1
Ikawa baadaye, wana wa Moabu, na wana wa Amoni, na pamoja nao baadhi ya Wameuni, wakaja juu ya Yehoshafati vitani.
After this, the Moabites and Ammonites, together with some of the Meunites, came to make war against Jehoshaphat.
2
Wakaja watu waliomwambia Yehoshafati, wakisema, Wanakuja jamii kubwa juu yako watokao Shamu toka ng'ambo ya bahari; na tazama, wako katika Hasason-tamari (ndio En-gedi).
Then some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the Sea; they are already in Hazazon-tamar” (that is, En-gedi).
3
Yehoshafati akaogopa, akauelekeza uso wake amtafute Bwana; akatangaza mbiu ya watu kufunga katika Yuda yote.
Jehoshaphat was alarmed and set his face to seek the LORD. And he proclaimed a fast throughout Judah.
4
Yuda wakakusanyika pamoja ili wamtafute Bwana; hata kutoka miji yote ya Yuda wakaja kumtafuta Bwana.
So the people of Judah gathered to seek the LORD, and indeed, they came from all the cities of Judah to seek Him.
5
Yehoshafati akasimama kati ya kusanyiko la Yuda na Yerusalemu, nyumbani mwa Bwana, mbele ya ua mpya;
Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem in the house of the LORD in front of the new courtyard
6
akasema, Ee Bwana, Mungu wa baba zetu, si wewe uliye Mungu mbinguni? Tena si wewe utawalaye falme zote za mataifa? Na mkononi mwako mna uweza na nguvu, asiweze mtu ye yote kusimama kinyume chako.
and said, “O LORD, God of our fathers, are You not the God who is in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand, and no one can stand against You.
7
Si wewe, Ee Mungu wetu, uliyewafukuza wenyeji wa nchi hii mbele ya watu wako Israeli, ukawapa wazao wa Ibrahimu rafiki yako hata milele?
Our God, did You not drive out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham Your friend?
8
Nao walikaa humo, wamekujengea patakatifu pa jina lako humo, wakisema,
They have lived in the land and have built in it a sanctuary for Your Name, saying,
9
Yakitujia mabaya, upanga, hukumu, au tauni, au njaa, tutasimama mbele ya nyumba hii, na mbele zako, (maana jina lako limo katika nyumba hii), na kukulilia katika shida yetu, nawe utasikia na kuokoa.
‘If disaster comes upon us—whether sword or judgment, plague or famine—we will stand before this temple and before You, for Your Name is in this temple. We will cry out to You in our distress, and You will hear us and save us.’
10
Na sasa, tazama, wana wa Amoni, na Moabu, na wa mlima Seiri, ambao hukuwaacha Israeli waingie katika nchi yao, walipotoka nchi ya Misri; lakini wakawageukia mbali, wasiwaharibu;
And now, here are the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, whom You did not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt. So Israel turned away from them and did not destroy them.
11
tazama, jinsi wanavyotulipa, wakija kututupa toka milki yako, uliyoturithisha.
See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession that You gave us as an inheritance.
12
Ee Mungu wetu, je! Hutawahukumu? Maana sisi hatuna uwezo juu ya jamii kubwa hii, wanaotujia juu yetu; wala hatujui tufanyeje; lakini macho yetu yatazama kwako.
Our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this vast army that comes against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”
13
Wakasimama Yuda wote mbele za Bwana, pamoja na wadogo wao, na wake zao, na watoto wao.
Meanwhile all the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, were standing before the LORD.
14
Ndipo Yahazieli mwana wa Zekaria, mwana wa Benaya, mwana wa Yeieli, mwana wa Matania, Mlawi, wa wana wa Asafu, akajiliwa na roho ya Bwana, katikati ya kusanyiko;
Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite from Asaph’s descendants, as he stood in the midst of the assembly.
15
akasema, Sikieni, Yuda wote, nanyi mkaao Yerusalemu, na wewe mfalme Yehoshafati; Bwana awaambia hivi, Msiogope, wala msifadhaike kwa ajili ya jeshi kubwa hili; kwani vita si yenu bali ni ya Mungu.
And he said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the LORD says: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army, for the battle does not belong to you, but to God.
16
Kesho shukeni juu yao; tazameni, wanakwea kwa kupandia Sisi; nanyi mtawapata penye mwisho wa bonde, mbele ya jangwa la Yerueli.
Tomorrow you are to march down against them. You will see them coming up the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley facing the Wilderness of Jeruel.
17
Hamtahitaji kupigana vita, jipangeni, simameni, mkauone wokovu wa Bwana ulio pamoja nanyi, enyi Yuda na Yerusalemu; msiogope, wala msifadhaike; kesho tokeni juu yao; kwa kuwa Bwana yu pamoja nanyi.
You need not fight this battle. Take up your positions, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out and face them tomorrow, for the LORD is with you.’”
18
Yehoshafati akainama kichwa, kifulifuli; wakaanguka mbele za Bwana Yuda wote na wakaao Yerusalemu, wakimsujudia Bwana.
Then Jehoshaphat bowed facedown, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down before the LORD to worship Him.
19
Na Walawi, wa wana wa Wakohathi na wa wana wa Wakorahi, wakasimama ili wamsifu Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, kwa sauti kuu sana.
And the Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up to praise the LORD, the God of Israel, shouting in a very loud voice.
20
Wakaamka asubuhi na mapema, wakaenda nje katika jangwa la Tekoa; nao walipokuwa wakitoka, Yehoshafati akasimama, akasema, Nisikieni, enyi Yuda nanyi wenyeji wa Yerusalemu; mwaminini Bwana, Mungu wenu, ndivyo mtakavyothibitika; waaminini manabii wake, ndivyo mtakavyofanikiwa.
Early in the morning they got up and left for the Wilderness of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood up and said, “Hear me, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Believe in the LORD your God, and you will be upheld; believe in His prophets, and you will succeed.”
21
Naye alipokwisha kufanya shauri na watu, akawaweka wale watakaomwimbia Bwana, na kumsifu katika uzuri wa utakatifu, wakitoka mbele ya jeshi, na kusema, Mshukuruni Bwana; kwa maana fadhili zake ni za milele.
Then Jehoshaphat consulted with the people and appointed those who would sing to the LORD and praise the splendor of His holiness. As they went out before the army, they were singing: “Give thanks to the LORD, for His loving devotion endures forever.”
22
Nao walipoanza kuimba na kusifu, Bwana akaweka waviziao juu ya wana wa Amoni, na Moabu, na wa mlima Seiri, waliokuja juu ya Yuda; nao wakapigwa.
The moment they began their shouts and praises, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir who had come against Judah, and they were defeated.
23
Kwani wana wa Amoni na wa Moabu waliwaondokea wenyeji wa mlima Seiri kuwaulia mbali na kuwaharibu; nao walipokwisha kuwakomesha hao wakaao Seiri, wakajitia kuharibu kila mtu mwenziwe.
The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction. And when they had finished off the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.
24
Hata Yuda walipofika mnara wa kulindia wa jangwani, wakalitazama hilo jeshi; nao, angalia, walikuwa maiti walioanguka nchi, wala hapana aliyeokoka.
When the men of Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they looked for the vast army, but there were only corpses lying on the ground; no one had escaped.
25
Nao Yehoshafati na watu wake walipokuja kuchukua nyara zao, wakaona kati yao wingi wa mali, na mavazi, na johari za thamani, walivyojivulia, zaidi kuliko wawezavyo kuchukua; wakawa siku tatu katika kuteka nyara, maana zilikuwa nyingi sana.
Then Jehoshaphat and his people went to carry off the plunder, and they found on the bodies an abundance of goods and valuables—more than they could carry away. They were gathering the plunder for three days because there was so much.
26
Hata siku ya nne wakakusanyika katika bonde la Baraka; maana ndipo walipombarikia Bwana; kwa hiyo jina lake mahali pale pakaitwa Bonde la Baraka hata leo.
On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah, where they blessed the LORD. Therefore that place is called the Valley of Beracah to this day.
27
Kisha wakarudi, kila mtu wa Yuda na Yerusalemu, na Yehoshafati mbele yao, ili kuurudia Yerusalemu kwa furaha; kwa kuwa Bwana amewafurahisha juu ya adui zao.
Then all the men of Judah and Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat at their head, returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the LORD had made them rejoice over their enemies.
28
Wakafika Yerusalemu wenye vinanda vinubi na mapanda kwenda nyumbani kwa Bwana.
So they entered Jerusalem and went into the house of the LORD with harps, lyres, and trumpets.
29
Ikawa hofu ya Mungu juu ya falme zote za nchi, waliposikia ya kuwa Bwana amepigana juu ya adui za Israeli.
And the fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of the lands when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel.
30
Basi ukatulia ufalme wake Yehoshafati; kwa sababu Mungu wake alimstarehesha pande zote.
Then Jehoshaphat’s kingdom was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.
31
Yehoshafati akatawala juu ya Yuda; alikuwa na umri wa miaka thelathini na mitano alipoanza kutawala, akatawala miaka ishirini na mitano huko Yerusalemu; na jina la mamaye aliitwa Azuba binti Shilhi.
So Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi.
32
Akaiendea njia ya Asa babaye, wala hakuiacha, akifanya yaliyo mema machoni pa Bwana.
And Jehoshaphat walked in the way of his father Asa and did not turn away from it; he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD.
33
Lakini mahali pa juu hapakuondolewa; wala mioyo ya watu bado haijakazwa kwa Mungu wa baba zao.
The high places, however, were not removed; the people had not yet set their hearts on the God of their fathers.
34
Na mambo yote ya Yehoshafati yaliyosalia, ya kwanza na ya mwisho, angalia, yameandikwa katika tarehe ya Yehu mwana wa Hanani, iliyotiwa katika kitabu cha wafalme wa Israeli.
As for the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, from beginning to end, they are indeed written in the Chronicles of Jehu son of Hanani, which are recorded in the Book of the Kings of Israel.
35
Baada ya hayo Yehoshafati mfalme wa Yuda akapatana na Ahazia mfalme wa Israeli; naye huyo ndiye aliyefanya mabaya mno;
Later, Jehoshaphat king of Judah made an alliance with Ahaziah king of Israel, who acted wickedly.
36
akapatana naye kufanya merikebu za kuendea Tarshishi; wakazifanya merikebu zile huko Esion-geberi.
They agreed to make ships to go to Tarshish, and these were built in Ezion-geber.
37
Ndipo Eliezeri mwana wa Dodavahu wa Maresha akatoa unabii juu ya Yehoshafati, akasema, Kwa sababu umepatana na Ahazia, Bwana amezivunja-vunja kazi zako. Zikavunjika merikebu, zisiweze kufika Tarshishi. </p>
Then Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has destroyed your works.” So the ships were wrecked and were unable to sail to Tarshish.