2 Amakhosi 6
1 Ixuku labaphrofethi lathi ku-Elisha, “Khangela, indawo esihlala kiyo lawe kayisasanelanga.
And sons of the prophet say to Elisha, “Now behold, the place where we are dwelling before you is too narrow for us;
2 Asiye eJodani lapho esizagamula khona izigodo sakhe indawo yokuhlala.” U-Elisha wathi, “Kulungile, hambani.”
please let us go to the Jordan, and we each take one beam from there, and we make a place there for ourselves to dwell there”; and he says, “Go.”
3 Omunye wabo wathi, “Ungazake uhambe lezinceku zakho na?” U-Elisha wathi, “Kulungile ngizahamba.”
And the one says, “Please be willing, and go with your servants”; and he says, “I go.”
4 Ngakho wasehamba labo. Baya eJodani bafika baqalisa ukugamula izigodo.
And he goes with them, and they come to the Jordan, and cut down the trees,
5 Omunye wathi egamula, ihloka lakhe laqamuka isihloko salo sawela emanzini. Wasekhala esithi, “Nkosi yami, ihloka leli bengilibolekile.”
and it comes to pass, the one is felling the beam, and the iron [ax head] has fallen into the water, and he cries and says, “Aah! My lord, for it was borrowed!”
6 Umuntu kaNkulunkulu wasebuza esithi, “Liwele ngaphi?” Uthe esemtshengisile indawo yakhona, u-Elisha wagamula uswazi waluphosela khonapho, lokho kwenza ihloka lelo landenda.
And the man of God says, “To where has it fallen?” And he shows him the place, and he cuts a stick, and casts [it] there, and causes the iron to swim,
7 Wasesithi, “Lenyule emanzini.” Umuntu lowo welula isandla sakhe walenyula.
and says, “Raise [it] up for yourself”; and he puts forth his hand and takes it.
8 Inkosi yase-Aramu yayisempini ilwisana labako-Israyeli. Ngemva kokukhulumisana lezikhulu zayo inkosi yathi, “Inkamba yami ngizayimisa endaweni ethile.”
And the king of Aram has been fighting against Israel, and takes counsel with his servants, saying, “At such and such a place [is] my encamping.”
9 Umuntu kaNkulunkulu wathumela ilizwi enkosini yako-Israyeli lisithi, “Qaphela ungedluli kuleyana indawo, ngoba ama-Aramu azakwehla ayekhona.”
And the man of God sends to the king of Israel, saying, “Take heed of passing by this place, for the Arameans are coming down there”;
10 Ngakho inkosi yako-Israyeli yahlolisisa kuleyondawo eyayiqanjwe ngumuntu kaNkulunkulu. U-Elisha wakuphinda enkosini lokhu kuxwayisa kanenginengi, ukuze izivikele ezindaweni ezinjengalezi.
and the king of Israel sends to the place of which the man of God spoke to him, and warned him, and he is preserved there not [just] once and not [just] twice.
11 Lokhu kwayithukuthelisa inkosi yase-Aramu. Yabiza izikhulu zayo yazihwabhela yathi, “Aliyikungitshela yini ukuthi phakathi kwethu ngubani oseceleni lenkosi yako-Israyeli na?”
And the heart of the king of Aram is tossed about concerning this thing, and he calls to his servants and says to them, “Do you not declare to me who of us [is] for the king of Israel?”
12 Esinye sezikhulu zakhe sathi, “Kakho phakathi kwethu nkosi yami, kodwa u-Elisha, umphrofethi wako-Israyeli, ulakho ukutshela inkosi yako-Israyeli ngalawo mazwi owakhuluma usendlini yakho yokulala.”
And one of his servants says, “No, my lord, O king, for Elisha the prophet, who [is] in Israel, declares to the king of Israel the words that you speak in the inner part of your bed-chamber.”
13 Inkosi yabalaya yathi, “Hambani liyemdinga lapho akhona, ukuze ngithumele amadoda ayemthumba.” Kwavela impendulo ethi, “UseDothani.”
And he says, “Go and see where he [is], and I send and take him”; and it is declared to him, saying, “Behold—in Dothan.”
14 Inkosi yasithumela amabhiza lezinqola zokulwa kanye lamabutho aqinileyo. Bahamba ebusuku bahle bagombolozela umuzi wakhona.
And he sends horses and chariot, and a heavy force there, and they come in by night, and go around against the city.
15 Kuthe inceku yomuntu kaNkulunkulu ivuka ekuseni ngelanga elilandelayo yaphuma phandle yathola amabutho alamabhiza lezinqola zokulwa sezihonqolozele idolobho. Inceku yethuka yathi, “Maye, nkosi yami, sizakwenzenjani na?”
And the servant of the man of God rises early, and goes out, and behold, a force is surrounding the city, and horse and chariot, and his young man says to him, “Aah! My lord, how do we do?”
16 Umphrofethi wathi, “Ungesabi. Labo abalathi banengi kulalabo abangakubo.”
And he says, “Do not fear, for more [are] they who [are] with us than they who [are] with them.”
17 U-Elisha wasekhuleka wathi, “Oh Thixo, vula amehlo akhe ukuze abone.” Ngakho uThixo wavula amehlo enceku, yakhangela yabona amaqaqa agcwele amabhiza lezinqola zokulwa ezomlilo zihonqolozele u-Elisha.
And Elisha prays and says, “YHWH, please open his eyes, and he sees”; and YHWH opens the eyes of the young man, and he sees, and behold, the hill is full of horses and chariots of fire around Elisha.
18 Kuthe izitha zisondela kuye, u-Elisha wakhuleka kuThixo wathi, “Tshaya lababantu babe yiziphofu.” Ngakho wabaphumputhekisa, njengokucela kuka-Elisha.
And they come down to it, and Elisha prays to YHWH and says, “Please strike this nation with blindness”; and He strikes them with blindness, according to the word of Elisha.
19 U-Elisha wabatshela wathi, “Akusiwo umgwaqo njalo akusiwo umuzi eliwudingayo. Ngilandelani, ngizalikhokhela liye emuntwini elimdingayo.” Ngakho wabakhokhelela eSamariya.
And Elisha says to them, “This [is] not the way, nor [is] this the city; come after me, and I lead you to the man whom you seek”; and he leads them to Samaria.
20 Sebephakathi komuzi, u-Elisha wathi, “Thixo, vula amehlo alababantu ukuze babone.” Ngakho uThixo wavula amehlo abo, bazibonela ukuthi babephakathi kweSamariya.
And it comes to pass, at their coming to Samaria, that Elisha says, “YHWH, open the eyes of these, and they see”; and YHWH opens their eyes, and they see, and behold, [they are] in the midst of Samaria!
21 Inkosi yako-Israyeli ithe ibabona, yabuza ku-Elisha yathi, “Ngibabulale yini, baba? Ngibabulale na?”
And the king of Israel says to Elisha at his seeing them, “My father, do I strike, do I strike?”
22 Yena waphendula wathi, “Ungababulali. Kambe ungababulala yini ngenkemba loba ngomtshoko wakho abantu obathumbileyo. Baphe ukudla lamanzi ukuze badle babe sebebuyela enkosini yabo.”
And he says, “You do not strike; are you striking those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? Set bread and water before them, and they eat, and drink, and go to their lord.”
23 Inkosi yako-Israyeli yasibenzela idili elikhulu, bathe sebeqedile ukudla lokunatha, yabakhulula ukuba bahambe, ngakho basuka babuyela enkosini yabo. Kwathi amaxuku amabutho ase-Aramu ayehlala ehlasela elako-Israyeli akhawula ukuhlasela.
And he prepares great provision for them, and they eat and drink, and he sends them away, and they go to their lord: and troops of Aram have not added to come into the land of Israel anymore.
24 Ngemva kwesikhathi, uBheni-Hadadi inkosi yase-Aramu yaqoqa amabutho ayo wonke yayavimbezela umuzi waseSamariya.
And it comes to pass afterward, that Ben-Hadad king of Aram gathers all his camp, and goes up, and lays siege to Samaria,
25 Kwaba lendlala enkulu eSamariya ngesikhathi sokuvinjezelwa kwayo; ngakho inhloko kababhemi yayithengiswa ngamashekeli esiliva angamatshumi ayisificaminwembili, legajana lombhida othile ngamashekeli amahlanu esiliva.
and there is a great famine in Samaria, and behold, they are laying siege to it, until the head of a donkey is at eighty pieces of silver, and a forth of the cab of dove’s dung at five pieces of silver.
26 Kwathi ngolunye usuku inkosi yako-Israyeli ihambahamba phezu komduli womuzi, owesifazane othile wamemeza esithi kuyo, “Akungincede, baba nkosi yami!”
And it comes to pass, the king of Israel is passing by on the wall, and a woman has cried to him, saying, “Save, my lord, O king.”
27 Inkosi yaphendula yathi, “Nxa uThixo engakusizi, mina kambe ngizaluthatha ngaphi uncedo? Ngizaluthatha esikhamelweni sewayini yini loba esizeni sokubhulela na?”
And he says, “YHWH does not save you—from where do I save you? Out of the threshing-floor or out of the wine-vat?”
28 Wasebuza wathi, “Kodwa uhlutshwa yini?” Owesifazane waphendula wathi, “Owesifazane lo uthe kimi, ‘Letha umntanakho ukuba simudle lamuhla, kuzakuthi kusasa sidle owami.’
And the king says to her, “What is [troubling] you?” And she says, “This woman said to me, Give your son, and we eat him today, and we eat my son tomorrow;
29 Ngakho simphekile umntanami samudla. Ngosuku olulandelayo ngasengisithi, ‘Letha umntanakho ukuba simudle.’ Kodwa yena ubesemfihlile.”
and we boil my son and eat him, and I say to her on the next day, Give your son, and we eat him; and she hides her son.”
30 Inkosi ithe isizwa okwakutshiwo ngowesifazane lowo yadabula izigqoko zayo. Inkosi yayihamba phezu komduli, abantu bayikhangela, babona ukuthi isigqoko sayo sangaphansi sasingesokulila.
And it comes to pass, at the king’s hearing the words of the woman, that he tears his garments, and he is passing by on the wall, and the people see, and behold, the sackcloth [is] within on his flesh.
31 Inkosi yathi, “Sengathi uNkulunkulu angangihlanekela kubi nxa ikhanda lika-Elisha indodana kaShafathi kungasa lilokhu limi phezu kwamahlombe akhe lamuhla!”
And he says, “Thus God does to me and thus He adds, if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat remains on him this day.”
32 U-Elisha wayehlezi endlini yakhe labadala babehlezi laye. Inkosi yasithumela isithunywa phambili, kodwa sithe singakafiki u-Elisha wathi ebadaleni, “Liyakubona yini ukuthi umbulali lo usethumele umuntu ukuba azoquma ikhanda lami na? Khangelani, ekufikeni kwesithunywa lapha libovala umnyango libambe isivalo siqine. Kalizizwa yini izisinde zenkosi yaso ngemva kwaso na?”
And Elisha is sitting in his house, and the elderly are sitting with him, and [the king] sends a man from before him; before the messenger comes to him, even he himself said to the elderly, “Have you seen that this son of the murderer has sent [him] to turn aside my head? See, at the coming in of the messenger, shut the door, and you have held him fast at the door, is not the sound of the feet of his lord behind him?”
33 Kwathi esakhuluma, isithunywa sahle safika. Ngakho inkosi yathi, “Uhlupho lonke lolu luvela kuThixo. Pho-ke ngisamlindelelani uThixo na?”
He is yet speaking with them, and behold, the messenger is coming down to him, and he says, “Behold, this [is] the calamity from YHWH; why do I wait for YHWH anymore?”
