2 Bassekabaka 19
1 Kabaka Keezeekiya olwawulira ebyo byonna, n’ayuza ebyambalo bye, n’ayambala ebibukutu, n’alaga mu yeekaalu ya Mukama.
When King Hezekiah heard what they reported, he tore his clothes and put on clothes made of rough cloth [because he was very distressed]. Then he went to the temple [to ask God what to do].
2 N’atuma Eriyakimu eyali ssabakaaki, ne Sebuna omuwandiisi ne bakabona ab’oku ntikko, nga bonna bambadde ebibukutu, okugenda eri Isaaya nnabbi mutabani wa Amozi.
He summoned Eliakim and Shebna and the (older/most important) priests, who were also wearing clothes made of rough sackcloth, and told them to talk to me.
3 Ne bamugamba nti, “Bw’ati bw’ayogera Keezeekiya nti Leero lunaku lwa buyinike, era lwa kunenyezebwa, era lwa kuswazibwa, ng’abaana bwe batuuka okuzaalibwa, naye ne wataba maanyi ga ku bazaala.
He said to them, “Tell this to Isaiah: ‘King Hezekiah says that we are having great distress/trouble now. [Other nations are causing] us to be insulted and disgraced. We are like [MET] a woman who is about to give birth to a child, but she does not have the strength that she needs to do it.
4 Kiyinzika okuba nga Mukama Katonda wo yawulidde obubaka bwonna obwa Labusake, mukama we kabaka w’e Bwasuli bwe yaweereza ng’anyooma Katonda omulamu, era nti amunenye olw’ebigambo byonna Mukama Katonda wo by’awulidde. Noolwekyo ssabira ekitundu ekikyasigaddewo.”
Perhaps Yahweh your God has heard everything that the official from Assyria said. Perhaps he knows that his boss/master, the king of Assyria, sent him to insult the all-powerful God, and that Yahweh will rebuke/punish him for what he said.’ And he requests that you pray for the few of us who are still alive [here in Jerusalem].”
5 Awo abakungu ba Kabaka Keezeekiya bwe baatuuka eri Isaaya,
When the messengers from Hezekiah came to Isaiah,
6 Isaaya n’abagamba nti, “Mutegeeze mukama wammwe nti, ‘Bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama nti, Ebigambo by’owulidde, abaddu ba kabaka w’e Bwasuli bye banvumye, tebikutiisa.
Isaiah said to them, “[Go back to] your boss/master [and] tell him, ‘This is what Yahweh says: Those messengers from the king of Assyria have said evil things about me. But you should not be disturbed because of what they said.
7 Wuliriza! Nzija kumuteekamu omwoyo, awulire olugambo ku bikwata ku nsi ye addeyo mu nsi ye, era gye ndimuzikiririza n’ekitala.’”
Listen to this: I will cause Sennacherib to hear a rumor that will worry him, [that a foreign army is about to attack his country]. So he will return to his own country, and there I will cause him to be assassinated by [men using] swords.’”
8 Labusake bwe yawulira nti kabaka w’e Bwasuli avudde mu Lakisi, n’avaayo, n’asanga kabaka ng’alwana ne Libuna.
The official from Assyria found out that the King of Assyria [and his army] had left Lachish [city], and that they were attacking Libnah, [which is a nearby city]. So the official went there [to report to him what had happened in Jerusalem].
9 Awo Sennakeribu n’afuna obubaka obukwata ku Tiraka kabaka w’e Esiyopya nti, “Laba amaliridde okulwana naawe,” era n’addamu n’atuma ababaka eri Keezeekiya ng’agamba nti,
Soon after that, King Sennacherib received a report that King Tirhakah of Ethiopia was leading his army, and was coming to attack them. So before King Sennacherib left Libnah [to fight against the army from Ethiopia], he sent other messengers to King Hezekiah with a letter.
10 “Bwe muti bwe munagamba Keezeekiya kabaka wa Yuda nti, ‘Tokkiriza Katonda wo gwe weesiga kukulimbalimba ng’akusuubiza nti Yerusaalemi teriweebwayo mu mukono gwa kabaka w’e Bwasuli.’
[In the letter] he wrote this to Hezekiah: “Do not allow your god on whom you are relying to deceive you by promising that [the city of] Jerusalem will not be captured by my army [MTY].
11 Ekyamazima wawulira bakabaka b’e Bwasuli kye bakoze amawanga gonna, nga bagasaanyizaawo ddala. Olowooza nti olirokolebwa?
You have certainly heard what the armies of the kings of Assyria have done to all the other countries. Our armies have completely destroyed them. So, (do you think that you will escape?/do not think that your god will save you!) [RHQ]
12 Bakatonda baamawanga ag’e Gozani, n’e Kalani, n’e Lezefu, n’abantu ba Adeni abaali mu Terasali, abasaanyizibwawo bajjajjange, babalokola?
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 the people in the Gozan region and in Haran and Rezeph [cities in northern Syria] and the people of Eden who had been (deported/forced to go) to Tel-Assar [city]? None of the gods of those cities were able to rescue them.
13 Kabaka w’e Kamasi, kabaka w’e Alupadi, kabaka w’ekibuga kya Sefavayimu, oba kabaka w’e Kena oba kabaka w’e Yiva, bali ludda wa?”
What happened to the kings of Hamath and Arpad and Sepharvaim and Ivvah [cities] [RHQ]? [Most of them are dead, and the other people were deported]!”
14 Keezeekiya n’afuna ebbaluwa eyaleetebwa ababaka, n’agisoma. N’ayambuka n’agenda mu yeekaalu ya Mukama, n’agyanjuluza mu maaso ga Mukama.
Hezekiah took 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 Keezeekiya n’asaba eri Mukama ng’agamba nti, “Ayi Mukama Katonda wa Isirayiri, atuula waggulu ku bakerubi, ggwe wekka, ggwe Katonda ow’obwakabaka bwonna obw’ensi, era ggwe wakola eggulu n’ensi.
Then Hezekiah prayed, “Yahweh, the God whom to whom we Israelis belong, you are seated on your throne above the [statues of] 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.
16 Otege okutu kwo, Ayi Mukama, owulire; ozibule amaaso go Ayi Mukama, olabe; owulire ebigambo bya Sennakeribu, byayogedde ng’avvoola Katonda omulamu.
So, Yahweh, please listen to what I am saying, and look [at what is happening]. And listen to what King Sennacherib has said to insult you, the all-powerful God.
17 “Kya mazima, Ayi Mukama, nti bakabaka b’e Bwasuli baazikiriza amawanga n’ensi zaabwe,
“Yahweh, it is true that [the armies of] the kings of Assyria have completely destroyed many nations, and ruined their land.
18 ne basuula bakatonda baabwe mu muliro. Naye abo tebaali Katonda, baali mirimu gy’emikono gy’abantu, nga mbaawo n’amayinja, era kyebaava bazikirizibwa.
And they have thrown the idols of those nations into fires and burned them. But [that was not difficult to do, because] they were not gods. They were only statues made of wood and stone, idols that were shaped by humans, [and that is why they were destroyed easily].
19 Kaakano, Ayi Mukama, Katonda waffe, tukwegayiridde, otulokole mu mukono gwe, amawanga gonna ku nsi gamanye nga ggwe, Ayi Mukama, gwe Katonda wekka.”
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.”
20 Awo Isaaya mutabani wa Amozi n’aweereza Keezeekiya obubaka nti: “Bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama, Katonda wa Isirayiri nti, Mpulidde okusaba kwo ku bikwata ku Sennakeribu kabaka w’e Bwasuli.
Then Isaiah sent this message to Hezekiah: “This is what Yahweh, the God to whom we Israelis belong, says: 'I have heard what you prayed to me about Sennacherib, the king of Assyria.
21 Kino kye kigambo Mukama ky’ayogedde ku bimukwatako: “‘Omuwala wa Sayuuni embeerera akunyooma era akusekerera. Omuwala wa Yerusaalemi akunyeenyeza omutwe gwe nga bw’odduka.
This is what I say to him: “The people of Jerusalem [MTY] despise you and make fun of you. They wag/shake their heads to mock you while you flee from here.
22 Ani gw’ovumye era n’ovvoola? Ani gw’okandulidde eddoboozi lyo, era ani gw’oyimusirizza amaaso go n’amalala? Obikoze Omutukuvu wa Isirayiri!
Who do you think that you are despising and ridiculing? Who do you think you were shouting at? Who do you think you were looking at very proudly/arrogantly? It was I, the holy God whom the Israelis worship.
23 Ojereze Mukama ng’oyita mu babaka bo. Era ogambye nti, “Nninye ku ntikko z’ensozi n’amagaali gange amangi, ku ntikko ezisingirayo ddala obuwanvu eza Lebanooni. Ntemye emivule egisingirayo ddala obuwanvu n’emiberosi gyayo egisingirayo ddala obulungi. Ntuuse ne mu bifo ebisingirayo ddala okuba ebikusike ne mu bibira ebisingirayo ddala okuba ebirungi.
The messengers that 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/cyprus trees. We have been to the most distant/remote peaks and to its dense forests.
24 Nsimye enzizi mu bannamawanga, n’enywa amazzi gaamu. Nkazizza emigga egy’e Misiri gyonna, nga ngirinnyirira n’ebisinziiro by’ebigere byange.”
We have dug wells in other countries and drank water from them. And by marching through [MTY] the streams of Egypt, we dried them all up [HYP]!”’
25 “‘Tewawulira nga nakisalawo dda? Mu biro eby’edda nakiteekateeka, era kaakano nkituukirizza, olyoke ofuule ebibuga ebiriko bbugwe okuba ng’entuumo y’amayinja.
[‘But I reply], “Have you never heard that long ago I determined [that those things would happen]? I planned it long ago, and now I have been causing it to happen. I planned that your army would have [the power to] capture many cities that were surrounded by high walls, and cause them to become piles of rubble.
26 Ababituulamu tebakyalina buyinza, batekemuse era baswazibbwa. Bafaanana ng’ebimera eby’omu nnimiro, ng’omuddo omubisi, ng’omuddo ogusibuse mu busolya bw’ennyumba, ne gutugibwa nga tegunnakula.
The people who lived in those cities have no power, and as a result they became dismayed and discouraged. They are as frail as plants and grass in the fields, as frail as grass that grows on the roofs of houses and is scorched by the hot east wind.
27 “‘Naye mmanyi obutuuliro bwo era mmanyi okufuluma kwo n’okuyingira kwo n’obuswandi bw’ondaga.
“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.
28 Kubanga ondaze obuswandi bwo, n’obujoozi bwo ne mbuwulira mu matu gange, kyendiva nteeka eddobo lyange mu nnyindo yo n’olukoba lwange mu mumwa gwo, era oliddirayo mu kkubo lye wajjiramu.’
So, because you have raged against me, and because I have heard [MTY] you speak very proudly/arrogantly, [it will be as though] I will put a hook in your nose and an iron (bit/piece of metal) 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].” '
29 “Era kano ke kanaaba akabonero ko, ggwe Keezeekiya. “Omwaka guno olirya ekyo ekimera kyokka, ne mu mwaka ogwokubiri ekiriva mw’ekyo. Naye mu mwaka ogwokusatu siga era okungule; era simba ennimiro ez’emizabbibu, olye ku bibala bya kwo.
Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “This is what will happen to prove [that I am telling the truth]: This year and next year you [and your people] will be able to harvest only (wild grain/grain that grows without having been planted). But the following year, you [Israelis] will be able to plant grain and harvest it, and to plant vineyards and eat the grapes that you harvest.
30 Ekitundu ekisigaddewo eky’ennyumba ya Isirayiri kyekiriva kiddamu ne kisimba emizi wansi, ne kibala ebibala waggulu.
The people [MTY] in Judah who remain alive will prosper and have many children; they will be like plants whose roots go deep down into the ground and which produce much [MET].
31 Mu Yerusaalemi muliva ekitundu ekifisseewo, ne mu Lusozi Sayuuni ne muva abo abaliwona. Obuggya bwa Mukama ow’Eggye bulikituukiriza.
There will be many people in Jerusalem [DOU] who will survive, because Yahweh, the commander of the armies of angels in heaven, wants [PRS] it to happen.
32 “Noolwekyo bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama ku bikwata ku kabaka w’e Bwasuli, nti, “‘Kabaka oyo taliyingira mu kibuga kino, wadde okulasayo akasaale. Talikisemberera n’engabo newaakubadde okutuumako ekifunvu ng’akitaayiza.
So this is what Yahweh, says about the king of Assyria: ‘His armies will not enter this city; they will not even shoot any arrows into it! His soldiers will not march outside the city gates carrying shields, and they will not even build high mounds of dirt against [the city walls] [to enable them to attack the city].
33 Ekkubo lye yakwata ng’ajja, omwo mw’aliddira, naye taliyingira mu kibuga kino, bw’ayogera Mukama.
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!
34 Ndirwanirira ekibuga kino nkirokole, ku lwange, ne ku lw’omuddu wange Dawudi.’”
I will defend this city and prevent it from being destroyed. I will do this for the sake of my own reputation and because of what I promised to King David, who served me well.'”
35 Ekiro ekyo malayika wa Mukama n’agenda mu nkambi ey’Abasuuli n’atta abasajja emitwalo kkumi na munaana mu enkumi ttaano. Ku makya abantu bwe baagolokoka, laba nga bonna mirambo.
That night, an angel from Yahweh went out to where the army of Assyria had put up their tents, and killed 185,000 of their soldiers! When the rest of their soldiers woke up the next morning, they saw that there were corpses everywhere!
36 Awo Sennakeribu kabaka w’e Bwasuli n’ava mu nkambi, n’addayo ewuwe, n’agenda n’abeera e Nineeve.
Then King Sennacherib left and went home to Nineveh, [the capital of Assyria].
37 Awo bwe yali ng’asinziza mu ssabo lya katonda we Nisuloki Adulammereki ne Salezeri batabani be ne bamutta n’ekitala, ne baddukira mu nsi y’e Alalati. Esaladoni mutabani we n’amusikira.
One day, when he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, two of his 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.
