U-Isaya 36
1 Ngomnyaka wetshumi lane wokubusa kwenkosi uHezekhiya, uSenakheribhi inkosi yase-Asiriya wahlasela wonke amadolobho avikelweyo akoJuda wawathumba.
NOW it came to pass in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, that Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the defenced cities of Judah, and took them.
2 Emva kwalokho inkosi yase-Asiriya yathuma umlawuli wayo lebutho elikhulu lisuka eLakhishi lisiya enkosini uHezekhiya eJerusalema. Kwathi umlawuli webutho esemi emgelweni wechibi elingaphezulu, elisendleleni eya eNsimini yoMgezisi,
And the king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem unto king Hezekiah with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller’s field.
3 u-Eliyakhimu indodana kaHilikhiya umgcini wesigodlo, loShebhina umabhalane kanye loJowa indodana ka-Asafi umbhali, baya kuye.
Then came forth unto him Eliakim, Hilkiah’s son, which was over the house, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, Asaph’s son, the recorder.
4 Umlawuli webutho wathi kubo, “Tshelani uHezekhiya ukuthi, ‘Nanku okutshiwo yinkosi enkulu, inkosi yase-Asiriya ithi: Uthembeni ngalesisibindi sakho na?
And Rabshakeh said unto them, Say ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest?
5 Uthi ulamaqhinga lamandla ebutho kodwa ukhuluma amazwi ayize. Uthembe bani uze ungihlamukele nje?
I say, sayest thou, (but they are but vain words) I have counsel and strength for war: now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?
6 Khangela, ngiyazi uthembe iGibhithe, yona enjengomhlanga ozimvava osika isandla somuntu umlimaze nxa eweyamile. Unjalo uFaro inkosi yaseGibhithe kubo bonke abathembele kuye.
Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him.
7 Njalo nxa lisithi kimi, “Thina sithembe uThixo uNkulunkulu wethu,” kasuye yini uHezekhiya asusa izindawo zakhe eziphakemeyo lama-alithare akhe, esithi kuJuda leJerusalema, “Kumele likhonzele phambi kwaleli i-alithari”?
But if thou say to me, We trust in the Lord our God: is it not he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and said to Judah and to Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar?
8 Khathesi woza wenze isivumelwano lenkosi yami, inkosi yase-Asiriya: Ngizakunika amabhiza azinkulungwane ezimbili nxa bekhona abazawagada!
Now therefore give pledges, I pray thee, to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.
9 Pho ungayehlula njani induna eyodwa yezikhulu ezincane zenkosi yami, lanxa uthembele eGibhithe ekutholeni izinqola zempi labagadi bamabhiza na?
How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master’s servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen?
10 Phezu kwalokho, kanti ngizehlasela lokuzochitha ilizwe leli kungatshongo uThixo na? UThixo uqobo nguye othe ngizohlasela ilizwe leli ngilichithe.’”
And am I now come up without the Lord against this land to destroy it? the Lord said unto me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.
11 Ngakho u-Eliyakhimu loShebhina loJowa bathi kumlawuli webutho, “Ake ukhulume ezincekwini zakho ngesi-Aramayikhi ngoba siyasizwa. Ungasikhulumisi ngesiHebheru lababantu abasemdulini besizwa.”
Then said Eliakim and Shebna and Joah unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray thee, unto thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and speak not to us in the Jews’ language, in the ears of the people that are on the wall.
12 Kodwa umlawuli webutho waphendula esithi, “Inkosi yami ingithume ukuba izinto lezi ngizitsho kuphela enkosini yenu lakini, hatshi ebantwini abahlezi emdulini okuzakuthi labo njengani badle ubulongwe babo banathe lomchamo wabo na?”
But Rabshakeh said, Hath my master sent me to thy master and to thee to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men that sit upon the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?
13 Umlawuli webutho wasukuma wasememeza ngesiHebheru esithi, “Zwanini amazwi enkosi enkulu, inkosi yase-Asiriya!
Then Rabshakeh stood, and cried with a loud voice in the Jews’ language, and said, Hear ye the words of the great king, the king of Assyria.
14 Lokhu yikho okutshiwo yinkosi: Lingamvumeli uHezekhiya ukuba alikhohlise. Angeke alikhulule.
Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you.
15 Lingamvumeli uHezekhiya elincenga ukuba lithembele kuThixo lapho esithi ‘Ngempela uThixo uzasikhulula; idolobho leli kaliyikuphiwa esandleni senkosi yase-Asiriya.’”
Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying, The Lord will surely deliver us: this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.
16 Lingamlaleli uHezekhiya. Nanku okutshiwo yinkosi yase-Asiriya: Yenza isivumelwano sokuthula lami, uphume uze kimi. Lapho-ke omunye lomunye uzakudla esivinini sakhe lasemikhiweni yakhe, anathe lamanzi emthonjeni wakhe,
Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me: and eat ye every one of his vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his own cistern;
17 ngize ngifike ngilithathe, ngilise elizweni elifanana lelakini, ilizwe lamabele lewayini elitsha, ilizwe lesinkwa lezivini.
Until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards.
18 “Lingavumeli uHezekhiya ukuthi alikhohlise esithi, ‘UThixo uzasikhulula.’ Kulonkulunkulu wesinye isizwe osewake wakhulula ilizwe lakhe esandleni senkosi yase-Asiriya na?
Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, The Lord will deliver us. Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
19 Bangaphi onkulunkulu baseHamathi le-Ariphadi na? Bangaphi onkulunkulu baseSefavayimi na? Bayikhululile iSamariya esandleni sami na?
Where are the gods of Hamath and Arphad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?
20 Nguphi kubo bonke onkulunkulu bamazwe la oke wenelisa ukukhulula ilizwe lakhe kimi na? Pho uThixo angayikhulula njani iJerusalema esandleni sami na?”
Who are they among all the gods of these lands, that have delivered their land out of my hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?
21 Kodwa abantu bathula kabazange batsho lutho, ngoba inkosi yayilaye yathi, “Lingamphenduli.”
But they held their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king’s commandment was, saying, Answer him not.
22 U-Eliyakhimu indodana kaHilikhiya umgcini wesigodlo loShebhina umabhalane loJowa indodana ka-Asafi umbhali, baya kuHezekhiya izigqoko zabo zidabukile bamtshela okwakutshiwo ngumlawuli webutho.
Then came Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, that was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the words of Rabshakeh.
