Isaya 37
1 Mambo Hezekia akati anzwa izvi, akabvarura nguo dzake akafuka masaga akapinda mutemberi yaJehovha.
When King Hezekiah heard what they reported, he tore his clothes and put on clothes made of rough sackcloth [because he was very distressed]. Then he went into the temple of Yahweh [and prayed].
2 Akatuma Eriakimu mutariri womuzinda wamambo, naShebhina munyori, navakuru vavaprista, vose vakapfeka masaga, kumuprofita Isaya mwanakomana waAmozi.
Then he sent Eliakim, Shebna, and the (older/most important) priests, who were also wearing clothes made of rough sackcloth, to talk to me.
3 Vakati kwaari, “Zvanzi naHezekia: Nhasi izuva renhamo nokutukwa uye kunyadziswa, sezvinoitika kana vana vakasvika pakuzvarwa asi simba rokusununguka pasina.
He said to them, “Tell this to Isaiah: ‘King Hezekiah says that this is a day when we are greatly distressed. Other nations are causing us to be insulted and disgraced. We are like [SIM] a woman who is about to give birth to a baby, but she does not have the strength that she needs to do it.
4 Zvimwe Jehovha Mwari wenyu achanzwa mashoko omukuru wehondo, akatumwa naishe wake, mambo weAsiria, kuzomhura Mwari mupenyu, uye kuti azomutuka pamusoro pamashoko aakanzwa iye Jehovha Mwari wenyu. Naizvozvo nyengetererai vakasara vari vapenyu.”
[But] perhaps Yahweh our God has heard what the official from Assyria said. Perhaps he knows that his boss, the King of Assyria, sent him to insult the all-powerful God, and that Yahweh will punish the King of Assyria for what he said. And the king requests that you pray for the few of us who are still alive [here in Jerusalem].’”
5 Vabati vaHezekia vakati vasvika kuna Isaya,
After those men gave me that message,
6 Isaya akati kwavari, “Udzai ishe wenyu kuti, ‘Zvanzi naJehovha: Usatya hako zvawakanzwa, mashoko andakamhurwa nawo navaranda vamambo weAsiria.
I replied, “Tell the King, ‘This is what Yahweh says: “Those messengers from the King of Assyria have said evil things about me. But do not be disturbed by what they said.
7 Teererai! Ndichaisa mweya maari wokuti akangonzwa rimwe guhu, achadzokera kunyika yake, uye ikoko, ndichaita kuti aurayiwe nomunondo.’”
Listen to this: I will cause Sennacherib to hear a rumor [that the armies of Babylon are about to attack his country], and that will worry him. So he will return to his own country, and there I will cause him to be assassinated by [men using] swords.”’”
8 Mukuru wehondo akati anzwa kuti mambo weAsiria akanga abva kuBhakishi, akadzoka akawana mambo achirwa neRibhina.
The official from Assyria found out that the King of Assyria [and his army] had captured Lachish [city] and that they were attacking Libnah, [which is a nearby city]. So the official left Jerusalem and went to Libnah [to report to the king what had happened in Jerusalem].
9 Zvino Senakeribhi akagamuchira mashoko okuti Tirihaka, muEtiopia mambo weIjipiti, akanga achiuya kuzorwa naye. Akati anzwa izvozvo, akatuma nhume kuna mambo Hezekia neshoko iri rokuti:
Soon after that, King [Sennacherib] received a report that King Tirhakah of Ethiopia was leading his army to attack them. So before King Sennacherib left Libnah [with his army to fight against the army from Ethiopia], he sent other messengers to Hezekiah in Jerusalem with a letter. [In the letter he wrote this] to Hezekiah:
10 “Udzai Hezekia mambo weJudha muti: Mwari waunovimba naye ngaarege kukunyengera achiti, ‘Jerusarema harizoiswa muruoko rwamambo weAsiria.’
“Do not allow your god, on whom you are relying, to deceive you by promising you that Jerusalem will not be captured by my army.
11 Zvirokwazvo wakanzwa zvakaitwa namadzimambo eAsiria kunyika dzose vachidziparadza chose. Zvino iwe ucharwirwa here?
You have certainly heard what the armies of the kings of Assyria have done to all the other countries; our armies have destroyed them completely. So, (do you think that you will escape?/do not think that your god will save you!) [RHQ]
12 Ko, vamwari vamamwe marudzi akaparadzwa namadzibaba angu vakavarwira here, vamwari veGezani, neHarani neRezefi navanhu vokuEdheni vakanga vari kuTeri Asari?
Did the gods of the nations that were about to be destroyed by the armies of the previous kings of Assyria rescue them? Did those gods rescue Gozan [region], and Haran and Rezeph [cities in northern Syria], and the people of Eden [region] who were forced to go to Tel-Assar [city]?
13 Mambo weHamati aripiko, namambo weArifadhi namambo weguta reSefarivhaimi, kana Hena kana Ivha?”
What happened to the King of Hamath and the King of Arpad? What happened to the kings of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah [cities]? [Did their gods rescue them] [RHQ]?”
14 Hezekia akagamuchira tsamba kubva mumaoko enhume, akaiverenga. Ipapo akakwidza kutemberi yaJehovha akaitambanudza pamberi paJehovha.
Hezekiah received the letter that the messengers gave him, and he read it. Then he went up to the temple and spread out the letter in front of Yahweh.
15 Uye Hezekia akanyengetera kuna Jehovha achiti,
And [then] Hezekiah prayed this:
16 “Haiwa Jehovha Wamasimba Ose, Mwari waIsraeri, mugere pakati pamakerubhimi, imi moga ndimi Mwari aripo pamusoro poumambo hwose hwenyika. Makasika denga nepasi.
“O Yahweh, Commander of the armies of angels, the God to whom [we] Israelis belong, you are seated on your throne above the statues of the creatures with wings, [above the Sacred Chest]. Only you are [truly] God. You rule all the kingdoms on this earth. You are the one who created everything on the earth and in the sky.
17 Rerekai nzeve yenyu, Jehovha, munzwe; zarurai meso enyu, Jehovha muone; teererai mashoko ose aSenakeribhi aakatuma kuzozvidza nawo Mwari mupenyu.
[So], Yahweh, [please] listen to what I am saying, and look at [what is happening]! And listen to what Sennacherib has said to insult you, the all-powerful God!
18 “Ichokwadi, Jehovha, kuti madzimambo eAsiria akaparadza chose ndudzi idzi dzose nenyika dzadzo.
Yahweh, it is true that [the armies of] the kings of Assyria have completely destroyed many nations and ruined their land.
19 Vakakanda vamwari vavo mumoto vakavaparadza, nokuti vakanga vasiri vamwari asi matanda chete namatombo akaitwa namaoko avanhu.
And they have thrown all the idols of those nations into fires and burned them. But they were not [really] gods. They were only idols made of wood and stone, [and that is why they were destroyed easily].
20 Zvino, Jehovha Mwari wedu, tidzikinurei kubva muruoko rwake, kuitira kuti madzimambo ose enyika azive kuti imi moga, Jehovha, ndimi Mwari.”
So now, Yahweh our God, [please] rescue us from the power [MTY] of [the King of Assyria], in order that [the people in] all the kingdoms of the world will know that you, Yahweh, are the only one who is [truly] God.”
21 Ipapo Isaya mwanakomana waAmozi akatumira shoko kuna Hezekia achiti, “Zvanzi naJehovha, Mwari waIsraeri: Nokuda kwokuti wanyengetera kwandiri pamusoro paSenakeribhi mambo weAsiria,
Then I sent this message to Hezekiah: “This is what Yahweh, the God to whom [we] Israelis belong, says: Because you prayed about what King Sennacherib of Assyria [said],
22 heri shoko rakataurwa naJehovha pamusoro pake: “Mhandara Mwanasikana weZioni anokuzvidza uye anokuseka. Mwanasikana weJerusarema anokudzungudzira musoro wake paunenge uchitiza.
this is what I say to him: ‘The people of Jerusalem despise you and make fun of you. They will wag/shake their heads to mock you while you flee from here.
23 Ndianiko wawatuka uye ukamhura? Ndianiko wawasimudzira inzwi rako, uye ukasimudzira meso ako uchizvikudza? Ndiye Mutsvene waIsraeri!
Whom do you think you have been despising and ridiculing? Whom do you think you were shouting at? Whom do you think you were looking at [very] proudly/arrogantly? [It was I], the Holy One whom the Israelis worship!
24 Navaranda vako watutira kutuka pamusoro paIshe. Uye wakati, ‘Nengoro dzangu zhinji ndakakwira makomo marefu, kumusoro-soro kweRebhanoni. Ndakatema misidhari yayo mirefu refu, nemisipuresi yayo yakanakisisa. Ndakasvika kumusoro-soro kwayo, nokumasango ayo akanakisisa.
The messengers whom you sent made fun of me. You said, “With my many chariots I have gone to the highest mountains, [even] to the highest mountains in Lebanon. We have cut down its tallest cedar [trees] and its nicest pine/cypress [trees]. We have been to the most distant/remote peaks and to its densest forests.
25 Ndakachera matsime munyika yavamwe, ndikanwa mvura imomo. Netsoka dzangu ndakapwisa hova dzose dzeIjipiti.’
We have dug wells [in many countries] and drunk water [from them]. And by marching through [MTY] the streams of Egypt, we dried them all up [HYP]!”
26 “Hauna kunzwa here? Izvi ndakazviita kare. Ndakazvironga pamazuva akare; zvino ndaita kuti zviitike, nokuti wakaparadza maguta akakomberedzwa akava mirwi yamatombo.
[But I, Yahweh, reply], “Have you never heard that long ago I determined [those things]; I planned them long ago, and now I have been causing those things to occur. I planned that your army would destroy cities and cause them to become piles of rubble.
27 Vanhu vawo, vapererwa nesimba, vavhundutswa uye vanyadziswa. Vafanana nembeu mumunda, namabukira manyoro, sebundo ramera padenga remba, ratsva risati rakura.
The people in those cities have no power, and as a result they are dismayed and discouraged. They are [as frail as] [MET] grass and plants in the fields, as frail as grass that grows on the roofs of houses and is scorched by the hot east wind.
28 “Asi ndinoziva paunogara uye nguva yaunouya neyaunoenda uye kuti unondiitira hasha zvakadii.
[But] I know [everything about you]; I know when you are [in your house and] when you go outside; I also know that you are (raging/speaking very angrily) against me.
29 Nokuda kwehasha dzako kwandiri uye nokuda kwokuti kusateerera kwako kwasvika munzeve dzangu, ndichaisa chiredzo changu mumhuno dzako namatomu angu mumuromo mako, uye ndichaita kuti udzokere nenzira yawakauya nayo.
[So], because you have raged against me and because I have heard you speak very proudly/arrogantly, [it will be as though] I will put a hook in your nose and I will put an iron (bit/metal bar) in your mouth [in order that I can lead you where I want you to go], and I will force you to return [to your own country], on the same road on which you came [here, without conquering Jerusalem].”’
30 “Ichi ndicho chichava chiratidzo kuvarwi, iwe Hezekia: “Gore rino muchadya zvinomera zvoga, uye mugore rinotevera muchadya mabukira azvo. Asi mugore rechitatu mudyare mugokohwa, mudyare minda yemizambiringa mugodya michero yayo.
[Then I said to Hezekiah], ‘This will prove to you [that what I said will happen]: “This year, you(pl) will eat [only the crops] that grow by themselves, and next year the same thing will happen. But in the third year you will plant [crops] and harvest them; you will take care of your vineyards and eat the grapes.
31 Zvakare, vakasara veimba yaJudha vachava nemidzi pasi uye vachabereka michero kumusoro.
And [you] people who are still [here] in Judah, will be strong and prosper again [MET].
32 Nokuti muJerusarema muchabuda vachasara, uye muZioni muchabuda boka ravachapunyuka. Kushingaira kwaJehovha kuchazviita.
A small number of my people will survive, and they will spread out from Jerusalem [DOU].” That will happen because [I], the Commander of the armies of angels, am desiring very much to accomplish it.’
33 “Naizvozvo zvanzi naJehovha pamusoro pamambo weAsiria, “Haazopindi muguta iri kana kupfura museve pano. Haazosviki mberi kwaro nenhoo kana kuvaka gomo revhu pariri.
And this is what [I], Yahweh, say about the King of Assyria: ‘His [armies] will not enter Jerusalem; they will not [even] shoot arrows into it. His soldiers will not [march outside] the city gates holding their shields, and they will not build high mounds of dirt against the walls of the city [to enable them to attack the city].
34 Achadzokera nenzira yaakauya nayo; haazopindi muguta rino,” ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha.
And their king will return [to his own country] on the same road on which he came [here]. He will not enter this city!’ [That will happen because I], Yahweh, have said it!
35 “Ndichadzivirira guta rino uye ndichariponesa, nokuda kwangu uye nokuda kwaDhavhidhi muranda wangu!”
For the sake of my own reputation and because of what I promised King David, who served me [well], I will defend this city and prevent it from being destroyed.”
36 Ipapo mutumwa waJehovha akabuda akauraya varume zviuru zana namakumi masere nezvishanu pamusasa wavaAsiria. Vanhu vakati vachimuka mangwanani, onei mitumbi yavakafa!
[That night], an angel from Yahweh went out to where the army of Assyria had set up their tents and killed 185,000 of their soldiers. When [the rest of the soldiers] woke up the next morning, they saw that there were corpses everywhere.
37 Naizvozvo Senakeribhi mambo weAsiria akaputsa musasa. Akadzokera kuNinevhe akandogara ikoko.
Then King Sennacherib left and returned home to Nineveh [in Assyria], and stayed there.
38 Mumwe musi achinamata ari mutemberi yamwari wake Nisiroki, Adhiramereki naSharezeri, vanakomana vake vakamuuraya nomunondo, ndokutizira kunyika yeArarati. Mwanakomana waEsarihadhoni akamutevera paushe.
[One day], when he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his two sons, Adrammelech and Sharezer, killed him with their swords. Then they escaped and went to the Ararat [region northwest of Nineveh]. And another of Sennacherib’s sons, Esarhaddon, became the King of Assyria.
