UBharukhi 1

₁Lawa ngamazwi encwadi uBharukhi indodana kaNeriya, kaMasayu, kaZedekiya, kaHasadiya, kaHilikhiya, awabhala eseBhabhiloni, ₂ngomnyaka wesihlanu, ngosuku lwesikhombisa lwenyanga, ngesikhathi amaKhaledi ethumba iJerusalema futhi elithungela ngomlilo. ₃UBharukhi wafunda amazwi ale ncwadi phambi kukaJekhoniya indodana kaJehoyakimi, inkosi yakwaJuda, kanye nabo bonke abantu ababezele ukuzwa le ncwadi, ₄nabo bonke abahloniphekile, amadodana amakhosi, abadala, abancane nabakhulu, ababehlala eBhabhiloni ngasemfuleni iSudi. ₅Bakhala, bazila, bakhuleka phambi kweNkosi; ₆baqoqa imali engangamandla alowo nalowo, ₇bayithumela kuJehoyakimi indodana kaHilikiya kaShalumi, nakubaphristi, nakubo bonke abantu ababenaye eJerusalema. ₈Ngosuku lweshumi kweka-Sivani, uBharukhi wathatha izitsha zendlu kaSimakade, ezazithathwe ethempelini, emva kokuba inkosi yaseBhabhiloni uNebukhadinezari ayethumbe eJerusalema uJekhoniya, abantwana bobukhosi, iziboshwa, abahloniphekile, nabantu bezwe, ₉wazibuyisela ezweni lakwaJuda; kwakuyizitsha zesiliva uSedekiya indodana ka-Josiya inkosi yakwaJuda ayezenzile.

₁₀Abantu bathi: “Sinithumelela le mali ukuba nithenge ngayo iminikelo yokushiswa, neminikelo yesono, kanye nempepho, nokuba nilungise umnikelo wokusanhlamvana, nikunikele e-Althare leNkosi uNkulunkulu wethu, ₁₁nikhulekele inkosi yaseBhabhiloni uNebukhadinezari kanye nendodana yakhe uBhalitasari, ukuba izinsuku zabo emhlabeni zifane nezinsuku zasezulwini. ₁₂Ngalokho iNkosi iyakusiqinisa isinike amandla ibe ngukukhanya kwamehlo ethu; siyakuphila ngaphansi kovikelo lukaNebukhadinezari inkosi yaseBhabhiloni nendodana yayo uBhalitasari, futhi siyakumkhonza izinsuku eziningi sifumane umusa emehlweni abo. ₁₃Sikhulekeleni futhi eNkosini uNkulunkulu wethu, ngokuba sonile eNkosini uNkulunkulu wethu, kuze kube namuhla ulaka lwayo lusasivuthela, ayikasixoleli. ₁₄Futhi uyakuwufunda ngezwi elizwakalayo lo mqulu esiwuthumela nawe, ukuba wenze imvumo yakho ethempelini likaSimakade ngezinsuku zomkhosi nangezikhathi ezimisiweyo.”

₁₅“Uyakuthi: ‘Nkosi Nkulunkulu wethu ulungile, kodwa thina sembethe ihlazo kuze kube kalokhu; thina bantu bakwaJuda nezakhamuzi zaseJerusalema, ₁₆amakhosi nababusi, abaphristi, nabaphrofethi, nakubo okhokho bethu ₁₇ngokuba sonke sonile phambi kweNkosi. ₁₈Asilalelanga, asililalelanga izwi leNkosi uNkulunkulu wethu, ukuba sihambe ngokwezimiso iNkosi ezibeke phambi kwethu. ₁₉Kusukela ezinsukwini iNkosi eyakhuphula ngazo okhokho bethu ezweni laseGibhithe kuze kube namuhla. Sibe ngamahlongandlebe phambi kweNkosi uNkulunkulu wethu, asililalelanga izwi layo. ₂₀Ngakho-ke kuze kube manje sikhungethwe izinhlekelele neziqalekiso, iNkosi eyazimemezela ngoMosi inceku yayo ngenkathi ikhulula okhokho bethu ezweni laseGibhithe ukusinika leli lizwe eligcwele ubisi noju. ₂₁Asililalelanga izwi leNkosi uNkulunkulu wethu eyalikhuluma ngabaphrofethi eyayibathumele kithi, ₂₂kodwa sonke salandela ogovane bezinhliziyo zethu ezonakeleyo ngokukhonza abanye onkulunkulu nangokwenza okubi emehlweni eNkosi uNkulunkulu wethu.’ ”