U-Isaya
36 Ngonyaka ka-14 weNkosi uHezekiya, uSaneheribi inkosi yase-Asiriya + wakhuphuka wayohlasela wonke amadolobha akwaJuda anezivikelo eziqinile wawanqoba. + 2 Inkosi yase-Asiriya yabe isithuma uRabishake *+ nebutho lempi elikhulu eJerusalema besuka eLakishi + beya eNkosini uHezekiya. Bafike bama ngasemseleni wechibi elingenhla, + ngasemgwaqweni omkhulu oya ensimini yomhlanzi wezingubo. + 3 Khona-ke kwaphuma u-Eliyakimi + indodana kaHilikiya, owayengamele isigodlo,* uShebina + unobhala noJowa indodana ka-Asafa umgcini-mibhalo.
4 Ngakho uRabishake wathi kubo: “Ngicela nithi kuHezekiya, ‘Yilokhu inkosi enkulu, inkosi yase-Asiriya, ekushoyo: “Yini lena othembele kuyo? + 5 Uthi, ‘Nginesu namandla okulwa impi,’ kodwa yinto engekho leyo. Ngubani lona othembele kuye, okwenza ube nesibindi sokudlubulunda kimi? + 6 Awubheke nje! Uthembele kulo mhlanga ofohlokile, iGibhithe, okungathi uma umuntu ezimelela ngawo umhlabe ungene entendeni yesandla sakhe. Unjalo-ke uFaro inkosi yaseGibhithe kubo bonke abathembela kuye. + 7 Uma ningase nithi kimi, ‘Sithembele kuJehova uNkulunkulu wethu,’ akuyena yini lona ozindawo zakhe eziphakeme nama-altare akhe uHezekiya akususile, + kuyilapho ethi kuJuda neJerusalema, ‘Kufanele nikhothame phambi kwaleli altare’?” ’ + 8 Manje ngicela nibheje nenkosi yami inkosi yase-Asiriya: + Ngizoninika amahhashi angu-2 000 sibone ukuthi nizokwazi yini ukuthola abagibeli abanele abazowagibela. 9 Ngisho noma iGibhithe linganinika izinqola zempi nabagibeli bamahhashi, ningakwazi yini ukunqoba ngisho nenduna eyodwa esesikhundleni esiphansi kunazo zonke ezincekwini zenkosi yami? 10 Manje ingabe angitholanga mvume kuJehova yokuba ngizolwa nale ndawo ngiyibhubhise? UJehova ngokwakhe uthe kimi, ‘Hamba uyolwa naleli zwe, ulibhubhise.’ ”
11 U-Eliyakimi, uShebina + noJowa bathi kuRabishake: + “Sicela ukhulume nezinceku zakho ngolimi lwesi-Aramu, *+ ngoba siyasizwa; ungakhulumi nathi ngolimi lwamaJuda kuzwa abantu abasodongeni.” + 12 Kodwa uRabishake wathi kubo: “Ingabe inkosi yami ingithume ukuba ngikhulume la mazwi enkosini yenu nakini kuphela? Ayingithumanga yini nakula madoda ahlezi odongeni, lawo azodla indle yawo aphuze nomchamo wawo kanye nani?”
13 URabishake wama wamemeza ngolimi lwamaJuda, + wathi: “Yizwani izwi lenkosi enkulu, inkosi yase-Asiriya. + 14 Yilokhu inkosi ekushoyo, ‘Ningamvumeli uHezekiya anikhohlise, ngoba ngeke akwazi ukunisindisa. + 15 Ningamvumeli uHezekiya anenze nithembele kuJehova, + ngokuba athi: “Nakanjani uJehova uzosisindisa, leli dolobha ngeke linikelwe esandleni senkosi yase-Asiriya.” 16 Ningamlaleli uHezekiya, ngoba yilokhu inkosi yase-Asiriya ekushoyo: “Zinikeleni kimi nenze ukuthula nami,* yilowo nalowo uyodla ensimini yakhe yamagilebhisi nasemkhiwaneni wakhe, aphuze amanzi omthombo wakhe, 17 ngize ngifike nginithathe nginiyise ezweni elinjengezwe lakini, + izwe lokudla okusanhlamvu newayini elisha, izwe likakolo namasimu amagilebhisi. 18 Ningamvumeli uHezekiya anikhohlise ngokuba athi, ‘UJehova uzosisindisa.’ Ukhona yini konkulunkulu bezizwe oke wasindisa izwe lakhe esandleni senkosi yase-Asiriya? + 19 Baphi onkulunkulu baseHamati nabase-Aripadi? + Baphi onkulunkulu baseSefarivayimi? + Balisindisile yini iSamariya esandleni sami? + 20 Yimuphi unkulunkulu phakathi kwabo bonke onkulunkulu bala mazwe osindise izwe lakhe esandleni sami, okwenza nicabange ukuthi uJehova angasindisa iJerusalema esandleni sami?” ’ ” +
21 Kodwa bathula bangamphendula ngazwi, ngoba inkosi yayibayalile yathi: “Ningamphenduli.” + 22 Kodwa u-Eliyakimi indodana kaHilikiya, owayengamele isigodlo,* uShebina + unobhala noJowa indodana ka-Asafa umgcini-mibhalo babuyela kuHezekiya izingubo zabo ziklebhukile, bamtshela amazwi kaRabishake.