Jeremiah 39
1 After King Zedekiah had been ruling Judah for almost nine years, King Nebuchadnezzar came in January with his army, and they surrounded Jerusalem.
Ngomnyaka wesificamunwemunye kaZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda, ngenyanga yetshumi, uNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni waya eJerusalema lebutho lakhe lonke wayivimbezela.
2 One and a half years later, after Zedekiah had been ruling for almost eleven years, on July 18, [soldiers from Babylonia] broke through the city [wall. Then they rushed in and captured the city].
Ngosuku lwesificamunwemunye lwenyanga yesine, yomnyaka wetshumi lanye kaZedekhiya umduli wedolobho wadilizwa.
3 Then all the officers of the king of Babylon came in and sat down at the Middle Gate [to decide what they would do to the city. They included] Nergal-Sharezer from Samgar, Nebo-Sarsekim who was one of the chief army officers, another Nergal-Sharezer, the king’s advisor, and many other officials.
Emva kwalokho zonke izikhulu zenkosi yaseBhabhiloni zafika zahlala eSangweni laPhakathi: kwakunguNerigali-Shareza oweSamugari, loNebho-Sarisekhimi induna yezikhulu, loNerigali-Shareza, indunankulu kanye lezinye zonke izikhulu zenkosi yaseBhabhiloni.
4 When King Zedekiah and all his soldiers realized that [the army of Babylonia had broken into the city], they fled. [They waited until] it was dark. Then they went out of the city through the king’s garden, through the gate that was between the two walls. Then they started [running] toward the Jordan River Valley.
Kwathi lapho uZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda lamabutho wonke bebabona babaleka. Basuka edolobheni ebusuku ngendlela yasesivandeni senkosi, baphuma ngesango eliphakathi kwemiduli, baqonda e-Arabha.
5 But the soldiers from Babylonia pursued the king, and they caught him on the plains near Jericho. They took him to the King of Babylon, who was at Riblah [town] in the Hamath [region]. There the king of Babylon told [his soldiers what] they should do to punish Zedekiah.
Kodwa ibutho lamaKhaladiya laxotshana labo, lafica uZedekhiya emagcekeni aseJerikho. Lamthumba, laselimusa kuNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni eRibhila, elizweni laseHamathi, lapho amgweba khona.
6 They forced Zedekiah to watch while they killed his sons and all the officials from Judah.
Inkosi yaseBhabhiloni yawabulalela khona eRibhila amadodana kaZedekhiya emehlweni akhe, yabulala lezikhulu zasesikhosini zonke zakoJuda.
7 [Then] they gouged out Zedekiah’s eyes. They fastened him with bronze chains and took him to Babylon.
Emva kwalokho uZedekhiya yamkhupha amehlo yasimbopha ngamaketane ethusi ukuba imuse eBhabhiloni.
8 [Meanwhile, ] the Babylonian army burned the palace and all the other buildings in Jerusalem. And they tore down the city walls.
AmaKhaladiya atshisa isigodlo ngomlilo lezindlu zabantu, badiliza lemiduli yeJerusalema.
9 Then Nebuzaradan, the captain of the [king’s] bodyguards, forced to go to Babylon [most of] the other people who remained in the city and the Jews who had joined the soldiers of Babylonia.
UNebhuzaradani umlawuli wabalindi besikhosini, wathatha abantu ababesele edolobheni ndawonye lalabo ababebalekele kuye kanye labanye abantu wabasa ekuthunjweni eBhabhiloni.
10 But he allowed some of the very poor people to remain in Judah, and he gave them vineyards and fields [to take care of].
Kodwa uNebhuzaradani watshiya elizweni lakoJuda abanye babantu abangabayanga ababengelalutho olungolwabo; njalo ngalesosikhathi wabapha izivini lamasimu.
11 King Nebuchadnezzar had [previously] told Nebuzaradan to find me. He said,
UNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni wayelaye uNebhuzaradani umlawuli wabalindi besikhosini ngoJeremiya wathi,
12 “Make sure that no one harms him. Take care of him, and do for him whatever he requests you to do.”
“Umthathe, umgcine kuhle; ungamlimazi kodwa umenzele konke akucelayo.”
13 So he and Nebushazban, who was one of their chief officers, and Nergal-Sharezer the king’s advisor, and other officers of the King of Babylon
Ngakho uNebhuzaradani umlawuli wabalindi, loNebhushazibhani induna yezikhulu, loNerigali-Shareza indunankulu kanye lezinye zonke izikhulu zenkosi yaseBhabhiloni
14 sent [some men] to bring me out of the courtyard outside of the palace. They took me to Gedaliah who was the son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan. Then Gedaliah took me to my home, and I stayed [in Judah] among [my own] people [who had been allowed to remain there].
bathumela ukuba uJeremiya asuswe egumeni labalindi. Bamnikela kuGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhami, indodana kaShafani, ukuba ambuyisele kibo. Ngakho wahlala labantu bakibo.
15 While I was [still] being guarded in the palace courtyard, Yahweh gave me this message:
UJeremiya esavalelwe egumeni labalindi, ilizwi likaThixo lafika kuye lathi,
16 “Say this to Ebed-Melech, the official from Ethiopia: ‘This is what the Commander of the armies of angels, the God whom [we] Israelis [worship], says: “I will do to this city everything that I said that I would do. I will not enable the people to prosper; I will cause them to experience disasters. You will see Jerusalem being destroyed,
“Hamba ku-Ebhedi-Meleki umKhushi uthi kuye, ‘UThixo uSomandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi: Sekuseduze ukuba ngigcwalise amazwi ami ngedolobho leli ngokulehlisela umonakalo, hatshi ukuphumelela. Ngalesosikhathi azagcwaliseka phambi kwamehlo enu.
17 but I will rescue you from the people whom you are afraid of.
Kodwa ngizakuhlenga ngalolosuku, kutsho uThixo; kawuyikunikelwa kulabo obesabayo.
18 You trusted me, so I will save you. You will not be killed by [your enemies’] swords; you will remain alive. [That will surely happen because I], Yahweh, have said it.’”
Ngizakusindisa, kawuyikubulawa ngenkemba kodwa uzaphunyuka lokuphila kwakho, ngoba ungithembile, kutsho uThixo.’”
