1 Amakhosi 8

1 Khona uSolomoni wabuthanisa abadala bakoIsrayeli, zonke inhloko zezizwe, iziphathamandla zaboyise babantwana bakoIsrayeli, ukuya enkosini uSolomoni eJerusalema, ukuze benyuse umtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaJehova bewukhupha emzini kaDavida, oyiZiyoni.

Then Solomon assembles the elderly of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, princes of the fathers of the sons of Israel, to King Solomon, to Jerusalem, to bring up the Ark of the Covenant of YHWH from the City of David—it [is] Zion;

2 Wonke amadoda akoIsrayeli asebuthana enkosini uSolomoni emkhosini enyangeni kaEthanimi eyinyanga yesikhombisa.

and all the men of Israel are assembled to King Solomon, in the month of Ethanim, in the festival (the seventh month).

3 Labo bonke abadala bakoIsrayeli beza, abapristi bawuphakamisa umtshokotsho wesivumelwano,

And all [the] elderly of Israel come in, and the priests lift up the Ark,

4 bawenyusa umtshokotsho weNkosi lethente lenhlangano, lazo zonke izitsha ezingcwele ezazisethenteni; abapristi lamaLevi bakwenyusa-ke.

and bring up the Ark of YHWH, and the Tent of Meeting, and all the holy vessels that [are] in the tent, indeed, the priests and the Levites bring them up.

5 Njalo inkosi uSolomoni lenhlangano yonke yakoIsrayeli eyayibuthene babelayo phambi komtshokotsho behlaba izimvu lezinkabi ezingelanani lezingelakubalwa ngobunengi.

And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel who are assembled to him [are] with him before the Ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, that are not counted nor numbered for multitude.

6 Abapristi basebewungenisa umtshokotsho wesivumelwano seNkosi endaweni yawo endaweni yelizwi yendlu, engcweleni yezingcwele, ngaphansi kwempiko zamakherubhi.

And the priests bring in the Ark of the Covenant of YHWH to its place, to the oracle of the house, to the Holy of Holies, to the place of the wings of the cherubim;

7 Ngoba amakherubhi elulela impiko zawo phezu kwendawo yomtshokotsho, amakherubhi embesa umtshokotsho lemijabo yawo, kuvela phezulu.

for the cherubim are spreading forth two wings to the place of the Ark, and the cherubim cover over the Ark, and over its poles from above;

8 Basebeselula imijabo ukuze izihloko zemijabo zibonakale endaweni engcwele phambi kwendawo yelizwi, kodwa yayingabonakali ngaphandle; njalo ikhona lapho kuze kube lamuhla.

and they lengthen the poles, and the heads of the poles are seen from the holy [place] on the front of the oracle, and are not seen outside, and they are there to this day.

9 Kwakungelalutho emtshokotshweni, ngaphandle kwezibhebhe zamatshe ezimbili uMozisi azifaka khona eHorebe mhla iNkosi isenza khona isivumelwano labantwana bakoIsrayeli ekuphumeni kwabo elizweni leGibhithe.

There is nothing in the Ark, only the two tablets of stone which Moses put there in Horeb when YHWH covenanted with the sons of Israel in their going out of the land of Egypt.

10 Kwasekusithi ekuphumeni kwabapristi endaweni engcwele iyezi layigcwalisa indlu yeNkosi;

And it comes to pass, in the going out of the priests from the holy [place], that the cloud has filled the house of YHWH,

11 ngakho abapristi babengelakho ukuma ukuthi bakhonze ngenxa yeyezi, ngoba inkazimulo yeNkosi yayigcwalise indlu yeNkosi.

and the priests have not been able to stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of YHWH has filled the house of YHWH.

12 Ngalesosikhathi uSolomoni wathi: INkosi yathi izahlala emnyameni onzima.

Then Solomon said, “YHWH has said [He is] to dwell in thick darkness;

13 Ngikwakhele lokukwakhela indlu, indawo yokuhlala, indawo emisiweyo yokuhlala kwakho laphakade.

I have surely built a house of habitation for You; a fixed place for Your abiding for all ages.”

14 Inkosi yasitshibilikisa ubuso bayo, yalibusisa ibandla lonke lakoIsrayeli; lebandla lonke lakoIsrayeli lalimi.

And the king turns his face around, and blesses the whole assembly of Israel; and all the assembly of Israel is standing.

15 Yasisithi: Kayibusiswe iNkosi, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, eyakhuluma ngomlomo wayo kuDavida ubaba, njalo yagcwalisa ngesandla sayo, isithi:

And he says, “Blessed [is] YHWH, God of Israel, who spoke by His mouth with my father David, and by His hand has fulfilled [it], saying,

16 Kusukela ngosuku engakhupha ngalo abantu bami uIsrayeli elizweni leGibhithe kangikhethanga muzi ezizweni zonke zakoIsrayeli ukwakha indlu, ukuthi ibizo lami libe lapho, kodwa ngakhetha uDavida ukuthi abe phezu kwabantu bami uIsrayeli.

From the day that I brought out My people, even Israel, from Egypt, I have not fixed on a city out of all the tribes of Israel, to build a house for My Name being there; and I fix on David to be over My people Israel.

17 Njalo kwakusenhliziyweni kaDavida ubaba ukwakhela ibizo leNkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli indlu.

And it is with the heart of my father David to build a house for the Name of YHWH, God of Israel,

18 Kodwa iNkosi yathi kuDavida ubaba: Njengoba kwakusenhliziyweni yakho ukwakhela ibizo lami indlu, wenze kuhle ukuthi kwakusenhliziyweni yakho;

and YHWH says to my father David, Because that it has been with your heart to build a house for My Name, you have done well that it has been with your heart;

19 loba kunjalo kawuyikuyakha indlu wena, kodwa indodana yakho ezaphuma ekhalweni lwakho, yona izalakhela ibizo lami indlu.

only, you do not build the house, but your son who is coming out from your loins, he builds the house for My Name.

20 INkosi isiqinisile ilizwi layo eyalikhulumayo, ngoba ngivukile esikhundleni sikaDavida ubaba, ngihlala esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaIsrayeli njengokuba iNkosi ikhulumile, sengilakhele ibizo leNkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli indlu.

And YHWH establishes His word which He spoke, and I am risen up instead of my father David, and I sit on the throne of Israel, as YHWH spoke, and build the house for the Name of YHWH, God of Israel,

21 Njalo ngimisile lapho indawo yomtshokotsho, lapho okulesivumelwano seNkosi khona, eyasenza labobaba ekubakhupheni kwayo elizweni leGibhithe.

and I set a place for the Ark there, where the covenant of YHWH [is], which He made with our fathers in His bringing them out from the land of Egypt.”

22 USolomoni wasesima phambi kwelathi leNkosi maqondana lebandla lonke lakoIsrayeli, welulela izandla zakhe emazulwini,

And Solomon stands before the altar of YHWH, in front of all the assembly of Israel, and spreads his hands toward the heavens,

23 wathi: Nkosi, Nkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, kakho unkulunkulu onjengawe emazulwini phezulu lemhlabeni phansi ogcina isivumelwano lomusa ezincekwini zakho ezihamba phambi kwakho ngenhliziyo yazo yonke.

and says, “YHWH, God of Israel, there is not a God like You, in the heavens above and on the earth below, keeping the covenant and the kindness for Your servants, those walking before You with all their heart,

24 Ogcinele inceku yakho uDavida ubaba lokho owakutsho kuye; njalo wakhuluma ngomlomo wakho, wakugcwalisa ngesandla sakho, njengalamuhla.

which You have kept for Your servant, my father David, that which You spoke to him; indeed, You speak with Your mouth, and with Your hand have fulfilled [it], as [at] this day.

25 Ngakho-ke, Nkosi, Nkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, gcinela inceku yakho uDavida ubaba owakukhuluma kuye, usithi: Kakuyikusweleka muntu kuwe phambi kwami ozahlala esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaIsrayeli, kuphela uba amadodana akho egcina indlela yawo ukuhamba phambi kwami njengoba uhambile phambi kwami.

And now, YHWH, God of Israel, keep for Your servant, my father David, that which You spoke to him, saying, A man of yours is never cut off from before My face, sitting on the throne of Israel—only, if your sons watch their way, to walk before Me as you have walked before Me.

26 Khathesi-ke, Nkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, ake liqiniseke ilizwi lakho owalikhuluma encekwini yakho uDavida ubaba.

And now, O God of Israel, please let Your word be established which You have spoken to Your servant, my father David.

27 Kodwa isibili uNkulunkulu uzahlala yini emhlabeni? Khangela, amazulu, lamazulu amazulu angekwanele; incinyane kangakanani-ke lindlu engiyakhileyo?

But is it true [that] God dwells on the earth? Behold, the heavens and the heavens of the heavens cannot contain You, how much less this house which I have built!

28 Kube kanti phendukela emkhulekweni wenceku yakho lekuncengeni kwayo, Nkosi Nkulunkulu wami, ukuze uzwe ukukhala lomkhuleko inceku yakho ewukhulekayo phambi kwakho lamuhla.

Then You have turned to the prayer of Your servant, and to his supplication, O YHWH my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which Your servant is praying before You today,

29 Ukuthi amehlo akho avulekele lindlu ebusuku lemini, indawo owatsho ngayo ukuthi: Ibizo lami lizakuba lapho; ukuze uzwe umkhuleko wenceku yakho ezawukhuleka kulindawo.

for Your eyes being open toward this house night and day, toward the place of which You have said, My Name is there; to listen to the prayer which Your servant prays toward this place.

30 Zwana-ke ukuncenga kwenceku yakho lokwabantu bakho uIsrayeli lapho bezakhuleka kulindawo; yebo, uzwe wena, usendaweni yakho yokuhlala emazulwini; lapho usizwa, uthethelele.

Then You have listened to the supplication of Your servant, and of Your people Israel, which they pray toward this place; indeed, You listen in the place of Your dwelling, in the heavens—and You have listened, and have forgiven,

31 Uba loba nguwuphi umuntu one umakhelwane wakhe, abeke phezu kwakhe isifungo, amenze afunge, lesifungo size phambi kwelathi lakho kulindlu,

that which a man sins against his neighbor, and he has lifted up an oath on him to cause him to swear, and the oath has come in before Your altar in this house,

32 zwana-ke wena usemazulwini, wenze wahlulele inceku zakho, ulahle omubi, ukunikela indlela yakhe ekhanda lakhe, ukulungisisa olungileyo, ukumnika njengokulunga kwakhe.

then You hear in the heavens, and have done, and have judged Your servants, to declare wicked the wicked, to put his way on his [own] head, and to declare righteous the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.

33 Lapho abantu bakho uIsrayeli betshaywe phambi kwesitha ngoba bonile kuwe, babesebephendukela kuwe, balivume ibizo lakho, bakhuleke bancenge kuwe kulindlu,

In Your people Israel being struck before an enemy, because they sin against You, and they have turned back to You, and have confessed Your Name, and prayed, and made supplication to You in this house,

34 zwana-ke wena usemazulwini, uthethelele isono sabantu bakho uIsrayeli, ubabuyisele elizweni owalinika oyise.

then you hear in the heavens, and have forgiven the sin of Your people Israel, and brought them back to the ground that You gave to their fathers.

35 Lapho amazulu evaliwe, kungelazulu ngoba bonile kuwe, uba bekhuleka kulindawo belivuma ibizo lakho, baphenduke esonweni sabo lapho ubahluphile,

In the heavens being restrained, and there is no rain, because they sin against You, and they have prayed toward this place, and confessed Your Name, and turn back from their sin, for You afflict them,

36 zwana-ke wena usemazulwini, uthethelele isono senceku zakho lesabantu bakho uIsrayeli, lapho usubafundisile indlela elungileyo abangahamba ngayo, unike izulu elizweni lakho owalinika abantu bakho libe yilifa.

then You hear in the heavens, and have forgiven the sin of Your servants, and of Your people Israel, for You direct them [to] the good way in which they go, and have given rain on Your land which You have given to Your people for inheritance.

37 Uba kukhona indlala elizweni, uba kukhona umatshayabhuqe wesifo, ukutshisa, ingumane, isikhonyane, uba kulemihogoyi; uba isitha sabo sibavimbezele elizweni lemizi yabo, loba yiyiphi inhlupheko, loba yiwuphi umkhuhlane,

Famine—when it is in the land; pestilence—when it is [in the land]; blasting, mildew, locust; caterpillar—when it is [in the land]; when its enemy has distressed it in the land [in] its gates, any plague, any sickness—

38 wonke umkhuleko, konke ukuncenga, okwenziwa yiloba nguwuphi umuntu, ngabantu bakho bonke bakoIsrayeli, abazakwazi ngulowo inhlupheko yenhliziyo yakhe, eselula izandla zakhe kulindlu,

any prayer, any supplication that [is] of any man of all Your people Israel, each who knows the plague of his own heart, and has spread his hands toward this house,

39 zwana-ke wena usemazulwini, indawo yakho yokuhlala emisiweyo, uthethelele, wenze, unike ngulowo njengezindlela zakhe zonke, onhliziyo yakhe uyayazi, ngoba nguwe wedwa owaziyo inhliziyo yabo bonke abantwana babantu,

then You hear in the heavens, the settled place of Your dwelling, and have forgiven, and have done, and have given to each according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You have known—You alone—the heart of all the sons of man),

40 ukuze bakwesabe zonke izinsuku abaziphila ebusweni belizwe owalinika obaba.

so that they fear You all the days that they are living on the face of the ground that You have given to our fathers.

41 Futhi-ke mayelana lowezizweni ongesuye wabantu bakho uIsrayeli kodwa evela elizweni elikhatshana ngenxa yebizo lakho,

And also, to the stranger who is not of Your people Israel, and has come from a far-off land for Your Name’s sake—

42 (ngoba bazakuzwa ngebizo lakho elikhulu langesandla sakho esilamandla langengalo yakho eyeluliweyo) uba esiza akhuleke kulindlu,

for they hear of Your great Name, and of Your strong hand, and of Your outstretched arm—and he has come in and prayed toward this house,

43 zwana wena usemazulwini, indawo yakho yokuhlala emisiweyo, wenze njengakho konke owezizweni akubizela khona, ukuze izizwe zonke zomhlaba zazi ibizo lakho, zikwesabe, njengabantu bakho uIsrayeli, ukuze zazi ukuthi ibizo lakho libiziwe phezu kwale indlu engiyakhileyo.

You hear in the heavens, the settled place of Your dwelling, and have done according to all that the stranger calls to You for, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know Your Name, to fear You like Your people Israel, and to know that Your Name has been called on this house which I have built.

44 Uba abantu bakho bephuma impi bemelene lesitha sabo ngendlela obathuma ngayo, babesebekhuleka eNkosini bekhangele emzini owukhethileyo lendlini engiyakhele ibizo lakho,

When Your people go out to battle against its enemy, in the way that You send them, and they have prayed to YHWH [in] the way of the city which you have fixed on, and of the house which I have built for Your Name,

45 zwana-ke usemazulwini umkhuleko wabo lokuncenga kwabo, wenze udaba lwabo.

then You have heard their prayer and their supplication in the heavens, and have maintained their cause.

46 Uba besona kuwe, ngoba kakulamuntu ongoniyo, ubusubathukuthelela, ubanikele esitheni, ukuze abathumbi babo babathumbele elizweni lesitha, khatshana kumbe eduze,

When they sin against You (for there is not a man who does not sin), and You have been angry with them, and have given them up before an enemy, and they have taken captive their captivity to the land of the enemy far off or near;

47 kodwa babuye enhliziyweni yabo elizweni abathunjelwe kilo, baphenduke, bancenge kuwe elizweni lababathumbileyo, besithi: Sonile, saphambeka, senza okubi;

and they have turned [it] back to their heart in the land to where they have been taken captive, and have turned back, and made supplication to You in the land of their captors, saying, We have sinned and done perversely—we have done wickedly;

48 babuyele kuwe ngenhliziyo yonke yabo langomphefumulo wonke wabo elizweni lezitha zabo ezibathumbileyo, bakhuleke kuwe bekhangele elizweni labo owalinika oyise, umuzi owawukhethayo, lendlu engiyakhele ibizo lakho,

indeed, they have turned back to You with all their heart and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies who have taken them captive, and have prayed to You [in] the way of their land, which You gave to their fathers, the city which You have chosen, and the house which I have built for Your Name:

49 zwana-ke usemazulwini umkhuleko wabo lokuncenga kwabo, endaweni yakho yokuhlala, ubamele.

then You have heard in the heavens, the settled place of Your dwelling, their prayer and their supplication, and have maintained their cause,

50 Uthethelele abantu bakho abone kuwe, leziphambeko zabo zonke, abaphambeke ngazo kuwe, ubaphe isihawu phambi kwababathumbileyo, ukuthi babe lesihawu kibo,

and have forgiven Your people who have sinned against You, even all their transgressions which they have transgressed against You, and have given them mercies before their captors, and they have had mercy [on] them—

51 ngoba bayisizwe sakho, lelifa lakho owabakhupha eGibhithe, phakathi kwesithando sensimbi.

for they [are] Your people and Your inheritance, whom You brought out of Egypt, out of the midst of the furnace of iron—

52 Ukuze amehlo akho avulekele ukuncenga kwenceku yakho lokuncenga kwabantu bakho uIsrayeli, ukubezwa kukho konke ukukhala kwabo kuwe.

for Your eyes being open to the supplication of Your servant, and to the supplication of Your people Israel, to listen to them in all they call to You for;

53 Ngoba wena wazehlukanisela bona babe yilifa bevela kuzo zonke izizwe zomhlaba, njengokukhuluma kwakho ngesandla sikaMozisi, inceku yakho, ekukhupheni kwakho obaba eGibhithe, Nkosi Jehova.

for You have separated them to Yourself for an inheritance, out of all the peoples of the earth, as You spoke by the hand of Your servant Moses, in Your bringing out our fathers from Egypt, O Lord YHWH.”

54 Kwasekusithi eseqedile uSolomoni ukukhuleka wonke lo umkhuleko lokuncenga eNkosini, wasukuma esuka ngaphambi kwelathi leNkosi ekuguqeni ngamadolo akhe lezandla zakhe zelulekele emazulwini,

And it comes to pass, at Solomon’s finishing to pray to YHWH all this prayer and supplication, he has risen from before the altar of YHWH, from bending on his knees and [having] his hands spread out to the heavens,

55 wasesima wabusisa ibandla lonke lakoIsrayeli ngelizwi elikhulu esithi:

and he stands and blesses all the assembly of Israel [with] a loud voice, saying,

56 Kayibusiswe iNkosi enike abantu bayo uIsrayeli ukuphumula njengakho konke eyakukhulumayo; kakuwanga lelilodwa ilizwi kuwo wonke amazwi ayo eyawakhuluma ngesandla sikaMozisi inceku yayo.

“Blessed [is] YHWH who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He has spoken; not [even] one word has fallen of all His good word, which He spoke by the hand of His servant Moses.

57 INkosi uNkulunkulu wethu kayibe lathi njengalokhu yayilabobaba, ingasitshiyi ingasideli,

Our God YHWH is with us as He has been with our fathers; He does not forsake us nor leave us;

58 ukuze ithobele inhliziyo yethu kuyo, ukuhamba ngazo zonke indlela zayo, lokugcina imilayo yayo lezimiso zayo lezahlulelo zayo, eyakulaya obaba.

to incline our heart to Himself, to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commands, and His statutes, and His judgments, which He commanded our fathers;

59 Lala amazwi ami, engincenga ngawo phambi kweNkosi, abe seduzane leNkosi uNkulunkulu wethu emini lebusuku, ukuze imele udaba lwenceku yayo lodaba lwabantu bayo uIsrayeli, udaba losuku ngosuku lwalo,

and these, my words, with which I have made supplication before YHWH, are near to our God YHWH by day and by night, to maintain the cause of His servant, and the cause of His people Israel, the matter of a day in its day,

60 ukuze izizwe zonke zomhlaba zazi ukuthi iNkosi inguNkulunkulu, kakho omunye.

that all the peoples of the earth may know that He, YHWH, [is] God; there is none else;

61 Ngakho inhliziyo yenu kayibe ngepheleleyo kuJehova uNkulunkulu wethu, ukuhamba ezimisweni zayo, lokugcina imilayo yayo njengalamuhla.

and your heart has been perfect with our God YHWH, to walk in His statutes, and to keep His commands, as [at] this day.”

62 Inkosi loIsrayeli wonke elayo basebehlaba umhlatshelo phambi kukaJehova.

And the king and all Israel with him are sacrificing a sacrifice before YHWH;

63 USolomoni wasehlaba umhlatshelo weminikelo yokuthula awuhlabela uJehova, inkabi ezizinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili lambili, lezimvu ezizinkulungwane ezilikhulu lamatshumi amabili. Ngokunjalo inkosi labo bonke abantwana bakoIsrayeli bayehlukanisa indlu kaJehova.

and Solomon sacrifices the sacrifice of peace-offerings, which he has sacrificed to YHWH: twenty-two thousand oxen and one hundred and twenty thousand sheep; and the king and all the sons of Israel dedicate the house of YHWH.

64 Ngalona lolosuku inkosi yangcwelisa iphakathi leguma elalingaphambi kwendlu kaJehova, ngoba lapho yanikela umnikelo wokutshiswa lomnikelo wokudla, lamahwahwa eminikelo yokuthula, ngoba ilathi lethusi elaliphambi kukaJehova lalilincinyane kakhulu ukwanela umnikelo wokutshiswa lomnikelo wokudla lamahwahwa eminikelo yokuthula.

On that day the king has sanctified the middle of the court that [is] before the house of YHWH, for he has made the burnt-offering, and the present, and the fat of the peace-offerings there; for the altar of bronze that [is] before YHWH [is] too small to contain the burnt-offering, and the present, and the fat of the peace-offerings.

65 Ngalesosikhathi uSolomoni wasesenza idili, loIsrayeli wonke laye, ibandla elikhulu, kusukela ekungeneni kweHamathi kusiya esifuleni seGibhithe, phambi kweNkosi uNkulunkulu wethu, insuku eziyisikhombisa lensuku eziyisikhombisa, insuku ezilitshumi lane.

And Solomon makes, at that time, the festival—and all Israel with him, a great assembly from the entering in of Hamath to the Brook of Egypt—before our God YHWH, [for] seven days and seven [more] days—fourteen days.

66 Ngosuku lwesificaminwembili wabayekela abantu bahamba; bayibusisa inkosi, baya emathenteni abo bethokoza bejabula enhliziyweni ngakho konke okuhle iNkosi eyayikwenzele uDavida inceku yayo loIsrayeli abantu bayo.

On the eighth day he has sent the people away, and they bless the king, and go to their tents, rejoicing and glad of heart for all the good that YHWH has done to His servant David, and to His people Israel.