2 Imilando 6
1 Ngalesosikhathi uSolomoni wathi: UJehova wathi uzahlala emnyameni onzima.
Then Solomon said, “Yahweh, you said that you would live in a dark cloud.
2 Kodwa mina ngikwakhele indlu yokuhlala, lendawo yokuhlala kwakho kuze kube nini lanini.
But now I have built a glorious temple for you to live in forever!”
3 Inkosi yasiphendula ubuso bayo, yabusisa ibandla lonke lakoIsrayeli; ibandla lonke-ke lakoIsrayeli lalimi.
Then while all the people stood there, Solomon turned toward the people and he [asked God to] bless them.
4 Yasisithi: Kayibusiswe iNkosi, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, eyakhuluma ngomlomo wayo kuDavida ubaba yakugcwalisa ngezandla zayo, isithi:
He said to them, “Praise Yahweh, the God to whom we Israelis belong, who has caused to happen what he promised to my father David. What he said to David was this:
5 Kusukela ngosuku engakhupha ngalo abantu bami elizweni leGibhithe kangikhethanga muzi ezizweni zonke zakoIsrayeli ukwakha indlu, ukuthi ibizo lami libe lapho, kangikhethanga muntu ukuba ngumkhokheli phezu kwabantu bami uIsrayeli.
‘From the time that I brought my people out of Egypt, I have never chosen a city in Israel in which a temple should be built for people to [worship] me there. Nor did I choose anyone to be the leader of my Israeli people.
6 Kodwa ngakhetha iJerusalema ukuthi ibizo lami libe lapho, ngakhetha uDavida ukuthi abe phezu kwabantu bami uIsrayeli.
But now I have chosen Jerusalem to be the place for people to worship me, and I have chosen you to rule my Israeli people.’”
7 Njalo kwakusenhliziyweni kaDavida ubaba ukwakhela ibizo leNkosi, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, indlu.
[Then Solomon said], “My father David wanted to build a temple for Yahweh, the God to whom we Israelis belong.
8 Kodwa iNkosi yathi kuDavida ubaba: Njengoba kwakusenhliziyweni yakho ukwakhela ibizo lami indlu, wenze kuhle ngokuthi kwakusenhliziyweni yakho.
But Yahweh said to him, ‘You have wanted to build a temple for me, and what you wanted to do was good.
9 Lanxa kunjalo kawuyikuyakha indlu wena, kodwa indodana yakho ezaphuma ekhalweni lwakho, yiyo ezakwakhela ibizo lami indlu.
However, you are not the one who I want to build the temple; it is one of your own sons who [I want to] build a temple for me.’
10 INkosi isiqinisile ilizwi layo eyalikhulumayo, ngoba ngivelile esikhundleni sikaDavida ubaba, ngihlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaIsrayeli, njengokukhuluma kweNkosi; sengilakhele ibizo leNkosi, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, indlu.
“And Yahweh has done what he promised to do. I have become the king of Israel to succeed my father, and I am ruling the people, like Yahweh promised, and I have arranged for this temple to be built for us to worship Yahweh, the God to whom we Israelis belong.
11 Ngiwubeke khona umtshokotsho lapho okulesivumelwano seNkosi khona eyasenza labantwana bakoIsrayeli.
I have put the Sacred Chest in the temple, in which are the stone tablets [on which are engraved the Ten Commandments of] the agreement that Yahweh made with us Israeli people.”
12 Wasesima phambi kwelathi leNkosi maqondana lebandla lonke lakoIsrayeli, welula izandla zakhe.
Then Solomon stood in front of the altar which was in front of the people of Israel who had gathered there.
13 Ngoba uSolomoni wayenze isitubhu sethusi, ubude baso buzingalo ezinhlanu, lobubanzi baso buzingalo ezinhlanu, lokuphakama kwaso kuzingalo ezintathu, wasimisa phakathi laphakathi kweguma. Wema phezu kwaso, waguqa ngamadolo akhe phambi kwebandla lonke lakoIsrayeli, welulela izandla zakhe emazulwini,
His workers had built a bronze platform there [for him to stand on], which was 7-1/2 feet long and 7-1/2 feet wide and 4-1/2 feet high. They put it in the outer courtyard. Solomon stood on that platform and then knelt down in front of all the people of Israel who had gathered there, and he spread out his arms toward heaven,
14 wathi: Nkosi, Nkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, kakho uNkulunkulu onjengawe emazulwini lemhlabeni, ogcina isivumelwano lomusa ezincekwini zakho ezihamba phambi kwakho ngayo yonke inhliziyo yazo,
and he prayed, “Yahweh, the God to whom we Israeli people belong, there is no God like you in heaven or on the earth. You solemnly promised that you would faithfully love us, and that is what you have done for us who earnestly do what you want us to do.
15 ogcinele inceku yakho uDavida ubaba lokho owakutsho kuyo; ngoba wakhuluma ngomlomo wakho usukugcwalisile ngesandla sakho njengalamuhla.
“You have done the things that you promised my father David, who served you [very well], that you would do. Truly, you promised to do those things for him, and today we see that by your power you have caused it all to happen.
16 Ngakho-ke, Nkosi, Nkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, gcinela inceku yakho uDavida ubaba lokho owakutsho kuyo usithi: Kakuyikusweleka umuntu kuwe phambi kobuso bami ozahlala esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaIsrayeli; kuphela uba abantwana bakho beqaphela indlela yabo phambi kwami, ukuthi bahambe ngomlayo wami, njengalokho uhambile phambi kwami.
“So now, Yahweh, the God we Israelis belong to, please do the things that you promised to my father David that you would do. You said that there would always be some of his descendants to rule Israel, if they faithfully conduct their lives as he did.
17 Ngakho-ke, Nkosi, Nkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, kaliqiniseke ilizwi lakho owalikhuluma encekwini yakho, kuDavida.
So now, God of us Israeli people, cause what you promised David, who served you [well], to happen.
18 Kambe ngeqiniso uNkulunkulu angahlala labantu emhlabeni? Khangela, amazulu, yebo, amazulu amazulu angekwanele; kangakanani-ke lindlu engiyakhileyo?
“But, my God, will you really live on earth among people? There is surely not enough space for you in the sky, or even in the heaven! So there is surely not enough space for you to live in this temple that my workers have built.
19 Kodwa phendukela emkhulekweni wenceku yakho lekuncengeni kwayo, Nkosi Nkulunkulu wami, ukuzwa ukukhala lomkhuleko inceku yakho ekukhulekayo phambi kwakho.
But Yahweh, my God, please listen to my prayer, while I am pleading with you this day and do what I am requesting.
20 Ukuze amehlo akho avulekele lindlu emini lebusuku, endaweni owatsho ngayo ukuthi uzabeka ibizo lakho khona, ukuthi uwuzwe umkhuleko inceku yakho ewukhulekayo ikhangele kulindawo.
Please protect this temple day and night. This is the place about which you have said, ‘I will always be there.’ Please listen to my prayer about this place.
21 Ngakho zwana ukuncenga kwenceku yakho lokwabantu bakho uIsrayeli abazakukhuleka bekhangele kulindawo; yebo, uzwe wena, usendaweni yakho yokuhlala, usemazulwini; lapho usizwa, uthethelele.
Listen to me when I pray, and listen to your Israeli people when they pray. Listen from heaven, where you live; and when you hear us pray, forgive us.
22 Uba umuntu esona kumakhelwane wakhe, amethese isifungo ukumenza afunge, njalo isifungo size phambi kwelathi lakho kulindlu,
“If someone is accused of doing something wrong to another person, and they bring him to testify in front of your altar outside this holy temple, and if he says, ‘I did not do that; may God punish me if I am not telling the truth,’
23 zwana-ke wena usemazulwini, njalo yenza wahlulele inceku zakho, ngokuphindisela okhohlakeleyo, ngokunika indlela yakhe ekhanda lakhe, langokulungisisa olungileyo, ngokumnika njengokulunga kwakhe.
then you listen from heaven, and you decide who is telling the truth. Then punish the person who is guilty as he deserves to be punished, and declare that the other person is innocent.
24 Lalapho abantu bakho uIsrayeli betshaywa phambi kwesitha, ngoba bonile kuwe, uba bephenduka, balivume ibizo lakho, bakhuleke bencenga phambi kwakho kulindlu,
“And when your Israeli people are defeated by their enemies because they sinned against you, [and forced to go to some distant country, ] if they turn away from their sinful behavior and turn toward this temple and admit [that] you [have justly punished them], and plead [that you will forgive them],
25 zwana-ke wena usemazulwini, uthethelele isono sabantu bakho uIsrayeli, ubabuyisele elizweni owalinika bona laboyise.
listen to them from heaven and forgive your Israeli people for the sins that they [have committed], and bring them back to this land that you gave to our ancestors.
26 Lapho amazulu evaliwe, njalo kungelazulu, ngoba bonile kuwe, uba bekhuleka bekhangele kulindawo belivuma ibizo lakho, baphenduke esonweni sabo, nxa ubahluphile,
“When you do not allow any rain to fall because your people have sinned against you, if they turn toward this temple and admit [that] you [have justly punished them], and turn away from their sinful behavior and humbly pray to you,
27 zwana-ke wena usemazulwini, uthethelele isono senceku zakho lesabantu bakho uIsrayeli, usubafundise indlela enhle abazahamba ngayo; unise izulu elizweni lakho owalinika abantu bakho libe yilifa labo.
hear from heaven and forgive the sins of your Israeli people. Teach them the right way to conduct their lives. Then cause it to rain here on the land that you gave to your people to belong to them [permanently].
28 Uba kulendlala elizweni, uba kulomatshayabhuqe wesifo, uba kulokutshisa, lengumane, isikhonyane, lemihogoyi; uba izitha zabo zibavimbezela elizweni lesango labo, loba yiyiphi inhlupheko laloba yiwuphi umkhuhlane;
“And when the people of this land experience famines or if there is a plague, or when their crops are destroyed by very hot winds or by mildew or by locusts or grasshoppers, or when their enemies surround any of their cities [in order to attack them], if any of those bad things happen to them,
29 lawuphi umkhuleko, lakuphi ukuncenga, okuzakwenziwa languwuphi umuntu, kumbe yibo bonke abantu bakho uIsrayeli, lapho besazi, ngulowo lalowo inhlupheko yakhe losizi lwakhe, eselulela izandla zakhe kulindlu;
when your Israeli people earnestly plead with you, knowing in their inner beings that they are suffering [because they have sinned], if they stretch out their hands toward this temple and pray,
30 zwana-ke wena usemazulwini, indawo yakho yokuhlala, uthethelele, uphe ngulowo lalowo ngokwezindlela zakhe zonke, onhliziyo yakhe uyayazi, ngoba nguwe wedwa owazi inhliziyo yabantwana babantu,
hear from your home in heaven, and forgive them. You alone know what each person is thinking, so reward each person according to everything that he does,
31 ukuze bakwesabe bahambe endleleni zakho insuku zonke abaziphila ebusweni bomhlaba owawupha obaba.
in order that they will revere you and conduct their lives as you want them to, all the time that they live in this land that you gave to our ancestors.
32 Njalo mayelana lowezizweni ongesuye owabantu bakho uIsrayeli, kodwa evela elizweni elikhatshana ngenxa yebizo lakho elikhulu lesandla sakho esilamandla lengalo yakho eyeluliweyo; lapho besizakhuleka kulindlu,
“There will be some foreigners who do not belong to your Israeli people who have come here from countries far away because they have heard that you are very great and that you perform great miracles. If they turn toward this temple and pray,
33 zwana-ke wena usemazulwini, usendaweni yakho yokuhlala, wenze njengakho konke owezizweni akhala ngakho kuwe, ukuze bonke abantu bomhlaba bazi ibizo lakho, bakwesabe, njengabantu bakho uIsrayeli, lokuthi bazi ukuthi ibizo lakho liyabizwa phezu kwalindlu engiyakhileyo.
from your home in heaven listen to their prayer, and do for them what they request you to do. Do that in order that all the people-groups in the world will know about you and revere you, like we, your own Israeli people do. And then they will know that this is the temple that I have caused to be built for you.
34 Uba abantu bakho bephuma ukuyakulwa bemelene lezitha zabo ngendlela obathume ngayo, bakhuleke kuwe endleleni yomuzi owukhethileyo lendlu engiyakhele ibizo lakho,
“When you send your people to go to places to attack their enemies, if they pray to you, wherever they are, if they turn toward this city that you have chosen and toward this temple that I have caused to be built to honor you,
35 zwana-ke usemazulwini umkhuleko wabo lokuncenga kwabo, wenze ilungelo labo.
listen in heaven to their prayers; listen to what they plead for you [to do], and assist them.
36 Uba besona kuwe, ngoba kakulamuntu ongoniyo, ubusubathukuthelela, ubanikele phambi kwesitha, ukuze ababathumbileyo babathumbele elizweni elikhatshana kumbe eliseduze,
[“It is true that] everyone sins. So, when your people sin against you, and you become angry with them, you may allow their enemies to capture them and take them to their countries, even to countries that are far away.
37 uba benakana ngakho enhliziyweni yabo elizweni abathunjelwe kilo, baphenduke bancenge kuwe elizweni lokuthunjwa kwabo bathi: Sonile, senze okubi, senza ngenkohlakalo;
When that happens, while they are in the countries to which they were forced to go, if they are sorry for having sinned, if they say, ‘We have sinned; we have done things that are wrong and have done things that are very wicked,’
38 uba bephendukela kuwe ngayo yonke inhliziyo yabo langawo wonke umphefumulo wabo elizweni lokuthunjwa kwabo, lapho ababathumbele khona, bakhuleke ngasendleleni yelizwe labo owalinika oyise, lomuzi owukhethileyo, langasendlini engiyakhele ibizo lakho,
if they repent very sincerely, and if they turn toward this land that you gave to our ancestors, and toward this city that you have chosen [to be the place where we should worship you], and toward this temple that I have caused to be built for you and pray,
39 zwana-ke usemazulwini, usendaweni yakho yokuhlala, umkhuleko wabo lokuncenga kwabo, wenze ilungelo labo, uthethelele abantu bakho abakonileyo.
then from your home in heaven hear their prayer, and listen to them while they plead [for your help], and do what they ask you to do, and forgive your people who have sinned against you.
40 Ngakho, Nkulunkulu wami, ake amehlo akho avuleke lendlebe zakho zilalele umkhuleko walindawo.
“Now, my God, look at us and listen to us as we pray to you in this place.
41 Khathesi-ke, sukuma, Nkosi Nkulunkulu, uze endaweni yakho yokuphumula, wena lomtshokotsho wamandla akho. Abapristi bakho, Nkosi Nkulunkulu, kabembathe usindiso, labangcwele bakho bathokoze ngokuhle.
Yahweh our God, come and stay in this place with the Sacred Chest, the chest that shows that you are powerful. Yahweh God, cause your priests to know clearly that you have blessed them. Cause us your people to rejoice because of all the good things [that you do for us].
42 Nkosi Nkulunkulu, ungafulathelisi ubuso bogcotshiweyo wakho. Khumbula izisa zikaDavida inceku yakho.
Yahweh God, do not reject me [the king] whom you have appointed [to be the king of Israel]; do not forget that you greatly loved David, who served you [very well].”
