2 Ahemfo 18

1 Ahas babarima Hesekia fii ase dii hene wɔ Yuda no, na Ela babarima Hosea adi hene wɔ Israel mfe abiɛsa.

Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.

2 Odii hene no na wadi mfirihyia aduonu anum, na odii hene wɔ Yerusalem mfirihyia aduonu akron. Na ne na yɛ Sakaria babea a wɔfrɛ no Abi.

Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Abi, the daughter of Zachariah.

3 Ɔyɛɛ nea ɛsɔ Awurade ani, sɛnea nʼagya Dawid yɛe pɛpɛɛpɛ.

And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did.

4 Otutuu abosonnan, bubuu afadum kronkron no, kaa Asera nnua no guu fam. Obubuu kɔbere mfrafrae ɔwɔ a Mose ayɛ no, efisɛ na nnipa no hyew nnuhuam ma no de som. Na wɔfrɛ ɔwɔ no a wɔde kɔbere mfrafrae ayɛ no Nehustan.

He removed the high places, and broke the images, and cut down the groves, and broke in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made: for to those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.

5 Hesekia de ne ho too Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn so. Nʼakyi ne nʼanim no, na ɔhene biara nni hɔ a ɔte sɛ ɔno wɔ Yuda asase so.

He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.

6 Biribiara mu, odii Awurade nokware, na ɔde ntoboase dii ahyɛde a Awurade de maa Mose no nyinaa so.

For he held to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses.

7 Ne saa nti, na Awurade ka ne ho, na Hesekia kɔɔ so wɔ biribiara a ɔyɛe mu. Ɔyɛɛ dɔm tiaa Asiriahene, na wantua sonkahiri amma no.

And the LORD was with him; and he prospered wherever he went forth: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not.

8 Afei, okodii Filistifo so nkonim, de kosii Gasa ne nʼahye so, fi ne nkuraa, de kosii wɔn kuropɔn a wɔato ɔfasu atwa ho no.

He smote the Philistines, even to Gaza, and the borders thereof, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.

9 Hesekia ahenni no mfe anan so a na ɔhene Hosea nso wɔ nʼahenni wɔ Israel mfe ason mu no, Asiriahene Salmaneser kotuaa Israel ano, fii ase kaa Samaria kuropɔn hyɛe.

And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it.

10 Mfe abiɛsa akyi a, na ɔhene Hesekia adi ade mfe asia a, na ɛyɛ ɔhene Hosea nso adedi wɔ Israel mfe akron mu no, Samaria bɔe.

And at the end of three years they took it: even in the sixth year of Hezekiah, that is in the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken.

11 Saa bere no, Asiriahene twaa Israelfo no asu kɔɔ Asiria, de wɔn hyehyɛɛ aman so wɔ Halah wɔ Asubɔnten Habor a ɛwɔ Gosan konkɔn so ne nkurow akɛse a ɛwɔ Media mu.

And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel to Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes:

12 Efisɛ wɔantie Awurade, wɔn Nyankopɔn no. Wobuu nʼapam no so, mmara a Awurade nam Mose so hyehyɛ maa wɔn no.

Because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD their God, but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them.

13 Ɔhene Hesekia adedi mfe dunan so, Asiriahene Sanaherib bɛtow hyɛɛ Yuda nkurow a na wɔabɔ ho ban no so, dii wɔn so nkonim.

Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took them.

14 Na Hesekia de saa nkra yi kɔmaa Asiriahene wɔ Lakis se, “Mayɛ mfomso. Sɛ wubefi ha akɔ nko ara de a, sonkahiri biara a wubegye me no, metua.” Na Asiriahene bisaa mpata a ɛboro dwetɛ tɔn dubaako ne sikakɔkɔɔ nso bɛyɛ tɔn baako.

And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, I have offended; return from me: that which you put on me will I bear. And the king of Assyria appointed to Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.

15 Enti ɔhene Hesekia de dwetɛ a wɔakora no wɔ Awurade Asɔredan no mu ne nea ɛwɔ ahemfi adekorae hɔ nyinaa mae.

And Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king’s house.

16 Mpo, Hesekia waawae sikakɔkɔɔ a wɔde aduradura asɔredan no apon ho, de ne nyinaa maa Asiriahene.

At that time did Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of the LORD, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.

17 Eyinom nyinaa akyi no, Asiriahene somaa ne sahene, nʼasraafodɔmhene ne nʼananmusini fii Lakis ne asraafodɔm a wɔn mu yɛ duru, kɔɔ Hesekia so wɔ Yerusalem. Asiriafo no gyinaa nsukwan bi a ɛma atifi ɔtare nsu a ɛbɛn ɔkwan a ɛde kɔ faako a wɔpa ntama ani no ho.

And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rabshakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great host against Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they were come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the fuller’s field.

18 Wɔfrɛɛ Hesekia, nanso ɔsomaa ne mpanyimfo yi sɛ wonkohyia wɔn: Hilkia babarima Eliakim a ɔhwɛ ahemfi hɔ so, ɔkyerɛwfo Sebna ne Asaf babarima Yoa a ɔyɛ ahemfi abakɔsɛm kyerɛwfo.

And when they had called to the king, there came out to them Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder.

19 Na ɔsahene no ka kyerɛɛ wɔn se, “Monka nkyerɛ Hesekia se, “‘Asɛm a otumfo, Asiriahene ka ni: Dɛn na wode wo ho to so a ɛma wugye wo ho di saa?

And Rabshakeh said to them, Speak you now to Hezekiah, Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein you trust?

20 Woka se wowɔ akodi ho nyansa ne nʼahoɔden, nanso woka nsɛm hunu. Hena na ɔtaa wʼakyi a enti wotew mʼanim atua?

You say, (but they are but vain words, ) I have counsel and strength for the war. Now on whom do you trust, that you rebel against me?

21 Hwɛ wʼani da Misraim so, demmire a emu abu a ɛte sɛ pema a wutweri a ɛbɛwɔ wo nsa mu apira wo no! Saa na Misraimhene Farao te ma wɔn a wɔde wɔn ho to ne so no nyinaa.

Now, behold, you trust on the staff of this bruised reed, even on Egypt, on which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust on him.

22 Ebia wobɛka se, “Yɛde yɛn ho to Awurade, yɛn Nyankopɔn so!” Ɛnyɛ ɔno na ɔhene Hesekia atutu nʼabosonnan ne afɔremuka nyinaa, ahyɛ Yudafo sɛ wɔnsom wɔ afɔremuka a ɛwɔ Yerusalem ha nko ara so no?

But if you say to me, We trust in the LORD our God: is not that he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away, and has said to Judah and Jerusalem, You shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem?

23 “‘Mɛka asɛm bi akyerɛ wo! Me wura Asiriahene ne wo bɛyɛ nhyehyɛe bi. Sɛ wubenya apɔnkɔsotefo mpenu, afi wo asraafo mu a, ɔbɛma wɔn apɔnkɔ mpenu ama wɔatenatena wɔn so.

Now therefore, I pray you, give pledges to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver you two thousand horses, if you be able on your part to set riders on them.

24 Na wʼasraafo ketewa sɛɛ yi, ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na woaso dae, sɛ wubetumi ne me wura asraafo no mu fa bi a wɔyɛ mmerɛw no mpo adi asi. Minim sɛ wode wo ho ato Misraim nteaseɛnam ne apɔnkɔsotefo mmoa so.

How then will you turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master’s servants, and put your trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?

25 Bio, wugye di sɛ, maba sɛ merebɛtow ahyɛ asase yi so asɛe no kwa a Awurade nsa nni mu? Awurade ankasa ka kyerɛɛ me se menkɔko ntia saa asase yi na mensɛe no.’”

Am I now come up without the LORD against this place to destroy it? The LORD said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.

26 Afei, Hilkia babarima Eliakim ne Sebna ne Yoa ka kyerɛɛ ɔhene no ananmusini no se, “Kasa wɔ Arameike mu kyerɛ yɛn, na saa kasa no na yɛte ase yiye. Nka Hebri nkyerɛ yɛn, efisɛ nnipa a wɔwɔ fasu no so no bɛte.”

Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joah, to Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray you, to your servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and talk not with us in the Jews’ language in the ears of the people that are on the wall.

27 Na Senaherib nanmusini no buae se, “Me wura pɛ sɛ obiara a ɔwɔ Yerusalem te saa asɛm yi, na ɛnyɛ mo nko. Ɔpɛ sɛ wɔte sɛ, sɛ moamma mo nsa so a, wobetua kuropɔn yi. Ɔkɔm ne osukɔm werɛmfo bɛde nkurɔfo no ara kosi sɛ, wobedi wɔn ara agyanan, anom wɔn dwonsɔ.”

But Rabshakeh said to them, Has my master sent me to your master, and to you, to speak these words? has he not sent me to the men which sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own urine with you?

28 Afei, ɔsɔre gyinae, maa ne nne so kasaa wɔ Hebri mu, kyerɛɛ nnipa a wɔwɔ ɔfasu no so se, “Muntie nkra a efi Asiria ɔhene kɛse no nkyɛn!

Then Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews’ language, and spoke, saying, Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria:

29 Sɛnea ɔhene se ni: Mommma ɔhene Hesekia nnaadaa mo. Ɔrentumi nnye mo mfi me tumi ase.

Thus says the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand:

30 Mommma Hesekia mfa saa asɛm a ɔkae se, ‘Awurade begye yɛn! Wɔremfa saa kurow yi mma Asiriahene’ no mma mo tirim nyɛ mo dɛ.

Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.

31 “Munntie Hesekia. Nea Asiriahene ka ni: Mo ne me nyɛ asomdwoe nhyehyɛe na mommra me nkyɛn. Na afei, mɛma mo mu biara adi ɔno ankasa bobe ne borɔdɔma na woanom nsu afi ɔno ankasa abura mu.

Listen not to Hezekiah: for thus says the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me, and then eat you every man of his own vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink you every one the waters of his cistern:

32 Na mɛyɛ nhyehyɛe de mo akɔ asase foforo bi a ɛte sɛ eyi so. Ɛyɛ ɔman a atoko, nsa, brodo, bobe nturo, ngonnua ne ɛwo abu so hɔ. Ɛyɛ asase a nneɛma pa abu so hɔ. Mompere nkwa, na munyi owu akwa! “Mommma Hesekia nnaadaa mo nka se, ‘Awurade begye yɛn!’

Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of oil olive and of honey, that you may live, and not die: and listen not to Hezekiah, when he persuades you, saying, The LORD will deliver us.

33 Anyame a wɔwɔ aman so no atumi agye wɔn nkurɔfo afi Asiriahene nsam da?

Has any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?

34 Asɛm bɛn na ɛtoo Hamat ne Arpad anyame no? Na Sefarwaim, Hena ne Iwa anyame nso, wɔwɔ he? Wotumi gyee Samaria fii me tumi ase ana?

Where are the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah? have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?

35 Ɔman bɛn so anyame na watumi agye ne nkurɔfo afi me tumi ase? Mommɔ baako pɛ din. Na afei, dɛn na ɛma mo dwene sɛ Awurade betumi agye Yerusalem?”

Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?

36 Na nnipa no yɛɛ komm a wɔamma mmuae biara, efisɛ na Hesekia aka akyerɛ wɔn se wɔnnkasa.

But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king’s commandment was, saying, Answer him not.

37 Afei Hilkia babarima Eliakim a na ɔhwɛ ahemfi no ntotoe so, Sebna a na ɔyɛ ɔkyerɛwfo ne Asaf babarima Yoa a ɔno nso yɛ ɔkyerɛwfo kɔɔ Hesekia nkyɛn a wɔasunsuane wɔn ntade mu, kɔkaa nea ɔsahene no aka akyerɛ no no.

Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.