Ezayi 37
1 Tango mokonzi Ezekiasi ayokaki bongo, apasolaki bilamba na ye, alataki basaki mpe akotaki na Tempelo ya Yawe.
When King Hezekiah heard what they reported, he tore his clothes and put on clothes made of rough sackcloth [because he was very distressed]. Then he went into the temple of Yahweh [and prayed].
2 Atindaki epai ya mosakoli Ezayi, mwana mobali ya Amotsi, Eliakimi, mobateli biloko ya ndako ya mokonzi; Shebina, mokomi mikanda, mpe Banganga-Nzambe ya mikolo; bango nyonso balata bilamba ya basaki.
Then he sent Eliakim, Shebna, and the (older/most important) priests, who were also wearing clothes made of rough sackcloth, to talk to me.
3 Balobaki na ye: « Tala makambo oyo Ezekiasi alobi: ‹ Mokolo ya lelo ezali mokolo ya pasi, mokolo ya etumbu mpe mokolo ya soni, pamba te tokomi lokola mwasi oyo azali na pasi ya kobota kasi azangi makasi ya kobimisa mwana.
He said to them, “Tell this to Isaiah: ‘King Hezekiah says that this is a day when we are greatly distressed. Other nations are causing us to be insulted and disgraced. We are like [SIM] a woman who is about to give birth to a baby, but she does not have the strength that she needs to do it.
4 Tango mosusu Yawe, Nzambe na yo, akoyoka maloba ya mokonzi ya basoda oyo bakengelaka mokonzi, oyo nkolo na ye, mokonzi ya Asiri, atindaki mpo na kosambwisa Nzambe na bomoi; mpe tango mosusu akopesa ye etumbu mpo na maloba oyo Yawe, Nzambe na yo, ayokaki! Boye, sambela mpo na ndambo ya bato oyo bazali nanu na bomoi. › »
[But] perhaps Yahweh our God has heard what the official from Assyria said. Perhaps he knows that his boss, the King of Assyria, sent him to insult the all-powerful God, and that Yahweh will punish the King of Assyria for what he said. And the king requests that you pray for the few of us who are still alive [here in Jerusalem].’”
5 Tango bakalaka ya mokonzi Ezekiasi bakomaki epai ya Ezayi,
After those men gave me that message,
6 Ezayi alobaki na bango: « Boloba na nkolo na bino: ‹ Tala liloba oyo Yawe alobi: Kobanga te mpo na makambo oyo oyoki, maloba oyo basali ya mokonzi ya Asiri bazali koloba mpo na kosambwisa Ngai.
I replied, “Tell the King, ‘This is what Yahweh says: “Those messengers from the King of Assyria have said evil things about me. But do not be disturbed by what they said.
7 Tala, nakotia molimo moko kati na ye mpo ete, tango akoyoka sango ya makambo oyo ezali koleka na mboka na ye, azonga na mokili na ye; mpe ekozala kuna, na mokili na ye, nde nakobomisa ye na mopanga. › »
Listen to this: I will cause Sennacherib to hear a rumor [that the armies of Babylon are about to attack his country], and that will worry him. So he will return to his own country, and there I will cause him to be assassinated by [men using] swords.”’”
8 Tango mokonzi ya basoda oyo bakengelaka mokonzi ya Asiri ayokaki ete mokonzi na ye alongwe na engumba Lakishi, azongaki mpe akutaki mokonzi na ye azali kobundisa engumba Libina.
The official from Assyria found out that the King of Assyria [and his army] had captured Lachish [city] and that they were attacking Libnah, [which is a nearby city]. So the official left Jerusalem and went to Libnah [to report to the king what had happened in Jerusalem].
9 Sima na mokonzi ya Asiri koyoka sango na tina na Tiraka, mokonzi ya Kushi, ete azali koya kobundisa ye, atindaki bantoma epai ya Ezekiasi na maloba oyo:
Soon after that, King [Sennacherib] received a report that King Tirhakah of Ethiopia was leading his army to attack them. So before King Sennacherib left Libnah [with his army to fight against the army from Ethiopia], he sent other messengers to Hezekiah in Jerusalem with a letter. [In the letter he wrote this] to Hezekiah:
10 « Boyebisa Ezekiasi, mokonzi ya Yuda: ‹ Kotika te ete Nzambe na yo, oyo otielaka motema akosa yo na maloba oyo: ‘Yelusalemi ekokweya te na maboko ya mokonzi ya Asiri.’
“Do not allow your god, on whom you are relying, to deceive you by promising you that Jerusalem will not be captured by my army.
11 Oyokaki makambo oyo bakonzi ya Asiri basalaki bikolo nyonso mpe ndenge nini babebisaki yango nye; okanisi ete yo nde okobika?
You have certainly heard what the armies of the kings of Assyria have done to all the other countries; our armies have destroyed them completely. So, (do you think that you will escape?/do not think that your god will save you!) [RHQ]
12 Tango batata na ngai babebisaki Gozani, Arani, Retsefi mpe bato ya Edeni oyo bazalaki kovanda kati na Telasari, boni, banzambe ya bikolo yango, bakangolaki yango?
Did the gods of the nations that were about to be destroyed by the armies of the previous kings of Assyria rescue them? Did those gods rescue Gozan [region], and Haran and Rezeph [cities in northern Syria], and the people of Eden [region] who were forced to go to Tel-Assar [city]?
13 Wapi mokonzi ya Amati, ya Aripadi, ya Layiri, ya engumba Sefarivayimi, ya Ena mpe ya Iva? › »
What happened to the King of Hamath and the King of Arpad? What happened to the kings of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah [cities]? [Did their gods rescue them] [RHQ]?”
14 Sima na Ezekiasi kozwa mokanda kowuta na maboko ya bantoma, atangaki yango, akendeki na Tempelo ya Yawe mpe afungolaki mokanda yango liboso ya Yawe.
Hezekiah received the letter that the messengers gave him, and he read it. Then he went up to the temple and spread out the letter in front of Yahweh.
15 Mpe Ezekiasi asambelaki Yawe:
And [then] Hezekiah prayed this:
16 « Oh Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga, Nzambe ya Isalaele! Yo oyo ovandi likolo ya basheribe, ozali Nzambe kaka moko na likolo ya mikili nyonso ya mabele; Yo nde osala Likolo mpe mabele.
“O Yahweh, Commander of the armies of angels, the God to whom [we] Israelis belong, you are seated on your throne above the statues of the creatures with wings, [above the Sacred Chest]. Only you are [truly] God. You rule all the kingdoms on this earth. You are the one who created everything on the earth and in the sky.
17 Oh Yawe, pesa litoyi mpe yoka; Yawe, fungola miso mpe mona! Yoka maloba nyonso oyo Senakeribe atindi mpo na kosambwisa Nzambe na bomoi.
[So], Yahweh, [please] listen to what I am saying, and look at [what is happening]! And listen to what Sennacherib has said to insult you, the all-powerful God!
18 Oh Yawe, ezali ya solo ete bakonzi ya Asiri babebisaki bikolo nyonso mpe mikili na bango.
Yahweh, it is true that [the armies of] the kings of Assyria have completely destroyed many nations and ruined their land.
19 Bazikisaki banzambe na bango na moto, pamba te banzambe yango ezalaki Nzambe te, kasi banzete to mpe mabanga ya pamba oyo esalemi na maboko ya bato.
And they have thrown all the idols of those nations into fires and burned them. But they were not [really] gods. They were only idols made of wood and stone, [and that is why they were destroyed easily].
20 Sik’oyo, oh Yawe, Nzambe na biso, bikisa biso na maboko na ye, mpo ete mikili nyonso ya mabele eyeba solo ete Yo moko kaka, Yawe, nde ozali Nzambe. »
So now, Yahweh our God, [please] rescue us from the power [MTY] of [the King of Assyria], in order that [the people in] all the kingdoms of the world will know that you, Yahweh, are the only one who is [truly] God.”
21 Ezayi, mwana mobali ya Amotsi, atindelaki Ezekiasi maloba oyo: « Tala liloba oyo Yawe, Nzambe ya Isalaele, alobi: Mpo ete osambelaki Ngai na tina na Senakeribe, mokonzi ya Asiri,
Then I sent this message to Hezekiah: “This is what Yahweh, the God to whom [we] Israelis belong, says: Because you prayed about what King Sennacherib of Assyria [said],
22 tala liloba oyo Yawe alobi mpo na kotelemela ye: Siona, mboka kitoko, ezali kotiola yo mpe koseka yo. Yelusalemi, mboka kitoko, ezali koningisa moto mpo na kotiola yo.
this is what I say to him: ‘The people of Jerusalem despise you and make fun of you. They will wag/shake their heads to mock you while you flee from here.
23 Nani oyo ofingaki mpe otiolaki? Nani oyo omatiselaki mongongo mpe otalaki na miso ya lolendo? Mosantu ya Isalaele!
Whom do you think you have been despising and ridiculing? Whom do you think you were shouting at? Whom do you think you were looking at [very] proudly/arrogantly? [It was I], the Holy One whom the Israelis worship!
24 Na nzela ya bantoma na yo, ofingaki Nkolo mpe olobaki: ‹ Na lisungi ya ebele ya bashar na ngai, namataki kino na basonge ya bangomba, kino na basonge oyo eleki likolo kati na Libani; nakweyisaki banzete na yango ya sedele oyo eleki milayi, banzete na yango ya sipele oyo eleki kitoko, mpe nakomaki kino na songe na yango ya suka, na zamba na yango oyo eleki kitoko;
The messengers whom you sent made fun of me. You said, “With my many chariots I have gone to the highest mountains, [even] to the highest mountains in Lebanon. We have cut down its tallest cedar [trees] and its nicest pine/cypress [trees]. We have been to the most distant/remote peaks and to its densest forests.
25 natimolaki mabulu ya mayi mpe namelaki mayi; na matambe ya makolo na ngai, nakawusaki miluka nyonso ya Ejipito. ›
We have dug wells [in many countries] and drunk water [from them]. And by marching through [MTY] the streams of Egypt, we dried them all up [HYP]!”
26 Oyoka nanu yango te? Nasalaki mabongisi ya makambo oyo wuta kala, nabongisaki yango wuta na mikolo oyo eleka kala; sik’oyo nde nakokisi yango. Esengeli na yo kokomisa bingumba ya makasi mipiku ya mabanga.
[But I, Yahweh, reply], “Have you never heard that long ago I determined [those things]; I planned them long ago, and now I have been causing those things to occur. I planned that your army would destroy cities and cause them to become piles of rubble.
27 Bato na yango bazangi makasi, balengi na somo mpe bakomi na soni, bakomi lokola matiti ya bilanga, lokola matiti ya langi ya mayi ya pondu, lokola matiti oyo ebotaka na mitondo ya bandako, ekawuka liboso ete ekola.
The people in those cities have no power, and as a result they are dismayed and discouraged. They are [as frail as] [MET] grass and plants in the fields, as frail as grass that grows on the roofs of houses and is scorched by the hot east wind.
28 Nayebi esika nini ozalaka, tango nini obimaka, tango nini ozongaka, mpe tango nini otombokelaka Ngai.
[But] I know [everything about you]; I know when you are [in your house and] when you go outside; I also know that you are (raging/speaking very angrily) against me.
29 Lokola otombokelaka Ngai, mpe lofundu na yo ekomi kino na matoyi na Ngai, nakotia lopete na Ngai na zolo na yo, nakokanga yo singa na bibebu ndenge bakangaka mpunda monoko, mpe nakozongisa yo na nzela oyo oyelaki.
[So], because you have raged against me and because I have heard you speak very proudly/arrogantly, [it will be as though] I will put a hook in your nose and I will put an iron (bit/metal bar) in your mouth [in order that I can lead you where I want you to go], and I will force you to return [to your own country], on the same road on which you came [here, without conquering Jerusalem].”’
30 Oh Ezekiasi, tala oyo ekozala elembo mpo na yo: Na mobu oyo, bokolia biloko oyo ekobima na nkona oyo ekweyaki na mabele; na mobu oyo ekolanda, bokolia biloko oyo ebotaka yango moko. Kasi na mobu ya misato, bokolona mpe bokobuka bambuma, bokolona banzete ya vino mpe bokolia bambuma na yango.
[Then I said to Hezekiah], ‘This will prove to you [that what I said will happen]: “This year, you(pl) will eat [only the crops] that grow by themselves, and next year the same thing will happen. But in the third year you will plant [crops] and harvest them; you will take care of your vineyards and eat the grapes.
31 Bato ya Yuda oyo bakobika, oyo bakotikala, bakozala lokola nzete oyo ekotisi misisa na yango ya sika kati na mabele mpe eboti bambuma.
And [you] people who are still [here] in Judah, will be strong and prosper again [MET].
32 Pamba te, na Yelusalemi, ndambo ya bato bakotikala; mpe na Siona, mwa ndambo bakobika. Bolingo makasi na Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga, nde ekokokisa yango.
A small number of my people will survive, and they will spread out from Jerusalem [DOU].” That will happen because [I], the Commander of the armies of angels, am desiring very much to accomplish it.’
33 Yango wana, tala liloba oyo Yawe alobi na tina na mokonzi ya Asiri: ‹ Akokota na engumba oyo te, akobeta kuna ata mbanzi moko te, akobundisa yango na banguba te mpe akomatisa ata mabele te liboso na yango mpo na komibomba.
And this is what [I], Yahweh, say about the King of Assyria: ‘His [armies] will not enter Jerusalem; they will not [even] shoot arrows into it. His soldiers will not [march outside] the city gates holding their shields, and they will not build high mounds of dirt against the walls of the city [to enable them to attack the city].
34 Akozongela na nzela oyo ayelaki mpe akokota na engumba oyo te, › elobi Yawe.
And their king will return [to his own country] on the same road on which he came [here]. He will not enter this city!’ [That will happen because I], Yahweh, have said it!
35 ‹ Nakobatela engumba oyo mpe nakobikisa yango mpo na lokumu ya Kombo na Ngai mpe mpo na lokumu ya Davidi, mosali na Ngai. › »
For the sake of my own reputation and because of what I promised King David, who served me [well], I will defend this city and prevent it from being destroyed.”
36 Boye, anjelu na Yawe abimaki mpe abomaki bato nkoto nkama moko na tuku mwambe na mitano kati na molako ya bato ya Asiri. Tango bato balamukaki na tongo ya mokolo oyo elandaki, bakutaki kaka bibembe.
[That night], an angel from Yahweh went out to where the army of Assyria had set up their tents and killed 185,000 of their soldiers. When [the rest of the soldiers] woke up the next morning, they saw that there were corpses everywhere.
37 Boye, Senakeribe, mokonzi ya Asiri, alongolaki molako, azongaki na Ninive mpe akomaki kovanda kuna.
Then King Sennacherib left and returned home to Nineveh [in Assyria], and stayed there.
38 Mokolo moko, wana azalaki kogumbamela nzambe na ye, Nisiroki, kati na tempelo ya nzambe yango, bana na ye ya mibali, Adrameleki mpe Saretseri babomaki ye na mopanga mpe bakimaki na Ararati. Bongo, mwana na ye ya mobali, Esari-Adoni, akitanaki na ye na bokonzi.
[One day], when he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his two sons, Adrammelech and Sharezer, killed him with their swords. Then they escaped and went to the Ararat [region northwest of Nineveh]. And another of Sennacherib’s sons, Esarhaddon, became the King of Assyria.
