2 Imilando 34
1 UJosiya waba yinkosi eleminyaka eyisificaminwembili ubudala njalo wabusa eJerusalema okweminyaka engamatshumi amathathu lanye.
Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem.
2 Wenza okulungileyo phambi kukaThixo njalo wahamba ngenyathelo likayise uDavida, kazange aphambukele kwesokudla loba esokhohlo.
He did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes, and walked in the ways of David his father, and didn’t turn away to the right hand or to the left.
3 Ngomnyaka wesificaminwembili wokubusa kwakhe, elokhu esesengumntwana, waqalisa ukumdinga uNkulunkulu kakhokho wakhe uDavida. Ngomnyaka wetshumi lambili waqalisa ukuhlambulula elakoJuda laseJerusalema, wavala izindawo zokukhonzela, izinsika zika-Ashera, izithombe ezibaziweyo lezikhandiweyo.
For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father; and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, the Asherah poles, the engraved images, and the molten images.
4 Ngeziqondiso zakhe kwabhidlizwa ama-alithare aboBhali; waqoba ama-alithare empepha ayengaphezu kwawo; wahlikiza izinsika zika-Ashera, izithombe kanye lemifanekiso. Lokhu wakuvadlaza wasekuchithizela phezu kwamangcwaba alabo ababenikele imihlatshelo kulezozithombe.
They broke down the altars of the Baals in his presence; and he cut down the incense altars that were on high above them. He broke the Asherah poles, the engraved images, and the molten images in pieces, made dust of them, and scattered it on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.
5 Watshisela amathambo abaphristi ema-alithareni abo, ngalokho wahlambulula elakoJuda laseJerusalema.
He burned the bones of the priests on their altars, and purged Judah and Jerusalem.
6 Emizini yakoManase, lako-Efrayimi lakoSimiyoni, kuze kuyefika koNafithali, lasemanxiweni aseduzane layo,
He did this in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, even to Naphtali, around in their ruins.
7 wadiliza ama-alithare lezinsika zika-Ashera njalo wahlifiza izithombe zaba yimpuphu wachithiza ama-alithare empepha kulolonke elako-Israyeli aba yizicucu. Wasebuyela eJerusalema.
He broke down the altars, beat the Asherah poles and the engraved images into powder, and cut down all the incense altars throughout all the land of Israel, then returned to Jerusalem.
8 Ngomnyaka wetshumi lasificaminwembili wokubusa kukaJosiya, ukuze ahlambulule ilizwe kanye lethempeli, wathumela uShafani indodana ka-Azaliya loMaseya umbusi wedolobho, loJowa indodana kaJowahazi, umlobi, ukuba bavuselele ithempeli likaThixo uNkulunkulu wakhe.
Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder to repair the house of Yahweh his God.
9 Baya kuHilikhiya umphristi omkhulu bamnika imali eyayilethwe ethempelini likaNkulunkulu, eyayiqoqwe ngabaLevi ababengabagcini beminyango beyiqoqa ebantwini bakoManase, lako-Efrayimi layo yonke insalela yabako-Israyeli lakubo bonke abantu bakoJuda labakoBhenjamini lababehlala eJerusalema.
They came to Hilkiah the high priest and delivered the money that was brought into God’s house, which the Levites, the keepers of the threshold, had gathered from the hands of Manasseh, Ephraim, of all the remnant of Israel, of all Judah and Benjamin, and of the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
10 Basebeyiqhubela amadoda ayekhethelwe ukukhangela ukuqhubeka komsebenzi wasethempelini likaThixo. Lamadoda ayeholisa ababevuselela lokwakha kutsha ithempeli.
They delivered it into the hands of the workmen who had the oversight of Yahweh’s house; and the workmen who labored in Yahweh’s house gave it to mend and repair the house.
11 Eyinye bayiqhubela ababazi labakhi ukuze bathenge amatshe abaziweyo lezigodo lezintungo zezindlu ezadilika amakhosi akoJuda engananzelele.
They gave it to the carpenters and to the builders to buy cut stone and timber for couplings, and to make beams for the houses which the kings of Judah had destroyed.
12 Amadoda ayisebenza imisebenzi yawo ngokwethembeka. Ayekhokhelwa njalo eqondiswa ngoJahathi lo-Obhadaya, abaLevi bosendo lukaMerari, uZakhariya loMeshulami abosendo lukaKhohathi. AbaLevi bonke ababengamagabazi kwezamachacho omculo,
The men did the work faithfully. Their overseers were Jahath and Obadiah the Levites, of the sons of Merari; and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to give direction; and others of the Levites, who were all skillful with musical instruments.
13 babephethe izisebenzi njalo bekhangele izisebenzi kulowo lalowo umsebenzi. Abanye abaLevi babengonobhala, labalobi kanye labalindi beminyango.
Also they were over the bearers of burdens, and directed all who did the work in every kind of service. Of the Levites, there were scribes, officials, and gatekeepers.
14 Besakhipha imali eyayingeniswe ethempelini likaThixo, uHilikhiya umphristi wafumana uGwalo loMthetho kaThixo owawuphiwe uMosi.
When they brought out the money that was brought into Yahweh’s house, Hilkiah the priest found the book of Yahweh’s law given by Moses.
15 UHilikhiya wathi kuShafani unobhala, “Sengilutholile uGwalo loMthetho ethempelini likaThixo.” Waselunika uShafani.
Hilkiah answered Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the book of the law in Yahweh’s house.” So Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan.
16 Ngalokho uShafani waluthatha walusa enkosini wayibikela wathi: “Izikhulu zakho ziyakwenza konke ozilaye ukuba zikwenze.
Shaphan carried the book to the king, and moreover brought back word to the king, saying, “All that was committed to your servants, they are doing.
17 Sebeyibhadele imali leyo eyayisethempelini likaThixo njalo sebeyitshiyele abakhangeli bomsebenzi kanye lezisebenzi.”
They have emptied out the money that was found in Yahweh’s house, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers and into the hand of the workmen.”
18 Ngakho uShafani unobhala wabikela inkosi, wathi, “UHilikhiya umphristi usengiphe ugwalo.” Ngakho uShafani waselubala phambi kwenkosi.
Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, “Hilkiah the priest has delivered me a book.” Shaphan read from it to the king.
19 Inkosi yonela ukuzwa amazwi oMthetho, yadabula izembatho zayo
When the king had heard the words of the law, he tore his clothes.
20 yapha leziziqondiso kuHilikhiya, lo-Ahikhami indodana kaShefani, lo-Abhidoni indodana kaMikha, loShafani unobhala kanye lo-Asaya inceku yenkosi yathi:
The king commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Abdon the son of Micah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant, saying,
21 “Hambani liyengibuzela kuThixo lensalela yako-Israyeli labakoJuda ngalokhu okulotshwe kulolugwalo olutholakeleyo. Lukhulu ulaka lukaThixo phezu kwethu ngenxa yabokhokho abangazange balilalele ilizwi likaThixo; kabenzanga ngendlela okulotshwe ngayo kulolugwalo.”
“Go inquire of Yahweh for me, and for those who are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found; for great is Yahweh’s wrath that is poured out on us, because our fathers have not kept Yahweh’s word, to do according to all that is written in this book.”
22 UHilikhiya lalabo ayethunywe labo yinkosi bahamba ukuba bayekhuluma loHulida umphrofethikazi owayengumkaShalumi indodana kaThokhathi, indodana kaHasira, umlondolozi wezembatho. UHulida wayehlala eJerusalema endaweni yeSiqinti Sesibili.
So Hilkiah and those whom the king had commanded went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in the second quarter), and they spoke to her to that effect.
23 Wathi kubo, “Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: Tshelani umuntu olithume kimi lithi,
She said to them, “Yahweh, the God of Israel says: ‘Tell the man who sent you to me,
24 ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo uthi: Ngizakwehlisela lindawo labantu bayo incithakalo lazozonke izithuko ezilotshiweyo egwalweni olufundwe phambi kwenkosi yakoJuda.
“Yahweh says, ‘Behold, I will bring evil on this place and on its inhabitants, even all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah.
25 Ngoba bangidelile batshisela abanye onkulunkulu impepha njalo bangithukuthelisile ngakho konke abakwenze ngezandla zabo, ulaka lwami luzakwehlela phezu kwalindawo njalo aluyikucitshwa.’
Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands, therefore my wrath is poured out on this place, and it will not be quenched.’”’
26 Tshelani inkosi yakoJuda, elithume ukuzabuza kuThixo lithi: ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, mayelana lamazwi owezwileyo:
But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of Yahweh, you shall tell him this, ‘Yahweh, the God of Israel says: “About the words which you have heard,
27 Njengoba uzisolile wazehlisa ngaphansi kukaNkulunkulu wezwa ukuthi utheni ngalindawo labantu bayo njalo langenxa yokuthi uzehlisile wazithoba phambi kwami wadabula izembatho zakho walila phambi kwami, ngikuzwile, utsho njalo uThixo.
because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and against its inhabitants, and have humbled yourself before me, and have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you,” says Yahweh.
28 Wena ngizakususa ngikuse kubokhokho bakho, njalo uzangcwatshwa ngokuthula. Amehlo akho awayikubona leyoncithakalo engizayehlisela indawo le lakulabo abahlala khona.’” Ngempela bayithatha leyompendulo baya layo enkosini.
“Behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes won’t see all the evil that I will bring on this place and on its inhabitants.”’” They brought back this message to the king.
29 Inkosi yasibuthanisa bonke abadala bakoJuda labaseJerusalema.
Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.
30 Yaya ethempelini likaThixo labantu bakoJuda, kanye labaseJerusalema, labaphristi kanye labaLevi labantu bonke kusukela komncinyane kusiya komkhulu. Inkosi yabafundela wonke amazwi ayeseGwalweni lweSivumelwano, olwatholakala ethempelini likaThixo.
The king went up to Yahweh’s house with all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem—the priests, the Levites, and all the people, both great and small—and he read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in Yahweh’s house.
31 Inkosi yema ensikeni yayo yavuselela isivumelwano sayo phambi kukaThixo, ukumkhonza uThixo lokwamukela imilayo yakhe, leziqondiso, lezimiso zakhe ngenhliziyo yayo yonke langomphefumulo wayo wonke, lokulalela amazwi esivumelwano esilotshiweyo ogwalweni.
The king stood in his place and made a covenant before Yahweh, to walk after Yahweh, and to keep his commandments, his testimonies, and his statutes with all his heart and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book.
32 Yasifungisa bonke ababeseJerusalema labakoBhenjamini ukuba bazasigcina; abantu baseJerusalema bakwenza lokho belandela isivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu, uNkulunkulu wabokhokho babo.
He caused all who were found in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand. The inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.
33 UJosiya wasusa zonke izithombe ezenyanyekayo ezabelweni zonke ezazingezako-Israyeli, wenza bonke abako-Israyeli bamkhonza uThixo uNkulunkulu wabo. Ngezinsuku zokuphila kwakhe kazange aphambuke endleleni kaThixo, uNkulunkulu wabokhokho babo.
Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that belonged to the children of Israel, and made all who were found in Israel to serve, even to serve Yahweh their God. All his days they didn’t depart from following Yahweh, the God of their fathers.
