< Nehemiah 6 >
1 Now it came to pass, when it was reported to Sanballat and Tobiah, and to 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),
Kwasekusithi oSanibhalathi loTobiya loGeshema umArabhiya lezinye izitha zethu sezizwile ukuthi ngiwakhile umduli lokuthi kakusalanga sikhala kuwo, lanxa kuze kube yilesosikhathi ngangingamisanga izivalo emasangweni,
2 that Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, Come, let us meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.
oSanibhalathi loGeshema bathuma kimi besithi: Woza sihlangane ndawonye emizini emagcekeni eOno. Kodwa babecabange ukwenza okubi kimi.
3 And I sent messengers to them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it, and come down to you?
Ngasengithuma izithunywa kubo ngisithi: Ngenza umsebenzi omkhulu, ngakho kangilakho ukwehla. Kungani umsebenzi uzakuma, ngiwutshiye, ngehlele kini?
4 And they sent to me four times after this sort, and I answered them after the same manner.
Basebethuma kimi kane ngaleyondlela, ngabaphendula ngaleyondlela.
5 Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand
Ngakho uSanibhalathi wathuma kimi inceku yakhe ngaleyondlela ngokwesihlanu ilencwadi evulekileyo esandleni sayo.
6 in which was written, It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel, for which cause thou are building the wall. And thou would be their king according to these words.
Kwakubhalwe kuyo ukuthi: Kuzwakele ezizweni, loGashimu uthi: Wena lamaJuda linakana ukuhlamuka; ngenxa yalokho wakha umduli, ukuze wena ube yinkosi yabo, njengalamazwi.
7 And thou have also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah. And now it shall be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together.
Futhi umisile labaprofethi ukuze bamemezele ngawe eJerusalema, besithi: Kukhona inkosi koJuda. Khathesi-ke kuzazwakala enkosini njengalamazwi. Ngakho-ke woza, sicebisane.
8 Then I sent to him, saying, There are no such things done as thou say, but thou imagine them out of thine own heart.
Ngasengithuma kuye ngisithi: Kazikho izinto ezinjengalezo ozitshoyo, kodwa uyazibumba zivela enhliziyweni yakho.
9 For they all would have made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work that it not be done. But now, O God, strengthen thou my hands.
Ngoba bonke basethusa besithi: Izandla zabo zizadangala emsebenzini, ukuthi ungenziwa. Ngakho-ke qinisa izandla zami.
10 And I went to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabel, who was shut up, and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple. For they will come to kill thee, yea, they will come to kill thee in the night.
Mina sengingenile endlini kaShemaya indodana kaDelaya indodana kaMehethabheli owayezivalele, wasesithi: Asihlangane endlini kaNkulunkulu phakathi kwethempeli, sivale iminyango yethempeli, ngoba bayeza ukukubulala, yebo, bayeza ebusuku ukukubulala.
11 And I said, Should such a man as I flee? And who is there, that, being such as I, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.
Kodwa ngathi: Kambe umuntu onjengami angabaleka? Pho, nguwuphi umuntu onjengami ongangena ethempelini aphile? Kangiyikungena.
12 And I discerned, and, lo, God had not sent him, but he pronounced this prophecy against me, and Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
Ngasenginanzelela, khangela-ke, uNkulunkulu wayengamthumanga, kodwa wakhuluma isiprofetho esimelene lami ngoba oTobiya loSanibhalathi babemqhatshile.
13 For this cause he was hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me.
Ngakho wayeqhatshiwe ukuze ngesabe, ngenze njalo, ngone, ukuze babe lebizo elibi ngami, ukuze bangigcone.
14 Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and also the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, who would have put me in fear.
Khumbula, Nkulunkulu wami, uTobiya loSanibhalathi njengokwale imisebenzi yakhe, njalo loNowadiya umprofethikazi labanye abaprofethi ababengethusa.
15 So the wall was finished in the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days.
Waphela-ke umduli ngolwamatshumi amabili lanhlanu kaEluli ngensuku ezingamatshumi amahlanu lambili.
16 And it came to pass, when all our enemies heard of it, that all the nations that were around us feared, and were much cast down in their own eyes, for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God.
Kwasekusithi zonke izitha zethu zisizwa, lazo zonke izizwe ezisizingelezeleyo zibona, zawa kakhulu emehlweni azo; ngoba zananzelela ukuthi lumsebenzi wenziwe nguNkulunkulu wethu.
17 Moreover in those days the ranking men of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came to them.
Njalo ngalezonsuku izikhulu zakoJuda zandisa incwadi zazo eziya kuTobiya, lezikaTobiya zeza 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 to wife.
Ngoba abanengi koJuda babefungile kuye ngoba wayengumkhwenyana kaShekaniya indodana kaAra, loJehohanani indodana yakhe wayethethe indodakazi kaMeshulamu indodana kaBerekiya.
19 Also they spoke of his good deeds before me, and reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.
Njalo babekhuluma izenzo zakhe ezinhle phambi kwami, lamazwi ami bewakhuphela kuye. UTobiya wathumela incwadi zokungethusa.