Ukunqotshwa kweJerusalema
1Kwathi lapho iJerusalema selinqotshiwe — ngomnyaka wesishiyagalolunye kaSedekiya inkosi yakwaJuda ngenyanga yeshumi kwafika uNebukadiresari inkosi yaseBabele nempi yakhe yonke eJerusalema, walivimbezela;
2ngomnyaka weshumi nanye kaSedekiya ngenyanga yesine ngolwesishiyagalolunye lwenyanga umuzi wafohlwa —
3kwangena zonke izikhulu zenkosi yaseBabele, zahlala esangweni eliphakathi, oNerigali-Sareseri, noSamigari-Nebo, noSaresekimi induna yezinceku, noNerigali-Sareseri induna yabapristi, kanye nazo zonke ezinye izikhulu zenkosi yaseBabele.
4Kwathi lapho uSedekiya inkosi yakwaJuda nawo onke amadoda empi bezibona, babaleka, baphuma emzini ebusuku ngendlela yensimu yenkosi ngesango phakathi kwezingange zombili; waphuma ngendlela yaseAraba.
5Kepha impi yamaKaledi yabaxosha, yamfica uSedekiya emahlane aseJeriko, yambamba, yamkhuphulela kuNebukadiresari inkosi yaseBabele eRibila ezweni laseHamati, wamahlulela.
6Inkosi yaseBabele yabulala amadodana kaSedekiya eRibila phambi kwamehlo akhe; futhi inkosi yaseBabele yabulala bonke abakhulu bakwaJuda.
7Yakhipha namehlo kaSedekiya, yambopha ngamaketanga ukuba imyise eBabele.
8AmaKaledi ashisa indlu yenkosi nezindlu zabantu ngomlilo, azidiliza izingange zaseJerusalema.
9Insali yabantu ababesala emzini, nabahlubuki ababehlubukela kuye, nensali yabantu abaseleyo uNebuzaradani induna yabalindi wabathumbela eBabele.
10Kepha uNebuzaradani induna yabalindi wabashiya abantu abampofu ababengenalutho ezweni lakwaJuda, wabanika izivini namasimu ngasikhathi sinye.
11UNebukadiresari inkosi yaseBabele wamyala uNebuzaradani induna yabalindi ngoJeremiya, wathi:
12Mthathe, umbheke, ungamenzelilutho olubi, kepha wenze kuye njengokusho kwakhe kuwe.
13UNebuzaradani induna yabalindi kanye noNebushazibani induna yezinceku, noNerigali-Sareseri induna yabapristi, nezikhulu zonke zenkosi yaseBabele base bethumela,
14bathuma bamkhipha uJeremiya egcekeni letilongo, bamnikeza kuGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikamu kaShafani ukuba amyise ekhaya; wayesehlala phakathi kwabantu.
15Lase lifika izwi likaJehova kuJeremiya esavalelwe egcekeni letilongo, lithi:
16Hamba ukhulume kuEbedi-Meleki umKushe, uthi: Usho kanje uJehova-Sebawoti, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, uthi: Bheka, ngiyakwehlisela amazwi ami kulomuzi kube-kubi, kungabi-kuhle, abengaphambi kwakho ngalolosuku.
17Kepha ngiyakukophula ngalolosuku, usho uJehova, unganikelwa esandleni sabantu obesabayo.
18Ngokuba ngiyakukukhulula nokukukhulula, awuyikuwa ngenkemba, kepha ukuphila kwakho kuyakuba-yimpango kuwe, ngokuba ungethembile, usho uJehova.
