< 2 Berɛsosɛm 32 >
1 Ɔhene Hesekia de nokorɛdie wiee saa dwumadie yi, Asiriahene Sanaherib bɛto hyɛɛ Yuda so, dii so nkonim. Ɔtuaa nkuro a wɔabɔ ho ban no, na ɔhyɛɛ nʼakodɔm sɛ wɔmmubu wɔn afasuo no, mmɔ nhyɛne mu.
After King Hezekiah had obeyed Yahweh’s instructions and had done all those things, King Sennacherib of Assyria came [with his army] and invaded Judah. He commanded his soldiers to surround the cities that had walls around them, thinking that they would [break through those walls and] conquer those cities.
2 Ɛberɛ a Hesekia hunuu sɛ Sanaherib asane ayɛ nʼadwene sɛ ɔbɛto ahyɛ Yerusalem so no,
When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come [with his army] and that they intended to attack Jerusalem,
3 ɔne ne mpanimfoɔ ne nʼasraafoɔ mu afotufoɔ tuu agyina. Wɔsii gyinaeɛ sɛ, wɔbɛsi nsutire no kwan na antene ankɔ kuropɔn no akyi.
he consulted with his officials and army leaders. They said among themselves, “Why should we allow the king of Assyria [and his army] to come and find plenty of water to drink?” So they decided to stop the water from flowing outside the city. So a large group of men gathered together and blocked all the springs and the stream that flowed through that area.
4 Wɔboaboaa adwumayɛfoɔ ano sɛ wɔnkɔsi nsutire kwan na antene ankɔ mfuo no mu. Na wɔkaa sɛ, “Adɛn enti na ɛsɛ sɛ Asiria ahemfo bɛba ha abɛnya nsuo bebree?”
5 Afei, Hesekia miaa ne banbɔ mu, ɔsiesiee ɔfasuo no baabiara a abubuo no, na ɔtoo ɔfasuo foforɔ kaa deɛ ɛwɔ hɔ dada no ho. Ɔsane miaa banbɔ a ɛwɔ Milo a ɛwɔ Dawid kuropɔn no mu no. Afei ɔyɛɛ akodeɛ ne akokyɛm bebree.
Then they worked hard to repair all the sections of the city wall that had been broken, and they built watchtowers on the walls. They built another wall outside/around the wall that was already outside the city, and they strengthened the defenses on the sloping terraces [on the east side of the area called ‘The City of David’]. They also made a large number of weapons and shields.
6 Ɔyii asraafoɔ mpanimfoɔ, ma wɔhwɛɛ ɔmanfoɔ no so, na ɔhyɛɛ sɛ wɔmmɛhyia no wɔ kuro no ɛpono ano adwaberem hɔ. Na Hesekia kaa nkuranhyɛsɛm kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ,
Hezekiah appointed army commanders, and he gathered them in front of him in the square at one of the city gates, and he encouraged them by saying this to them:
7 “Monyɛ den na momma mo bo nyɛ duru. Monnsuro Asiriahene anaa nʼakodɔm kɛseɛ no, na yɛwɔ tumi a ɛso wɔ yɛn afa.
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged on account of the king of Assyria and the huge army that is with him, because [Yahweh] is with us, and his [power] is greater than their [power].
8 Ɛwom sɛ ɔwɔ akodɔm kɛseɛ deɛ, nanso wɔyɛ nnipa kɛkɛ. Yɛwɔ Awurade, yɛn Onyankopɔn a ɔbɛboa yɛn, adi ako ama yɛn.” Saa nsɛm a Hesekia, Yudahene kaeɛ yi hyɛɛ ɔmanfoɔ no nkuran bebree.
They have to rely on the power of humans, but we have Yahweh our God to help us and to fight battles for us.” So the people became more confident because of what Hezekiah, the king of Judah, said.
9 Ɛberɛ a Asiriahene Sanaherib gu so retua Lakis kuro no, ɔsomaa mpanimfoɔ kɔɔ Yerusalem sɛ wɔmfa saa nkra yi nkɔma Hesekia ne ne manfoɔ a wɔwɔ kuro no mu nyinaa:
Later, when Sennacherib and all his soldiers were surrounding Lachish [city], he sent some officers to Jerusalem to give this message to King Hezekiah and to all the people of Judah who were there:
10 “Sɛdeɛ Asiriahene Sanaherib seɛ nie: Ɛdeɛn na mode mo ho to so, na ɛma mo susu sɛ, mobɛtumi agyina Yerusalem tua yi ano?
“[I am] Sennacherib, the [great] king of Assyria, [and] this is what I say: 'While you are staying in Jerusalem, my soldiers are surrounding the city. So why [RHQ] are you so confident?
11 Hesekia aka sɛ: ‘Awurade, yɛn Onyankopɔn, bɛgye yɛn afiri Asiriahene nsam.’ Nokorɛm, Hesekia regyegye mo, ama ɛkɔm ne sukɔm akum mo!
Hezekiah says to you, “Yahweh our God will save us from [being defeated by the army of] the king of Assyria,” but he is misleading you. He wants you to die from having no food or water.
12 Nokorɛm, deɛ ɛsɛ sɛ mote aseɛ ne sɛ, Hesekia no ara na ɔbubuu Awurade asɔreeɛ ne afɔrebukyia no nyinaa. Ɔhyɛɛ Yuda ne Yerusalem sɛ wɔnsom wɔ afɔrebukyia baako pɛ a ɛwɔ Asɔredan no mu no so, na wɔmmɔ afɔdeɛ ahodoɔ wɔ ɛno nko ara so.
Isn’t Hezekiah the one who told his men to get rid of your god Yahweh’s shrines and altars on the hilltops, saying to [you people of] Jerusalem and other places in Judah, “You must worship at only one altar and burn sacrifices on only that altar”?
13 “Nokorɛm, ɛsɛ sɛ mohunu deɛ me ne Asiria ahemfo a aka no ayɛ nnipa a wɔwɔ asase so. Anyame a na wɔwɔ saa aman no so no tumi gyee wɔn nkurɔfoɔ firii me tumi ase?
'Do you people not know what I and my ancestors have done to all the people-groups in other countries? [We destroyed them all, and] none of the gods of those nations were ever able to prevent my [troops] from conquering them! So how can your god prevent my soldiers from conquering you?
14 Ma nhwɛsoɔ baako kyerɛ onyame bi a ɔwɔ baabi a ɔtumi gyee ne nkurɔfoɔ firii me nsam! Ɛdeɛn na ɛma wodwene sɛ, wo Onyankopɔn bɛtumi ayɛ ade pa bi?
15 Mommma Hesekia mmu mo kwasea. Mommma ɔnnaadaa mo saa! Meti mu, ka bio sɛ, ɔman biara nyame ntumi nnyee ne nkurɔfoɔ mfirii me anaa mʼagyanom nsam da. Na ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na mo Onyankopɔn agye mo afiri me tumi ase!”
So do not allow Hezekiah to deceive you like this. Do not believe what he says, because no god of any nation or kingdom has ever been able to rescue his people from being conquered by my army and the armies of my ancestors. So certainly your god will not be able to rescue you from my power'.”
16 Na Sanaherib mpanimfoɔ kɔɔ so dii Awurade Onyankopɔn ne ne ɔsomfoɔ Hesekia ho fɛw, twaa no adapaa.
Sennacherib’s officers said more things to belittle Yahweh the God of the Israelis and Hezekiah, who served God [well].
17 Ɔhene no sane twerɛɛ nkrataa de buu Awurade, Israel Onyankopɔn animtiaa. Ɔtwerɛɛ sɛ: “Sɛdeɛ anyame a wɔwɔ aman ahodoɔ so antumi annye wɔn nkurɔfoɔ amfiri me tumi ase no, saa ara, na Hesekia Onyankopɔn nso bɛdi nkoguo.”
King Sennacherib wrote more letters insulting Yahweh, the God whom the Israelis [belonged to/worshiped]. He said things like this: “The gods [worshiped by] the people-groups in other countries did not rescue their people from my power. Similarly, the god of Hezekiah will not rescue his people from my power.”
18 Asiria mpanimfoɔ a wɔde krataa no baeɛ no teateaam de Hebri kasa kaa saa asɛm yi kyerɛɛ nnipa a wɔaboa wɔn ho ano wɔ kuro no ɔfasuo fasin so, de hunahunaa wɔn, sɛdeɛ wɔbɛtumi afa kuropɔn no a wɔmmerɛ ho.
Then King Sennachereb’s officers shouted in the Hebrew language to the people who were on the wall, in order to cause them to be terrified, thinking that as a result the army of Assyria could capture the city [without a battle].
19 Saa mpanimfoɔ yi kasa faa Yerusalem Onyankopɔn yi ho te sɛ abosonsomfoɔ anyame no mu baako a wɔde nnipa nsa na ɛyɛeɛ no.
They belittled the God [worshiped by the people] of Jerusalem as they belittled the gods of the other people-groups of the world—saying that they were only [idols] made by humans.
20 Afei, ɔhene Hesekia ne Amos babarima odiyifoɔ Yesaia bɔɔ mpaeɛ denden, frɛɛ ɔsorosoro Onyankopɔn no.
Then King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah cried out to God, praying about this.
21 Na Awurade somaa ɔbɔfoɔ, bɛsɛee Asiria akodɔm ne wɔn asahene ne wɔn mpanimfoɔ nyinaa. Na Sanaherib de aniwuo sane kɔɔ ne kurom. Na ɔwuraa ne nyame abosonnan mu no, ɔno ankasa mmammarima no mu baako twee ne so akofena, kumm no.
And [that night] Yahweh sent an angel who killed all the soldiers of Assyria and their leaders and their officers in the place where the king of Assyria and his army had set up their tents. So the king of Assyria left and returned to his own country, very disgraced. And one day when he went into the temple of his god, some of his sons struck him with their swords and killed him.
22 Saa ɛkwan yi na Awurade faa so de gyee Hesekia ne Yerusalem manfoɔ nkwa, firii Asiriahene Sanaherib ne wɔn a wɔhunahuna wɔn no nyinaa nsam. Enti, ɛmaa asomdwoeɛ baa asase no so nyinaa.
That is how Yahweh rescued Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the power of Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, and from their other enemies. Yahweh took care of them (OR, gave them peace) everywhere in the country.
23 Ɛfiri saa ɛberɛ no, aman a atwa wɔn ho ahyia no de obuo ne anidie a ɛnni kabea maa ɔhene Hesekia, na wɔde akyɛdeɛ bebree a ɛyɛ Awurade dea kɔɔ Yerusalem, na wɔde nneɛma a ɛsom bo kɔmaa Ɔhene Hesekia nso.
Many people brought offerings for Yahweh to Jerusalem, and also brought valuable gifts for King Hezekiah. And from that time, Hezekiah was highly respected/honored by the people of all the other nations.
24 Ɛberɛ no mu, Hesekia yaree yarewuo. Ɔbɔɔ mpaeɛ frɛɛ Awurade, maa ɔsaa no yadeɛ daa nsɛnkyerɛnneɛ nwanwasoɔ bi adi kyerɛɛ no.
About that time, Hezekiah became very ill. He was about to die. But he prayed to Yahweh, and Yahweh answered his prayer. He performed a miracle [and healed Hezekiah].
25 Nanso, Hesekia anyɛ adɔeɛ a wɔyɛ kyerɛɛ no no so adeɛ, na mmom, ɔbɛyɛɛ ahantan. Enti, Awurade abufuo baa ɔno, Yuda ne Yerusalem nyinaa so.
But Hezekiah [SYN] was very proud, and he did not thank Yahweh for being kind to him. Therefore Yahweh was angry with him and [and punished him] and [the people of] Jerusalem and other places in Judah.
26 Enti, Hesekia nuu ne ho wɔ nʼahantansu no ho, na ɔmanfoɔ a wɔwɔ Yerusalem no nso brɛɛ wɔn ho ase. Ɛno enti, Hesekia nkwanna mu no, Awurade abufuo amma wɔn so.
Then Hezekiah said that he was sorry for being proud, and the people of Jerusalem also said that they were sorry [for their sins]. So Yahweh did not punish them during the remaining years that Hezekiah [was their king].
27 Hesekia nyaa ne ho, na wɔbuu no yie. Ɔsisii adekoradan sononko bi a ɔkoraa ne dwetɛ, sikakɔkɔɔ, aboɔdemmoɔ, nnuhwam, nʼakyɛm ne ne nneɛma a ɛsom bo pii no wɔ mu.
Hezekiah became very rich and was greatly honored. His [workers] made storerooms for his silver and gold, and for his very valuable stones, and for spices and shields and other valuable things.
28 Afei nso, ɔsisii adekoradan de nʼatokoɔ, ne nsã ne ne ngo guu mu; ɔsisii buo bebree maa nʼanantwie ne ne nnwan ne ne mpɔnkye.
[His workers] also built buildings to store the grain and wine and [olive] oil [that people produced and brought to him]. They also made stalls for various kinds of cattle and pens for his flocks [of sheep and goats].
29 Ɔkyekyeree nkuro pii, pɛɛ nnwan ne anantwie bebree, ɛfiri sɛ, Onyankopɔn maa no ahonya bebree.
They built towns and acquired for the king many flocks [of sheep and goats] and herds [of cattle], because God had enabled him to become very rich.
30 Ɔsii asutire a na ɛwɔ Gihon atifi fam no, na ɔde nsuo no faa dorobɛn mu kɔɔ Dawid kuropɔn atɔeɛ fam. Na biribiara a ɔyɛeɛ no nso, ɛyɛɛ yie.
Hezekiah was the one who told his workers to block the place where the water flows out of the Gihon Spring, and to build a tunnel through which the water flowed to the west side of the area called ‘The City of David’. He was able to do everything that he wanted to do.
31 Ɛberɛ a Babilonia ananmusifoɔ bɛbisaa nneɛma titire a asisi wɔ asase no so no, Onyankopɔn twee ne ho firi Hesekia ho, de sɔɔ no hwɛeɛ, pɛɛ sɛ ɔhunu deɛ ɛwɔ nʼakoma mu.
But when messengers who were sent by the rulers of Babylon came and asked about the miracle that God had performed for him, God allowed Hezekiah to say what he himself wanted to say, in order to test [whether or not Hezekiah would admit that God had performed a miracle].
32 Hesekia ahennie ho nsɛm nkaeɛ ne nʼahofama no, wɔatwerɛ wɔ Amos babarima odiyifoɔ Yesaia anisoadehunu a ɛka Yuda ne Israel ahemfo nwoma ho no mu.
A record of the other things that happened while Hezekiah was ruling, and the things that he did to please God, is on the scroll in which is written the vision that [Yahweh gave to] the prophet Isaiah. It is also written in the scroll called ‘The History of the Kings of Judah and Israel’.
33 Ɛberɛ a Hesekia wuiɛ no, wɔsiee no wɔ adehyeɛ amusieeɛ no atifi fam, na Yuda ne Yerusalem nyinaa hyɛɛ no animuonyam ne wuo mu. Afei, ne babarima Manase, dii nʼadeɛ sɛ ɔhene.
When Hezekiah died, he was buried in the tombs where the most respected kings [of Judah] were buried. Everyone in Jerusalem and other places in Judah honored him. Then his son Manasseh became the king.