UJeremiya 37
1 UZedekhiya indodana kaJosiya wabekwa nguNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni ukuba abe yinkosi yakoJuda; wabusa esikhundleni sikaJehoyakhini indodana kaJehoyakhimi.
Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned as king, instead of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah.
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, listened to the words of Jehovah, which he spoke by the prophet Jeremiah.
3 Kodwa uZedekhiya inkosi, wathuma uJehukhali indodana kaShelemiya lomphristi uZefaniya indodana kaMaseya kuJeremiya umphrofethi belaleli ilizwi, elithi, “Ake usikhulekele kuThixo uNkulunkulu wethu.”
Zedekiah the king sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, to the prophet Jeremiah, saying, "Pray now to Jehovah our God for us."
4 Ngalesisikhathi uJeremiya wayesekhululekile ukuza lokuhamba phakathi kwabantu, ngoba wayengakafakwa entolongweni.
Now Jeremiah came in and went out among the people; for they had not put him into prison.
5 Ibutho likaFaro laseliphumile eGibhithe, kwasekusithi amaKhaladiya ayevimbezele iJerusalema esezwe umbiko ngalo, asuka eJerusalema.
Pharaoh's army had come forth out of Egypt; and when the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem heard news of them, they broke up from Jerusalem.
6 Kwasekufika ilizwi likaThixo kuJeremiya umphrofethi lisithi:
Then came the word of Jehovah to the prophet Jeremiah, saying,
7 “UThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi, tshelani inkosi yakoJuda elithume ukuba lizengibuza lithi, ‘Ibutho likaFaro eseliphume ukuba lizelisekela, lizabuyela elizweni lalo eGibhithe.
"Thus says Jehovah, the God of Israel, 'You shall tell the king of Judah, who sent you to me to inquire of me: "Look, Pharaoh's army, which has come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt into their own land.
8 Emva kwalokho amaKhaladiya azaphenduka ahlasele idolobho leli; azalithumba alitshise ngomlilo.’
The Chaldeans shall come again, and fight against this city; and they shall take it, and burn it with fire."
9 UThixo uthi: Lingazikhohlisi licabange lithi, ‘AmaKhaladiya azasuka kithi impela.’ Kawayikusuka!
Thus says Jehovah, "Do not deceive yourselves, saying, 'The Chaldeans shall surely depart from us'; for they shall not depart.
10 Lanxa linganqoba lonke ibutho lamaKhaladiya alihlaselayo, kusale abantu abalimeleyo kuphela emathenteni abo, bazaphuma balitshise idolobho leli ngomlilo.”
For though you had struck the whole army of the Chaldeans who fight against you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yes would they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire."'"
11 Kwathi ibutho lamaKhaladiya selisukile eJerusalema ngenxa yebutho likaFaro,
It happened that, when the army of the Chaldeans was broken up from Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh's army,
12 uJeremiya wasuka edolobheni ukuba aye elizweni lakoBhenjamini ukuba ayethatha isabelo sakhe selifa phakathi kwabantu khonale.
then Jeremiah went forth out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, to receive his portion there, in the midst of the people.
13 Kodwa kwathi esefikile eSangweni lakoBhenjamini, induna yabalindi ebizo layo lalingu-Irija indodana kaShelemiya, indodana kaHananiya, wambopha wasesithi kuye, “Ubalekela kumaKhaladiya wena!”
When he was in the Benjamin Gate, a captain of the guard was there, whose name was Irijah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah; and he laid hold on Jeremiah the prophet, saying, "You are falling away to the Chaldeans."
14 UJeremiya wathi, “Akusiqiniso lokho! Kangibalekeli kumaKhaladiya.” Kodwa u-Irija kamlalelanga; esikhundleni salokho, wabopha uJeremiya wamusa ezikhulwini.
Then Jeremiah said, "It is false; I am not falling away to the Chaldeans." But he did not listen to him; so Irijah laid hold on Jeremiah, and brought him to the officials.
15 Izikhulu zamthukuthelela uJeremiya zalaya ukuba atshaywe aphinde avalelwe endlini kaJonathani umabhalani, ezaseziyenze yaba yintolongo.
And the officials were angry with Jeremiah, and struck him, and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe; for they had made that the prison.
16 UJeremiya wafakwa esitokisini esiyingubhe emgodini oyintolongo lapho ahlala khona okwesikhathi eside.
When Jeremiah had come into the dungeon house, and into the cells, and Jeremiah had 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 Zedekiah the king sent, and fetched him: and the king asked him secretly in his house, and said, "Is there any word from Jehovah?" Jeremiah said, "There is." He said also, "You shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon."
18 UJeremiya wabuye wathi kuZedekhiya inkosi, “Ngoneni kuwe loba ezikhulwini zakho kumbe kulababantu, uze ungifake entolongweni nje?
Moreover Jeremiah said to king Zedekiah, "Wherein have I sinned against you, or against your servants, or against this people, that you have put me in prison?
19 Bangaphi abaphrofethi bakho abaphrofetha kuwe besithi, ‘Inkosi yaseBhabhiloni kayiyikukuhlasela wena kanye lelizwe leli’?
Where now are your prophets who prophesied to you, saying, The king of Babylon shall not come against you, nor against this land?
20 Kodwa khathesi, nkosi yami, ake ulalele. Ngivumela ngethule isicelo sami kuwe: Ungangibuyiseli endlini kaJonathani umabhalani, hlezi ngifele khona.”
Now please hear, my lord the king: please let my petition be presented before you, that you not cause me to return to 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 Zedekiah the king commanded, and they committed Jeremiah into the court of the guard; and they gave him daily a loaf of bread out of the bakers' street, until all the bread in the city was spent. Thus Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.
