2 Imilando 10
1 URehobhowamu wasesiya eShekema ngoba uIsrayeli wonke wayeze eShekema ukumbeka abe yinkosi.
Now Rehoboam set out for Shechem. For in that place all of Israel had convened, so that they might appoint him as king.
2 Kwasekusithi uJerobhowamu indodana kaNebati esizwa, owayeseGibhithe lapho ayebalekele khona ubuso bukaSolomoni inkosi, uJerobhowamu wabuya evela eGibhithe.
But when Jeroboam, the son of Nabat, who was in Egypt, (indeed he had fled to that place from Solomon) had heard it, he promptly returned.
3 Basebethumela bambiza; uJerobhowamu loIsrayeli wonke basebesiza, bakhuluma kuRehobhowamu besithi:
And they summoned him, and he arrived with all of Israel. And they spoke to Rehoboam, saying:
4 Uyihlo wenza ijogwe lethu laba lukhuni; ngakho-ke yenza ube lulanyana umsebenzi kayihlo olukhuni, lejogwe lakhe elinzima abesithwalise lona, njalo sizakukhonza.
“Your father pressed upon us a very difficult yoke. You should govern us more lightly than your father, who imposed on us a heavy servitude, and so lift up some of the burden, so that we may serve you.”
5 Wasesithi kibo: Buyani kimi emva kwensuku ezintathu. Abantu basebehamba.
But he said, “Return to me after three days.” And when the people had gone away,
6 Inkosi uRehobhowamu yasicebisana labadala ababesima phambi kukaSolomoni uyise esaphila, isithi: Licebisa ukubuyisela mpendulo bani kulababantu?
he took counsel with the elders, who had stood before his father Solomon while he was still living, saying, “What counsel would you give to me, so that I may respond to the people?”
7 Basebekhuluma kuye besithi: Uba uzalunga kulababantu, ubathokozise, ukhulume kibo amazwi amahle, bazakuba zinceku zakho insuku zonke.
And they said to him, “If you please this people, and if you soothe them with words of clemency, they will be your servants for all days.”
8 Kodwa wadela iseluleko sabadala abamcebisa ngaso, wacebisana lamajaha ayeyintanga yakhe, ayesima phambi kwakhe.
But he set aside the counsel of the elders, and he began to have discussion with the youth, who had been raised with him and who were among his companions.
9 Wasesithi kuwo: Licebisa ukuthi sibuyisele mpendulo bani kulababantu, abakhulume kimi besithi: Yenza libe lulanyana ijogwe uyihlo alibeka phezu kwethu?
And he said to them: “How does it seem to you? Or how should I respond to this people, who have said to me, ‘Lift up the yoke that your father imposed upon us?’”
10 Amajaha ayeyintanga yakhe asekhuluma laye esithi: Uzakutsho njalo ebantwini abakhuluma kuwe besithi: Uyihlo wenza ijogwe lethu laba nzima, kodwa wena lenze libe lulanyana kithi; uzakutsho njalo kubo: Ucikilicane wami uqatha kulokhalo lukababa.
But they responded like youths, having been raised with him in luxury, and they said: “So shall you speak to the people, who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy; you should lighten it,’ and so shall you respond to them: ‘My little finger is thicker than the back of my father.
11 Ngakho-ke ubaba walethwesa ijogwe elinzima, kodwa mina ngizakwengezelela ejogweni lenu. Ubaba walijezisa ngeziswepu, kodwa mina ngabofezela.
My father imposed a heavy yoke upon you, and I will place more weight upon it. My father cut you with whips; truly, I will beat you with scorpions.’”
12 Ngakho uJerobhowamu labo bonke abantu beza kuRehobhowamu ngosuku lwesithathu njengokutsho kwenkosi isithi: Libuye kimi futhi ngosuku lwesithathu.
Then Jeroboam, and the entire people, went to Rehoboam on the third day, just as he had instructed them.
13 Inkosi yasibaphendula kalukhuni; inkosi uRehobhowamu yasidela iseluleko sabadala,
And the king responded harshly, abandoning the counsel of the elders.
14 yakhuluma kubo njengeseluleko samajaha isithi: Ubaba wenza ijogwe lenu laba nzima, kodwa mina ngizakwengezelela kulo; ubaba walijezisa ngeziswepu, kodwa mina ngabofezela.
And he spoke according to the will of the youths: “My father imposed a heavy yoke upon you, which I will make heavier. My father cut you with whips; truly, I will beat you with scorpions.”
15 Ngokunjalo inkosi kayibalalelanga abantu; ngoba inguquko yayivela kuNkulunkulu ukuze iNkosi iqinise ilizwi layo eyayilikhulume ngesandla sikaAhiya umShilo kuJerobhowamu indodana kaNebati.
And he did not acquiesce to the pleadings of the people. For it was the will of God that his word be fulfilled, which he had spoken by the hand of Ahijah, the Shilonite, to Jeroboam, the son of Nabat.
16 Lapho uIsrayeli wonke ebona ukuthi inkosi kayibalalelanga, abantu bayiphendula inkosi besithi: Silesabelo bani kuDavida? Njalo kasilalifa endodaneni kaJese. Ngulowo emathenteni akho, Israyeli; khathesi, zibonele indlu yakho, Davida. Ngakho uIsrayeli wonke waya emathenteni akhe.
Then the entire people, speaking more harshly to the king, spoke to him in this way: “There is no portion for us in David, and there is no inheritance in the son of Jesse. Return to your dwellings, O Israel. Then you, O David, shall pasture your own house.” And Israel went away to their dwellings.
17 Kodwa abantwana bakoIsrayeli ababehlala emizini yakoJuda, uRehobhowamu wabusa phezu kwabo.
But Rehoboam reigned over the sons of Israel who were living in the cities of Judah.
18 Inkosi uRehobhowamu yasithuma uAdoramu owayengumphathi wezibhalwa; abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebemkhanda ngamatshe, wasesifa. Inkosi uRehobhowamu yaphangisa ukukhwela enqoleni ukubalekela eJerusalema.
And king Rehoboam sent Aduram, who was in charge of the tributes. And the sons of Israel stoned him, and he died. And so king Rehoboam hurried to climb into the chariot, and he fled to Jerusalem.
19 Ngalokho uIsrayeli wayihlamuka indlu kaDavida kuze kube lamuhla.
And Israel withdrew from the house of David, even to this day.
