U-Izaya 36

36 ¹Ngonyaka weshumi nane wenkosi uHezekiya, uSenakheribi inkosi yase-Asiriya wahlasela yonke imizi yakwaJuda ebiyelwe ngezindonga, wayithumba. ²Inkosi yase-Asiriya yathuma uRabushake nebutho elikhulu, esuka eLakhishi eya eJerusalema, kunkosi uHezekiya. Wema emseleni wechibi eliphezulu, endleleni eya ensimini yomwashi. ^a a v2 URabushake kwakuyisikhundla esiphakeme sezempi sase-Asiriya, esilingana cishe nomlawuli wempi noma inhloko yezikhulu zempi. ³Kwaphuma kuye u-Eliyakimi indodana kaHilikiya, umphathi wesigodlo, noShebina umbhali, noJowa indodana ka-Asafa umgcini womlando.

⁴URabushake wathi kubo: “Tshelani uHezekiya nithi: Inkosi enkulu, inkosi yase-Asiriya, isho kanje: Yithemba lini leli othembele kulo?

⁵Uthi unesu namandla empi — kodwa lokho kungamazwi nje. Manje, wethembe bani, uze wangivukela? ⁶Bheka, wethembele kule nduku yomhlanga ofohlozekile — iGibhithe — ethi uma uyencika, ihlabe isandla sakho idabule sona. Unjalo uFaro inkosi yaseGibhithe kubo bonke abathembela kuye. ⁷Uma uthi kimi, ‘Sithembele kuSimakade uNkulunkulu wethu’ — akuyena yini lowo uHezekiya awasusayo amadundu akhe aphezulu nama-altare akhe, etshela uJuda neJerusalema ukuthi, ‘Niyakukhonza phambi kwaleli altare’? ^b b v7 URabushake ubiza igama likaSimakade ukuze akhohlise, hhayi ukuba akhonze. I-FHB igcina elithi ‘uSimakade’ esikhundleni sokuthi ‘uBaba wethu’ lapho abahlekisi abangamaqaba belisebenzisa igama bengamazi uBaba abambizayo. ⁸Ngakho-ke beja nenkosi yami, inkosi yase-Asiriya: Ngizakukunika amahhashi azinkulungwane ezimbili — uma ungakwazi ukubeka abagibeli phezu kwawo. ⁹Pho ungayinqanda kanjani induna eyodwa, ngisho encane kunazo zonke izinceku zenkosi yami, wena othembele eGibhithe ngezinqola zempi nabagibeli bamahhashi? ¹⁰Manje, kungabe ngenyukele kuleli zwe ukuba ngilibhubhise ngaphandle kukaSimakade na? USimakade wathi kimi: Khuphukela kuleli zwe ulibhubhise.”

¹¹Khona-ke u-Eliyakimi, noShebina, noJowa bathi kuRabushake: “Siyacela, khuluma ngesi-Aramu ezincekwini zakho, ngokuba siyasiqonda. Ungakhulumi nathi ngesiJuda, abantu abasodongeni bekuzwa.” ^c c v11 ‘IsiJuda’ lapha kusho ulimi lwesiHeberu — inkulumo yansuku zonke yabantu bakwaJuda.

¹²URabushake waphendula wathi: “Kanti inkosi yami ingithume ukuba ngikhulume la mazwi enkosini yakho nakuwe kuphela, kungebona yini namadoda ahlezi odongeni, okuzomele adle amasimba awo aphuze umchamo wawo kanye nani?” ¹³Khona-ke uRabushake wema wamemeza ngesiJuda wathi: “Zwanini amazwi enkosi enkulu, inkosi yase-Asiriya! ¹⁴Isho kanje inkosi: Ningavumi ukuba uHezekiya anikhohlise; angeke akwazi ukunophula. ¹⁵Ningavumi ukuba uHezekiya anenze nethembele kuSimakade, ethi, ‘USimakade uzasophula nokusophula; lo muzi ngeke uwele esandleni senkosi yase-Asiriya.’ ¹⁶Ningamlaleli uHezekiya. Nakhu inkosi yase-Asiriya ekushoyo: Yenzani ukuthula nami niphumele kimi. Yilowo nalowo uzakudla emvinini wakhe nasemkhiweni wakhe, yilowo nalowo uzaphuza amanzi emthonjeni wakhe, ¹⁷ngize ngifike nginiyise ezweni elifana nezwe lakini, izwe lokusanhlamvu newayini elisha, izwe lesinkwa nezivini. ¹⁸Ningavumi ukuba uHezekiya anikhohlise ngokuthi, ‘USimakade uzasophula.’ Kukhona yini unkulunkulu waluphi uhlanga owake wophula izwe lakhe esandleni senkosi yase-Asiriya? ¹⁹Baphi onkulunkulu baseHamati nabase-Arpadi? Baphi onkulunkulu baseSefarivayimi? Balophule yini iSamariya esandleni sami? ²⁰Yimaphi phakathi kwabo bonke onkulunkulu balawa mazwe awophula izwe lawo esandleni sami, ukuze uSimakade ophule iJerusalema esandleni sami?”

²¹Bathula, ababange besamphendula ngazwi — ngokuba umyalo wenkosi wawuthi: “Ningamphenduli.”

²²Khona-ke u-Eliyakimi indodana kaHilikiya, umphathi wesigodlo, noShebina umbhali, noJowa indodana ka-Asafa, umgcini womlando, beza kuHezekiya nezingubo ezidabukileyo, bambikela amazwi kaRabushake.