Bhokisi le Tjidumano lozhisiwa ku Ng'umba ye Ndzimu
(2 Zwiyitikalo 5:2—6:2)1 Ipapo Mambo Solomoni kadana sholotjena dze Iziraela, misholo yose ye njudzi na boshe be misha ye Iziraela kuti bazhe kunli ku Jerusalema kuti batole Bhokisi le Tjidumano tja Yahwe mu Ziyoni nzi nkulu wa Dafite, balizhise ku Ng'umba ya Yahwe. 2 Bathu bose bakakubunganila kuna Mambo Solomoni mu nsi we Nzano we Mishasha mu mwedzi we kutendeka we Ethanimu. 3 Sholotjena dzose dze Iziraela dzikazha, ngono bapirisiti bakatola Bhokisi le Tjidumano. 4 Bapirisiti ne Balevi bakatola Bhokisi le Tjidumano tja Yahwe ne nshasha we bushanganilo ne zwija zose zwakayengemala zwakabe zwili mu nshasha. 5 Ngono Mambo Solomoni ne gubungano lose le Baiziraela bakabe bakubunganila mbeli kukwe, bakabe banaye mbeli kwe Bhokisi le Tjidumano bepisa zwibhayilo zwe pkhwizi ne ng'ombe dze bunji gusibushoma, gusinga balike. 6 Ndizo bapirisiti bakatola Bhokisi le Tjidumano tja Yahwe bakalizhisa pa bugalo gwalo, pa bugalo gwakayengemala gutjamukati kwe Ng'umba ye Ndzimu, Bugalo gwakayengemala kupindisa, kusi kwe mapapilo e dzikherubhu. 7 Mapapilo e dzikherubhu akabe akaangama pezhugwi kwe bugalo gose gwe Bhokisi le Tjidumano kuyitila kuti dzikherubhu dzizwimbe kose ne mapango alakabe lakagadzikwa muali. 8 Ngono mapango akabe ali malefu kwakabe theswi dzawo dzakabe dziboneka uli pa bugalo gwakayengemala mbeli kwe Bugalo gwakayengemala kupindisa. Koga dzisingake dzikabong'wa nge ukuzhe. Ngono mapango iyawo atjiyapo na nasi. 9 Kwakabe kusina tjimwe mu Bhokisi le Tjidumano kuzhe kwe mabgwe mabili e zwileiti akabe alongwa ndi Mushe ku Horebu, Yahwe pabakathama tjidumano ne Baiziraela, basinobe babhuda mu shango ye Egipiti.
10 Kukati bapirisiti babhuda mu bugalo gwakayengemala, gole likazhala Ng'umba ya Yahwe. 11 Bapirisiti bakasitubule kuthama mishingo yabo ngekwe gole ilelo ngoti tjedza tja Yahwe tjakabe tjili zhele ng'umba ya Yahwe. 12 Ipapo Solomoni kati,
“Yahwe bakati banowogala mu zhalima lakati zwititi.
13 Tjoselele ndakamubakila ng'umba ye tjimo tjipezhugwi,
bugalo gwenyu gwamunogala mukati nge kusingapele.”
Solomoni unolebeleka ne bathu
(2 Zwiyitikalo 6:3-11)14 Kukati gubungano lose le Iziraela lili mile ipapo, Mambo Solomoni katendebuka kabakombolela. 15 Ngono kabe eti, “Ngakukudziwe Yahwe Ndzimu we Iziraela bati nge luboko gwabo bakashingikadza tjabakagadzabgwe tate bangu Dafite beti, 16 ‘Tjinga kwe zhuba landakadusa bathu bangu Baiziraela mu Egipiti, akuna nzi nkulu mu njudzi dzose dze Iziraela wandakashalulila kubakigwa ng'umba inowogala zina langu. Koga ndakashalula Dafite kubusa bathu bangu Baiziraela.’ 17 Kukagala kuli mu moyo wa tate bangu Dafite kuti banowobakila zina la Yahwe Ndzimu we Iziraela ng'umba. 18 Koga Yahwe bakadwa tate bangu Dafite bakati, ‘Kwakalulwama kuti kube kuli mu moyo uwo kuti ubakile zina langu ng'umba, 19 nenguba kwakajalo, aungabakile zina langu ng'umba, koga mwana uwo unowozwagwa ndiye unowobakila zina langu ng'umba.’ 20 Ngono ngwenu Yahwe bashingikadza kugadzabgwe, ngobe ndamuka mu bumo gwa tate bangu Dafite, agala mu tjigalo tje bushe gwe Iziraela Yahwe sekwa bakagadzabgwe, kakale ndabakila zina la Yahwe, Ndzimu we Iziraela ng'umba. 21 Ngwenu ndathamila Bhokisi le Tjidumano bugalo, ilo lakasenga tjidumano tja Yahwe tjabakathama nabo tate bedu, zhuba labaka badusa mu shango ye Egipiti.”
Ntembezelo wa Solomoni
(2 Zwiyitikalo 6:12-42)22 Ndizo Solomoni kama mbeli kwe tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo tja Yahwe, mbeli kwe gubungano lose le Iziraela, kamilidza maboko awe akaalingisa ku zhuzhugwi, 23 ngono katembezela eti, “Imwi Yahwe, Ndzimu we Iziraela, akuna Ndzimu unonga imwi kudzimu pezhugwi kene pasi mu shango, molondolodza tjidumano tjenyu ne ludo gusingazunguzike mu balanda benyu ha be muhwa nge moyo yabo yose. 24 Makalondolodza kugadzabgwe kwenyu kwamakagadzabgwe nlanda wenyu tate bangu Dafite, nasi mashingikadza dama lenyu limwe ne limwe nge masimba enyu. 25 Ndizo ngwenu, Yahwe, Ndzimu we Iziraela, londolodzani tjamakagadzabgwe nlanda wenyu tate bangu Dafite muti, ‘Akutowoshayika nlume mu zwizekugwana zwizo unowogala pa tjigalo tje bushe gwe Iziraela, ha bakololo babo banga be ne njele mu zila dzabo, beyenda mbeli kwangu sekwa wakabe uyenda mbeli kwangu iwe.’ 26 Ndizo ngwenu, imwi Ndzimu we Iziraela, thamani kuti kugadzabgwe kwamakagadzabgwe nlanda wenyu tate bangu Dafite kuzhadzisike.
27 “Apa dumbu Ndzimu ungagala mu shango kene? Naiko kudzimu na pezhugwizhugwi akungabe bugalo gwakamulizana. Ngono ng'umba iyeyi yandakabaka ina bukulu gungapani gwaingamulizana kene? 28 Nenguba kwakajalo Yahwe Ndzimu wangu, itilani hanya ntembezelo we nlanda wenyu muamutjile kukumbila kukwe ne ntembezelo waanotembezela mbeli kwenyu nasi, 29 kuti zhisho lenyu libe pezhugwi kwe ng'umba iyeyi siku ne sikati, bugalo igogu gwamakaleba muti, ‘Zina langu lowobe muili,’ ndizo muhwe ntembezelo unotembezegwa nge nlanda wenyu akalinga bugalo igogu. 30 Ihwani kukumbila kwe nlanda wenyu nekwe bathu benyu Baiziraela ha betembezela bakalinga bugalo igogu. Ihwani muli mu bugalo gwenyu kudzimu muamutjile mutizwiibhatigwe.
31 “Ha nthu atjinyila ikamu tjitje tjibe tjinlonga bhiso, ngono kube kuyi atune, ebe ezha etuna mbeli kwe tjibeso tjenyu tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo mu ng'umba iyeyi, 32 ipapo Yahwe, muhwe muli kudzimu mutole thambo. Sumikilisani balanda benyu, mulobe shamu una nlandu nge kunkhiga nlandu uwe mu nsholo, mubuzile nlulwami kuyenda nge ndulamo iye.
33 “Ha bathu benyu Baiziraela bamutjinyila, bebe bekundiwa nge zwita zwabo mbeli kwenyu, koga bebe beshandukila kumuli, bedana zina lenyu, betembezela bemukumbila bali mu ng'umba iyeyi, 34 mubahwe muli kudzimu, muzwiibhatigwe zwibi zwe bathu benyu Baiziraela, mube mubabgwiliza ku shango yamakapa bobatategulu babo.
35 “Ha kudzimu kwazhaligwa vula isingane ngobe bathu benyu bamutjinyila, ngono ha beshandukila zwibi zwabo, belinga ku ng'umba iyeyi, betembezela bedana zina lenyu, ngoti mubaloba, 36 mubahwe muli kudzimu, muzwiibhatigwe zwibi zwe balanda benyu Baiziraela. Mubadiye ndulamo, kuyenda mu zila yabakafanila yenda muili. Mube mubanisila vula mu shango yabo, yamakabapa kube thaka.
37 “Ha kuna bhamba mu shango, ha kuna bugwele kene mathunde ali zwimbubgwi kene ana hwuzwi kene ejiwa nge phashu kene nge zwikonyana, kene bathu banginiligwa nge zwita zwabo mu mizi yabo, kene kuna gatekate le bugwele kene kuna bugwele gwawa, 38 muhwe mitembezelo yabo. Ha mmwe we bathu benyu Baiziraela, ezha nge kuhwa zogwadza, bemilidzila maboko abo ku ng'umba iyeyi betembezela, 39 muhwe mitembezelo yabo. Mubahwe muli mu nzi wenyu kudzimu, mubabhatshe. Ndimwi moga munoziba zwimu moyo ye bathu. Mubhatshe nthu mmwe ne mmwe kuyendidzana ngokumbila kukwe. 40 Kuti ndizo bathu benyu bamuhwe mu zwibaka zose bali mu shango yamakapa bobatategulu bedu.
41 “Nenge ntaya usi we ludzi gwe bathu benyu Baiziraela, ha angazha edwa ku shango ikulekule, ezhila zina lenyu, 42 ahwa ngekwe zwithu zwikulu zwamakathamila bathu benyu nge luboko gwenyu gusingatayile pamwe, ezha kowotembezela mu ng'umba iyeyi, 43 munhwe muli mu bugalo gwenyu kudzimu. Ngono munthamile kuyendidzana ne sekwa kose ntaya amukumbila ndiko. Kuti ndizo bathu bose mu shango yose bazibe zina lenyu bamutje, sekwa bathu benyu Baiziraela bethama. Ne kuti bazibe kuti ng'umba iyeyi yandakabaka inodang'wa nge zina lenyu.
44 “Ha bathu benyu bebhuda beyenda ku ngwa, kunogwa ne zwita zwabo, bebe betembezela bakalinga nzi nkulu uwoyu wamakashalula ne ng'umba iyeyi yandakabakila zina lenyu, 45 muhwe mitembezelo ne kukumbila kwabo muli kudzimu, ngono mubape gwendo.
46 “Ha bathu benyu bangamuthamila tjibi, ngoti akuna nthu usingake kathama tjibi, ngono kube kuti nge bushongola gwenyu mube mubalonga mu maboko e zwita zwabo, kuti ndizo batapigwe ku shango ye zwita zwabo, kulekule kene pejopejo, 47 bebe beti bali ku shango yabakatapigwa ko bebe bemukumbula mu moyo yabo, ngono bebe beshanduka, bemutembezela bali mu shango ya bakatapigwa beti, ‘Takatjinya, ngono tikabhuda mu zila tikathama mbipo,’ 48 ha bashanduka mu mikumbulo yabo yose ne mu moyo yabo yose bali mu shango ye zwita zwabo, zwakabatapa, bebe betembezela bakalinga ku shango yabo yamakapa bobatategulu babo, nzi nkulu wamakashalula ne ku ng'umba iyeyi yandakabakila zina lenyu, 49 muhwe mitembezelo ne kukumbila kwabo muli mu bugalo gwenyu ku dzimu, mubahwile ngoni. 50 Muzwiibhatigwe zwibi zwabo ne kupanduka kwabo, mbeli kwe bakabatapa, kuti na ibo babahwile ngoni, 51 ngoti bathu benyu, lukata gwenyu, gwamakadusa mu Egipiti, mu bhuba puba le moto we tshipi.
52 “Mulinge kukumbila kwe nlanda wenyu ne kukumbila kwe bathu benyu Baiziraela nge mesho ana ngoni, mubahwilile ha bemudana. 53 Ngoti makabashalula mu zwitjaba zose zwe shango kube thaka yenyu sekwa makaleba kuna Mushe nlanda wenyu pamakadusa bobatategulu bedu mu Egipiti, imwi She Yahwe.”
Ntembezelo we bupelo
54 Kukati Solomoni apedza mitembezelo yose ne kukumbila kuna Yahwe, kamilika mbeli kwe tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo tja Yahwe paakabe akathigama akamilidzila maboko pezhugwi enamata. 55 Ngono kamilika kakumbilila gubungano lose le Iziraela makombolelo eti, 56 “Ngakukudziwe Yahwe bakanyatutusa bathu babo Baiziraela kuyendidzana ne kugadzabgwe kwabo kose, kusina ne dama ne ling'ompela lose le kugadzabgwe kwabo kwakanaka kwabakaleba na Mushe lakawila pasi. 57 Yahwe Ndzimu wedu ngababe naswi. Basitisiye kene kuli kutifupatila, 58 koga ngabashandulile moyo yedu ku bali kuti titobele zila dzabo dzose, ne kulondolodza milayo yabo yabakapa bobatategulu bedu. 59 Dzene matama e kukumbila kwangu kuna Yahwe, angabe pejo na Yahwe Ndzimu wedu siku ne sikati. Yahwe babe ne ngoni ne nlanda wabo nenge bathu babo Baiziraela, kuyendidzana ngoshaya kwabo zhuba ne zhuba. 60 Kuti ndizo zwitjaba zwe shango yose zwizibe kuti Yahwe ndibo Ndzimu bali boga akuna mmwe Ndzimu kakale. 61 Ndizo imwi bathu ba Yahwe, mudzikame mube ne lebeswa muna Yahwe Ndzimu wedu, mutobele ndaulo dzabo, mulondolodze milayo yabo, sekwa kuli iko nasi.”
Kupiwa kwe Ng'umba ye Ndzimu
(2 Zwiyitikalo 7:4-10)62 Ndizo Mambo Solomoni ne Iziraela yose naye, bakadusila Yahwe zwibhayilo. 63 Solomoni kadusila Yahwe zwibhayilo zwe shatho, ng'ombe dzili zwiwulu zwili makumi mabili ana kubili (22 000) ne pkhwizi dzili zwiwulu zwili zana lina makumi ali mabili (120 000). Mambo ne bathu bose be Iziraela bakabe betola ng'umba beipa Yahwe. 64 Mu zhuba ilo zwalo mambo bakayengemadza pakati kwe nsha wakabe uli mbeli kwe Ng'umba ye Ndzimu. Kapisila zwibhayilo zwinopisiwa ne tjipo tje mathunde ne mafuta e tjibhayilo tje shatho ipapo, ngobe tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo tje phangula tjakabe tjili mbeli kwa Yahwe tjakabe tjisakaswika kupisigwa zwipo zose zwakabe zwakafanila pisiwa. 65 Ipapo mu Ng'umba ye Ndzimu, Solomoni ne gubungano lose le Iziraela bakadwa babhata Nzano we Mishasha wakatola mazhuba ali kutendeka. Kwakabe kuli mbunga nkulu we bathu kudwa ku nkoba we Hamati kunoti ku n'gathu we Egipiti, bali mbeli kwa Yahwe, Ndzimu wedu. 66 Kukati mu zhuba le buzhanakadzi mambo kapaladza bathu. Bakapalala beyenda ku mizi yabo bakashatha bepululudza, bekudza mambo, mu bubuya gose Yahwe gwabakathamila nlanda wabo Dafite ne bathu babo Baiziraela.
The Covenant Box Is Brought to the Temple
(2 Chronicles 5.2—6.2)1 Then King Solomon summoned all the leaders of the tribes and clans of Israel to come to him in Jerusalem in order to take the Lord's Covenant Box from Zion, David's City, to the Temple. 2 They all assembled during the Festival of Shelters in the seventh month, in the month of Ethanim. 3 When all the leaders had gathered, the priests lifted the Covenant Box 4 and carried it to the Temple. The Levites and the priests also moved the Tent of the Lord's presence and all its equipment to the Temple. 5 King Solomon and all the people of Israel assembled in front of the Covenant Box and sacrificed a large number of sheep and cattle—too many to count. 6 Then the priests carried the Covenant Box into the Temple and put it in the Most Holy Place, beneath the winged creatures. 7 Their outstretched wings covered the box and the poles it was carried by. 8 The ends of the poles could be seen by anyone standing directly in front of the Most Holy Place, but from nowhere else. (The poles are still there today.) 9 There was nothing inside the Covenant Box except the two stone tablets which Moses had placed there at Mount Sinai, when the Lord made a covenant with the people of Israel as they were coming from Egypt.
10 As the priests were leaving the Temple, it was suddenly filled with a cloud 11 shining with the dazzling light of the Lord's presence, and they could not go back in to perform their duties. 12 Then Solomon prayed:
“You, Lord, have placed the sun in the sky,
yet you have chosen to live in clouds and darkness.
13 Now I have built a majestic temple for you,
a place for you to live in forever.”
Solomon's Address to the People
(2 Chronicles 6.3-11)14 As the people stood there, King Solomon turned to face them, and he asked God's blessing on them. 15 He said, “Praise the Lord God of Israel! He has kept the promise he made to my father David, when he told him, 16 ‘From the time I brought my people out of Egypt, I have not chosen any city in all the land of Israel in which a temple should be built where I would be worshiped. But I chose you, David, to rule my people.’”
17 And Solomon continued, “My father David planned to build a temple for the worship of the Lord God of Israel, 18 but the Lord said to him, ‘You were right in wanting to build a temple for me, 19 but you will never build it. It is your son, your own son, who will build my temple.’
20 “And now the Lord has kept his promise. I have succeeded my father as king of Israel, and I have built the Temple for the worship of the Lord God of Israel. 21 I have also provided a place in the Temple for the Covenant Box containing the stone tablets of the covenant which the Lord made with our ancestors when he brought them out of Egypt.”
Solomon's Prayer
(2 Chronicles 6.12-42)22 Then in the presence of the people Solomon went and stood in front of the altar, where he raised his arms 23 and prayed, “Lord God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven above or on earth below! You keep your covenant with your people and show them your love when they live in wholehearted obedience to you. 24 You have kept the promise you made to my father David; today every word has been fulfilled. 25 And now, Lord God of Israel, I pray that you will also keep the other promise you made to my father when you told him that there would always be one of his descendants ruling as king of Israel, provided they obeyed you as carefully as he did. 26 So now, O God of Israel, let everything come true that you promised to my father David, your servant.
27 “But can you, O God, really live on earth? Not even all of heaven is large enough to hold you, so how can this Temple that I have built be large enough? 28 Lord my God, I am your servant. Listen to my prayer, and grant the requests I make to you today. 29 Watch over this Temple day and night, this place where you have chosen to be worshiped. Hear me when I face this Temple and pray. 30 Hear my prayers and the prayers of your people when they face this place and pray. In your home in heaven hear us and forgive us.
31 “When a person is accused of wronging another and is brought to your altar in this Temple to take an oath that he is innocent, 32 O Lord, listen in heaven and judge your servants. Punish the guilty one as he deserves, and acquit the one who is innocent.
33 “When your people Israel are defeated by their enemies because they have sinned against you, and then when they turn to you and come to this Temple, humbly praying to you for forgiveness, 34 listen to them in heaven. Forgive the sins of your people and bring them back to the land which you gave to their ancestors.
35 “When you hold back the rain because your people have sinned against you, and then when they repent and face this Temple, humbly praying to you, 36 listen to them in heaven. Forgive the sins of the king and of the people of Israel, and teach them to do what is right. Then, O Lord, send rain on this land of yours, which you gave to your people as a permanent possession.
37 “When there is famine in the land or an epidemic or the crops are destroyed by scorching winds or swarms of locusts, or when your people are attacked by their enemies, or when there is disease or sickness among them, 38 listen to their prayers. If any of your people Israel, out of heartfelt sorrow, stretch out their hands in prayer toward this Temple, 39 hear their prayer. Listen to them in your home in heaven, forgive them, and help them. You alone know the thoughts of the human heart. Deal with each person as he deserves, 40 so that your people may obey you all the time they live in the land which you gave to our ancestors.
41-42 “When a foreigner who lives in a distant land hears of your fame and of the great things you have done for your people and comes to worship you and to pray at this Temple, 43 listen to his prayer. In heaven, where you live, hear him and do what he asks you to do, so that all the peoples of the world may know you and obey you, as your people Israel do. Then they will know that this Temple I have built is the place where you are to be worshiped.
44 “When you command your people to go into battle against their enemies and they pray to you, wherever they are, facing this city which you have chosen and this Temple which I have built for you, 45 listen to their prayers. Hear them in heaven and give them victory.
46 “When your people sin against you—and there is no one who does not sin—and in your anger you let their enemies defeat them and take them as prisoners to some other land, even if that land is far away, 47 listen to your people's prayers. If there in that land they repent and pray to you, confessing how sinful and wicked they have been, hear their prayers, O Lord. 48 If in that land they truly and sincerely repent and pray to you as they face toward this land which you gave to our ancestors, this city which you have chosen, and this Temple which I have built for you, 49 then listen to their prayers. In your home in heaven hear them and be merciful to them. 50 Forgive all their sins and their rebellion against you, and make their enemies treat them with kindness. 51 They are your own people, whom you brought out of Egypt, that blazing furnace.
52 “Sovereign Lord, may you always look with favor on your people Israel and their king, and hear their prayer whenever they call to you for help. 53 You chose them from all the peoples to be your own people, as you told them through your servant Moses when you brought our ancestors out of Egypt.”
The Final Prayer
54 After Solomon had finished praying to the Lord, he stood up in front of the altar, where he had been kneeling with uplifted hands. 55 In a loud voice he asked God's blessings on all the people assembled there. He said, 56 “Praise the Lord who has given his people peace, as he promised he would. He has kept all the generous promises he made through his servant Moses. 57 May the Lord our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us or abandon us; 58 may he make us obedient to him, so that we will always live as he wants us to live, keeping all the laws and commands he gave our ancestors. 59 May the Lord our God remember at all times this prayer and these petitions I have made to him. May he always be merciful to the people of Israel and to their king, according to their daily needs. 60 And so all the nations of the world will know that the Lord alone is God—there is no other. 61 May you, his people, always be faithful to the Lord our God, obeying all his laws and commands as you do today.”
The Dedication of the Temple
(2 Chronicles 7.4-10)62 Then King Solomon and all the people there offered sacrifices to the Lord. 63 He sacrificed 22,000 head of cattle and 120,000 sheep as fellowship offerings. And so the king and all the people dedicated the Temple. 64 That same day he also consecrated the central part of the courtyard, the area in front of the Temple, and then he offered there the sacrifices burned whole, the grain offerings, and the fat of the animals for the fellowship offerings. He did this because the bronze altar was too small for all these offerings.
65 There at the Temple, Solomon and all the people of Israel celebrated the Festival of Shelters for seven days. There was a huge crowd of people from as far away as Hamath Pass in the north and the Egyptian border in the south. 66 On the eighth day Solomon sent the people home. They all praised him and went home happy because of all the blessings that the Lord had given his servant David and his people Israel.