2 Imilando 18
1 Ngakho uJehoshafathi wayenothe kakhulu njalo ehlonipheka, waba lobunini lo-Ahabi ngokwendiselana.
And Josaphat had yet great wealth and glory, and he connected himself by marriage with the house of Achaab.
2 Ngemva kweminyaka ethile wayakwethekelela u-Ahabi eSamariya. U-Ahabi wamhlabela izimvu ezinengi lenkomo yena kanye labantu ayelabo njalo wamkhuthaza ukuba ahlasele iRamothi Giliyadi.
And he went down after a term of years to Achaab to Samaria: and Achaab slew for him sheep and calves, in abundance, and for the people with him, and he much desired him to go up with him to Ramoth of the country of Galaad.
3 U-Ahabi inkosi yako-Israyeli yabuza uJehoshafathi inkosi yakoJuda wathi: “Uzahamba lami na ukuyahlasela iRamothi Giliyadi?” UJehoshafathi waphendula wathi, “Mina nginjengawe, abantu bami banjengabantu bakho; sizakuba lawe empini.”
And Achaab king of Israel said to Josaphat king of Juda, Wilt thou go with me to Ramoth of the country of Galaad? And he said to him, As I [am], so also [art] thou, as thy people, [so] also [is] my people with thee for the war.
4 Kodwa uJehoshafathi waphinda wathi enkosini yako-Israyeli, “Akubuze kuThixo kuqala.”
And Josaphat said to the king of Israel, Seek, I pray thee, the Lord to-day.
5 Ngakho inkosi yako-Israyeli yasibuthanisa abaphrofethi, amadoda angamakhulu amane, yababuza yathi, “Siphume impi siyehlasela iRamothi Giliyadi, loba ngizithibe na?” Bayiphendula bathi, “Hamba, ngoba uNkulunkulu uzayinikela esandleni senkosi.”
And the king of Israel gathered the prophets, four hundred men, and said to them, Shall I go to Ramoth Galaad to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up, and God shall deliver [it] into the hands of the king.
6 Kodwa uJehoshafathi wabuza wathi, “Kambe kakusela mphrofethi kaThixo lapha esingabuza kuye na?”
And Josaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we may enquire of him?
7 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 yet one man by whom to enquire of the Lord; but I hate him, for he does not prophesy concerning me for good, for all his days [are] for evil: this [is] Michaias the son of Jembla. And Josaphat said, Let not the king say so.
8 Ngakho inkosi yako-Israyeli yabiza esinye sezikhulu zayo yathi kuso, “Ngibizela uMikhaya indodana ka-Imla khathesi.”
And the king called an eunuch, and said, [Fetch] quickly Michaias the son of Jembla.
9 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.
And the king of Israel and Josaphat king of Juda were sitting each on his throne, and clothed in their robes, sitting in the open space at the entrance of the gate of Samaria: and all the prophets were prophesying before them.
10 UZedekhiya indodana kaKhenana wayekhande impondo zensimbi, wasesithi, “Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo, uthi: ‘Ngempondo lezi uzagwaza ama-Aramu uwabhubhise.’”
And Sedekias son of Chanaan made for himself iron horns, and said, Thus saith the Lord, With these thou shalt thrust Syria until it be consumed.
11 Bonke abaphrofethi babevele bephrofetha okufananayo besithi, “Hlasela iRamothi Giliyadi unqobe, ngoba uThixo uyinikile esandleni senkosi.”
And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth Galaad, and thou shalt prosper; and the Lord shall deliver it into the hands of the king.
12 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 Michaias spoke to him, saying, Behold, the prophets have spoken favourably concerning the king with one mouth; let now, I pray thee, thy words be as [the words] of one of them, and do thou speak good things.
13 Kodwa uMikhaya wathi, “Ngeqiniso njengoba uThixo ekhona, engingamtshela khona yilokhu okutshiwo nguThixo.”
And Michaias said, [As] the Lord lives, whatever God shall say to me, that will I speak.
14 Uthe efika, inkosi yambuza yathi, “Mikhaya, siye empini eRamothi Giliyadi, loba ngizithibe na?” Yena waphendula wathi: “Hlasela unqobe, ngoba bazanikelwa ezandleni zakho.”
And he came to the king, and the king said to him, Michaias, shall I go up to Ramoth Galaad to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said, Go up, and thou shalt prosper, and they shall be given into your hands.
15 Inkosi yathi kuye, “Kumele ngikufungise kangaki ukuze ungangikhohlisi kodwa ungitshele iqiniso ebizweni likaThixo?”
And the king said to him, How often shall I solemnly charge thee that thou speak to me nothing but truth in the name of the Lord?
16 Ngakho uMikhaya waphendula wathi, “Ngabona abako-Israyeli bonke behlakazekile emaqaqeni njengezimvu ezingelamelusi, uThixo wathi, ‘Lababantu kabalamkhokheli. Kabazibuyelele emakhaya ngokuthula.’”
And he said, I saw Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep without a shepherd: and the Lord said, These have no commander; let each return to his home in peace.
17 Inkosi yako-Israyeli yathi kuJehoshafathi, “Kangikutshelanga yini ukuthi uvele kaphrofethi lutho oluhle ngami kodwa okubi kuphela na?”
And the king of Israel said to Josaphat, Said I not to thee, that he would not prophesy concerning me good, but evil?
18 UMikhaya waqhubeka wathi, “Ngakho zwanini ilizwi likaThixo: Ngabona uThixo ehlezi esihlalweni sakhe sobukhosi lebutho lonke lasezulwini limi ngakwesokudla langakwesokhohlo.
But he said, Not so. Hear ye the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven stood by on his right hand and on his left.
19 Njalo uThixo wathi, ‘Ngubani ozakhohlisa u-Ahabi inkosi yako-Israyeli ukuba ahlasele eRamothi Giliyadi njalo ayofela khona na?’ Omunye wabonisa lokhu, omunye laye lokhuyana.
And the Lord said, Who will deceive Achaab king of Israel, that he may go up, and fall in Ramoth Galaad? And one spoke this way, and another spoke that way.
20 Ekucineni kwavela umoya, wema phambi kukaThixo wathi: ‘Mina ngizamhuga.’ UThixo wathi kuwo: ‘Ngendlela bani na?’
And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will deceive him. And the Lord said, Whereby?
21 Wona 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 will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And [the Lord] said, Thou shalt deceive [him], and shalt prevail: go forth, and do so.
22 Ngakho khathesi uThixo usefake umoya wenkohliso emilonyeni yabaphrofethi bakho bonke laba. UThixo usekumisele ukubhujiswa.”
And now, behold, the Lord has put a false spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets, and the Lord has spoken evil against thee.
23 Ngakho uZedekhiya indodana kaKhenana waphakama wayawakala uMikhaya ngempama ebusweni, watsho embuza wathi, “Umoya kaThixo wasuka njani kimi ukuyakhuluma kuwe na?”
Then Sedekias the son of Chanaan drew near, and smote Michaias on the cheek, and said to him, By what way passed the Spirit of the Lord from me to speak to thee?
24 UMikhaya waphendula wathi, “Wena ngokwakho uzakubona lokho mhla ubalekela endlini engaphakathi usiyacatsha.”
And Michaias said, Behold, thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go from chamber to chamber to hide thyself.
25 Inkosi yako-Israyeli yathi, “Bambani uMikhaya, limbuyisele ku-Amoni umbusi wedolobho lakuJowashi indodana yenkosi
And the king of Israel said, Take Michaias, and carry him back to Emer the governor of the city, and to Joas the captain, the king's son;
26 lithi: ‘Nanku okutshiwo yinkosi, ithi: Valelani umuntu lo entolongweni, lingamniki lutho ngaphandle kwesinkwa lamanzi ngize ngiphenduke kukuhle.’”
and ye shall say, Thus said the king, Put this fellow into the prison house, and let him eat the bread of affliction, and [drink] the water of affliction, until I return in peace.
27 UMikhaya waqonqosela wathi: “Nxa ungaphenduka kuhle, uThixo uyabe engakhulumanga ngami.” Waqhubeka wathi, “Lani lonke bantu abambisiseni amazwi ami!”
And Michaias said, If thou do at all return in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me. And he said, Hear, all ye people.
28 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.
29 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, Disguise me, and I will enter into the battle: and do thou put on my raiment. so the king of Israel disguised himself, and entered into the battle.
30 Ngakho inkosi yase-Aramu yayiqonqosele abalawuli bezinqola zokulwa yathi, “Lingalwi lamuntu, loba ngomncinyane loba ngomkhulu, ngaphandle kwenkosi yako-Israyeli.”
Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots that were with him, saying, Fight neither against small nor great, but only against the king of Israel.
31 Abalawuli bezinqola zokulwa bathi bebona uJehoshafathi bathi, “Yiyonale inkosi yako-Israyeli.” Ngakho bamphendukela ukuba bamhlasele, kodwa uJehoshafathi wahlaba umkhosi, uThixo wamsiza. UNkulunkulu wabenza baya khatshana laye,
And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Josaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel: and they compassed him about to fight against him: and Josaphat cried out, and the Lord delivered him; and God turned them away from him.
32 ngoba abalawuli bezinqola zokulwa bathi sebebonile ukuthi kasiyo inkosi yako-Israyeli, abazange besaxotshana laye.
And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned away from him.
33 Kodwa omunye watshoka kungananzelelwe umtshoko waphutsha emkhandlwini wesikhali wagwaza inkosi yako-Israyeli. Inkosi yatshela umtshayeli wenqola yokulwa yathi, “Phendula inqola yakho ungisuse lapha, sengilimele.”
And a man drew a bow with a good aim, and smote the king of Israel between the lungs and the breast-plate: and he said to the charioteer, Turn thine hand, drive me out of the battle, for I am wounded.
34 Impi yalwiwa ilanga lonke, njalo inkosi yako-Israyeli yeyama enqoleni yayo yokulwa ikhangele ama-Aramu kwaze kwaba ntambama. Kuthe litshona layo yabe isifa.
And the battle turned in that day; and the king of Israel remained on the chariot against Syria until evening, and died at sunset.
