< 2 Chronicles 6 >

1 Then, said Solomon, —Yahweh, said, that he would make his habitation in thick gloom;
USolomoni wasesithi, “UThixo usetshilo ukuthi uzahlala eyezini elimnyama,
2 But, I, have built a house as a home for thee, —A settled place for thee to abide in, for ages.
sengikwakhele ithempeli elimangalisayo, indawo yakho ozahlala kuyo kuze kube nininini.”
3 And the king turned about his face, and blessed all the convocation of Israel, —while, all the convocation of Israel, was standing;
Ibandla lonke lako-Israyeli lisemi khonapho, inkosi yaphenduka yababusisa.
4 and he said, Blessed be Yahweh, God of Israel, who spake with his mouth, unto David my father, -and, with his hand, hath fulfilled, saying:
Yasisithi: “Kadunyiswe uThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, yena osegcwalise ngezandla zakhe ayekuthembise ubaba uDavida ngomlomo wakhe. Ngoba wathi,
5 From the day I brought forth my people out of the land of Egypt, I made choice of no city, out of all the tribes of Israel, for building a house, where my Name might be, —neither made I choice of any man, to be chief 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 nevertheless I have made choice of Jerusalem, that my Name might be there, —and I have made choice of David, that he might be over my people Israel.
Kodwa khathesi sengikhethe iJerusalema ukuba iBizo lami libe khonale, njalo sengikhethe uDavida ukuba abuse abantu bami bako-Israyeli.’
7 And so it came to pass, that it was near the heart of David my father, —to build a house, to the Name of Yahweh, God of Israel.
Ubaba uDavida wayetshiseka enhliziyweni yakhe ukuba akhele iBizo likaThixo ithempeli, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.
8 Then said Yahweh unto David my father, Because it was near thy heart to build a house for my Name, thou didst well that it was near thy heart:
Kodwa uThixo wathi kubaba uDavida, ‘Wenza kuhle ngokuba lesifiso sokungakhela ithempeli leBizo lami enhliziyweni yakho.
9 Only, thou thyself, must not build the house, —but, thine own son, that proceedeth out of thy loins—he, shall build the house for my Name.
Lanxa kunjalo, kayisuwe ozakwakha ithempeli, kodwa indodana yakho eyinyama yakho legazi lakho, yiyo ezakwakhela iBizo lami ithempeli.’
10 So then Yahweh hath established his word, which he spake, —and I have been raised up instead of David my father, and have taken my seat upon the throne of Israel, as spake Yahweh, and have built the house to the Name of Yahweh, 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 have put there, the ark, —wherein is the covenant of Yahweh, —which he solemnised with the sons of Israel.
Kulapho engibeke khona ibhokisi, phakathi kwalo kulesivumelwano sikaThixo asenza labantu bako-Israyeli.”
12 Then stood he before the altar of Yahweh, in the presence of all the convocation of Israel, —and spread forth his hands;
USolomoni wasesima phambi kwe-alithari likaThixo phambi kwalo lonke ibandla lako-Israyeli welula izandla zakhe.
13 for Solomon had made a platform of bronze, and had set it in the midst of the enclosure, five cubits, the length thereof, and, five cubits, the breadth thereof, and, three cubits, the height thereof, -and he stood thereon, and knelt upon his knees, in the presence of all the convocation of Israel, and spread forth his hands, heavenward;
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 Yahweh! God of Israel, Not like unto thee, is there a god, in the heavens, or throughout the earth, —who keepest Covenant and Lovingkindness for thy servants who are walking before thee with all their heart:
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 who hast kept, for thy servant David my father, that which thou didst promise him, —in that thou didst promise with thy mouth, and, with thy hand, hast fulfilled, as [it is] this day.
Usigcinile isithembiso sakho encekwini yakho uDavida ongubaba; ngomlomo wakho uthembisile njalo ngesandla sakho ukugcwalisile lokho njengoba kunjalo lamuhla.
16 Now, therefore, O Yahweh—God of Israel, keep thou, for thy servant David my father, that which thou didst promise him, saying, There shall not be cut off to thee a man, from before me, to sit upon the throne of Israel, if only, thy sons take heed to their way, to walk in my law, as thou hast 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 Now, therefore, O Yahweh, God of Israel, -verified be thy promise, which thou didst make unto thy servant David.
Ngakho khathesi, Thixo, Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, kaligcwaliseke ilizwi lesithembiso owalikhuluma kuDavida inceku yakho.
18 But, in very deed, will God dwell with man on the earth? Lo! the heavens, even the leaven of heavens, cannot contain thee, how much less this house which I have built!
Kambe uNkulunkulu uzahlala labantu emhlabeni na? Amazulu, kanye lamazulu aphezulu kakhulu, kawakulingani. Pho lisilela kanganani lelithempeli engilakhileyo!
19 Wilt thou then turn unto the prayer of thy servant and unto his supplication, O Yahweh my God, —to hearken unto the cry and unto the prayer, wherewith thy servant is praying before thee:
Kodwa-ke akuzwe umkhuleko wenceku yakho lokucela kwayo umusa, Oh Thixo Nkulunkulu wami. Zwana ukukhala lokukhuleka kwenceku yakho phambi kwakho.
20 that thine eyes may be open toward this house, day and night, toward the place of which thou hast said thou wouldst set thy Name there, —to hearken unto the prayer which thy servant may pray towards this place:
Ebusuku lemini amehlo akho kakhangele lindlu, yona eyindawo owathi iBizo lakho lizakuba kuyo. Akuzwe umkhuleko wenceku yakho ngalindawo.
21 wilt thou therefore hearken unto the supplications of thy servant, and thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place, —yea wilt, thou thyself, hear, out of thine own dwelling-place, out of the heavens, and, when thou hearest, then wilt thou 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 If a man shall sin against his neighbour, and there shall be laid upon him an oath, to put him on oath, —and an oath shall come before thine altar in this house,
Nxa umuntu angonela umakhelwane wakhe, afungiswe, abesefunga isifungo phambi kwe-alithari lakho kulelithempeli,
23 then wilt, thou thyself, hear out of the heavens, and act, and judge thy servants, bringing back unto the lawless, to set his way upon his own head, —and justifying the righteous, by giving to 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 Or, if thy people Israel be smitten before an enemy, because they have been sinning against thee, —and they turn, and confess thy Name, and pray and make supplication before thee, in this house,
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 wilt, thou thyself, hear out of the heavens, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, —and bring them back unto the soil, which thou didst give to them and to their fathers?
zwana usezulwini uthethelele izono zabantu bakho bako-Israyeli ubabuyisele elizweni owabapha lona kanye laboyise.
26 When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain, because they have been sinning against thee, —and they shall pray towards this place, and shall confess thy Name, from their sin, shall return, because thou hast been afflicting 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 wilt, thou thyself, hear [out of] the heavens and forgive the sin of thy servants, and thy people Israel, that thou mayest direct them into the good way, wherein they should walk, —and give rain, upon thy land, which thou hast given unto thy people, for 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 there shall be, a famine, in the land, when there shall be, a pestilence, —when there shall be, blasting or mildew, locust or caterpillar, —when their enemy shall besiege them in the land at their own gates-whatsoever plague or whatsoever sickness; -
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 whatsoever prayer, whatsoever supplication, which any son of earth may have, or any of thy people Israel, —when any man shall come to know his plague, or his pain, and so he shall spread abroad his hands towards this house—
kuthi lanxa umkhuleko kumbe isicelo sisenziwa ngomunye wabantu bakho bako-Israyeli, ngulowo lalowo ebona inhlupheko lezinsizi zakhe njalo ephakamisela izandla zakhe kulelithempeli,
30 then wilt, thou thyself, hear out of the heavens, the settled place of thine abode, and forgive, and grant to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou wilt know, —for, thou thyself alone, knowest the heart of the sons 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 to the end they may revere thee, to walk in thy ways, all the days which they shall be living upon the face of the soil, —which thou gavest unto their fathers?
ukuze bakwesabe bahambe ezindleleni zakho besaphila elizweni owalipha okhokho bethu.
32 Moreover also, unto the stranger who is not, of thy people Israel, but he shall come in out of a far country—for the sake of thy great Name, and of thy strong hand, and of thine outstretched arm, —and so they shall come in and pray towards this house,
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 wilt, thou thyself, hear out of the heavens, out of the settled place of thine abode, and do according to all for which the stranger shall cry unto thee, —to the end that all the peoples of the earth may know thy Name, so as to revere thee like thy people Israel, and know that, thy Name, hath been given unto this house, which I have built?
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 thy people shall go forth to war against their enemies, whithersoever thou mayest send them, —and shall pray unto thee in the direction of this city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy 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 wilt thou hear, out of the heavens, their prayer and their supplication, —and maintain their right.
uzwe usezulwini imikhuleko yabo lokuncenga kwabo, ubamele wena.
36 When they sin against thee—for there is no son of earth who sinneth not—and thou shalt be angry with them, and deliver them up before an enemy, —who shall carry them away as their captives into a land—far away or near;
Nxa bonile phambi kwakho, ngoba kakho ongoniyo njalo uze ubathukuthelele ubanikele ezitheni zabo ezibathumba zibase elizweni elikhatshana loba eliseduzane,
37 and they come back to their right mind, in the land whither they have been taken captive, —and so turn and make supplication unto thee in the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have done perversely, and been lawless; —
kuthi nxa bengaguquka ezinhliziyweni zabo besemazweni abayabe bethunjelwe kuwo, baphenduke bakuncenge besemazweni abathunjelwa khona bathi, ‘Sonile, senza okungalunganga lokubi,’
38 and so turn unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their captivity, whither they have carried them captive, —and shall pray in the direction of their own land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, and the city which thou hast chosen, and unto the house which I have built for thy 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 wilt thou hear out of the heavens—out of the settled place of thine abode—their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, —and forgive thy people, that wherein they sinned against thee?
ngakho wena osezulwini, endaweni yakho yokuhlala, akuzwe imikhuleko yabo lokuncenga kwabo, ubamele. Njalo ubathethelele abantu bakho, bona abakoneleyo.
40 Now, O my God, let—I beseech thee—thine eyes be open, and thine ears attent, —unto the prayer of this place.
Ngakho-ke, Nkulunkulu wami sengathi amehlo akho angavuleka lezindlebe zakho zilalele imikhuleko eyenziwa kule indawo.
41 Now, therefore, arise! O Yahweh God, unto thy rest, thou, and the ark of thy strength: Thy priests, O Yahweh God, let them be clothed with salvation, and, thy men of lovingkindness, let them rejoice in prosperity.
Ngakho phakama, Oh Thixo Nkulunkulu,
42 O Yahweh God! do not turn away thy face from thine Anointed One, —oh remember lovingkindness unto David thy servant.
Oh Thixo Nkulunkulu, ungafulatheli ogcotshiweyo wakho.

< 2 Chronicles 6 >