1
Hezekia akatuma wajumbe kwa Israeli wote na Yuda pia; akawaandikia nyaraka Efraimu na Manase, waje nyumbani kwa Bwana Yerusalemu, ili wamfanyie pasaka Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli.
Then Hezekiah sent word throughout all Israel and Judah, and he also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh inviting them to come to the house of the LORD in Jerusalem to keep the Passover of the LORD, the God of Israel.
2
Kwa maana mfalme na wakuu wake, na kusanyiko lote katika Yerusalemu walifanya shauri kufanya pasaka mwezi wa pili.
For the king and his officials and the whole assembly in Jerusalem had decided to keep the Passover in the second month,
3
Kwa sababu hawakuweza kuifanya wakati ule, kwa kuwa makuhani walikuwa hawajajitakasa wa kutosha, wala watu hawajakusanyika huko Yerusalemu.
since they had been unable to keep it at the regular time, because not enough priests had consecrated themselves and the people had not been gathered in Jerusalem.
4
Likawa neno jema machoni pa mfalme, na kusanyiko lote.
This plan pleased the king and the whole assembly.
5
Basi wakafanya amri kupiga mbiu kati ya Israeli yote, toka Beer-sheba mpaka Dani, ya kwamba watu waje wamfanyie pasaka Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, huko Yerusalemu; maana tangu siku nyingi hawakuifanya kama vile ilivyoandikwa.
So they established a decree to circulate a proclamation throughout Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, that the people should come to keep the Passover of the LORD, the God of Israel, in Jerusalem. For they had not observed it in great numbers as prescribed.
6
Wakaenda matarishi wenye nyaraka za mfalme na wakuu wake, kati ya Israeli yote na Yuda, na kwa amri ya mfalme, kusema, Enyi wana wa Israeli, mrudieni Bwana, Mungu wa Ibrahimu, na Isaka, na Israeli, apate kuwarudia waliosalia wenu waliookoka mikononi mwa wafalme wa Ashuru.
At the command of the king, the couriers went throughout Israel and Judah with letters from the king and his officials, which read: “Children of Israel, return to the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, so that He may return to those of you who remain, who have escaped the grasp of the kings of Assyria.
7
Wala msiwe kama baba zenu, na kama ndugu zenu, waliomwasi Bwana, Mungu wa baba zao, hata akawatoa kuwa ushangao, kama mwonavyo.
Do not be like your fathers and brothers who were unfaithful to the LORD, the God of their fathers, so that He made them an object of horror, as you can see.
8
Msiwe sasa wenye shingo ngumu kama baba zenu; lakini mjitoe kwa Bwana, mkaingie katika patakatifu pake, alipopatakasa milele, mkamtumikie Bwana, Mungu wenu, hasira yake kali iwageukie mbali.
Now do not stiffen your necks as your fathers did. Submit to the LORD and come to His sanctuary, which He has consecrated forever. Serve the LORD your God, so that His fierce anger will turn away from you.
9
Kwa kuwa mkimrudia Bwana, ndugu zenu na watoto wenu watahurumiwa machoni pa hao waliowachukua mateka, nao watairudia nchi hii; kwa kuwa Bwana, Mungu wenu, ndiye mwenye neema, na mwenye rehema, wala hatawageuzia mbali uso wake, mkimrudia.
For if you return to the LORD, your brothers and sons will receive mercy in the presence of their captors and will return to this land. For the LORD your God is gracious and merciful; He will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him.”
10
Basi matarishi wakapita mji kwa mji kati ya nchi ya Efraimu na Manase, hata kufika Zabuloni; lakini waliwacheka-cheka, na kuwadhihaki.
And the couriers traveled from city to city through the land of Ephraim and Manasseh as far as Zebulun, but the people scorned and mocked them.
11
Ila watu wengine wa Asheri, na wa Manase, na wa Zabuloni walijinyenyekeza, wakaja Yerusalemu.
Nevertheless, some from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem.
12
Tena katika Yuda mkono wa Mungu ulikuwa ukiwapa moyo mmoja, waitimize amri ya mfalme na wakuu kwa neno la Bwana.
Moreover, the power of God was on the people in Judah to give them one heart to obey the command of the king and his officials according to the word of the LORD.
13
Basi wakakusanyika Yerusalemu watu wengi ili kuifanya sikukuu ya mikate isiyochachwa katika mwezi wa pili, kusanyiko kuu sana.
In the second month, a very great assembly gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
14
Wakainuka, wakaziondoa madhabahu zilizokuwamo Yerusalemu, nazo madhabahu za kufukizia wakaziondoa, wakazitupa katika kijito Kidroni.
They proceeded to remove the altars in Jerusalem and to take away the incense altars and throw them into the Kidron Valley.
15
Kisha wakaichinja pasaka siku ya kumi na nne ya mwezi wa pili, nao makuhani na Walawi wakatahayarika, wakajitakasa, wakaleta sadaka za kuteketezwa nyumbani mwa Bwana.
And on the fourteenth day of the second month they slaughtered the Passover lamb. The priests and Levites were ashamed, and they consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the house of the LORD.
16
Wakasimama mahali pao kwa taratibu yao, sawasawa na torati ya Musa, mtu wa Mungu; nao makuhani wakainyunyiza damu, waliyoipokea mikononi mwa Walawi.
They stood at their prescribed posts, according to the Law of Moses the man of God. The priests splattered the blood, which they received from the hand of the Levites.
17
Kwa maana kulikuwa na wengi katika kusanyiko ambao hawajajitakasa; kwa hiyo Walawi wakamchinjia pasaka, kila mtu asiyekuwa safi, ili kuwatakasa kwa Bwana.
Since there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves, the Levites were in charge of slaughtering the Passover lambs for every unclean person to consecrate the lambs to the LORD.
18
Kwani wingi wa watu, naam, wengi wa Efraimu, na wa Manase, na wa Isakari, na wa Zabuloni, hawakujisafisha, lakini wakala pasaka, ila si kama ilivyoandikwa. Naye Hezekia alikuwa amewaombea, akisema, Bwana mwema na amsamehe kila mtu,
A large number of the people—many from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun—had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover, contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah interceded for them, saying, “May the LORD, who is good, provide atonement for everyone
19
aukazaye moyo wake kumtafuta Mungu, Bwana, Mungu wa babaze, hata ikiwa si kwa utakaso wa patakatifu.
who sets his heart on seeking God—the LORD, the God of his fathers—even if he is not cleansed according to the purification rules of the sanctuary.”
20
Bwana akamsikia Hezekia, akawaponya watu.
And the LORD heard Hezekiah and healed the people.
21
Nao wana wa Israeli waliohudhuria Yerusalemu wakafanya sikukuu ya mikate isiyochachwa siku saba kwa furaha kubwa; Walawi na makuhani wakamsifu Bwana siku kwa siku, wakimwimbia Bwana kwa vinanda vyenye sauti kuu.
The Israelites who were present in Jerusalem celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy, and the Levites and priests praised the LORD day after day, accompanied by loud instruments of praise to the LORD.
22
Hezekia akawafurahisha mioyo Walawi wote waliokuwa wastadi wa kumtumikia Bwana. Basi muda wa siku saba wakala sikukuu, wakitoa dhabihu za sadaka za amani, na kumtolea shukrani Bwana, Mungu wa baba zao.
And Hezekiah encouraged all the Levites who performed skillfully before the LORD. For seven days they ate their assigned portion, sacrificing peace offerings and giving thanks to the LORD, the God of their fathers.
23
Na kusanyiko lote wakafanya shauri kufanya sikukuu siku saba nyingine; wakafanya sikukuu siku saba nyingine kwa furaha.
The whole assembly agreed to observe seven more days, so they observed seven days with joy.
24
Maana Hezekia, mfalme wa Yuda, aliwatolea kusanyiko matoleo ya ng'ombe elfu, na kondoo elfu saba; na wakuu wakawatolea kusanyiko ng'ombe elfu, na kondoo elfu kumi; tena wakajitakasa makuhani wengi sana.
For Hezekiah king of Judah contributed a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep for the assembly, and the officials contributed a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep for the assembly, and a great number of priests consecrated themselves.
25
Na kusanyiko lote la Yuda, pamoja na makuhani na Walawi, na kusanyiko lote waliotoka Israeli, na wageni waliotoka katika nchi ya Israeli, nao waliokaa Yuda, wakafurahi.
Then the whole assembly of Judah rejoiced along with the priests and Levites and the whole assembly that had come from Israel, including the foreigners who had come from Israel and those who lived in Judah.
26
Ikawa furaha kuu katika Yerusalemu; kwa sababu tangu siku za Sulemani mwana wa Daudi, mfalme wa Israeli, hayajakuwako mambo kama hayo huko Yerusalemu.
So there was great rejoicing in Jerusalem, for nothing like this had happened there since the days of Solomon son of David king of Israel.
27
Ndipo wakasimama makuhani Walawi, wakawabariki watu; ikasikiwa sauti yao, sala yao ikafika hata makao yake matakatifu, yaani, mbinguni.
Then the priests and the Levites stood to bless the people, and God heard their voice, and their prayer came into His holy dwelling place in heaven.