< Jeremiah 40 >

1 The word that hath been unto Jeremiah from Jehovah, after Nebuzar-Adan, chief of the executioners, hath sent him from Ramah, in his taking him — and he a prisoner in chains — in the midst of all the removal of Jerusalem and of Judah, who are removed to Babylon.
Ilizwi lafika kuJeremiya livela kuThixo emva kokuba uNebhuzaradani umlawuli wabalindi besikhosini, esemkhulule eRama. Wayefice uJeremiya ebotshwe ngamaketane phakathi kwabo bonke ababethunjwe eJerusalema lakoJuda ababesiwa ekuthunjweni eBhabhiloni.
2 And the chief of the executioners taketh Jeremiah, and saith unto him, 'Jehovah thy God hath spoken this evil concerning this place,
Umlawuli wabalindi esethole uJeremiya wathi kuye, “UThixo uNkulunkulu wakho wamisela indawo le umonakalo lo.
3 and Jehovah bringeth [it] in, and doth as He spake, because ye have sinned against Jehovah, and have not hearkened to His voice, even this thing hath been to you.
Khathesi uThixo usewulethile; usenze ayethe uzakwenza. Konke lokhu kwenzakala ngoba lina bantu lona kuThixo njalo kalimlalelanga.
4 'And now, lo, I have loosed thee to-day from the chains that [are] on thy hand; if good in thine eyes to come with me [to] Babylon, come, and I keep mine eye upon thee: and if evil in thine eyes to come with me to Babylon, forbear; see, all the land [is] before thee, whither [it be] good, and whither [it be] right in thine eyes to go — go.' —
Kodwa lamhla ngiyakukhulula amaketane ezihlakaleni zakho. Hamba lami eBhabhiloni, nxa uthanda, ngizakugcina; kodwa nxa ungafuni, ungahambi. Khangela, ilizwe lonke liphambi kwakho; yana loba kungaphi lapho ofuna khona.”
5 and while he doth not reply — 'Or turn back unto Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon hath appointed over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him in the midst of the people, or whithersoever it is right in thine eyes to go — go.' And the chief of the executioners giveth to him for the way, and a gift, and sendeth him away,
Kodwa-ke kwathi uJeremiya engakasuki ukuba ahambe, uNebhuzaradani wengeza wathi, “Buyela kuGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhami, indodana kaShafani, osebekwe yinkosi yaseBhabhiloni ukuba abuse amadolobho akoJuda, uhlale laye phakathi kwabantu, kumbe uye loba kungaphi lapho ofuna khona.” Emva kwalokho umlawuli wamnika umphako lesipho wasesithi kahambe.
6 and Jeremiah cometh in unto Gedaliah son of Ahikam, to Mizpah, and dwelleth with him, in the midst of the people who are left in the land.
Ngakho uJeremiya waya kuGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhami eMizipha wahlala phakathi kwabantu ababetshiywe elizweni.
7 And all the heads of the forces that [are] in the field hear, they and their men, that the king of Babylon hath appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam over the land, and that he hath charged him [with] men, and women, and infants, and of the poor of the land, of those who have not been removed to Babylon;
Kwathi zonke izikhulu zabalawuli bamabutho lamabutho azo ayesegangeni sebezwe ukuthi inkosi yaseBhabhiloni yayisibeke uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhami ukuba abe ngumbusi welizwe njalo imenze waba ngumphathi wamadoda labesifazane kanye labantwana ababengabayanga bokucina elizweni njalo ababengasiwanga ekuthunjweni eBhabhiloni,
8 and they come in unto Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and Johanan and Jonathan sons of Kareah, and Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah son of the Maachathite, they and their men.
baya kuGedaliya eMizipha kungu-Ishumayeli indodana kaNethaniya, uJohanani loJonathani amadodana kaKhareya, loSeraya indodana kaThanihumethi, lamadodana ka-Efayi umNethofa, loJezaniya indodana yomMahakhathi kanye labantu babo.
9 And swear to them doth Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, and to their men, saying, 'Be not afraid of serving the Chaldeans, abide in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it is well for you;
UGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhami, indodana kaShafani, wafunga isifungo ebathembisa labantu babo, wathi, “Lingesabi ukusebenzela amaKhaladiya. Hlalani elizweni lisebenzele inkosi yaseBhabhiloni, konke kuzalilungela.
10 and I, lo, I am dwelling in Mizpah, to stand before the Chaldeans who are come in unto us, and ye, gather ye wine, and summer fruit, and oil, and put in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that ye have taken.'
Mina ngokwami ngizahlala eMizipha ukuba ngilimele kumaKhaladiya eza kithi, kodwa lina vunani iwayini lezithelo zasehlobo kanye lamafutha, likufake ezimbizeni zokugcinela, lihlale emadolobheni eseliwaphethe.”
11 And also all the Jews who [are] in Moab, and among the sons of Ammon, and in Edom, and who [are] in all the lands, have heard that the king of Babylon hath given a remnant to Judah, and that he hath appointed over them Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan,
Kwathi bonke amaJuda baseMowabi, e-Amoni le-Edomi lawo wonke amanye amazwe sebezwe ukuthi inkosi yaseBhabhiloni yayitshiye insalela koJuda njalo ibeke uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhami indodana kaShafani, ukuba ngumbusi wabo,
12 and all the Jews from all the places whither they have been driven, turn back and enter the land of Judah, unto Gedaliah, to Mizpah, and they gather wine and summer fruit — very much.
bonke babuyela elizweni lakoJuda, kuGedaliya eMizipha, bevela kuwo wonke amazwe ababehlakazekele kuwo. Bavuna iwayini elinengi lezithelo zasehlobo.
13 And Johanan son of Kareah, and all the heads of the forces that [are] in the field, have come in unto Gedaliah to Mizpah,
UJohanani indodana kaKhareya lezikhulu zonke zebutho ezazilokhu zisegangeni, baya kuGedaliya eMizipha
14 and they say unto him, 'Dost thou really know that Baalis king of the sons of Ammon hath sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to smite thy soul?' And Gedaliah son of Ahikam hath not given to them credence.
bathi kuye, “Kawazi na ukuthi uBhahalisi inkosi yama-Amoni usethume u-Ishumayeli indodana kaNethaniya ukuba akubulale?” Kodwa uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhami kakukholwanga lokho.
15 And Johanan son of Kareah hath spoken unto Gedaliah in secret, in Mizpah, saying, 'Let me go, I pray thee, and I smite Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and no one doth know; why doth he smite thy soul? and scattered have been all Judah who are gathered unto thee, and perished hath the remnant of Judah.'
UJohanani indodana kaKhareya wasekhuluma ngasese loGedaliya eMizipha esithi, “Yekela ngihambe ngiyebulala u-Ishumayeli indodana kaNethaniya, kakho ozakwazi lokho. Kungani kumele akubulale enze ukuba abakoJuda bonke ababuthene kuwe bahlakazeke, lensalela yakoJuda ibhubhe na?”
16 And Gedaliah son of Ahikam saith unto Johanan son of Kareah, 'Thou dost not do this thing, for falsehood thou art speaking concerning Ishmael.'
Kodwa uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhami wathi kuJohanani indodana kaKhareya, “Ungenzi into enjalo. Lokhu okutshoyo ngo-Ishumayeli akusiqiniso.”

< Jeremiah 40 >