2 Amakhosi 4

1 Kwasekukhala kuElisha umfazi othile wabafazi bamadodana abaprofethi esithi: Inceku yakho umkami sewafa; lawe uyazi ukuthi inceku yakho yayiyesaba iNkosi; sekufikile umkweledisi ukuzithathela abantwana bami ababili babe yizigqili.

Now a certain woman of the wives of the prophets cried to Eliseus, saying: Thy servant my husband is dead, and thou knowest that thy servant was one that feared God, and behold the creditor is come to take away my two sons to serve him.

2 UElisha wasesithi kuye: Ngingakwenzelani? Ngitshela, ulani endlini? Wasesithi: Incekukazi yakho kayilalutho endlini, ngaphandle kwesiphiso samafutha.

And Eliseus said to her: What wilt thou have me to do for thee? Tell me, what hast thou in thy house? And she answered: I thy handmaid have nothing in my house but a little oil, to anoint me.

3 Wasesithi: Hamba uyezebolekela izitsha ezivela phandle, kubomakhelwane bakho bonke, izitsha ezingelalutho, zingabi nlutshwana.

And he said to her: Go, borrow of all thy neighbours empty vessels not a few.

4 Nxa usungenile uzivalele wena lamadodana akho umnyango, uthele kulezizitsha zonke; lokugcweleyo ukubeke eceleni.

And go in, and shut thy door, when thou art within, and thy sons: and pour out thereof into all those vessels: and when they are full take them away.

5 Wasesuka-ke kuye wazivalela yena lamadodana akhe umnyango; bazisondeza kuye, wathulula.

So the woman went, and shut the door upon her, and upon her sons: they brought her the vessels, and she poured in.

6 Kwasekusithi izitsha sezigcwele wathi endodaneni yakhe: Ngilethela njalo isitsha. Yasisithi kuye: Kakuselasitsha. Amafutha asesima.

And when the vessels were full, she said to her son: Bring me yet a vessel. And he answered: I have no more. And the oil stood.

7 Wasesiza wamazisa umuntu kaNkulunkulu; wasesithi: Hamba uyethengisa amafutha, uhlawule isikwelede sakho; wena-ke lamadodana akho liphile ngaseleyo.

And she came, and told the man of God. And he said: Go, sell the oil, and pay thy creditor: and thou and thy sons live of the rest.

8 Kwasekusithi ngolunye usuku uElisha wedlulela eShunemi lapho okwakulowesifazana oyisikhulu owamcindezela ukuthi adle isinkwa. Kwakusithi-ke lanini esedlula, aphambukele khona ukuthi adle isinkwa.

And there was a day when Eliseus passed by Sunam: now there was a great woman there, who detained him to eat bread; and as he passed often that way, he turned into her house to eat bread.

9 Wasesithi kumkakhe: Khangela-ke, ngiyazi ukuthi lo ungumuntu ongcwele kaNkulunkulu, owedlula kithi njalonjalo.

And she said to her husband: I perceive that this is a holy man of God, who often passeth by us.

10 Ake senze ikamelo elincinyane eliphezulu emdulini, simfakele lapho umbheda letafula lesihlalo lesiqobane sesibane; kuzakuthi-ke lapho efika kithi aphambukele khona.

Let us therefore make him a little chamber, and put a little bed in it for him, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick, that when he cometh to us, he may abide there.

11 Kwasekusithi ngolunye usuku wafika khona, waphambukela ekamelweni eliphezulu, walala khona.

Now there was a certain day when he came and turned in to the chamber, and rested there.

12 Wasesithi kuGehazi inceku yakhe: Biza lo umShunamikazi. Esembizile, wema phambi kwakhe.

And he said to Giezi his servant Call this Sunamitess. And when he had called her, and she stood before him,

13 Wasesithi kuyo: Tshono kuye-ke uthi: Khangela, usinakekele ngakho konke lokhukunaka; kuyini ongakwenzelwa? Kukhona ongakukhulunyelwa enkosini kumbe enduneni yebutho yini? Wasesithi: Ngihlala phakathi kwabantu bakithi.

He said to his servant: Say to her Behold thou hast diligently served us in all things, what wilt thou have me to do for thee? hast thou any business, and wilt thou that I speak to the king, or to the general of the army? And she answered: I dwell in the midst of my own people.

14 Wasesithi: Kuyini-ke angakwenzelwa? UGehazi wasesithi: Qiniso, kalamntwana, lomkakhe usemdala.

And he said: What will she then that I do for her? And Giezi said: Do not ask, for she hath no son, and her husband is old.

15 Wasesithi: Mbize. Esembizile, wema emnyango.

Then he bid him call her: And when she was called, and stood before the door.

16 Wasesithi: Ngalesisikhathi esimisiweyo njengokwesikhathi sempilo uzagona umntwana. Kodwa wathi: Hatshi, nkosi yami, muntu kaNkulunkulu, ungayiqambeli amanga incekukazi yakho.

He said to her: At this time, and this same hour, if life accompany, thou shalt have a son in thy womb. But she answered: Do not, I beseech thee, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie to thy handmaid.

17 Owesifazana wasekhulelwa, wabeletha umntwana ngalesosikhathi esimisiweyo njengokwesikhathi sempilo uElisha ayesitshilo kuye.

And the woman conceived, and brought forth a son in the time, and at the same hour, that Eliseus had said.

18 Esekhulile umntwana, kwathi ngosuku oluthile waphuma waya kuyise kubavuni.

And the child grew. And on a certain day, when he went out to his father to the reapers,

19 Wasesithi kuyise: Ikhanda lami! Ikhanda lami! Wasesithi encekwini: Mthwale umuse kunina.

He said to his father: My head acheth, my head acheth. But he said to his servant: Take him, and carry him to his mother.

20 Isimthwele yamusa kunina, wahlala emadolweni akhe kwaze kwaba semini, wasesifa.

And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, she set him on her knees until noon, and then he died.

21 Wasesenyuka, wamlalisa embhedeni womuntu kaNkulunkulu, wamvalela, waphuma.

And she went up and laid him upon the bed of the man of God, and shut the door: and going out,

22 Wasememeza umkakhe wathi: Ake uthume kimi enye yezinceku lomunye wabobabhemi, ukuze ngigijime ngiye emuntwini kaNkulunkulu, ngibuye futhi.

She called her husband, and said: Send with me, I beseech thee, one of thy servants, and an ass that I may run to the man of God, and come again.

23 Wasesithi. Uyelani kuye lamuhla? Kakusikuthwasa kwenyanga njalo kakusisabatha. Owesifazana wasesithi: Kulungile.

And he said to her: Why dost thou go to him? today is neither new moon nor sabbath. She answered: I will go.

24 Esembophelele isihlalo ubabhemi, wathi encekwini yakhe: Tshaya uhambe, ungangibambeleli ekuhambeni, ngaphandle ngikutshele.

And she saddled an ass, and commanded her servant: Drive, and make haste, make no stay in going. And do that which I bid thee.

25 Wahamba-ke, weza emuntwini kaNkulunkulu entabeni iKharmeli. Kwasekusithi umuntu kaNkulunkulu embona esiza, wathi kuGehazi inceku yakhe: Khangela, nanguyana umShunamikazi.

So she went forward, and came to the man of God to mount Carmel: and when the mall of God saw her coming towards, he said to Giezi his servant: Behold that Sunamitess.

26 Khathesi akugijime umhlangabeze, uthi kuye: Kulungile yini kuwe? Kulungile yini ngomkakho? Kulungile yini ngomntwana? Wasesithi: Kulungile.

Go therefore to meet her, and say to her: Is all well with thee, and with thy husband, and with thy son? and she answered: Well.

27 Esefikile entabeni kumuntu kaNkulunkulu wabamba inyawo zakhe. Kodwa uGehazi wasondela ukumsunduza asuke. Kodwa umuntu kaNkulunkulu wathi: Myekele, ngoba umphefumulo wakhe umunyu kuye, leNkosi ingifihlele lokhu, kayingitshelanga.

And when she came to the man of God to the mount, she caught hold on his feet: and Giezi came to remove her. And the man of God said: Let her alone for her soul is in anguish, and the Lord hath hid it from me, and hath not told me.

28 Wasesithi: Ngangicelile indodana enkosini yami yini? Kangitshongo yini ukuthi: Ungangikhohlisi?

And she said to him: Did I ask a son of my lord? did I not say to thee: Do not deceive me?

29 UElisha wasesithi kuGehazi: Bopha ukhalo lwakho, uthathe udondolo lwami esandleni sakho, uhambe. Uba uhlangana lomuntu ungambingeleli, njalo uba umuntu ekubingelela ungamphenduli; ubeke udondolo lwami ebusweni bomntwana.

Then he said to Giezi: Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thy hand, and go. If any man meet thee, salute him not: and if any man salute thee, answer him not: and lay my staff upon the face of the child.

30 Unina womntwana wasesithi: Kuphila kukaJehova lokuphila komphefumulo wakho, kangiyikukutshiya. Wasesukuma wamlandela.

But the mother of the child said: As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. He arose, therefore, and followed her.

31 UGehazi wedlulela phambi kwabo, walubeka udondolo ebusweni bomntwana, kodwa kakubanga khona ilizwi njalo kwakungelakunaka. Wasebuyela ukumhlangabeza, wamtshela esithi: Umntwana kavukanga.

But Giezi was gone before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child, and there was no voice nor sense: and he returned to meet him, and told him, saying: The child is not risen.

32 UElisha esengenile endlini, khangela, umntwana wayefile, elaliswe embhedeni wakhe.

Eliseus therefore went into the house, and behold the child lay dead on his bed.

33 Wasengena, wavala umnyango emva kwabo bobabili, wakhuleka eNkosini.

And going in he shut the door upon him, and upon the child, and prayed to the Lord.

34 Wenyuka walala phezu komntwana, wabeka umlomo wakhe phezu komlomo wakhe lamehlo akhe phezu kwamehlo akhe lezandla zakhe phezu kwezandla zakhe, wacambalala phezu kwakhe; inyama yomntwana yasikhudumala.

And he went up, and lay upon the child: and he put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he bowed himself upon him, and the child’s flesh grew warm.

35 Wasebuyela, wahambahamba endlini waya kanye ngapha lakanye le, wasesenyuka wacambalala phezu kwakhe; umntwana wasethimula kwaze kwaba kasikhombisa, umntwana wasevula amehlo akhe.

Then he returned and walked in the house, once to and fro: and he went up, and lay upon him: and the child gaped seven times, and opened his eyes.

36 Wasebiza uGehazi wathi: Mbize lo umShunamikazi. Wasembiza. Esefikile kuye, wathi kuye: Thatha umntanakho.

And he called Giezi, and said to him: Call this Sunamitess. And she being called, went in to him: and he said: Take up thy son.

37 Wasengena, wawela ezinyaweni zakhe, wakhothamela emhlabathini, waphakamisa umntanakhe, waphuma.

She came and fell at his feet, and worshipped upon the ground: and took up her son, and went out.

38 UElisha wasebuyela eGiligali, njalo kwakukhona indlala elizweni, amadodana abaprofethi ayehlezi-ke phambi kwakhe, wathi encekwini yakhe: Beka imbiza enkulu eziko, uphekele abaprofethi ukudla okuphekiweyo.

And Eliseus returned to Galgal, and there was a famine in the land, and the sons of the prophets dwelt before him. And he said to one of his servants: Set on the great pot, and boil pottage for the sons of the prophets.

39 Omunye wasephuma waya egangeni ukukha imibhida, wathola intandela yeganga, wakha amajodwana ayo eganga, isembatho sakhe sagcwala, weza wawaqobelela embizeni yokudla okuphekiweyo, ngoba ayengawazi.

And one went out into the field to gather wild herbs: and he found something like a wild vine, and gathered of it wild gourds of the field, and filled his mantle, and coming back he shred them into the pot of pottage, for he knew not what it was.

40 Basebethululela abantu ukuze badle; kwasekusithi besadla okokudla okuphekiweyo bona bamemeza bathi: Ukufa embizeni, muntu kaNkulunkulu! Njalo babengelakukudla.

And they poured it out for their companions to eat: and when they had tasted of the pottage, they cried out, saying: Death is in the pot, O man of God. And they could not eat thereof.

41 Wasesithi: Lethani-ke impuphu. Waseyithela embizeni wathi: Thululela abantu, ukuze badle. Kwakungaselalutho oluyingozi embizeni.

But he said: Bring some meal. And when they had brought it, he cast it into the pot, and said: Pour out for the people, that they may eat. And there was now no bitterness in the pot.

42 Kwasekufika umuntu evela eBhali-Shalisha, walethela umuntu kaNkulunkulu ukudla kwezithelo zokuqala, izinkwa zebhali ezingamatshumi amabili, lezikhwebu zamabele amatsha emgodleni wakhe. Wasesithi: Banike abantu ukuze badle.

And a certain man came from Baalsalisa bringing to the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty leaves of barley, and new corn in his scrip. And he said: Give to the people, that they may eat.

43 Kodwa inceku yakhe yathi: Ini, ngibeke lokhu phambi kwabantu abalikhulu? Wasesithi: Banike abantu ukuze badle, ngoba itsho njalo iNkosi: Bazakudla, batshiye.

And his servant answered him: How much is this, that I should set it before a hundred men? He said again: Give to the people, that they may eat: for thus saith the Lord: They shall eat, and there shall be left.

44 Yasikubeka phambi kwabo, badla, batshiya, njengokwelizwi leNkosi.

So he set it before them: and they ate, and there was left according to the word of the Lord.