UJeremiya 37
1 UZedekhiya indodana kaJosiya wabekwa nguNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni ukuba abe yinkosi yakoJuda; wabusa esikhundleni sikaJehoyakhini indodana kaJehoyakhimi.
Now king Sedecias the son of Josias reigned instead of Jechonias the son of Joakim: whom Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon made king in the land of Juda.
2 Yena lezinceku zakhe kanye labantu baselizweni kabawanakanga amazwi kaThixo ayewakhulume ngoJeremiya umphrofethi.
But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land did obey the words of the Lord, that he spoke in the hand of Jeremias the prophet.
3 Kodwa uZedekhiya inkosi, wathuma uJehukhali indodana kaShelemiya lomphristi uZefaniya indodana kaMaseya kuJeremiya umphrofethi belaleli ilizwi, elithi, “Ake usikhulekele kuThixo uNkulunkulu wethu.”
And king Sedecias sent Juchal the son of Selemias, and Sophonias the son of Maasias the priest to Jeremias the prophet, saying: Pray to the Lord our God for us.
4 Ngalesisikhathi uJeremiya wayesekhululekile ukuza lokuhamba phakathi kwabantu, ngoba wayengakafakwa entolongweni.
Now Jeremias walked freely in the midst of the people: for they had not as yet cast him into prison.
5 Ibutho likaFaro laseliphumile eGibhithe, kwasekusithi amaKhaladiya ayevimbezele iJerusalema esezwe umbiko ngalo, asuka eJerusalema.
And the army of Pharao was come out of Egypt: and the Chaldeans that besieged Jerusalem, hearing these tidings, departed from Jerusalem.
6 Kwasekufika ilizwi likaThixo kuJeremiya umphrofethi lisithi:
And the word of the Lord came to Jeremias the prophet, saying:
7 “UThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi, tshelani inkosi yakoJuda elithume ukuba lizengibuza lithi, ‘Ibutho likaFaro eseliphume ukuba lizelisekela, lizabuyela elizweni lalo eGibhithe.
Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: Thus shall you say to the king of Juda, who sent you to inquire of me: Behold the army of Pharao, which is come forth to help you, shall return into their own land, into Egypt.
8 Emva kwalokho amaKhaladiya azaphenduka ahlasele idolobho leli; azalithumba alitshise ngomlilo.’
And the Chaldeans shall come again, and fight against this city, and take it, and burn it with fire.
9 UThixo uthi: Lingazikhohlisi licabange lithi, ‘AmaKhaladiya azasuka kithi impela.’ Kawayikusuka!
Thus saith the Lord: Deceive not your souls, saying: The Chaldeans shall surely depart and go away from us: for they shall not go away;
10 Lanxa linganqoba lonke ibutho lamaKhaladiya alihlaselayo, kusale abantu abalimeleyo kuphela emathenteni abo, bazaphuma balitshise idolobho leli ngomlilo.”
But if you should even beat all the army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there should be left of them some wounded men: they shall rise up, every man from his tent, and burn this city with Are.
11 Kwathi ibutho lamaKhaladiya selisukile eJerusalema ngenxa yebutho likaFaro,
Now when the army of the Chaldeans was gone away from Jerusalem, because of Pharao’s army,
12 uJeremiya wasuka edolobheni ukuba aye elizweni lakoBhenjamini ukuba ayethatha isabelo sakhe selifa phakathi kwabantu khonale.
Jeremias went forth out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin: and to divide a possession there in the presence of the citizens.
13 Kodwa kwathi esefikile eSangweni lakoBhenjamini, induna yabalindi ebizo layo lalingu-Irija indodana kaShelemiya, indodana kaHananiya, wambopha wasesithi kuye, “Ubalekela kumaKhaladiya wena!”
And when he was come to the gate of Benjamin, the captain of the gate, who I was there in his turn, was one named Jerias, the son of Selemias, the son of Hananias: and he took hold of Jeremias the prophet, saying: Thou art fleeing to the Chaldeans.
14 UJeremiya wathi, “Akusiqiniso lokho! Kangibalekeli kumaKhaladiya.” Kodwa u-Irija kamlalelanga; esikhundleni salokho, wabopha uJeremiya wamusa ezikhulwini.
And Jeremias answered: It is not so, I am not fleeing to the Chaldeans. But he hearkened not to him: so Jerias took Jeremias and brought him to the princes.
15 Izikhulu zamthukuthelela uJeremiya zalaya ukuba atshaywe aphinde avalelwe endlini kaJonathani umabhalani, ezaseziyenze yaba yintolongo.
Wherefore the princes were angry with Jeremias, and they beat him, and cast him into the prison that was in the house of Jonathan the scribe: for he was chief over the prison.
16 UJeremiya wafakwa esitokisini esiyingubhe emgodini oyintolongo lapho ahlala khona okwesikhathi eside.
So Jeremias went into the house of the prison, and into the dungeon: and Jeremias remained there many days.
17 Inkosi uZedekhiya wathi kayethathwa alethwe esigodlweni lapho ambuzela khona ensitha esithi, “Kulelizwi elivela kuThixo na?” UJeremiya waphendula wathi, “Yebo, wena uzanikelwa enkosini yaseBhabhiloni.”
Then Sedecias the king, sending, took him: and asked him secretly in his house, and said: Is there, thinkest thou, any word from the Lord? And Jeremias said: There is. And he said: Thou shalt be delivered into the hands of the king of Babylon.
18 UJeremiya wabuye wathi kuZedekhiya inkosi, “Ngoneni kuwe loba ezikhulwini zakho kumbe kulababantu, uze ungifake entolongweni nje?
And Jeremias said to king Sedecias: In what have I offended against thee, or thy servants, or thy people, that thou hast cast me into prison?
19 Bangaphi abaphrofethi bakho abaphrofetha kuwe besithi, ‘Inkosi yaseBhabhiloni kayiyikukuhlasela wena kanye lelizwe leli’?
Where are your prophets that prophesied to you, and said: The king of Babylon shall not come against you, and against this land?
20 Kodwa khathesi, nkosi yami, ake ulalele. Ngivumela ngethule isicelo sami kuwe: Ungangibuyiseli endlini kaJonathani umabhalani, hlezi ngifele khona.”
Now therefore hear, I beseech thee, my lord the king: let my petition be accepted in thy sight: and send me not back into the house of Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.
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.
Then king Sedecias commanded that Jeremias should be committed into the entry of the prison: and that they should give him daily a piece of bread, beside broth, till all the bread in the city were spent: and Jeremias remained in the entry of the prison.
