2 Chronicles 19
1 Forsothe Josaphat, kyng of Juda, turnede ayen pesibli in to his hows in to Jerusalem.
When King Jehoshaphat was returning safely to his palace in Jerusalem,
2 Whom the profete Hieu, the sone of Ananye, mette, and seide to hym, Thou yyuest help to a wickid man, and thou art ioyned bi frendschip to hem that haten the Lord; and therfor sotheli thou deseruedist the wraththe of the Lord;
the prophet Jehu, the son of [the prophet] Hanani, went out of the city to meet the king, and said to him, “It was not right for you to help a wicked man and to love those who hate Yahweh. Because of what you have done, Yahweh is angry with you.
3 but good werkis ben foundyn in thee, for thou didist awey wodis fro the lond of Juda, and thou hast maad redi thin herte, for to seke the Lord God of thi fadris.
But you have done some good things; you got rid of the poles in this country for [worshiping the goddess] Asherah, and you have strongly determined to do what pleases God.”
4 Therfor Josaphat dwellide in Jerusalem; and eft he yede out to the puple fro Bersabee til to the hil of Effraym, and he clepide hem ayen to the Lord God of her fadris.
Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem. But [one time], like he had done once previously, he went out among all the people in the country, from Beersheba [city in the far south] to the hilly area of [the tribe of] Ephraim [in the far north], and he convinced them to return to [worshiping] Yahweh, the God whom their ancestors [worshiped].
5 And he ordeynede iugis of the lond in alle the strengthid citees of Juda, bi ech place.
He appointed judges throughout Judah, in each of the cities that had walls around them.
6 And he comaundide to the iugis, and seide, Se ye, what ye doen; for ye vsen not the doom of man, but of the Lord; and what euere thing ye demen, schal turne `in to you;
He told them, “Make your decisions carefully, because you are judging cases not [in order] to [please] people but to [please] Yahweh. And he will be watching you whenever you make a decision.
7 the drede of the Lord be with you, and do ye alle thingis with diligence; for anentis `youre Lord God is no wickidnesse, nether takynge of persoones, nether coueitise of yiftis.
So now revere Yahweh, and judge cases carefully, [and do not forget that] Yahweh our God never acts unjustly, and he never does what people want because of their offering him money; he never accepts bribes.”
8 Also in Jerusalem Josaphat ordeynede dekenes, and preestis, and the princes of meynees of Israel, that thei schulden deme the doom and cause of the Lord to the dwellers of it.
In Jerusalem also, Jehoshaphat appointed some priests and other descendants of Levi and some leaders of Israeli families [to be judges]. He told them to do what Yahweh’s laws said was right when they settled disputes. Those men lived in Jerusalem.
9 And he comaundide to hem, and seide, Thus ye schulen do in the drede of the Lord, feithfuli and in perfite herte.
He told them this: “You must always do your work faithfully, revering Yahweh.
10 Ech cause that cometh to you of youre britheren, that dwellen in her citees, bitwixe kynrede and kynrede, where euere is questioun of the lawe, of `the comaundement, of cerymonyes, `ether sacrifices, of iustifyingis, schewe ye to hem, that thei do not synne ayens the Lord, and that wraththe com not on you and on youre britheren. Therfor ye doynge thus schulen not do synne.
In every dispute that your fellow Israelis who live in the cities want you to settle, you must warn them to not sin against Yahweh [by telling lies during the trial]. If you do not warn them, God will punish both you and your fellow Israelis. If you warn them, you will not be sinning. You must warn them whether [someone has accused them] of murdering someone, or of disobeying some other law or command or decree [of Yahweh].
11 Forsothe Amarie, youre preest and bischop, schal be souereyn in these thingis, that perteynen to God. Sotheli Zabadie, the sone of Ismael, which is duyk in the hows of Juda, schal be on tho werkis that perteynen to the office of the kyng, and ye han maistris dekenes bifor you; be ye coumfortid, and do ye diligentli, and the Lord schal be with you in goodis.
Amariah the Supreme Priest will supervise you in any matter that Yahweh is concerned about, and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the leader of the tribe of Judah, will supervise you in any matter that I am responsible for. And the descendants of Levi will assist you. Act courageously, and I pray that Yahweh will help those who do their work well.”
