2 Amakhosi 4
1 Umfazi wenye indoda phakathi kwexuku labaphrofethi wakhalaza ku-Elisha wathi, “Indoda yami ebiyinceku yakho isifile, njalo uyakwazi ukuthi ibe imkhonza uThixo. Umkami ubelesikwelede sendoda ethile esifuna ukuthumba amadodana ami amabili ukuze abe yizigqili zayo.”
Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant, my husband, is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And now his creditor is coming to take my two children as his slaves!”
2 U-Elisha wamphendula wathi, “Ngingakunceda kanjani na? Akungitshele, kulani endlini yakho?” Umfelokazi wathi, “Incekukazi yakho ayilalutho ngaphandle kwengcosana yamafutha.”
“How can I help you?” asked Elisha. “Tell me, what do you have in the house?” She answered, “Your servant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.”
3 U-Elisha wasesithi, “Hamba uyekweboleka imbiza ezinengi kubomakhelwane bakho bonke. Ungaceli ezilutshwane nje.
“Go,” said Elisha, “borrow jars, even empty ones, from all your neighbors. Do not gather just a few.
4 Ubusungena endlini yakho lamadodana akho uvale umnyango. Ubusuthululela amafutha embizeni inye nganye, ithi ingagcwala uyibeke eceleni.”
Then go inside, shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour oil into all these jars, setting the full ones aside.”
5 Wasuka kuye kwathi ngemva kwesikhathi wavala umnyango lamadodana akhe. Amadodana amqhubela imbiza yena elokhu ezigcwalisa ngamafutha.
So she left him, and after she had shut the door behind her and her sons, they kept bringing jars to her, and she kept pouring.
6 Kuthe imbiza zonke sezigcwele, wathi endodaneni yakhe, “Letha enye futhi.” Kodwa yaphendula yathi, “Akuselambiza eseleyo.” Amafutha kazabe esajuluka.
When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another.” But he replied, “There are no more jars.” Then the oil stopped flowing.
7 Wasuka wayatshela umuntu kaNkulunkulu, owathi, “Hamba uyethengisa amafutha lawo ubhadale izikwelede zakho. Wena lamadodana akho lizaphila ngaseleyo.”
She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil, and pay your debt. Then you and your sons can live on the remainder.”
8 Ngolunye usuku u-Elisha waya eShunemi. Kwakulowesifazane onothileyo, owamcela ukuba ahlale adle ukudla. Kwakusithi nxa ehambele khonale wayethola ukudla khonapho.
One day Elisha went to Shunem, and a prominent woman who lived there persuaded him to have a meal. So whenever he would pass by, he would stop there to eat.
9 Owesifazane wathi kumyeni wakhe, “Ngiyakwazi ukuthi lumuntu ohlala esedlula lapha ngumuntu ongcwele kaNkulunkulu.
Then the woman said to her husband, “Behold, now I know that the one who often comes our way is a holy man of God.
10 Kasimlungisele indlu ephezulu simfakele khona umbheda, itafula, isihlalo kanye lesibane. Kube yindlu azafikela kiyo nxa elapha kithi.”
Please let us make a small room upstairs and put in it a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp for him. Then when he comes to us, he can stay there.”
11 Kwelinye ilanga, u-Elisha wafika wayangena endlini yakhe leyo wacambalala khona.
One day Elisha came to visit and went to his upper room to lie down.
12 Wathuma inceku yakhe uGehazi, wathi, “Ngibizela umShunami.” Ngakho inceku yambiza, wafika wema phansi kwakhe.
And he said to Gehazi his servant, “Call the Shunammite woman.” And when he had called her, she stood before him,
13 U-Elisha wasesithi, “Umtshele uthi, ‘Usuzihluphe kangaka usilungisela. Kambe kuyini ongakwenzelwa wena? Singakukhulumela yini enkosini loba kumlawuli wamabutho na?’” Owesifazane wathi, “Ngilomuzi phakathi kwabantu bakithi.”
and Elisha said to Gehazi, “Now tell her, ‘Look, you have gone to all this trouble for us. What can we do for you? Can we speak on your behalf to the king or the commander of the army?’” “I have a home among my own people,” she replied.
14 U-Elisha wabuza wathi, “Kuyini esingamenzela khona na?” UGehazi wathi, “Kalandodana njalo umyeni wakhe useluphele.”
So he asked, “Then what should be done for her?” “Well, she has no son,” Gehazi replied, “and her husband is old.”
15 Ngakho u-Elisha wathi, “Mbize.” Inceku yasimbiza, wafika wema emnyango. U-Elisha wathi,
“Call her,” said Elisha. So Gehazi called her, and she stood in the doorway.
16 “Ngasolesi isikhathi ngomnyaka ozayo uzaphatha indodana ezandleni zakho.” Owesifazane waphikisa wathi, “Atshi, nkosi yami, ungabokhohlisa incekukazi yakho, wena muntu kaNkulunkulu!”
And Elisha declared, “At this time next year, you will hold a son in your arms.” “No, my lord,” she said. “Do not lie to your maidservant, O man of God.”
17 Owesifazane wathatha isisu, kwathi ngomnyaka owalandelayo ngesikhathi esifananayo wakhululeka wazuza indodana njengokutshelwa kwakhe ngu-Elisha.
But the woman did conceive, and at that time the next year she gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had told her.
18 Umntwana wakhula, kwathi ngelinye ilanga walandela uyise, owayelabavuni.
And the child grew, and one day he went out to his father, who was with the harvesters.
19 Wasesithi kuyise, “Maye ikhanda lami! Maye ikhanda lami!” Uyise wathuma isisebenzi wathi, “Thwala umntwana uye laye kunina.”
“My head! My head!” he complained to his father. So his father told a servant, “Carry him to his mother.”
20 Isisebenzi sesimthwalele kunina unina wamanga kwaze kwaba semini enkulu umntwana wasesifa.
After the servant had picked him up and carried him to his mother, the boy sat on her lap until noon, and then he died.
21 Unina wamthatha wayamlalisa embhedeni womuntu kaNkulunkulu, waphuma wasevala umnyango.
And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God. Then she shut the door and went out.
22 Owesifazane wathumela kumkakhe ilizwi elithi, “Ngicela ungithumele esinye sezisebenzi kanye lobabhemi ukuze ngiphange ngiyebona umuntu kaNkulunkulu ngiphenduke.”
And the woman called her husband and said, “Please send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, that I may go quickly to the man of God and return.”
23 Umyeni wakhe wathi, “Kungani umlanda lamuhla? Akusikho ekuThwaseni kweNyanga njalo akusilo iSabatha.” Owesifazane wathi, “Kulungile kunjalo.”
“Why would you go to him today?” he replied. “It is not a New Moon or a Sabbath.” “Everything is all right,” she said.
24 Wethesa ubabhemi wasesithi kusisebenzi sakhe, “Khokhela; ungahambi kancane usenzela mina ngaphandle kokuba ngikutshele.”
Then she saddled the donkey and told her servant, “Drive onward; do not slow the pace for me unless I tell you.”
25 Ngakho waphuma wahamba waze wayamthola umuntu kaNkulunkulu eNtabeni yaseKhameli. Ebona owesifazane esesebucwadlana, umuntu kaNkulunkulu wathi kuGehazi inceku yakhe, “Khangela! Nanguyana umShunami!
So she set out and went to the man of God at Mount Carmel. When the man of God saw her at a distance, he said to his servant Gehazi, “Look, there is the Shunammite woman.
26 Gijima umhlangabeze umbuze uthi, ‘Konke kulungile kuwe na? Umkakho uyaphila na? Umntanakho uyaphila na?’” Owesifazane wathi, “Konke kulungile.”
Please run out now to meet her and ask, ‘Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is your child all right?’” And she answered, “Everything is all right.”
27 Kodwa esefikile emuntwini kaNkulunkulu entabeni, wagagadlela inyawo zakhe. UGehazi weza kuye wamfuqela khatshana, kodwa umuntu kaNkulunkulu wathi, “Myekele! Uphakathi kosizi olukhulu, kodwa uThixo ukufihlile kimi lokho njalo kangitshelanga ukuthi kungani.”
When she reached the man of God at the mountain, she clung to his feet. Gehazi came over to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone, for her soul is in deep distress, and the LORD has hidden it from me and has not told me.”
28 Owesifazane wathi, “Ngake ngacela indodana kuwe na, nkosi yami? Angizange ngikutshele yini ukuthi ungaze wangikhohlisa na?”
Then she said, “Did I ask you for a son, my lord? Didn’t I say, ‘Do not deceive me?’”
29 U-Elisha wathi kuGehazi, “Khwincela ijazi lakho ebhantini, uphathe intonga yami ngesandla ubusugijima. Loba ngubani ohlangana laye, ungambingeleli, loba angaze akubingelele ungamphenduli. Ufike ubeke intonga yami ebusweni bomfana.”
So Elisha said to Gehazi, “Tie up your garment, take my staff in your hand, and go! If you meet anyone, do not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not answer him. Then lay my staff on the boy’s face.”
30 Kodwa unina womfana wathi, “Ngeqiniso elinjengoba uThixo ephila lanjengoba uphila, angiyikukutshiya.” Ngakho wasuka walandela owesifazane.
And the mother of the boy said, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So he got up and followed her.
31 UGehazi wahle wagijima phambili wayabeka intonga ebusweni bomfana, kodwa akuzwakalanga lutho njalo kanyikinyekanga. Ngakho uGehazi wabuyela ukuyahlangabeza u-Elisha wamtshela wathi, “Umfana kavukanga.”
Gehazi went on ahead of them and laid the staff on the boy’s face, but there was no sound or response. So he went back to meet Elisha and told him, “The boy has not awakened.”
32 Ekufikeni kwakhe endlini u-Elisha, wafumana lakanye nangu umfana usembhedeni wakhe ufile.
When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his bed.
33 Wangena wavala umnyango baba bobabili lomfana wasekhuleka kuThixo.
So he went in, closed the door behind the two of them, and prayed to the LORD.
34 Wakhwela embhedeni wacambalala phezu komfana, umlomo emlonyeni, amehlo emehlweni, izandla ezandleni. Uthe esazelula phezu komfana, umzimba womfana waqalisa ukukhudumala.
Then Elisha got on the bed and lay on the boy, mouth to mouth, eye to eye, and hand to hand. As he stretched himself out over him, the boy’s body became warm.
35 U-Elisha wafulathela wahambahamba endlini waphinda wabuyela embhedeni wacambalala phezu komfana. Umfana wathimula kasikhombisa wasevula amehlo.
Elisha turned away and paced back and forth across the room. Then he got on the bed and stretched himself out over the boy again, and the boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes.
36 U-Elisha wabiza uGehazi wathi kuye, “Biza umShunami.” Wakwenza lokho. Uthe esefikile wasesithi kuye owesifazane, “Thatha indodana yakho.”
Elisha summoned Gehazi and said, “Call the Shunammite woman.” So he called her and she came. Then Elisha said, “Pick up your son.”
37 UmShunami wangena, wawela ezinyaweni zakhe wakhothama. Wasethatha indodana yakhe wahamba.
She came in, fell at his feet, and bowed to the ground. Then she picked up her son and went out.
38 U-Elisha wabuyela eGiligali njalo kulesosigaba kwakulendlala. Kwathi esesemhlanganweni lexuku labaphrofethi, wathuma isisebenzi sakhe wathi, “Beka imbiza enkulu eziko, uphekele abaphrofethi ukudla.”
When Elisha returned to Gilgal, there was a famine in the land. As the sons of the prophets were sitting at his feet, he said to his attendant, “Put on the large pot and boil some stew for the sons of the prophets.”
39 Omunye wabo wayakukha imibhida egangeni wathola ivini leganga. Wakha amajodwana wagcwalisa ophikweni lwesigqoko sakhe. Ekuphendukeni kwakhe wawaqobaqoba wawafaka embizeni yesitshebo lanxa kungekho owayesazi ukuthi kuyini.
One of them went out to the field to gather herbs, and he found a wild vine from which he gathered as many wild gourds as his garment could hold. Then he came back and cut them up into the pot of stew, though no one knew what they were.
40 Kwaphakululwa ukuba abantu badle, kodwa bathi beqalisa ukudla bamemeza bathi, “Awu muntu kaNkulunkulu kulokufa embizeni!” Kabazabe besakudla.
And they poured it out for the men to eat, but when they tasted the stew they cried out, “There is death in the pot, O man of God!” And they could not eat it.
41 U-Elisha wathi, “Lethani ifulawa.” Wayifaka embizeni wasesithi, “Baphakuleleni abantu badle.” Ngalokho kwakungaselabuthi embizeni.
Then Elisha said, “Get some flour.” He threw it into the pot and said, “Pour it out for the people to eat.” And there was nothing harmful in the pot.
42 Kwafika indoda ethile ivela eBhali-Shalisha, iphathele umuntu kaNkulunkulu izinkwa zebhali ezingamatshumi amabili, zibhekhwe ngezilimo zakuqala. U-Elisha wathi, “Nikani abantu badle.”
Now a man from Baal-shalishah came to the man of God with a sack of twenty loaves of barley bread from the first ripe grain. “Give it to the people to eat,” said Elisha.
43 Inceku yakhe yathi, “Ngingababela njani abantu abalikhulu okungaka?” Kodwa u-Elisha wathi, “Phakululela abantu badle. Ngoba ilizwi likaThixo lithi: ‘Bazakudla baze bakutshiye.’”
But his servant asked, “How am I to set twenty loaves before a hundred men?” “Give it to the people to eat,” said Elisha, “for this is what the LORD says: ‘They will eat and have some left over.’”
44 Inceku yasiphakululela abantu, badla baze bakutshiya, njengokutsho kwelizwi likaThixo.
So he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the LORD.
