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 this faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, entered into Judah, encamped against the fortified cities, and intended to win them 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 was planning to fight against Jerusalem,
3 wacebisana lezinduna zakhe lamaqhawe akhe ukuvimba amanzi emithombo eyayingaphandle komuzi; basebemsiza.
he took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the springs which were outside of the city, and they helped him.
4 Kwasekubuthaniswa abantu abanengi, abavimba yonke imithombo lesifula esasigeleza phakathi kwelizwe, besithi: Kungani amakhosi eAsiriya ezafika afice amanzi amanengi.
Then many people gathered together and they stopped all the springs and the brook that flowed through the middle of the land, saying, “Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find abundant water?”
5 Waseziqinisa, wakha umduli wonke owawudilikile, wawukhweza emiphotshongweni, lomunye umduli ngaphandle; waqinisa iMilo emzini kaDavida; wenza lezikhali lezihlangu ngobunengi.
He took courage, built up all the wall that was broken down, and raised it up to the towers, with the other wall outside, and strengthened Millo in David’s city, and made weapons and shields in abundance.
6 Wasebekela abantu induna zezimpi, wazibuthanisela bona egcekeni lesango lomuzi, wakhuluma kunhliziyo yabo esithi:
He set captains of war over the people, gathered them together to him in the wide place at the gate of the city, and spoke encouragingly to them, saying,
7 Qinani lime isibindi; lingesabi lingatshaywa luvalo phambi kwenkosi yeAsiriya laphambi kwexuku lonke elilayo; ngoba kukhona kithi omkhulu kulaye.
“Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid or dismayed because of the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude who is with him; for there is a greater one with us than with him.
8 Kuye kulengalo yenyama, kodwa kithi kuleNkosi uNkulunkulu wethu ukusisiza lokulwa izimpi zethu. Abantu basebeseyama phezu kwamazwi kaHezekhiya inkosi yakoJuda.
An arm of flesh is with him, but the LORD our God is with us to help us and to fight our battles.” The people rested themselves on 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 attacking Lachish, and all his forces were with him), to Hezekiah king of Judah, and to all Judah who were at Jerusalem, saying,
10 Utsho njalo uSenakheribi inkosi yeAsiriya: Lithembeni ukuthi lihlale ekuvinjezelweni eJerusalema?
Sennacherib king of Assyria says, “In whom do you trust, that you remain under siege in Jerusalem?
11 UHezekhiya kalikhohlisi yini ukuthi alinikele ukuthi life yindlala langokoma esithi: INkosi uNkulunkulu wethu izasikhulula esandleni senkosi yeAsiriya?
Doesn’t Hezekiah persuade you to give you over to die by famine and by thirst, saying, ‘The LORD our God will deliver us out of 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?
Hasn’t the same Hezekiah taken away his high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, ‘You shall worship before one altar, and you shall burn incense on it’?
13 Kalazi yini engakwenzayo mina labobaba kubo bonke abantu bamazwe? Onkulunkulu bezizwe zalawomazwe babelakho lokuba lakho yini ukukhulula amazwe abo esandleni sami?
Don’t you know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the lands? Were the gods of the nations of those lands in any way able to deliver their land out of my hand?
14 Nguwuphi kubo bonke onkulunkulu balezozizwe obaba abazitshabalalisayo owaba lakho ukukhulula abantu bakhe esandleni sami, ukuthi uNkulunkulu wenu abe lakho ukulikhulula esandleni sami?
Who was there amongst all the gods of those nations which my fathers utterly destroyed that could deliver his people out of my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of my hand?
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 therefore don’t let Hezekiah deceive you nor persuade you in this way. Don’t believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of my hand, and out of the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you out of my hand?”
16 Inceku zakhe zatsho lokunye zimelene leNkosi uNkulunkulu njalo zimelene loHezekhiya inceku yayo.
His servants spoke yet more against the LORD 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.
He also wrote letters insulting the LORD, the God of Israel, and speaking against him, saying, “As the gods of the nations of the lands, which have not delivered their people out of my hand, so shall the God of Hezekiah not deliver his people out of my hand.”
18 Zasezimemeza ngelizwi elikhulu ngesiJuda ebantwini beJerusalema ababephezu komduli ukubethusa lokubahlupha ukuze ziwuthumbe umuzi.
They called out with a loud voice in the Jews’ language to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten them and to trouble them, that they might take the city.
19 Zasezikhuluma ngoNkulunkulu weJerusalema njengabonkulunkulu bezizwe zomhlaba, umsebenzi wezandla zomuntu.
They spoke of the God of Jerusalem as of the gods of the peoples of the earth, which are the work of men’s hands.
20 Kodwa uHezekhiya inkosi loIsaya umprofethi indodana kaAmozi bakhuleka ngenxa yalokhu, bakhala emazulwini.
Hezekiah the king and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, prayed because of this, and cried 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.
The LORD sent an angel, who cut off all the mighty men of valour, the leaders, and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. When he had come into the house of his god, those who came out of his own body killed him there with the sword.
22 Ngokunjalo iNkosi yamsindisa uHezekhiya labahlali beJerusalema esandleni sikaSenakheribi inkosi yeAsiriya lesandleni sabo bonke; yasibakhokhela inhlangothi zonke.
Thus the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria and from the hand of all others, and guided them on every side.
23 Abanengi basebeletha izipho eNkosini eJerusalema, lezinto eziligugu kuHezekhiya inkosi yakoJuda; wasephakanyiswa emehlweni ezizwe zonke emva kwalokhu.
Many brought gifts to the LORD to Jerusalem, and precious things to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was exalted in the sight of all nations from then on.
24 Ngalezonsuku uHezekhiya wagulela ukufa; wasekhuleka eNkosini; yasikhuluma laye yamnika isibonakaliso.
In those days Hezekiah was terminally ill, and he prayed to the LORD; and he spoke to him, and gave him a sign.
25 Kodwa uHezekhiya kabuyiselanga njengokwenzuzo ayeyenzelwe, ngoba inhliziyo yakhe yayiphakeme. Ngakho kwaba lolaka phezu kwakhe laphezu kukaJuda leJerusalema.
But Hezekiah didn’t reciprocate appropriate to the benefit done for him, because his heart was lifted up. Therefore there was wrath on him, Judah, and Jerusalem.
26 Kodwa uHezekhiya wazithoba ngenxa yokuphakama kwenhliziyo yakhe, yena labahlali beJerusalema; ngakho ulaka lweNkosi kalwehlelanga phezu kwabo ensukwini zikaHezekhiya.
However, Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the LORD’s wrath didn’t come on them in the days of Hezekiah.
27 Njalo uHezekhiya wayelenotho lodumo kakhulukazi, wazenzela iziphala zesiliva lezegolide lezamatshe aligugu lezamakha lezezihlangu lezezinto zonke eziloyisekayo.
Hezekiah had exceedingly great riches and honour. He provided himself with treasuries for silver, for gold, for precious stones, for spices, for shields, and for all kinds of valuable vessels;
28 Leziphala zesivuno samabele lewayini elitsha lamafutha, lezibaya zenhlobo zonke zezifuyo, lezibaya zemihlambi.
also storehouses for the increase of grain, new wine, and oil; and stalls for all kinds of animals, and flocks in folds.
29 Wazenzela lemizi, lemfuyo yezimvu lenkomo ngobunengi, ngoba uNkulunkulu wayemnikile impahla enengi kakhulu.
Moreover he provided for himself cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance; for God had given him abundant possessions.
30 UHezekhiya lo wasevimba umthombo wamanzi angaphezulu eGihoni, wawaqondisa ehla ngentshonalanga komuzi kaDavida. UHezekhiya waphumelela kuyo yonke imisebenzi yakhe.
This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper spring of the waters of Gihon, and brought them straight down on the west side of David’s city. Hezekiah prospered in all his works.
31 Kodwa kwakunjalo, mayelana lezithunywa zeziphathamandla zeBhabhiloni, ezathumela kuye ukubuza ngesibonakaliso esenzakalayo elizweni, uNkulunkulu wamtshiya ukuze amhlole ukuthi azi konke okusenhliziyweni yakhe.
However, concerning the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent to him to enquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him to test him, that he might 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.
Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his good deeds, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, 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 fathers, and they buried him in the ascent to the tombs of the sons of David. All Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem honoured him at his death. Manasseh his son reigned in his place.
