< UJeremiya 39 >

1 Ngomnyaka wesificamunwemunye kaZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda, ngenyanga yetshumi, kwafika uNebhukadirezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni lebutho lakhe lonke, bamelana leJerusalema, bayivimbezela.
In the tenth month of the ninth year of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and his whole army arrived at Jerusalem and besieged it.
2 Ngomnyaka wetshumi lanye kaZedekhiya, ngenyanga yesine, ngolwesificamunwemunye lwenyanga, umuzi wafohlelwa.
On the ninth day of the fourth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah's reign, the city wall was broken through.
3 Zonke iziphathamandla zenkosi yeBhabhiloni zasezingena, zahlala esangweni eliphakathi, oNerigali-Sharezi, uSamiganebo, uSarisekimi, uRabisarisi, uNerigali-Sharezi, uRabimagi, lazo zonke ezinye iziphathamandla zenkosi yeBhabhiloni.
All the officials of the king of Babylon came in and took over the city, making their headquarters at the Middle Gate. They were Nergal-sharezer of Samgar, Nebo-sarsekim the Rabsaris, Nergal-sharezer the Rabmag, and all the other officials 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.
When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the defenders saw them there, they ran away. They escaped from the city during the night through the king's garden, passing through the gate between the two walls, and took the road to the Arabah.
5 Kodwa ibutho lamaKhaladiya laxotshana labo, lamfica uZedekhiya emagcekeni eJeriko; selimbambile lamenyusela kuNebhukadinezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni eRibila, elizweni leHamathi, owakhuluma izigwebo ezimelene laye.
But the Babylonian army chased after them and caught up with Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. They captured him and brought him before Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he put him on trial and punished him.
6 Inkosi yeBhabhiloni yasibulala amadodana kaZedekhiya eRibila emehlweni akhe; inkosi yeBhabhiloni yabuya yabulala zonke izikhulu zakoJuda.
The king of Babylon had Zedekiah's sons killed as Zedekiah watched, and he also executed all of Judah's leaders there in Riblah.
7 Yasiphumputhekisa amehlo kaZedekhiya, yambopha ngamaketane ethusi amabili ukuze imuse eBhabhiloni.
Then he had Zedekiah's eyes gouged out, and had him bound with bronze chains and taken away to Babylon.
8 AmaKhaladiya asetshisa indlu yenkosi lezindlu zabantu ngomlilo, adilizela phansi imiduli yeJerusalema.
The Babylonians burned down the king's palace and the people's houses, and they demolished Jerusalem's city walls.
9 Lensali yabantu eyayisele emzini, lalabo ababehlubukile, ababehlubukile kuyo, lensali yabantu eyayisele, uNebuzaradani induna yabalindi yabathumba yabasa eBhabhiloni.
Then Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard carried off to Babylon the rest of the people who had stayed in the city, together with those who had deserted and gone over to him.
10 Kodwa uNebuzaradani induna yabalindi watshiya elizweni lakoJuda ebantwini ababengabayanga ababengelalutho, wabanika izivini lamasimu ngalolosuku.
But he left behind in the land of Judah some of the poorest people who didn't have any property. He gave them vineyards and fields at that time.
11 UNebhukadirezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni waselaya ngesandla sikaNebuzaradani induna yabalindi ngoJeremiya esithi:
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had given orders to Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard regarding Jeremiah, saying,
12 Mthathe, umise amehlo akho kuye, ungamenzeli ulutho olubi, kodwa njengokukhuluma kwakhe kuwe wenze njalo ngaye.
“Go and get Jeremiah and watch out that nothing bad happens to him. Do whatever he wants.”
13 Ngakho bathuma oNebuzaradani induna yabalindi, loNebushazibani, uRabisarisi, loNerigali-Sharezi, uRabimagi, lazo zonke induna zenkosi yeBhabhiloni,
So Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard, Nebushazban the Rabsaris, Nergal-sharezer the Rabmag, and all the army captains of the king of Babylon
14 bathuma, bamthatha uJeremiya egumeni lentolongo, bamnikela kuGedaliya, indodana kaAhikhamu, indodana kaShafani, ukuze amkhuphe amuse endlini yakhe. Wasehlala phakathi kwabantu.
took Jeremiah from the guard's courtyard, and they handed him over to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, to take him home. Jeremiah stayed there with his own people.
15 Ilizwi leNkosi laselifika kuJeremiya esavalelwe egumeni lentolongo, lisithi:
During the time that Jeremiah had been kept prisoner in the guard's courtyard, a message from the Lord had come to him:
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.
“Go and tell Ebed-melech the Cushite that this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am about to keep my promise I made against this city—to harm it and not to help it—you'll see it for yourself when it happens.
17 Kodwa ngizakophula ngalolosuku, itsho iNkosi, njalo kawuyikunikelwa esandleni sabantu obesabayo.
But when that day comes I'm going to save you, declares the Lord. You won't be handed over to the people you're afraid of.
18 Ngoba ngizakukhulula isibili, kawuyikuwa-ke ngenkemba, kodwa impilo yakho izakuba yimpango kuwe, ngoba uthembele kimi, itsho iNkosi.
I promise to rescue you so that you're won't be killed. Your reward will be your life, because you trusted in me, declares the Lord.”

< UJeremiya 39 >