1 Amakhosi 8

1 Ngakho iNkosi uSolomoni wamema abadala bako-Israyeli ukuthi beze kuye eJerusalema, bonke abazinhloko zezizwana lezinduna zezimuli zako-Israyeli, ukuthi balethe ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaThixo lisuka eZiyoni, uMuzi kaDavida.

Then Solomon sent for all the responsible men of Israel, and all the chiefs of the tribes, and the heads of families of the children of Israel, to come to him in Jerusalem to take the ark of the Lord's agreement up out of the town of David, which is Zion.

2 Amadoda wonke ako-Israyeli eza ndawonye enkosini uSolomoni ngesikhathi somkhosi ngenyanga ebizwa ngokuthi ngu-Ethanimi, inyanga yesikhombisa.

And all the men of Israel came together to King Solomon at the feast, in the month Ethanim, the seventh month.

3 Kwathi bonke abadala bako-Israyeli sebefikile, abaphristi bathwala ibhokisi lesivumelwano,

And all the responsible men of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark.

4 njalo basebeletha ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaThixo kanye leThente lokuHlanganela layo yonke imiceciso engcwele iphakathi kwalo. Abaphristi labaLevi bakuthwala lokhu,

They took up the ark of the Lord, and the Tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels which were in the Tent; all these the priests and the Levites took up.

5 njalo inkosi uSolomoni kanye lebandla lonke lako-Israyeli babebuthene ndawonye phambi kwebhokisi lesivumelwano, benikela ngezimvu langenkomo ababengeke bakwazi ukuloba inani lazo loba ukuzibala.

And King Solomon and all the men of Israel who had come together there, were with him before the ark, making offerings of sheep and oxen more than might be numbered.

6 Abaphristi basebeletha ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaThixo endaweni yalo engcwele engaphakathi kwethempeli, iNdawo eNgcwelengcwele, basebelifaka ngaphansi kwamaphiko amakherubhi.

And the priests took the ark of the agreement of the Lord and put it in its place in the inner room of the house, in the most holy place, under the wings of the winged ones.

7 Amakherubhi elula impiko zawo phezu kwendawo yebhokisi lesivumelwano njalo agubuzela ibhokisi lesivumelwano kanye lezibambo zokulithwala.

For their wings were outstretched over the place where the ark was, covering the ark and its rods.

8 Izigodo lezi zazizinde zibonakala nxa useNdaweni eNgcwele phambi kwesiphephelo esingaphakathi, kodwa hatshi nxa ungaphandle kweNdawo eNgcwele; lezo zilokhu zimi njalo lalamuhla.

The rods were so long that their ends were seen from the holy place, in front of the inmost room; but they were not seen from outside: and there they are to this day.

9 Kwakungelalutho ebhokisini lesivumelwano ngaphandle kwezibhebhedu ezimbili zamatshe uMosi ayezifake phakathi kwalo eseHorebhi lapho uThixo enza khona isivumelwano labako-Israyeli ngemva kokuphuma kwabo eGibhithe.

There was nothing in the ark but the two flat stones which Moses put there at Horeb, where the Lord made an agreement with the children of Israel when they came out of the land of Egypt.

10 Kwathi abaphristi sebesukile eNdaweni eNgcwele, iyezi lagcwala lagubuzela ethempelini likaThixo.

Now when the priests had come out of the holy place, the house of the Lord was full of the cloud,

11 Abaphristi abenzanga inkonzo yabo ngenxa yeyezi, ngoba inkazimulo kaThixo yayigcwele ethempelini lakhe.

So that the priests were not able to keep their places to do their work because of the cloud, for the house of the Lord was full of the glory of the Lord.

12 Ngakho uSolomoni wathi, “UThixo utshilo ukuba uzahlala eyezini elimnyama;

Then Solomon said, O Lord, to the sun you have given the heaven for a living-place, but your living-place was not seen by men;

13 ngempela sengikwakhele ithempeli elibukekayo, indawo ozahlala kiyo kuze kube nini lanini.”

So I have made for you a living-place, a house in which you may be for ever present.

14 Kwathi ibandla lonke lako-Israyeli lisemi khonapho, inkosi yaphenduka yalibusisa.

Then, turning his face about, the king gave a blessing to all the men of Israel; and they were all on their feet together.

15 Ngakho yasisithi: “Udumo kuye uThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, yena ngesandla sakhe ophelelise ukwenza lokho akuthembisa ngowakhe umlomo ethembisa ubaba uDavida. Ngoba wathi,

And he said, Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who himself gave his word to David my father, and with his strong hand has made his word come true, saying,

16 ‘Kusukela mhla ngikhupha abantu bami abako-Israyeli eGibhithe, bengingakaze ngikhethe idolobho loba kukusiphi isizwana sako-Israyeli ukuthi ngakhelwe ithempeli leBizo lami khona, kodwa ngimkhethile uDavida ukuthi abuse abantu bami bako-Israyeli.’

From the day when I took my people Israel out of Egypt, no town in all the tribes of Israel has been marked out by me for the building of a house for the resting-place of my name; but I made selection of David to be king over my people Israel.

17 Ubaba uDavida wayelakho enhliziyweni yakhe ukuthi akhe ithempeli leBizo likaThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.

Now it was in the heart of David my father to put up a house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.

18 Kodwa uThixo wathi kubaba uDavida, ‘Wenza kuhle ngokuba lesifiso sokungakhela ithempeli leBizo lami enhliziyweni yakho.

But the Lord said to David my father, You did well to have in your heart the desire to make a house for my name;

19 Lanxa kunjalo, kakusuwe ozalakha lelothempeli, kodwa lizakwakhiwa yindodana yakho, eyinyama legazi lakho, yiyo ezakwakha ithempeli leBizo lami.’

But you yourself will not be the builder of my house; but your son, the offspring of your body, he it is who will put up a house for my name.

20 UThixo usigcinile isithembiso asenzayo: Sengiyinkosi esikhundleni sikababa uDavida njalo khathesi sengihlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi sika-Israyeli njengokuthembisa kukaThixo, njalo sengakhele iBizo likaThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli ithempeli.

And the Lord has made his word come true; for I have taken my father David's place on the seat of the kingdom of Israel, as the Lord gave his word; and I have made a house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.

21 Ngilungisile indawo khonaphana eyebhokisi lesivumelwano, kulapho okulesivumelwano sikaThixo asenza labokhokho ekubakhupheni kwakhe kwelamaGibhithe.”

In it I have made a place for the ark, in which is the agreement which the Lord made with our fathers, when he took them out of the land of Egypt.

22 Ngalokho uSolomoni wema e-alithareni likaThixo phambi kwebandla lonke lako-Israyeli, welula izandla zakhe waziphakamisela ezulwini

Then Solomon took his place before the altar of the Lord, all the men of Israel being present, and stretching out his hands to heaven,

23 wasesithi: Oh “Thixo, Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, kakho uNkulunkulu onjengawe ezulwini phezulu loba emhlabeni ngaphansi, wena ogcina isivumelwano sakho sothando lezinceku zakho, wena oqhubeka ngenhliziyo yonke endleleni yakho.

Said, O Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on the earth; keeping faith and mercy unchanging for your servants, while they go in your ways with all their hearts.

24 Usigcinile isithembiso sakho encekwini yakho uDavida ongubaba; ngomlomo wakho uthembisile njalo ngesandla sakho ukugcwalisile lokho njengoba kunjalo lamuhla.

And you have kept the word which you gave to your servant David, my father; with your mouth you said it and with your hand you have made it come true this day.

25 Khathesi Thixo, Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, gcinela inceku yakho uDavida ubaba lezozithembiso owazenzayo lapho wathi, ‘Awuyikwehluleka loba sekutheni ukuzuza indoda ezahlala esihlalweni sami sobukhosi ko-Israyeli, nxa amadodana akho ezananzelela ukuhamba phambi kwami njengalokhu okwenzileyo wena.’

So now, O Lord, the God of Israel, let your word to your servant David, my father, come true, when you said, You will never be without a man to take his place on the seat of the kingdom of Israel before me, if only your children give attention to their ways, walking before me as you have done.

26 Ngakho khathesi, Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, kaligcwaliseke ilizwi lesithembiso owalikhuluma kubaba uDavida inceku yakho.

So now, O God of Israel, it is my prayer that you will make your word come true which you said to your servant David, my father.

27 Kambe uNkulunkulu uzahlala emhlabeni na? Amazulu, kanye lezulu eliphakemeyo, alikulingani. Pho ithempeli leli engilakhileyo lingabe liyini kuwe na!

But is it truly possible that God may be housed on earth? see, heaven and the heaven of heavens are not wide enough to be your resting-place; how much less this house which I have made!

28 Kodwa-ke akuzwe umkhuleko wenceku yakho lokucela kwayo umusa, Oh Thixo Nkulunkulu wami. Zwana ukukhala lokukhuleka kwenceku yakho phambi kwakho ngalolusuku.

Still, let your heart be turned to the prayer of your servant, O Lord God, and to his prayer for grace; give ear to the cry and the prayer which your servant sends up to you this day;

29 Sengathi amehlo akho angahlala phezu kwalelithempeli ebusuku lemini, yonale indawo owathi wena, ‘IBizo lami lizakuba khonapha,’ ukuze uzwe umkhuleko wenceku yakho ngale indawo.

That your eyes may be open to this house night and day, to this place of which you have said, My name will be there; hearing the prayer which your servant may make, turning to this place.

30 Zwana isikhalazo senceku yakho lesabantu bakho bako-Israyeli nxa bekhuleka bekhangele kule indawo. Zwana usezulwini okuyindawo yakho yokuhlala, njalo nxa usizwa, uthethelele.

Give ear to the prayers of your servant, and the prayers of your people Israel, when they make their prayers, turning to this place; give ear in heaven your living-place, and hearing, have mercy.

31 Nxa umuntu angonela umakhelwane wakhe, afungiswe, abesefunga isifungo phambi kwe-alithari lakho kulelithempeli,

If a man does wrong to his neighbour, and has to take an oath, and comes before your altar to take his oath in this house:

32 zwana usezulwini wenze. Yahlulela phakathi kwezinceku zakho, umlahle olecala, wehlisele ekhanda lakhe lokho akwenzileyo. Tshono ukuthi ongonanga kalacala ukuze uveze ukuba msulwa kwakhe.

Then let your ear be open in heaven, and be the judge of your servants, giving your decision against the wrongdoer, so that punishment for his sins may come on his head; and, by your decision, keeping from evil him who has done no wrong.

33 Nxa abantu bakho abako-Israyeli behlulwe yisitha ngenxa yokona kwabo phambi kwakho, kuthi nxa sebephendukela ngakuwe bebiza ibizo lakho, bekhuleka njalo becela intethelelo kuwe kulelithempeli,

When your people Israel are overcome in war, because of their sin against you; if they are turned to you again, honouring your name, making prayers to you and requesting your grace in this house:

34 lapho-ke zwana usezulwini uthethelele izono zabantu bakho bako-Israyeli njalo ubabuyisele elizweni owalinika okhokho babo.

Then give ear in heaven, and let the sin of your people Israel have forgiveness, and take them back again into the land which you gave to their fathers.

35 Nxa amazulu evaleka njalo kungaselazulu ngenxa yokuthi abantu bakho bonile phambi kwakho, njalo nxa bekhuleka bekhangele kule indawo bavume ibizo lakho batshiye izono zabo ngoba ubatshayile,

When heaven is shut up and there is no rain, because of their sin against you; if they make prayers with their faces turned to this place, honouring your name and turning away from their sin when you send trouble on them:

36 lapho-ke zwana usezulwini uthethelele izinceku zakho izono zazo, abantu bakho bako-Israyeli. Bafundise indlela yokuphila eqondileyo, uthumele izulu elizweni owalinika abantu bakho ukuba libe yilifa labo.

Then give ear in heaven, so that the sin of your servants, and of your people Israel, may have forgiveness, when you make clear to them the good way in which they are to go; and send rain on your land which you have given to your people for their heritage.

37 Nxa kufika indlala kumbe isifo elizweni, ukukhunta lengumane, isikhongwane lemihogoyi, loba behanqwa yizitha kwelinye lamadolobho abo, loba yincithakalo enganani loba ngumkhuhlane onjani ongeza,

If there is no food in the land, or if there is disease, or if the fruits of the earth are damaged through heat or water, locust or worm; if their towns are shut in by their attackers; whatever trouble, whatever disease there may be:

38 kuthi lanxa kusenziwa umkhuleko kumbe isicelo ngomunye wabantu bakho bako-Israyeli, ngulowo lalowo ezazela inhlupheko ezinhliziyweni yakhe njalo ephakamisele izandla zakhe kulelithempeli,

Whatever prayer or request for your grace is made by any man, or by all your people Israel, whatever his trouble may be, whose hands are stretched out to this house:

39 lalela usezulwini, okuyindawo yakho yokuhlala. Thethelela njalo wenzele umuntu munye ngamunye okuhambelana lezenzo zakhe ngoba wena uyazazi inhliziyo zabo (futhi nguwe wedwa owazi inhliziyo zabantu),

Give ear in heaven your living-place, acting in mercy; and give to every man whose secret heart is open to you, the reward of all his ways; for you, and you only, have knowledge of the hearts of all the children of men:

40 yikho bezakwesaba imihla yabo yonke yokuphila beselizweni owalinika okhokho bethu.

So that they may give you worship all the days of their life in the land which you gave to our fathers.

41 Owezizweni ongasuye omunye wabantu bakho bako-Israyeli kodwa evela kude ngenxa yodumo lwebizo lakho

And as for the man from a strange land, who is not of your people Israel; when he comes from a far country because of the glory of your name:

42 ngoba abantu bazakuzwa ngelakho ibizo eliqakathekileyo lesandla sakho esilamandla lengalo yakho eyeluliweyo, nxa esiza akhuleke ekhangele kulelithempeli,

(For they will have news of your great name and your strong hand and your out-stretched arm; ) when he comes to make his prayer, turning to this house:

43 lapho-ke zwana usezulwini, indawo elilikhaya lakho, wenze loba yini owezizweni ayicela kuwe, ukuze bonke abantu bomhlaba balazi ibizo lakho njalo bakwesabe, njengoba abantu bakho abako-Israyeli bekwenza, baze bazi ukuthi indlu le engiyakhileyo ithwele iBizo lakho.

Give ear in heaven your living-place, and give him his desire, whatever it may be; so that all the peoples of the earth may have knowledge of your name, worshipping you as do your people Israel, and that they may see that this house which I have put up is truly named by your name.

44 Nxa abantu bakho bephuma besiya empini ukuyakulwa lezitha zabo, loba kungaphi obathuma khona, njalo kuthi nxa bekhuleka kuThixo bekhangele edolobheni olikhethileyo wena kanye lethempelini engalakhela iBizo lakho,

If your people go out to war against their attackers, by whatever way you may send them, if they make their prayer to the Lord, turning their faces to this town of yours and to this house which I have made for your name:

45 lapho-ke zwana usezulwini umkhuleko wabo lokuncenga kwabo, ubaphathise kulokho.

Give ear in heaven to their prayer and their cry for grace, and see right done to them.

46 Nxa bonile phambi kwakho, ngoba kakho ongoniyo njalo uze ubathukuthelele ubanikele ezitheni zabo ezibathumba zibase ezizweni zazo, ezikhatshana leziseduze;

If they do wrong against you, (for no man is without sin, ) and you are angry with them and give them up into the power of those who are fighting against them, so that they take them away as prisoners into a strange land, far off or near;

47 kuthi nxa bengaguquka ezinhliziyweni zabo besemazweni abayabe bethunjelwe kuwo, baphenduke bakuncenge besemazweni abathunjelwa khona bathi, ‘Sonile, senza okungalunganga lokubi,’

And if they take thought, in the land where they are prisoners, and are turned again to you, crying out in prayer to you in that land, and saying, We are sinners, we have done wrong, we have done evil;

48 njalo nxa bephendukela kuwe ngezinhliziyo zabo zonke langemiphefumulo yabo elizweni lezitha zabo ezabathumbayo, bakhuleke kuwe bekhangele elizweni owalinika oyise, lasedolobheni owalikhethayo lethempeli engilakhele iBizo lakho,

And with all their heart and soul are turned again to you, in the land of those who took them prisoners, and make their prayer to you, turning their eyes to this land which you gave to their fathers, and to the town which you took for yourself, and the house which I made for your name:

49 ngakho usezulwini, ikhaya lakho zwana imikhuleko yabo lokuncenga kwabo, ubenzele khona lokho.

Then give ear to their prayer and to their cry in heaven your living-place, and see right done to them;

50 Ubathethelele abantu bakho, abakonileyo wena, bathethelele kukho konke ukona kwabo kuwe, wenze izitha zabo zibe lomusa kubo;

Answering with forgiveness the people who have done wrong against you, and overlooking the evil which they have done against you; let those who made them prisoners be moved with pity for them, and have pity on them;

51 ngoba bangabantu bakho njalo bayilifa lakho, bona owabakhipha eGibhithe, esihogweni esivuthayo esincibilikisa insimbi. (questioned)

For they are your people and your heritage, which you took out of Egypt, out of the iron fireplace;

52 Sengathi amehlo akho angaba phezu kwenceku yakho ukukhala kwayo lokuncengela kwabantu bakho bako-Israyeli, sengathi ungalalela ukukhala kwabo bekhalaza kuwe.

Let your eyes be open to your servant's prayer for grace and to the prayer of your people Israel, hearing them when their cry comes to you.

53 Ngoba wabakhetha phakathi kwezizwe zonke zomhlaba ukuthi babe yilifa lakho, njengoba wakhuluma ngenceku yakho uMosi, lapho wena, Oh Thixo Wobukhosi, wakhipha okhokho bethu eGibhithe.”

For you made them separate from all the peoples of the earth, to be your heritage, as you said by Moses your servant, when you took our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God.

54 Kwathi uSolomoni eseqedile imikhuleko le lezikhalazo kuThixo, waphakama wema phambi kwe-alithari likaThixo, lapho ayekade eguqe khona ephakamisele izandla zakhe ezulwini.

Then Solomon, after making all these prayers and requests for grace to the Lord, got up from his knees before the altar of the Lord, where his hands had been stretched out in prayer to heaven;

55 Waphakama wabusisa ibandla labako-Israyeli ngelizwi eliphezulu wathi:

And, getting on his feet, he gave a blessing to all the men of Israel, saying with a loud voice,

56 “Udumo kalube kuThixo, yena olethele abantu bako-Israyeli ukuphumula njengokwethembisa kwakhe. Akukho lokukodwa okungenzekanga kuzozonke izithembiso ezinhle azenza ngenceku yakhe uMosi.

Praise be to the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, as he gave them his word to do; every word of all his oath, which he gave by the hand of Moses his servant, has come true.

57 Sengathi uThixo uNkulunkulu wethu angaba lathi njengoba wayelabokhokho bethu; sengathi angaze asitshiya loba asidele.

Now may the Lord our God be with us as he was with our fathers; let him never go away from us or give us up;

58 Sengathi angaguqulela inhliziyo zethu kuye, sihambe ezindleleni zakhe sigcine lemilayo yakhe, imithetho lezimiso azipha okhokho.

Turning our hearts to himself, guiding us to go in all his ways, to keep his orders and his laws and his decisions, which he gave to our fathers.

59 Sengathi amazwi ami la, engikhuleka ngawo kuThixo, angaba seduze kukaThixo uNkulunkulu wethu emini lebusuku, ukuze aqinise izikhalazo zenceku yakhe lezikhalazo zabantu bakhe bako-Israyeli kusiya ngeziswelo zabo zemihla ngemihla,

And may these my words, the words of my prayer to the Lord, be before the Lord our God day and night, so that he may see right done to his servant and to his people Israel, day by day as we have need.

60 ukuze abantu bonke bomhlaba bakwazi ukuthi uThixo unguNkulunkulu lokuthi kakho omunye.

So that all the peoples of the earth may see that the Lord is God, and there is no other.

61 Kodwa inhliziyo zenu azigcwale ukuzinikela kuThixo uNkulunkulu wethu, ukuphila ngezimiso zakhe lokulalela imilayo yakhe, njengakhathesi.”

Then let your hearts be without sin before the Lord our God, walking in his laws and keeping his orders as at this day.

62 Ngalokho inkosi labo bonke abako-Israyeli banikela imihlatshelo yabo phambi kukaThixo.

Now the king, and all Israel with him, were making offerings before the Lord.

63 USolomoni wanikela ngomhlatshelo weminikelo yobudlelwano kuThixo; inkomo ezizinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lambili, izimvu lembuzi ezizinkulungwane ezilikhulu lamatshumi amabili. Ngokunjalo inkosi labo bonke abako-Israyeli banikela ithempeli likaThixo.

And Solomon gave to the Lord for peace-offerings, twenty-two thousand oxen and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel kept the feast of the opening of the Lord's house.

64 Ngalelolanga inkosi yangcwelisa iphakathi leguma phambi kwethempeli likaThixo, njalo kulapho eyanikela khona ngomnikelo wokutshiswa, umnikelo wamabele kanye lamafutha eminikelo yobudlelwano ngoba i-alithari lethusi elaliphambi kukaThixo lalilincinyane kakhulu ukuthi kutshiselwe kilo iminikelo yokutshiswa, leminikelo yamabele leminikelo yamafutha obudlelwano.

The same day the king made holy the middle of the open square in front of the house of the Lord, offering there the burned offering and the meal offering and the fat of the peace-offerings; for there was not room on the brass altar of the Lord for the burned offerings and the meal offerings and the fat of the peace-offerings.

65 Ngakho uSolomoni wagcina umkhosi ngalesosikhathi ekanye lo-Israyeli wonke, ibandla elikhulu, abantu abavela eLebho Hamathi kusiya eSihotsheni saseGibhithe. Bawuthakazelela phambi kukaThixo uNkulunkulu wethu okwensuku eziyisikhombisa lezinye eziyisikhombisa njalo zaba litshumi lane sezizonke.

So Solomon and all Israel with him, a very great meeting, (for the people had come together from the way into Hamath to the river of Egypt, ) kept the feast at that time before the Lord our God, for two weeks, even fourteen days.

66 Ngosuku olulandelayo inkosi yabachitha. Bayibusisa inkosi basuka baya emakhaya abo, belentokozo bejabula ezinhliziyweni zabo ngakho konke okuhle uThixo ayekwenzele inceku yakhe uDavida kanye labantu bakhe bako-Israyeli.

And on the eighth day he sent the people away, and, blessing the king, they went to their tents full of joy and glad in their hearts, because of all the good which the Lord had done to David his servant and to Israel his people.