Jeremiya 40

₁Kwefika livi laSimakadze kuJeremiya emvakwekube Nebuzaradani, indvuna yabomahlalesangweni, asamkhululile eRama. Abemkhandze Jeremiya aboshwe ngetinketane emkhatsini wabo bonkhe batfunjwa lababephuma eJerusalema nakaJuda, batfunjwa bayiswa eBhabhulona. ₂Kwatsi lendvuna yabomahlalesangweni nayimtfola Jeremiya, yakhuluma kuye, yatsi: “Simakadze longuNkulunkulu wakho wakhipha livi kutsi lendzawo yehlelwe ngulesigemegeme. ₃Manje Simakadze sewusehlisile vele, sewente njengaloku abevele ashito kutsi utakwenta. Konkhe loku kwentiwe kutsi nine bantfu none kuSimakadze, nangete namlalela. ₄Kodvwa lamuhla sengiyakukhulula kuletinketane letisetandleni takho. Wota sambe nawe siye eBhabhulona, nawutsandza, ngitakunakekela. Kodvwa nawungafuni, ungeti. Buka la, lonkhe lelive lisembikwakho, yani lapho utsandza kuya khona.” ₅Noko, Jeremiya angakagucuki kutsi ahambe, Nebuzaradani wengeta watsi: “Buyela emuva kaGedaliya, umsa wa-Ahikamu, umsa waShafani, lobekwe yinkhosi yaseBhabhulona etikwemadolobha akaJuda, uyewuhlala naye kanye nebantfu, nome-ke uye nome ngukuphi lapho utsandza kuya khona.”

Ngako indvuna yabomahlalesangweni yamnika umphako nesipho, yase iyamyekela, wahamba. ₆Ngako Jeremiya wahamba waya kaGedaliya, umsa wa-Ahikamu, eMispa, wahlala naye asemkhatsini webantfu lababesele eveni.

₇Kwatsi kube tonkhe tindvuna temphi kanye nemadvodza ato labesasele etigangeni, beve kutsi inkhosi yaseBhabhulona yase ibeke Gedaliya, umsa wa-Ahikamu, kutsi abe ngumbusi welive, wambeka nekutsi engamele emadvodza, nebafati, nebantfwana lababemphofu kakhulu kulelo live lababengakatfunjwa bayiswa eBhabhulona, ₈befika kaGedaliya eMispa, bo-Ishmayeli, umsa waNethaniya, naJohanani kanye naJonathani, emadvodzana aKhareya, naSeraya, umsa waThanhumethi, nemadvodzana a-Efayi waseNethofa, naJazaniya, indvodzana yemMakha, nemadvodza abo. ₉Gedaliya, umsa wa-Ahikamu, umsa waShafani, wafunga kubo nakulamadvodza abo, watsi: “Ningesabi kukhonta emaBhabhulona. Yakhani lapha eveni nihlehle enkhosini yaseBhabhulona, kutabe sekunihambela kahle-ke. ₁₀Mine-ke ngitawuhlala eMispa kutsi ngitewumelela nine kumaBhabhulona labeta lapha kitsi; kodvwa nine nitawuvuna liwayini, netitselo tasehlobo kanye nemafutsa, nikufake etitjeni tenu tekulondvolota, nihlale kulamadolobha leseniwatsetse.”

₁₁Kwatsi onkhe emaJuda labekaMowabi, naka-Amoni, naka-Edomu, nakuwo onkhe lamanye emave, nakeva kutsi inkhosi yaseBhabhulona ishiye imisalela kaJuda, yase ibeka Gedaliya, umsa wa-Ahikamu, umsa waShafani, kutsi abe ngumbusi wabo, ₁₂onkhe abuyela eveni lakaJuda, kuGedaliya eMispa, esuka kuwo onkhe emave lapho abesakateleke khona. Afike avuna lesikhulu sivuno seliwayini nesetitselo tasehlobo.

₁₃Johanani, umsa waKhareya, kanye nato tonkhe tindvuna temphi letatisesetigangeni, teta kuGedaliya eMispa ₁₄tatsi kuye: “Awati yini kutsi Bhalisi, inkhosi yema-Amoni, utfumele Ishmayeli, umsa waNethaniya, kutsi atekubulala?” Kodvwa Gedaliya, umsa wa-Ahikamu, akazange abakholwe.

₁₅Ngako Johanani, umsa waKhareya, wakhuluma kuGedaliya ngasense eMispa, watsi: “Ngivumele ngiyewubulala Ishmayeli, umsa waNethaniya, kute namunye loyawukwati ngaloko. Kudzingeke ngani kutsi abulale wena, ente onkhe lamaJuda lasabutsene lapha kuwe asakateke, nensali yakaJuda iphele?”

₁₆Kodvwa Gedaliya, umsa wa-Ahikamu, wakhuluma kuJohanani, umsa waKhareya, watsi: “Ungacali wente intfo lenjalo! Loku lokushoko nga-Ishmayeli akusilo nani liciniso.”