1
Basi Abiya akalala na baba zake, wakamzika mjini mwa Daudi, akatawala Asa mwanawe mahali pake; katika siku zake nchi ikastarehe miaka kumi.
Then Abijah rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David. And his son Asa reigned in his place, and in his days the land was at peace for ten years.
2
Basi, Asa akafanya yaliyo mema, yaliyo ya adili, machoni pa Bwana, Mungu wake;
And Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God.
3
maana aliziondoa madhabahu za kigeni, na mahali pa juu, akazivunja nguzo, akayakata-kata maashera;
He removed the foreign altars and high places, shattered the sacred pillars, and chopped down the Asherah poles.
4
akawaamuru Yuda wamtafute Bwana, Mungu wa baba zao, na kuzitenda torati na amri.
He commanded the people of Judah to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, and to observe the law and the commandments.
5
Tena akaondoa kutoka miji yote ya Yuda mahali pa juu na sanamu za jua; ufalme ukastarehe mbele yake.
He also removed the high places and incense altars from all the cities of Judah, and under him the kingdom was at peace.
6
Akajenga miji yenye maboma katika Yuda; kwa kuwa nchi ilikuwa imestarehe, wala hakuwa na vita miaka ile; kwa sababu Bwana amemstarehesha.
Because the land was at peace, Asa built fortified cities in Judah. In those days no one made war with him, because the LORD had given him rest.
7
Naye akawaambia Yuda, Na tuijenge miji hii, na kuizungushia maboma, na minara, na malango, na makomeo; nchi bado ikalipo mbele yetu, kwa kuwa tumemtafuta Bwana, Mungu wetu; naam, tumemtafuta, naye amemstarehesha pande zote. Basi wakajenga, wakafanikiwa.
So he said to the people of Judah, “Let us build these cities and surround them with walls and towers, with doors and bars. The land is still ours because we have sought the LORD our God. We have sought Him, and He has given us rest on every side.” So they built and prospered.
8
Naye Asa alikuwa na jeshi waliochukua ngao na mikuki, katika Yuda mia tatu elfu; na katika Benyamini wenye kuchukua vigao na kupinda upinde, mia mbili na themanini elfu; hao wote walikuwa mashujaa.
Asa had an army of 300,000 men from Judah bearing large shields and spears, and 280,000 men from Benjamin bearing small shields and drawing the bow. All these were mighty men of valor.
9
Kisha, akatoka juu yao Zera Mkushi, mwenye jeshi elfu elfu, na magari mia tatu; akaja Maresha.
Then Zerah the Cushite came against them with an army of 1,000,000 men and 300 chariots, and they advanced as far as Mareshah.
10
Akatoka Asa amlaki, wakapanga vita Maresha bondeni mwa Sefatha.
So Asa marched out against him and lined up in battle formation in the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah.
11
Naye Asa akamlilia Bwana, Mungu wake, akasema, Bwana, hapana kuliko wewe aliye wa kusaidia, kati yake yeye aliye hodari, na yeye asiye na nguvu; utusaidie, Ee Bwana, Mungu wetu; kwa kuwa sisi twakutegemea wewe, na kwa jina lako tumekuja juu ya jamii kubwa hii. Ee Bwana, wewe ndiwe Mungu wetu, asikushinde mwanadamu.
Then Asa cried out to the LORD his God: “O LORD, there is no one besides You to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on You, and in Your name we have come against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God. Do not let a mere mortal prevail against You.”
12
Basi, Bwana akawapiga Wakushi mbele ya Asa, na mbele ya Yuda; na Wakushi wakakimbia.
So the LORD struck down the Cushites before Asa and Judah, and the Cushites fled.
13
Asa na watu waliokuwa pamoja naye wakawafuata mpaka Gerari; nao wengi wakaanguka wa Wakushi hata wasiweze kupona; kwa sababu waliangamizwa mbele za Bwana, na mbele ya jeshi lake; na hao wakachukua mateka mengi sana.
Then Asa and his army pursued them as far as Gerar. The Cushites fell and could not recover, for they were crushed before the LORD and His army. So the people of Judah carried off a great amount of plunder
14
Wakaipiga miji yote kando-kando ya Gerari; maana hofu ya Bwana ikawajia; nao wakaiteka nyara miji yote, kwa maana zilikuwamo ndani yake nyara nyingi mno.
and attacked all the cities around Gerar, because the terror of the LORD had fallen upon them. They plundered all the cities, since there was much plunder there.
15
Wakazipiga pia hema za ng'ombe, wakachukua kondoo wengi na ngamia, wakarudi Yerusalemu.
They also attacked the tents of the herdsmen and carried off many sheep and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.