2 Imilando 7

1 Kwathi uSolomoni eseqedile ukukhuleka, umlilo wehla uvela emazulwini, wadla umnikelo wokutshiswa lemihlatshelo, lenkazimulo yeNkosi yagcwalisa indlu.

Now when Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the LORD’s glory filled the house.

2 Njalo abapristi babengelakho ukungena endlini yeNkosi, ngoba inkazimulo yeNkosi yayigcwalise indlu yeNkosi.

The priests could not enter into the LORD’s house, because the LORD’s glory filled the LORD’s house.

3 Lapho bonke abantwana bakoIsrayeli bebona ukwehla komlilo lenkazimulo yeNkosi phezu kwendlu, bakhothama ngobuso babo emhlabathini endaweni egandelweyo, bakhonza bedumisa iNkosi, ukuthi ilungile, ukuthi umusa wayo umi phakade.

All the children of Israel looked on, when the fire came down, and the LORD’s glory was on the house. They bowed themselves with their faces to the ground on the pavement, worshiped, and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, “For he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever!”

4 Inkosi labo bonke abantu banikela-ke imihlatshelo phambi kweNkosi.

Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the LORD.

5 Inkosi uSolomoni yasinikela imihlatshelo yezinkabi ezizinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amabili, lezimvu ezizinkulungwane ezilikhulu lamatshumi amabili. Ngokunjalo inkosi labo bonke abantu bayehlukanisa indlu kaNkulunkulu.

King Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand head of cattle and a hundred twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated God’s house.

6 Abapristi basebesima ezikhundleni zabo; lamaLevi elezinto zokuhlabelela zikaJehova inkosi uDavida ayezenzele ukudumisa uJehova, ngoba umusa wakhe umi phakade, lapho uDavida edumisa ngenkonzo yabo; labapristi bakhalisa impondo phambi kwabo, loIsrayeli wonke wema.

The priests stood, according to their positions; the Levites also with instruments of music of the LORD, which David the king had made to give thanks to the LORD, when David praised by their ministry, saying “For his loving kindness endures forever.” The priests sounded shofars before them; and all Israel stood.

7 USolomoni wasengcwelisa iphakathi leguma elaliphambi kwendlu yeNkosi, ngoba wenza lapho iminikelo yokutshiswa lamahwahwa eminikelo yokuthula, ngoba ilathi lethusi uSolomoni ayelenzile lalingenele umnikelo wokutshiswa, lomnikelo wokudla, lamahwahwa.

Moreover Solomon made the middle of the court that was before the LORD’s house holy; for there he offered the burnt offerings and the fat of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt offering, the meal offering, and the fat.

8 Langalesosikhathi uSolomoni wenza umkhosi okwensuku eziyisikhombisa, loIsrayeli wonke kanye laye, ibandla elikhulu kakhulu, kusukela ekungeneni kweHamathi kusiya esifuleni seGibhithe.

So Solomon held the feast at that time for seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great assembly, from the entrance of Hamath to the brook of Egypt.

9 Langosuku lwesificaminwembili benza umhlangano onzulu, ngoba benza ukwehlukaniswa kwelathi okwensuku eziyisikhombisa, lomkhosi okwensuku eziyisikhombisa.

On the eighth day, they held a solemn assembly; for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days.

10 Ngosuku lwamatshumi amabili lantathu lwenyanga yesikhombisa waseyekela abantu bahamba baya emathenteni abo, bethokoza bejabula enhliziyweni ngokuhle iNkosi eyayikwenzele uDavida loSolomoni loIsrayeli abantu bayo.

On the twenty-third day of the seventh month, he sent the people away to their tents, joyful and glad of heart for the goodness that the LORD had shown to David, to Solomon, and to Israel his people.

11 Ngokunjalo uSolomoni waqeda indlu kaJehova lendlu yenkosi; lakho konke okwakuvela enhliziyweni kaSolomoni ukukwenza endlini yeNkosi lendlini yakhe wakuphumelelisa.

Thus Solomon finished the LORD’s house and the king’s house; and he successfully completed all that came into Solomon’s heart to make in the LORD’s house and in his own house.

12 INkosi yasibonakala kuSolomoni ebusuku yathi kuye: Ngizwile umkhuleko wakho, sengizikhethele lindawo ukuba yindlu yomhlatshelo.

Then the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him, “I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for myself for a house of sacrifice.

13 Uba ngivala amazulu ukuze kungabi lazulu, kumbe uba ngilaya intethe ukuqeda ilizwe, kumbe uba ngithumela umatshayabhuqe wesifo phakathi kwabantu bami,

“If I shut up the sky so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people,

14 uba abantu bami ibizo lami elibizwa phezu kwabo bezithoba, bakhuleke badinge ubuso bami, baphenduke ezindleleni zabo ezimbi, mina-ke ngizakuzwa ngisemazulwini, ngithethelele isono sabo, ngelaphe ilizwe labo.

if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

15 Khathesi amehlo ami azavuleka, lendlebe zami zilalele umkhuleko walindawo.

Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to prayer that is made in this place.

16 Ngoba sengiyikhethile ngayingcwelisa lindlu ukuze ibizo lami libe khona kuze kube nininini; lamehlo ami lenhliziyo yami kuzakuba lapho zonke izinsuku.

For now I have chosen and made this house holy, that my name may be there forever; and my eyes and my heart will be there perpetually.

17 Wena-ke, uba uhamba phambi kwami njengokuhamba kukaDavida uyihlo, wenze njengakho konke engikulaye khona, ugcine izimiso zami lezahlulelo zami,

“As for you, if you will walk before me as David your father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded you, and will keep my statutes and my ordinances,

18 ngizaqinisa-ke isihlalo sobukhosi sombuso wakho, njengokwenza kwami isivumelwano loDavida uyihlo ngisithi: Kakuyikusweleka muntu kuwe obusa koIsrayeli.

then I will establish the throne of your kingdom, according as I covenanted with David your father, saying, ‘There shall not fail you a man to be ruler in Israel.’

19 Kodwa uba libuyela emuva lina, litshiya izimiso zami lemilayo yami engikubeke phambi kwenu, lihambe likhonze abanye onkulunkulu libakhothamele,

But if you turn away and forsake my statutes and my commandments which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them,

20 ngizabasiphuna-ke elizweni engibanike lona, lalindlu engiyingcwelisele ibizo lami ngizayilahla isuke phambi kwami, ngiyenze ibe yisiga lento yokuhozwa phakathi kwezizwe zonke.

then I will pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have made holy for my name, I will cast out of my sight, and I will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples.

21 Lalindlu ephakemeyo izakuba yisimangaliso kulowo lalowo odlula kuyo, aze athi: INkosi ikwenzeleni okunje kulelilizwe lakulindlu?

This house, which is so high, everyone who passes by it will be astonished and say, ‘Why has the LORD done this to this land and to this house?’

22 Bazakuthi-ke: Kungoba beyidelile iNkosi uNkulunkulu waboyise eyabakhupha elizweni leGibhithe, babambelela kwabanye onkulunkulu, babakhonza babasebenzela; ngenxa yalokho ibehlisele bonke lobububi.

They shall answer, ‘Because they abandoned the LORD, the God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and took other gods, worshiped them, and served them. Therefore he has brought all this evil on them.’”