2 Imilando 10
1 URehobhowami waya eShekhemu ngoba bonke abako-Israyeli babeye khona ukuze bamethese ubukhosi.
Now Rehoboam set out for Shechem. For in that place all of Israel had convened, so that they might appoint him as king.
2 Kwathi uJerobhowamu indodana kaNebhathi ekuzwa lokhu (wayeseGibhithe lapho abuya evela khona ngoba wayebalekele inkosi uSolomoni.)
But when Jeroboam, the son of Nabat, who was in Egypt, (indeed he had fled to that place from Solomon) had heard it, he promptly returned.
3 Abako-Israyeli basebethumela ilizwi bembiza uJerobhowamu, kwathi-ke yena kanye labo bonke abako-Israyeli baya kuRehobhowami bafika bathi:
And they summoned him, and he arrived with all of Israel. And they spoke to Rehoboam, saying:
4 “Uyihlo wasithwalisa umthwalo onzima, kodwa wena khathesi ake uphungule ubunzima asethesa bona, wethule lemithwalo yethu enzima abesithwalise yona, yikho sizakukhonza.”
“Your father pressed upon us a very difficult yoke. You should govern us more lightly than your father, who imposed on us a heavy servitude, and so lift up some of the burden, so that we may serve you.”
5 URehobhowami wabaphendula wathi: “Libobuya ngemva kwensuku ezintathu.” Ngakho abantu basuka bahamba.
But he said, “Return to me after three days.” And when the people had gone away,
6 INkosi uRehobhowami yasicebisana labadala ababeloyise uSolomoni esaphila, yathi: “Lingicebisa ukuthi ngibanike mpendulo bani lababantu?”
he took counsel with the elders, who had stood before his father Solomon while he was still living, saying, “What counsel would you give to me, so that I may respond to the people?”
7 Baphendula bathi, “Ungaba lomusa kulababantu, ubathokozise, ukhulumisane labo kuhle, bazahlala bezinceku zakho.”
And they said to him, “If you please this people, and if you soothe them with words of clemency, they will be your servants for all days.”
8 Kodwa uRehobhowami kazange akwamukele ukucebisa kwabadala wakhetha ukudinga ulwazi kwabayintanga yakhe ababekhule bonke njalo kuyibo abasebezinceku zakhe.
But he set aside the counsel of the elders, and he began to have discussion with the youth, who had been raised with him and who were among his companions.
9 Wababuza wathi, “Seluleko bani elilaso? Singabaphendula sithini lababantu abathi kimi, ‘Ake uphungule ubunzima esabetheswa nguyihlo’?”
And he said to them: “How does it seem to you? Or how should I respond to this people, who have said to me, ‘Lift up the yoke that your father imposed upon us?’”
10 Amajaha ayeyintanga yakhe amphendula athi, “Batshele lababantu abathi kuwe, ‘Uyihlo wasethesa ubunzima, akusiphungulele lobubunzima’ uthi kubo, ‘Ucikilicane wami uqatha kulokhalo lukababa.
But they responded like youths, having been raised with him in luxury, and they said: “So shall you speak to the people, who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy; you should lighten it,’ and so shall you respond to them: ‘My little finger is thicker than the back of my father.
11 Ubaba walethesa ubunzima, mina ngizabungezelela. Ubaba walitshaya ngezaswebhu, mina ngizalilumisa ngenkume.’”
My father imposed a heavy yoke upon you, and I will place more weight upon it. My father cut you with whips; truly, I will beat you with scorpions.’”
12 UJerobhowamu labo bonke abantu babuyela kuRehobhowami ngosuku lwesithathu njengokutsho kwakhe ukuthi, “Phendukani lize kimi ngemva kwensuku ezintathu.”
Then Jeroboam, and the entire people, went to Rehoboam on the third day, just as he had instructed them.
13 Lakanye inkosi yaphendula abantu ngolaka, yalahla iseluleko sabadala,
And the king responded harshly, abandoning the counsel of the elders.
14 yalandela iseluleko samajaha yathi, “Ubaba walethwesa ubunzima, mina ngizakwengezelela kubo. Walitshaya ngezaswebhu, mina ngizalilumisa ngezinkume.”
And he spoke according to the will of the youths: “My father imposed a heavy yoke upon you, which I will make heavier. My father cut you with whips; truly, I will beat you with scorpions.”
15 Ngakho inkosi kayibalalelanga abantu, ngoba lokhu kwenziwa nguNkulunkulu, ukuze kugcwaliseke ilizwi likaThixo ayelikhulume ngo-Ahija waseShilo kuJerobhowamu indodana kaNebhathi.
And he did not acquiesce to the pleadings of the people. For it was the will of God that his word be fulfilled, which he had spoken by the hand of Ahijah, the Shilonite, to Jeroboam, the son of Nabat.
16 Kwathi bonke abako-Israyeli bebona ukuthi inkosi iyala ukubalalela bayiphendula bathi: “Silesabelo bani kuDavida na, silengxenye bani endodaneni kaJese na? Yanini emizini yenu lina bako-Israyeli! Sala lendlu yakho, Davida!” Ngakho bonke abako-Israyeli babuyela emakhaya.
Then the entire people, speaking more harshly to the king, spoke to him in this way: “There is no portion for us in David, and there is no inheritance in the son of Jesse. Return to your dwellings, O Israel. Then you, O David, shall pasture your own house.” And Israel went away to their dwellings.
17 Kodwa uRehobhowami waqhubeka ebabusa abako-Israyeli ababehlala emizini yakoJuda.
But Rehoboam reigned over the sons of Israel who were living in the cities of Judah.
18 Inkosi uRehobhowami yasithuma u-Adoniramu owayengumphathi wezibhalwa, kodwa abako-Israyeli bamkhanda ngamatshe wafa. Kodwa inkosi uRehobhowami yaphanga yakhwela enqoleni yayo yokulwa, yabalekela eJerusalema.
And king Rehoboam sent Aduram, who was in charge of the tributes. And the sons of Israel stoned him, and he died. And so king Rehoboam hurried to climb into the chariot, and he fled to Jerusalem.
19 Kusukela ngalesosikhathi abako-Israyeli bayihlamukela indlu kaDavida kuze kube lamuhla.
And Israel withdrew from the house of David, even to this day.
