UJeremiya 40

1 Ilizwi elafika kuJeremiya livela eNkosini emva kokuthi uNebuzaradani induna yabalindi esemyekele wahamba esuka eRama, esemthethe ebotshiwe ngamaketane phakathi kwabo bonke ababethunjwe eJerusalema lakoJuda, abasiwa ekuthunjweni eBhabhiloni.

The word that has been to Jeremiah from YHWH, after Nebuzar-Adan, chief of the executioners, has sent him from Ramah, in his taking him—and he a prisoner in chains—in the midst of all the expulsion of Jerusalem and of Judah, who are removed to Babylon.

2 Induna yabalindi yasimthatha uJeremiya yathi kuye: INkosi, uNkulunkulu wakho, yakhuluma lokhu okubi ngalindawo.

And the chief of the executioners takes Jeremiah and says to him, “Your God YHWH has spoken this calamity concerning this place,

3 INkosi isikulethile yakwenza njengokutsho kwayo, ngoba lonile eNkosini, kalilalelanga ilizwi layo; ngakho loludaba lwenzakele kini.

and YHWH brings [it] in, and does as He spoke, because you have sinned against YHWH, and have not listened to His voice, even this thing has been to you.

4 Khathesi-ke, khangela, lamuhla ngiyakukhulula kulamaketane asezandleni zakho. Uba kukuhle emehlweni akho ukuya lami eBhabhiloni, woza, ngimise ilihlo lami phezu kwakho; kodwa uba kukubi emehlweni akho ukuya lami eBhabhiloni, yekela. Bona, ilizwe lonke liphambi kwakho; lapho kukuhle kuqondile emehlweni akho ukuhamba, hamba uye khona.

And now, behold, I have loosed you today from the chains that [are] on your hand; if [it is] good in your eyes to come with me [to] Babylon, come, and I keep my eye on you: and if [it is] evil in your eyes to come with me to Babylon, refrain; see, all the land [is] before you, to where [it is] good, and to where [it is] right in your eyes to go—go.”

5 Kodwa engakabuyeli, wathi: Buyela kuGedaliya, indodana kaAhikhamu, indodana kaShafani, emmisileyo inkosi yeBhabhiloni abe phezu kwemizi yakoJuda, uhlale laye phakathi kwabantu; kumbe loba kungaphi lapho kuqondile emehlweni akho ukuya khona, hamba. Ngakho induna yabalindi yasimnika umphako lesipho, yamyekela ukuthi ahambe.

And while he does not reply—“Or turn back to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him in the midst of the people, or wherever it is right in your eyes to go—go.” And the chief of the executioners gives a ration and gift to him, and sends him away,

6 Ngakho uJeremiya wafika kuGedaliya indodana kaAhikhamu eMizipa, wahlala laye phakathi kwabantu ababesele elizweni.

and Jeremiah comes to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, to Mizpah, and dwells with him in the midst of the people who are left in the land.

7 Kwathi zonke induna zamabutho ezazisegangeni, zona kanye lamadoda azo, besizwa ukuthi inkosi yeBhabhiloni ibekile uGedaliya indodana kaAhikhamu abe phezu kwelizwe, lokuthi inikele kuye amadodana labesifazana labantwana, lakwabangabayanga belizwe, kulabo ababengathunjelwanga eBhabhiloni,

And all the heads of the forces that [are] in the field hear, they and their men, that the king of Babylon has appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam over the land, and that he has charged him [with] men, and women, and infants, and of the poor of the land, of those who have not been removed to Babylon;

8 khona beza kuGedaliya eMizipa, oIshmayeli, indodana kaNethaniya, loJohanani, loJonathani, amadodana kaKareya, loSeraya, indodana kaTanihumethi, lamadodana kaEfayi, umNetofa, loJezaniya, indodana yomMahakathi, bona lamadoda abo.

and they come to Gedaliah at Mizpah, even Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and Johanan and Jonathan [the] sons of Kareah, and Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah son of the Maachathite, they and their men.

9 UGedaliya, indodana kaAhikhamu, indodana kaShafani, wasefunga kibo lamadoda abo, esithi: Lingesabi ukusebenzela amaKhaladiya; hlalani elizweni, liyisebenzele inkosi yeBhabhiloni; khona kuzalilungela.

And Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, swears to them and to their men, saying, “Do not be afraid of serving the Chaldeans, abide in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it is well for you;

10 Khangelani-ke, mina ngihlala eMizipa ukuma phambi kobuso bamaKhaladiya azafika kithi; kodwa lina buthani iwayini lezithelo zehlobo lamafutha, likufake ezitsheni zenu, lihlale emizini yenu eliyithetheyo.

and I, behold, I am dwelling in Mizpah to stand before the Chaldeans who have come to us, and you, gather wine, and summer fruit, and oil, and put [them] in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that you have taken.”

11 Futhi, lapho wonke amaJuda ayekoMowabi laphakathi kwabantwana bakoAmoni leEdoma lawayekuwo wonke amazwe esezwile ukuthi inkosi yeBhabhiloni itshiyile insali yakoJuda, lokuthi yabeka phezu kwabo uGedaliya, indodana kaAhikhamu, indodana kaShafani;

And also all the Jews who [are] in Moab, and among the sons of Ammon, and in Edom, and who [are] in all the lands, have heard that the king of Babylon has given a remnant to Judah, and that he has appointed over them Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan,

12 wonke amaJuda asebuya esuka endaweni zonke ayexotshelwe khona, eza elizweni lakoJuda, kuGedaliya eMizipa; abutha iwayini lezithelo zehlobo, kwaba kunengi kakhulu.

and all the Jews from all the places to where they have been driven, return and enter the land of Judah, to Gedaliah, to Mizpah, and they gather wine and summer fruit—to multiply abundantly.

13 UJohanani indodana kaKareya lazo zonke induna zamabutho ayesegangeni basebesiza kuGedaliya eMizipa,

And Johanan son of Kareah, and all the heads of the forces that [are] in the field, have come to Gedaliah at Mizpah,

14 bathi kuye: Uyakwazi isibili yini ukuthi uBhahalisi inkosi yabantwana bakoAmoni uthume uIshmayeli indodana kaNethaniya ukukutshaya empilweni? Kodwa uGedaliya indodana kaAhikhamu kabakholwanga.

and they say to him, “Do you really know that Ba‘alis king of the sons of Ammon has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to strike your soul?” And Gedaliah son of Ahikam has not given credence to them.

15 UJohanani indodana kaKareya wasekhuluma loGedaliya ensitha eMizipa esithi: Ake ungiyekele ngihambe ngiyetshaya uIshmayeli indodana kaNethaniya, kungabi lamuntu okwaziyo. Uzakutshayelani empilweni, ukuze bahlakazeke bonke abakoJuda ababuthene kuwe, kubhubhe insali yakoJuda?

And Johanan son of Kareah has spoken to Gedaliah in secret, in Mizpah, saying, “Please let me go, and I strike Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and no one knows; why does he strike your soul? And all Judah who are gathered to you have been scattered, and the remnant of Judah has perished.”

16 Kodwa uGedaliya indodana kaAhikhamu wathi kuJohanani indodana kaKareya: Ungayenzi le indaba, ngoba uqamba amanga ngoIshmayeli.

And Gedaliah son of Ahikam says to Johanan son of Kareah, “You do not do this thing, for you are speaking falsehood concerning Ishmael.”