2 Berɛsosɛm 19
1 Ɛberɛ a ɔhene Yehosafat duruu ne fie wɔ Yerusalem asomdwoeɛ mu no,
When King Jehoshaphat was returning safely to his palace in Jerusalem,
2 Hanani babarima Yehu, ɔdehunumuni no kɔhyiaa no. Ɔbisaa ɔhene Yehosafat sɛ, “Adɛn enti na woboa amumuyɛfoɔ, na wodɔ wɔn a wɔkyiri Awurade? Deɛ woayɛ yi de Awurade abufuo 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 ɛfiri sɛ woatutu Asera afɔrebukyia 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, ɔtuu kwan firii Beer-Seba kɔɔ Efraim bepɔ asase no so, kɔhyɛɛ nkurɔfoɔ nkuran sɛ, wɔnsane nkɔ Awurade, wɔn agyanom Onyankopɔn 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 Ɔyiyii atemmufoɔ 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 sɛ, “Atɛn biara a mobɛbu no ɛberɛ biara no, monnwene ho yie. Monkae sɛ, moremmu atɛn sɛ mode resɔ nnipa ani, na mmom, Awurade ani. Ɔbɛka mo ho wɔ asɛm biara a ɛba mo anim a ɛsɛ sɛ mobu ho atɛn no.
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 Monsuro Awurade, na mommu atɛntenenee, ɛfiri sɛ, Awurade, mo Onyankopɔn, kyiri ntɛnkyea, animhwɛ 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 Lewifoɔ, asɔfoɔ ne mmusua ntuanofoɔ a wɔwɔ Israel no ma wɔsomm sɛ atemmufoɔ wɔ Yerusalem. Na wɔdi Awurade mmara mu nsɛm ne efie ntawantawa 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 sɛ, “Daa, momfa Awurade nyamesuro, nokorɛdie ne adwene pa nyɛ mo adwuma.
He told them this: “You must always do your work faithfully, revering Yahweh.
10 Ɛberɛ biara a asɛm bi a ɛfiri mo nkurɔfoɔ a wɔwɔ nkurotoɔ yi so bɛba mo anim no, sɛ ɛyɛ awudie anaa Onyankopɔn mmara anaa nʼahyɛdeɛ so buo no, mommɔ wɔn kɔkɔ sɛ, wɔnnyɛ bɔne ntia Awurade, sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a, nʼabufuo mma 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 “Ɔsɔfopanin Amaria bɛyɛ mo panin, na ɔkasa a obi nka bi bio wɔ nsɛm a ɛfa Awurade ho nyinaa. Ismael babarima Sebadia nso na ɔtua Yuda abusuakuo ano no. Ɔkasa a, obi nka bi bio wɔ ntawantawasɛm nyinaa mu. Lewifoɔ no na wɔbɛboa mo ama moabu atɛntenenee. Momfa akokoɔduru nni mo dwuma, na Awurade nka wɔn a wɔyɛ ade tenenee 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.”
