1 Kings 8
1 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the ancestral leaders of the children of Israel, to king Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the City of David, which is Zion.
Khona uSolomoni wabuthanisa abadala bakoIsrayeli, zonke inhloko zezizwe, iziphathamandla zaboyise babantwana bakoIsrayeli, ukuya enkosini uSolomoni eJerusalema, ukuze benyuse umtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaJehova bewukhupha emzini kaDavida, oyiZiyoni.
2 All the men of Israel assembled themselves to king Solomon at the feast, in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month.
Wonke amadoda akoIsrayeli asebuthana enkosini uSolomoni emkhosini enyangeni kaEthanimi eyinyanga yesikhombisa.
3 All the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark.
Labo bonke abadala bakoIsrayeli beza, abapristi bawuphakamisa umtshokotsho wesivumelwano,
4 They brought up the ark of the LORD, and the Tent of Meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the Tent; and the priests and the Levites brought them up.
bawenyusa umtshokotsho weNkosi lethente lenhlangano, lazo zonke izitsha ezingcwele ezazisethenteni; abapristi lamaLevi bakwenyusa-ke.
5 King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who were assembled to him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and cattle, that could not be counted nor numbered for multitude.
Njalo inkosi uSolomoni lenhlangano yonke yakoIsrayeli eyayibuthene babelayo phambi komtshokotsho behlaba izimvu lezinkabi ezingelanani lezingelakubalwa ngobunengi.
6 The priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the house, to the most holy place, under the wings of the cherubim.
Abapristi basebewungenisa umtshokotsho wesivumelwano seNkosi endaweni yawo endaweni yelizwi yendlu, engcweleni yezingcwele, ngaphansi kwempiko zamakherubhi.
7 For the cherubim spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim covered the ark and its poles above.
Ngoba amakherubhi elulela impiko zawo phezu kwendawo yomtshokotsho, amakherubhi embesa umtshokotsho lemijabo yawo, kuvela phezulu.
8 The poles were so long that the ends of the poles were seen from the holy place before the inner sanctuary; but they were not seen outside. And there they are to this day.
Basebeselula imijabo ukuze izihloko zemijabo zibonakale endaweni engcwele phambi kwendawo yelizwi, kodwa yayingabonakali ngaphandle; njalo ikhona lapho kuze kube lamuhla.
9 There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.
Kwakungelalutho emtshokotshweni, ngaphandle kwezibhebhe zamatshe ezimbili uMozisi azifaka khona eHorebe mhla iNkosi isenza khona isivumelwano labantwana bakoIsrayeli ekuphumeni kwabo elizweni leGibhithe.
10 It came to pass, when the priests had come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD,
Kwasekusithi ekuphumeni kwabapristi endaweni engcwele iyezi layigcwalisa indlu yeNkosi;
11 so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD.
ngakho abapristi babengelakho ukuma ukuthi bakhonze ngenxa yeyezi, ngoba inkazimulo yeNkosi yayigcwalise indlu yeNkosi.
12 Then Solomon said, "The LORD has said that he would dwell in the thick cloud.
Ngalesosikhathi uSolomoni wathi: INkosi yathi izahlala emnyameni onzima.
13 I have surely built you a house of habitation, a place for you to dwell in forever."
Ngikwakhele lokukwakhela indlu, indawo yokuhlala, indawo emisiweyo yokuhlala kwakho laphakade.
14 The king turned his face about, and blessed all the assembly of Israel: and all the assembly of Israel stood.
Inkosi yasitshibilikisa ubuso bayo, yalibusisa ibandla lonke lakoIsrayeli; lebandla lonke lakoIsrayeli lalimi.
15 He said, "Blessed is the LORD, the God of Israel, who spoke with his mouth to David your father, and has with his hand fulfilled it, saying,
Yasisithi: Kayibusiswe iNkosi, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, eyakhuluma ngomlomo wayo kuDavida ubaba, njalo yagcwalisa ngesandla sayo, isithi:
16 'Since the day that I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build a house, so that my name might be there; nor did I choose anyone to be a leader over my people Israel. But I have chosen Jerusalem, so that my name may be there, and I have chosen David to be over my people Israel.'
Kusukela ngosuku engakhupha ngalo abantu bami uIsrayeli elizweni leGibhithe kangikhethanga muzi ezizweni zonke zakoIsrayeli ukwakha indlu, ukuthi ibizo lami libe lapho, kodwa ngakhetha uDavida ukuthi abe phezu kwabantu bami uIsrayeli.
17 "Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.
Njalo kwakusenhliziyweni kaDavida ubaba ukwakhela ibizo leNkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli indlu.
18 But the LORD said to David my father, 'Whereas it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart.
Kodwa iNkosi yathi kuDavida ubaba: Njengoba kwakusenhliziyweni yakho ukwakhela ibizo lami indlu, wenze kuhle ukuthi kwakusenhliziyweni yakho;
19 Nevertheless, you shall not build the house; but your son who shall come forth out of your body, he shall build the house for my name.'
loba kunjalo kawuyikuyakha indlu wena, kodwa indodana yakho ezaphuma ekhalweni lwakho, yona izalakhela ibizo lami indlu.
20 The LORD has established his word that he spoke; for I have risen up in the place of David my father, and I sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built the house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.
INkosi isiqinisile ilizwi layo eyalikhulumayo, ngoba ngivukile esikhundleni sikaDavida ubaba, ngihlala esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaIsrayeli njengokuba iNkosi ikhulumile, sengilakhele ibizo leNkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli indlu.
21 There I have set a place for the ark, in which is the covenant of the LORD, which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt."
Njalo ngimisile lapho indawo yomtshokotsho, lapho okulesivumelwano seNkosi khona, eyasenza labobaba ekubakhupheni kwayo elizweni leGibhithe.
22 Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven. Now Solomon had made a bronze scaffold, eight feet and seven inches long, and eight feet and seven inches broad, and five feet and two inches high, and had set it in the midst of the court; and on it he stood, and kneeled down on his knees before all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven.
USolomoni wasesima phambi kwelathi leNkosi maqondana lebandla lonke lakoIsrayeli, welulela izandla zakhe emazulwini,
23 And he said, "LORD, the God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above, or on earth beneath; keeping covenant and loving kindness with your servants, who walk before you with all their heart;
wathi: Nkosi, Nkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, kakho unkulunkulu onjengawe emazulwini phezulu lemhlabeni phansi ogcina isivumelwano lomusa ezincekwini zakho ezihamba phambi kwakho ngenhliziyo yazo yonke.
24 who have kept with your servant David my father that which you promised him. Yes, you spoke with your mouth, and have fulfilled it with your hand, as it is this day.
Ogcinele inceku yakho uDavida ubaba lokho owakutsho kuye; njalo wakhuluma ngomlomo wakho, wakugcwalisa ngesandla sakho, njengalamuhla.
25 Now therefore, may the LORD, the God of Israel, keep with your servant David my father that which you have promised him, saying, 'There shall not fail you a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your children take heed to their way, to walk before me as you have walked before me.'
Ngakho-ke, Nkosi, Nkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, gcinela inceku yakho uDavida ubaba owakukhuluma kuye, usithi: Kakuyikusweleka muntu kuwe phambi kwami ozahlala esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaIsrayeli, kuphela uba amadodana akho egcina indlela yawo ukuhamba phambi kwami njengoba uhambile phambi kwami.
26 "Now therefore, LORD, God of Israel, please let your word be verified, which you spoke to your servant David my father.
Khathesi-ke, Nkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, ake liqiniseke ilizwi lakho owalikhuluma encekwini yakho uDavida ubaba.
27 But will God in very deed dwell on the earth? Look, heaven and the heaven of heavens can't contain you; how much less this house that I have built.
Kodwa isibili uNkulunkulu uzahlala yini emhlabeni? Khangela, amazulu, lamazulu amazulu angekwanele; incinyane kangakanani-ke lindlu engiyakhileyo?
28 Yet have respect for the prayer of your servant, and for his petition, LORD my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which your servant prays before you this day;
Kube kanti phendukela emkhulekweni wenceku yakho lekuncengeni kwayo, Nkosi Nkulunkulu wami, ukuze uzwe ukukhala lomkhuleko inceku yakho ewukhulekayo phambi kwakho lamuhla.
29 that your eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which you have said, 'My name shall be there;' to listen to the prayer which your servant shall pray toward this place.
Ukuthi amehlo akho avulekele lindlu ebusuku lemini, indawo owatsho ngayo ukuthi: Ibizo lami lizakuba lapho; ukuze uzwe umkhuleko wenceku yakho ezawukhuleka kulindawo.
30 Listen to the petition of your servant, and of your people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place. Yes, hear in heaven, your dwelling place; and when you hear, forgive.
Zwana-ke ukuncenga kwenceku yakho lokwabantu bakho uIsrayeli lapho bezakhuleka kulindawo; yebo, uzwe wena, usendaweni yakho yokuhlala emazulwini; lapho usizwa, uthethelele.
31 "If a man sins against his neighbor, and an oath is laid on him to cause him to swear, and he comes and swear before your altar in this house;
Uba loba nguwuphi umuntu one umakhelwane wakhe, abeke phezu kwakhe isifungo, amenze afunge, lesifungo size phambi kwelathi lakho kulindlu,
32 then hear in heaven, and do, and judge your servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way on his own head, and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.
zwana-ke wena usemazulwini, wenze wahlulele inceku zakho, ulahle omubi, ukunikela indlela yakhe ekhanda lakhe, ukulungisisa olungileyo, ukumnika njengokulunga kwakhe.
33 "When your people Israel are struck down before the enemy, because they have sinned against you; if they turn again to you, and confess your name, and pray and make petition to you in this house:
Lapho abantu bakho uIsrayeli betshaywe phambi kwesitha ngoba bonile kuwe, babesebephendukela kuwe, balivume ibizo lakho, bakhuleke bancenge kuwe kulindlu,
34 then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them again to the land which you gave to their fathers.
zwana-ke wena usemazulwini, uthethelele isono sabantu bakho uIsrayeli, ubabuyisele elizweni owalinika oyise.
35 "When the sky is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against you; if they pray toward this place, and confess your name, and turn from their sin, when you punish them:
Lapho amazulu evaliwe, kungelazulu ngoba bonile kuwe, uba bekhuleka kulindawo belivuma ibizo lakho, baphenduke esonweni sabo lapho ubahluphile,
36 then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of your servants, and of your people Israel, when you teach them the good way in which they should walk; and send rain on your land, which you have given to your people for an inheritance.
zwana-ke wena usemazulwini, uthethelele isono senceku zakho lesabantu bakho uIsrayeli, lapho usubafundisile indlela elungileyo abangahamba ngayo, unike izulu elizweni lakho owalinika abantu bakho libe yilifa.
37 "If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there is blight, mildew, locust or caterpillar; if their enemy besieges them in the land of their gates; whatever plague, whatever sickness there is;
Uba kukhona indlala elizweni, uba kukhona umatshayabhuqe wesifo, ukutshisa, ingumane, isikhonyane, uba kulemihogoyi; uba isitha sabo sibavimbezele elizweni lemizi yabo, loba yiyiphi inhlupheko, loba yiwuphi umkhuhlane,
38 whatever prayer and petition is made by any man, or by all your people Israel, who shall each know the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house:
wonke umkhuleko, konke ukuncenga, okwenziwa yiloba nguwuphi umuntu, ngabantu bakho bonke bakoIsrayeli, abazakwazi ngulowo inhlupheko yenhliziyo yakhe, eselula izandla zakhe kulindlu,
39 then hear in heaven, your dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and render to every man according to all his ways, whose heart you know; (for you, even you only, know the hearts of all the children of humankind; )
zwana-ke wena usemazulwini, indawo yakho yokuhlala emisiweyo, uthethelele, wenze, unike ngulowo njengezindlela zakhe zonke, onhliziyo yakhe uyayazi, ngoba nguwe wedwa owaziyo inhliziyo yabo bonke abantwana babantu,
40 that they may fear you all the days that they live in the land which you gave to our fathers.
ukuze bakwesabe zonke izinsuku abaziphila ebusweni belizwe owalinika obaba.
41 "Moreover concerning the foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, when he shall come out of a far country for your name's sake
Futhi-ke mayelana lowezizweni ongesuye wabantu bakho uIsrayeli kodwa evela elizweni elikhatshana ngenxa yebizo lakho,
42 (for they shall hear of your great name, and of your mighty hand, and of your outstretched arm); when he shall come and pray toward this house;
(ngoba bazakuzwa ngebizo lakho elikhulu langesandla sakho esilamandla langengalo yakho eyeluliweyo) uba esiza akhuleke kulindlu,
43 then hear in heaven, your dwelling place, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to you for; that all the peoples of the earth may know your name, and fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I have built is called by your name.
zwana wena usemazulwini, indawo yakho yokuhlala emisiweyo, wenze njengakho konke owezizweni akubizela khona, ukuze izizwe zonke zomhlaba zazi ibizo lakho, zikwesabe, njengabantu bakho uIsrayeli, ukuze zazi ukuthi ibizo lakho libiziwe phezu kwale indlu engiyakhileyo.
44 "If your people go out to battle against their enemy, by whatever way you shall send them, and they pray to the LORD toward the city which you have chosen, and toward the house which I have built for your name;
Uba abantu bakho bephuma impi bemelene lesitha sabo ngendlela obathuma ngayo, babesebekhuleka eNkosini bekhangele emzini owukhethileyo lendlini engiyakhele ibizo lakho,
45 then hear in heaven their prayer and their petition, and maintain their cause.
zwana-ke usemazulwini umkhuleko wabo lokuncenga kwabo, wenze udaba lwabo.
46 If they sin against you (for there is no man who doesn't sin), and you are angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captive to the land of the enemy, far off or near;
Uba besona kuwe, ngoba kakulamuntu ongoniyo, ubusubathukuthelela, ubanikele esitheni, ukuze abathumbi babo babathumbele elizweni lesitha, khatshana kumbe eduze,
47 yet if they shall repent in the land where they are carried captive, and repent and make petition to you in the land of those who carried them captive, saying, 'We have sinned, and have done perversely; we have dealt wickedly;'
kodwa babuye enhliziyweni yabo elizweni abathunjelwe kilo, baphenduke, bancenge kuwe elizweni lababathumbileyo, besithi: Sonile, saphambeka, senza okubi;
48 if they return to you with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies, who carried them captive, and pray to you toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, the city which you have chosen, and the house which I have built for your name:
babuyele kuwe ngenhliziyo yonke yabo langomphefumulo wonke wabo elizweni lezitha zabo ezibathumbileyo, bakhuleke kuwe bekhangele elizweni labo owalinika oyise, umuzi owawukhethayo, lendlu engiyakhele ibizo lakho,
49 then hear their prayer and their petition in heaven, your dwelling place, and maintain their cause;
zwana-ke usemazulwini umkhuleko wabo lokuncenga kwabo, endaweni yakho yokuhlala, ubamele.
50 and forgive your people who have sinned against you, and all their transgressions in which they have transgressed against you; and give them compassion before those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them
Uthethelele abantu bakho abone kuwe, leziphambeko zabo zonke, abaphambeke ngazo kuwe, ubaphe isihawu phambi kwababathumbileyo, ukuthi babe lesihawu kibo,
51 (for they are your people, and your inheritance, which you brought out of Egypt, from the midst of the iron furnace);
ngoba bayisizwe sakho, lelifa lakho owabakhupha eGibhithe, phakathi kwesithando sensimbi.
52 that your eyes and your ears may be open to the petition of your servant, and to the petition of your people Israel, to listen to them whenever they cry to you.
Ukuze amehlo akho avulekele ukuncenga kwenceku yakho lokuncenga kwabantu bakho uIsrayeli, ukubezwa kukho konke ukukhala kwabo kuwe.
53 For you separated them from among all the peoples of the earth, to be your inheritance, as you spoke by Moses your servant, when you brought our fathers out of Egypt, Lord GOD."
Ngoba wena wazehlukanisela bona babe yilifa bevela kuzo zonke izizwe zomhlaba, njengokukhuluma kwakho ngesandla sikaMozisi, inceku yakho, ekukhupheni kwakho obaba eGibhithe, Nkosi Jehova.
54 It was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and petition to the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread forth toward heaven.
Kwasekusithi eseqedile uSolomoni ukukhuleka wonke lo umkhuleko lokuncenga eNkosini, wasukuma esuka ngaphambi kwelathi leNkosi ekuguqeni ngamadolo akhe lezandla zakhe zelulekele emazulwini,
55 He stood, and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying,
wasesima wabusisa ibandla lonke lakoIsrayeli ngelizwi elikhulu esithi:
56 "Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised. There has not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by Moses his servant.
Kayibusiswe iNkosi enike abantu bayo uIsrayeli ukuphumula njengakho konke eyakukhulumayo; kakuwanga lelilodwa ilizwi kuwo wonke amazwi ayo eyawakhuluma ngesandla sikaMozisi inceku yayo.
57 May the LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. Let him not leave us, nor forsake us;
INkosi uNkulunkulu wethu kayibe lathi njengalokhu yayilabobaba, ingasitshiyi ingasideli,
58 that he may incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his ordinances, which he commanded our fathers.
ukuze ithobele inhliziyo yethu kuyo, ukuhamba ngazo zonke indlela zayo, lokugcina imilayo yayo lezimiso zayo lezahlulelo zayo, eyakulaya obaba.
59 Let these my words, with which I have made petition before the LORD, be near to the LORD our God day and night, that he may maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel, as every day shall require;
Lala amazwi ami, engincenga ngawo phambi kweNkosi, abe seduzane leNkosi uNkulunkulu wethu emini lebusuku, ukuze imele udaba lwenceku yayo lodaba lwabantu bayo uIsrayeli, udaba losuku ngosuku lwalo,
60 that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD, he is God. There is no other.
ukuze izizwe zonke zomhlaba zazi ukuthi iNkosi inguNkulunkulu, kakho omunye.
61 "Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day."
Ngakho inhliziyo yenu kayibe ngepheleleyo kuJehova uNkulunkulu wethu, ukuhamba ezimisweni zayo, lokugcina imilayo yayo njengalamuhla.
62 The king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the LORD.
Inkosi loIsrayeli wonke elayo basebehlaba umhlatshelo phambi kukaJehova.
63 Solomon offered for the sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered to the LORD, two and twenty thousand head of cattle, and one hundred twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD.
USolomoni wasehlaba umhlatshelo weminikelo yokuthula awuhlabela uJehova, inkabi ezizinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lambili, lezimvu ezizinkulungwane ezilikhulu lamatshumi amabili. Ngokunjalo inkosi labo bonke abantwana bakoIsrayeli bayehlukanisa indlu kaJehova.
64 The same day the king made the middle of the court holy that was before the house of the LORD; for there he offered the burnt offering, and the meal offering, and the fat of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar that was before the LORD was too little to receive the burnt offering, and the meal offering, and the fat of the peace offerings.
Ngalona lolosuku inkosi yangcwelisa iphakathi leguma elalingaphambi kwendlu kaJehova, ngoba lapho yanikela umnikelo wokutshiswa lomnikelo wokudla, lamahwahwa eminikelo yokuthula, ngoba ilathi lethusi elaliphambi kukaJehova lalilincinyane kakhulu ukwanela umnikelo wokutshiswa lomnikelo wokudla lamahwahwa eminikelo yokuthula.
65 So Solomon held the feast at that time, and all Israel with him, a great assembly, from Lebo Hamath to the Wadi of Egypt, before the LORD our God in the house which he built, eating and drinking and rejoicing before the LORD our God, seven days and seven days; fourteen days.
Ngalesosikhathi uSolomoni wasesenza idili, loIsrayeli wonke laye, ibandla elikhulu, kusukela ekungeneni kweHamathi kusiya esifuleni seGibhithe, phambi kweNkosi uNkulunkulu wethu, insuku eziyisikhombisa lensuku eziyisikhombisa, insuku ezilitshumi lane.
66 And on the eighth day he sent the people away; and they blessed the king, and went to their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the LORD had shown to David his servant, and to Israel his people.
Ngosuku lwesificaminwembili wabayekela abantu bahamba; bayibusisa inkosi, baya emathenteni abo bethokoza bejabula enhliziyweni ngakho konke okuhle iNkosi eyayikwenzele uDavida inceku yayo loIsrayeli abantu bayo.
