Verse 1: Kwathi ngomnyaka weshumi nane wenkosi uHezekiya, uSaneheribi, inkosi yase-Asiriya, wenyuka wahlasela yonke imizi ebiyelweyo yakwaJuda, wayithatha.
Verse 2: Inkosi yase-Asiriya yathuma uRabi Shake, asuke eLakishi, aye eJerusalema enkosini uHezekiya, enempi enkulu, wema ngasemseleni wechibi lasenhla, elingasendleleni yeNsimu Yomhlanzi.
Verse 3: Kwase kuphumela kuye u-Eliyakimi indodana kaHilikiya owayephezu kwendlu, noShebina umbhali, noJowa indodana ka-Asafa, umabhalana.
Verse 4: Wathi kubo uRabi Shake: “Ake nisho kuHezekiya, nithi: ‘Isho kanje inkosi enkulu, inkosi yase-Asiriya, ithi: Yithemba lini leli olethembayo na?
Verse 5: Wena uyakhuluma, kepha kungamazwi angawomlomo nje lana ngesu nangamandla okulwa. Pho, wethemba bani, lokhu ungihlubukile na?
Verse 6: Bheka, wethemba udondolo lwalo mhlanga ofecekileyo oyiGibithe; kepha uma umuntu ezimelela ngalo, luyangena esandleni sakhe, lusihlabe; unjalo uFaro inkosi yaseGibithe kubo bonke abamethembayo.
Verse 7: Kepha uma nithi kimi: “Siyamethemba uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu,” akusiye yini ozindawo zakhe eziphakemeyo nama-altare akhe akususile uHezekiya, wathi kuJuda nakulo iJerusalema: “Niyakukhuleka phambi kwaleli altare,” na?
Verse 8: “ ‘Ngalokho ake uvumelane nenkosi yami, inkosi yase-Asiriya, ngiyakukunika amahhashi ayizinkulungwane ezimbili, uma ungabeka izinkweli kuzo.
Verse 9: Pho, ungaphindisela emuva kanjani nenduna eyodwa ezincekwini ezincane zenkosi yami na? Nokho wethemba iGibithe ukuthola khona izinqola nabamahhashi.
Verse 10: Manje ngenyukele yini ngaphandle kukaJehova kuleli zwe ukuba ngilichithe, na? UJehova wathi kimi: “Yenyukela kulelo zwe, ulichithe.” ’ ”
Verse 11: Base bethi o-Eliyakimi noShebina noJowa kuRabi Shake: “Ake ukhulume ezincekwini zakho ngesi-Aramu, ngokuba siyaluzwa, ungakhulumi kithi ngolimi lwabaJuda ezindlebeni zabantu abasogangeni.”
Verse 12: Kepha uRabi Shake wathi: “Inkosi yami ingithumile yini enkosini yakho nakuwena ukukhuluma lawamazwi na? Hhayi kulaba bantu yini abahlezi ogangeni ukuba badle amasimba abo, baphuze umshobingo wabo kanye nani, na?”
Verse 13: Wayesema uRabi Shake, wamemeza ngezwi elikhulu ngolimi lwabaJuda, wathi: “Zwanini amazwi enkosi enkulu, inkosi yase-Asiriya.
Verse 14: Isho kanje inkosi, ithi: Maningakhohliswa nguHezekiya, ngokuba akayikuba namandla okunophula;
Verse 15: futhi uHezekiya makanganenzi nethembe uJehova ngokuthi: ‘UJehova uyakusophula nokusophula, nalo muzi awuyikunikelwa esandleni senkosi yase-Asiriya.’
Verse 16: “Ningamlaleli uHezekiya, ngokuba inkosi yase-Asiriya 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,
Verse 17: ngize ngifike, nginiyise ezweni elinjengezwe lakini, izwe lamabele nelewayini, izwe lesinkwa nelezivini.
Verse 18: “Xwayani ukuba uHezekiya anganiyengi ngokuthi: ‘UJehova uyakusophula.’ Abanye onkulunkulu bezizwe bake bophula nokophula yini izwe lakubo esandleni senkosi yase-Asiriya na?
Verse 19: Baphi onkulunkulu baseHamati nase-Aripadi; baphi onkulunkulu baseSefarivayimi na? Balophulile iSamariya esandleni sami na?
Verse 20: Ngobani phakathi kwabo bonke onkulunkulu balawa mazwe abophule izwe lakubo esandleni sami ukuba uJehova alophule iJerusalema esandleni sami na?”
Verse 21: Kepha bathula, abamphendulanga ngazwi, ngokuba umyalo wenkosi wathi: “Ningamphenduli.”
Verse 22: Base befika u-Eliyakimi indodana kaHilikiya owayephezu kwendlu, noShebina umbhali, noJowa indodana ka-Asafa, umabhalana, kuHezekiya, izingubo zabo ziklebhukile, bamlandisa amazwi kaRabi Shake.