2 Imilando 34
1 UJosiya waba yinkosi eleminyaka eyisificaminwembili ubudala njalo wabusa eJerusalema okweminyaka engamatshumi amathathu lanye.
Josiah was eight years old when he had begun to reign, and he reigned for thirty-one years in Jerusalem.
2 Wenza okulungileyo phambi kukaThixo njalo wahamba ngenyathelo likayise uDavida, kazange aphambukele kwesokudla loba esokhohlo.
And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, and he walked in the ways of his father David. He did not turn away, neither to the right, nor to the left.
3 Ngomnyaka wesificaminwembili wokubusa kwakhe, elokhu esesengumntwana, waqalisa ukumdinga uNkulunkulu kakhokho wakhe uDavida. Ngomnyaka wetshumi lambili waqalisa ukuhlambulula elakoJuda laseJerusalema, wavala izindawo zokukhonzela, izinsika zika-Ashera, izithombe ezibaziweyo lezikhandiweyo.
Now in the eighth year of his reign, when he was still a boy, he began to seek the God of his father David. And in the twelfth year after he had begun to reign, he cleansed Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the sacred groves, and the idols, and the graven images.
4 Ngeziqondiso zakhe kwabhidlizwa ama-alithare aboBhali; waqoba ama-alithare empepha ayengaphezu kwawo; wahlikiza izinsika zika-Ashera, izithombe kanye lemifanekiso. Lokhu wakuvadlaza wasekuchithizela phezu kwamangcwaba alabo ababenikele imihlatshelo kulezozithombe.
And in his sight, they destroyed the altars of the Baals, and they demolished the idols which had been set upon them. And then he cut down the sacred groves and crushed the graven images. And he scattered the fragments upon the tombs of those who had been accustomed to immolate to them.
5 Watshisela amathambo abaphristi ema-alithareni abo, ngalokho wahlambulula elakoJuda laseJerusalema.
And after that, he burned the bones of the priests upon the altars of the idols. And so did he cleanse Judah and Jerusalem.
6 Emizini yakoManase, lako-Efrayimi lakoSimiyoni, kuze kuyefika koNafithali, lasemanxiweni aseduzane layo,
Then too, in the cities of Manasseh, and of Ephraim, and of Simeon, even to Naphtali, he overturned everything.
7 wadiliza ama-alithare lezinsika zika-Ashera njalo wahlifiza izithombe zaba yimpuphu wachithiza ama-alithare empepha kulolonke elako-Israyeli aba yizicucu. Wasebuyela eJerusalema.
And when he had destroyed the altars and the sacred groves, and had broken the idols to pieces, and when all the profane shrines had been demolished from the entire land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem.
8 Ngomnyaka wetshumi lasificaminwembili wokubusa kukaJosiya, ukuze ahlambulule ilizwe kanye lethempeli, wathumela uShafani indodana ka-Azaliya loMaseya umbusi wedolobho, loJowa indodana kaJowahazi, umlobi, ukuba bavuselele ithempeli likaThixo uNkulunkulu wakhe.
And so, in the eighteenth year of his reign, having now cleansed the land and the temple of the Lord, he sent Shaphan, the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah, the ruler of the city, and Joah, the son of Joahaz, the historian, to repair the house of the Lord his God.
9 Baya kuHilikhiya umphristi omkhulu bamnika imali eyayilethwe ethempelini likaNkulunkulu, eyayiqoqwe ngabaLevi ababengabagcini beminyango beyiqoqa ebantwini bakoManase, lako-Efrayimi layo yonke insalela yabako-Israyeli lakubo bonke abantu bakoJuda labakoBhenjamini lababehlala eJerusalema.
And they went to Hilkiah, the high priest. And having accepted from him the money which had been brought into the house of the Lord, and which the Levites and porters had gathered together from Manasseh, and Ephraim, and the entire remnant of Israel, and also from all of Judah, and Benjamin, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
10 Basebeyiqhubela amadoda ayekhethelwe ukukhangela ukuqhubeka komsebenzi wasethempelini likaThixo. Lamadoda ayeholisa ababevuselela lokwakha kutsha ithempeli.
they delivered it into the hands of those who were in charge of the workers in the house of the Lord, so that they might repair the temple, and restore whatever was weak.
11 Eyinye bayiqhubela ababazi labakhi ukuze bathenge amatshe abaziweyo lezigodo lezintungo zezindlu ezadilika amakhosi akoJuda engananzelele.
And they gave it to the artisans and the stoneworkers, so that they might buy stones from the quarries, and wood for the joints of the building and for the upper floors of the houses, which the kings of Judah had destroyed.
12 Amadoda ayisebenza imisebenzi yawo ngokwethembeka. Ayekhokhelwa njalo eqondiswa ngoJahathi lo-Obhadaya, abaLevi bosendo lukaMerari, uZakhariya loMeshulami abosendo lukaKhohathi. AbaLevi bonke ababengamagabazi kwezamachacho omculo,
And they did everything faithfully. Now the overseers of the workers were Jahath and Obadiah, from the sons of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, from the sons of Kohath, who were supervising the work. All were Levites who knew how to play musical instruments.
13 babephethe izisebenzi njalo bekhangele izisebenzi kulowo lalowo umsebenzi. Abanye abaLevi babengonobhala, labalobi kanye labalindi beminyango.
Truly, scribes and teachers, from among the Levites who were porters, were over those who were carrying burdens for various uses.
14 Besakhipha imali eyayingeniswe ethempelini likaThixo, uHilikhiya umphristi wafumana uGwalo loMthetho kaThixo owawuphiwe uMosi.
And when they carried out the money that had been brought into the temple of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found the book of the law of the Lord by the hand of Moses.
15 UHilikhiya wathi kuShafani unobhala, “Sengilutholile uGwalo loMthetho ethempelini likaThixo.” Waselunika uShafani.
And he said to Shaphan, the scribe: “I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord.” And he delivered it to him.
16 Ngalokho uShafani waluthatha walusa enkosini wayibikela wathi: “Izikhulu zakho ziyakwenza konke ozilaye ukuba zikwenze.
Then he took the volume to the king, and he reported to him, saying: “Behold, everything that you entrusted to your servants is completed.
17 Sebeyibhadele imali leyo eyayisethempelini likaThixo njalo sebeyitshiyele abakhangeli bomsebenzi kanye lezisebenzi.”
They have melted together the silver that was found in the house of the Lord. And it has been given to the overseers of the artisans and craftsmen for various works.
18 Ngakho uShafani unobhala wabikela inkosi, wathi, “UHilikhiya umphristi usengiphe ugwalo.” Ngakho uShafani waselubala phambi kwenkosi.
After this, Hilkiah the priest gave to me this book.” And when he had read it in the presence of the king,
19 Inkosi yonela ukuzwa amazwi oMthetho, yadabula izembatho zayo
and he had heard the words of the law, he tore his garments.
20 yapha leziziqondiso kuHilikhiya, lo-Ahikhami indodana kaShefani, lo-Abhidoni indodana kaMikha, loShafani unobhala kanye lo-Asaya inceku yenkosi yathi:
And he instructed Hilkiah, and Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, and Abdon, the son of Micah, and also Shaphan, the scribe, and Asaiah, the servant of the king, saying:
21 “Hambani liyengibuzela kuThixo lensalela yako-Israyeli labakoJuda ngalokhu okulotshwe kulolugwalo olutholakeleyo. Lukhulu ulaka lukaThixo phezu kwethu ngenxa yabokhokho abangazange balilalele ilizwi likaThixo; kabenzanga ngendlela okulotshwe ngayo kulolugwalo.”
“Go, and pray to the Lord for me, and for the remnant of Israel and Judah, concerning all the words of this book, which has been found. For the great fury of the Lord has rained down upon us, because our fathers did not keep the words of the Lord, to do all that has been written in this volume.”
22 UHilikhiya lalabo ayethunywe labo yinkosi bahamba ukuba bayekhuluma loHulida umphrofethikazi owayengumkaShalumi indodana kaThokhathi, indodana kaHasira, umlondolozi wezembatho. UHulida wayehlala eJerusalema endaweni yeSiqinti Sesibili.
Therefore, Hilkiah, and those who had been sent with him by the king, went to Huldah, the prophetess, the wife of Shallum, the son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, the keeper of the vestments. She was living in Jerusalem, in the second part. And they spoke to her the words which we explained above.
23 Wathi kubo, “Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: Tshelani umuntu olithume kimi lithi,
And she responded to them: “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Tell the man who sent you to me:
24 ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo uthi: Ngizakwehlisela lindawo labantu bayo incithakalo lazozonke izithuko ezilotshiweyo egwalweni olufundwe phambi kwenkosi yakoJuda.
Thus says the Lord: Behold, I will lead in evils over this place, and over its inhabitants, with all the curses that have been written in this book, which they have read before the king of Judah.
25 Ngoba bangidelile batshisela abanye onkulunkulu impepha njalo bangithukuthelisile ngakho konke abakwenze ngezandla zabo, ulaka lwami luzakwehlela phezu kwalindawo njalo aluyikucitshwa.’
For they have abandoned me, and they have sacrificed to foreign gods, so that they provoked me to wrath by all the works of their hands. Therefore, my fury will rain down upon this place, and it will not be extinguished.
26 Tshelani inkosi yakoJuda, elithume ukuzabuza kuThixo lithi: ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, mayelana lamazwi owezwileyo:
To the king of Judah, who sent you to petition before the Lord, so shall you speak: Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Since you listened to the words of this volume,
27 Njengoba uzisolile wazehlisa ngaphansi kukaNkulunkulu wezwa ukuthi utheni ngalindawo labantu bayo njalo langenxa yokuthi uzehlisile wazithoba phambi kwami wadabula izembatho zakho walila phambi kwami, ngikuzwile, utsho njalo uThixo.
and your heart was softened, and you humbled yourself in the sight of God concerning these things which have been said against this place and against the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and since, revering my face, you have torn your garments, and have wept before me: I also have heeded you, says the Lord.
28 Wena ngizakususa ngikuse kubokhokho bakho, njalo uzangcwatshwa ngokuthula. Amehlo akho awayikubona leyoncithakalo engizayehlisela indawo le lakulabo abahlala khona.’” Ngempela bayithatha leyompendulo baya layo enkosini.
For now I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be brought into your sepulcher in peace. Neither shall your eyes see all the evil that I will lead in, over this place and over its inhabitants.” And so they took back to the king all that she had said.
29 Inkosi yasibuthanisa bonke abadala bakoJuda labaseJerusalema.
And he, calling together all those greater by birth of Judah and Jerusalem,
30 Yaya ethempelini likaThixo labantu bakoJuda, kanye labaseJerusalema, labaphristi kanye labaLevi labantu bonke kusukela komncinyane kusiya komkhulu. Inkosi yabafundela wonke amazwi ayeseGwalweni lweSivumelwano, olwatholakala ethempelini likaThixo.
ascended to the house of the Lord, united with all the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests and the Levites, and all the people, from the least even to the greatest. And in their hearing, in the house of the Lord, the king read all the words of the volume.
31 Inkosi yema ensikeni yayo yavuselela isivumelwano sayo phambi kukaThixo, ukumkhonza uThixo lokwamukela imilayo yakhe, leziqondiso, lezimiso zakhe ngenhliziyo yayo yonke langomphefumulo wayo wonke, lokulalela amazwi esivumelwano esilotshiweyo ogwalweni.
And standing up at his tribunal, he struck a covenant before the Lord, so that he would walk after him, and would keep his precepts and testimonies and justifications, with his whole heart and with his whole soul, and so that he would do the things that were written in that volume, which he had read.
32 Yasifungisa bonke ababeseJerusalema labakoBhenjamini ukuba bazasigcina; abantu baseJerusalema bakwenza lokho belandela isivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu, uNkulunkulu wabokhokho babo.
Also, concerning this, he bound by oath all who had been found in Jerusalem and Benjamin. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem acted in accord with the covenant of the Lord, the God of their fathers.
33 UJosiya wasusa zonke izithombe ezenyanyekayo ezabelweni zonke ezazingezako-Israyeli, wenza bonke abako-Israyeli bamkhonza uThixo uNkulunkulu wabo. Ngezinsuku zokuphila kwakhe kazange aphambuke endleleni kaThixo, uNkulunkulu wabokhokho babo.
Therefore, Josiah took away all the abominations from all the regions of the sons of Israel. And he caused all who were remaining in Israel to serve the Lord their God. During all his days, they did not withdraw from the Lord, the God of their fathers.
