2 IziKronike 2:1-18
2 Manje uSolomoni wakhipha izwi lokuba kwakhelwe igama likaJehova+ indlu,+ kwakhiwe nendlu yobukhosi bakhe.+
2 Ngokuvumelana nalokho uSolomoni wabala amadoda ayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi ayisikhombisa njengabathwali bemithwalo namadoda ayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi ayisishiyagalombili njengabasiki entabeni,+ futhi wabala izinkulungwane ezintathu namakhulu ayisithupha ukuba zibe ngababonisi abawengamele.+
3 Ngaphezu kwalokho, uSolomoni wathumela kuHiramu+ inkosi yaseThire, ethi: “Njengoba nje wasebenzelana noDavide+ ubaba futhi waqhubeka umthumelela izingodo zomsedari ukuze azakhele indlu ayezohlala kuyo,—
4 bheka ngakhela+ igama+ likaJehova uNkulunkulu wami indlu ukuze ngiyingcwelisele+ yena, ukuze ngishise impepho enamakha+ phambi kwakhe, futhi kube khona nesinkwa esibekwa ngezinhla njalo+ neminikelo yokushiswa ekuseni nakusihlwa,+ ngamasabatha+ nangokwethwasa kwezinyanga+ nangezinkathi zemikhosi+ kaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu. Lokhu kuyoba phezu kuka-Israyeli kuze kube nini nanini.+
5 Indlu engiyakhayo iyoba nkulu,+ ngoba uNkulunkulu wethu mkhulu kunabo bonke abanye onkulunkulu.+
6 Futhi ubani ongaba namandla okumakhela indlu?+ Ngoba amazulu nezulu lamazulu akukwazi ukumthwala,+ futhi ngingubani mina+ ukuba ngimakhele indlu ngaphandle kokuba kungeyokushunqisa umusi womhlatshelo phambi kwakhe?+
7 Manje ngithumelele umuntu onekhono ukuba azosebenza ngegolide nangesiliva nangethusi+ nangensimbi nangoboya obudaywe baba nsomi ngokubomvu nangentambo ebubende neluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka, futhi okwaziyo ukuqopha, kanye nabanekhono abakanye nami lapha kwaJuda naseJerusalema, labo uDavide ubaba abalungiselele.+
8 Ngithumelele izingodo zaseLebhanoni+ zomsedari,+ umjunipha+ nom-aligamu,+ ngoba ngazi kahle ukuthi izinceku zakho zingomakadebona ekugawuleni imithi yaseLebhanoni,+ (bheka izinceku zami zikanye nezinceku zakho,)
9 yebo ukungilungisela izingodo ngesibalo esikhulu, ngoba indlu engiyakhayo iyoba nkulu, yebo ngendlela emangalisayo.
10 Bheka! Labo ababutha izingodo, abagawula imithi, ngibanika ukolweni njengokudla kwezinceku zakho, amakhora ayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amabili,+ nebhali amakhora ayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amabili, newayini+ amabhathi ayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amabili, namafutha amabhathi ayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amabili.”
11 UHiramu inkosi yaseThire+ washo izwi ngokuloba futhi walithumela kuSolomoni wathi: “Ngenxa yokuba uJehova esithanda+ isizwe sakhe uye wakubeka waba yinkosi phezu kwaso.”+
12 UHiramu wathi: “Makadunyiswe uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli,+ owenza amazulu nomhlaba,+ ngoba uniké uDavide inkosi indodana ehlakaniphile, enokuhlangenwe nakho ekukhalipheni nasekuqondeni,+ ezokwakhela uJehova indlu nendlu yobukhosi bayo.+
13 Manje ngikuthumelela umuntu onekhono, onokuhlangenwe nakho ekuqondeni, ongokaHiramu-abi,+
14 indodana yowesifazane wabantwana bakwaDani kodwa eyise kwakungumuntu waseThire, ongumakadebona, ukuba asebenze ngegolide nangesiliva, ngethusi,+ ngensimbi, ngamatshe,+ nangezingodo, ngoboya obudaywe baba nsomi ngokubomvu,+ ngentambo eluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka+ nangendwangu ecolekileyo+ nangebubende+ nasekuqopheni zonke izinhlobo zokuqopha+ nasekuklameni zonke izinhlobo zemiklamo+ angase anikwe zona kanye namadoda akho anekhono namadoda anekhono enkosi yami uDavide uyihlo.
15 Ukolweni nebhali, amafutha newayini inkosi yami ekuthembisile, mayikuthumele ezincekwini zayo.+
16 Thina, sizogawula imithi+ yaseLebhanoni ngokwazo zonke izidingo zakho,+ futhi sizoyiletha kuwe njengezihlenga ngolwandle+ eJopha,+ wena-ke, uyikhuphulele eJerusalema.”
17 Khona-ke uSolomoni wabala bonke abantu ababengabafokazi, ababesezweni lakwa-Israyeli,+ ngemva kokubalwa kwabo okwakwenziwe uDavide uyise;+ kwatholakala izinkulungwane eziyikhulu namashumi amahlanu nantathu namakhulu ayisithupha.
18 Ngakho wenza abayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi ayisikhombisa kubo baba ngabathwali bemithwalo,+ abayizinkulungwane ezingamashumi ayisishiyagalombili baba ngabasiki+ entabeni, abayizinkulungwane ezintathu namakhulu ayisithupha baba ngababonisi ukuze kugcinwe abantu besebenza.+
