Yeremiya 37
1 Nebukadinezara mfumu ya Babuloni, inakhazika pa mpando waufumu Zedekiya mwana wa Yosiya kukhala mfumu ya Yuda. Iye analowa mʼmalo mwa Yehoyakini mwana wa Yehoyakimu.
UZedekhiya indodana kaJosiya wabekwa nguNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni ukuba abe yinkosi yakoJuda; wabusa esikhundleni sikaJehoyakhini indodana kaJehoyakhimi.
2 Koma Zedekiya kapena atumiki ake ngakhalenso anthu a mʼdzikomo sanasamalire mawu a Yehova amene anayankhula kudzera mwa mneneri Yeremiya.
Yena lezinceku zakhe kanye labantu baselizweni kabawanakanga amazwi kaThixo ayewakhulume ngoJeremiya umphrofethi.
3 Tsono Zedekiya anatuma Yehukali mwana wa Selemiya ndi wansembe Zefaniya mwana wa Maseya kwa mneneri Yeremiya ndi uthenga uwu: “Chonde tipempherereni kwa Yehova Mulungu wathu.”
Kodwa uZedekhiya inkosi, wathuma uJehukhali indodana kaShelemiya lomphristi uZefaniya indodana kaMaseya kuJeremiya umphrofethi belaleli ilizwi, elithi, “Ake usikhulekele kuThixo uNkulunkulu wethu.”
4 Nthawi imeneyinso nʼkuti Yeremiya ali ndi ufulu woyenda pakati pa anthu chifukwa anali asanaponyedwe mʼndende.
Ngalesisikhathi uJeremiya wayesekhululekile ukuza lokuhamba phakathi kwabantu, ngoba wayengakafakwa entolongweni.
5 Nthawi imeneyinso nʼkuti gulu lankhondo la Farao litatuluka mʼdziko la Igupto. Ndipo Ababuloni amene anali atazinga Yerusalemu atamva zimenezi, anachoka ku Yerusalemuko.
Ibutho likaFaro laseliphumile eGibhithe, kwasekusithi amaKhaladiya ayevimbezele iJerusalema esezwe umbiko ngalo, asuka eJerusalema.
6 Tsono Yehova anawuza mneneri Yeremiya kuti,
Kwasekufika ilizwi likaThixo kuJeremiya umphrofethi lisithi:
7 “Uyiwuze mfumu ya Yuda imene inakutuma kuti udzapemphe nzeru kwa ine kuti Ine Yehova, Mulungu wa Israeli ndikuti, gulu lankhondo la Farao limene linatuluka kuti lidzakuthandize lidzabwerera kwawo ku Igupto.
“UThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi, tshelani inkosi yakoJuda elithume ukuba lizengibuza lithi, ‘Ibutho likaFaro eseliphume ukuba lizelisekela, lizabuyela elizweni lalo eGibhithe.
8 Ndipo Ababuloni adzabwerera kudzathira nkhondo mzinda uno. Iwo adzawugonjetsa ndi kuwutentha.
Emva kwalokho amaKhaladiya azaphenduka ahlasele idolobho leli; azalithumba alitshise ngomlilo.’
9 “Yehova akuti: Musadzinyenge, nʼkumaganiza kuti, ‘Ndithu Ababuloni adzatisiya.’ Ndithudi sadzakusiyani!
UThixo uthi: Lingazikhohlisi licabange lithi, ‘AmaKhaladiya azasuka kithi impela.’ Kawayikusuka!
10 Ngakhale mutagonjetsa gulu lonse lankhondo la Ababuloni limene likukuthirani nkhondo ndipo mʼmatenti mwawo ndikutsala anthu ovulala okhaokha, amenewo adzabwera ndi kudzatentha mzinda uno.”
Lanxa linganqoba lonke ibutho lamaKhaladiya alihlaselayo, kusale abantu abalimeleyo kuphela emathenteni abo, bazaphuma balitshise idolobho leli ngomlilo.”
11 Gulu lankhondo la Ababuloni litaleka kuthira nkhondo mzinda wa Yerusalemu chifukwa choopa gulu lankhondo la Farao,
Kwathi ibutho lamaKhaladiya selisukile eJerusalema ngenxa yebutho likaFaro,
12 Yeremiya ananyamuka kuchoka ku Yerusalemu ndi kumapita ku dziko la Benjamini kuti akalandire gawo lake la minda ya makolo ake.
uJeremiya wasuka edolobheni ukuba aye elizweni lakoBhenjamini ukuba ayethatha isabelo sakhe selifa phakathi kwabantu khonale.
13 Koma atafika pa Chipata cha Benjamini, mkulu wa alonda amene dzina lake linali Iriya mwana wa Selemiya, mwana wa Hananiya, anagwira mneneri Yeremiyayo ndipo anati, “Iwe ukuthawira kwa Ababuloni!”
Kodwa kwathi esefikile eSangweni lakoBhenjamini, induna yabalindi ebizo layo lalingu-Irija indodana kaShelemiya, indodana kaHananiya, wambopha wasesithi kuye, “Ubalekela kumaKhaladiya wena!”
14 Yeremiya anati, “Zimenezo si zoona! Ine sindikuthawira kwa Ababuloni.” Koma Iriya sanamumvere. Mʼmalo mwake anagwira Yeremiya nʼkupita naye kwa akuluakulu.
UJeremiya wathi, “Akusiqiniso lokho! Kangibalekeli kumaKhaladiya.” Kodwa u-Irija kamlalelanga; esikhundleni salokho, wabopha uJeremiya wamusa ezikhulwini.
15 Akuluakuluwo anamupsera mtima Yeremiya ndipo anamukwapula ndi kumuyika mʼnyumba ya mlembi Yonatani, imene anayisandutsa ndende.
Izikhulu zamthukuthelela uJeremiya zalaya ukuba atshaywe aphinde avalelwe endlini kaJonathani umabhalani, ezaseziyenze yaba yintolongo.
16 Yeremiya anayikidwa mʼndende ya pansi pa nthaka, kumene anakhalako nthawi yayitali.
UJeremiya wafakwa esitokisini esiyingubhe emgodini oyintolongo lapho ahlala khona okwesikhathi eside.
17 Kenaka Mfumu Zedekiya inatuma anthu kuti akayitane Yeremiya ndipo anabwera naye ku nyumba ya mfumu. Atafika mfumu inamufunsa mwamseri kuti, “Kodi pali mawu ena amene Yehova wakuwuza?” Yeremiya anayankha kuti, “Inde. Inu mfumu mudzaperekedwa kwa mfumu ya ku Babuloni.”
Inkosi uZedekhiya wathi kayethathwa alethwe esigodlweni lapho ambuzela khona ensitha esithi, “Kulelizwi elivela kuThixo na?” UJeremiya waphendula wathi, “Yebo, wena uzanikelwa enkosini yaseBhabhiloni.”
18 Pamenepo Yeremiya anafunsa Mfumu Zedekiya kuti, “Kodi ndakulakwirani chiyani inuyo kapena akuluakulu anu kapenanso anthu awa, kuti mundiyike mʼndende?
UJeremiya wabuye wathi kuZedekhiya inkosi, “Ngoneni kuwe loba ezikhulwini zakho kumbe kulababantu, uze ungifake entolongweni nje?
19 Kodi ali kuti aneneri anu amene anakuloserani kuti, ‘Mfumu ya ku Babuloni sidzakuthirani nkhondo pamodzi ndi dziko lino’?
Bangaphi abaphrofethi bakho abaphrofetha kuwe besithi, ‘Inkosi yaseBhabhiloni kayiyikukuhlasela wena kanye lelizwe leli’?
20 Koma tsopano, mbuye wanga mfumu, chonde tamverani. Loleni ndinene pempho langa pamaso panu: Musandibwezere ku nyumba ya mlembi Yonatani, kuopa kuti ndingakafere kumeneko.”
Kodwa khathesi, nkosi yami, ake ulalele. Ngivumela ngethule isicelo sami kuwe: Ungangibuyiseli endlini kaJonathani umabhalani, hlezi ngifele khona.”
21 Tsono Mfumu Zedekiya analamula kuti Yeremiya asungidwe mʼbwalo la alonda. Ankamupatsa buledi tsiku ndi tsiku amene ankamugula kwa ophika buledi. Anapitiriza kutero mpaka buledi yense anatha mu mzindamo. Choncho Yeremiya anapitirira kukhala mʼbwalo la alonda.
UZedekhiya inkosi waselaya ukuba uJeremiya afakwe egumeni labalindi aphiwe isinkwa esivela emgwaqweni wabapheki bezinkwa usuku ngalunye izinkwa zonke zize ziphele edolobheni. Ngakho uJeremiya wahlala egumeni labalindi.
