< 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 cometh to pass, when it hath been heard by Sanballat, and Tobiah, and by Geshem the Arabian, and by the rest of our enemies, that I have builded the wall, and there hath not been left in it a breach, (also, till that time the doors I had not set up in the gates, )
2 uSanibhalathi loGeshemi bangithumela lelilizwi: “Woza, kesihlangane komunye wemizi esemagcekeni ase-Ono.” Kodwa babeceba ukungenza kubi;
that Sanballat sendeth, also Geshem, unto me, saying, 'Come and we meet together in the villages, in the valley of Ono;' and they are thinking to do to me evil.
3 yikho ngasengithuma izithunywa kubo lale impendulo: “Ngiphezu komsebenzi omkhulu yikho ngeke ngize. Kungani umsebenzi ufanele ume ngiwutshiyela ukuza kini na?”
And I send unto them messengers, saying, 'A great work I am doing, and I am not able to come down; why doth the work cease when I let it alone, and have come down unto you?'
4 Kwaze kwaba kane bengithumela mbiko munye, lami ngala ngampendulo nye.
and they send unto me, according to this word, four times, and I return them [word] according to this word.
5 Kwathi ngesikhathi sesihlanu, uSanibhalathi wathuma inceku yakhe iphethe lona lelolizwi, ilencwadi esandleni ingavalwanga
And Sanballat sendeth unto me, according to this word, a fifth time, his servant, and 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
it is written in it, 'Among the nations it hath been heard, and Gashmu is saying: Thou and the Jews are thinking to rebel, therefore thou art building the wall, and thou hast been to them for a 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.”
And also, prophets thou hast appointed to call for thee in Jerusalem, saying, A king [is] in Judah, and now it is heard by the king according to these words; and now come, and we take counsel together.'
8 Ngambuyisela impendulo le: “Akulanto enjalo mayelana lalokho othi kuyenzakala; konke kuphume engqondweni yakho.”
And I send unto him, saying, 'It hath not been according to these words that thou art saying, for from thine own heart thou art devising them;'
9 Bonke babezama ukusethusela, bekhumbula besithi, “Izandla zabo zizaphela amandla bangabe besasebenza, yikho umsebenzi kawuyikuphela.” Kodwa ngakhuleka ngathi, “Manje qinisa izandla zami.”
for all of them are making us afraid, saying, 'Their hands are too feeble for the work, and it is not done;' and now, 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.”
And I have entered the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabeel — and he is restrained — and he saith, 'Let us meet at the house of God, at the inside of the temple, and we shut the doors of the temple, for they are coming in to slay thee — yea, by night they are coming in to slay thee.'
11 Kodwa ngathi, “Umuntu onjengami kungamfanela ukubaleka na? Kumbe umuntu onjengami angangena ethempelini ukusiza impilo yakhe na? Kangiyi!”
And I say, 'A man such as I — doth he flee? and who as I, that doth go in unto the temple, and live? — I do not go in.'
12 Ngabona ukuthi wayengathunywanga nguNkulunkulu, kodwa wayenze isiphrofethi sokungilahla ngoba oThobhiya loSanibhalathi babemthengile.
And I discern, and lo, God hath not sent him, for in the prophecy he hath spoken unto me both Tobiah and Sanballat hired him,
13 Wayethengwe ukuthi angethuse ukuze ngenze isono ngokwenza lokhu, ukwenzela ukuthi bangiphe ibizo elibi ngizondakale.
so that he [is] an hireling, that I may fear and do so, and I had sinned, and it had been to them for an evil name that they may reproach me.
14 Bakhumbule oThobhiya loSanibhalathi, Oh Nkulunkulu wami, ngenxa yalokho asebekwenzile; mkhumbule njalo umphrofethikazi uNowadiya labo bonke labobaphrofethi abebekade bezama ukungethusa.
Be mindful, O my God, of Tobiah, and of Sanballat, according to these his works, and also, of Noadiah the prophetess, and of the rest of the prophets who have been making me afraid.
15 Ngakho umduli waphela ngosuku lwamatshumi amabili ku-Eluli, ngemva kwensuku ezingamatshumi amahlanu lambili.
And the wall is completed in the twenty and fifth of Elul, on the fifty and second day;
16 Izitha zethu zonke sezikuzwile lokho, zonke izizwe eziseduze zesaba zalahla ithemba, ngoba zananzelela ukuthi umsebenzi lo wenziwa uxhaswe nguNkulunkulu.
and it cometh to pass, when all our enemies have heard, and all the nations who are round about us see, that they fall greatly in their own eyes, and know that by our God hath this work been done.
17 Njalo, ngalezonsuku izikhulu zakoJuda zazithumezela izincwadi ezinengi kuThobhiya, lezimpendulo zikaThobhiya zabe zilokhu zifika kuzo.
Also, in those days the freemen of Judah are multiplying their letters going unto Tobiah, and those of Tobiah are coming in 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 are sworn to him, for he [is] son-in-law to Shechaniah son of Arah, and Jehohanan his son hath 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.
also, his good deeds they have been saying before me, and my words they have been taking out to him; letters hath Tobiah sent to make me afraid.