U-Isaya 39

1 Ngalesosikhathi uMerodaki-Baladani, indodana kaBaladani inkosi yeBhabhiloni, wathumela izincwadi lesipho kuHezekhiya, ngoba wayezwile ukuthi ubekade egula, useqinile.

Soon after that, Baladan’s son Merodach-Baladan, the King of Babylon, heard a report that Hezekiah had been very sick but that he had recovered. So he wrote some notes and gave them to some messengers to take to Hezekiah, along with a gift.

2 UHezekhiya wasethokoza ngazo, wabatshengisa indlu yokuligugu kwakhe, isiliva, legolide, lamakha, lamafutha amahle, lendlu yonke yezikhali zakhe, lakho konke okwatholakala kokuligugu kwakhe; kakubanga lalutho endlini yakhe lembusweni wakhe wonke uHezekhiya angabatshengisanga lona.

[When the messengers arrived], Hezekiah welcomed them gladly. [Then] he showed them everything that was in his (treasure houses/places where very valuable things were kept)—the silver, the gold, the spices, and the nice-smelling [olive] oil. He also took them to see the place where they kept their soldiers’ weapons, and he showed them the other valuable things that were in the storehouses. Hezekiah showed them everything [LIT] that was in the palace or in other places [HYP].

3 Wasefika uIsaya umprofethi enkosini uHezekhiya, wathi kuyo: Atheni lamadoda? Futhi avele ngaphi esiza kuwe? UHezekhiya wasesithi: Avele elizweni elikhatshana esiza kimi, eBhabhiloni.

Then I went to King Hezekiah and asked him, “Where did those men come from, and what did they want?” He replied, “They came from the far away land of Babylon.”

4 Wasesithi: Aboneni endlini yakho? UHezekhiya wasesithi: Abone konke okusendlini yami; kakulalutho phakathi kokuligugu kwami engingawatshengisanga lona.

I asked him, “What did they see in your palace?” Hezekiah replied, “They saw everything. I showed them absolutely everything that I own—all my valuable things.”

5 UIsaya wasesithi kuHezekhiya: Zwana ilizwi leNkosi yamabandla.

Then I said to Hezekiah, “Listen to this message from the Commander of the armies of angels:

6 Khangela, insuku ziyeza lapho konke okusendlini yakho, lalokho oyihlo abakubuthelelayo kuze kube lamuhla, kuzathwalelwa eBhabhiloni; kakuyikusala lutho, kutsho iNkosi.

'There will be a time when everything in your palace, all the valuable things that your ancestors stored there up until the present time, will be carried away to Babylon. Yahweh says that there will be nothing left.

7 Njalo bazathatha emadodaneni akho azaphuma kuwe, ozawazala; njalo abe ngabathenwa esigodlweni senkosi yeBhabhiloni.

Furthermore, some of your sons will be forced to go to Babylon. They will be castrated in order that they can become servants in the palace of the king of Babylon.'”

8 UHezekhiya wasesithi kuIsaya: Ilizwi leNkosi olikhulumileyo lilungile. Wathi futhi: Ngoba kuzakuba lokuthula leqiniso ensukwini zami.

Then Hezekiah replied to me, “That message from Yahweh that you have given to me is good.” He said that because he was thinking, “Even if that happens, there will be peace, and people in this country will be safe during the time that I am alive.”