2 Kings 6
1 One day a group of prophets said to Elisha, “Look, this place where we meet together with you is very small.
Ixuku labaphrofethi lathi ku-Elisha, “Khangela, indawo esihlala kiyo lawe kayisasanelanga.
2 Allow us to go to the Jordan [River and cut down some trees to make] logs to build a new meeting place.” So Elisha said, “Okay, go.”
Asiye eJodani lapho esizagamula khona izigodo sakhe indawo yokuhlala.” U-Elisha wathi, “Kulungile, hambani.”
3 One of them said to Elisha, “Please come with us.” So Elisha replied, “Okay, I will go with you.”
Omunye wabo wathi, “Ungazake uhambe lezinceku zakho na?” U-Elisha wathi, “Kulungile ngizahamba.”
4 So they went together. When they reached the Jordan [River], they cut down some trees.
Ngakho wasehamba labo. Baya eJodani bafika baqalisa ukugamula izigodo.
5 But while one of them was cutting down a tree, suddenly the axe head [separated from the handle and] fell into the water. He cried out to Elisha, “O, Master, what shall I do? [The axe is not mine]; I borrowed it!”
Omunye wathi egamula, ihloka lakhe laqamuka isihloko salo sawela emanzini. Wasekhala esithi, “Nkosi yami, ihloka leli bengilibolekile.”
6 Elisha replied, “Where did it fall into the water?” After the man showed him the place, Elisha cut off a stick, and threw it into the water, and caused the iron axe head to float [on top of the water].
Umuntu kaNkulunkulu wasebuza esithi, “Liwele ngaphi?” Uthe esemtshengisile indawo yakhona, u-Elisha wagamula uswazi waluphosela khonapho, lokho kwenza ihloka lelo landenda.
7 Elisha said, “Take it out of the water.” So the man reached his hand down and picked up the axe head.
Wasesithi, “Lenyule emanzini.” Umuntu lowo welula isandla sakhe walenyula.
8 Whenever the king of Syria [prepared to send his army to] fight against Israel, he first consulted his officers, and then told them where they should set up their tents.
Inkosi yase-Aramu yayisempini ilwisana labako-Israyeli. Ngemva kokukhulumisana lezikhulu zayo inkosi yathi, “Inkamba yami ngizayimisa endaweni ethile.”
9 But each time, Elisha would send a message to warn the king of Israel, [telling him where the army of Syria was planning to attack them, ] saying, “Be sure that your army does not go near that place, because the army of Syria has set up their tents there.”
Umuntu kaNkulunkulu wathumela ilizwi enkosini yako-Israyeli lisithi, “Qaphela ungedluli kuleyana indawo, ngoba ama-Aramu azakwehla ayekhona.”
10 So the king of Israel would send [messengers] to warn [the people who lived in] that place, and the people would remain on guard. That happened several times.
Ngakho inkosi yako-Israyeli yahlolisisa kuleyondawo eyayiqanjwe ngumuntu kaNkulunkulu. U-Elisha wakuphinda enkosini lokhu kuxwayisa kanenginengi, ukuze izivikele ezindaweni ezinjengalezi.
11 The king of Syria was very upset/disturbed/angry about that. So he summoned his army officers and said to them, “[Obviously] one of you is (betraying us/revealing our plans) to the king of Israel. Which one of you is doing it?”
Lokhu kwayithukuthelisa inkosi yase-Aramu. Yabiza izikhulu zayo yazihwabhela yathi, “Aliyikungitshela yini ukuthi phakathi kwethu ngubani oseceleni lenkosi yako-Israyeli na?”
12 One of his officers answered, “Your Majesty, it is not one of us. Elisha the prophet [knows what we plan to do, and he] tells the king of Israel everything. He even knows what you say in your own bedroom!”
Esinye sezikhulu zakhe sathi, “Kakho phakathi kwethu nkosi yami, kodwa u-Elisha, umphrofethi wako-Israyeli, ulakho ukutshela inkosi yako-Israyeli ngalawo mazwi owakhuluma usendlini yakho yokulala.”
13 The king of Syria replied, “Go and find out where he is, and I will send [some men there] to capture him.” Someone told him, “People say that he is in Dothan [town north of Samaria].”
Inkosi yabalaya yathi, “Hambani liyemdinga lapho akhona, ukuze ngithumele amadoda ayemthumba.” Kwavela impendulo ethi, “UseDothani.”
14 So the king sent a large group of soldiers [to Dothan] with horses and chariots. They arrived at night and surrounded the town.
Inkosi yasithumela amabhiza lezinqola zokulwa kanye lamabutho aqinileyo. Bahamba ebusuku bahle bagombolozela umuzi wakhona.
15 Early the next morning, Elisha’s servant got up and went outside the house. He saw the soldiers of Syria with their horses and chariots surrounding the town. So he went inside [the house and reported it to Elisha] and exclaimed, “O, sir! What are we going to do?”
Kuthe inceku yomuntu kaNkulunkulu ivuka ekuseni ngelanga elilandelayo yaphuma phandle yathola amabutho alamabhiza lezinqola zokulwa sezihonqolozele idolobho. Inceku yethuka yathi, “Maye, nkosi yami, sizakwenzenjani na?”
16 Elisha replied, “Do not be afraid! Those who will be helping us will be more than those who will be helping them!”
Umphrofethi wathi, “Ungesabi. Labo abalathi banengi kulalabo abangakubo.”
17 Then he prayed, “Yahweh, I request that you open my servant’s eyes in order that he can see [what is out there]!” So Yahweh enabled the servant to look out and see that surrounding the hill on which the town [was built] was a huge number of horses, and chariots made of fire!
U-Elisha wasekhuleka wathi, “Oh Thixo, vula amehlo akhe ukuze abone.” Ngakho uThixo wavula amehlo enceku, yakhangela yabona amaqaqa agcwele amabhiza lezinqola zokulwa ezomlilo zihonqolozele u-Elisha.
18 When the army of Syria prepared to attack Elisha, he prayed again, saying, “Yahweh, cause all these soldiers to become blind!” Yahweh answered his prayer and caused them to be unable to see clearly.
Kuthe izitha zisondela kuye, u-Elisha wakhuleka kuThixo wathi, “Tshaya lababantu babe yiziphofu.” Ngakho wabaphumputhekisa, njengokucela kuka-Elisha.
19 Then Elisha went to them and said, “You are not on the right road; this is not the city that you are searching for. I will take you to the man whom you are searching for.” But he led them to Samaria, [the capital of Israel]!
U-Elisha wabatshela wathi, “Akusiwo umgwaqo njalo akusiwo umuzi eliwudingayo. Ngilandelani, ngizalikhokhela liye emuntwini elimdingayo.” Ngakho wabakhokhelela eSamariya.
20 As soon as they entered Samaria, Elisha prayed again, saying, “Yahweh, now enable these soldiers to see correctly again!” So Yahweh enabled them to see correctly, and they were surprised to see that they were inside Samaria [city].
Sebephakathi komuzi, u-Elisha wathi, “Thixo, vula amehlo alababantu ukuze babone.” Ngakho uThixo wavula amehlo abo, bazibonela ukuthi babephakathi kweSamariya.
21 When the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “Sir, shall I [tell my soldiers to] kill them? Shall we kill all of them?”
Inkosi yako-Israyeli ithe ibabona, yabuza ku-Elisha yathi, “Ngibabulale yini, baba? Ngibabulale na?”
22 Elisha replied, “No, you must not kill them. If your army captured many of your enemies in a battle, you would certainly not [RHQ] kill them. Give these men something to eat and drink, and then allow them to return to their king.”
Yena waphendula wathi, “Ungababulali. Kambe ungababulala yini ngenkemba loba ngomtshoko wakho abantu obathumbileyo. Baphe ukudla lamanzi ukuze badle babe sebebuyela enkosini yabo.”
23 So the king of Israel did that. He told his servants to provide a big feast for them. And when they had eaten and drunk plenty, he sent them away. They returned to the king of Syria [and told him what had happened]. So for a while after that, soldiers from Syria stopped raiding/attacking towns in Israel.
Inkosi yako-Israyeli yasibenzela idili elikhulu, bathe sebeqedile ukudla lokunatha, yabakhulula ukuba bahambe, ngakho basuka babuyela enkosini yabo. Kwathi amaxuku amabutho ase-Aramu ayehlala ehlasela elako-Israyeli akhawula ukuhlasela.
24 But some time later, Ben-Hadad, the king of Syria, assembled his entire army, and they went to Samaria and surrounded the city [for a long time].
Ngemva kwesikhathi, uBheni-Hadadi inkosi yase-Aramu yaqoqa amabutho ayo wonke yayavimbezela umuzi waseSamariya.
25 Because of that, after a while there was hardly any food left inside the city, with the result that eventually a donkey’s head, [which was usually worthless, ] cost eighty pieces of silver, and (one cup/0.3 liter) of dove’s dung cost five pieces of silver.
Kwaba lendlala enkulu eSamariya ngesikhathi sokuvinjezelwa kwayo; ngakho inhloko kababhemi yayithengiswa ngamashekeli esiliva angamatshumi ayisificaminwembili, legajana lombhida othile ngamashekeli amahlanu esiliva.
26 One day when the king of Israel was walking on top of the city wall, a woman cried out to him, “Your Majesty, help me!”
Kwathi ngolunye usuku inkosi yako-Israyeli ihambahamba phezu komduli womuzi, owesifazane othile wamemeza esithi kuyo, “Akungincede, baba nkosi yami!”
27 He replied, “If Yahweh will not help you, I certainly cannot [RHQ] help you. I certainly [RHQ] do not have any wheat or wine!
Inkosi yaphendula yathi, “Nxa uThixo engakusizi, mina kambe ngizaluthatha ngaphi uncedo? Ngizaluthatha esikhamelweni sewayini yini loba esizeni sokubhulela na?”
28 What is your problem?” She replied, “Several days ago, that woman [over there] said to me, ‘[Because we have nothing left to eat, ] let’s kill your son today, in order that we can eat his flesh. Then tomorrow we can [kill] my son [and] eat his flesh.’
Wasebuza wathi, “Kodwa uhlutshwa yini?” Owesifazane waphendula wathi, “Owesifazane lo uthe kimi, ‘Letha umntanakho ukuba simudle lamuhla, kuzakuthi kusasa sidle owami.’
29 So we [killed my son and cut his body up and] boiled his flesh and ate it. The next day, I said to her, ‘Now give your son to me, in order that we can [kill him and cook his flesh and] eat it.’ But she has hidden her son!”
Ngakho simphekile umntanami samudla. Ngosuku olulandelayo ngasengisithi, ‘Letha umntanakho ukuba simudle.’ Kodwa yena ubesemfihlile.”
30 When the king heard what the woman said, he tore his robe [to show that he was very distressed]. The people who were standing close to the wall were able to see that the king was wearing rough cloth underneath his robe [because he was very distressed].
Inkosi ithe isizwa okwakutshiwo ngowesifazane lowo yadabula izigqoko zayo. Inkosi yayihamba phezu komduli, abantu bayikhangela, babona ukuthi isigqoko sayo sangaphansi sasingesokulila.
31 The king exclaimed, “I wish/hope that God will strike me dead if I do not cut off the head of Elisha today, [because he is the one who has caused these terrible things to happen to us]!”
Inkosi yathi, “Sengathi uNkulunkulu angangihlanekela kubi nxa ikhanda lika-Elisha indodana kaShafathi kungasa lilokhu limi phezu kwamahlombe akhe lamuhla!”
32 So the king sent an officer to get Elisha. Before the officer arrived, Elisha was sitting in his house with some Israeli elders who were talking with him. Elisha said to them, “That murderer, [the king of Israel, ] is sending someone here to kill me. Listen: When he arrives, shut the door and do not allow him to come in. And the king will be coming right behind that officer!”
U-Elisha wayehlezi endlini yakhe labadala babehlezi laye. Inkosi yasithumela isithunywa phambili, kodwa sithe singakafiki u-Elisha wathi ebadaleni, “Liyakubona yini ukuthi umbulali lo usethumele umuntu ukuba azoquma ikhanda lami na? Khangelani, ekufikeni kwesithunywa lapha libovala umnyango libambe isivalo siqine. Kalizizwa yini izisinde zenkosi yaso ngemva kwaso na?”
33 And while he was still speaking, the king and the officer arrived. The king said, “It is Yahweh who has caused us to have all this trouble/suffering. (Why should I wait any longer [RHQ] for him to do something [to help us]?/It is useless for me to wait any longer for him [to help us]!)”
Kwathi esakhuluma, isithunywa sahle safika. Ngakho inkosi yathi, “Uhlupho lonke lolu luvela kuThixo. Pho-ke ngisamlindelelani uThixo na?”
