UNehemiya 6
1 Kwathi ukuba ilizwi lifike kuSanibhalathi, loThobhiya, loGeshemi umʼArabhu lakuzo zonke izitha zethu ukuthi ngasengiwakhile kutsha umduli kungasasalanga sikhala kuwo loba nje ngalesosikhathi ngangingakafaki izivalo emasangweni,
And it came to pass, when it was reported to Sanballat and Tobiah and to Geshem the Arabian and to the rest of our enemies, that I had built the wall, and there was left therein no breach, —though, up to that time, the doors, had I not set up in the gates,
2 uSanibhalathi loGeshemi bangithumela lelilizwi: “Woza, kesihlangane komunye wemizi esemagcekeni ase-Ono.” Kodwa babeceba ukungenza kubi;
that Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come! and let us meet together in the villages, in the valley of Ono, —But, they, were plotting to do me harm.
3 yikho ngasengithuma izithunywa kubo lale impendulo: “Ngiphezu komsebenzi omkhulu yikho ngeke ngize. Kungani umsebenzi ufanele ume ngiwutshiyela ukuza kini na?”
So I sent unto them messengers, saying, A great work, am, I, doing, and cannot come down, —wherefore should the work cease whilst I leave it, and come down unto you?
4 Kwaze kwaba kane bengithumela mbiko munye, lami ngala ngampendulo nye.
Yet they sent unto me, according to this message, four times, —and I replied to them according to this answer.
5 Kwathi ngesikhathi sesihlanu, uSanibhalathi wathuma inceku yakhe iphethe lona lelolizwi, ilencwadi esandleni ingavalwanga
Then Sanballat sent unto me, according to this message, a fifth time, by his young man, —with an open letter, in his hand:
6 ilotshwe ukuthi: “Kubikwa phakathi kwezizwe loGeshemi uthi kuliqiniso ukuthi wena lamaJuda liceba ukuhlamuka, ngakho lakha umduli. Njalo, imbiko le ithi wena usufuna ukuba yinkosi yawo
wherein was written—Among the nations, it is reported, and, Gashmu, saith it, that, thou and the Jews, are plotting to rebel, for which cause, thou art building the wall, —and, thou, art to become their king, according to these words.
7 futhi usuze wabeka abaphrofethi ukuthi benze lesisimemezelo ngawe eJerusalema esithi: ‘Sekulenkosi koJuda!’ Umbiko lo ungahle uyofika enkosini; yikho woza sibonisane.”
Moreover also, prophets, hast thou set up to make proclamation concerning thee in Jerusalem, saying, He hath become king in Judah! Now, therefore, will it he reported to the king, according to these words. Now, therefore, come, and let us take counsel together.
8 Ngambuyisela impendulo le: “Akulanto enjalo mayelana lalokho othi kuyenzakala; konke kuphume engqondweni yakho.”
Then sent I unto him, saying, Nothing hath been done, according to these words, which thou art saying, —but, out of thine own heart, art thou feigning them.
9 Bonke babezama ukusethusela, bekhumbula besithi, “Izandla zabo zizaphela amandla bangabe besasebenza, yikho umsebenzi kawuyikuphela.” Kodwa ngakhuleka ngathi, “Manje qinisa izandla zami.”
For, they all, were seeking to put us in fear, saying, Their hands will slacken from the work, and it will not be accomplished. Now, therefore, strengthen thou my hands!
10 Ngelinye ilanga ngaya endlini kaShemaya indodana kaDelaya, indodana kaMehethabheli, owayezivalele endlini yakhe. Wathi, “Kasihlangane endlini kaNkulunkulu, phakathi kwethempeli, sivale iminyango yethempeli, ngoba kulamadoda abuyayo ebusuku ukuzokubulala.”
When, I, came into the house of Shemaiah, son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, he, being shut in, he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, in the midst of the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to slay thee, yea, by night, are they coming to slay thee.
11 Kodwa ngathi, “Umuntu onjengami kungamfanela ukubaleka na? Kumbe umuntu onjengami angangena ethempelini ukusiza impilo yakhe na? Kangiyi!”
Then said I, Should, such a man as I, flee? Who then, being such as I, would enter the temple to save his life? I will not enter.
12 Ngabona ukuthi wayengathunywanga nguNkulunkulu, kodwa wayenze isiphrofethi sokungilahla ngoba oThobhiya loSanibhalathi babemthengile.
Then perceived I, that lo! it was, not God, who had sent him, —though, a prophecy, he had spoken concerning me, but, Tobiah and Sanballat, had hired him:
13 Wayethengwe ukuthi angethuse ukuze ngenze isono ngokwenza lokhu, ukwenzela ukuthi bangiphe ibizo elibi ngizondakale.
to this end, hired, he was, to the end that I might be afraid and do so, and might sin, —and it might serve them for an evil report, to the end they might bring reproach upon me.
14 Bakhumbule oThobhiya loSanibhalathi, Oh Nkulunkulu wami, ngenxa yalokho asebekwenzile; mkhumbule njalo umphrofethikazi uNowadiya labo bonke labobaphrofethi abebekade bezama ukungethusa.
Have remembrance, O my God, of Tobiah and of Sanballat, according to these their doings, —moreover also, of Noadiah the prophetess, and of the rest of the prophets, who would have put me in fear.
15 Ngakho umduli waphela ngosuku lwamatshumi amabili ku-Eluli, ngemva kwensuku ezingamatshumi amahlanu lambili.
So the wall was finished, on the twenty-fifth of Elul, —in fifty-two days.
16 Izitha zethu zonke sezikuzwile lokho, zonke izizwe eziseduze zesaba zalahla ithemba, ngoba zananzelela ukuthi umsebenzi lo wenziwa uxhaswe nguNkulunkulu.
And it came to pass, when all our enemies heard, and all the nations that were round about us saw, that they fell greatly in their own eyes, and took knowledge that, from God, had this work been wrought.
17 Njalo, ngalezonsuku izikhulu zakoJuda zazithumezela izincwadi ezinengi kuThobhiya, lezimpendulo zikaThobhiya zabe zilokhu zifika kuzo.
Moreover, in those days, were the nobles of Judah busy with their letters which were going unto Tobiah, —and those of Tobiah were coming unto them;
18 Phela abanengi koJuda babebambelele kuye ngesifungo, ngoba wayengumkhwenyana kaShekhaniya indodana ka-Ara, futhi indodana yakhe uJehohanani yayithethe indodakazi kaMeshulami indodana kaBherekhiya.
for, many in Judah, had taken an oath to him, because he was in marriage affinity with Shecaniah son of Arah, —and, Jehohanan his son, had taken the daughter of Meshullam, son of Berechiah.
19 Ikanti njalo babelokhu behlezi bengibikela ngezenzo zakhe ezinhle, basuke bayemtshela ukuthi ngitheni. Njalo uThobhiya wathumezela izincwadi ukungethusela.
Moreover, his good deeds, were they telling before me, and, my affairs, were they carrying out to him, —letters, did Tobiah send to put me in fear.
