1 Kings 22
1 For almost three years there was no war between Syria and Israel.
Kwathatha iminyaka kungelampi phakathi kwe-Aramu le-Israyeli.
2 Then King Jehoshaphat, who ruled Judah, went to [visit] King Ahab, who ruled Israel.
Kodwa ngomnyaka wesithathu uJehoshafathi inkosi yakoJuda wayabonana lenkosi yako-Israyeli.
3 [While they were talking, ] Ahab said to his officials, “Do you realize that the Syrians are still occupying our city of Ramoth in [the] Gilead [region]? And we are doing nothing to retake that city!”
Inkosi yako-Israyeli yayike yakhuluma lezikhulu zayo isithi, “Alikwazi na ukuthi eleRamothi Giliyadi ngelethu kodwa asikenzi lutho ukuze silithathe ezandleni zenkosi yase-Aramu?”
4 Then he turned to Jehoshaphat and asked, “Will your [army] join my [army] to fight against the people of Ramoth [and retake that city]?” Jehoshaphat replied, “[Certainly] I [will do whatever] you [want], and you may command my troops. You may take my horses into battle, also.”
Ngakho yasicela uJehoshafathi isithi, “Ungahamba lami na ukuze siyehlasela eRamothi Giliyadi?” UJehoshafathi ephendula inkosi yako-Israyeli wathi, “Mina ngikanye lawe, abantu bami banjengabakho, amabhiza ami anjengawakho.”
5 Then he added, “But we should ask Yahweh first, to find out what he wants us to do.”
Kodwa uJehoshafathi waphinda wathi enkosini yako-Israyeli, “Akubuze kuThixo kuqala.”
6 So Ahab summoned about 400 of his prophets together, and he asked them, “Should my [army] go to fight the people in Ramoth and retake that city, or not?” They answered, “Yes, go [and attack them], because God will enable your [army] to defeat them.”
Ngakho inkosi yako-Israyeli yahlanganisa abaphrofethi abangaba ngamakhulu amane yasibabuza isithi, “Ngihambe ngiyehlasela iRamothi Giliyadi yini, loba ngiyekele na?” Abaphrofethi bathi, “Hamba ngoba iNkosi izayinikela esandleni sakho.”
7 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of Yahweh here whom we can ask?”
Kodwa uJehoshafathi wabuza wathi, “Kambe kakusela mphrofethi kaThixo lapha esingabuza kuye na?”
8 The King of Israel replied, “There is one man we can talk to. We can ask him if he can find out what Yahweh wants. His name is Micaiah; he is the son of Imlah. But I hate him, because when he (prophesies/tells what God says to him) he never says [that] anything good [will happen] to me. He always predicts [that] bad things [will happen to me].” Jehoshaphat replied, “King Ahab, you should not say that!”
Inkosi yako-Israyeli yathi kuJehoshafathi, “Ukhona oyedwa esingabuza uThixo ngaye kodwa ngiyamzonda ngoba kakaze aphrofethe okuhle ngami, uhlala ekhuluma okubi. Ibizo lakhe nguMikhaya indodana ka-Imla.” UJehoshafathi wathi, “Inkosi kayimelanga itsho njalo.”
9 So the king of Israel told one of his officers to summon Micaiah immediately.
Inkosi yako-Israyeli yasibiza omunye wezikhulu zayo yathi kuye, “Phangisa ungilethele uMikhaya indodana ka-Imla.”
10 The king of Israel and the king of Judah were wearing their (royal robes/robes that showed that they were kings). They were sitting on thrones at the place where people threshed grain, near the gate of Samaria [city]. All of Ahab’s prophets were standing in front of the kings, (prophesying/predicting what was going to happen).
Bembethe izembatho zabo zobukhosi, inkosi yako-Israyeli loJehoshafathi inkosi yakoJuda babehlezi ezihlalweni zabo zobukhosi esizeni sokubhulela amabele esangweni laseSamariya labo bonke abaphrofethi bephrofetha phambi kwabo.
11 One of them, whose name was Zedekiah, the son of Kenaanah, had made from iron [something that resembled] horns of a bull. Then he proclaimed [to Ahab], “This is what Yahweh says: ‘With horns like these your [army] will keep attacking the Syrians [like a bull attacks another animal] [MET], until you completely destroy them!’”
UZedekhiya indodana kaKhenana wayekhande impondo zensimbi, wasesithi, “Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo, uthi: ‘Ngempondo lezi uzagwaza ama-Aramu uwabhubhise.’”
12 All the [other] prophets [of Ahab] agreed. They said, “Yes! If you go up to attack Ramoth [city] in [the] Gilead [region], you will be successful, because Yahweh will enable you to defeat them!”
Bonke abaphrofethi babevele bephrofetha okufananayo besithi, “Hlasela iRamothi Giliyadi unqobe, ngoba uThixo uyinikile esandleni senkosi.”
13 Meanwhile, the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Listen to me! All the other prophets are predicting that the king’s army will defeat the Syrians. So be sure that you agree with them and say (what will be favorable/that the king’s army will be successful).”
Isithunywa esasithunywe ukuyabiza uMikhaya sathi kuye, “Khangela, abanye abaphrofethi bafakaza bengela kuthandabuza ukuthi inkosi izanqoba. Lawe vumelana labo, ukhulume okuyithokozisayo.”
14 But Micaiah replied, “As surely as Yahweh lives, I will tell him only what Yahweh tells me to say.”
Kodwa uMikhaya wathi, “Njengokutsho kukaThixo, mina ngizayitshela lokho engikuthunywe nguThixo.”
15 When Micaiah came to Ahab, Ahab asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to fight against [the people of] Ramoth, or not?” Micaiah replied, “Sure, go! Yahweh will enable your army to defeat them!”
Ekufikeni kwakhe, inkosi yambuza yathi, “Mikhaya, sihambe siyehlasela iRamothi Giliyadi yini, loba ngiyekele na?” Yena waphendula wathi, “Hlasela njalo unqobe, ngoba uThixo uzalinikela ezandleni zakho nkosi.”
16 But King Ahab [realized that Micaiah was (lying/being sarcastic), so he] said to Micaiah, “I have told you [RHQ] many times that you must always tell only the truth when you say what Yahweh [has revealed to you]!”
Inkosi yathi kuye, “Kumele ngikufungise kangaki ukuze ungangikhohlisi kodwa ungitshele iqiniso ebizweni likaThixo?”
17 So Micaiah said to him, “[The truth is that] in a vision I saw all the troops of Israel scattered on the mountains. They seemed to be like sheep that did not have a shepherd. And Yahweh said, ‘Their master has been killed. So tell them all to go home peacefully.’”
Ngakho uMikhaya waphendula wathi, “Ngabona u-Israyeli wonke ehlakazekile ezintabeni njengezimvu ezingelamelusi, kulapho uThixo athi ‘Lababantu abalamkhomkheli. Yekela bonke babuyele emakhaya ngokuthula.’”
18 Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “I told you [RHQ] that he never predicts [that] anything good [will happen to me]! He [always] predicts [that] bad things [will happen to me].”
Inkosi yako-Israyeli yathi kuJehoshafathi, “Angikutshelanga yini ukuthi uvele kaphrofethi okuhle ngami, kodwa okubi kuphela?”
19 But Micaiah continued, saying, “Listen to what Yahweh showed to me! [In a vision] I saw Yahweh sitting on his throne, with all the armies of heaven surrounding him, on his right side and on his left side.
UMikhaya waqhubekela phambili wathi, “Ngakho zwana ilizwi likaThixo elithi, Ngabona uThixo ehlezi esihlalweni sakhe sobukhosi lamabutho wonke asezulwini emi ngakwesokunene sakhe lakwesokhohlo sakhe.
20 And Yahweh said, ‘Who can persuade Ahab to go to fight against the people of Ramoth, in order that he may be killed there?’ Some suggested one thing, and others suggested something else.
Njalo uThixo wathi, ‘Ngubani ozahugela u-Ahabi ekuhlaseleni iRamothi Giliyadi ukuze ayefela khonale na?’ Omunye waqamba lokhu, lomunye okwakhe.
21 Finally one [evil] spirit came to Yahweh and said, ‘I can do it!’
Ekucineni kwavela umoya, wema phambi kukaThixo wathi, ‘Mina ngizamhuga.’
22 Yahweh asked him, ‘How will you do it?’ The spirit replied, ‘I will go and inspire all of Ahab’s prophets to tell lies.’ Yahweh said, ‘You will be successful; go and do it!’
UThixo wabuza wathi, ‘Uzakwenza ngandlela bani?’ Umoya waphendula wathi, ‘Ngizahamba ngiyekuba ngumoya wokuqamba amanga emilonyeni yabo bonke abaphrofethi bakhe.’ UThixo wathi, ‘Uzaphumelela ukumhuga. Hamba-ke uyekwenza lokho.’
23 So now [I tell you that] Yahweh has caused all of your prophets to lie to you. Yahweh has decided that something terrible will happen to you.”
Ngakho khathesi uThixo usefake umoya wenkohliso emilonyeni yabaphrofethi bakho bonke laba. UThixo usekumisele ukubhujiswa.”
24 Then Zedekiah walked over to Micaiah and slapped him on his face. He said, “Do you think that Yahweh’s Spirit left me in order to speak to you?” [RHQ]
Kusenjalo uZedekhiya indodana kaKhenana wasondela, wamwakala uMikhaya ebusweni. Wabuza wathi: “Umoya kaThixo wasuka njani kimi ungena kuwe na?”
25 Micaiah replied, “You will find out for yourself [which of us Yahweh’s Spirit has truly spoken to] on the day when you go into a room of some house to hide [from the Syrian troops]!”
UMikhaya waphendula wathi, “Uzazibonela mhla uzakuyacatsha endlini engaphakathi.”
26 King Ahab commanded [his soldiers], “Seize Micaiah and take him to Amon, the governor of this city, and to my son Joash.
Inkosi yako-Israyeli yalaya yathi, “Thathani uMikhaya limbuyisele ku-Amoni obusa idolobho lakoJowashi indodana yenkosi.
27 Tell them that I have commanded that they should put this man in prison and give him only bread and water. Do not give him anything else to eat until I return safely from the battle!”
Liyekuthi, ‘Inkosi ithi: Valelani umuntu lo entolongweni lingamniki lutho ngaphandle kwesinkwa lamanzi ngize ngiphenduke ngokuhle.’”
28 Micaiah replied, “If you return safely, [it will be clear that] it was not Yahweh who told me what to say to you!” Then he said [to all those who were standing there], “Do not forget what I have said [to King Ahab]!”
UMikhaya waqonqosela wathi: “Nxa ungaphenduka kuhle, uThixo uyabe engakhulumanga ngami.” Waqhubeka wathi, “Lani lonke bantu abambisiseni amazwi ami!”
29 So the King of Israel and the King of Judah [led their armies] to Ramoth, in [the] Gilead [region].
Ngakho inkosi yako-Israyeli loJehoshafathi inkosi yakoJuda baya eRamothi Giliyadi.
30 King Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “I will put on different clothes, [in order that no one will recognize that I am the king]. But you should wear your (royal robe/robe that shows that you are a king).” So Ahab disguised himself, and they both went into the battle.
Inkosi yako-Israyeli yathi kuJehoshafathi: “Mina ngizakuya empini ngizazifihla ngokulahlisa isimo sami, kodwa wena gqoka ezakho ezobukhosi.” Ngakho inkosi yako-Israyeli yazifihla ngokulahlisa isimo sayo yangena empini.
31 The King of Syria told this to his thirty-two men who were driving the chariots: “Attack only the king of Israel!”
Inkosi yase-Aramu yayilaye abalawuli bayo bezinqola zokulwa abangamatshumi amathathu lambili yathi, “Lina lingalwi lamuntu, loba eyisikhulu loba engumuntukazana, ngaphandle kwenkosi yako-Israyeli.”
32 So when the men who were driving the Syrian chariots saw Jehoshaphat [wearing (his royal robes/clothes that showed he was the king)], they pursued him. They shouted, “There is the king of Israel!” But when Jehoshaphat cried out,
Abalawuli bezinqola zokulwa bathe bebona uJehoshafathi, bahle bathi “Ngempela le yiyo kanye inkosi yako-Israyeli.” Abalawuli bezinqola zokulwa basebehlasela uJehoshafathi, yena wahlaba umkhosi,
33 they realized that he was not the king of Israel. So they stopped pursuing him.
baphanga babona ukuthi kwakungasiyo inkosi yako-Israyeli bahle bayekela ukuxotshana laye.
34 But one [Syrian] soldier shot an arrow at Ahab, without knowing that it was Ahab. The arrow struck Ahab between the places where the parts of his armor joined together. Ahab told the driver of his chariot, “Turn the chariot around and take me out of here! I have been severely wounded!”
Umuntu othile wakhokha umtshoko wakhe watshoka engaqondanga muntu umtshoko wayaciba inkosi yako-Israyeli emkenkeni wesihlangu sayo. Inkosi yasisithi kumtshayeli wenqola yokulwa: “Phendula inqola yakho ungisuse lapha. Sengilimele.”
35 The battle continued all the day. Ahab was sitting propped up in his chariot, facing the Syrian troops. The blood from his wound ran down to the floor of the chariot. And late in the afternoon he died.
Kwalwiwa impi kanzima ilanga lonke. Inkosi yayeyanyiswe enqoleni yayo yokulwa ikhangele ama-Aramu. Igazi lamanxeba ayo lagelezela phansi enqoleni yokulwa, kwathi Ngalokhokuhlwa yafa.
36 Just as the sun was going down, someone among the Israeli troops shouted, “[The battle is ended!] Everyone should return home!”
Ekutshoneni kwelanga kwamenyezelwa kuyo yonke impi ukuthi: “Abantu bonke kababuyele emizini yakibo, bonke kababuyele lowo lalowo elizweni lakibo!”
37 So king Ahab died, and they took his body [in the chariot] to Samaria [city] and buried his body there.
Ngakho inkosi yafa yasiwa eSamariya, yangcwatshwa khona.
38 They washed his chariot alongside the pool in Samaria, a pool where the prostitutes bathed. And dogs [came and] licked the king’s blood, just like Yahweh had predicted would happen.
Inqola yokulwa bayigezisela esizibeni seSamariya (endaweni eyayigezela izifebe), izinja zakhotha igazi layo, njengokutsho kwelizwi likaThixo.
39 The account/record of the other things that happened while Ahab was ruling, and about the palace decorated with much ivory [that they built for him], and the cities that were built for him, was written in the scroll called ‘The History of the Kings of Israel’.
Konke okunye ngempilo langokubusa kuka-Ahabi lakho konke akwenzayo, ukwakha isigodlo esasiceciswe ngempondo zezindlovu, lamadolobho ayevikelwe okwenqaba, akulotshwanga na egwalweni lwembali yamakhosi ako-Israyeli?
40 When Ahab died, his body was buried where his ancestors were buried. Then his son Ahaziah became king.
U-Ahabi wangcwatshwa laboyise. Ubukhosi bakhe bathathwa yindodana yakhe u-Ahaziya.
41 Before King Ahab died, when he had been ruling in Israel for four years, Asa’s son Jehoshaphat started to rule in Judah.
UJehoshafathi indodana ka-Asa waba yinkosi yakoJuda ngomnyaka wesine wokubusa kuka-Ahabi inkosi yako-Israyeli.
42 Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he started to rule, and he ruled in Jerusalem for twenty-five years. His mother was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi.
UJehoshafathi waba yinkosi eleminyaka engamatshumi amathathu lemihlanu yokuzalwa, wabusa eJerusalema okweminyaka engamatshumi amabili lemihlanu. Ibizo likanina kungu-Azubha indodakazi kaShilihi.
43 Jehoshaphat was a good king, just like his father Asa had been. He did things that pleased Yahweh. But while he was king, he did not remove all the pagan altars [that the people had built] on the hilltops. So the people continued to offer sacrifices [to idols] on those altars and burned incense there.
Kukho konke ayekwenza wayesenyathelweni likayise u-Asa njalo kazange aphambuke; wenza konke okuhle emehlweni kaThixo. Kodwa izindawo eziphakemeyo zokukhonzela kazisuswanga, abantu babelokhu benikela imihlatshelo, betshisa impepha khonapho.
44 Jehoshaphat also made [a] peace [agreement] with the king of Israel.
UJehoshafathi wahlalisana ngokuthula lenkosi yako-Israyeli.
45 All the other things that happened while Jehoshaphat was ruling, and the great things that he did and the victories his [troops] won, are written in the scroll called ‘The History of the Kings of Judah’.
Okwenzakala ekubuseni kukaJehoshafathi, ukuphumelela kwakhe kanye lokunqoba ezimpini, akulotshwanga na encwadini yembali yamakhosi akoJuda?
46 Jehoshaphat’s father Asa [had tried to expel] the male prostitutes that stayed at the pagan shrines, but some of them were still there. Jehoshaphat got rid of them.
Waqeda insalela yabesilisa ababefeba emathempelini ayelokhu esasele lapho langemva kokubusa kukayise u-Asa.
47 At that time, there was no king in Edom; a ruler who had been appointed by Jehoshaphat ruled there.
Kwakungaselankosi e-Edomi, umsekeli nguye owayebusa.
48 Jehoshaphat [ordered some Israeli men to] build a fleet/group of ships to sail [south] to [the] Ophir [region] to get gold. But they were wrecked at Ezion-Geber/Elath, so the ships never sailed.
UJehoshafathi wakha imikhumbi yokuthutha igolide e-Ofiri, kodwa ayizange isebenze olwandle, yahle yahlikizeka, yabhidlikela e-Eziyoni-Gebheri.
49 Before the ships were wrecked, Ahab’s son Ahaziah suggested to Jehoshaphat, “Allow my sailors to go with your sailors,” but Jehoshaphat refused.
Ngalesosikhathi u-Ahaziya indodana ka-Ahabi wathi kuJehoshafathi, “Yekela abantu bami bahambe labakho olwandle,” kodwa uJehoshafathi wala.
50 When Jehoshaphat died, his [body] was buried where his ancestors were buried in [Jerusalem, ] the city where King David [had ruled]. Then Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram became king.
Ngakho uJehoshafathi waphumula labokhokho bakhe, wangcwatshwa kanye labo emzini kaDavida uyise. UJehoramu indodana yakhe wabusa esikhundleni sakhe.
51 Before King Jehoshaphat died, when he had been ruling in Judah for 17 years, Ahab’s son Ahaziah began to rule in Israel. Ahaziah ruled in Samaria for two years.
U-Ahaziya indodana ka-Ahabi waba yinkosi yako-Israyeli eSamariya ngomnyaka wetshumi lesikhombisa wokubusa kukaJehoshafathi inkosi yakoJuda, yena-ke wabusa ko-Israyeli okweminyaka emibili.
52 He did many things that Yahweh considered to be evil, doing the [evil] things that his father and mother had done and the evil things that Jeroboam had done—the king who had led all the Israeli people to sin [by worshiping idols].
Wona emehlweni kaThixo, ngoba wahamba enyathelweni likayise lelikanina walandela njalo izindlela zikaJerobhowamu indodana kaNebhathi, owabangela u-Israyeli ukuthi enze isono.
53 Ahaziah bowed in front of Baal’s idol and worshiped it. That caused Yahweh, the God who was the true God of the Israeli people, to become very angry, just as Ahaziah’s father had caused Yahweh to become angry.
Wasebenzela uBhali njalo wamkhonza wathukuthelisa uThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, njengalokhu okwakwenziwe nguyise.
