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