Jeremiah - Chapter 40

Verse 1: Izwi elafika kuJeremiya livela kuJehova, uNebuzaradani induna yabalindi esemvumele ukuba asuke eRama ngokumthatha eboshiwe ngamaketanga phakathi kwabo bonke abathunjwa baseJerusalema nakwaJuda ababeyakuthunjelwa eBabele.

Verse 2: Induna yabalindi yamthatha uJeremiya, yathi kuye: “UJehova uNkulunkulu wakho wakhuluma lokhu okubi kule ndawo;

Verse 3: usekulethile uJehova, wakwenza njengokukhuluma kwakhe, ngokuba nonile kuJehova, kanililalelanga izwi lakhe; ngalokho le nto inehlele.

Verse 4: Bheka, manje sengiyakukhulula namuhla emaketangeni asezandleni zakho. Uma kukuhle emehlweni akho ukuya nami eBabele, woza ngiyakukubheka; kepha uma kukubi emehlweni akho ukuya nami eBabele, kuyeke; bheka, izwe lonke lisebusweni bakho; lapho kukuhle nalapho kulungile emehlweni akho ukuya khona, yiya lapho.”

Verse 5: Engakabuyi, yathi: “Buyela kuGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu kaShafani, inkosi yaseBabele emenze abe ngumbusi phezu kwemizi yakwaJuda, uhlale naye phakathi kwabantu; noma lapho kulungile emehlweni akho ukuya khona, yiya lapho.” Induna yabalindi yayisimnika umphako nesipho, yamvumela ukuba ahambe.

Verse 6: Wayesehamba uJeremiya, waya kuGedaliya, indodana ka-Ahikamu, eMispa, wahlala naye phakathi kwabantu ababesele ezweni.

Verse 7: Zonke izinduna zempi ezazisendle, zona nabantu bazo, sezizwile ukuthi inkosi yaseBabele imenzile uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu umbusi ezweni nokuthi inikele kuye abesilisa, nabesifazane, nabantwana, nabayizimpofana bezwe abangathunjelwanga eBabele,

Verse 8: zaya kuGedaliya eMispa: u-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya, noJohanani noJonathani amadodana kaKhareya, noSeraya indodana kaThanihumeti, namadodana ka-Efayi waseNethofa, noJahazaniya indodana yomMahakha, bona nabantu babo.

Verse 9: UGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu kaShafani wafunga kubo nakubantu babo, wathi: “Ningesabi ukukhonza amaKaledi: hlalani ezweni, niyikhonze inkosi yaseBabele, kuyakuba kuhle kini.

Verse 10: Bhekani, mina ngiyakuhlala eMispa, ngiwakhonze lawo maKaledi ayakufika kithina, kepha nina, buthani iwayini, nezithelo, namafutha, nikubeke ezitsheni zenu, nihlale emizini yenu eniyithathileyo.”

Verse 11: Futhi lapho bonke abaJuda ababekwaMowabi, naphakathi kwabantwana bakwa-Amoni, nakwa-Edomi, nababesemazweni onke sebezwile ukuthi inkosi yaseBabele ishiyile insali kwaJuda nokuthi ibeke phezu kwabo uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu kaShafani ukuba abe ngumbusi phezu kwabo,

Verse 12: bonke abaJuda babuya ezindaweni zonke ababexoshelwe kuzo, bafika ezweni lakwaJuda kuGedaliya eMispa, babutha kakhulu iwayini nezithelo.

Verse 13: UJohanani indodana kaKhareya nazo zonke izinduna zempi ezazisendle beza kuGedaliya eMispa,

Verse 14: bathi kuye: “Uyazi yini ukuthi uBahalisi inkosi yabantwana bakwa-Amoni uthume u-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya ukuba akubulale na?” Kepha uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu akabakholwanga.

Verse 15: UJohanani indodana kaKhareya wakhuluma kuGedaliya eMispa ngasese, wathi: “Mangihambe ngimbulale u-Ishmayeli indodana kaNethaniya, kungaziwa muntu; ubeyakukubulalelani, ukuze bonke abaJuda ababuthene kuwe bahlakazake, insali yakwaJuda ichithwe, na?”

Verse 16: Kepha uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu wathi kuJohanani indodana kaKhareya: “Awuyikwenza le nto, ngokuba ukhuluma amanga ngo-Ishmayeli.”