2 Imilando 32

1 Ngemva kwakho konke lokhu uHezekhiya ayekwenze ngokwethembeka, kweza uSenakheribhi inkosi yase-Asiriya wahlasela elakoJuda. Wavimbezela amadolobho ayelezinqaba, edinga ukuwanqoba abe ngawakhe.

After these things, and after this manner of truth, Sennacherib, the king of the Assyrians arrived. And entering Judah, he besieged the fortified cities, desiring to seize them.

2 UHezekhiya uthe ebona ukuthi uSenakheribhi usefikile njalo uhlose ukuhlasela iJerusalema,

And when Hezekiah had seen this, specifically that Sennacherib had arrived, and that the entire force of the war was turning against Jerusalem,

3 wabuza izikhulu zakhe kanye labebutho ukuthi kwakungaba njani ukuthi kuvalwe amanzi avela emithonjeni engaphandle kwedolobho, bahle bamncedisa.

he took counsel with the rulers and with the most valiant men, so that they might obstruct the heads of the springs which were beyond the city. And with everyone discerning the same judgment about this,

4 Ixuku elikhulu lamadoda labuthana, lakanye bawavala amanzi awemthonjeni lawesifula esasidabula phakathi kwelizwe. Bathi, “Kungani amakhosi ase-Asiriya afanele afice amanzi amanengi na?”

he gathered together a great multitude, and they obstructed all the springs, and the brook which was flowing through the midst of the land, saying: “Otherwise, the kings of the Assyrians might arrive and find an abundance of water.”

5 Ngakho wasebenza ngamandla evuselela umduli lokwakha imiphotshongo phezu kwawo. Wakha omunye umduli ngaphandle kwalowo waseqinisa imithangala eyayivele ingeyoMuzi kaDavida. Wenza lezikhali lezihlangu ezinengi kakhulu.

Also, acting industriously, he built up the entire wall that had been broken apart. And he constructed towers upon it, and another wall outside it. And he repaired Millo, in the City of David. And he made all kinds of weapons and shields.

6 Wabeka izikhulu zebutho zaphatha abantu wasezimisa phambi kwakhe egcekeni lesango elingasedolobheni wazikhuthaza ngalamazwi:

And he appointed leaders of the warriors within the army. And he summoned them all to the wide street of the gate of the city. And he spoke to their heart, saying:

7 “Qinani libe lesibindi. Lingesabi njalo lingethuselwa libutho elikhulu kangaka lenkosi yase-Asiriya ngoba kulamandla amakhulu akithi adlula akuye.

“Act manfully and be strengthened. Do not be afraid. Neither should you dread the king of the Assyrians and the entire multitude that is with him. For many more are with us than with him.

8 Yena ulengalo yenyama kuphela, kodwa thina siloThixo uNkulunkulu wethu ukusisiza lokusilwela izimpi zethu.” Abantu baba lesibindi ngenxa yalokho okwatshiwo yinkosi yakoJuda uHezekhiya.

For with him is an arm of flesh; with us is the Lord our God, who is our helper, and who fights for us.” And the people were strengthened by this type of words from Hezekiah, the king of Judah.

9 Muva, uSenakheribhi inkosi yase-Asiriya lawo wonke amabutho akhe esavimbezele eLakhishi, wathuma izikhulu zakhe eJerusalema ziphethe lelilizwi elalisiya kuHezekhiya inkosi yakoJuda kanye labantu bonke abakoJuda abebekhona lapho wathi:

After these things, Sennacherib, the king of the Assyrians, sent his servants to Jerusalem, (for he and his entire army were besieging Lachish) to Hezekiah, the king of Judah, and to all the people who were in the city, saying:

10 “Nanku okutshiwo nguSenakheribhi inkosi yase-Asiriya uthi: Usithatha ngaphi wena isibindi, esokuthi wale ulokhu useJerusalema yona ivinjezelwe?

“Thus says Sennacherib, the king of the Assyrians: In whom do you have faith, as you sit besieged in Jerusalem?

11 Nxa uHezekhiya esithi, ‘UThixo uNkulunkulu wethu uzasisindisa ezandleni zenkosi yase-Asiriya,’ uyalikhohlisa, ukuba life ngendlala langomhawu wamanzi.

Does not Hezekiah deceive you, so that he would deliver you to die from hunger and thirst, by affirming that the Lord your God will free you from the hand of the king of the Assyrians?

12 UHezekhiya akasuye yini ngokwakhe owasusa izindawo zikankulunkulu lowu eziphakemeyo lama-alithare, esithi kuJuda leJerusalema, ‘Kumele likhonzele e-alithareni elilodwa njalo litshisele kulo imihlatshelo na’?

Is this not the same Hezekiah who destroyed his own high places and altars, and who instructed Judah and Jerusalem, saying: ‘You shall worship before one altar, and you shall burn incense upon it?’

13 Kutsho ukuthi alikwazi yini lokho engikwenzileyo lalokho okwenziwa ngobaba ebantwini bamanye amazwe na? Kambe onkulunkulu balezozizwe benelisa yini ukukhulula ilizwe labo esandleni sami na?

Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the lands? Have the gods of the nations and all the lands prevailed so as to free their region from my hand?

14 Nguphi kubo bonke onkulunkulu bamazwe balezozizwe ezabhujiswa ngobaba owake wenelisa ukukhulula abantu bakhe kimi na? UNkulunkulu wenu angalikhulula njani esandleni sami?

Who is there, out of all the gods of the nations that my fathers destroyed, who is able to rescue his people from my hand, so that now also your God would be able to rescue you from this hand?

15 Qaphelani lingakhohliswa nguHezekhiya limyekele elilahlekisa. Lingamethembi, ngoba kakho unkulunkulu loba ngowasiphi isizwe loba yiwuphi umbuso oseke wenelisa ukukhulula abantu bakhe esandleni sami loba esandleni sabokhokho. Pho kanganani ukuba owenu unkulunkulu angalikhulula yini esandleni sami!”

Therefore, let not Hezekiah deceive or delude you with vain persuasion. And you should not believe him. For if no god out of all the nations and kingdoms was able to free his people from my hand, and from the hand of my fathers, consequently neither will your God be able to rescue you from my hand.”

16 Izikhulu zikaSenakheribi zaqhubekela phambili zikhuluma kubi ngoThixo uNkulunkulu langenceku yakhe uHezekhiya.

Then too, his servants were speaking many other things against the Lord God, and against his servant Hezekiah.

17 Inkosi yaloba lezincwadi ithuka uThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, isitsho lokhu okubi ngaye: “Njengoba onkulunkulu babantu bamanye amazwe behluleka ukukhulula abantu babo esandleni sami, kuyafanana kunjalo uNkulunkulu kaHezekhiya kasoze enelise ukukhulula abantu bakhe esandleni sami.”

Also, he wrote letters full of blasphemy against the Lord God of Israel. And against him he said: “Just as the gods of other nations were unable to free their people from my hand, so also is the God of Hezekiah unable to rescue his people from this hand.”

18 Basebememeza ngesiHebheru ebantwini baseJerusalema ababephezu komduli, bebethusela ukuze besabe babesebethumba idolobho.

Moreover, he also shouted with a great clamor, in the language of the Jews, toward the people who were sitting upon the walls of Jerusalem, so that he might frighten them and so seize the city.

19 Bakhuluma ngoNkulunkulu weJerusalema njengalokho abakwenza ngabonkulunkulu babanye abantu bemhlabeni, izinto ezibunjwe yizandla zabantu.

And he was speaking against the God of Jerusalem, just as against the gods of the peoples of the earth, which are works of the hands of men.

20 INkosi uHezekhiya lomphrofethi u-Isaya indodana ka-Amozi bakhala ngomkhuleko ngalokhu.

And Hezekiah the king, and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, prayed against this blasphemy, and they cried out to heaven.

21 UThixo wathuma ingilosi, eyabhubhisa wonke amadoda empi labakhokheli lezikhulu enkambeni yenkosi yase-Asiriya. Ngakho wabuyela elizweni lakhe ngokuyangeka. Esengene ethempelini likankulunkulu wakhe, amanye amadodana akhe amjuqa ngenkemba.

And the Lord sent an Angel, who struck all the experienced men and warriors, and the leaders of the army of the king of the Assyrians. And he returned in disgrace to his own land. And when he had entered the house of his god, the sons who had gone forth from his loins killed him with the sword.

22 Ngalokho uThixo wamsindisa uHezekhiya labantu baseJerusalema esandleni sikaSenakheribhi inkosi yase-Asiriya lakuzo zonke ezinye izitha. UThixo wabavikela wabaphatha kuhle inxa zonke.

And the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib, the king of the Assyrians, and from the hand of all. And he presented to them peace on every side.

23 Abanengi balethela uThixo iminikelo eJerusalema kanye lezipho eziligugu kuHezekhiya inkosi yakoJuda. Kusukela lapho waba lesithunzi wahlonitshwa yizizwe zonke.

And now many were bringing victims and sacrifices to the Lord in Jerusalem, and gifts to Hezekiah, the king of Judah. And after these things, he was exalted before all the nations.

24 Ngalezonsuku uHezekhiya wagula eselengela ekufeni. Wakhuleka kuThixo, wamphendula ngokumnika isibonakaliso.

In those days, Hezekiah was sick, even unto death, and he prayed to the Lord. And he heeded him, and gave to him a sign.

25 Kodwa inhliziyo kaHezekhiya yagcwala ngokuzikhukhumeza ngakho kazange azihluphe ngesihawu ayesitshengisiwe; ngakho intukuthelo kaThixo yehlela phezu kwakhe lasebantwini bakoJuda labaseJerusalema.

But he did not repay according to the benefits which he had received, for his heart was lifted up. And so wrath was brought against him, and against Judah and Jerusalem.

26 Ngakho uHezekhiya waphenduka ukuzikhukhumeza ngenhliziyo yakhe, labantu baseJerusalema labo benza njalo; ngalokho ulaka lukaThixo alusabehlelanga ngezinsuku zikaHezekhiya.

And after this, he was humbled, because he had exalted his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And therefore the wrath of the Lord did not overwhelm them in the days of Hezekiah.

27 UHezekhiya wayelenotho enengi njalo elodumo, wasesakha izindlu zokulondolozela isiliva sakhe legolide kanye lamatshe akhe aligugu, iziyoliso, izihlangu lakho konke okunye okuligugu.

Now Hezekiah was wealthy and very famous. And he gathered for himself many treasures of silver and gold and precious stones, of aromatics, and all kinds of weapons, and vessels of great price,

28 Wakha njalo iziphala zokugcinela amabele, iwayini elitsha lamafutha, wakha izibaya zemihlobo eyehlukeneyo yenkomo, lezibaya zemihlambi yezimvu.

and also repositories of grain, wine, and oil, and stalls for every beast of burden, and fencing for cattle.

29 Wakha imizi wazuza imihlambi yezimvu leyenkomo, ngoba uNkulunkulu wamnika inotho enkulu kakhulu.

And he built for himself cities. For indeed, he had innumerable herds and flocks of sheep. For the Lord had given to him an exceedingly great substance.

30 UHezekhiya nguye owavala amanzi entombo yangaphezulu kweGihoni wawadonsa agelezela ngentshonalanga koMuzi kaDavida. Waphumelela kukho konke ayekwenza.

This same Hezekiah was the one who blocked the upper font of the waters of Gihon, and who diverted them down to the western part of the City of David. In all his works, he prosperously accomplished whatever he willed.

31 Ekufikeni kwamanxusa ayethunywe ngababusi beBhabhiloni bezobuza ngomangaliso owawenzakele elizweni, uNkulunkulu wamtshiya ukuze amhlole ukuthi azi konke okwakusenhliziyweni yakhe.

Yet still, concerning the legates from the leaders of Babylon, who had been sent to him so that they might inquire about the portent which had happened upon the earth, God permitted him to be tempted, so that everything might be made known which was in his heart.

32 Ezinye izehlakalo ngokubusa kukaHezekhiya lemisebenzi yakhe yokuzinikela kulotshiwe embonweni womphrofethi u-Isaya indodana ka-Amozi egwalweni lwamakhosi akoJuda lawako-Israyeli.

Now the rest of the words of Hezekiah, and his mercies, have been written in the vision of the prophet Isaiah, the son of Amos, and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

33 UHezekhiya waphumula labokhokho bakhe wangcwatshwa eqaqeni lapha okulamangcwaba abosendo lukaDavida. AbakoJuda bonke labantu baseJerusalema bamhlonipha ekufeni kwakhe. Kwathi uManase indodana yakhe wathatha isikhundla waba yinkosi.

And Hezekiah slept with his fathers. And they buried him above the sepulchers of the sons of David. And all of Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, celebrated his funeral. And his son, Manasseh, reigned in his place.