UJeremiya 39
1 Ngomnyaka wesificamunwemunye kaZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda, ngenyanga yetshumi, kwafika uNebhukadirezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni lebutho lakhe lonke, bamelana leJerusalema, bayivimbezela.
In the ninth year and tenth month of Zedekiah king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came with all his army against Jerusalem and besieged it.
2 Ngomnyaka wetshumi lanye kaZedekhiya, ngenyanga yesine, ngolwesificamunwemunye lwenyanga, umuzi wafohlelwa.
In the eleventh year and fourth month of Zedekiah, on the ninth day of the month, the city was broken into.
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 officials of the king of Babylon came and sat in the middle gate: Nebo-Sarsekim, Samgar Nebo, and Sarsechim, an important official. Nebo-Sarsekim was a high official and all the rest were the 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.
It happened that when Zedekiah, king of Judah, and all his fighting men saw them, they fled. They went out at night from the city by the king's garden path, through the gate between the two walls. The king went out in the direction of 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 army of Chaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of the Jordan River valley near Jericho. Then they captured him and brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where Nebuchadnezzar passed sentence on him.
6 Inkosi yeBhabhiloni yasibulala amadodana kaZedekhiya eRibila emehlweni akhe; inkosi yeBhabhiloni yabuya yabulala zonke izikhulu zakoJuda.
The king of Babylon slaughtered Zedekiah's sons before his own eyes at Riblah. He also slaughtered all the noblemen of Judah.
7 Yasiphumputhekisa amehlo kaZedekhiya, yambopha ngamaketane ethusi amabili ukuze imuse eBhabhiloni.
Then he put out Zedekiah's eyes and bound him in bronze chains in order to take him to Babylon.
8 AmaKhaladiya asetshisa indlu yenkosi lezindlu zabantu ngomlilo, adilizela phansi imiduli yeJerusalema.
Then the Chaldeans burned the king's house and the people's houses. They also tore down the walls of Jerusalem.
9 Lensali yabantu eyayisele emzini, lalabo ababehlubukile, ababehlubukile kuyo, lensali yabantu eyayisele, uNebuzaradani induna yabalindi yabathumba yabasa eBhabhiloni.
Nebuzaradan, the commander of the king's bodyguards, took into exile the rest of the people who were left in the city. This included the people who had deserted to the Chaldeans and the rest of the people who were left in the city.
10 Kodwa uNebuzaradani induna yabalindi watshiya elizweni lakoJuda ebantwini ababengabayanga ababengelalutho, wabanika izivini lamasimu ngalolosuku.
But Nebuzaradan the commander of the king's bodyguards allowed the poorest people who had nothing for themselves to remain in the land of Judah. He gave them vineyards and fields on that same day.
11 UNebhukadirezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni waselaya ngesandla sikaNebuzaradani induna yabalindi ngoJeremiya esithi:
Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had given an order about Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan the commander of the king's bodyguards. He had said,
12 Mthathe, umise amehlo akho kuye, ungamenzeli ulutho olubi, kodwa njengokukhuluma kwakhe kuwe wenze njalo ngaye.
“Take him and care for him. Do not harm him. Do for him anything he tells you.”
13 Ngakho bathuma oNebuzaradani induna yabalindi, loNebushazibani, uRabisarisi, loNerigali-Sharezi, uRabimagi, lazo zonke induna zenkosi yeBhabhiloni,
So Nebuzaradan the commander of the king's bodyguards, Nebushazban the high eunuch, Nergal-Sharezer the high official, and all the most important officials of the king of Babylon sent men out.
14 bathuma, bamthatha uJeremiya egumeni lentolongo, bamnikela kuGedaliya, indodana kaAhikhamu, indodana kaShafani, ukuze amkhuphe amuse endlini yakhe. Wasehlala phakathi kwabantu.
Their men took Jeremiah from the courtyard of the guard and entrusted him to Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan, to take him home, so Jeremiah stayed among the people.
15 Ilizwi leNkosi laselifika kuJeremiya esavalelwe egumeni lentolongo, lisithi:
Now the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah while he was under arrest in the courtyard of the guard, 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.
“Speak to Ebed-Melek the Cushite and say, 'Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, says this: See, I am about to carry out my words against this city for disaster and not for good. For they will all come true before you on that day.
17 Kodwa ngizakophula ngalolosuku, itsho iNkosi, njalo kawuyikunikelwa esandleni sabantu obesabayo.
But I will rescue you on that day—this is Yahweh's declaration—and you will not be given into the hand of the men whom you fear.
18 Ngoba ngizakukhulula isibili, kawuyikuwa-ke ngenkemba, kodwa impilo yakho izakuba yimpango kuwe, ngoba uthembele kimi, itsho iNkosi.
For I will certainly rescue you. You will not fall by the sword. You will escape with your life, since you trust in me—this was Yahweh's declaration.'”
