2 Ahemfo 18

1 Ahas babarima Hesekia hyɛɛ aseɛ dii ɔhene wɔ Yuda no, na Ela babarima Hosea adi ɔhene wɔ Israel mfeɛ mmiɛnsa.

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

2 Ɔdii ɔhene no na wadi mfirinhyia aduonu enum, na ɔdii ɔhene wɔ Yerusalem mfirinhyia aduonu nkron. Na ne maame yɛ Sakaria babaa a wɔfrɛ no Abi.

Twenty-five years old, was he when he began to reign, and, twenty-nine years, reigned he in Jerusalem, —and, his mother’s name, was Abi, daughter of Zachariah.

3 Ɔyɛɛ deɛ ɛfata wɔ Awurade ani so, sɛdeɛ ne tete agya Dawid yɛeɛ no.

And he did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, —according to all that, David his father, did.

4 Ɔtutuu abosonnan, bubuu afadum kronkron no, kaa Asera afɔrebukyia no guu fam. Ɔbubuu kɔbere mfrafraeɛ ɔwɔ a Mose ayɛ no, ɛfiri sɛ, na nnipa no hye nnuhwam ma no de som. Na wɔfrɛ ɔwɔ no a wɔde kɔbere mfrafraeɛ ayɛ no Nehustan.

He, removed the high places, and brake in pieces the pillars, and cut down the Sacred Stem, —and beat in pieces the serpent of bronze that, Moses, had made, because, until those days, had the sons of Israel been burning incense thereunto, so he called it Nehushtan.

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

In Yahweh, God of Israel, did he trust, —so that, after him, was none like him, among all the kings of Judah, nor that were before him;

6 Biribiara mu, ɔdii Awurade nokorɛ, na ɔde ntoboaseɛ dii ahyɛdeɛ a Awurade de maa Mose no nyinaa so.

and he did cleave unto Yahweh, he turned not away from following him, —but kept his commandments, which, Yahweh, commanded, Moses.

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

So Yahweh was with him, whithersoever he went forth, he prospered, —and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not.

8 Afei, ɔkɔdii Filistifoɔ so nkonim, de kɔsii Gasa ne nʼahyeɛ so, firi ne nkuraaseɛ, de kɔsii wɔn kuropɔn a wɔato ɔfasuo atwa ho no.

He, smote the Philistines, as far as Gazah, and her boundaries, —from the watchmen’s tower even to the fortified city.

9 Hesekia ahennie no mfeɛ ɛnan so a na ɔhene Hosea nso wɔ nʼahennie wɔ Israel mfeɛ nson mu no, Asiriahene Salmaneser kɔtuaa Israel, hyɛɛ aseɛ kaa Samaria kuropɔn hyɛeɛ.

And it came to pass, in the fourth year of King Hezekiah—the same, was the seventh year of Hosea son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and laid siege against it;

10 Mfeɛ mmiɛnsa akyi a, na ɔhene Hesekia adi adeɛ mfeɛ nsia mu a, na ɛyɛ ɔhene Hosea nso adedie wɔ Israel mfeɛ nkron mu no, Samaria bɔeɛ.

and he captured it at the end of three years, in the sixth year of Hezekiah, —the same, is the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, was Samaria captured.

11 Saa ɛberɛ no, Asiriahene twaa Israelfoɔ no asuo, kɔɔ Asiria, de wɔn hyehyɛɛ aman so wɔ Halah wɔ Asubɔnten Habor a ɛwɔ Gosan nkonkɔnoa ne nkuro akɛseɛ a ɛwɔ Media mu.

So the king of Assyria drave away Israel to Assyria, —and settled them in Halah, and in Habor, by the river of Gozan, and the mountains of Media:

12 Ɛfiri sɛ, wɔantie Awurade, wɔn Onyankopɔn no. Wɔbuu nʼapam no so, mmara a Awurade nam Mose so hyehyɛ maa wɔn no.

because they hearkened not unto the voice of Yahweh their God, but transgressed his covenant, all that Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded, —they neither hearkened nor performed.

13 Ɔhene Hesekia adedie mfeɛ dunan so, Asiriahene Sanaherib bɛto hyɛɛ Yuda nkuro a na wɔabɔ ho ban no so, dii wɔn so nkonim.

And, in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, came up Sennacherib king of Assyria, against all the fortified cities of Judah, and took them.

14 Na Hesekia de saa nkra yi kɔmaa Asiriahene wɔ Lakis sɛ, “Mayɛ mfomsoɔ. Sɛ wobɛfiri ha akɔ nko ara deɛ a, apeatoɔ biara a wobɛgye me no, mɛtua.” Na Asiriahene bisaa mpatadeɛ a ɛboro dwetɛ tɔno 11 ne sikakɔkɔɔ nso bɛyɛ tɔno baako.

Then sent Hezekiah king of Judah unto the king of Assyria, to Lachish, saying—I have sinned, Return from me, What thou shalt lay upon me, I will bear. So the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah, three hundred talents of silver, and thirty talents of gold.

15 Enti, ɔhene Hesekia de dwetɛ a wɔakora no Awurade Asɔredan no mu ne deɛ ɛwɔ ahemfie adekoraeɛ hɔ nyinaa maeɛ.

And Hezekiah delivered up all the silver that was found in the house of Yahweh, and in the treasuries of the house of the king.

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

At that time, Hezekiah cut off the doors of the temple of Yahweh, and the columns, which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, —and gave them unto the king of Assyria.

17 Yeinom nyinaa akyi, Asiriahene somaa ne sahene, nʼasraadɔmhene ne nʼananmusini firii Lakis ne akodɔm a wɔn mu yɛ duru, kɔɔ Hesekia so wɔ Yerusalem. Asiriafoɔ no gyinaa nsukwan bi a ɛma atifi ɔtadeɛ nsuo a ɛbɛn ɛkwan a ɛde kɔ baabi a wɔpa ntoma ani no ho.

And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rab-saris and Rab-shakeh, from Lachish unto King Hezekiah, with a heavy force to Jerusalem, —so they came up and drew near to Jerusalem, and took their stand by the upper channel of the pool, which is in the highway of the fuller’s field.

18 Wɔfrɛɛ Hesekia, nanso ɔsomaa ne mpanimfoɔ yi sɛ wɔnkɔhyia wɔn: Hilkia babarima Eliakim a ɔhwɛ ahemfie hɔ so, ɔtwerɛfoɔ Sebna ne Asaf babarima Yoa a ɔyɛ ahemfie abakɔsɛm twerɛfoɔ.

Then called they for the king, and there went out unto them Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, —and Shebnah, the scribe, and Joah son of Asaph, the recorder.

19 Na Asiriahene no ara ananmusini no ka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Monka nkyerɛ Hesekia sɛ, “‘Asɛm a otumfoɔ Asiriahene ka nie: Ɛdeɛn na wode wo ho to so a ɛma wogye wo ho di saa?

And Rab-shakeh said unto them—Pray you, say unto Hezekiah, —Thus, saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What trust is this wherewith thou dost trust?

20 Wogye di sɛ wobɛtumi de anosɛm hunu asi akodie mu nyansa ne nʼahoɔden anan? Wʼakyitaafoɔ bɛn na wɔbɛtaa wʼakyi, ama woatumi ako atia Asiria?

Thou hast said—they are only words of the lips!—Counsel and might [have I] for the war. Now, in whom dost thou trust, that thou hast rebelled against me?

21 Misraim anaa? Sɛ wotwere Misraim a, wobɛhunu sɛ, ɛte sɛ abaa a wo mu duru bɛbu no, na awɔ wo ahwire wo nsam. Misraim Farao mpo mu nni ahotosoɔ korakora.

Now, lo! thou dost trust thyself on the support of this bruised cane, on Egypt, whereon, if a man lean, it will enter his hand and lay it open, —so, is Pharaoh king of Egypt, to all who trust upon him.

22 Ebia, wobɛka sɛ, “Yɛde yɛn ho to Awurade, yɛn Onyankopɔn so!” Nanso, ɛnyɛ ɔno na ɔhene Hesekia didii nʼatɛm no? Hesekia ammubu abosonnan ne afɔrebukyia nyinaa, anhyɛ Yudafoɔ sɛ wɔnsom wɔ afɔrebukyia a ɛwɔ Yerusalem ha nko ara no so?

But, if ye should say unto me, In Yahweh our God, do we trust, Then is that not he whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath removed, and said unto Judah, and unto Jerusalem—Before this altar, shall ye bow down, in Jerusalem?

23 “‘Mɛka asɛm bi akyerɛ wo! Me wura Asiriahene ne wo bɛyɛ nhyehyɛeɛ bi. Sɛ wobɛnya apɔnkɔsotefoɔ mpenu, afiri wʼasraadɔm mu a, ɔbɛma wɔn apɔnkɔ mpenu ama wɔatenatena wɔn so.

Now, therefore, pledge thyself, I pray thee, with my lord, the king of Assyria, —that I supply thee with two thousand horses, if thou, on thy part, be able to set riders upon them.

24 Na wʼasraadɔm ketewa sɛɛ yi, ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na woaso daeɛ sɛ wobɛtumi ne me wura akodɔm no mu fa bi a wɔyɛ mmerɛ mpo adi asie. Menim sɛ wode wo ho ato Misraim nteaseɛnam ne apɔnkɔsotefoɔ mmoa so.

How then wilt thou turn back the face of one pasha of the least of my lord’s servants? Or hast thou, on thy part, trusted to Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?

25 Deɛ ɛka ho ne sɛ, wogye di sɛ yɛadi mo asase yi so a Awurade akwankyerɛ nni mu? Awurade ankasa na ɔka kyerɛɛ yɛn sɛ, Kɔ na kɔsɛe no!’”

Now, is it, without Yahweh, that I have come up against this place, to destroy it? Yahweh himself, said unto me, Go thou up against this land, and destroy it.

26 Afei, Hilkia babarima Eliakim ne Sebna ne Yoa ka kyerɛɛ ɔhene no ananmusini no sɛ, “Kasa wɔ Arameike mu kyerɛ yɛn, na saa kasa no na yɛte aseɛ yie. Nka Hebri nkyerɛ yɛn, ɛfiri sɛ nnipa a wɔwɔ ɔfasuo no so no bɛte.”

Then said Eliakim son of Hilkiah, and Shebnah, and Joah, unto Rab-shakeh: Speak, we pray thee, unto thy servants in the, Syrian, language, for, we, can, understand, it, —and do not speak with us in, the Jews’, language, in the ears of the people who are upon the wall.

27 Na ɔsahene no buaa sɛ, “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, wɔbɛtua kuropɔn yi. Ɛkɔm ne sukɔm werɛmfoɔ bɛde nkurɔfoɔ no ara kɔsi sɛ, wɔbɛdi wɔn ara agyanan, anom wɔn dwonsɔ.”

But Rab-shakeh said unto them—Is it, concerning thy lord, and concerning thee, that my lord hath sent me to speak these things? Is it not concerning the men who are tarrying upon the wall, that they may eat their own dung and drink their own water with you?

28 Afei, ɔsɔre gyinaeɛ, maa ne nne so kasaa wɔ Hebri mu, kyerɛɛ nnipa a wɔwɔ ɔfasuo no so sɛ, “Montie nkra a ɛfiri Asiria ɔhene kɛseɛ no nkyɛn!

So then Rab-shakeh took his stand, and cried out with a loud voice, in, the Jews’, language, —and spake, and said, Hear ye the message of the great king, the king of Assyria: —

29 Sɛdeɛ ɔhene seɛ nie: Mommma ɔhene Hesekia nnaadaa mo. Ɔrentumi nnye mo mfiri me tumi ase.

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

30 Mommma ɔnnaadaa mo sɛ, momfa mo ho nto Awurade so, nnka sɛ, ‘Awurade bɛgye yɛn! Wɔremfa saa kuropɔn yi mma Asiriahene da.’

Neither let Hezekiah cause you to trust in Yahweh, saying, Yahweh, will, certainly deliver, us, —this city, therefore, shall not be given over into the hand of the king of Assyria.

31 “Monntie Hesekia. Yeinom ne nhyehyɛeɛ a Asiriahene reyɛ. Mo ne me nni no asomdwoeɛ so. Mommue apono no, na mompue mmra. Na mɛma mo mu biara ɛkwan, na moatoa so adidi afiri mo bobe ne borɔdɔma mfikyifuo mu, anom nsuo afiri mo ara mo abura mu.

Do not hearken unto Hezekiah, —for, thus, saith the king of Assyria, Deal with me thankfully, and come out unto me, then shall ye eat—every one of his own vine, and every one of his own fig-tree, and drink every one the waters of his own cistern;

32 Na mɛyɛ nhyehyɛeɛ de mo akɔ asase foforɔ bi a ɛte sɛ yei so. Ɛyɛ ɔman a atokoɔ, nsã, burodo, bobe nturo, ngo nnua ne ɛwoɔ abu so hɔ. Ɛyɛ asase a nneɛma pa abu so hɔ. Mompere nkwa, na monyi owuo akwa! “Mommma Hesekia nnaadaa mo nka sɛ, ‘Awurade bɛgye yɛn!’

Until I come and take you, into a land like your own land—A land of corn and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of oil olive and honey, so shall ye live, and not die, —But do not hearken unto Hezekiah, for he would persuade you, saying, Yahweh, will deliver us!

33 Anyame a wɔwɔ aman so no atumi agye wɔn nkurɔfoɔ afiri Asiriahene nsam da?

Have, the gods of the nations, at all delivered, any one of them, his country, 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? Wɔtumi gyee Samaria firii me tumi ase anaa?

Where are the gods of Hamath, and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena and Ivvah? Yea, did they deliver Samaria out of my hand?

35 Ɔman bɛn so anyame na watumi agye ne nkurɔfoɔ afiri me tumi ase? Mommɔ baako pɛ din. Na afei, ɛdeɛn na ɛma mo dwene sɛ Awurade bɛtumi agye Yerusalem?”

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

36 Na nnipa no yɛɛ komm a wɔamma mmuaeɛ biara, ɛfiri sɛ, na Hesekia aka akyerɛ wɔn sɛ wɔnnkasa.

But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word, —for, the command of the king, it was, saying—Ye must not answer him.

37 Afei, Hilkia babarima Eliakim, ahemfie sohwɛfoɔ ne ɔtwerɛfoɔ Sebna ne Asaf babarima Yoa, ahemfie abakɔsɛm twerɛfoɔ, sane kɔɔ Hesekia nkyɛn. Wɔsunsuanee wɔn ntadeɛ mu, na wɔkɔhunuu ɔhene no, kaa asɛm a Asiria ɔnanmusini kaeɛ no kyerɛɛ no.

Then came in Eliakim son of Hilkiah who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah son of Asaph the recorder, unto Hezekiah, with rent clothes, —and they told him the words of Rab-shakeh.