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.

In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Put your house in order, for you are about to die; you will not recover.’”

2 UHezekhiya wasephendulela ubuso bakhe ngasemdulini, wakhuleka eNkosini,

Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD,

3 wathi: Ngiyakuncenga, Nkosi, ake ukhumbule ukuthi ngihambe phambi kwakho ngobuqotho langenhliziyo epheleleyo, ngenza okulungileyo emehlweni akho. UHezekhiya wasekhala inyembezi ngokukhala okukhulu.

saying, “Please, O LORD, remember how I have walked before You faithfully and with wholehearted devotion; I have done what was good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

4 Kwasekufika ilizwi leNkosi kuIsaya, lisithi:

And the word of the LORD came to Isaiah, saying,

5 Hamba, uthi kuHezekhiya: Itsho njalo iNkosi uNkulunkulu kaDavida uyihlo: Ngiwuzwile umkhuleko wakho, ngibonile inyembezi zakho; khangela, ngizakwengezelela iminyaka elitshumi lanhlanu ensukwini zakho,

“Go and tell Hezekiah that this is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: ‘I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life.

6 ngikukhulule wena lalumuzi esandleni senkosi yeAsiriya, ngiwuvikele lumuzi.

And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city.

7 Lalesi yisibonakaliso kuwe esivela eNkosini, esokuthi iNkosi izayenza le into eyikhulumileyo.

This will be a sign to you from the LORD that He will do what He has promised:

8 Khangela, ngizabuyisela emuva isithunzi sezinyathelo esesehlile ezinyathelweni zelanga zikaAhazi, izinyathelo ezilitshumi emuva. Ilanga laselibuyela emuva izinyathelo ezilitshumi, ngezinyathelo elalehle ngazo.

I will make the sun’s shadow that falls on the stairway of Ahaz go back ten steps.’” So the sunlight went back the ten steps it had descended.

9 Umbhalo kaHezekhiya inkosi yakoJuda lapho egula, esesile emkhuhlaneni wakhe.

This is a writing by Hezekiah king of Judah after his illness and recovery:

10 Mina ngathi: Ekuqunyweni kwezinsuku zami ngizakuya emasangweni engcwaba; ngemukiwe insali yeminyaka yami. (Sheol h7585)

I said, “In the prime of my life I must go through the gates of Sheol and be deprived of the remainder of my years.” (Sheol h7585)

11 Ngathi: Kangiyikubona uJehova, uJehova elizweni labaphilayo; kangisayikubona muntu labahlali bomhlaba.

I said, “I will never again see the LORD, even the LORD, in the land of the living; I will no longer look on mankind with those who dwell in this world.

12 Isizukulwana sami sesisukile, sasuswa kimi njengethente lomelusi; ngiqume impilo yami njengomeluki; uzangiquma njengomkhuhlane ocikizayo; kusukela emini kuze kube sebusuku uzangiqeda.

My dwelling has been picked up and removed from me like a shepherd’s tent. I have rolled up my life like a weaver; He cuts me off from the loom; from day until night You make an end of me.

13 Ngabalisa kwaze kwaba sekuseni; njengesilwane, ngokunjalo uzakwephula amathambo ami wonke; kusukela emini kuze kube sebusuku uzangiqeda.

I composed myself until the morning. Like a lion He breaks all my bones; from day until night You make an end of me.

14 Njengenkonjane kumbe ihemu, ngokunjalo ngatshiyoza; ngilila njengejuba; amehlo ami afiphala ngokukhangela phezulu. Nkosi, ngicindezelwe; woba yisibambiso sami.

I chirp like a swallow or crane; I moan like a dove. My eyes grow weak as I look upward. O Lord, I am oppressed; be my security.”

15 Ngingathini? Ikhulumile kimi, yona uqobo ikwenzile. Ngizahamba kabuthakathaka yonke iminyaka yami ebuhlungwini bomphefumulo wami.

What can I say? He has spoken to me, and He Himself has done this. I will walk slowly all my years because of the anguish of my soul.

16 Nkosi, ngalezizinto bayaphila, lakuzo zonke lezizinto kulempilo yomoya wami. Njalo uzangelapha, ungiphilise.

O Lord, by such things men live, and in all of them my spirit finds life. You have restored me to health and have let me live.

17 Khangela, kulokuthula ngibe lobuhlungu obukhulu, kodwa wena uwuthandile umphefumulo wami wawukhulula egodini lencithakalo, ngoba uphosele ngemva komhlana wakho zonke izono zami.

Surely for my own welfare I had such great anguish; but Your love has delivered me from the pit of oblivion, for You have cast all my sins behind Your back.

18 Ngoba ingcwaba lingekubonge; ukufa kungekudumise; labo abehlela emgodini bangelithembele iqiniso lakho. (Sheol h7585)

For Sheol cannot thank You; Death cannot praise You. Those who descend to the Pit cannot hope for Your faithfulness. (Sheol h7585)

19 Ophilayo, ophilayo, yena uzakudumisa, njengami lamuhla; uyise uzakwazisa abantwana iqiniso lakho.

The living, only the living, can thank You, as I do today; fathers will tell their children about Your faithfulness.

20 INkosi yayilungele ukungisindisa; ngakho sizahlabelela izingoma zami ngamachacho insuku zonke zempilo yethu endlini yeNkosi.

The LORD will save me; we will play songs on stringed instruments all the days of our lives in the house of the LORD.

21 Ngoba uIsaya wayethe: Kabathathe isigaqa somkhiwa, basifake njengomnameko phezu kwethumba, njalo uzasila.

Now Isaiah had said, “Prepare a lump of pressed figs and apply it to the boil, and he will recover.”

22 UHezekhiya laye wayethe: Siyini isibonakaliso sokuthi ngizakwenyukela endlini yeNkosi?

And Hezekiah had asked, “What will be the sign that I will go up to the house of the LORD?”