< Nehemiah 6 >
1 Now it came to pass, when it came to the hearing of Sanballat, and Tobiyah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, that I had built the wall, and that there was no breach left therein, although up to that time I had not yet 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 unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in Kephirim, in the plain of Ono. But they were thinking of doing me mischief.
oSanibhalathi loGeshema bathuma kimi besithi: Woza sihlangane ndawonye emizini emagcekeni eOno. Kodwa babecabange ukwenza okubi kimi.
3 And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, and I cannot come down: why should the work cease, while I leave it lying, 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 unto me after this manner four times; and I answered them after the same manner.
Basebethuma kimi kane ngaleyondlela, ngabaphendula ngaleyondlela.
5 Then sent Sanballat unto me in like manner the fifth time his young man with an open letter in his hand:
Ngakho uSanibhalathi wathuma kimi inceku yakhe ngaleyondlela ngokwesihlanu ilencwadi evulekileyo esandleni sayo.
6 Therein was written, It hath been heard among the nations, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think of rebelling; wherefore thou art building up the wall; and that thou art to be king unto them, according to these reports.
Kwakubhalwe kuyo ukuthi: Kuzwakele ezizweni, loGashimu uthi: Wena lamaJuda linakana ukuhlamuka; ngenxa yalokho wakha umduli, ukuze wena ube yinkosi yabo, njengalamazwi.
7 And that thou hast also set up prophets to proclaim concerning thee at Jerusalem, saying, He is king in Judah: and now there may be reported to the king something like these words. Now therefore come, 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 unto him, saying, “There hath been done nothing like these reports of which thou speakest; but out of thy own heart thou inventest them.”
Ngasengithuma kuye ngisithi: Kazikho izinto ezinjengalezo ozitshoyo, kodwa uyazibumba zivela enhliziyweni yakho.
9 For they all wished to make us afraid, thinking, Their hands will be withdrawn from the work, so that it will not be done. Now therefore, [O God, ] strengthen my hands.
Ngoba bonke basethusa besithi: Izandla zabo zizadangala emsebenzini, ukuthi ungenziwa. Ngakho-ke qinisa izandla zami.
10 And I came also into the house of Shema'yah the son of Delayah the son of Mehetabel, who had shut himself up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us lock the doors of the temple; for they are coming to slay thee: yea, in the night are they coming to slay thee.
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 a man like me flee? and who is there that is like me, that would go into the temple and live? I will not go in.
Kodwa ngathi: Kambe umuntu onjengami angabaleka? Pho, nguwuphi umuntu onjengami ongangena ethempelini aphile? Kangiyikungena.
12 And I perceived that, lo, God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy over me, because Tobiyah and Sanballat had hired him.
Ngasenginanzelela, khangela-ke, uNkulunkulu wayengamthumanga, kodwa wakhuluma isiprofetho esimelene lami ngoba oTobiya loSanibhalathi babemqhatshile.
13 Therefore was he hired, in order that I should become afraid, and do so, and sin, and that it might serve them for an evil report, so that they might cast reproach upon me.
Ngakho wayeqhatshiwe ukuze ngesabe, ngenze njalo, ngone, ukuze babe lebizo elibi ngami, ukuze bangigcone.
14 Think, O my God, of Tobiyah and Sanballat according to these their works, and also of No'adyah the prophetess, and the rest of the prophets, who wished to make me afraid.
Khumbula, Nkulunkulu wami, uTobiya loSanibhalathi njengokwale imisebenzi yakhe, njalo loNowadiya umprofethikazi labanye abaprofethi ababengethusa.
15 And so was the wall finished on the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days.
Waphela-ke umduli ngolwamatshumi amabili lanhlanu kaEluli ngensuku ezingamatshumi amahlanu lambili.
16 And it came to pass, when our enemies heard this, and all the nations that were about us saw it, that they sank greatly in their own eyes; and they perceived that by the aid of our God had this work been wrought.
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 nobles of Judah despatched frequently their letters unto Tobiyah, and those of Tobiyah came unto them.
Njalo ngalezonsuku izikhulu zakoJuda zandisa incwadi zazo eziya kuTobiya, lezikaTobiya zeza kuzo.
18 For many in Judah were sworn friends unto him; because he was the son-in-law of Shechanyah the son of Arach, and Jehochanan his son had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Bercehyah.
Ngoba abanengi koJuda babefungile kuye ngoba wayengumkhwenyana kaShekaniya indodana kaAra, loJehohanani indodana yakhe wayethethe indodakazi kaMeshulamu indodana kaBerekiya.
19 Also his good deeds were they reporting before me, and my words they used to carry out to him: also Tobiyah sent letters to make me afraid.
Njalo babekhuluma izenzo zakhe ezinhle phambi kwami, lamazwi ami bewakhuphela kuye. UTobiya wathumela incwadi zokungethusa.