Isaya
36:1 Kwathi ngomnyaka weshumi nane wenkosi uHezekiya
USaneheribi inkosi yase-Asiriya wenyuka wamelana nayo yonke imizi ebiyelweyo yase-Asiriya
uJuda, wabathatha.
36:2 Inkosi yase-Asiriya yathuma uRabishake eJerusalema, esuka eLakishi
inkosi uHezekiya enebutho elikhulu. wema ngasemseleni womkhumbi
ichibi eliphezulu emgwaqeni omkhulu wensimu yomhlanzi.
36:3 Khona-ke kwaphumela kuye u-Eliyakimi, indodana kaHilikiya, owayephethe phezu
endlini, noShebina umbhali, noJowa, indodana ka-Asafa, umabhalana.
36:4 URabishake wathi kubo: “Ake nisho kuHezekiya, nithi:
nkosi enkulu, inkosi yase-Asiriya, yithemba elingakanani leli olethembayo
othembekile?
36:5 Ngithi, wena uthi, (kodwa amazwi ayize) Ngineseluleko futhi
manje uthembela bani ukuba umhlubuke
ngokumelene nami?
36:6 Bheka, wena wethemba udondolo lomhlanga ophukile, eGibhithe; lapho uma
umuntu oncikayo, siyakungena esandleni sakhe, asihlabe; unjalo uFaro inkosi
weGibhithe kubo bonke abathembela kuye.
36:7 Kodwa uma uthi kimi: 'Sithembele kuJehova uNkulunkulu wethu,' akusiye owakhe
izindawo eziphakemeyo nama-altare azo uHezekiya akususile, wathi kuJuda
naseJerusalema: Niyakukhuleka phambi kwaleli altare na?
36:8 Ngakho, ake, ake wenze isibambiso enkosini yami, inkosi
Asiriya, futhi ngiyokunika amahhashi ayizinkulungwane ezimbili, uma ukwazi ukukhwela
isabelo sakho ukubeka abagibeli phezu kwazo.
36:9 Ungabususa kanjani-ke ubuso benduna eyodwa komncinyane wami?
izinceku zenkosi, wethembele eGibithe ukuze uthole izinqola nezinqola
abagibeli bamahhashi?
36:10 Manje mina ngenyukele ngokumelene naleli zwe ngaphandle kukaJehova ukuze ngilichithe?
uJehova wathi kimi: ‘Khuphukela leli zwe, ulichithe.
36:11 Base bethi u-Eliyakimi noShebina noJowa kuRabishake: "Ake ukhulume.
wena, ezincekwini zakho ngesi-Aramu; ngoba siyakuqonda;
futhi ungakhulumi kithi ngolimi lwesiJuda ezindlebeni zabantu
ezisodongeni.
36:12 Kepha uRabishake wathi: “Inkosi yami ingithumile enkosini yakho nakuwe ukuba ngife.
ukhulume la mazwi? akangithumanga emadodeni ahlezi phezu kwawo
ukuze badle ubulongwe babo, baphuze nomchamo wabo
wena?
36:13 Khona-ke uRabishake wema, futhi wamemeza ngezwi elikhulu ngolimi lwesiJuda.
wathi: “Zwanini amazwi enkosi enkulu, inkosi yase-Asiriya.
36:14 Itsho njalo inkosi: "Makangakukhohlisi uHezekiya, ngoba yena ngeke
uyakwazi ukukuletha.
36:15 Futhi ningavumeli uHezekiya alenze nithembele kuJehova, ethi: 'UJehova uyokwenza
sikhulule impela; lo muzi awuyikunikelwa esandleni sikaJehova
inkosi yase-Asiriya.
36:16 Ningamlaleli uHezekiya, ngokuba isho kanje inkosi yase-Asiriya, ithi:
isivumelwano nami ngesipho, niphumele kimi, nidle, kube yilowo nalowo
emvinini wakhe, kube yilowo nalowo emkhiwaneni wakhe, niphuze, kube yilowo nalowo
amanzi omthombo wakhe;
36:17 Ngize ngifike futhi nginiyise ezweni elinjengezwe lakini, izwe
amabele newayini, izwe lesinkwa nezivini.
36:18 Qaphelani funa uHezekiya aniyenge, ethi: 'UJehova uzosikhulula.
Ingabe omunye wonkulunkulu bezizwe ukhulule izwe lakhe esandleni?
wenkosi yase-Asiriya?
36:19 Baphi onkulunkulu baseHamati nase-Aripadi? baphi onkulunkulu
iSefarivayimi? balikhulule iSamariya esandleni sami na?
36:20 Bangobani phakathi kwabo bonke onkulunkulu bala mazwe, abaye bakhulula
izwe labo esandleni sami, ukuze uJehova akhulule iJerusalema esandleni sami
isandla sami?
36:21 Kodwa bathula, futhi kabamphendulanga ngazwi, ngenxa yenkosi
umlayo wawusithi: Lingamphenduli.
36:22 Kwase kufika u-Eliyakimi, indodana kaHilikiya, owayephethe indlu, futhi
uShebina umbhali, noJowa, indodana ka-Asafa, umabhalana, kuHezekiya
izingubo zabo ziklebhukile, bamtshela amazwi kaRabishake.