2 Imilando 10
1 URehobhowamu wasesiya eShekema ngoba uIsrayeli wonke wayeze eShekema ukumbeka abe yinkosi.
All the people of Israel went to Shechem [city] in order to appoint Rehoboam to be their king. So Rehoboam also went there.
2 Kwasekusithi uJerobhowamu indodana kaNebati esizwa, owayeseGibhithe lapho ayebalekele khona ubuso bukaSolomoni inkosi, uJerobhowamu wabuya evela eGibhithe.
Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, had fled to Egypt [to escape] from King Solomon. But when he heard [about the people wanting to appoint Rehoboam to be their king], he returned [to Israel] from Egypt
3 Basebethumela bambiza; uJerobhowamu loIsrayeli wonke basebesiza, bakhuluma kuRehobhowamu besithi:
So the [leaders of the northern tribes] summoned him, and he went with them [to talk] to Rehoboam. They said to Rehoboam,
4 Uyihlo wenza ijogwe lethu laba lukhuni; ngakho-ke yenza ube lulanyana umsebenzi kayihlo olukhuni, lejogwe lakhe elinzima abesithwalise lona, njalo sizakukhonza.
“Your father [Solomon] forced us to work very hard for him. If you do not force us to work that hard, and if you charge us less taxes than we were paying to him, we will serve you [faithfully].”
5 Wasesithi kibo: Buyani kimi emva kwensuku ezintathu. Abantu basebehamba.
He replied, “Come back three days from now [and I will give you my answer].” So those leaders [and Jeroboam] left.
6 Inkosi uRehobhowamu yasicebisana labadala ababesima phambi kukaSolomoni uyise esaphila, isithi: Licebisa ukubuyisela mpendulo bani kulababantu?
Then King Rehoboam consulted his older men who had advised his father Solomon while he was still alive. He asked them, “What shall I say to answer these men?”
7 Basebekhuluma kuye besithi: Uba uzalunga kulababantu, ubathokozise, ukhulume kibo amazwi amahle, bazakuba zinceku zakho insuku zonke.
They replied, “If you will be kind to these people and do things that will please them, and if you say kind things to them when you answer them, they will always serve you.”
8 Kodwa wadela iseluleko sabadala abamcebisa ngaso, wacebisana lamajaha ayeyintanga yakhe, ayesima phambi kwakhe.
But he ignored what the older men advised him to do. Instead, he consulted the younger men who had grown up with him, who were now his advisors.
9 Wasesithi kuwo: Licebisa ukuthi sibuyisele mpendulo bani kulababantu, abakhulume kimi besithi: Yenza libe lulanyana ijogwe uyihlo alibeka phezu kwethu?
He said to them, “How should I answer the men who are asking me to reduce the [work and taxes] that my father required from them?”
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.
The young men who had grown up with him replied, “[Those men] have said that your father forced them to work very hard for him, so they want you to reduce the [work and taxes] that your father required from them. But this is what you should tell them: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist.
11 Ngakho-ke ubaba walethwesa ijogwe elinzima, kodwa mina ngizakwengezelela ejogweni lenu. Ubaba walijezisa ngeziswepu, kodwa mina ngabofezela.
What I mean is that my father required you to [work hard and pay high taxes]. But I will make those loads heavier. [It was as though] my father whipped you, but I will whip you with whips that have pieces of metal in them.’”
12 Ngakho uJerobhowamu labo bonke abantu beza kuRehobhowamu ngosuku lwesithathu njengokutsho kwenkosi isithi: Libuye kimi futhi ngosuku lwesithathu.
Three days later, Jeroboam and all the leaders came to King Rehoboam again, which is what he had told them to do.
13 Inkosi yasibaphendula kalukhuni; inkosi uRehobhowamu yasidela iseluleko sabadala,
The king ignored the advice of the older men and spoke harshly to the Israeli leaders.
14 yakhuluma kubo njengeseluleko samajaha isithi: Ubaba wenza ijogwe lenu laba nzima, kodwa mina ngizakwengezelela kulo; ubaba walijezisa ngeziswepu, kodwa mina ngabofezela.
[He told them what the younger men had advised.] He said, “My father put heavy burdens [of work and taxes] on you, but I will put heavier burdens on you. [It was as though] he beat you with whips, but I will beat you with whips that have pieces of metal in them!”
15 Ngokunjalo inkosi kayibalalelanga abantu; ngoba inguquko yayivela kuNkulunkulu ukuze iNkosi iqinise ilizwi layo eyayilikhulume ngesandla sikaAhiya umShilo kuJerobhowamu indodana kaNebati.
So the king did not pay any attention to the Israeli leaders. But this happened in order that what Yahweh had told the prophet Ahijah about Jeroboam would happen.
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.
When the Israeli leaders realized that the king did not pay any attention to what they said, they shouted, “We do not want anything to do with this descendant of King David! We will not pay attention to what this grandson of Jesse says! You people of Israel, let’s go home! As for this descendant of David, he can rule his own kingdom!” So the Israeli leaders returned to their homes.
17 Kodwa abantwana bakoIsrayeli ababehlala emizini yakoJuda, uRehobhowamu wabusa phezu kwabo.
And [after that, the only Israeli] people whom Rehoboam ruled over were those who lived in the territory of [the tribes of] Judah [and Benjamin].
18 Inkosi uRehobhowamu yasithuma uAdoramu owayengumphathi wezibhalwa; abantwana bakoIsrayeli basebemkhanda ngamatshe, wasesifa. Inkosi uRehobhowamu yaphangisa ukukhwela enqoleni ukubalekela eJerusalema.
Then King Rehoboam went with Adoniram [to talk to the Israeli people]. Adoniram was the man who supervised [all the men who were] forced to work [for Rehoboam]. But the Israeli people killed him by throwing stones at him. When that happened, King Rehoboam quickly got in his chariot and escaped to Jerusalem.
19 Ngalokho uIsrayeli wayihlamuka indlu kaDavida kuze kube lamuhla.
Ever since that time, [the people of the northern tribes of] Israel have been rebelling against the descendants of [King] David.
