2 Imilando 18

1 Ngakho uJehoshafathi wayenothe kakhulu njalo ehlonipheka, waba lobunini lo-Ahabi ngokwendiselana.

Now Josaphat was rich and very glorious, and was joined by affinity to Achab.

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 to him after some years to Samaria: and Achab at his coming killed sheep and oxen in abundance for him and the people that came with him: and he persuaded him to go up to Ramoth 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 Achab king of Israel said to Josaphat king of Juda: Come with me to Ramoth Galaad. And he answered him: Thou art as I am, and my people as thy people, and we will be with thee in the war.

4 Kodwa uJehoshafathi waphinda wathi enkosini yako-Israyeli, “Akubuze kuThixo kuqala.”

And Josaphat said to the king of Israel: Inquire, I beseech thee, at present the word of the Lord.

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.”

So the king of Israel gathered together of the prophets four hundred men, and he said to them: Shall we go to Ramoth Galaad to fight, or shall we forbear? But they said: Go up, and God will deliver it into the king’s hand.

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, that we may inquire also 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 one man, of whom we may ask the will of the Lord: but I hate him, for he never prophesieth good to me, but always evil: and it is Micheas the son of Jemla. And Josaphat said: Speak not thus, O king.

8 Ngakho inkosi yako-Israyeli yabiza esinye sezikhulu zayo yathi kuso, “Ngibizela uMikhaya indodana ka-Imla khathesi.”

And the king of Israel called one of the eunuchs, and said to him: Call quickly Micheas the son of Jemla.

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.

Now the king of Israel, and Josaphat king of Juda, both sat on their thrones, clothed in royal robes, and they sat in the open court by the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets prophesied before them.

10 UZedekhiya indodana kaKhenana wayekhande impondo zensimbi, wasesithi, “Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo, uthi: ‘Ngempondo lezi uzagwaza ama-Aramu uwabhubhise.’”

And Sedecias the son of Chanaana made him horns of iron, and said: Thus saith the Lord: With these shalt thou push Syria, till thou destroy it.

11 Bonke abaphrofethi babevele bephrofetha okufananayo besithi, “Hlasela iRamothi Giliyadi unqobe, ngoba uThixo uyinikile esandleni senkosi.”

And all the prophets prophesied in like manner, and said: Go up to Ramoth Galaad, and thou shalt prosper, and the Lord will deliver them into the king’s hand.

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 Micheas, said to him: Behold the words of all the prophets with one mouth declare good to the king: I beseech thee therefore let not thy word disagree with them, and speak thou also good success.

13 Kodwa uMikhaya wathi, “Ngeqiniso njengoba uThixo ekhona, engingamtshela khona yilokhu okutshiwo nguThixo.”

And Micheas answered him: As the Lord liveth, whatsoever my 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.”

So he came to the king: and the king said to him: Micheas, shall we go to Ramoth Galaad to fight, or forbear? And he answered him: Go up, for all shall succeed prosperously, and the enemies shall be delivered into your hands.

15 Inkosi yathi kuye, “Kumele ngikufungise kangaki ukuze ungangikhohlisi kodwa ungitshele iqiniso ebizweni likaThixo?”

And the king said: I adjure thee again and again to say nothing but the truth to me, 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.’”

Then he said: I saw all Israel scattered in the mountains, like sheep without a shepherd: and the Lord said: These have no masters: let every man return to his own house 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: Did I not tell thee that this man would not prophesy me any good, but evil?

18 UMikhaya waqhubeka wathi, “Ngakho zwanini ilizwi likaThixo: Ngabona uThixo ehlezi esihlalweni sakhe sobukhosi lebutho lonke lasezulwini limi ngakwesokudla langakwesokhohlo.

Then he said: Hear ye 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.

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 shall deceive Achab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall in Ramoth Galaad? And when one spoke in this manner, and another otherwise:

20 Ekucineni kwavela umoya, wema phambi kukaThixo wathi: ‘Mina ngizamhuga.’ UThixo wathi kuwo: ‘Ngendlela bani na?’

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 wilt thou deceive him?

21 Wona wathi: ‘Ngizahamba ngiyekuba ngumoya wokuqamba amanga emilonyeni yabo bonke abaphrofethi bakhe.’ UThixo wathi: ‘Uzaphumelela ukumhuga. Hamba-ke uyekwenza lokho.’

And he answered: I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the Lord said: Thou shalt deceive, and shalt prevail: go out, and do so.

22 Ngakho khathesi uThixo usefake umoya wenkohliso emilonyeni yabaphrofethi bakho bonke laba. UThixo usekumisele ukubhujiswa.”

Now therefore behold the Lord hath put a spirit of lying in the mouth of all thy prophets, and the Lord hath 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?”

And Sedecias the son of Chanaana came, and struck Micheas on the cheek and said: Which way went 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 Micheas said: Thou thyself shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go in 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 commanded, saying: Take Micheas, and carry him to Amen the governor of the city, and to Joas the son of Amelech,

26 lithi: ‘Nanku okutshiwo yinkosi, ithi: Valelani umuntu lo entolongweni, lingamniki lutho ngaphandle kwesinkwa lamanzi ngize ngiphenduke kukuhle.’”

And say: Thus saith the king: Put this fellow in prison, and give him bread and water in a small quantity till I return in peace.

27 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.

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: I will change my dress, and so I will go to the battle, but put thou on thy own garments. And the king of Israel having changed his dress, went to 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 his cavalry, saying: Fight ye not with small, or great, but with the king of Israel only.

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,

So when the captains of the cavalry saw Josaphat, they said: This is the king of Israel. And they surrounded him to attack him: but he cried to the Lord, and he helped him, and turned them away from him.

32 ngoba abalawuli bezinqola zokulwa bathi sebebonile ukuthi kasiyo inkosi yako-Israyeli, abazange besaxotshana laye.

For when the captains of the cavalry saw, that he was not the king of Israel, they left 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 it happened that one of the people shot an arrow at a venture, and struck the king of Israel between the neck and the shoulders, and he said to his chariot man: Turn thy hand, and carry 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 fight was ended that day: but the king of Israel stood in his chariot against the Syrians until the evening, and died at the sunset.