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,
Now when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arabian, and to the rest of our enemies that I had built the wall, and that there was no breach left in it (though even to 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.
Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come! Let’s meet together in the villages in the plain of Ono.” But they intended to harm me.
3 Ngasengithuma izithunywa kubo ngisithi: Ngenza umsebenzi omkhulu, ngakho kangilakho ukwehla. Kungani umsebenzi uzakuma, ngiwutshiye, ngehlele kini?
I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I can’t come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and come down to you?”
4 Basebethuma kimi kane ngaleyondlela, ngabaphendula ngaleyondlela.
They sent to me four times like this; and I answered them the same way.
5 Ngakho uSanibhalathi wathuma kimi inceku yakhe ngaleyondlela ngokwesihlanu ilencwadi evulekileyo esandleni sayo.
Then Sanballat sent his servant to me the same way the fifth time with an open letter in his hand,
6 Kwakubhalwe kuyo ukuthi: Kuzwakele ezizweni, loGashimu uthi: Wena lamaJuda linakana ukuhlamuka; ngenxa yalokho wakha umduli, ukuze wena ube yinkosi yabo, njengalamazwi.
in which was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says it, that you and the Jews intend to rebel. Because of that, you are building the wall. You would be their king, according to these words.
7 Futhi umisile labaprofethi ukuze bamemezele ngawe eJerusalema, besithi: Kukhona inkosi koJuda. Khathesi-ke kuzazwakala enkosini njengalamazwi. Ngakho-ke woza, sicebisane.
You have also appointed prophets to proclaim of you at Jerusalem, saying, ‘There is a king in Judah!’ Now it will be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let’s take counsel together.”
8 Ngasengithuma kuye ngisithi: Kazikho izinto ezinjengalezo ozitshoyo, kodwa uyazibumba zivela enhliziyweni yakho.
Then I sent to him, saying, “There are no such things done as you say, but you imagine them out of your own heart.”
9 Ngoba bonke basethusa besithi: Izandla zabo zizadangala emsebenzini, ukuthi ungenziwa. Ngakho-ke qinisa izandla zami.
For they all would have made us afraid, saying, “Their hands will be weakened from the work, that it not be done.” But now, strengthen my hands.
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.
I went to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home; and he said, “Let us meet together in God’s house, within the temple, and let’s shut the doors of the temple; for they will come to kill you. Yes, in the night they will come to kill you.”
11 Kodwa ngathi: Kambe umuntu onjengami angabaleka? Pho, nguwuphi umuntu onjengami ongangena ethempelini aphile? Kangiyikungena.
I said, “Should a man like me flee? Who is there that, being such as I, 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.
I discerned, and behold, God had not sent him, but he pronounced this prophecy against me. Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
13 Ngakho wayeqhatshiwe ukuze ngesabe, ngenze njalo, ngone, ukuze babe lebizo elibi ngami, ukuze bangigcone.
He was hired so that I would be afraid, do so, and sin, and that they might have material for an evil report, that they might reproach me.
14 Khumbula, Nkulunkulu wami, uTobiya loSanibhalathi njengokwale imisebenzi yakhe, njalo loNowadiya umprofethikazi labanye abaprofethi ababengethusa.
“Remember, my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and also the prophetess Noadiah 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.
So the wall was finished in the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in fifty-two days.
16 Kwasekusithi zonke izitha zethu zisizwa, lazo zonke izizwe ezisizingelezeleyo zibona, zawa kakhulu emehlweni azo; ngoba zananzelela ukuthi lumsebenzi wenziwe nguNkulunkulu wethu.
When all our enemies heard of it, all the nations that were around us were afraid, and they lost their confidence; for they perceived that this work was done by our God.
17 Njalo ngalezonsuku izikhulu zakoJuda zandisa incwadi zazo eziya kuTobiya, lezikaTobiya zeza kuzo.
Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters came 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 Judah sworn to him because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah; and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah as wife.
19 Njalo babekhuluma izenzo zakhe ezinhle phambi kwami, lamazwi ami bewakhuphela kuye. UTobiya wathumela incwadi zokungethusa.
Also they spoke of his good deeds before me, and reported my words to him. Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.
