Ukuhlaselwa kwelakwaJuda nguSaneheribi
1Kwathi ngomnyaka weshumi nane wenkosi uHezekiya, uSaneheribi inkosi yaseAsiriya wenyuka wahlasela yonke imizi ebiyelweyo yakwaJuda, wayithatha.
2Inkosi yaseAsiriya yathuma uRabi-Shake, asuke eLakishi, aye eJerusalema enkosini uHezekiya, enempi enkulu, wema ngasemseleni wechibi lasenhla, elingasendleleni yeNsimu yoMhlanzi.
3Kwase kuphumela kuye uEliyakimi indodana kaHilikiya owayephezu kwendlu, noShebina umbhali, noJowa indodana ka-Asafa, umabhalana.
4Wathi kubo uRabi-Shake: Ake nisho kuHezekiya, nithi: Isho kanje inkosi enkulu, inkosi yaseAsiriya, ithi: Yithemba lini leli olethembayo na?
5Wena uyakhuluma, kepha kungamazwi angawomlomo nje lana ngesu nangamandla okulwa. Pho, wethemba-bani, lokhu ungihlubukile na?
6Bheka, wethemba udondolo lwalomhlanga ofecekileyo oyiGibithe; kepha uma umuntu esimelela ngalo, luyangena esandleni sakhe, lusihlabe; unjalo uFaro inkosi yaseGibithe kubo bonke abamethembayo.
7Kepha uma nithi kimi: Siyamethemba uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu, akusiye yini ozindawo zakhe eziphakemeyo nama-altare akhe akususile uHezekiya, wathi kuJuda nakulo iJerusalema: Niyakukhuleka phambi kwalelialtare, na?
8Ngalokho ake uvumelane nenkosi yami, inkosi yaseAsiriya, ngiyakukunika amahashi ayizinkulungwane ezimbili, uma ungabeka izinkweli kuzo.
9Pho, ungaphindisela emuva kanjani nenduna eyodwa ezincekwini ezincane zenkosi yami na? Nokho wethemba iGibithe ukuthola khona izinqola nabamahashi.
10Manje ngenyukelé yini ngaphandle kukaJehova kulelizwe ukuba ngilichithe, na? UJehova wathi kimi: Yenyukela kulelozwe, ulichithe.
11Base bethi oEliyakimi noShebina noJowa kuRabi-Shake: Ake ukhulume ezincekwini zakho ngesiAramu, ngokuba siyaluzwa, ungakhulumi kithi ngolimi lwabaJuda ezindlebeni zabantu abasogangeni.
12Kepha uRabi-Shake wathi: Inkosi yami ingithumile yini enkosini yakho nakuwena ukukhuluma lawamazwi na? Hayi kulababantu yini abahlezi ogangeni ukuba badle amasimba abo, baphuze umshobingo wabo kanye nani, na?
13Wayesema uRabi-Shake, wamemeza ngezwi elikhulu ngolimi lwabaJuda, wathi: Zwanini amazwi enkosi enkulu, inkosi yaseAsiriya.
14Isho kanje inkosi, ithi: Maningakhohliswa nguHezekiya, ngokuba akayikuba-namandla okunophula;
15futhi uHezekiya makanganenzi nethembe uJehova ngokuthi: UJehova uyakusophula nokusophula, nalomuzi awuyikunikelwa esandleni senkosi yaseAsiriya.
16Ningamlaleli uHezekiya, ngokuba inkosi yaseAsiriya isho kanje, ithi: Yenzani ukuthula nami, niphumele kimi, nidle, kube-yilowo nalowo emvinini wakhe, kube-yilowo nalowo emkhiwaneni wakhe, niphuze, kube-yilowo nalowo amanzi omthombo wakhe,
17ngize ngifike, nginiyise ezweni elinjengezwe lakini, izwe lamabele nelewayini, izwe lesinkwa nelezivini.
18Xwayani ukuba uHezekiya anganiyengi ngokuthi: UJehova uyakusophula. Abanye onkulunkulu bezizwe baké bophula nokophula yini izwe lakubo esandleni senkosi yaseAsiriya na?
19Baphi onkulunkulu baseHamati naseAripadi; baphi onkulunkulu baseSefarivayimi na? Balophulile iSamariya esandleni sami na?
20Ngobani phakathi kwabo bonke onkulunkulu balawamazwe abophulé izwe lakubo esandleni sami ukuba uJehova alophule iJerusalema esandleni sami na?
21Kepha bathula, abamphendulanga ngazwi, ngokuba umyalo wenkosi wathi: Ningamphenduli.
22Base befika uEliyakimi indodana kaHilikiya owayephezu kwendlu, noShebina umbhali, noJowa indodana ka-Asafa, umabhalana, kuHezekiya, izingubo zabo ziklebhukile, bamlandisa amazwi kaRabi-Shake.
