2 Imilando 14

1 Ngakho u-Abhija waya kubokhokho bakhe wembelwa eMzini kaDavida. Indodana yakhe u-Asa wathatha isikhundla sakhe waba yinkosi, njalo ngezinsuku zokubusa kwakhe kwaba lokuthula elizweni okweminyaka elitshumi.

Then Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the City of David. And his son, Asa, reigned in his place. During his days, the land was quiet for ten years.

2 U-Asa wenza okuhle lokulungileyo phambi kukaThixo uNkulunkulu wakhe.

Now Asa did what was good and pleasing in the sight of his God. And he overturned the altars of foreign worship, and the high places.

3 Wasusa wonke ama-alithare ezizweni lezindawo zokukhonzela, wadiliza izinsika zakhona lezithombe zikankulunkulukazi u-Ashera.

And he broke apart the statues, and he cut down the sacred groves.

4 Walaya abakoJuda ukuba bakhonze uThixo, uNkulunkulu wabokhokho babo, balandele yonke imithetho lemilayo yakhe.

And he instructed Judah that they should seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, and that they should carry out the law and all the commandments.

5 Wavala izindawo zokukhonzela lama-alithare empepha kuwo wonke amadolobho akoJuda, ngakho kwaba lokuthula ekubuseni kwakhe.

And he took away, from all the cities of Judah, the altars and the shrines. And he reigned in peace.

6 Wakha imizi ebiyelweyo koJuda, njengoba kwakulokuthula elizweni. Kakho owalwa impi laye ngaleyominyaka, ngoba uThixo wamnika ukuphumula.

Also, he built fortified cities in Judah. For it was quiet, and in his time no wars had arisen. For the Lord was generously granting peace.

7 Wathi kwabakoJuda, “Kasakheni imizi le siyizingelezele ngemiduli, lemiphotshongo, lamasango leminxibo. Ilizwe lilokhu lingelethu, ngoba simtholile uThixo uNkulunkulu wethu; simkhonzile usesilethele ukuthula inxa zonke.” Basebesakha njalo baphumelela.

Then he said to Judah: “Let us build these cities, and strengthen them with walls, and fortify them with towers and gates and bars, while all things are at rest from wars. For we have sought the Lord, the God of our fathers, and he has granted to us peace on every side.” And so they built, and there was nothing to impede them from building.

8 U-Asa wayelamabutho empi azinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amathathu koJuda, ayehlome ngamahawu amakhulu lemikhonto, lamanye azinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amabili alamatshumi ayisificaminwembili koBhenjamini, ayehlome ngezihlangu ezincinyane lamadandili. Wonke kungamadoda alezibindi zokulwa.

Now Asa had in his army three hundred thousand men of Judah, carrying shields and spears, and truly, of Benjamin, two hundred eighty thousand men with shields and bows. All of these were very valiant men.

9 UZera umKhushi waphuma ebathukuthelele ephelekezelwa libutho elikhulu lezinqola zokulwa ezingamakhulu amathathu, waze wayafika eMaresha.

Then Zerah, the Ethiopian, went forth against them with his army of one million men, and three hundred chariots. And he approached as far as Mareshah.

10 U-Asa waphuma laye ukuyamjamela, bafika bajama eSigodini saseZefatha phansi kweMaresha.

And Asa traveled to meet him, and he set up a battle line for the war in the Valley of Zephathah, which is near Mareshah.

11 U-Asa wasekhuleka kuThixo uNkulunkulu wakhe wathi: “Thixo, kakho omunye onjengawe ongavikela ababuthakathaka kwabalamandla. Sisize, Oh Thixo Nkulunkulu wethu, ngoba thina sithembele kuwe, ngebizo lakho siphumile ukuba silwe lalelibutho lempi elikhulu kangaka. Oh Thixo, unguNkulunkulu wethu; umuntu angezake amelane lawe.”

And he called upon the Lord God, and he said: “O Lord, there is no difference to you, whether you assist by few, or by many. Help us, O Lord our God. For having faith in you and in your name, we have gone forth against this multitude. O Lord, you are our God. Do not allow man to prevail against you.”

12 UThixo wawatshaya wawabhuqa amaKhushi phambi kuka-Asa labakoJuda. AmaKhushi abaleka,

And so the Lord terrified the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah. And the Ethiopians fled.

13 kodwa u-Asa lamabutho akhe waxotshana lawo waze wayawafikisa eGerari. Kwafa amaKhushi amanengi okokuthi kasazange azame ukuqoqana kutsha; abhuqwa phambi kukaThixo laphambi kwamabutho akhe. Amadoda akoJuda atshuquluza impango enengi kakhulu.

And Asa, and the people who were with him, pursued them as far as Gerar. And the Ethiopians fell, even unto utter destruction, for the Lord was striking, and his army was battling, and they were destroyed. Therefore, they took many spoils.

14 Atshabalalisa yonke imizi yaseGerari, ngoba ukuthukuthela kukaThixo kwakuphezu kwayo. Atshuquluza yonke imizi ngoba impango yayinengi kuyo.

And they struck all the cities surrounding Gerar. For indeed, a great fear had overwhelmed everyone. And they despoiled the cities, and they carried away much plunder.

15 Ahlasela izihonqo zabelusi njalo abutha imihlambi yezimvu, imbuzi kanye lamakamela. Asebuyela eJerusalema.

Then too, destroying the fencing for the sheep, they took an innumerable multitude of cattle and camels. And they returned to Jerusalem.