1 Wafalme 12
1 Rehoboamu akaenda Shekemu, kwa kuwa Israeli yote walikuwa wameenda Shekemu kumfanya awe mfalme.
Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel was coming to Shechem to make him king.
2 Ikatokea kuwa Yeroboamu mwana wa Nebati akayasikia haya (Kwa kuwa alikuwa bado yuko Misri, ambako alikuwa amekimbilia kumkwepa mfalme Sulemani), Kwani Yeroboamu alikuwa anaishi Misri.
It happened that Jeroboam son of Nebat heard of this (for he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of King Solomon), for Jeroboam had settled down in Egypt.
3 Kwa hiyo wakatuma watu kumwita, na Yeroboamu pamoja na mkutano wote wa Israeli wakaja wakamwambia Rehoboamu,
So they sent and called him, and Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and said to Rehoboam,
4 Baba yako aliifanya nira yetu kuwa nzito. Sasa ifanye kazi ngumu ya baba yako kuwa nyepesi kuliko nira ngumu ambayo baba yako alituwekea, nasi tutakutumikia.”
“Your father made our yoke heavy. Now make lighter the hard work of your father and make lighter the heavy yoke that he put on us, and we will serve you.”
5 Naye Rehobiamu akawaambia, “Ondokeni kwa siku tatu, kisha nirudieni.” Kwa hiyo watu wakaondoka.
Rehoboam said to them, “Go away for three days, then come back to me.” So the people went away.
6 Mfalme Rehoboamu akatafuta ushauri kwa wazee waliokuwa wamesimama mbele ya Sulemani baba yake wakati wa uhai wake, naye akasema, “mnanishauri niwajibuje hawa watu?”
King Rehoboam consulted with the old men who had stood before Solomon his father while he was alive, and he said, “How do you advise me to answer this people?”
7 Nao wakamwambia, “Kama wewe utakuwa mtumishi wa hawa watu na akawatumikia, na akawapa majibu ya maneno mema, ndipo watakapokuwa watumishi wako daima.”
They spoke to him and said, “If you will be a servant today to these people and serve them, and answer them by saying good words to them, then they will always be your servants.”
8 Lakini Rehoboamu akapuuzia ushauri aliopewa na wazee na akaenda kuomba ushauri kwa vijana ambao alikua pamoja nao wakasimama mbele yake.
But Rehoboam ignored the advice that the old men had given him and he consulted with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him.
9 Akawaambia, “Mnanipa ushauri gani ili niweze kuwajibu hawa watu waliosema nami kwamba, 'ifanye nyepesi nira ambayo baba yako alituwekea'”
He said to them, “What advice do you give me that we may answer the people who spoke to me and said, 'Lighten the yoke that your father put on us'?”
10 Wale vijana waliokua pamoja na Rehoboamu wakamjibu, wakisema, “Waambie hawa watu kuwa baba yako Sulemani aliifanya nira yenu kuwa nzito lakini ninyi wenyewe mnaweza kuifanya rahisi. Uwaambie hivi, 'Kidole changu kidogo ni kinene kuliko kiuno cha baba yangu.
The young men who had grown up with Rehoboam spoke to him, saying, “Speak to these people who told you that your father Solomon made their yoke heavy but that you must make it lighter. You should say to them, 'My little finger is thicker than my father's waist.
11 Kwa hiyo sasa, ingawa baba yangu aliwatwika kongwa zito, Mimi nitaiongeza kongwa lenu. Baba yangu aliwaadhibu kwa mijeredi, Lakini mimi nitawaadhibu kwa nge.'”
So now, although my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father punished you with whips, but I will punish you with scorpions.'”
12 Kwa hiyo siku ya tatu Yeroboamu na watu wote wakaja kwa Rehoboamu, kama mfalme alivyokuwa amewaelekeza aliposema, “mrudi kwangu siku ya tatu.”
So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king had instructed when he said, “Come back to me on the third day.”
13 Naye mfalme akawaambia wale watu kwa ukali na akapuuzia ushauri wa wale wazee ule waliokuwa wamempatia.
The king answered the people roughly and ignored the advice of the old men that they had given him.
14 Akawaambia akifuata ushauri wa wale vijana; akasema, “Baba yangu aliwatwika kongwa zito, lakini mimi nitaongeze kongwa lenu. Baba yangu aliwaadhibu kwa mijeredi, mimi nitawaadhibu kwa nge.”
He spoke to them following the advice of the young men; he said, “My father burdened you with a heavy yoke, but I will add to your yoke. My father punished you with whips, but I will punish you with scorpions.”
15 Kwa hiyo mfalme hakuwasikiliza wale watu, kwa kuwa ilikuwa zamu ya tukio lililoletwa na BWANA, ili kwamba aweze kulitimiza neno lake ambalo alikuwa amelisema kupitia Ahiya.
So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of events brought about by Yahweh, that he might carry out his word that he had spoken by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.
16 Israeli yote ilipoona kuwa mfalme hakuwasikiliza, watu wakamjibu wakimwambia, “Je, tuna sehemu gani kwa Daudi? Hatuna urithi kwa mwana wa Yese! Nenda kwenye hema zako, ewe Israeli. Sasa tazama kwenye nyumba yako, Daudi.” Kwa hiyo Israeli akarudi kwenye hema zake.
When all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered him and said, “What share do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse! Go to your tents, Israel. Now see to your own house, David.” So Israel went back to their tents.
17 Lakini kwa watu wa Israeli waliokuwa wakiishi kwenye miji ya Yuda, Rehoboamu akawa mfalme juu yao.
But as for the people of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam became king over them.
18 Kisha mfalme Rehoboamu akamtuma Adoramu, aliyekuwa juu ya shokoa, lakini Waisraeli wote wakampiga kwa mawe wakamwua kwa mawe. Mflme Rehoboamu akakimbia haraka kwa gari lake kwenda Yerusalemu.
Then King Rehoboam sent Adoniram, who was over the forced laborers, but all Israel stoned him to death with stones. King Rehoboam fled quickly in his chariot to Jerusalem.
19 Kwa hiyo Israeli wakawa wapinzani dhidi ya nyumba ya Daudi mpaka leo.
So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.
20 Ndipo Israeli yote waliposikia kuwa Yeroboamu alikuwa amerudi, walimwita kwenye kusanyiko lao wakamweka kuwa mfalme wa Israeli. Hapakuwepo na mtu aliyeifuata familia ya Daudi, isipokuwa tu kabila la Yuda.
It happened that when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to their assembly and made him king over all Israel. There was no one who followed the family of David, except only the tribe of Judah.
21 Rehoboamu alipofika Yerusalemu, akawakusanya wote wa nyumba ya Yuda na kabila la Benjamini; walichaguliwa wanaume wanajeshi 180, 000 ili wapigane na nyumba ya Israeli, kwa lengo la kurudisha ufalme kwa Rehoboamu mwana wa Sulemani.
When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin; there were 180,000 chosen men who were soldiers, to fight against the house of Israel, to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam son of Solomon.
22 Lakini neno la Mungu likamjia Shemaya, mtu wa Mungu; likisema,
But the word of God came to Shemaiah, the man of God; it said,
23 “Mwambie Rehoboamu mwana wa Sulemani, mfalme wa Yuda, na kwa nuymba yote ya Yuda na Benjamini, na kwa watu wote; uwaambie,
“Speak to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, to all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people; say,
24 “BWANA asema hivi, Usipigane wala kuwavamia ndugu zako watu wa Israeli. Kila mtu lazima arudi nyumbani kwake, kwa kuwa jambo hili nimelisababisha mimi.” Kwa hiyo wakalisikiliza neno la BWANA na wakrudi nyumbani kwa njia zao na wakalitii neno lake.
'Yahweh says this: You must not attack or fight against your brothers the people of Israel. Each man must return to his home, for this thing has been made to happen by me.'” So they listened to the word of Yahweh and turned back and went their way, and they obeyed his word.
25 Kisha Yeroboamu akaijenga Shekemu katika nchi ya milima ya Efraimu, na akaishi huko. Akatoka huko na kuijenga Penueli.
Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and lived there. He went out from there and built Peniel.
26 Yeroboamu akafikiri moyoni mwake, “Sasa ufalme utarudi kwenye nyumba ya Daudi.
Jeroboam thought in his heart, “Now the kingdom will return to the house of David.
27 Kama hawa watu wataenda kutoa sadaka kwenye hekalu la BWANA kule Yerusalemu, basi mioyo ya hawa watu itarudi tena kwa bwana wao, kwa Rehoboamu mfalme wa Yuda. Wataniua na kurudi kwa Rehoboamu mfalme wa Yuda.”
If these people go up to offer sacrifices in the temple of Yahweh at Jerusalem, then the heart of these people will turn again to their master, to Rehoboam king of Judah. They will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.”
28 Kwa hiyo mfalme Yeroboamu akatafuta ushauri na akafanya ndama wawili wa dhahabu; akawaambia watu, “Ni vigumu sana kwenu kwenda Yerusalemu. Tazameni, hawa ndiyo miungu yenu, Ee Israeli, iliyowatoa toka nchi ya Misri.”
So King Jeroboam sought advice and made two calves of gold; he said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Look, these are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.”
29 Akamweka mmoja Betheli na mwingine Dani.
He set up one in Bethel and the other in Dan.
30 Kwa hiyo jambo hili likawa dhambi. Watu wakaenda kwa huyo na wengine kwa hawa, mpaka huko Dani.
So this act became a sin. The people went to one or the other, all the way to Dan.
31 Yeroboamu akajenga nyumba mahali pa juu na kufanya makuhani kutoka kwa watu wote, ambao hawakuwa wana wa Lawi.
Jeroboam made houses on high places and he also made priests from among all the people, who were not among the sons of Levi.
32 Yeroboamu akafanya sikukuu katika mwezi wa nane, katika siku ya kumi na tano ya mwezi, kama sikukuu ambayo iko Yuda, na akaenda juu kwenye madhabahu. Akafanya hivyo kule Betheli, akawatolea sadaka wale ndama aliokuwa amewatengeneza, na akaweka kuhani huko Betheli mahali pa juu alipokuwa amepatengeneza.
Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast that is in Judah, and he went up to the altar. He did so at Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made, and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places he had made.
33 Yeroboamu akapanda kwenda kwenye madhabahu ambayo aliitengeneza kule Betheli katika siku ya kumi na tano ya mwezi wa nane, ndio mwezi aliokuwa amefikiri katika akili yake; akafanya sikukuu kwa watu wa Israeli n a akaenda madhabahuni kufukiza uvumba.
Jeroboam went up to the altar that he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, in the month he had planned in his own mind; he ordained a feast for the people of Israel and went up to the altar to burn incense.
