Isaiah 36
1 Kwathi ngonyaka we-14 wokubusa kwenkosi uHezekiya, kwasuka uSanekheribhi, inkosi yase-Asiriya, wenyuka wahlasela yonke imizi yakwaJuda ebiyelweyo, wayidla.
2 Inkosi yase-Asiriya yathumela uRabi Shake, esuka eLakhishi, waya eJerusalema enkosini uHezekiya, enempi enkulu; wamisa ngasemseleni wechibi elingenhla, elingasendleleni yeNsimu Yomhlanzi.
3 Kwase kuphuma u-Eliyakimi, indodana kaHilikiya okunguyena owayephethe isigodlo, noShebhina umabhalane, noJowa indodana ka-Asafa, umgcini mlando, baya kuye.
4 URabi Shake wathi kubo: “Mtsheleni uHezekiya, nithi: ‘Isho kanje inkosi enkulu, inkosi yase-Asiriya, ithi: Yini lena owethembele kuyo na?
5 Ucabanga ukuthi ukukhuluma nje ngomlomo kungamasu namandla okulwa na? Ngubani owethembele kuye uze uhlubuke kimi na?
6 Wethembe intonga yalo mhlanga ofecekileyo oyiGibhithe, eligwaza isandla sanoma ngubani oncika kulo. Unjalo-ke uFaro, inkosi yaseGibhithe, kwabathembele kuye.’
7 Kodwa uma nithi kimi: ‘Sethemba uSimakade uNkulunkulu wethu,’ akusiye yini uHezekiya osuse izindawo zakhe eziphakemeyo nama-althare akhe, wathi kuJuda nakulo iJerusalema: ‘Niyakukhuleka phambi kwaleli althare’ na?
8 “ ‘Uma wenza isivumelwano nenkosi yami, inkosi yase-Asiriya, ngiyokunika amahhashi ayizi-2 000, uma ungase ukwazi ukugibelisa abagibeli kuwo.
9 Pho ungaphindisela kanjani emuva induna eyodwa ezincekwini ezincane zenkosi yami na? Nokho wethembele kwabaseGibhithe ukuthola khona izinqola nabamahhashi.
10 Manje ngeke ngenyukele yini kuleli lizwe ngaphandle kukaSimakade ukuba ngilichithe, na? USimakade wathi kimi: “Yenyukela kuleli lizwe, ulibhubhise.” ’ ”
11 U-Eliyakimi noShebhina noJowa, bathi kuRabi Shake: “Ake ukhulume ezincekwini zakho ngesi-Aramu, ngokuba siyasizwa, kodwa ungakhulumi kithi ngolimi lwabaJuda ezindlebeni zabantu abasogangeni.”
12 Kepha uRabi Shake wathi: “Ngabe inkosi yami ayingithumile yini enkosini yakho nakuwena ukusho lawa mazwi, nakulaba bantu abahlezi ogangeni ukuba badle indle yabo, baphuze umchamo wabo kanye nani na?”
13 Wayesema uRabi Shake, wamemeza ngezwi elikhulu, ngolimi lwabaJuda, wathi: “Zwanini amazwi enkosi enkulu, inkosi yase-Asiriya.
14 Isho kanje inkosi, ithi maningakhohliswa nguHezekiya, ngokuba akayukuba namandla okunikhulula;
15 futhi uHezekiya makanganenzi nethembe uSimakade ngokuthi: ‘USimakade uyakusikhulula impela, nalo muzi awuyukunikelwa esandleni senkosi yase-Asiriya.’
16 “Ningamlaleli uHezekiya, ngokuba isho kanje inkosi yase-Asiriya, ithi: ‘Yakhani uxolo nami, niphume nize kimi, nidle, kube yilowo nalowo emvinini wakhe, kube yilowo nalowo emkhiwaneni wakhe, niphuze, yilowo nalowo amanzi omthombo wakhe,
17 ngize ngifike, nginiyise ezweni elinjengezwe lakini, izwe lokusanhlamvu nelewayini, izwe lesinkwa nelezivini.’
18 “Xwayani ukuba uHezekiya anganiyengi ngokuthi: ‘USimakade uyakusikhulula.’ Onkulunkulu bezizwe bake bawakhulula yini amazwe azo esandleni senkosi yase-Asiriya na?
19 Baphi onkulunkulu baseHamathi nase-Ariphadi; baphi onkulunkulu baseSefarivayimi na? Balikhululile yini iSamariya esandleni sami na?
20 Ngobani phakathi kwabo bonke onkulunkulu balawa mazwe abake bakhulula amazwe abo esandleni sami, ukuba uSimakade angalikhulula iJerusalema esandleni sami na?”
21 Bathula, abamphendulanga ngazwi, ngokuba umyalo wenkosi, wathi: “Ningamphenduli.”
22 U-Eliyakimi, indodana kaHilikiya owayengamele indlu, noShebhina umbhali, noJowa, indodana ka-Asafa, umabhalane, baya kuHezekiya sebedabule izingubo zabo, bamlandisa amazwi kaRabi Shake.