U-Isaya 39

1 Ngalesosikhathi uMerodakhi-Bhaladani indodana kaBhaladani inkosi yaseBhabhiloni, wathumela izincwadi lesipho kuHezekhiya, ngoba wayezwile ngokugula kwakhe lokusila kwakhe.

At that time Merodach Baladan, the son of Baladan king of Babylon, sent letters and presents to Ezechias: for he had heard that he had been sick and was recovered.

2 UHezekhiya wazamukela izithunywa ngokuthaba, wazitshengisa okwakusendlini yakhe yokugcinela impahla, isiliva, igolide, iziyoliso, amafutha acengekileyo, izikhali zakhe zonke, lakho konke okwakukhona enothweni yakhe. Akulalutho esigodlweni sakhe loba embusweni wakhe wonke angazitshengisanga khona.

And Ezechias rejoiced at their coming, and he shewed them the storehouses of his aromatical spices, and of the silver, and of the gold, and of the sweet odours, and of the precious ointment, and all the storehouses of his furniture, and all things that were found in his treasures. There was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion that Ezechias shewed them not.

3 Ngakho u-Isaya umphrofethi waya kuHezekhiya inkosi wambuza wathi, “Atheni amadoda lawana, njalo avela ngaphi?” UHezekhiya waphendula wathi, “Avela elizweni elikhatshana. Aze kimi evela eBhabhiloni.”

Then Isaias the prophet came to king Ezechias, and said to him: What said these men, and from whence came they to thee? And Ezechias said: From a far country they came to me, from Babylon.

4 Umphrofethi wabuza wathi, “Aboneni esigodlweni sakho?” UHezekhiya wathi, “Abone konke okusesigodlweni sami. Akulalutho phakathi kwempahla zami eziligugu engingawatshengisanga khona.”

And he said: What saw they in thy house? And Ezechias said: All things that are in my house have they seen, there was not any thing which I have not shewn them in my treasures.

5 Ngakho u-Isaya wasesithi kuHezekhiya, “Zwana ilizwi likaThixo uSomandla lithi:

And Isaias said to Ezechias: Rear the word of the Lord of hosts.

6 Isikhathi sizafika sibili lapho konke okusesigodlweni sakho lakho konke oyihlo abakugcinayo kusiyafika lolosuku, kuzathwalelwa eBhabhiloni. Akuyikusala lutho, kutsho uThixo.

Behold the days shall come, that all that is in thy house, and that thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be carried away into Babylon: there shall not any thing be left, saith the Lord.

7 Njalo abanye besizukulwane sakho, abenyama legazi lakho, abazazalwa nguwe, bazathathwa bayekuba ngabathenwa esigodlweni senkosi yaseBhabhiloni.”

And of thy children, that shall issue from thee, whom thou shalt beget, they shall take away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.

8 UHezekhiya waphendula wathi, “Ilizwi likaThixo olikhulumileyo lilungile.” Ngoba wayenakana esithi, “Kuzakuba lokuthula lokuvikeleka ekuphileni kwami.”

And Ezechias said to Isaias: The word of the Lord, which he hath spoken, is good. And he said: Only let peace and truth be in my days.