UJeremiya 39
1 Ngomnyaka wesificamunwemunye kaZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda, ngenyanga yetshumi, kwafika uNebhukadirezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni lebutho lakhe lonke, bamelana leJerusalema, bayivimbezela.
After King Zedekiah had been ruling Judah for almost nine years, King Nebuchadnezzar came in January with his army, and they surrounded Jerusalem.
2 Ngomnyaka wetshumi lanye kaZedekhiya, ngenyanga yesine, ngolwesificamunwemunye lwenyanga, umuzi wafohlelwa.
One and a half years later, after Zedekiah had been ruling for almost eleven years, on July 18, [soldiers from Babylonia] broke through the city [wall. Then they rushed in and captured the city].
3 Zonke iziphathamandla zenkosi yeBhabhiloni zasezingena, zahlala esangweni eliphakathi, oNerigali-Sharezi, uSamiganebo, uSarisekimi, uRabisarisi, uNerigali-Sharezi, uRabimagi, lazo zonke ezinye iziphathamandla zenkosi yeBhabhiloni.
Then all the officers of the king of Babylon came in and sat down at the Middle Gate [to decide what they would do to the city. They included] Nergal-Sharezer from Samgar, Nebo-Sarsekim who was one of the chief army officers, another Nergal-Sharezer, the king’s advisor, and many other officials.
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 King Zedekiah and all his soldiers realized that [the army of Babylonia had broken into the city], they fled. [They waited until] it was dark. Then they went out of the city through the king’s garden, through the gate that was between the two walls. Then they started [running] toward the Jordan River Valley.
5 Kodwa ibutho lamaKhaladiya laxotshana labo, lamfica uZedekhiya emagcekeni eJeriko; selimbambile lamenyusela kuNebhukadinezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni eRibila, elizweni leHamathi, owakhuluma izigwebo ezimelene laye.
But the soldiers from Babylonia pursued the king, and they caught him on the plains near Jericho. They took him to the King of Babylon, who was at Riblah [town] in the Hamath [region]. There the king of Babylon told [his soldiers what] they should do to punish Zedekiah.
6 Inkosi yeBhabhiloni yasibulala amadodana kaZedekhiya eRibila emehlweni akhe; inkosi yeBhabhiloni yabuya yabulala zonke izikhulu zakoJuda.
They forced Zedekiah to watch while they killed his sons and all the officials from Judah.
7 Yasiphumputhekisa amehlo kaZedekhiya, yambopha ngamaketane ethusi amabili ukuze imuse eBhabhiloni.
[Then] they gouged out Zedekiah’s eyes. They fastened him with bronze chains and took him to Babylon.
8 AmaKhaladiya asetshisa indlu yenkosi lezindlu zabantu ngomlilo, adilizela phansi imiduli yeJerusalema.
[Meanwhile, ] the Babylonian army burned the palace and all the other buildings in Jerusalem. And they tore down the city walls.
9 Lensali yabantu eyayisele emzini, lalabo ababehlubukile, ababehlubukile kuyo, lensali yabantu eyayisele, uNebuzaradani induna yabalindi yabathumba yabasa eBhabhiloni.
Then Nebuzaradan, the captain of the [king’s] bodyguards, forced to go to Babylon [most of] the other people who remained in the city and the Jews who had joined the soldiers of Babylonia.
10 Kodwa uNebuzaradani induna yabalindi watshiya elizweni lakoJuda ebantwini ababengabayanga ababengelalutho, wabanika izivini lamasimu ngalolosuku.
But he allowed some of the very poor people to remain in Judah, and he gave them vineyards and fields [to take care of].
11 UNebhukadirezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni waselaya ngesandla sikaNebuzaradani induna yabalindi ngoJeremiya esithi:
King Nebuchadnezzar had [previously] told Nebuzaradan to find me. He said,
12 Mthathe, umise amehlo akho kuye, ungamenzeli ulutho olubi, kodwa njengokukhuluma kwakhe kuwe wenze njalo ngaye.
“Make sure that no one harms him. Take care of him, and do for him whatever he requests you to do.”
13 Ngakho bathuma oNebuzaradani induna yabalindi, loNebushazibani, uRabisarisi, loNerigali-Sharezi, uRabimagi, lazo zonke induna zenkosi yeBhabhiloni,
So he and Nebushazban, who was one of their chief officers, and Nergal-Sharezer the king’s advisor, and other officers 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.
sent [some men] to bring me out of the courtyard outside of the palace. They took me to Gedaliah who was the son of Ahikam and grandson of Shaphan. Then Gedaliah took me to my home, and I stayed [in Judah] among [my own] people [who had been allowed to remain there].
15 Ilizwi leNkosi laselifika kuJeremiya esavalelwe egumeni lentolongo, lisithi:
While I was [still] being guarded in the palace courtyard, Yahweh gave me this message:
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.
“Say this to Ebed-Melech, the official from Ethiopia: ‘This is what the Commander of the armies of angels, the God whom [we] Israelis [worship], says: “I will do to this city everything that I said that I would do. I will not enable the people to prosper; I will cause them to experience disasters. You will see Jerusalem being destroyed,
17 Kodwa ngizakophula ngalolosuku, itsho iNkosi, njalo kawuyikunikelwa esandleni sabantu obesabayo.
but I will rescue you from the people whom you are afraid of.
18 Ngoba ngizakukhulula isibili, kawuyikuwa-ke ngenkemba, kodwa impilo yakho izakuba yimpango kuwe, ngoba uthembele kimi, itsho iNkosi.
You trusted me, so I will save you. You will not be killed by [your enemies’] swords; you will remain alive. [That will surely happen because I], Yahweh, have said it.’”
