< UNehemiya 6 >
1 Kwasekusithi oSanibhalathi loTobiya loGeshema umArabhiya lezinye izitha zethu sezizwile ukuthi ngiwakhile umduli lokuthi kakusalanga sikhala kuwo, lanxa kuze kube yilesosikhathi ngangingamisanga izivalo emasangweni,
And it came to pass, when Sanaballat, and Tobias, and Gossem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had built the wall, and that there was no breach left in it, (though at that time I had not set up the doors in the gates, )
2 oSanibhalathi loGeshema bathuma kimi besithi: Woza sihlangane ndawonye emizini emagcekeni eOno. Kodwa babecabange ukwenza okubi kimi.
Sanaballat and Gossem Rent to me, saying: Come, and let us make a league together in the villages, in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.
3 Ngasengithuma izithunywa kubo ngisithi: Ngenza umsebenzi omkhulu, ngakho kangilakho ukwehla. Kungani umsebenzi uzakuma, ngiwutshiye, ngehlele kini?
And I sent messengers to them, saying: I am doing a great work, and I cannot come down, lest it be neglected whilst I come, and go down to you.
4 Basebethuma kimi kane ngaleyondlela, ngabaphendula ngaleyondlela.
And they sent to me according to this word, four times: and I answered them after the same manner.
5 Ngakho uSanibhalathi wathuma kimi inceku yakhe ngaleyondlela ngokwesihlanu ilencwadi evulekileyo esandleni sayo.
And Sanaballat sent his servant to me the fifth time according to the former word, and he had a letter in his hand written in this manner:
6 Kwakubhalwe kuyo ukuthi: Kuzwakele ezizweni, loGashimu uthi: Wena lamaJuda linakana ukuhlamuka; ngenxa yalokho wakha umduli, ukuze wena ube yinkosi yabo, njengalamazwi.
It is reported amongst the Gentiles, and Gossem hath said it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel, and therefore thou buildest the wall, and hast a mind to set thyself king over them: for which end
7 Futhi umisile labaprofethi ukuze bamemezele ngawe eJerusalema, besithi: Kukhona inkosi koJuda. Khathesi-ke kuzazwakala enkosini njengalamazwi. Ngakho-ke woza, sicebisane.
Thou hast also set up prophets, to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying: There is a king in Judea. The king will hear of these things: therefore come now, that we may take counsel together.
8 Ngasengithuma kuye ngisithi: Kazikho izinto ezinjengalezo ozitshoyo, kodwa uyazibumba zivela enhliziyweni yakho.
And I sent to them, saying: There is no such thing done as thou sayest: but thou feignest these things out of thy own heart.
9 Ngoba bonke basethusa besithi: Izandla zabo zizadangala emsebenzini, ukuthi ungenziwa. Ngakho-ke qinisa izandla zami.
For all these men thought to frighten us, thinking that our hands would cease from the work, and that we would leave off. Wherefore I strengthened my hands the more:
10 Mina sengingenile endlini kaShemaya indodana kaDelaya indodana kaMehethabheli owayezivalele, wasesithi: Asihlangane endlini kaNkulunkulu phakathi kwethempeli, sivale iminyango yethempeli, ngoba bayeza ukukubulala, yebo, bayeza ebusuku ukukubulala.
And I went into the house of Samaia the son of Delaia, the son of Metabeel privately. And he said: Let us consult together in the house of God in the midst of the temple: and let us shut the doors of the temple, for they will come to kill thee, and in the night they will come to slay thee.
11 Kodwa ngathi: Kambe umuntu onjengami angabaleka? Pho, nguwuphi umuntu onjengami ongangena ethempelini aphile? Kangiyikungena.
And I said: Should such a man as I Bee? and who is there that being as I am, would go into the temple, to save his life? I will not go in.
12 Ngasenginanzelela, khangela-ke, uNkulunkulu wayengamthumanga, kodwa wakhuluma isiprofetho esimelene lami ngoba oTobiya loSanibhalathi babemqhatshile.
And I understood that God had not sent him, but that he had spoken to me as if he had been prophesying, and Tobias, and Sanaballat had hired him.
13 Ngakho wayeqhatshiwe ukuze ngesabe, ngenze njalo, ngone, ukuze babe lebizo elibi ngami, ukuze bangigcone.
For he had taken money, that I being afraid should do this thing, and sin, and they might have some evil to upbraid me withal.
14 Khumbula, Nkulunkulu wami, uTobiya loSanibhalathi njengokwale imisebenzi yakhe, njalo loNowadiya umprofethikazi labanye abaprofethi ababengethusa.
Remember me, O Lord, for Tobias and Sanaballat, according to their works of this kind: and Noadias the prophet, and the rest of the prophets that would have put me in fear.
15 Waphela-ke umduli ngolwamatshumi amabili lanhlanu kaEluli ngensuku ezingamatshumi amahlanu lambili.
But the wall was finished the five and twentieth day of the month of Elul, in two and fifty days.
16 Kwasekusithi zonke izitha zethu zisizwa, lazo zonke izizwe ezisizingelezeleyo zibona, zawa kakhulu emehlweni azo; ngoba zananzelela ukuthi lumsebenzi wenziwe nguNkulunkulu wethu.
And it came to pass when all our enemies heard of it, that all nations which were round about us, were afraid, and were cast down within themselves, for they perceived that this work was the work of God.
17 Njalo ngalezonsuku izikhulu zakoJuda zandisa incwadi zazo eziya kuTobiya, lezikaTobiya zeza kuzo.
Moreover in those days many letters were sent by the principal men of the Jews to Tobias, and from Tobias there came letters to them.
18 Ngoba abanengi koJuda babefungile kuye ngoba wayengumkhwenyana kaShekaniya indodana kaAra, loJehohanani indodana yakhe wayethethe indodakazi kaMeshulamu indodana kaBerekiya.
For there were many in Judea sworn to him, because he was the son in law of Sechenias the son of Area, and Johanan his son had taken to wife the daughter of Mosollam the son of Barachias.
19 Njalo babekhuluma izenzo zakhe ezinhle phambi kwami, lamazwi ami bewakhuphela kuye. UTobiya wathumela incwadi zokungethusa.
And they praised him also before me, and they related my words to him: And Tobias sent letters to put me in fear.