2 Imilando 32
1 Emva kwalezizenzo zobuqotho uSenakheribi inkosi yeAsiriya wafika wangena koJuda, wamisa inkamba maqondana lemizi ebiyelweyo eqonde ukuzifohlelela yona.
After these things and these acts of faithfulness, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, came and entered Judah. He camped to attack the fortified cities, which he intended to capture for himself.
2 UHezekhiya esebonile ukuthi uSenakheribi usefikile lokuthi ubuso bakhe bukhangele impi emelene leJerusalema,
When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that he intended to fight against Jerusalem,
3 wacebisana lezinduna zakhe lamaqhawe akhe ukuvimba amanzi emithombo eyayingaphandle komuzi; basebemsiza.
he consulted with his leaders and his powerful men to stop up the waters of the springs that were outside the city; they helped him do so.
4 Kwasekubuthaniswa abantu abanengi, abavimba yonke imithombo lesifula esasigeleza phakathi kwelizwe, besithi: Kungani amakhosi eAsiriya ezafika afice amanzi amanengi.
So many people gathered together and stopped up all the springs and the stream that was flowing through the middle of the land. They said, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find a lot of water?”
5 Waseziqinisa, wakha umduli wonke owawudilikile, wawukhweza emiphotshongweni, lomunye umduli ngaphandle; waqinisa iMilo emzini kaDavida; wenza lezikhali lezihlangu ngobunengi.
Hezekiah took courage and built up all the wall that was broken down. He built the towers higher, and also the other wall outside. He also strengthened the Millo in the city of David, and he made large amounts of weapons and shields.
6 Wasebekela abantu induna zezimpi, wazibuthanisela bona egcekeni lesango lomuzi, wakhuluma kunhliziyo yabo esithi:
He placed military commanders over the people. He gathered them together to him in the broad place at the city gate and spoke encouragingly to them. He said,
7 Qinani lime isibindi; lingesabi lingatshaywa luvalo phambi kwenkosi yeAsiriya laphambi kwexuku lonke elilayo; ngoba kukhona kithi omkhulu kulaye.
“Be strong and of good courage. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and all the army that is with him, for someone is with us who is greater than those with him.
8 Kuye kulengalo yenyama, kodwa kithi kuleNkosi uNkulunkulu wethu ukusisiza lokulwa izimpi zethu. Abantu basebeseyama phezu kwamazwi kaHezekhiya inkosi yakoJuda.
With him is only an arm of flesh, but with us is Yahweh, our God, to help us, and to fight our battles.” Then the people comforted themselves with the words of Hezekiah, king of Judah.
9 Emva kwalokho uSenakheribi inkosi yeAsiriya wathuma inceku zakhe eJerusalema (kodwa yena wayephambi kweLakishi lawo wonke amandla akhe elaye) kuHezekhiya inkosi yakoJuda lakuJuda wonke oseJerusalema, esithi:
After this, Sennacherib, king of Assyria, sent his servants to Jerusalem (now he was in front of Lachish, and all his army was with him), to Hezekiah, king of Judah, and to all of Judah who were in Jerusalem. He said,
10 Utsho njalo uSenakheribi inkosi yeAsiriya: Lithembeni ukuthi lihlale ekuvinjezelweni eJerusalema?
“This is what Sennacherib, king of Assyria, says: What are you relying on in order to endure a siege in Jerusalem?
11 UHezekhiya kalikhohlisi yini ukuthi alinikele ukuthi life yindlala langokoma esithi: INkosi uNkulunkulu wethu izasikhulula esandleni senkosi yeAsiriya?
Is not Hezekiah misleading you, that he may give you over to die by famine and by thirst, when he tells you, 'Yahweh our God will rescue us from the hand of the king of Assyria'?
12 Kasuye yini lo uHezekhiya owasusa indawo zayo eziphakemeyo lamalathi ayo, watshela uJuda leJerusalema esithi: Lizakhonza phambi kwelathi elilodwa, litshise impepha kulo?
Has not this same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, 'On one altar you must worship, and on it you must burn your sacrifices'?
13 Kalazi yini engakwenzayo mina labobaba kubo bonke abantu bamazwe? Onkulunkulu bezizwe zalawomazwe babelakho lokuba lakho yini ukukhulula amazwe abo esandleni sami?
Do you not know what I and my ancestors have done to all the peoples of the other lands? Were the gods of the peoples of the surrounding lands able in any way to rescue their land from my power?
14 Nguwuphi kubo bonke onkulunkulu balezozizwe obaba abazitshabalalisayo owaba lakho ukukhulula abantu bakhe esandleni sami, ukuthi uNkulunkulu wenu abe lakho ukulikhulula esandleni sami?
Among all the gods of those nations that my ancestors completely destroyed, was there any god who could rescue his people out of my hand? Why should your God be able to rescue you from my power?
15 Ngalokho-ke uHezekhiya kangalikhohlisi, kangaliduhisi ngokunjalo, lingamkholwa; ngoba kakho unkulunkulu owasiphi isizwe lombuso owaba lakho ukukhulula abantu bakhe esandleni sami lesabobaba. Laye sibili uNkulunkulu wenu kayikulikhulula esandleni sami yini?
Now do not let Hezekiah deceive you or persuade you in this way. Do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to rescue his people out of my hand, or out of the hand of my ancestors. How much less will your God rescue you from my hand?”
16 Inceku zakhe zatsho lokunye zimelene leNkosi uNkulunkulu njalo zimelene loHezekhiya inceku yayo.
Sennacherib's servants spoke even more against Yahweh God and against his servant Hezekiah.
17 Wabhala lezincwadi zokuthuka iNkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli lokukhuluma zimelene layo zisithi: Njengabonkulunkulu bezizwe zalawomazwe abangakhululanga abantu babo esandleni sami, ngokunjalo uNkulunkulu kaHezekhiya kayikukhulula abantu bakhe esandleni sami.
Sennacherib also wrote letters in order to mock Yahweh, the God of Israel, and to speak against him. He said, “As the gods of the nations of the lands have not rescued their people out of my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not rescue his people out of my hand.”
18 Zasezimemeza ngelizwi elikhulu ngesiJuda ebantwini beJerusalema ababephezu komduli ukubethusa lokubahlupha ukuze ziwuthumbe umuzi.
They cried out in the language of the Jews to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten them and trouble them, in order that they might capture the city.
19 Zasezikhuluma ngoNkulunkulu weJerusalema njengabonkulunkulu bezizwe zomhlaba, umsebenzi wezandla zomuntu.
They spoke of the God of Jerusalem as they had spoken of the gods of the other peoples of the earth, which are merely the work of men's hands.
20 Kodwa uHezekhiya inkosi loIsaya umprofethi indodana kaAmozi bakhuleka ngenxa yalokhu, bakhala emazulwini.
Hezekiah, the king, and Isaiah son of Amoz, the prophet, prayed because of this matter and he cried out to heaven.
21 INkosi yasithuma ingilosi eyaquma wonke amaqhawe alamandla labaphathi lezinduna enkambeni yenkosi yeAsiriya. Ngakho yabuyela elizweni layo ilobuso obulenhloni. Isingenile endlini kankulunkulu wayo, abaphuma emathunjini ayo bamenza wawa lapho ngenkemba.
Yahweh sent an angel, who killed the fighting men, the commanders, and the officers of the king in the camp. So Sennacherib returned to his own land with shame on his face. When he had gone into the house of his god, some of his own children killed him there with the sword.
22 Ngokunjalo iNkosi yamsindisa uHezekhiya labahlali beJerusalema esandleni sikaSenakheribi inkosi yeAsiriya lesandleni sabo bonke; yasibakhokhela inhlangothi zonke.
In this way, Yahweh saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all others, and gave them rest on every side.
23 Abanengi basebeletha izipho eNkosini eJerusalema, lezinto eziligugu kuHezekhiya inkosi yakoJuda; wasephakanyiswa emehlweni ezizwe zonke emva kwalokhu.
Many were bringing offerings to Yahweh in Jerusalem, and precious gifts to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was lifted up in the eyes of all nations from that time forward.
24 Ngalezonsuku uHezekhiya wagulela ukufa; wasekhuleka eNkosini; yasikhuluma laye yamnika isibonakaliso.
In those days Hezekiah was sick to the point of dying. He prayed to Yahweh, who spoke to him and gave him a sign that he would be healed.
25 Kodwa uHezekhiya kabuyiselanga njengokwenzuzo ayeyenzelwe, ngoba inhliziyo yakhe yayiphakeme. Ngakho kwaba lolaka phezu kwakhe laphezu kukaJuda leJerusalema.
But Hezekiah did not pay back Yahweh for the help given to him, for his heart was lifted up. So anger came on him, and on Judah and Jerusalem.
26 Kodwa uHezekhiya wazithoba ngenxa yokuphakama kwenhliziyo yakhe, yena labahlali beJerusalema; ngakho ulaka lweNkosi kalwehlelanga phezu kwabo ensukwini zikaHezekhiya.
Nevertheless, Hezekiah later humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that Yahweh's anger did not come on them during Hezekiah's days.
27 Njalo uHezekhiya wayelenotho lodumo kakhulukazi, wazenzela iziphala zesiliva lezegolide lezamatshe aligugu lezamakha lezezihlangu lezezinto zonke eziloyisekayo.
Hezekiah had very many riches and much honor. He provided himself with storerooms for silver, gold, precious stones, and for spices, as well as for shields and for all kinds of valuable objects.
28 Leziphala zesivuno samabele lewayini elitsha lamafutha, lezibaya zenhlobo zonke zezifuyo, lezibaya zemihlambi.
He also had storehouses for the harvest of grain, new wine, and oil, and stalls for all kinds of animals. He also had flocks in their pens.
29 Wazenzela lemizi, lemfuyo yezimvu lenkomo ngobunengi, ngoba uNkulunkulu wayemnikile impahla enengi kakhulu.
In addition, he provided himself with cities and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance, for God had given him very much wealth.
30 UHezekhiya lo wasevimba umthombo wamanzi angaphezulu eGihoni, wawaqondisa ehla ngentshonalanga komuzi kaDavida. UHezekhiya waphumelela kuyo yonke imisebenzi yakhe.
It was this same Hezekiah who also stopped up the upper spring of the waters of Gihon, and who brought them straight down on the west side of the city of David. Hezekiah succeeded in all his projects.
31 Kodwa kwakunjalo, mayelana lezithunywa zeziphathamandla zeBhabhiloni, ezathumela kuye ukubuza ngesibonakaliso esenzakalayo elizweni, uNkulunkulu wamtshiya ukuze amhlole ukuthi azi konke okusenhliziyweni yakhe.
However, in the matter of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent to him to ask questions of those who knew, about the miraculous sign that had been done in the land, God left him to himself, in order to test him, and to know all that was in his heart.
32 Ezinye-ke zezindaba zikaHezekhiya lomusa wakhe, khangela, kubhaliwe embonweni kaIsaya umprofethi indodana kaAmozi, egwalweni lwamakhosi akoJuda lawakoIsrayeli.
As for the other matters concerning Hezekiah, including his actions of covenant loyalty, you can see that they are written in the vision of the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz, and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.
33 UHezekhiya waselala laboyise; basebemngcwabela kweliphezulu kakhulu lamangcwaba amadodana kaDavida; uJuda wonke labahlali beJerusalema basebemenzela inhlonipho ekufeni kwakhe. UManase indodana yakhe wasesiba yinkosi esikhundleni sakhe.
Hezekiah slept with his ancestors, and they buried him on the hill of the tombs of the descendants of David. All Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem honored him at his death. Manasseh his son became king in his place.
