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 the reign of Ezekias, [that] Sennacherim, king of the Assyrians, came up against the strong cities of Judea, 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 the Assyrians sent Rabsaces out of Laches to Jerusalem to king Ezekias with a large force: and he stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the way of the fuller's field.
3 u-Eliyakhimu indodana kaHilikhiya umgcini wesigodlo, loShebhina umabhalane kanye loJowa indodana ka-Asafi umbhali, baya kuye.
And there went forth to him Heliakim the steward, the [son] of Chelcias, and Somnas the scribe, and Joach the [son] of Asaph, the recorder.
4 Umlawuli webutho wathi kubo, “Tshelani uHezekhiya ukuthi, ‘Nanku okutshiwo yinkosi enkulu, inkosi yase-Asiriya ithi: Uthembeni ngalesisibindi sakho na?
And Rabsaces said to them, Say to Ezekias, Thus says the great king, the king of the Assyrians, Why are you secure?
5 Uthi ulamaqhinga lamandla ebutho kodwa ukhuluma amazwi ayize. Uthembe bani uze ungihlamukele nje?
Is war carried on with counsel and [mere] words of the lips? and now on whom do you trust, that you rebel against me?
6 Khangela, ngiyazi uthembe iGibhithe, yona enjengomhlanga ozimvava osika isandla somuntu umlimaze nxa eweyamile. Unjalo uFaro inkosi yaseGibhithe kubo bonke abathembele kuye.
Behold, you trust on this bruised staff of reed, on Egypt: [as soon] as a man leans upon it, it shall go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharao king of Egypt and 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 you say, We trust in the Lord our God;
8 Khathesi woza wenze isivumelwano lenkosi yami, inkosi yase-Asiriya: Ngizakunika amabhiza azinkulungwane ezimbili nxa bekhona abazawagada!
yet now make an agreement with my lord the king of the Assyrians, and I will give you two thousand horses, if you shall be able to set riders upon them.
9 Pho ungayehlula njani induna eyodwa yezikhulu ezincane zenkosi yami, lanxa uthembele eGibhithe ekutholeni izinqola zempi labagadi bamabhiza na?
And how can you [then] turn to the face of the satraps? They that trust on the Egyptians for horse and rider, are [our] servants.
10 Phezu kwalokho, kanti ngizehlasela lokuzochitha ilizwe leli kungatshongo uThixo na? UThixo uqobo nguye othe ngizohlasela ilizwe leli ngilichithe.’”
And now, Have we come up against this land to fight against it without the Lord? The Lord said to 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 Eliakim and Somnas and Joach said to him, Speak to your servants in the Syrian tongue; for we understand [it]: and speak not to us in the Jewish tongue: and therefore speak you in the ears of the men 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?”
And Rabsaces said to them, Has my lord sent me to your lord or to you, to speak these words? [has he] not [sent] me to the men that sit on the wall, that they may eat dung, and drink [their] water together with you?
13 Umlawuli webutho wasukuma wasememeza ngesiHebheru esithi, “Zwanini amazwi enkosi enkulu, inkosi yase-Asiriya!
And Rabsaces stood and cried with a loud voice in the Jewish language, and said, Hear you the words of the great king, the king of the Assyrians:
14 Lokhu yikho okutshiwo yinkosi: Lingamvumeli uHezekhiya ukuba alikhohlise. Angeke alikhulule.
thus says the king, Let not Ezekias deceive you with words: he will 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.’”
And let not Ezekias say to you, That God will deliver you, and this city will not at all be delivered into the hand of the king of the Assyrians.
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,
Listen not to Ezekias: thus says the king of the Assyrians, If you wish to be blessed, come out to me: and you shall eat every one [of] his vine and his fig-trees, and you shall drink water out of your own cisterns:
17 ngize ngifike ngilithathe, ngilise elizweni elifanana lelakini, ilizwe lamabele lewayini elitsha, ilizwe lesinkwa lezivini.
until I come and take you to a land, like your own land, a land of corn and wine, and bread, and vineyards.
18 “Lingavumeli uHezekhiya ukuthi alikhohlise esithi, ‘UThixo uzasikhulula.’ Kulonkulunkulu wesinye isizwe osewake wakhulula ilizwe lakhe esandleni senkosi yase-Asiriya na?
Let not Ezekias deceive you, saying, God will deliver you. Have the gods of the nations delivered each one his own land out of the hand of the king of the Assyrians?
19 Bangaphi onkulunkulu baseHamathi le-Ariphadi na? Bangaphi onkulunkulu baseSefavayimi na? Bayikhululile iSamariya esandleni sami na?
Where is the god of Emath, and Arphath? and where is the god of Eppharuaim? have they been able to deliver 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?”
Which is the god of all these nations, that has delivered his land out of my hand, that God should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?
21 Kodwa abantu bathula kabazange batsho lutho, ngoba inkosi yayilaye yathi, “Lingamphenduli.”
And they were silent, and none answered him a word; because the king had commanded that none should answer.
22 U-Eliyakhimu indodana kaHilikhiya umgcini wesigodlo loShebhina umabhalane loJowa indodana ka-Asafi umbhali, baya kuHezekhiya izigqoko zabo zidabukile bamtshela okwakutshiwo ngumlawuli webutho.
And Heliakim the [son] of Chelcias, the steward, and Somnas the military scribe, and Joach the [son] of Asaph, the recorder, came in to Ezekias, having their garments tore, and they reported to him the words of Rabsaces.
