¹Zvino Rehobhoamu wakaenda Shekemu, nekuti vaIsiraeri vose vakanga vaungana paShekemu kuzomuita mambo.

¹And Rehoboam goeth to Shechem, for to Shechem hath all Israel come to make him king.

²Zvino Jerobhoamu mwanakomana waNebhati, wakati achizvinzwa (nokuti wakange achiri Egipita kwaakanga atizira nokuda kwaSoromoni, Jerobhoamu akagara Egipita,

²And it cometh to pass, at Jeroboam son of Nebat`s hearing (and he [is] yet in Egypt where he hath fled from the presence of Solomon the king, and Jeroboam dwelleth in Egypt),

³vakatuma nhume kundomudana;) Jerobhoamu neungano yose yavaIsiraeri vakasvika vakataura naRehobhoamu, vakati,

³that they send and call for him; and they come — Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel — and speak unto Rehoboam, saying,

⁴Baba venyu vakatitakudza joko rinogozha; naizvozvo zvino imwi chirerutsai basa rababa venyu rakanga richigozha; nejoko ravo rinorema ravakaisa pamusoro pedu, tigokushumirai.

⁴`Thy father made hard our yoke, and thou, now, make light [some] of the hard service of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we serve thee.`

⁵Iye akati kwavari, Chimboendai henyu, mugare mazuva matatu, mugodzokera kwandiri. Vanhu vakaenda.

⁵And he saith unto them, `Go — yet three days, and come back unto me;` and the people go.

⁶Ipapo mambo Rehobhoamu akarangana navakuru, vaimira pamberi paSoromoni baba vake, vachiri vapenyu akati, Mungandipa zano reiko, randingapindura vanhu ava naro?

⁶And king Rehoboam consulteth with the elders who have been standing in the presence of Solomon his father, in his being alive, saying, `How are ye counselling to answer this people?`

⁷Ivo vakataura kwaari vakati, Kana mukatenda kuva muranda wavanhu ava nhasi, mukavashumira, mukavapindura nokutaura mashoko akanaka kwavari, ipapo vachava varanda venyu nokusingaperi.

⁷And they speak unto him, saying, `If, to-day, thou art servant to this people, and hast served them, and answered them, and spoken unto them good words, then they have been to thee servants all the days.`

⁸Asi iye wakaramba zano ravakuru ravakanga vamupa, akarangana namajaya ezero rake, aimira pamberi pake.

⁸And he forsaketh the counsel of the elders which they counselled him, and consulteth with the lads who have grown up with him, who are standing before him;

⁹Akati kwavari, Imi mungandipa zano reiko, ratingapindura naro vanhu ava vakataura neni, vachiti, Rerusai joko rakaiswa pamusoro pedu nababa venyu?

⁹and he saith unto them, `What are ye counselling, and we answer this people, who have spoken unto me, saying, Lighten [somewhat] of the yoke that thy father put upon us?`

¹⁰Zvino majaya ezero rake akataura kwaari achiti, Iti kuvanhu ava vakataura newe vachiti, Baba venyu vakatitakudza joko rinogozha, asi imwi chitirerusirai iro, utaure kwavari uti, Mumwe wangu muduku mukobvu kupfuura chiuno chababa vangu.

¹⁰And they speak unto him — the lads who had grown up with him — saying, `Thus dost thou say to this people who have spoken unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, and thou, make [it] light upon us; thus dost thou speak unto them, My little [finger] is thicker than the loins of my father;

¹¹Zvino, baba vangu zvavakakutakudzai joko rinorema, ini ndichawedzera pajoko renyu, baba vangu vaikurovai neshamhu; asi ini ndichakurovai nezvinyavada.

¹¹and now, my father laid on you a heavy yoke, and I add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, and I — I chastise you with scorpions.`

¹²Naizvozvo Jerobhoamu navanhu vose vakasvika kunaRehobhoamu nomusi wetatu, sezvavakanga varairwa namambo, achiti, Dzokeraizve kwandiri nomusi wetatu.

¹²And they come — Jeroboam and all the people — unto Rehoboam, on the third day, as the king had spoken, saying, `Come back unto me on the third day.`

¹³Mambo akapindura vanhu nehasha, akarasha zano ravakuru, ravakanga vamupa;

¹³And the king answereth the people sharply, and forsaketh the counsel of the elders which they counselled him,

¹⁴akataura kwavari sezvaakanga apiwa zano namaj aya, akati, Baba vangu vakakutakudzai joko rinorema, asi ini ndichawedzera pajoko renyu; baba vangu vaikurovai neshamhu, asi ini ndichakurovai nezvinyavada.

¹⁴and speaketh unto them, according to the counsel of the lads, saying, `My father made your yoke heavy, and I add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, and I — I chastise you with scorpions;`

¹⁵Naizvozvo mambo haana kuteerera vanhu; nekuti chinhu icho chakanga chabva kuna Jehovha, kuti Jehovha asimbise shoko rake, raakataura naAhija muShiro kuna Jerobhoamu mwanakomana waNebhati.

¹⁵and the king hearkened not unto the people, for the revolution was from Jehovah, in order to establish His word that Jehovah spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam son of Nebat.

¹⁶Zvino vaIsiraeri vose vakati vachiona kuti mambo haana kuvateerera, vanhu vakapindura mambo vakati, Tinomugove weiko kuna Dhavhidhi? Uye hatine nhaka kumwanakomana waJese; endai kumatende enyu, vaIsiraeri; iwe Dhavhidhi, chitarira hako imba yako. Naizvozvo vaIsiraeri vakaenda kumatende avo.

¹⁶And all Israel see that the king hath not hearkened unto them, and the people send the king back word, saying, `What portion have we in David? yea, there is no inheritance in the son of Jesse; to thy tents, O Israel; now see thy house, O David!` and Israel goeth to its tents.

¹⁷Asi kana vari vana vaIsiraeri, vakanga vagere mumaguta aJudha, Rehobhoamu wakange ari mambo wavo.

¹⁷As to the sons of Israel, those dwelling in the cities of Judah — over them reign doth Rehoboam.

¹⁸Zvino mambo Rehobhoamu akatuma Adhoramu mutariri wavanhu vechibharo, vaIsiraeri vose vakamutaka namabwe, akafa. Ipapo mambo Rehobhoamu akakurumidza kukwira ngoro yake, akatizira Jerusaremu.

¹⁸And king Rehoboam sendeth Adoram who [is] over the tribute, and all Israel cast at him stones, and he dieth; and king Rehoboam hath strengthened himself to go up into a chariot to flee to Jerusalem;

¹⁹Saizvozvo vaIsiraeri vakamukira imba yaDhavhidhi kusvikira zuva ranhasi.

¹⁹and Israel transgresseth against the house of David unto this day.

²⁰Zvino vaIsiraeri vose vakati vachinzwa kuti Jerobhoamu wadzoka, vakatuma nhume kuzomudanira kuungano, vakamuita mambo wavaIsiraeri vose; hakuna wakatevera imba yaDhavhidhi, asi rudzi rwaJudha chete.

²⁰And it cometh to pass, at all Israel`s hearing that Jeroboam hath returned, that they send and call him unto the company, and cause him to reign over all Israel; none hath been after the house of David save the tribe of Judah alone.

²¹Zvino Rehobhoamu wakati achisvika Jerusaremu, akaunganidza vose veimba yaJudha, novorudzi rwaBhenjamini, varume vakatsaurwa vaiva nezviuru zvine zana namakumi masere, vaigona kurwa, kuzorwa neimba yaIsiraeri, kuti vadzoserezve ushe kuna Rehobhoamu mwanakomana waSoromoni.

²¹And Rehoboam cometh to Jerusalem, and assembleth all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen warriors, to fight with the house of Israel, to bring back the kingdom to Rehoboam son of Solomon.

²²Asi shoko raMwari rakasvika kuna Shemaya munhu waMwari richiti,

²²And the word of God is unto Shemaiah a man of God, saying,

²³Taura naRehobhoamu mwanakomana waSoromoni, mambo wavaJudha, nokuimba yose yaJudha neyaBhenjamini, nokuna vamwe vanhu, uti,

²³`Speak unto Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and the rest of the people, saying,

²⁴Zvanzi naJehovha, Hamufaniri kukwira kundorwa nehama dzenyu ivo vana vaIsiraeri; mumwe nomumwe ngaadzokere kumba kwake, nekuti chinhu ichi chinobva kwandiri. Naizvozvo vakateerera shoko raJehovha, vakadzoka, vakaenda havo, sezvavakaudzwa naJehovha.

²⁴Thus said Jehovah, Ye do not go up nor fight with your brethren the sons of Israel; turn back each to his house, for from Me hath this thing been;` and they hear the word of Jehovah, and turn back to go according to the word of Jehovah.

²⁵Ipapo Jerobhoamu wakavaka Shekemu panyika yamakomo yaEfuremu, akagaramo; akabvapo, akandovaka Penueri.

²⁵And Jeroboam buildeth Shechem in the hill-country of Ephraim, and dwelleth in it, and goeth out thence, and buildeth Penuel;

²⁶Jerobhoamu akati mumoyo make, Zvino ushe huchadzokerazve kuimba yaDhavhidhi.

²⁶and Jeroboam saith in his heart, `Now doth the kingdom turn back to the house of David —

²⁷Kana vanhu ava vakakwira kundobayira zvibayiro zvavo mumba maJehovha paJerusaremu, ipapo moyo yavanhu ava ichadzokera kunashe wavo, iye Rehobhoamu mambo waJudha; vachandiuraya, vakadzokera kuna Rehobhoamu mambo waJudha.

²⁷if this people go up to make sacrifices in the house of Jehovah in Jerusalem, then hath the heart of this people turned back unto their lord, unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they have slain me, and turned back unto Rehoboam king of Judah.`

²⁸Naizvozvo mambo akarangana navakuru, akaumba mhuru mbiri dzendarama, akati kwavari, Kukwira Jerusaremu kwava kure; tarirai, vaIsiraeri, vamwari venyu vakakubudisai panyika yeEgipita.

²⁸And the king taketh counsel, and maketh two calves of gold, and saith unto them, `Enough to you of going up to Jerusalem; lo, thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.`

²⁹Akagadza imwe paBheteri, imwe akaiisa paDhani.

²⁹And he setteth the one in Beth-El, and the other he hath put in Dan,

³⁰Chinhu ichi chikava chivi, nekuti vanhu vakandonamata kwadziri idzo mbiri, kusvikira paDhani.

³⁰and this thing becometh a sin, and the people go before the one — unto Dan.

³¹Akavakawo dzimba pamatunhu akakwirira, akatora vamwe pakati pavanhu akavaita vapristi, vasati vari vavana vaRevhi.

³¹And he maketh the house of high places, and maketh priests of the extremities of the people, who were not of the sons of Levi;

³²Zvino Jerobhoamu akaraira mutambo pamwedzi worusere, nezuva regumi namashanu romwedzi, wakange wakafanana nomutambo waiva kuvaJudha; akabayira paaritari; akaitawo saizvozvo paBheteri, akabayira mhuru dzaakaumba; akagadzawo paBheteri vapristi vamatunhu akakwirira aakaita.

³²and Jeroboam maketh a festival in the eighth month, in the fifteenth day of the month, like the festival that [is] in Judah, and he offereth on the altar — so did he in Beth-El — to sacrifice to the calves which he made, and he hath appointed in Beth-El the priests of the high places that he made.

³³Akandobayira paaritari yaakavaka paBheteri nezuva regumi namashanu romwedzi worusere, iwo mwedzi waakafunga hake mumoyo make; akaraira vana valsiraeri mutambo, akandobayira paaritari, akapisa zvinonhuhwira.

³³And he offereth up on the altar that he made in Beth-El, on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month that he devised of his own heart, and he maketh a festival to the sons of Israel, and offereth on the altar — to make perfume.