Isaya 36:1-22
36 Ngonyaka we-14 kaKumkani uHezekiya, uSenaribhe ukumkani waseAsiriya+ wazihlasela zonke izixeko ezikhuselekileyo zakwaYuda waza wazithimba.+
2 Emva koko, ukumkani waseAsiriya wathumela iRabheshake*+ kuKumkani uHezekiya eYerusalem, ivela eLakishe+ nomkhosi omkhulu wamajoni. Yafika yema ngakumsele wechibi eliphezulu,+ ngakuhola wendlela ongakwindawo yomntu ohlamba iimpahla.+
3 Kweza kuyo uEliyakim+ unyana kaHilekiya owayephethe indlu kakumkani, uShebhena+ unobhala noYowa unyana ka-Asafu owayegcina ingxelo.
4 Yathi kubo iRabheshake: “Yithini kuHezekiya, ‘Uthi ukumkani omkhulu, ukumkani waseAsiriya: “Uthembele ngantoni?+
5 Wena uthi, ‘Ndinecebo namandla okulwa emfazweni,’ kodwa akukho kwanto injalo. Uthembele ngabani, le nto ude ube nesibindi sokungandithobeli?+
6 Tyhini! Uthembele ngale ngcongolo ityumkileyo iYiputa, le ethi ukuba umntu uxhathisa ngayo, imhlabe esandleni. Unjalo kaloku uFaro ukumkani waseYiputa kubo bonke abo bathembele kuye.+
7 Ukuba uthi kum, ‘Sithembele ngoYehova uThixo wethu,’ ayizozakhe na ezi ndawo ziphakamileyo nezibingelelo azidilizileyo uHezekiya,+ ngoxa esithi kuYuda neYerusalem, ‘Nifanele niqubude phambi kwesi isibingelelo’?”’+
8 Ngoko ke, khawubheje nenkosi yam, ukumkani waseAsiriya:+ Ndiza kukunika amahashe ayi-2 000, ndifuna khe sibone ukuba ungawafumanela na abakhweli.
9 Ungakwazi njani ke ukoyisa noyena mlawuli ungenamandla kwizicaka zenkosi yam, usathembele ngeenqwelo nabakhweli-mahashe baseYiputa?
10 AyingoYehova na ondinike igunya lokuba nditshabalalise eli lizwe? NguYehova ngokwakhe othe kum, ‘Nyuka ulihlasele eli lizwe, uze ulitshabalalise.’”
11 Ngoko uEliyakim, uShebhena+ noYowa bathi kwiRabheshake:+ “Sicela uthethe nezicaka zakho ngolwimi lwesiAramiki*+ kuba siyalwazi; sukuthetha nathi ngolwimi lwamaYuda bekuva aba bantu baseludongeni.”+
12 Kodwa iRabheshake yathi: “Ngaba inkosi yam indithume ukuba ndiwathethe kuni nakwinkosi yenu qha na la mazwi? Ayindithumanga na nakwaba bantu bahleli eludongeni, abaza kutya ilindle labo baze basele nomchamo wabo kunye nani?”
13 Ngoko iRabheshake yema yaza yakhwaza ngolwimi lwamaYuda,+ isithi: “Yivani ilizwi lokumkani omkhulu, ukumkani waseAsiriya.+
14 Ukumkani uthi, ‘Ningamvumeli uHezekiya aniqhathe, kuba soze akwazi ukunisindisa.+
15 Sanukumvumela uHezekiya anenze nithembele ngoYehova,+ ngokuthi: “Nakanjani na uYehova uza kusisindisa. Esi sixeko asizukunikelwa kukumkani waseAsiriya.”
16 Sanukummamela uHezekiya, kuba uthi ukumkani waseAsiriya: “Nikezelani, sibe seluxolweni, ibe ngamnye wenu uza kutya iziqhamo zemithi yakhe yeediliya neyamafiya,* aze asele amanzi kwelakhe iqula,
17 de ndifike ndize ndinise kwilizwe elifana nelenu,+ ilizwe elinokutya okuziinkozo newayini entsha, ilizwe elinesonka namasimi eediliya.
18 Ningamvumeli uHezekiya aniqhathe athi, ‘UYehova uza kusisindisa.’ Ukhona na koothixo beentlanga okwazileyo ukusindisa ilizwe lakhe kukumkani waseAsiriya?+
19 Baphi oothixo baseHamati naseArpadi?+ Baphi oothixo baseSefarvayim?+ Bayisindisile na iSamariya esandleni sam?+
20 Ukhona na koothixo bala mazwe oye walisindisa ilizwe lakhe esandleni sam, le nto nicinga ukuba uYehova angayisindisa iYerusalem esandleni sam?”’”+
21 Kodwa bona bathula bathi cwaka abaphendula, kuba ukumkani wayebayalele wathi, “Ze ningaphenduli.”+
22 Ngoko, uEliyakim unyana kaHilekiya, owayephethe indlu,* uShebhena+ unobhala noYowa unyana ka-Asafu owayegcina ingxelo, bazikrazula iimpahla zabo, beza kuHezekiya, baza bamxelela izinto ezithethwe yiRabheshake.
Umbhalo osemazantsi
^ Okanye “umngcamli oyintloko.”
^ Okanye “lwaseAsiriya.”
^ Okanye “neyamakhiwane.”
^ Okanye “indlu kakumkani.”
