2 Amakhosi 18
1 Ngomnyaka wesithathu kaHosheya indodana ka-Ela inkosi yako-Israyeli, uHezekhiya indodana ka-Ahazi inkosi yakoJuda waqalisa ukubusa.
Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.
2 Wayeleminyaka engamatshumi amabili lanhlanu esiba yinkosi, njalo wabusa eJerusalema okweminyaka engamatshumi amabili lasificamunwemunye. Ibizo likanina lalingu-Abhija indodakazi kaZakhariya.
Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Abi, the daughter of Zachariah.
3 Wenza okulungileyo phambi kukaThixo, njengalokho okwakwenziwe nguyise uDavida.
And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did.
4 Wadiliza izindawo zokukhonzela, wabhidliza amatshe ababewakhonza njalo wagamulela phansi insika zika-Ashera. Watshaya wenza izicucu inyoka yethusi eyayenziwe nguMosi, ngoba kuze kube yilesosikhathi abako-Israyeli babelokhu beyitshisela impepha. (Yayibizwa ngokuthi Nehushithani.)
He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.
5 UHezekhiya wayethembele kuThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli. Kakho owayenjengaye kuwo wonke amakhosi akoJuda, loba kulabo abamandulelayo kumbe labo abamlandelayo ekubuseni.
He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.
6 Wabambelela kuThixo kazange ekele ukumlandela, wagcina imilayo uThixo ayeyinike uMosi.
For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses.
7 UThixo wayelaye; waphumelela kukho konke ayekwenza. Wahlamukela inkosi yase-Asiriya kasabanga ngaphansi kwayo.
And the LORD was with him; and he prospered anywhere he went forth: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not.
8 Kusukela emphongolweni wesilindo kusiya emzini oyinqaba, wanqoba amaFilistiya, kuze kuyefika khonale eGaza lamazwe akhona.
He stroke the Philistines, even unto Gaza, and the borders thereof, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.
9 Ngomnyaka wesine wenkosi uHezekhiya, okwakungumnyaka wesikhombisa wokubusa kukaHosheya indodana ka-Ela inkosi yako-Israyeli, uShalimaneseri inkosi yase-Asiriya wayahlasela iSamariya wayivimbezela.
And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it.
10 Ngemva kweminyaka emithathu ama-Asiriya alithumba. Ngakho iSamariya yathunjwa ngomnyaka wesithupha wokubusa kukaHezekhiya, okwakungumnyaka wesificamunwemunye wokubusa kukaHosheya inkosi yako-Israyeli.
And at the end of three years they took it: even in the sixth year of Hezekiah, that is in the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was taken.
11 Inkosi yase-Asiriya yaxotshela abako-Israyeli e-Asiriya yabahlalisa eHala ngaseGozani eMfuleni uHabhori lasemizini yamaMede.
And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes:
12 Lokhu kwenzakala ngoba bengalalelanga uThixo wabo, kodwa sebephule isivumelwano sakhe, lakho konke uMosi inceku kaThixo ayebalaye ngakho. Abazanga balalele njalo abazanga bakwenze.
Because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD their God, but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them.
13 Ngomnyaka wetshumi lane wokubusa kwenkosi uHezekhiya, uSenakheribhi inkosi yase-Asiriya wahlasela wonke amadolobho avikelweyo akoJuda wawathumba.
Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took them.
14 Ngakho uHezekhiya inkosi yakoJuda wathumela ilizwi enkosini yase-Asiriya eLakhishi esithi, “Ngiphambanisile. Suka kimi, mina ngizakubhadala konke okufunayo kimi.” Inkosi yase-Asiriya yathi uHezekhiya inkosi yakoJuda kayinike amathalenta esiliva angamakhulu amathathu kanye legolide elingamathalenta angamatshumi amathathu.
And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to Lachish, saying, I have offended; return from me: that which you put on me will I bear. And the king of Assyria appointed unto Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.
15 Ngakho uHezekhiya wamnika sonke isiliva esatholakala ethempelini likaThixo lasezindlini zenotho yesigodlweni senkosi.
And Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house.
16 Ngalesisikhathi uHezekhiya inkosi yakoJuda waxexebula igolide elalisezivalweni zethempeli likaThixo lelalinanyathiselwe emigubazini yethempeli likaThixo, walinika inkosi yase-Asiriya.
At that time did Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of the LORD, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.
17 Inkosi yase-Asiriya yathumela umlawuli omkhulu wamabutho ayo, lesikhulu somndlunkulu kanye lomlawuli wamabutho lamabutho amanengi, besuka eLakhishi besiya enkosini uHezekhiya eJerusalema. Bafika eJerusalema bema emgelweni wechibi elingaphezulu, elisendleleni yeNsimu yoMgezisi.
And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rabshakeh from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great host against Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they were come up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the highway of the launderer's field.
18 Babiza inkosi ngokwayo: Kodwa kweza u-Eliyakhimu indodana kaHilikhiya umphathi wesigodlo, loShebhina umabhalane, loJowa indodana ka-Asafi umbhali.
And when they had called to the king, there came out to them Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder.
19 Umlawuli webutho wathi kubo, “Tshelani uHezekhiya ukuthi: ‘Nanku okutshiwo yinkosi enkulu, inkosi yase-Asiriya ithi: Uthembeni ngalesisibindi sakho na?
And Rabshakeh said unto them, Speak all of you now to Hezekiah, Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein you trust?
20 Uthi ulamaqhinga lamandla ebutho, kodwa ukhuluma amazwi ayize. Uthembe bani uze ungihlamukele nje?
You say, (but they are but vain words, ) I have counsel and strength for the war. Now on whom do you trust, that you rebel against me?
21 Khangela, ngiyazi uthembe iGibhithe, yona enjengomhlanga ozimvava osika isandla somuntu umlimaze nxa eweyamile. Unjalo uFaro inkosi yaseGibhithe kubo bonke abathembele kuye.
Now, behold, you trust upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt, on which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him.
22 Njalo nxa lisithi kimi, “Thina sithembe uThixo uNkulunkulu wethu”: kasuye yini uHezekhiya asusa izindawo zakhe eziphakemeyo lama-alithare akhe, esithi kuJuda leJerusalema, “Kumele likhonzele phambi kwaleli i-alithari eliseJerusalema”?
But if all of you say unto me, We trust in the LORD our God: is not that he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away, and has said to Judah and Jerusalem, All of you shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem?
23 Khathesi woza wenze isivumelwano lenkosi yami, inkosi yase-Asiriya: Ngizakunika amabhiza azinkulungwane ezimbili nxa bekhona abazawagada!
Now therefore, I pray you, give pledges to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver you two thousand horses, if you be able on your part to set riders upon them.
24 Pho ungayehlula njani induna yezikhulu ezincane zenkosi yami eyodwa, lanxa uthembele eGibhithe ekutholeni izinqola zempi labagadi bamabhiza na?
How then will you turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master's servants, and put your trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?
25 Phezu kwalokho, kanti ngizehlasela lokuzochitha lindawo ngaphandle kwelizwi elivela kuThixo na? UThixo uqobo nguye othe ngizohlasela ilizwe leli ngilichithe.’”
Am I now come up without the LORD against this place to destroy it? The LORD said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.
26 Ngakho u-Eliyakhimu indodana kaHilikhiya, loShebhina loJowa bathi kumlawuli webutho, “Ake ukhulume ezincekwini zakho ngesi-Aramayikhi, ngoba siyasizwa. Ungasikhulumisi ngesiHebheru lababantu abasemdulini besizwa.”
Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joah, unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray you, to your servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and talk not with us in the Jews' language in the ears of the people that are on the wall.
27 Kodwa umlawuli webutho waphendula esithi, “Inkosi yami ingithume ukuba izinto lezi ngizitsho kuphela enkosini yenu lakini, hatshi ebantwini abahlezi emdulini, okuzakuthi labo, njengani badle ubulongwe babo banathe lomchamo wabo na?”
But Rabshakeh said unto them, Has my master sent me to your master, and to you, to speak these words? has he not sent me to the men which sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?
28 Umlawuli webutho wasukuma wasememeza ngesiHebheru esithi, “Zwanini ilizwi lenkosi enkulu, inkosi yase-Asiriya!
Then Rabshakeh stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jews' language, and spoke, saying, Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria:
29 Lokhu yikho okutshiwo yinkosi: Lingamvumeli uHezekhiya ukuba alikhohlise. Angeke alikhulule.
Thus says the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you out of his hand:
30 Lingamvumeli uHezekhiya elincenga ukuba lithembe kuThixo lapho esithi, ‘Ngempela uThixo uzasikhulula; idolobho leli kaliyikuphiwa esandleni senkosi yase-Asiriya.’
Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The LORD will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.
31 Lingamlaleli uHezekhiya. Nanku okutshiwo yinkosi yase-Asiriya: Yenza isivumelwano sokuthula lami, uphume uze kimi. Lapho-ke omunye lomunye uzakudla esivinini sakhe lasemkhiweni wakhe anathe lamanzi emthonjeni wakhe,
Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus says the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me, and then eat all of you every man of his own vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink all of you every one the waters of his cistern:
32 ngize ngifike ngilithathe, ngilise elizweni elifanana lelakini, ilizwe lamabele lewayini elitsha, ilizwe lesinkwa lezivini, ilizwe lezihlahla zama-oliva loluju. Khethani impilo hatshi ukufa, Lingamlaleli uHezekhiya, ngoba uyalikhohlisa nxa esithi, ‘UThixo uzasikhulula.’
Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of oil olive and of honey, that all of you may live, and not die: and hearken not unto Hezekiah, when he persuades you, saying, The LORD will deliver us.
33 Kambe ukhona unkulunkulu wesinye isizwe osewake wakhulula ilizwe lakhe esandleni senkosi yase-Asiriya na?
Has any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
34 Bangaphi onkulunkulu baseHamathi le-Ariphadi na? Bangaphi onkulunkulu baseSefavayimi labaseHena labase-Iva na? Bayikhululile iSamariya esandleni sami na?
Where are the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah? have they delivered Samaria out of mine hand?
35 Nguphi kubo bonke onkulunkulu bamazwe la oke wenelisa ukukhulula ilizwe lakhe kimi na? Pho uThixo angayikhulula njani iJerusalema esandleni sami na?”
Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of mine hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand?
36 Kodwa abantu bathula kabazange batsho lutho, ngoba inkosi yayilaye yathi, “Lingamphenduli.”
But the people held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not.
37 U-Eliyakhimu indodana kaHilikhiya umgcini wesigodlo loShebhina umabhalane loJowa indodana ka-Asafi umbhali, baya kuHezekhiya izigqoko zabo zidabukile bamtshela okwakutshiwo ngumlawuli webutho.
Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.
