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.

About this time Hezekiah fell very sick and was about to die. The prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz, went to him and said, “This is what the Lord says: Put your affairs in order, because you are going to die. You won't recover.”

2 UHezekhiya wasephendulela ubuso bakhe ngasemdulini, wakhuleka eNkosini,

When Hezekiah heard this, he went to pray privately to the Lord, saying

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

“Please remember Lord how I have followed you faithfully with all my heart. I have done what is good in your sight.” Then Hezekiah cried and cried.

4 Kwasekufika ilizwi leNkosi kuIsaya, lisithi:

Then the Lord sent a message 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, This is what the Lord, the God of your forefather David, says: I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears. I will add fifteen years to your life.

6 ngikukhulule wena lalumuzi esandleni senkosi yeAsiriya, ngiwuvikele lumuzi.

I will save you and this city from the king of Assyria. I will defend this city.

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

This is the sign from the Lord to you that the Lord will do what he promised:

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

Look, I will make the shadow made by the sun go back the ten steps that it has gone down on the stairway of Ahaz. So the sun went back the ten steps that it had gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.”

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

This is what Hezekiah, king of Judah, wrote after he recovered from his sickness:

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

I said to myself, “Do I have to go to my death just as my life is going well? Why can't I count on the rest 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, the Lord, in the land of the living. I won't see anyone else again, none of the inhabitants of this world.

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

Like a shepherd's tent, the place where I live has been pulled up and taken away from me. Like a weaver I have rolled up the cloth of my life and cut it from the loom. Day and night you bring me to an end.

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

I lie there patiently until the morning, but I feel like there's a lion breaking every bone in my body. Day and night you bring me to an end.

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

I scream like a swift or a songbird, I moan like a dove. My eyes grow dim as I look heavenwards. I'm being attacked, Lord, please come and support me!

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

Yet what can I say? He told me what was going to happen, and he himself did it. I will walk quietly for the rest of my life because of the painful experience I went through.

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

Lord, we live by what you say and do, and I find life in all of this. You have given me back my health and allowed me to live.

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

It was definitely for my own good I went through this bitter experience. You in your love saved me from the pit of destruction and you have forgiven all my sins.

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

Those in the grave cannot praise you, the dead cannot praise you. Those who go down into the pit can no longer hope in your faithfulness. (Sheol h7585)

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

It's only the living who can praise you as I'm doing today. Parents explain to their children how you can be trusted.

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

The Lord saved me! We will sing my songs with stringed instruments all the days of our lives in the Lord's Temple.”

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

Isaiah had said, “Prepare a dressing of figs and spread it on the skin sores so he may recover.”

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

Hezekiah had asked, “What is the sign to confirm that I will go to the Lord's Temple?”