1 Amakhosi 22
1 Kwathatha iminyaka kungelampi phakathi kwe-Aramu le-Israyeli.
And there passed three years without war between Syria and Israel.
2 Kodwa ngomnyaka wesithathu uJehoshafathi inkosi yakoJuda wayabonana lenkosi yako-Israyeli.
And in the third year, Josaphat king of Juda came down to the king of Israel.
3 Inkosi yako-Israyeli yayike yakhuluma lezikhulu zayo isithi, “Alikwazi na ukuthi eleRamothi Giliyadi ngelethu kodwa asikenzi lutho ukuze silithathe ezandleni zenkosi yase-Aramu?”
(And the king of Israel said to his servants: Know ye not-that Ramoth Galaad is ours, and we neglect to take it out of the hand of the king of Syria?)
4 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.”
And he said to Josaphat: Wilt thou come with me to battle to Ramoth Galaad?
5 Kodwa uJehoshafathi waphinda wathi enkosini yako-Israyeli, “Akubuze kuThixo kuqala.”
And Josaphat said to the king of Israel: As I am, so art thou: my people and thy people are one: and my horsemen, thy horsemen. And Josaphat said to the king of Israel: Inquire, I beseech thee, this day, the word of the Lord.
6 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.”
Then the king of Israel assembled the prophets, about four hundred men, and he said to them: Shall I go to Ramoth Galaad to fight, or shall I forbear? They answered: Go up, and the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.
7 Kodwa uJehoshafathi wabuza wathi, “Kambe kakusela mphrofethi kaThixo lapha esingabuza kuye na?”
And Josaphat said: Is there not here some prophet of the Lord, that we may inquire by him?
8 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.”
And the king of Israel said to Josaphat: There is one man left, by whom we may inquire of the Lord: Micheas the son of Jemla; but I hate him, for he doth not prophesy good to me, but evil. And Josaphat said: Speak not so, O king.
9 Inkosi yako-Israyeli yasibiza omunye wezikhulu zayo yathi kuye, “Phangisa ungilethele uMikhaya indodana ka-Imla.”
Then the king of Israel called an eunuch, and said to him: Make haste, and bring hither Micheas the son of Jemla.
10 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.
Then the king of Israel, and Josaphat king of Juda, sat each on his throne clothed with royal robes, in a court by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets prophesied before them.
11 UZedekhiya indodana kaKhenana wayekhande impondo zensimbi, wasesithi, “Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo, uthi: ‘Ngempondo lezi uzagwaza ama-Aramu uwabhubhise.’”
And Sedecias the son of Chanaana made himself horns of iron, and said: Thus saith the Lord: With these shalt thou push Syria, till thou destroy it.
12 Bonke abaphrofethi babevele bephrofetha okufananayo besithi, “Hlasela iRamothi Giliyadi unqobe, ngoba uThixo uyinikile esandleni senkosi.”
And all the prophets prophesied in like manner, saying: Go up to Ramoth Galaad, and prosper, for the Lord will deliver it into the king’s hands.
13 Isithunywa esasithunywe ukuyabiza uMikhaya sathi kuye, “Khangela, abanye abaphrofethi bafakaza bengela kuthandabuza ukuthi inkosi izanqoba. Lawe vumelana labo, ukhulume okuyithokozisayo.”
And the messenger, that went to call Micheas, spoke to him, saying: Behold the words of the prophets with one month declare good things to the king: let thy word therefore be like to theirs, and speak that which is good.
14 Kodwa uMikhaya wathi, “Njengokutsho kukaThixo, mina ngizayitshela lokho engikuthunywe nguThixo.”
But Micheas said to him: As the Lord liveth, whatsoever the Lord shall say to me, that will I speak.
15 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.”
So he came to the king, and the king said to him: Micheas, shall we go to Ramoth Galaad to battle, or shall we forbear? He answered him: Go up, and prosper, and the Lord shall deliver it into the king’s hands.
16 Inkosi yathi kuye, “Kumele ngikufungise kangaki ukuze ungangikhohlisi kodwa ungitshele iqiniso ebizweni likaThixo?”
But the king said to him: I adjure thee again and again, that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the Lord.
17 Ngakho uMikhaya waphendula wathi, “Ngabona u-Israyeli wonke ehlakazekile ezintabeni njengezimvu ezingelamelusi, kulapho uThixo athi ‘Lababantu abalamkhomkheli. Yekela bonke babuyele emakhaya ngokuthula.’”
And he said: I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, like sheep that have no shepherd: and the Lord said: These have no master: let every man of them return to his house in peace.
18 Inkosi yako-Israyeli yathi kuJehoshafathi, “Angikutshelanga yini ukuthi uvele kaphrofethi okuhle ngami, kodwa okubi kuphela?”
(Then the king of Israel said to Josaphat: Did I not tell thee, that he prophesieth no good to me, but always evil?)
19 UMikhaya waqhubekela phambili wathi, “Ngakho zwana ilizwi likaThixo elithi, Ngabona uThixo ehlezi esihlalweni sakhe sobukhosi lamabutho wonke asezulwini emi ngakwesokunene sakhe lakwesokhohlo sakhe.
And he added and said: Hear thou therefore the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the army of heaven standing by him on the right hand and on the left:
20 Njalo uThixo wathi, ‘Ngubani ozahugela u-Ahabi ekuhlaseleni iRamothi Giliyadi ukuze ayefela khonale na?’ Omunye waqamba lokhu, lomunye okwakhe.
And the Lord said: Who shall deceive Achab king of Israel, that he may go up, and fall at Ramoth Galaad? And one spoke words of this manner, and another otherwise.
21 Ekucineni kwavela umoya, wema phambi kukaThixo wathi, ‘Mina ngizamhuga.’
And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said: I will deceive him. And the Lord said to him: By what means?
22 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.’
And he said: I will go forth, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the Lord said: Thou shalt deceive him, and shalt prevail: a go forth, and do so.
23 Ngakho khathesi uThixo usefake umoya wenkohliso emilonyeni yabaphrofethi bakho bonke laba. UThixo usekumisele ukubhujiswa.”
Now therefore behold the Lord hath given a lying spirit in the mouth of all thy prophets that are here, and the Lord hath spoken evil against thee.
24 Kusenjalo uZedekhiya indodana kaKhenana wasondela, wamwakala uMikhaya ebusweni. Wabuza wathi: “Umoya kaThixo wasuka njani kimi ungena kuwe na?”
And Sedecias the son of Chanaana came, and struck Micheas on the cheek, and said: Hath then the spirit of the Lord left me, and spoken to thee?
25 UMikhaya waphendula wathi, “Uzazibonela mhla uzakuyacatsha endlini engaphakathi.”
And Micheas said: Thou shalt see in the day when thou shalt go into a chamber within a chamber to hide thyself.
26 Inkosi yako-Israyeli yalaya yathi, “Thathani uMikhaya limbuyisele ku-Amoni obusa idolobho lakoJowashi indodana yenkosi.
And the king of Israel said: Take Micheas, and let him abide with Ammon the governor of the city, and with Joas the son of Amalech.
27 Liyekuthi, ‘Inkosi ithi: Valelani umuntu lo entolongweni lingamniki lutho ngaphandle kwesinkwa lamanzi ngize ngiphenduke ngokuhle.’”
And tell them: Thus saith the king: Put this man in prison, and feed him with bread of affliction, and water of distress, till I return in peace.
28 UMikhaya waqonqosela wathi: “Nxa ungaphenduka kuhle, uThixo uyabe engakhulumanga ngami.” Waqhubeka wathi, “Lani lonke bantu abambisiseni amazwi ami!”
And Micheas said: If thou return in peace, the Lord hath not spoken by me. And he said: Hear, all ye people.
29 Ngakho inkosi yako-Israyeli loJehoshafathi inkosi yakoJuda baya eRamothi Giliyadi.
So the king of Israel, and Josaphat king of Juda went up to Ramoth Galaad.
30 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.
And the king of Israel said to Josaphat: Take armour, and go into the battle, and put on thy own garments. But the king of Israel changed his dress, and went into the battle.
31 Inkosi yase-Aramu yayilaye abalawuli bayo bezinqola zokulwa abangamatshumi amathathu lambili yathi, “Lina lingalwi lamuntu, loba eyisikhulu loba engumuntukazana, ngaphandle kwenkosi yako-Israyeli.”
And the king of Syria had commanded the two and thirty captains of the chariots, saying: You shall not fight against any, small or great, but against the king of Israel only.
32 Abalawuli bezinqola zokulwa bathe bebona uJehoshafathi, bahle bathi “Ngempela le yiyo kanye inkosi yako-Israyeli.” Abalawuli bezinqola zokulwa basebehlasela uJehoshafathi, yena wahlaba umkhosi,
So when the captains of the chariots saw Josaphat, they suspected that he was the king of Israel, and making a violent assault they fought against him: and Josaphat cried out.
33 baphanga babona ukuthi kwakungasiyo inkosi yako-Israyeli bahle bayekela ukuxotshana laye.
And the captains of the chariots perceived that he was not the king of and they turned away from him.
34 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.”
And a certain man bent his bow, shooting at a venture, and chanced to strike the king of Israel between the lungs and the stomach. But he said to the driver of his chariot: Turn thy hand, and carry me out of the army, for I am grievously wounded.
35 Kwalwiwa impi kanzima ilanga lonke. Inkosi yayeyanyiswe enqoleni yayo yokulwa ikhangele ama-Aramu. Igazi lamanxeba ayo lagelezela phansi enqoleni yokulwa, kwathi Ngalokhokuhlwa yafa.
And the battle was fought that day, and the king of Israel stood in his chariot against the Syrians, and he died in the evening: and the blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the chariot.
36 Ekutshoneni kwelanga kwamenyezelwa kuyo yonke impi ukuthi: “Abantu bonke kababuyele emizini yakibo, bonke kababuyele lowo lalowo elizweni lakibo!”
And the herald proclaimed through all the army before the sun set, saying: Let every man return to his own city, and to his own country.
37 Ngakho inkosi yafa yasiwa eSamariya, yangcwatshwa khona.
And the king died, and was carried into Samaria: and they buried the king in Samaria.
38 Inqola yokulwa bayigezisela esizibeni seSamariya (endaweni eyayigezela izifebe), izinja zakhotha igazi layo, njengokutsho kwelizwi likaThixo.
And they washed his chariot in the pool of Samaria, and the dogs licked up his blood, and they washed the reins, according to the word of the Lord which he had spoken.
39 Konke okunye ngempilo langokubusa kuka-Ahabi lakho konke akwenzayo, ukwakha isigodlo esasiceciswe ngempondo zezindlovu, lamadolobho ayevikelwe okwenqaba, akulotshwanga na egwalweni lwembali yamakhosi ako-Israyeli?
But the rest of the acts of Achab, and all that he did, and the house of ivory that he made, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel?
40 U-Ahabi wangcwatshwa laboyise. Ubukhosi bakhe bathathwa yindodana yakhe u-Ahaziya.
So Achab slept with his fathers, and Ochozias his son reigned in his stead.
41 UJehoshafathi indodana ka-Asa waba yinkosi yakoJuda ngomnyaka wesine wokubusa kuka-Ahabi inkosi yako-Israyeli.
But Josaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Juda in the fourth year of Achab king of Israel.
42 UJehoshafathi waba yinkosi eleminyaka engamatshumi amathathu lemihlanu yokuzalwa, wabusa eJerusalema okweminyaka engamatshumi amabili lemihlanu. Ibizo likanina kungu-Azubha indodakazi kaShilihi.
He was five and thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned five and twenty years in Jerusalem: the name of his mother was Azuba the daughter of Salai.
43 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.
And he walked in all the way of Asa his father, and he declined not from it: and he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord. Nevertheless he took not away the high places: for as Set the people offered sacrifices and burnt incense in the high places.
44 UJehoshafathi wahlalisana ngokuthula lenkosi yako-Israyeli.
And Josaphat had peace with the king of Israel.
45 Okwenzakala ekubuseni kukaJehoshafathi, ukuphumelela kwakhe kanye lokunqoba ezimpini, akulotshwanga na encwadini yembali yamakhosi akoJuda?
But the rest of the acts of Josaphat, and his works which he did, and his batties, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Juda?
46 Waqeda insalela yabesilisa ababefeba emathempelini ayelokhu esasele lapho langemva kokubusa kukayise u-Asa.
And the remnant also of the effeminate, who remained in the days of Asa his father, he took out of the land.
47 Kwakungaselankosi e-Edomi, umsekeli nguye owayebusa.
And there was then no king appointed in Edom.
48 UJehoshafathi wakha imikhumbi yokuthutha igolide e-Ofiri, kodwa ayizange isebenze olwandle, yahle yahlikizeka, yabhidlikela e-Eziyoni-Gebheri.
But king Josaphat made navies on the sea, to sail into Ophir for gold: but they could not go, for the ships were broken in Asiongaber.
49 Ngalesosikhathi u-Ahaziya indodana ka-Ahabi wathi kuJehoshafathi, “Yekela abantu bami bahambe labakho olwandle,” kodwa uJehoshafathi wala.
Then Ochozias the ton of Achab said to Josaphat: Let my servants go with thy servants in the ships. And Josaphat would not.
50 Ngakho uJehoshafathi waphumula labokhokho bakhe, wangcwatshwa kanye labo emzini kaDavida uyise. UJehoramu indodana yakhe wabusa esikhundleni sakhe.
And Josaphat slept with his fathers. and was buried with them in the city of David his father: and Joram his son reigned in his stead.
51 U-Ahaziya indodana ka-Ahabi waba yinkosi yako-Israyeli eSamariya ngomnyaka wetshumi lesikhombisa wokubusa kukaJehoshafathi inkosi yakoJuda, yena-ke wabusa ko-Israyeli okweminyaka emibili.
And Ochozias the son of Achab began to reign over Israel in Samaria, in the seventeenth gear of Josaphat king of Juda, and he reigned over Israel two years,
52 Wona emehlweni kaThixo, ngoba wahamba enyathelweni likayise lelikanina walandela njalo izindlela zikaJerobhowamu indodana kaNebhathi, owabangela u-Israyeli ukuthi enze isono.
And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of his father and his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nabat, who made Israel to sin.
53 Wasebenzela uBhali njalo wamkhonza wathukuthelisa uThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, njengalokhu okwakwenziwe nguyise.
He served also Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked the Lord the God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.
