< 2 Chronicles 6 >
1 Then Solomon declared: “The LORD has said that He would dwell in the thick cloud;
USolomoni wasesithi, “UThixo usetshilo ukuthi uzahlala eyezini elimnyama,
2 and I have built You an exalted house, a place for You to dwell forever.”
sengikwakhele ithempeli elimangalisayo, indawo yakho ozahlala kuyo kuze kube nininini.”
3 And as the whole assembly of Israel stood there, the king turned around and blessed them all
Ibandla lonke lako-Israyeli lisemi khonapho, inkosi yaphenduka yababusisa.
4 and said: “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who has fulfilled with His own hand what He spoke with His mouth to my father David, saying,
Yasisithi: “Kadunyiswe uThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, yena osegcwalise ngezandla zakhe ayekuthembise ubaba uDavida ngomlomo wakhe. Ngoba wathi,
5 ‘Since the day I brought My people out of the land of Egypt, I have not chosen a city from any tribe of Israel in which to build a house so that My Name would be there, nor have I chosen anyone to be ruler over My people Israel.
‘Kusukela ngelanga engakhupha ngalo abantu bami eGibhithe, akuladolobho engalikhethayo laloba kusiphi isizwana sako-Israyeli, ukuba iBizo lami lakhelwe ithempeli khona, njalo angikhethanga loba ngubani ukuba abe ngumkhokheli wabantu bami bako-Israyeli.
6 But now I have chosen Jerusalem for My Name to be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.’
Kodwa khathesi sengikhethe iJerusalema ukuba iBizo lami libe khonale, njalo sengikhethe uDavida ukuba abuse abantu bami bako-Israyeli.’
7 Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a house for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel.
Ubaba uDavida wayetshiseka enhliziyweni yakhe ukuba akhele iBizo likaThixo ithempeli, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.
8 But the LORD said to my father David, ‘Since it was in your heart to build a house for My Name, you have done well to have this in your heart.
Kodwa uThixo wathi kubaba uDavida, ‘Wenza kuhle ngokuba lesifiso sokungakhela ithempeli leBizo lami enhliziyweni yakho.
9 Nevertheless, you are not the one to build it; but your son, your own offspring, will build the house for My Name.’
Lanxa kunjalo, kayisuwe ozakwakha ithempeli, kodwa indodana yakho eyinyama yakho legazi lakho, yiyo ezakwakhela iBizo lami ithempeli.’
10 Now the LORD has fulfilled the word that He spoke. I have succeeded my father David, and I sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised. I have built the house for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel.
UThixo usigcinile isithembiso asenzayo. Sengiyinkosi esikhundleni sikababa uDavida njalo khathesi sengihlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi sika-Israyeli njengokuthembisa kukaThixo, njalo sengakhele iBizo likaThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli ithempeli.
11 And there I have provided a place for the ark, which contains the covenant of the LORD that He made with the children of Israel.”
Kulapho engibeke khona ibhokisi, phakathi kwalo kulesivumelwano sikaThixo asenza labantu bako-Israyeli.”
12 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands.
USolomoni wasesima phambi kwe-alithari likaThixo phambi kwalo lonke ibandla lako-Israyeli welula izandla zakhe.
13 Now Solomon had made a bronze platform five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high, and had placed it in the middle of the courtyard. He stood on it, knelt down before the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven,
Wayenze isitubhu sethusi, ubude baso buzingalo ezinhlanu, lobubanzi baso buzingalo ezinhlanu njalo buzingalo ezintathu ukuyaphezulu, sona wayesimise phakathi laphakathi kweguma elingaphandle. Wema phezu kwesitubhu waseguqa phambi kwalo lonke ibandla lako-Israyeli waphakamisela izandla zakhe ezulwini.
14 and said: “O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven or on earth, keeping Your covenant of loving devotion with Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts.
Wasesithi: “Oh Thixo Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, kakho uNkulunkulu ofanana lawe ezulwini lasemhlabeni, wena ogcina isivumelwano sakho sothando lezinceku zakho eziqhubeka endleleni yakho ngezinhliziyo ezipheleleyo.
15 You have kept Your promise to Your servant, my father David. What You spoke with Your mouth You have fulfilled with Your hand this day.
Usigcinile isithembiso sakho encekwini yakho uDavida ongubaba; ngomlomo wakho uthembisile njalo ngesandla sakho ukugcwalisile lokho njengoba kunjalo lamuhla.
16 Therefore now, O LORD, God of Israel, keep for Your servant, my father David, what You promised when You said: ‘You will never fail to have a man to sit before Me on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants guard their way to walk in My law as you have walked before Me.’
Ngakho Thixo, Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, gcinela inceku yakho uDavida ubaba isithembiso owasenza kuye usithi, ‘Kawuyikuswela umuntu ozakuma phambi kwami esihlalweni sobukhosi buka-Israyeli, nxa amadodana akho ezahamba ngokomthetho wami phambi kwami, njengalokhu okwenzileyo wena.’
17 And now, O LORD, God of Israel, please confirm what You promised to Your servant David.
Ngakho khathesi, Thixo, Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, kaligcwaliseke ilizwi lesithembiso owalikhuluma kuDavida inceku yakho.
18 But will God indeed dwell with man upon the earth? Even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain You, much less this temple I have built.
Kambe uNkulunkulu uzahlala labantu emhlabeni na? Amazulu, kanye lamazulu aphezulu kakhulu, kawakulingani. Pho lisilela kanganani lelithempeli engilakhileyo!
19 Yet regard the prayer and plea of Your servant, O LORD my God, so that You may hear the cry and the prayer that Your servant is praying before You.
Kodwa-ke akuzwe umkhuleko wenceku yakho lokucela kwayo umusa, Oh Thixo Nkulunkulu wami. Zwana ukukhala lokukhuleka kwenceku yakho phambi kwakho.
20 May Your eyes be open toward this temple day and night, toward the place where You said You would put Your Name, so that You may hear the prayer that Your servant prays toward this place.
Ebusuku lemini amehlo akho kakhangele lindlu, yona eyindawo owathi iBizo lakho lizakuba kuyo. Akuzwe umkhuleko wenceku yakho ngalindawo.
21 Hear the plea of Your servant and of Your people Israel when they pray toward this place. May You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place. May You hear and forgive.
Akulalele ukucela kwenceku yakho lokwabantu bakho bako-Israyeli nxa bekhuleka bekhangele kule indawo. Akuzwe ezulwini, lona eliyindawo yakho yokuhlala; ukuze uthi ungezwa, uthethelele.
22 When a man sins against his neighbor and is required to take an oath, and he comes to take an oath before Your altar in this temple,
Nxa umuntu angonela umakhelwane wakhe, afungiswe, abesefunga isifungo phambi kwe-alithari lakho kulelithempeli,
23 then may You hear from heaven and act. May You judge Your servants, condemning the wicked man by bringing down on his own head what he has done, and justifying the righteous man by rewarding him according to his righteousness.
zwana usezulwini, uthethelele. Zahlulele izinceku zakho, uyigwebe leyo elecala ngalokho ekwenzileyo, njalo uyidedele engonanga uyiphe umvuzo ofanele ukuba msulwa kwayo.
24 When Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against You, and they return to You and confess Your name, praying and pleading before You in this temple,
Kuthi lapho abantu bakho bako-Israyeli behlulwe yizitha ngoba bonile kuwe, akuthi lapho bephenduka befakaza ibizo lakho, bekhuleka njalo becela phambi kwakho kulelithempeli,
25 then may You hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your people Israel. May You restore them to the land You gave to them and their fathers.
zwana usezulwini uthethelele izono zabantu bakho bako-Israyeli ubabuyisele elizweni owabapha lona kanye laboyise.
26 When the skies are shut and there is no rain because Your people have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and they turn from their sins because You have afflicted them,
Akuthi nxa emazulwini kuvalekile lingasani izulu ngoba abantu bakho bonile kuwe, njalo bathi nxa bekhuleka bekhangele kulindawo befakaza ibizo lakho betshiya izono zabo ngoba ubajezisile,
27 then may You hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your servants, Your people Israel, so that You may teach them the good way in which they should walk. May You send rain on the land that You gave Your people as an inheritance.
zwana usezulwini uthethelele izono zenceku zakho, abantu bakho u-Israyeli. Bafundise indlela eqondileyo yokuphila uthumele izulu elizweni owalinika abantu bakho ukuba libe yilifa labo.
28 When famine or plague comes upon the land, or blight or mildew or locusts or grasshoppers, or when their enemies besiege them in their cities, whatever plague or sickness may come,
Nxa kufika indlala loba isifo elizweni, loba ingumane loba isikhwekhwe, intethe loba isikhongwane, loba izitha zibavimbezela loba kukuyiphi imizi yabo, loba kufika incithakalo kumbe umkhuhlane bani,
29 then may whatever prayer or petition Your people Israel make—each knowing his own afflictions and spreading out his hands toward this temple—
kuthi lanxa umkhuleko kumbe isicelo sisenziwa ngomunye wabantu bakho bako-Israyeli, ngulowo lalowo ebona inhlupheko lezinsizi zakhe njalo ephakamisela izandla zakhe kulelithempeli,
30 be heard by You from heaven, Your dwelling place. And may You forgive and repay each man according to all his ways, since You know his heart—for You alone know the hearts of men—
lalela usezulwini, okuyindawo yakho yokuhlala. Thethelela, wenzele umuntu munye ngamunye lokho okuhambelana lezenzo zakhe, ngoba wena uyazazi inhliziyo zabo (futhi nguwe wedwa owazi inhliziyo zabantu),
31 so that they may fear You and walk in Your ways all the days they live in the land that You gave to our fathers.
ukuze bakwesabe bahambe ezindleleni zakho besaphila elizweni owalipha okhokho bethu.
32 And as for the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of Your great name and Your mighty hand and outstretched arm—when he comes and prays toward this temple,
Akuthi owezizweni ongasuye omunye wabantu bakho bako-Israyeli kodwa evela elizweni elikhatshana ngenxa yodumo lwebizo lakho lesandla sakho esilamandla lengalo yakho elulekileyo, nxa esiza ekhuleka ekhangele kulelithempeli,
33 then may You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You. Then all the peoples of the earth will know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and they will know that this house I have built is called by Your Name.
umuzwe usezulwini, lona eliyindawo yakho yokuhlala, umenzele owezizweni loba kuyini akucela kuwe, ukuze kuthi abantu bonke emhlabeni balazi ibizo lakho bakwesabe, njengalokhu abantu bakho bako-Israyeli bekwenza, ukuze bazi ukuthi lindlu engiyakhileyo ngeyeBizo lakho.
34 When Your people go to war against their enemies, wherever You send them, and when they pray to You in the direction of the city You have chosen and the house I have built for Your Name,
Nxa abantu bakho bephuma besiya empini ukuyakulwa lezitha zabo, loba kungaphi lapho obathuma khona, njalo kuthi nxa bekhuleka kuwe bekhangele lelidolobho olikhethileyo kanye lalelithempeli engilakhele iBizo lakho,
35 then may You hear from heaven their prayer and their plea, and may You uphold their cause.
uzwe usezulwini imikhuleko yabo lokuncenga kwabo, ubamele wena.
36 When they sin against You—for there is no one who does not sin—and You become angry with them and deliver them to an enemy who takes them as captives to a land far or near,
Nxa bonile phambi kwakho, ngoba kakho ongoniyo njalo uze ubathukuthelele ubanikele ezitheni zabo ezibathumba zibase elizweni elikhatshana loba eliseduzane,
37 and when they come to their senses in the land to which they were taken, and they repent and plead with You in the land of their captors, saying, ‘We have sinned and done wrong; we have acted wickedly,’
kuthi nxa bengaguquka ezinhliziyweni zabo besemazweni abayabe bethunjelwe kuwo, baphenduke bakuncenge besemazweni abathunjelwa khona bathi, ‘Sonile, senza okungalunganga lokubi,’
38 and when they return to You with all their heart and soul in the land of the enemies who took them captive, and when they pray in the direction of the land that You gave to their fathers, the city You have chosen, and the house I have built for Your Name,
loba nxa bephendukela kuwe ngezinhliziyo zabo zonke langemiphefumulo yabo elizweni njalo bekhuleka bekhangele elizweni owalinika oyise, edolobheni owalikhethayo lasethempelini engilakhele iBizo lakho;
39 then may You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place, their prayer and petition, and may You uphold their cause. May You forgive Your people who sinned against You.
ngakho wena osezulwini, endaweni yakho yokuhlala, akuzwe imikhuleko yabo lokuncenga kwabo, ubamele. Njalo ubathethelele abantu bakho, bona abakoneleyo.
40 Now, my God, may Your eyes be open and Your ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place.
Ngakho-ke, Nkulunkulu wami sengathi amehlo akho angavuleka lezindlebe zakho zilalele imikhuleko eyenziwa kule indawo.
41 Now therefore, arise, O LORD God, and enter Your resting place, You and the ark of Your might. May Your priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation, and may Your godly ones rejoice in goodness.
Ngakho phakama, Oh Thixo Nkulunkulu,
42 O LORD God, do not reject Your anointed one. Remember Your loving devotion to Your servant David.”
Oh Thixo Nkulunkulu, ungafulatheli ogcotshiweyo wakho.