< U-Isaya 38 >
1 Ngalezonsuku uHezekhiya wagula waphos'ukufa. UIsaya indodana kaAmozi umprofethi wasefika kuye, wathi kuye: Itsho njalo iNkosi: Layezela indlu yakho, ngoba uzakufa, kawuyikuphila.
2 UHezekhiya wasephendulela ubuso bakhe ngasemdulini, wakhuleka eNkosini,
3 wathi: Ngiyakuncenga, Nkosi, ake ukhumbule ukuthi ngihambe phambi kwakho ngobuqotho langenhliziyo epheleleyo, ngenza okulungileyo emehlweni akho. UHezekhiya wasekhala inyembezi ngokukhala okukhulu.
4 Kwasekufika ilizwi leNkosi kuIsaya, lisithi:
5 Hamba, uthi kuHezekhiya: Itsho njalo iNkosi uNkulunkulu kaDavida uyihlo: Ngiwuzwile umkhuleko wakho, ngibonile inyembezi zakho; khangela, ngizakwengezelela iminyaka elitshumi lanhlanu ensukwini zakho,
6 ngikukhulule wena lalumuzi esandleni senkosi yeAsiriya, ngiwuvikele lumuzi.
7 Lalesi yisibonakaliso kuwe esivela eNkosini, esokuthi iNkosi izayenza le into eyikhulumileyo.
8 Khangela, ngizabuyisela emuva isithunzi sezinyathelo esesehlile ezinyathelweni zelanga zikaAhazi, izinyathelo ezilitshumi emuva. Ilanga laselibuyela emuva izinyathelo ezilitshumi, ngezinyathelo elalehle ngazo.
9 Umbhalo kaHezekhiya inkosi yakoJuda lapho egula, esesile emkhuhlaneni wakhe.
10 Mina ngathi: Ekuqunyweni kwezinsuku zami ngizakuya emasangweni engcwaba; ngemukiwe insali yeminyaka yami. (Sheol )
11 Ngathi: Kangiyikubona uJehova, uJehova elizweni labaphilayo; kangisayikubona muntu labahlali bomhlaba.
12 Isizukulwana sami sesisukile, sasuswa kimi njengethente lomelusi; ngiqume impilo yami njengomeluki; uzangiquma njengomkhuhlane ocikizayo; kusukela emini kuze kube sebusuku uzangiqeda.
13 Ngabalisa kwaze kwaba sekuseni; njengesilwane, ngokunjalo uzakwephula amathambo ami wonke; kusukela emini kuze kube sebusuku uzangiqeda.
14 Njengenkonjane kumbe ihemu, ngokunjalo ngatshiyoza; ngilila njengejuba; amehlo ami afiphala ngokukhangela phezulu. Nkosi, ngicindezelwe; woba yisibambiso sami.
15 Ngingathini? Ikhulumile kimi, yona uqobo ikwenzile. Ngizahamba kabuthakathaka yonke iminyaka yami ebuhlungwini bomphefumulo wami.
16 Nkosi, ngalezizinto bayaphila, lakuzo zonke lezizinto kulempilo yomoya wami. Njalo uzangelapha, ungiphilise.
17 Khangela, kulokuthula ngibe lobuhlungu obukhulu, kodwa wena uwuthandile umphefumulo wami wawukhulula egodini lencithakalo, ngoba uphosele ngemva komhlana wakho zonke izono zami.
18 Ngoba ingcwaba lingekubonge; ukufa kungekudumise; labo abehlela emgodini bangelithembele iqiniso lakho. (Sheol )
19 Ophilayo, ophilayo, yena uzakudumisa, njengami lamuhla; uyise uzakwazisa abantwana iqiniso lakho.
20 INkosi yayilungele ukungisindisa; ngakho sizahlabelela izingoma zami ngamachacho insuku zonke zempilo yethu endlini yeNkosi.
21 Ngoba uIsaya wayethe: Kabathathe isigaqa somkhiwa, basifake njengomnameko phezu kwethumba, njalo uzasila.
22 UHezekhiya laye wayethe: Siyini isibonakaliso sokuthi ngizakwenyukela endlini yeNkosi?