Nehemiah 6
1 Now when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arabian, and to the rest of our enemies that I had built the wall, and that there was no breach left in it (though even to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates),
Kwathi ukuba ilizwi lifike kuSanibhalathi, loThobhiya, loGeshemi umʼArabhu lakuzo zonke izitha zethu ukuthi ngasengiwakhile kutsha umduli kungasasalanga sikhala kuwo loba nje ngalesosikhathi ngangingakafaki izivalo emasangweni,
2 Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come! Let’s meet together in the villages in the plain of Ono.” But they intended to harm me.
uSanibhalathi loGeshemi bangithumela lelilizwi: “Woza, kesihlangane komunye wemizi esemagcekeni ase-Ono.” Kodwa babeceba ukungenza kubi;
3 I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I can’t come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and come down to you?”
yikho ngasengithuma izithunywa kubo lale impendulo: “Ngiphezu komsebenzi omkhulu yikho ngeke ngize. Kungani umsebenzi ufanele ume ngiwutshiyela ukuza kini na?”
4 They sent to me four times like this; and I answered them the same way.
Kwaze kwaba kane bengithumela mbiko munye, lami ngala ngampendulo nye.
5 Then Sanballat sent his servant to me the same way the fifth time with an open letter in his hand,
Kwathi ngesikhathi sesihlanu, uSanibhalathi wathuma inceku yakhe iphethe lona lelolizwi, ilencwadi esandleni ingavalwanga
6 in which was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says it, that you and the Jews intend to rebel. Because of that, you are building the wall. You would be their king, according to these words.
ilotshwe ukuthi: “Kubikwa phakathi kwezizwe loGeshemi uthi kuliqiniso ukuthi wena lamaJuda liceba ukuhlamuka, ngakho lakha umduli. Njalo, imbiko le ithi wena usufuna ukuba yinkosi yawo
7 You have also appointed prophets to proclaim of you at Jerusalem, saying, ‘There is a king in Judah!’ Now it will be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let’s take counsel together.”
futhi usuze wabeka abaphrofethi ukuthi benze lesisimemezelo ngawe eJerusalema esithi: ‘Sekulenkosi koJuda!’ Umbiko lo ungahle uyofika enkosini; yikho woza sibonisane.”
8 Then I sent to him, saying, “There are no such things done as you say, but you imagine them out of your own heart.”
Ngambuyisela impendulo le: “Akulanto enjalo mayelana lalokho othi kuyenzakala; konke kuphume engqondweni yakho.”
9 For they all would have made us afraid, saying, “Their hands will be weakened from the work, that it not be done.” But now, strengthen my hands.
Bonke babezama ukusethusela, bekhumbula besithi, “Izandla zabo zizaphela amandla bangabe besasebenza, yikho umsebenzi kawuyikuphela.” Kodwa ngakhuleka ngathi, “Manje qinisa izandla zami.”
10 I went to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home; and he said, “Let us meet together in God’s house, within the temple, and let’s shut the doors of the temple; for they will come to kill you. Yes, in the night they will come to kill you.”
Ngelinye ilanga ngaya endlini kaShemaya indodana kaDelaya, indodana kaMehethabheli, owayezivalele endlini yakhe. Wathi, “Kasihlangane endlini kaNkulunkulu, phakathi kwethempeli, sivale iminyango yethempeli, ngoba kulamadoda abuyayo ebusuku ukuzokubulala.”
11 I said, “Should a man like me flee? Who is there that, being such as I, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.”
Kodwa ngathi, “Umuntu onjengami kungamfanela ukubaleka na? Kumbe umuntu onjengami angangena ethempelini ukusiza impilo yakhe na? Kangiyi!”
12 I discerned, and behold, God had not sent him, but he pronounced this prophecy against me. Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
Ngabona ukuthi wayengathunywanga nguNkulunkulu, kodwa wayenze isiphrofethi sokungilahla ngoba oThobhiya loSanibhalathi babemthengile.
13 He was hired so that I would be afraid, do so, and sin, and that they might have material for an evil report, that they might reproach me.
Wayethengwe ukuthi angethuse ukuze ngenze isono ngokwenza lokhu, ukwenzela ukuthi bangiphe ibizo elibi ngizondakale.
14 “Remember, my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets that would have put me in fear.”
Bakhumbule oThobhiya loSanibhalathi, Oh Nkulunkulu wami, ngenxa yalokho asebekwenzile; mkhumbule njalo umphrofethikazi uNowadiya labo bonke labobaphrofethi abebekade bezama ukungethusa.
15 So the wall was finished in the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in fifty-two days.
Ngakho umduli waphela ngosuku lwamatshumi amabili ku-Eluli, ngemva kwensuku ezingamatshumi amahlanu lambili.
16 When all our enemies heard of it, all the nations that were around us were afraid, and they lost their confidence; for they perceived that this work was done by our God.
Izitha zethu zonke sezikuzwile lokho, zonke izizwe eziseduze zesaba zalahla ithemba, ngoba zananzelela ukuthi umsebenzi lo wenziwa uxhaswe nguNkulunkulu.
17 Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters came to them.
Njalo, ngalezonsuku izikhulu zakoJuda zazithumezela izincwadi ezinengi kuThobhiya, lezimpendulo zikaThobhiya zabe zilokhu zifika kuzo.
18 For there were many in Judah sworn to him because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah; and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah as wife.
Phela abanengi koJuda babebambelele kuye ngesifungo, ngoba wayengumkhwenyana kaShekhaniya indodana ka-Ara, futhi indodana yakhe uJehohanani yayithethe indodakazi kaMeshulami indodana kaBherekhiya.
19 Also they spoke of his good deeds before me, and reported my words to him. Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.
Ikanti njalo babelokhu behlezi bengibikela ngezenzo zakhe ezinhle, basuke bayemtshela ukuthi ngitheni. Njalo uThobhiya wathumezela izincwadi ukungethusela.
