1
Rehoboamu akaenda Shekemu; maana Israeli wote walikuwa wamekwenda Shekemu, ili kumfanya mfalme.
Then Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone there to make him king.
2
Ikawa Yeroboamu mwana wa Nebati alipopata habari (maana alikuwa akaliko Misri, huko alikokimbilia awe mbali na mfalme Sulemani; Yeroboamu akakaa huko Misri,
When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard about this, he was still in Egypt where he had fled from King Solomon and had been living ever since.
3
wakapeleka watu kwenda kumwita); basi Yeroboamu na jamii yote ya Israeli wakaenda, wakamwambia Rehoboamu, wakasema,
So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and the whole assembly of Israel came to Rehoboam and said,
4
Baba yako alilifanya zito kongwa letu; basi sasa utupunguzie utumwa mzito tuliotumikishwa na baba yako, na lile kongwa zito alilotutwika, nasi tutakutumikia.
“Your father put a heavy yoke on us. But now you must lighten the burden of your father’s service and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”
5
Akawaambia, Enendeni zenu hata siku ya tatu, kisha mnirudie tena. Watu wakaenda zao.
Rehoboam answered, “Go away for three days and then return to me.” So the people departed.
6
Mfalme Rehoboamu akataka shauri kwa wazee waliokuwa wakisimama mbele ya Sulemani, baba yake, alipokuwa hai, akasema, Mwanipa shauri gani ili niwajibu watu hawa?
Then King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. “How do you advise me to respond to these people?” he asked.
7
Wakamwambia wakasema, Ukikubali kuwa mtumishi wa watu hawa leo, na kuwatumikia, na kuwajibu, na kuwapa maneno mazuri, basi watakuwa watumishi wako daima.
They replied, “If you will be a servant to these people and serve them this day, and if you will respond by speaking kind words to them, they will be your servants forever.”
8
Lakini akaliacha shauri lile la wazee, walilompa, akataka shauri kwa wale vijana waliokua pamoja naye, na kusimama mbele yake.
But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders; instead, he consulted the young men who had grown up with him and served him.
9
Akawaambia, Mwanipa shauri gani ili tuwajibu watu hawa, waliosema nami, wakinena Utufanyie jepesi kongwa lile alilotutwika baba yako?
He asked them, “What message do you advise that we send back to these people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke your father put on us’?”
10
Na wale vijana waliokua pamoja naye wakamwambia, wakasema, Uwaambie hivi watu wale waliokuambia, wakisema, Baba yako alilifanya zito kongwa letu, bali wewe utufanyie jepesi, uwaambie hivi, Kidole changu cha mwisho ni kinene kuliko kiuno cha baba yangu.
The young men who had grown up with him replied, “This is how you should answer these people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you must make it lighter.’ This is what you should tell them: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist!
11
Basi kama vile baba yangu alivyowatwika kongwa zito, mimi nitaongeza kongwa lenu; baba yangu aliwapiga kwa mijeledi, bali mimi nitawapigeni kwa nge.
Whereas my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. Whereas my father scourged you with whips, I will scourge you with scorpions.’”
12
Basi, Yeroboamu na watu wote wakamfikia Rehoboamu siku ya tatu, kama mfalme alivyoamuru, akisema, Mnirudie siku ya tatu.
After three days, Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, since the king had said, “Come back to me on the third day.”
13
Mfalme akawajibu watu wale kwa ukali, akaliacha shauri lile wazee walilompa;
And the king answered the people harshly. He rejected the advice of the elders
14
akawajibu kama vile walivyomshauri vijana, akasema, Baba yangu alilifanya zito kongwa lenu, bali mimi nitaongeza kongwa lenu; baba yangu aliwapiga kwa mijeledi, bali mimi nitawapigeni kwa nge.
and spoke to them as the young men had advised, saying, “Whereas my father made your yoke heavy, I will add to your yoke. Whereas my father scourged you with whips, I will scourge you with scorpions.”
15
Basi mfalme hakuwasikia wale watu; maana jambo hili lilitoka kwa Bwana, ili alitimize neno lake, Bwana alilomwambia Yeroboamu mwana wa Nebati kwa kinywa cha Ahiya Mshiloni.
So the king did not listen to the people, and indeed this turn of events was from the LORD, to fulfill the word He had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah the Shilonite.
16
Basi Israeli wote walipoona ya kuwa mfalme hakuwasikia, hao watu walimjibu mfalme, wakasema, Tuna sehemu gani katika Daudi? Wala hatuna urithi katika mwana wa Yese. Haya! Nendeni zenu hemani kwenu, enyi Israeli; sasa itunze nyumba yako mwenyewe, Ee Daudi. Hivyo Israeli wakaenda zao hemani kwao.
When all Israel saw that the king had refused to listen to them, they answered the king: “What portion do we have in David, and what inheritance in the son of Jesse? To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, O David!” So the Israelites went home,
17
Lakini kwa habari za wana wa Israeli waliokaa katika miji ya Yuda, Rehoboamu aliwatawala wao.
but Rehoboam still reigned over the Israelites living in the cities of Judah.
18
Ndipo mfalme Rehoboamu akampeleka Adoramu, aliyekuwa juu ya shokoa, nao Israeli wote wakampiga kwa mawe hata akafa. Mfalme Rehoboamu akafanya haraka kupanda katika gari, ili akimbilie Yerusalemu.
Then King Rehoboam sent out Adoram, who was in charge of the forced labor, but all Israel stoned him to death. And King Rehoboam mounted his chariot in haste and escaped to Jerusalem.
19
Hivyo Israeli wakaasi juu ya nyumba ya Daudi hata leo.
So to this day Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David.
20
Ikawa, Israeli wote waliposikia ya kwamba Yeroboamu amerudi, wakapeleka watu wakamwita aje mkutanoni, wakamfanya mfalme juu ya Israeli wote; wala hapakuwa na mtu aliyeshikamana na nyumba ya Daudi, ila kabila ya Yuda peke yake.
When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they summoned him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah followed the house of David.
21
Hata Rehoboamu alipofika Yerusalemu, akakusanya nyumba yote ya Yuda, pamoja na kabila ya Benyamini, watu wateule mia na themanini elfu, waliokuwa watu wa vita, ili wapigane na nyumba ya Israeli, waurudishe ufalme tena kwa Rehoboamu mwana wa Sulemani.
And when Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mobilized the whole house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin—180,000 chosen warriors—to fight against the house of Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam son of Solomon.
22
Lakini likaja neno la Mungu kwa Shemaya mtu wa Mungu, kusema,
But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God:
23
Mwambie Rehoboamu mwana wa Sulemani, mfalme wa Yuda, na jamaa yote ya Yuda na Benyamini, na watu waliosalia, ukisema,
“Tell Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah, all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and the rest of the people
24
Bwana asema hivi, Msiende, wala msipigane na ndugu zenu wana wa Israeli; rudini kila mtu nyumbani kwake; kwa kuwa jambo hili limetoka kwangu. Basi, wakalisikiliza neno la Bwana, wakarudi, wakaenda zao, sawasawa na neno la Bwana.
that this is what the LORD says: ‘You are not to go up and fight against your brothers, the Israelites. Each of you must return home, for this is My doing.’” So they listened to the word of the LORD and turned back according to the word of the LORD.
25
Ndipo Yeroboamu akajenga Shekemu katika milima ya Efraimu, akakaa huko. Akatoka huko akajenga Penueli.
Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. And from there he went out and built Penuel.
26
Yeroboamu akasema moyoni mwake, Basi ufalme utairudia nyumba ya Daudi.
Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom might revert to the house of David.
27
Kama watu hawa wakipanda kwenda kutoa dhabihu katika nyumba ya Bwana huko Yerusalemu, ndipo mioyo ya watu hawa itamrudia bwana wao, yaani Rehoboamu, mfalme wa Yuda; nao wataniua mimi, na kumrudia Rehoboamu, mfalme wa Yuda.
If these people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, their hearts will return to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah; then they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.”
28
Kwa hiyo mfalme akafanya shauri, akafanyiza ng'ombe wawili wa dhahabu, akawaambia watu, Ni vigumu kwenu kupanda kwenda Yerusalemu; tazama, hii ndiyo miungu yenu, enyi Israeli, iliyowapandisha kutoka nchi ya Misri.
After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves and said to the people, “Going up to Jerusalem is too much for you. Here, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.”
29
Akamweka mmoja katika Betheli, na wa pili akamweka katika Dani.
One calf he set up in Bethel, and the other in Dan.
30
Jambo hili likawa dhambi, maana watu walikwenda kuabudu mbele ya kila mmoja, hata huko Dani.
And this thing became a sin; the people walked as far as Dan to worship before one of the calves.
31
Tena akafanya nyumba za mahali pa juu, akafanya na watu wo wote, watu wasio wa wana wa Lawi, kuwa makuhani.
Jeroboam also built shrines on the high places and appointed from every class of people priests who were not Levites.
32
Yeroboamu akaamuru kushika sikukuu katika mwezi wa nane, siku ya kumi na tano ya mwezi, mfano wa sikukuu iliyokuwa katika Yuda, akapanda juu ili kuiendea madhabahu. Akafanya vivyo katika Betheli akiwatolea dhabihu wale ng'ombe aliowafanya; akawaweka katika Betheli wale makuhani wa mahali pa juu alipokuwa amepafanya.
And Jeroboam ordained a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the feast that was in Judah, and he offered sacrifices on the altar; he made this offering in Bethel to sacrifice to the calves he had set up, and he installed priests in Bethel for the high places he had set up.
33
Akatoa dhabihu juu ya ile madhabahu aliyoifanya katika Betheli, siku ya kumi na tano ya mwezi wa nane, mwezi aliouwaza moyoni mwake mwenyewe; akawaamuru wana wa Israeli waishike sikukuu hiyo, akapanda kuiendea madhabahu, ili kufukiza uvumba.
On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, a month of his own choosing, Jeroboam offered sacrifices on the altar he had set up in Bethel. So he ordained a feast for the Israelites, offered sacrifices on the altar, and burned incense.