UJeremiya 39
1 Ngomnyaka wesificamunwemunye kaZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda, ngenyanga yetshumi, uNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni waya eJerusalema lebutho lakhe lonke wayivimbezela.
In the ninth year of Zedekiah, the king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem, with his entire army, and they besieged it.
2 Ngosuku lwesificamunwemunye lwenyanga yesine, yomnyaka wetshumi lanye kaZedekhiya umduli wedolobho wadilizwa.
Then, in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the fifth of the month, the city was opened.
3 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.
And all the rulers of the king of Babylon entered and were seated at the middle gate: Nergal-Sharezer, the priest of Nebo, Sarsechim, the chief eunuch, Nergal-Sharezer, the chief magi, and all the other rulers of the king of Babylon.
4 Kwathi lapho uZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda lamabutho wonke bebabona babaleka. Basuka edolobheni ebusuku ngendlela yasesivandeni senkosi, baphuma ngesango eliphakathi kwemiduli, baqonda e-Arabha.
And when Zedekiah, the king of Judah, with all the men of war, had seen them, they fled. And they departed from the city at night, by way of the king’s garden, and through the gate which was between the two walls. And they departed along the way of the desert.
5 Kodwa ibutho lamaKhaladiya laxotshana labo, lafica uZedekhiya emagcekeni aseJerikho. Lamthumba, laselimusa kuNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni eRibhila, elizweni laseHamathi, lapho amgweba khona.
But the army of the Chaldeans pursued them. And they overtook Zedekiah in the plain of the desert of Jericho. And having captured him, they led him to Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, at Riblah, which is in the land of Hamath. And he declared a judgment against him
6 Inkosi yaseBhabhiloni yawabulalela khona eRibhila amadodana kaZedekhiya emehlweni akhe, yabulala lezikhulu zasesikhosini zonke zakoJuda.
And the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah, at Riblah, before his eyes. And the king of Babylon killed all the nobles of Judah.
7 Emva kwalokho uZedekhiya yamkhupha amehlo yasimbopha ngamaketane ethusi ukuba imuse eBhabhiloni.
Also, he plucked out the eyes of Zedekiah. And he bound him with fetters, to be led away to Babylon.
8 AmaKhaladiya atshisa isigodlo ngomlilo lezindlu zabantu, badiliza lemiduli yeJerusalema.
Also, the Chaldeans burned the house of the king and the house of the people with fire, and they overturned the wall of Jerusalem.
9 UNebhuzaradani umlawuli wabalindi besikhosini, wathatha abantu ababesele edolobheni ndawonye lalabo ababebalekele kuye kanye labanye abantu wabasa ekuthunjweni eBhabhiloni.
And Nebuzaradan, the leader of the military, carried away captive to Babylon the remnant of the people who had remained in the city, and the fugitives who had fled to him, and all the rest of the people who had remained.
10 Kodwa uNebhuzaradani watshiya elizweni lakoJuda abanye babantu abangabayanga ababengelalutho olungolwabo; njalo ngalesosikhathi wabapha izivini lamasimu.
And Nebuzaradan, the leader of the military, released some of the poor people, those who had almost nothing, into the land of Judah. And he gave them vineyards and cisterns in that day.
11 UNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni wayelaye uNebhuzaradani umlawuli wabalindi besikhosini ngoJeremiya wathi,
Now Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, had instructed Nebuzaradan, the leader of the military, about Jeremiah, saying:
12 “Umthathe, umgcine kuhle; ungamlimazi kodwa umenzele konke akucelayo.”
“Take him, and set your eyes on him, and you shall do no harm to him at all. But as he is willing, so shall you do with him.”
13 Ngakho uNebhuzaradani umlawuli wabalindi, loNebhushazibhani induna yezikhulu, loNerigali-Shareza indunankulu kanye lezinye zonke izikhulu zenkosi yaseBhabhiloni
Therefore, Nebuzaradan, the leader of the military, sent, and Nebushazban, the chief eunuch, and Nergal-Sharezer, the chief magi, and all the nobles of the king of Babylon sent,
14 bathumela ukuba uJeremiya asuswe egumeni labalindi. Bamnikela kuGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhami, indodana kaShafani, ukuba ambuyisele kibo. Ngakho wahlala labantu bakibo.
and they took Jeremiah from the vestibule of the prison, and they delivered him to Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, so that he could enter a house and live among the people.
15 UJeremiya esavalelwe egumeni labalindi, ilizwi likaThixo lafika kuye lathi,
But the word of the Lord had come to Jeremiah, when he had been confined to the vestibule of the prison, saying: “Go, and speak to Ebedmelech, the Ethiopian, saying:
16 “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.
Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will bring my words over this city for evil, and not for good; and they shall be in your sight in that day.
17 Kodwa ngizakuhlenga ngalolosuku, kutsho uThixo; kawuyikunikelwa kulabo obesabayo.
And I will free you in that day, says the Lord. And you will not be delivered into the hands of the men whom you dread.
18 Ngizakusindisa, kawuyikubulawa ngenkemba kodwa uzaphunyuka lokuphila kwakho, ngoba ungithembile, kutsho uThixo.’”
But when delivering, I will free you. And you will not fall by the sword. Instead, your life will be saved for you, because you had faith in me, says the Lord.”
