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 these acts of faithfulness, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, came and entered Judah. He camped to attack the fortified cities, which he intended to capture for himself.
2 UHezekhiya uthe ebona ukuthi uSenakheribhi usefikile njalo uhlose ukuhlasela iJerusalema,
When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that he intended to fight against Jerusalem,
3 wabuza izikhulu zakhe kanye labebutho ukuthi kwakungaba njani ukuthi kuvalwe amanzi avela emithonjeni engaphandle kwedolobho, bahle bamncedisa.
he consulted with his leaders and his powerful men to stop up the waters of the springs that were outside the city; they helped him do so.
4 Ixuku elikhulu lamadoda labuthana, lakanye bawavala amanzi awemthonjeni lawesifula esasidabula phakathi kwelizwe. Bathi, “Kungani amakhosi ase-Asiriya afanele afice amanzi amanengi na?”
So many people gathered together and stopped up all the springs and the stream that was flowing through the middle of the land. They said, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find a lot 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.
Hezekiah took courage and built up all the wall that was broken down. He built the towers higher, and also the other wall outside. He also strengthened the Millo in the city of David, and he made large amounts of weapons and shields.
6 Wabeka izikhulu zebutho zaphatha abantu wasezimisa phambi kwakhe egcekeni lesango elingasedolobheni wazikhuthaza ngalamazwi:
He placed military commanders over the people. He gathered them together to him in the broad place at the city gate and spoke encouragingly to them. He said,
7 “Qinani libe lesibindi. Lingesabi njalo lingethuselwa libutho elikhulu kangaka lenkosi yase-Asiriya ngoba kulamandla amakhulu akithi adlula akuye.
“Be strong and of good courage. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and all the army that is with him, for someone is with us who is greater than those 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.
With him is only an arm of flesh, but with us is Yahweh, our God, to help us, and to fight our battles.” Then the people comforted themselves with the words of Hezekiah, 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 this, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, sent his servants to Jerusalem (now he was in front of Lachish, and all his army was with him), to Hezekiah, king of Judah, and to all of Judah who were in Jerusalem. He said,
10 “Nanku okutshiwo nguSenakheribhi inkosi yase-Asiriya uthi: Usithatha ngaphi wena isibindi, esokuthi wale ulokhu useJerusalema yona ivinjezelwe?
“This is what Sennacherib, king of Assyria, says: What are you relying on in order to endure a siege in Jerusalem?
11 Nxa uHezekhiya esithi, ‘UThixo uNkulunkulu wethu uzasisindisa ezandleni zenkosi yase-Asiriya,’ uyalikhohlisa, ukuba life ngendlala langomhawu wamanzi.
Is not Hezekiah misleading you, that he may give you over to die by famine and by thirst, when he tells you, 'Yahweh our God will rescue us from the hand of the king of Assyria'?
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’?
Has not this same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, 'On one altar you must worship, and on it you must burn your sacrifices'?
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 ancestors have done to all the peoples of the other lands? Were the gods of the peoples of the surrounding lands able in any way to rescue their land from my power?
14 Nguphi kubo bonke onkulunkulu bamazwe balezozizwe ezabhujiswa ngobaba owake wenelisa ukukhulula abantu bakhe kimi na? UNkulunkulu wenu angalikhulula njani esandleni sami?
Among all the gods of those nations that my ancestors completely destroyed, was there any god who could rescue his people out of my hand? Why should your God be able to rescue you from my power?
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!”
Now do not let Hezekiah deceive you or persuade you in this way. Do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to rescue his people out of my hand, or out of the hand of my ancestors. How much less will your God rescue you from my hand?”
16 Izikhulu zikaSenakheribi zaqhubekela phambili zikhuluma kubi ngoThixo uNkulunkulu langenceku yakhe uHezekhiya.
Sennacherib's servants spoke even more against Yahweh 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.”
Sennacherib also wrote letters in order to mock Yahweh, the God of Israel, and to speak against him. He said, “As the gods of the nations of the lands have not rescued their people out of my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not rescue his people out of my hand.”
18 Basebememeza ngesiHebheru ebantwini baseJerusalema ababephezu komduli, bebethusela ukuze besabe babesebethumba idolobho.
They cried out in the language of the Jews to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten them and trouble them, in order that they might capture the city.
19 Bakhuluma ngoNkulunkulu weJerusalema njengalokho abakwenza ngabonkulunkulu babanye abantu bemhlabeni, izinto ezibunjwe yizandla zabantu.
They spoke of the God of Jerusalem as they had spoken of the gods of the other peoples of the earth, which are merely the work of men's hands.
20 INkosi uHezekhiya lomphrofethi u-Isaya indodana ka-Amozi bakhala ngomkhuleko ngalokhu.
Hezekiah, the king, and Isaiah son of Amoz, the prophet, prayed because of this matter and he 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.
Yahweh sent an angel, who killed the fighting men, the commanders, and the officers of the king in the camp. So Sennacherib returned to his own land with shame on his face. When he had gone into the house of his god, some of his own children killed him there 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.
In this way, Yahweh saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all others, and gave them rest on every side.
23 Abanengi balethela uThixo iminikelo eJerusalema kanye lezipho eziligugu kuHezekhiya inkosi yakoJuda. Kusukela lapho waba lesithunzi wahlonitshwa yizizwe zonke.
Many were bringing offerings to Yahweh in Jerusalem, and precious gifts to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was lifted up in the eyes of all nations from that time forward.
24 Ngalezonsuku uHezekhiya wagula eselengela ekufeni. Wakhuleka kuThixo, wamphendula ngokumnika isibonakaliso.
In those days Hezekiah was sick to the point of dying. He prayed to Yahweh, who spoke to him and gave him a sign that he would be healed.
25 Kodwa inhliziyo kaHezekhiya yagcwala ngokuzikhukhumeza ngakho kazange azihluphe ngesihawu ayesitshengisiwe; ngakho intukuthelo kaThixo yehlela phezu kwakhe lasebantwini bakoJuda labaseJerusalema.
But Hezekiah did not pay back Yahweh for the help given to him, for his heart was lifted up. So anger came on him, and on Judah and Jerusalem.
26 Ngakho uHezekhiya waphenduka ukuzikhukhumeza ngenhliziyo yakhe, labantu baseJerusalema labo benza njalo; ngalokho ulaka lukaThixo alusabehlelanga ngezinsuku zikaHezekhiya.
Nevertheless, Hezekiah later humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that Yahweh's anger did not come on them during Hezekiah's days.
27 UHezekhiya wayelenotho enengi njalo elodumo, wasesakha izindlu zokulondolozela isiliva sakhe legolide kanye lamatshe akhe aligugu, iziyoliso, izihlangu lakho konke okunye okuligugu.
Hezekiah had very many riches and much honor. He provided himself with storerooms for silver, gold, precious stones, and for spices, as well as for shields and for all kinds of valuable objects.
28 Wakha njalo iziphala zokugcinela amabele, iwayini elitsha lamafutha, wakha izibaya zemihlobo eyehlukeneyo yenkomo, lezibaya zemihlambi yezimvu.
He also had storehouses for the harvest of grain, new wine, and oil, and stalls for all kinds of animals. He also had flocks in their pens.
29 Wakha imizi wazuza imihlambi yezimvu leyenkomo, ngoba uNkulunkulu wamnika inotho enkulu kakhulu.
In addition, he provided himself with cities and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance, for God had given him very much wealth.
30 UHezekhiya nguye owavala amanzi entombo yangaphezulu kweGihoni wawadonsa agelezela ngentshonalanga koMuzi kaDavida. Waphumelela kukho konke ayekwenza.
It was this same Hezekiah who also stopped up the upper spring of the waters of Gihon, and who brought them straight down on the west side of the city of David. Hezekiah succeeded in all his projects.
31 Ekufikeni kwamanxusa ayethunywe ngababusi beBhabhiloni bezobuza ngomangaliso owawenzakele elizweni, uNkulunkulu wamtshiya ukuze amhlole ukuthi azi konke okwakusenhliziyweni yakhe.
However, in the matter of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent to him to ask questions of those who knew, about the miraculous sign that had been done in the land, God left him to himself, in order to test him, and to know all that 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.
As for the other matters concerning Hezekiah, including his actions of covenant loyalty, you can see that they are written in the vision of the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz, 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.
Hezekiah slept with his ancestors, and they buried him on the hill of the tombs of the descendants of David. All Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem honored him at his death. Manasseh his son became king in his place.
