< UJeremiya 39 >
1 Ngomnyaka wesificamunwemunye kaZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda, ngenyanga yetshumi, kwafika uNebhukadirezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni lebutho lakhe lonke, bamelana leJerusalema, bayivimbezela.
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 Ngomnyaka wetshumi lanye kaZedekhiya, ngenyanga yesine, ngolwesificamunwemunye lwenyanga, umuzi wafohlelwa.
Then, in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the fifth of the month, the city was opened.
3 Zonke iziphathamandla zenkosi yeBhabhiloni zasezingena, zahlala esangweni eliphakathi, oNerigali-Sharezi, uSamiganebo, uSarisekimi, uRabisarisi, uNerigali-Sharezi, uRabimagi, lazo zonke ezinye iziphathamandla zenkosi yeBhabhiloni.
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 Kwasekusithi lapho uZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda lawo wonke amadoda empi bezibona, babaleka, baphuma emzini ebusuku ngendlela yesivande senkosi, ngesango eliphakathi kwemiduli emibili; waphuma ngendlela yamagceke.
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, lamfica uZedekhiya emagcekeni eJeriko; selimbambile lamenyusela kuNebhukadinezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni eRibila, elizweni leHamathi, owakhuluma izigwebo ezimelene laye.
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 yeBhabhiloni yasibulala amadodana kaZedekhiya eRibila emehlweni akhe; inkosi yeBhabhiloni yabuya yabulala zonke izikhulu 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 Yasiphumputhekisa amehlo kaZedekhiya, yambopha ngamaketane ethusi amabili ukuze imuse eBhabhiloni.
Also, he plucked out the eyes of Zedekiah. And he bound him with fetters, to be led away to Babylon.
8 AmaKhaladiya asetshisa indlu yenkosi lezindlu zabantu ngomlilo, adilizela phansi imiduli 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 Lensali yabantu eyayisele emzini, lalabo ababehlubukile, ababehlubukile kuyo, lensali yabantu eyayisele, uNebuzaradani induna yabalindi yabathumba yabasa 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 uNebuzaradani induna yabalindi watshiya elizweni lakoJuda ebantwini ababengabayanga ababengelalutho, wabanika izivini lamasimu ngalolosuku.
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 UNebhukadirezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni waselaya ngesandla sikaNebuzaradani induna yabalindi ngoJeremiya esithi:
Now Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, had instructed Nebuzaradan, the leader of the military, about Jeremiah, saying:
12 Mthathe, umise amehlo akho kuye, ungamenzeli ulutho olubi, kodwa njengokukhuluma kwakhe kuwe wenze njalo ngaye.
“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 bathuma oNebuzaradani induna yabalindi, loNebushazibani, uRabisarisi, loNerigali-Sharezi, uRabimagi, lazo zonke induna zenkosi yeBhabhiloni,
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 bathuma, bamthatha uJeremiya egumeni lentolongo, bamnikela kuGedaliya, indodana kaAhikhamu, indodana kaShafani, ukuze amkhuphe amuse endlini yakhe. Wasehlala phakathi kwabantu.
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 Ilizwi leNkosi laselifika kuJeremiya esavalelwe egumeni lentolongo, lisithi:
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 ukhulume kuEbedimeleki umEthiyophiya uthi: Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli: Khangela, ngizakwehlisela amazwi ami kulumuzi ngokubi kungeyisikho ngokuhle, njalo azakuba phambi kwakho ngalolosuku.
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 ngizakophula ngalolosuku, itsho iNkosi, njalo kawuyikunikelwa esandleni sabantu 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 Ngoba ngizakukhulula isibili, kawuyikuwa-ke ngenkemba, kodwa impilo yakho izakuba yimpango kuwe, ngoba uthembele kimi, itsho iNkosi.
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.”