< 2 Kings 6 >
1 And the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too small for us.
Ixuku labaphrofethi lathi ku-Elisha, “Khangela, indawo esihlala kiyo lawe kayisasanelanga.
2 Let us go, we pray thee, to Jordan, and take from there every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye.
Asiye eJodani lapho esizagamula khona izigodo sakhe indawo yokuhlala.” U-Elisha wathi, “Kulungile, hambani.”
3 And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go.
Omunye wabo wathi, “Ungazake uhambe lezinceku zakho na?” U-Elisha wathi, “Kulungile ngizahamba.”
4 So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood.
Ngakho wasehamba labo. Baya eJodani bafika baqalisa ukugamula izigodo.
5 But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed.
Omunye wathi egamula, ihloka lakhe laqamuka isihloko salo sawela emanzini. Wasekhala esithi, “Nkosi yami, ihloka leli bengilibolekile.”
6 And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he showed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in there; and made the axe head float.
Umuntu kaNkulunkulu wasebuza esithi, “Liwele ngaphi?” Uthe esemtshengisile indawo yakhona, u-Elisha wagamula uswazi waluphosela khonapho, lokho kwenza ihloka lelo landenda.
7 Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it.
Wasesithi, “Lenyule emanzini.” Umuntu lowo welula isandla sakhe walenyula.
8 Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp.
Inkosi yase-Aramu yayisempini ilwisana labako-Israyeli. Ngemva kokukhulumisana lezikhulu zayo inkosi yathi, “Inkamba yami ngizayimisa endaweni ethile.”
9 And the man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for there the Syrians have come down.
Umuntu kaNkulunkulu wathumela ilizwi enkosini yako-Israyeli lisithi, “Qaphela ungedluli kuleyana indawo, ngoba ama-Aramu azakwehla ayekhona.”
10 And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.
Ngakho inkosi yako-Israyeli yahlolisisa kuleyondawo eyayiqanjwe ngumuntu kaNkulunkulu. U-Elisha wakuphinda enkosini lokhu kuxwayisa kanenginengi, ukuze izivikele ezindaweni ezinjengalezi.
11 Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was greatly troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said to them, Will ye not show me which of us is for the king of Israel?
Lokhu kwayithukuthelisa inkosi yase-Aramu. Yabiza izikhulu zayo yazihwabhela yathi, “Aliyikungitshela yini ukuthi phakathi kwethu ngubani oseceleni lenkosi yako-Israyeli na?”
12 And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber.
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 And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and bring him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.
Inkosi yabalaya yathi, “Hambani liyemdinga lapho akhona, ukuze ngithumele amadoda ayemthumba.” Kwavela impendulo ethi, “UseDothani.”
14 Therefore he sent there horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and surrounded the city.
Inkosi yasithumela amabhiza lezinqola zokulwa kanye lamabutho aqinileyo. Bahamba ebusuku bahle bagombolozela umuzi wakhona.
15 And when the servant of the man of God had risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host surrounded the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, Alas, my master! how shall we 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 And he answered, Fear not: for they that are with us are more than they that are with them.
Umphrofethi wathi, “Ungesabi. Labo abalathi banengi kulalabo abangakubo.”
17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire around Elisha.
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 And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
Kuthe izitha zisondela kuye, u-Elisha wakhuleka kuThixo wathi, “Tshaya lababantu babe yiziphofu.” Ngakho wabaphumputhekisa, njengokucela kuka-Elisha.
19 And Elisha said to them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria.
U-Elisha wabatshela wathi, “Akusiwo umgwaqo njalo akusiwo umuzi eliwudingayo. Ngilandelani, ngizalikhokhela liye emuntwini elimdingayo.” Ngakho wabakhokhelela eSamariya.
20 And it came to pass, when they had come into Samaria, that Elisha said, LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And the LORD opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.
Sebephakathi komuzi, u-Elisha wathi, “Thixo, vula amehlo alababantu ukuze babone.” Ngakho uThixo wavula amehlo abo, bazibonela ukuthi babephakathi kweSamariya.
21 And the king of Israel said to Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?
Inkosi yako-Israyeli ithe ibabona, yabuza ku-Elisha yathi, “Ngibabulale yini, baba? Ngibabulale na?”
22 And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.
Yena waphendula wathi, “Ungababulali. Kambe ungababulala yini ngenkemba loba ngomtshoko wakho abantu obathumbileyo. Baphe ukudla lamanzi ukuze badle babe sebebuyela enkosini yabo.”
23 And he prepared great provision for them: and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of 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 And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his army, and went up, and besieged Samaria.
Ngemva kwesikhathi, uBheni-Hadadi inkosi yase-Aramu yaqoqa amabutho ayo wonke yayavimbezela umuzi waseSamariya.
25 And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove’s dung for 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 And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman to him, saying, Help, my lord, O king.
Kwathi ngolunye usuku inkosi yako-Israyeli ihambahamba phezu komduli womuzi, owesifazane othile wamemeza esithi kuyo, “Akungincede, baba nkosi yami!”
27 And he said, If the LORD doth not help thee, how shall I help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress?
Inkosi yaphendula yathi, “Nxa uThixo engakusizi, mina kambe ngizaluthatha ngaphi uncedo? Ngizaluthatha esikhamelweni sewayini yini loba esizeni sokubhulela na?”
28 And the king said to her, What aileth thee? And she answered, This woman said to me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to day, and we will eat my son to morrow.
Wasebuza wathi, “Kodwa uhlutshwa yini?” Owesifazane waphendula wathi, “Owesifazane lo uthe kimi, ‘Letha umntanakho ukuba simudle lamuhla, kuzakuthi kusasa sidle owami.’
29 So we boiled my son, and ate him: and I said to her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son.
Ngakho simphekile umntanami samudla. Ngosuku olulandelayo ngasengisithi, ‘Letha umntanakho ukuba simudle.’ Kodwa yena ubesemfihlile.”
30 And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he tore his clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth beneath upon his flesh.
Inkosi ithe isizwa okwakutshiwo ngowesifazane lowo yadabula izigqoko zayo. Inkosi yayihamba phezu komduli, abantu bayikhangela, babona ukuthi isigqoko sayo sangaphansi sasingesokulila.
31 Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day.
Inkosi yathi, “Sengathi uNkulunkulu angangihlanekela kubi nxa ikhanda lika-Elisha indodana kaShafathi kungasa lilokhu limi phezu kwamahlombe akhe lamuhla!”
32 But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and the king sent a man from before him: but before the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See ye how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away my head? look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door: is not the sound of his master’s feet behind him?
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 yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down to him: and he said, Behold, this evil is from the LORD; why should I wait for the LORD any longer?
Kwathi esakhuluma, isithunywa sahle safika. Ngakho inkosi yathi, “Uhlupho lonke lolu luvela kuThixo. Pho-ke ngisamlindelelani uThixo na?”