UGedaliya
1Izwi elafika kuJeremiya livela kuJehova, uNebuzaradani induna yabalindi esemvumele ukuba asuke eRama ngokumthatha eboshiwe ngamaketanga phakathi kwabo bonke abathunjwa baseJerusalema nakwaJuda ababeyakuthunjelwa eBabele.
2Induna yabalindi yamthatha uJeremiya, yathi kuye: UJehova uNkulunkulu wakho wakhuluma lokhu okubi kulendawo;
3usekulethile uJehova, wakwenza njengokukhuluma kwakhe, ngokuba nonile kuJehova, kanililalelanga izwi lakhe; ngalokho lento inehlele.
4Bheka, 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.
5Engakabuyi, yathi: Buyela kuGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu kaShafani, inkosi yaseBabele emenzé 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.
6Wayesehamba uJeremiya, waya kuGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu eMispa, wahlala naye phakathi kwabantu ababesele ezweni.
7Zonke 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,
8zaya kuGedaliya eMispa: uIshmayeli indodana kaNethaniya, noJohanani noJonathani amadodana kaKhareya, noSeraya indodana kaThanihumeti, namadodana kaEfayi waseNethofa, noJahazaniya indodana yomMahakha, bona nabantu babo.
9UGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu kaShafani wafunga kubo nakubantu babo, wathi: Ningesabi ukukhonza amaKaledi: hlalani ezweni, niyikhonze inkosi yaseBabele, kuyakuba-kuhle kini.
10Bhekani, mina ngiyakuhlala eMispa, ngiwakhonze lawomaKaledi ayakufika kithina, kepha nina, buthani iwayini, nezithelo, namafutha, nikubeke ezitsheni zenu, nihlale emizini yenu eniyithathileyo.
11Futhi lapho bonke abaJuda ababekwaMowabi, naphakathi kwabantwana bakwa-Amoni, nakwaEdomi, nababesemazweni onke sebezwile ukuthi inkosi yaseBabele ishiyile insali kwaJuda nokuthi ibeké phezu kwabo uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu kaShafani ukuba abengumbusi phezu kwabo,
12bonke abaJuda babuya ezindaweni zonke ababexoshelwe kuzo, bafika ezweni lakwaJuda kuGedaliya eMispa, babutha kakhulu iwayini nezithelo.
13UJohanani indodana kaKhareya nazo zonke izinduna zempi ezazisendle beza kuGedaliya eMispa,
14bathi kuye: Uyazi yini ukuthi uBahalisi inkosi yabantwana bakwa-Amoni uthumé uIshmayeli indodana kaNethaniya ukuba akubulale na? Kepha uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu akabakholwanga.
15UJohanani indodana kaKhareya wakhuluma kuGedaliya eMispa ngasese, wathi: Mangihambe ngimbulale uIshmayeli indodana kaNethaniya, kungaziwamuntu; ubeyakukubulalelani, ukuze bonke abaJuda ababuthene kuwe bahlakazake, insali yakwaJuda ichithwe, na?
16Kepha uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu wathi kuJohanani indodana kaKhareya: Awuyikwenza lento, ngokuba ukhuluma amanga ngoIshmayeli.
