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 was sick to the point of dying. So Isaiah son of Amoz, the prophet, came to him, and said to him, “Yahweh says, 'Set your house in order; for you will die, not live.'”
2 UHezekhiya wasephendulela ubuso bakhe ngasemdulini, wakhuleka eNkosini,
Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to Yahweh.
3 wathi: Ngiyakuncenga, Nkosi, ake ukhumbule ukuthi ngihambe phambi kwakho ngobuqotho langenhliziyo epheleleyo, ngenza okulungileyo emehlweni akho. UHezekhiya wasekhala inyembezi ngokukhala okukhulu.
He said, “Please, Yahweh, call to mind how I have faithfully walked before you with my whole heart, and how I have done what was good in your sight.” Then Hezekiah wept loudly.
4 Kwasekufika ilizwi leNkosi kuIsaya, lisithi:
Then the word of Yahweh 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 say to Hezekiah, the leader of my people, 'This is what Yahweh, the God of David your ancestor, says: I have heard your prayer, and I have seen your tears. See, I am about to add fifteen years to your life.
6 ngikukhulule wena lalumuzi esandleni senkosi yeAsiriya, ngiwuvikele lumuzi.
Then I will rescue you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city.
7 Lalesi yisibonakaliso kuwe esivela eNkosini, esokuthi iNkosi izayenza le into eyikhulumileyo.
This will be the sign to you from Yahweh, that I will do what I have 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 cause the shadow on the stairs of Ahaz to go back ten steps.'” So the shadow went back ten steps of the stairs on which it had advanced.
9 Umbhalo kaHezekhiya inkosi yakoJuda lapho egula, esesile emkhuhlaneni wakhe.
This was the written prayer of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick and then recovered:
10 Mina ngathi: Ekuqunyweni kwezinsuku zami ngizakuya emasangweni engcwaba; ngemukiwe insali yeminyaka yami. (Sheol h7585)
“I said that halfway through my life I will go through the gates of Sheol; I am sent there for the rest of my years. (Sheol h7585)
11 Ngathi: Kangiyikubona uJehova, uJehova elizweni labaphilayo; kangisayikubona muntu labahlali bomhlaba.
I said that I will no longer see Yahweh, Yahweh in the land of the living; I will no longer look on mankind or the inhabitants of the world.
12 Isizukulwana sami sesisukile, sasuswa kimi njengethente lomelusi; ngiqume impilo yami njengomeluki; uzangiquma njengomkhuhlane ocikizayo; kusukela emini kuze kube sebusuku uzangiqeda.
My life is removed and carried away from me like a shepherd's tent; I have rolled up my life like a weaver; you are cutting me off from the loom; between day and night you are ending my life.
13 Ngabalisa kwaze kwaba sekuseni; njengesilwane, ngokunjalo uzakwephula amathambo ami wonke; kusukela emini kuze kube sebusuku uzangiqeda.
I cried out until the morning; like a lion he breaks all my bones. Between day and night you are ending my life.
14 Njengenkonjane kumbe ihemu, ngokunjalo ngatshiyoza; ngilila njengejuba; amehlo ami afiphala ngokukhangela phezulu. Nkosi, ngicindezelwe; woba yisibambiso sami.
Like a swallow I chirp; I coo like a dove; my eyes grow tired with looking upward. Lord, I am oppressed; help me.
15 Ngingathini? Ikhulumile kimi, yona uqobo ikwenzile. Ngizahamba kabuthakathaka yonke iminyaka yami ebuhlungwini bomphefumulo wami.
What shall I say? He has both spoken to me, and has done it; I will walk slowly all my years because I am overcome with grief.
16 Nkosi, ngalezizinto bayaphila, lakuzo zonke lezizinto kulempilo yomoya wami. Njalo uzangelapha, ungiphilise.
Lord, the sufferings you send are good for me; may my life be given back to me; you have restored my life and health.
17 Khangela, kulokuthula ngibe lobuhlungu obukhulu, kodwa wena uwuthandile umphefumulo wami wawukhulula egodini lencithakalo, ngoba uphosele ngemva komhlana wakho zonke izono zami.
It was for my benefit that I experienced such grief. You have rescued me from the pit of destruction; for you have thrown all my sins behind your back.
18 Ngoba ingcwaba lingekubonge; ukufa kungekudumise; labo abehlela emgodini bangelithembele iqiniso lakho. (Sheol h7585)
For Sheol does not thank you; death does not praise you; those who go down into the pit do not hope in your trustworthiness. (Sheol h7585)
19 Ophilayo, ophilayo, yena uzakudumisa, njengami lamuhla; uyise uzakwazisa abantwana iqiniso lakho.
The living person, the living person, he is the one who gives you thanks, as I do this day; a father makes known to children your trustworthiness.
20 INkosi yayilungele ukungisindisa; ngakho sizahlabelela izingoma zami ngamachacho insuku zonke zempilo yethu endlini yeNkosi.
Yahweh is about to save me, and we will celebrate with music all the days of our lives in the house of Yahweh.”
21 Ngoba uIsaya wayethe: Kabathathe isigaqa somkhiwa, basifake njengomnameko phezu kwethumba, njalo uzasila.
Now Isaiah had said, “Let them take a lump of figs and put it on the boil, and he will recover.”
22 UHezekhiya laye wayethe: Siyini isibonakaliso sokuthi ngizakwenyukela endlini yeNkosi?
Hezekiah also had said, “What will be the sign that I should go up to the house of Yahweh?”
