2 Amakhosi 7

1 U-Elisha wathi, “Zwanini ilizwi likaThixo. Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: Kusasa ngasolesi isikhathi, ingxenye yegokoko lefulawa izabe isithengiswa ngeshekeli kuthi ingxenye ezimbili zegokoko lebhali zibe ngezeshekeli elilodwa esangweni laseSamariya.”

And Elisha said: 'Hear ye the word of the LORD; thus saith the LORD: To-morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.'

2 Isikhulu leso inkosi eyayeyeme engalweni yaso sathi emuntwini kaNkulunkulu, “Khangela, kambe loba uThixo angaze avule amasango empophoma zamazulu bekungenzeka lokhu na?” U-Elisha waphendula wathi, “Lokho uzakubona ngawakho amehlo, kodwa awuyikudla loba yini yakho!”

Then the captain on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said: 'Behold, if the LORD should make windows in heaven, might this thing be?' And he said: 'Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.'

3 Kwakukhona amadoda alobulephero amane esangweni lomuzi. Akhulumisana athi, “Sihlaleleni lapha size sife na?

Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate; and they said one to another: 'Why sit we here until we die?

4 Nxa singathi, ‘Asingeneni phakathi komuzi.’ Lakhona kulendlala, sizakufa. Singahlala khonapha, sizakufa. Ngakho asiyeni enkambeni yama-Aramu siyezinikela. Bangahlala bengasibulali, sizaphila; kodwa bangasibulala, sizakufa.”

If we say: We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there; and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Arameans; if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die.'

5 Kusihlwa baya enkambeni yama-Aramu. Bathe befika eduzane lenkamba, bananzelela ukuthi kwakungaselamuntu loyedwa,

And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the Arameans; and when they were come to the outermost part of the camp of the Arameans, behold, there was no man there.

6 ngoba iNkosi yayenze ukuthi ama-Aramu azwe umsindo wezinqola zokulwa lamabhiza kanye lebutho elikhulu endlebeni zawo, aze atshelana athi, “Qaphelani, inkosi yako-Israyeli isisibizele amakhosi amaHithi lamaGibhithe ukuthi azosihlasela!”

For the Lord had made the host of the Arameans to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host; and they said one to another: 'Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us.'

7 Ngakho asuka abaleka ngomnyama wokuhlwa atshiya amathente awo kanye lamabhiza labobabhemi. Abaleka atshiya inkamba ilokhu imi injalo evikela impilo yawo.

Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life.

8 Amadoda ayelobulephero angena enkambeni afika ahlala kwelinye lamathente. Adla anatha, aze athwala lesiliva, legolide lezigqoko, ahamba lakho ayakufihla. Aphenduka njalo angena kwelinye lamathente athatha njalo ezinye impahla lazo ayazifihla.

And when these lepers came to the outermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it; and they came back, and entered into another tent, and carried thence also, and went and hid it.

9 Asekhulumisana esithi, “Akulunganga lokhu esikwenzayo. Lolu lusuku lwezindaba ezinhle kodwa silokhu singazitsheli muntu. Singalindela ukusa kwelanga sizajeziswa. Asihambeni khathesi siyebika esigodlweni.”

Then they said one to another: 'We do not well; this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace; if we tarry till the morning light, punishment will overtake us; now therefore come, let us go and tell the king's household.'

10 Ngakho bahamba bamemeza abalindi bamasango bomuzi bathi kubo, “Siye sayafika enkambeni yama-Aramu sathola kungelamuntu loyedwa kodwa lokhu kungezwakali lomsindo womuntu ngaphandle kwamabhiza labobabhemi kubotshelwe, kanye lamathente atshiywe enjengoba enjalo.”

So they came and called unto the porters of the city; and they told them, saying. 'We came to the camp of the Arameans, and, behold, there was no man there, neither voice of man, but the horses tied, and the asses tied, and the tents as they were.'

11 Abalindi bamasango bamemezela lezizindaba, kwaze kwayabikwa laphakathi esigodlweni.

And the porters called, and they told it to the king's household within.

12 Inkosi yavuka ebusuku yakhuluma lezikhulu zayo yathi, “Ngizalitshela ukuthi ama-Aramu asenzeni kithi. Ayakwazi ukuthi siphakathi kwendlala; ngakho asuke atshiya inkamba zawo ukuze asicathamele emaphandleni enakana esithi, ‘Ngempela bazaphuma ijumo, kube lapho esizabathumba khona singene phakathi komuzi.’”

And the king arose in the night, and said unto his servants: 'I will now tell you what the Arameans have done to us. They know that we are hungry; therefore are they gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying: When they come out of the city, we shall take them alive, and get into the city.'

13 Esinye sezikhulu zenkosi sathi, “Thuma abahlanu ngamabhiza aseleyo phakathi komuzi. Bazawelwa luhlupho olufana lolwama-Israyeli wonke asele lapha, yebo, bazafana nje labo bonke abako-Israyeli abalindele ukufa. Ngakho asibathume balandele bayedingisisa okwenzakeleyo.”

And one of his servants answered and said: 'Let some take, I pray thee, five of the horses that remain, which are left in the city — behold, they are as all the multitude of Israel that are left in it; behold, they are as all the multitude of Israel that are consumed — and let us send and see.'

14 Basebekhetha izinqola zokulwa ezimbili lamabhiza azo, inkosi yathuma ukuba zilandele ibutho lama-Aramu. Inkosi ekulawuleni kwayo abatshayeli balezinqola zokulwa yathi, “Hambani liyedingisisa ukuthi kuyini okwenzakeleyo.”

They took therefore two chariots with horses; and the king sent after the host of the Arameans, saying: 'Go and see.'

15 Balandela baze bayafika eJodani, bathola kuyikuthi indlela yonke yayihlakazeke ngezigqoko langempahla ezazilahlwe ngama-Aramu ekubalekeni kwawo. Ngakho zaphenduka izithunywa zafika zabika enkosini.

And they went after them unto the Jordan; and, lo, all the way was full of garments and vessels, which the Arameans had cast away in their haste. And the messengers returned, and told the king.

16 Abantu baphuma bayaphanga okwakusenkambeni yama-Aramu. Ngakho igokoko lefulawa lathengiswa ngeshekeli, amagokoko amabili ebhali athengiswa ngeshekeli, njengokutsho kukaThixo.

And the people went out, and spoiled the camp of the Arameans. So a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD.

17 Inkosi yayibeke isikhulu eyayeyeme engalweni yaso ukuba silondoloze isango. Abantu baphithizela basinyathela esangweni, safa, njengokwakutshiwo ngumuntu kaNkulunkulu ngesikhathi inkosi ize ifike endlini yakhe.

And the king appointed the captain on whose hand he leaned to have the charge of the gate; and the people trod upon him in the gate, and he died as the man of God had said, who spoke when the king came down to him.

18 Kwenzakala njengalokhu umuntu kaNkulunkulu wayetshilo enkosini: “Ngalesi isikhathi kusasa, igokoko lefulawa lizathengiswa ngeshekeli, amagokoko amabili ebhali azathengiswa ngeshekeli esangweni laseSamariya.”

And it came to pass, as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying: 'Two measures of barley for a shekel, and a measure of fine flour for a shekel, shall be to-morrow about this time in the gate of Samaria';

19 Isikhulu senkosi sona sasithe emuntwini kaNkulunkulu, “Khangela, loba uThixo angaze avule amasango empophoma zamazulu bekungenzeka lokhu na?” Umuntu kaNkulunkulu yena wayephendule wathi, “Lokhu uzakubona ngawakho amehlo, kodwa awuyikudla loba yini yakho!”

and that captain answered the man of God, and said: 'Now, behold, if the LORD should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be?' and he said: 'Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof';

20 Yikho kanye okwenzakala kulesisikhulu senkosi, ngoba abantu baphithizela basinyathela esangweni, safa.

it came to pass even so unto him; for the people trod upon him in the gate, and he died.