2 Chronicles 6
1 Then Solomon spoke, “The Lord said that he lives in deep darkness.
Ngalesosikhathi uSolomoni wathi: UJehova wathi uzahlala emnyameni onzima.
2 However, I have built you a magnificent Temple, a place for you to live forever.”
Kodwa mina ngikwakhele indlu yokuhlala, lendawo yokuhlala kwakho kuze kube nini lanini.
3 Then the king turned and blessed the whole assembly of Israel, as they all stood.
Inkosi yasiphendula ubuso bayo, yabusisa ibandla lonke lakoIsrayeli; ibandla lonke-ke lakoIsrayeli lalimi.
4 He said, “Praise the Lord God of Israel, who has kept the promise he made to my father David when he said,
Yasisithi: Kayibusiswe iNkosi, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, eyakhuluma ngomlomo wayo kuDavida ubaba yakugcwalisa ngezandla zayo, isithi:
5 ‘Ever since the day I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I have not chosen a town from any tribe of Israel where a Temple could be built to honor me, and I have not chosen anyone to be ruler over my people Israel.
Kusukela ngosuku engakhupha ngalo abantu bami elizweni leGibhithe kangikhethanga muzi ezizweni zonke zakoIsrayeli ukwakha indlu, ukuthi ibizo lami libe lapho, kangikhethanga muntu ukuba ngumkhokheli phezu kwabantu bami uIsrayeli.
6 But now I have chosen Jerusalem so that I will be honored there, and I have chosen David to rule over my people Israel.’
Kodwa ngakhetha iJerusalema ukuthi ibizo lami libe lapho, ngakhetha uDavida ukuthi abe phezu kwabantu bami uIsrayeli.
7 My father David really wanted to build this Temple to honor the Lord, the God of Israel.
Njalo kwakusenhliziyweni kaDavida ubaba ukwakhela ibizo leNkosi, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, indlu.
8 But the Lord told my father David, ‘You really wanted to build me a Temple to honor me—and it was good for you to want to do this.
Kodwa iNkosi yathi kuDavida ubaba: Njengoba kwakusenhliziyweni yakho ukwakhela ibizo lami indlu, wenze kuhle ngokuthi kwakusenhliziyweni yakho.
9 But you are not going to build the Temple. Your son, one of your children, will build the Temple to honor me.’
Lanxa kunjalo kawuyikuyakha indlu wena, kodwa indodana yakho ezaphuma ekhalweni lwakho, yiyo ezakwakhela ibizo lami indlu.
10 Now the Lord has kept the promise he made. For I have taken the place of my father, and I sit on the throne of Israel as the Lord said, and I have built the Temple to honor the Lord God of Israel.
INkosi isiqinisile ilizwi layo eyalikhulumayo, ngoba ngivelile esikhundleni sikaDavida ubaba, ngihlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaIsrayeli, njengokukhuluma kweNkosi; sengilakhele ibizo leNkosi, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, indlu.
11 I have placed the Ark there, which has inside it the agreement the Lord made with the sons of Israel.”
Ngiwubeke khona umtshokotsho lapho okulesivumelwano seNkosi khona eyasenza labantwana bakoIsrayeli.
12 Then Solomon stood in front of the altar of the Lord before the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands in prayer.
Wasesima phambi kwelathi leNkosi maqondana lebandla lonke lakoIsrayeli, welula izandla zakhe.
13 Solomon had made a bronze platform five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high. He had set it in the middle of the courtyard, and he was standing on it. Then he knelt down before the whole assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven.
Ngoba uSolomoni wayenze isitubhu sethusi, ubude baso buzingalo ezinhlanu, lobubanzi baso buzingalo ezinhlanu, lokuphakama kwaso kuzingalo ezintathu, wasimisa phakathi laphakathi kweguma. Wema phezu kwaso, waguqa ngamadolo akhe phambi kwebandla lonke lakoIsrayeli, welulela izandla zakhe emazulwini,
14 He said, “Lord God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven or on earth, keeping your agreement of trustworthy love with your servants who follow you with complete devotion.
wathi: Nkosi, Nkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, kakho uNkulunkulu onjengawe emazulwini lemhlabeni, ogcina isivumelwano lomusa ezincekwini zakho ezihamba phambi kwakho ngayo yonke inhliziyo yazo,
15 You have kept the promise you made to your servant, my father David. With your own mouth you made that promise, and with your own hands you have fulfilled it today.
ogcinele inceku yakho uDavida ubaba lokho owakutsho kuyo; ngoba wakhuluma ngomlomo wakho usukugcwalisile ngesandla sakho njengalamuhla.
16 So now, Lord God of Israel, please keep the promise you made to your servant David, my father, when you told him, ‘If your descendants pay close attention to follow my way, and to keep my law as you have done, you will never fail to have one of them to sit on the throne of Israel.’
Ngakho-ke, Nkosi, Nkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, gcinela inceku yakho uDavida ubaba lokho owakutsho kuyo usithi: Kakuyikusweleka umuntu kuwe phambi kobuso bami ozahlala esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaIsrayeli; kuphela uba abantwana bakho beqaphela indlela yabo phambi kwami, ukuthi bahambe ngomlayo wami, njengalokho uhambile phambi kwami.
17 Now, Lord God of Israel, please fulfill this promise you made to your servant David.
Ngakho-ke, Nkosi, Nkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, kaliqiniseke ilizwi lakho owalikhuluma encekwini yakho, kuDavida.
18 But will God really live here on earth among people? The heavens, even highest heaven, cannot contain you, much less this Temple I have built!
Kambe ngeqiniso uNkulunkulu angahlala labantu emhlabeni? Khangela, amazulu, yebo, amazulu amazulu angekwanele; kangakanani-ke lindlu engiyakhileyo?
19 Please listen to the prayer of your servant and his request, Lord my God. Please hear the appeals and the prayers that your servant is presenting before you.
Kodwa phendukela emkhulekweni wenceku yakho lekuncengeni kwayo, Nkosi Nkulunkulu wami, ukuzwa ukukhala lomkhuleko inceku yakho ekukhulekayo phambi kwakho.
20 May you watch over this Temple day and night, caring for the place where you said you would be honored. May you hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place,
Ukuze amehlo akho avulekele lindlu emini lebusuku, endaweni owatsho ngayo ukuthi uzabeka ibizo lakho khona, ukuthi uwuzwe umkhuleko inceku yakho ewukhulekayo ikhangele kulindawo.
21 and hear the request of your servant and your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Please hear from heaven where you live. May you hear and forgive.
Ngakho zwana ukuncenga kwenceku yakho lokwabantu bakho uIsrayeli abazakukhuleka bekhangele kulindawo; yebo, uzwe wena, usendaweni yakho yokuhlala, usemazulwini; lapho usizwa, uthethelele.
22 When someone sins against another and is required to take an oath declaring the truth before your altar in this Temple,
Uba umuntu esona kumakhelwane wakhe, amethese isifungo ukumenza afunge, njalo isifungo size phambi kwelathi lakho kulindlu,
23 listen from heaven, act and judge your servants. Pay back the guilty; vindicate and reward those who do right.
zwana-ke wena usemazulwini, njalo yenza wahlulele inceku zakho, ngokuphindisela okhohlakeleyo, ngokunika indlela yakhe ekhanda lakhe, langokulungisisa olungileyo, ngokumnika njengokulunga kwakhe.
24 When your people Israel are defeated by an enemy because they have sinned against you, and if they come back in repentance to you, praying for forgiveness in this Temple,
Lalapho abantu bakho uIsrayeli betshaywa phambi kwesitha, ngoba bonile kuwe, uba bephenduka, balivume ibizo lakho, bakhuleke bencenga phambi kwakho kulindlu,
25 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them back to the land you gave them and their forefathers.
zwana-ke wena usemazulwini, uthethelele isono sabantu bakho uIsrayeli, ubabuyisele elizweni owalinika bona laboyise.
26 If the skies are closed shut and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, if they pray toward this place and if they come back in repentance to you, turning away from their sin because you have punished them,
Lapho amazulu evaliwe, njalo kungelazulu, ngoba bonile kuwe, uba bekhuleka bekhangele kulindawo belivuma ibizo lakho, baphenduke esonweni sabo, nxa ubahluphile,
27 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them the good way so that they can walk on it, and send rain on the earth that you have given to your people as their possession.
zwana-ke wena usemazulwini, uthethelele isono senceku zakho lesabantu bakho uIsrayeli, usubafundise indlela enhle abazahamba ngayo; unise izulu elizweni lakho owalinika abantu bakho libe yilifa labo.
28 If there is famine in the land, or disease, or blight or mildew on the crops, or if there are locusts or caterpillars, or if an enemy comes to lay siege to the towns in the land—it can be whatever kind of plague or whatever kind of disease—
Uba kulendlala elizweni, uba kulomatshayabhuqe wesifo, uba kulokutshisa, lengumane, isikhonyane, lemihogoyi; uba izitha zabo zibavimbezela elizweni lesango labo, loba yiyiphi inhlupheko laloba yiwuphi umkhuhlane;
29 then whatever kind of prayer or whatever kind of appeal is made by anyone or all your people Israel, in fact anyone who, knowing their problems and pains, prays toward this Temple,
lawuphi umkhuleko, lakuphi ukuncenga, okuzakwenziwa languwuphi umuntu, kumbe yibo bonke abantu bakho uIsrayeli, lapho besazi, ngulowo lalowo inhlupheko yakhe losizi lwakhe, eselulela izandla zakhe kulindlu;
30 then hear from heaven, the place where you live, and forgive. Give according to the way they live their lives, for you know what people are really like inside, and you alone know the true character of people.
zwana-ke wena usemazulwini, indawo yakho yokuhlala, uthethelele, uphe ngulowo lalowo ngokwezindlela zakhe zonke, onhliziyo yakhe uyayazi, ngoba nguwe wedwa owazi inhliziyo yabantwana babantu,
31 Then they will respect you and follow your ways all the time they live in the land you gave to our forefathers.
ukuze bakwesabe bahambe endleleni zakho insuku zonke abaziphila ebusweni bomhlaba owawupha obaba.
32 As for the foreigners who do not belong to your people Israel but who come from a distant land, having heard of your great nature and power and ability to help, when they come and pray toward this Temple,
Njalo mayelana lowezizweni ongesuye owabantu bakho uIsrayeli, kodwa evela elizweni elikhatshana ngenxa yebizo lakho elikhulu lesandla sakho esilamandla lengalo yakho eyeluliweyo; lapho besizakhuleka kulindlu,
33 then hear from heaven, the place where you live, and give them what they're asking. That way, everyone on earth will come to know and respect you, just as your own people Israel do. They will also know that this Temple I have built honors you.
zwana-ke wena usemazulwini, usendaweni yakho yokuhlala, wenze njengakho konke owezizweni akhala ngakho kuwe, ukuze bonke abantu bomhlaba bazi ibizo lakho, bakwesabe, njengabantu bakho uIsrayeli, lokuthi bazi ukuthi ibizo lakho liyabizwa phezu kwalindlu engiyakhileyo.
34 When your people go to fight against their enemies, wherever you send them, and when they pray to you towards the city you have chosen and the house I have built to honor you,
Uba abantu bakho bephuma ukuyakulwa bemelene lezitha zabo ngendlela obathume ngayo, bakhuleke kuwe endleleni yomuzi owukhethileyo lendlu engiyakhele ibizo lakho,
35 then hear from heaven what they are praying and asking for, and support their cause.
zwana-ke usemazulwini umkhuleko wabo lokuncenga kwabo, wenze ilungelo labo.
36 If they sin against you—and there is nobody who does not sin—you may become angry with them and hand them over to an enemy who takes them away as prisoners to a foreign land, near or far.
Uba besona kuwe, ngoba kakulamuntu ongoniyo, ubusubathukuthelela, ubanikele phambi kwesitha, ukuze ababathumbileyo babathumbele elizweni elikhatshana kumbe eliseduze,
37 But if they think again in their land of captivity and repent and plead for mercy from you, saying, ‘We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly,’
uba benakana ngakho enhliziyweni yabo elizweni abathunjelwe kilo, baphenduke bancenge kuwe elizweni lokuthunjwa kwabo bathi: Sonile, senze okubi, senza ngenkohlakalo;
38 and they come back to you with complete sincerity in their thoughts and attitudes there in their land of captivity; and they pray towards the land you gave their forefathers and the city you chose and the Temple I have built to honor you,
uba bephendukela kuwe ngayo yonke inhliziyo yabo langawo wonke umphefumulo wabo elizweni lokuthunjwa kwabo, lapho ababathumbele khona, bakhuleke ngasendleleni yelizwe labo owalinika oyise, lomuzi owukhethileyo, langasendlini engiyakhele ibizo lakho,
39 then hear from heaven, the place where you live, respond and support their cause. Forgive your people who have sinned against you.
zwana-ke usemazulwini, usendaweni yakho yokuhlala, umkhuleko wabo lokuncenga kwabo, wenze ilungelo labo, uthethelele abantu bakho abakonileyo.
40 Now my God, please open your eyes, and may your ears pay attention to the prayers offered in this place.
Ngakho, Nkulunkulu wami, ake amehlo akho avuleke lendlebe zakho zilalele umkhuleko walindawo.
41 ‘Come, Lord, and enter your home, together with your Ark of power. May your priests wear salvation like clothing; may your faithful people shout for joy in your goodness.
Khathesi-ke, sukuma, Nkosi Nkulunkulu, uze endaweni yakho yokuphumula, wena lomtshokotsho wamandla akho. Abapristi bakho, Nkosi Nkulunkulu, kabembathe usindiso, labangcwele bakho bathokoze ngokuhle.
42 Lord God, don't reject the king you have chosen. Remember your trustworthy love for your servant David.’”
Nkosi Nkulunkulu, ungafulathelisi ubuso bogcotshiweyo wakho. Khumbula izisa zikaDavida inceku yakho.
