2 Beresosɛm 19
1 Bere a ɔhene Yehosafat duu ne fi wɔ Yerusalem asomdwoe mu no,
When King Jehoshaphat was returning safely to his palace in Jerusalem,
2 Hanani babarima Yehu, ɔdehufo no kohyiaa no. Obisaa ɔhene Yehosafat se, “So ɛsɛ wo sɛ woboa amumɔyɛfo, na wodɔ wɔn a wokyi Awurade ana? Nea woayɛ yi nti Awurade abufuw aba wo so.
the prophet Jehu, the son of [the prophet] Hanani, went out of the city to meet the king, and said to him, “It was not right for you to help a wicked man and to love those who hate Yahweh. Because of what you have done, Yahweh is angry with you.
3 Nanso ade pa bi wɔ wo mu, efisɛ woatutu Asera nnua a ɛwɔ asase no so nyinaa, na woatu wo ho asi hɔ sɛ wobɛhwehwɛ Onyankopɔn.”
But you have done some good things; you got rid of the poles in this country for [worshiping the goddess] Asherah, and you have strongly determined to do what pleases God.”
4 Na Yehosafat tenaa Yerusalem. Nanso, otuu kwan fii Beer-Seba kɔɔ Efraim bepɔw asase no so, kɔhyɛɛ nkurɔfo nkuran sɛ, wɔnsan nkɔ Awurade, wɔn agyanom Nyankopɔn no nkyɛn.
Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem. But [one time], like he had done once previously, he went out among all the people in the country, from Beersheba [city in the far south] to the hilly area of [the tribe of] Ephraim [in the far north], and he convinced them to return to [worshiping] Yahweh, the God whom their ancestors [worshiped].
5 Oyiyii atemmufo wɔ nkuropɔn a wɔabɔ ho ban wɔ ɔman no mu nyinaa,
He appointed judges throughout Judah, in each of the cities that had walls around them.
6 hyɛɛ wɔn se, “Atɛn biara a mubebu no bere biara no, munnwen ho yiye. Monkae sɛ, moremmu atɛn sɛ mode resɔ nnipa ani, na mmom, Awurade a ɔbɛka mo ho biara a ɛbɛba sɛ mubu ho atɛn no ani.
He told them, “Make your decisions carefully, because you are judging cases not [in order] to [please] people but to [please] Yahweh. And he will be watching you whenever you make a decision.
7 Munsuro Awurade, na mummu atɛntrenee, efisɛ Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn, kyi ntɛnkyew, nhwɛanim ne kɛtɛasehyɛ.”
So now revere Yahweh, and judge cases carefully, [and do not forget that] Yahweh our God never acts unjustly, and he never does what people want because of their offering him money; he never accepts bribes.”
8 Na Yehosafat yii Lewifo, asɔfo ne mmusua ntuanofo a wɔwɔ Israel no ma wɔsom sɛ atemmufo wɔ Yerusalem. Na wodi Awurade mmara mu nsɛm ne ofie ntawntaw nsɛm nso.
In Jerusalem also, Jehoshaphat appointed some priests and other descendants of Levi and some leaders of Israeli families [to be judges]. He told them to do what Yahweh’s laws said was right when they settled disputes. Those men lived in Jerusalem.
9 Ɔhyɛɛ wɔn se, “Daa, momfa onyamesuro, nokware ne adwene pa nyɛ mo adwuma.
He told them this: “You must always do your work faithfully, revering Yahweh.
10 Bere biara a asɛm bi a efi mo nkurɔfo a wɔwɔ nkurow yi so bɛba mo anim no, sɛ ɛyɛ awudi anaa Onyankopɔn mmara anaa nʼahyɛde sobu no, mommɔ wɔn kɔkɔ sɛ, wɔnnyɛ bɔne ntia Awurade, sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a nʼabufuw remma mo ne wɔn so. Monyɛ saa, na morenni fɔ.
In every dispute that your fellow Israelis who live in the cities want you to settle, you must warn them to not sin against Yahweh [by telling lies during the trial]. If you do not warn them, God will punish both you and your fellow Israelis. If you warn them, you will not be sinning. You must warn them whether [someone has accused them] of murdering someone, or of disobeying some other law or command or decree [of Yahweh].
11 “Ɔsɔfopanyin Amaria bɛyɛ mo panyin, na ɔkasa a obi nka bi bio wɔ nsɛm a ɛfa Awurade ho nyinaa. Ismael babarima Sebadia nso na otua Yuda abusuakuw ano no. Ɔkasa a, obi nka bi bio wɔ ntawntawsɛm nyinaa mu. Lewifo no na wɔbɛboa mo ama moabu atɛntrenee. Momfa akokoduru nni mo dwuma, na Awurade nka wɔn a wɔyɛ ade trenee ho.”
Amariah the Supreme Priest will supervise you in any matter that Yahweh is concerned about, and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the leader of the tribe of Judah, will supervise you in any matter that I am responsible for. And the descendants of Levi will assist you. Act courageously, and I pray that Yahweh will help those who do their work well.”
