywa kutoka kwenye maji kwenye maji ya birika lake mwenyewe.

Do not give ear to Hezekiah, for this is what the king of Assyria says: Make peace with me and come out to me; and everyone will be free to take the fruit of his vine and of his fig-tree, and the water of his spring;

32 Mtafanya hivyo hadi nitakapokuja na kuwachukua kwenda kwenye nchi kama nchi yenu, nchi ya nafaka na divai, nchi ya mkate na mashamba ya mizabibu, nchi ya miti ya mizaituni na asali, ili muweze kuishi na sio kufa.' Msimsikilize Hezekia wakati atakapojaribu kuwashawishi, akisema, 'Yahwe atatuokoa.'

Till I come and take you away to a land like yours, a land of grain and wine, a land of bread and vine-gardens, a land of oil-giving olives and of honey, so that life and not death may be your fate. Give no attention to Hezekiah when he says to you, The Lord will keep us safe.

33 Je miungu yeyote ya watu inayewaokoa kutoka kwenye nchi ya mfalme wa Ashuru?

Has any one of the gods of the nations kept his land from falling into the hands of the king of Assyria?

34 Iko wapi miungu ya Hamathi na Arpadi? iko wapi miungu ya Sefarvaimu, Hena, na Iva? Je imeiokoa Samaria kutoka mkono wangu?

Where are the gods of Hamath and of Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim, of Hena and Ivvah? have they kept Samaria out of my hands?

35 Miongoni mwa miungu yote ya nchi, je kuna mungu ambaye ameiokoa nchi yake kutoka kwenye nguvu yangu? Inawezekanaje Yahwe akaiokoa Yerusalemu kutoka kwenye uwezo wangu?”

Who among all the gods of these countries have kept their country from falling into my hands, to give cause for the thought that the Lord will keep Jerusalem from falling into my hands?

36 Lakini watu wakabaki kimya na hawakujibu, kwa kuwa mfalme alikuwa ameamuru, “Msimjibu.”

But the people kept quiet and gave him no answer: for the king's order was, Give him no answer.

37 Kisha Eliakimu mwana wa Hilkia, ambaye alikuwa juu ya nyumba ya mfalme; Shebna yule mwandishi; na Joa mwana wa Asafu, mtunza kumbukumbu, akaja kwa Hezekia pamoja na nguo zao zilizoraruliwa, na kumpatia taarifa ya maneno ya yule amiri mkuu.

Then Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, who was over the house, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder, came to Hezekiah, with their clothing parted as a sign of grief, and gave him an account of what the Rab-shakeh had said.