Jeremiah 40
1 [The soldiers from Babylonia] captured me and many other people from Jerusalem and [other places in] Judah. They [planned to] take us to Babylon. So they fastened chains around our wrists and took us to Ramah [town north of Jerusalem]. While we were there, I was released. [This is how it happened]:
Ilizwi lafika kuJeremiya livela kuThixo emva kokuba uNebhuzaradani umlawuli wabalindi besikhosini, esemkhulule eRama. Wayefice uJeremiya ebotshwe ngamaketane phakathi kwabo bonke ababethunjwe eJerusalema lakoJuda ababesiwa ekuthunjweni eBhabhiloni.
2 [Nebuzaradan, ] the captain of the [king’s] bodyguards, [found that I was there]. He summoned me and said to me, “Yahweh your God said that he would cause this land to experience a disaster.
Umlawuli wabalindi esethole uJeremiya wathi kuye, “UThixo uNkulunkulu wakho wamisela indawo le umonakalo lo.
3 And now he has caused it to happen. He has done just what he said [that he would do], because you people sinned against Yahweh and refused to obey him.
Khathesi uThixo usewulethile; usenze ayethe uzakwenza. Konke lokhu kwenzakala ngoba lina bantu lona kuThixo njalo kalimlalelanga.
4 But today I am going to take the chains off your wrists and release you. If you want to come with me to Babylon, [that will be fine]. I will take care of you. But if you do not want to come with me, do not come. [Stay here]. Look, the entire country is available; you can choose whatever part you want to go to. You can go wherever you wish.” [Then he took the chains off my wrists].
Kodwa lamhla ngiyakukhulula amaketane ezihlakaleni zakho. Hamba lami eBhabhiloni, nxa uthanda, ngizakugcina; kodwa nxa ungafuni, ungahambi. Khangela, ilizwe lonke liphambi kwakho; yana loba kungaphi lapho ofuna khona.”
5 He said, “If you [decide to] stay here, go to Gedaliah. The King of Babylon appointed him to be the governor of Judah. [You will be allowed to] stay here with the people [that he is governing]. But you can do whatever you want to.” Then Nebuzaradan gave me some food and some money, and he allowed me to go.
Kodwa-ke kwathi uJeremiya engakasuki ukuba ahambe, uNebhuzaradani wengeza wathi, “Buyela kuGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhami, indodana kaShafani, osebekwe yinkosi yaseBhabhiloni ukuba abuse amadolobho akoJuda, uhlale laye phakathi kwabantu, kumbe uye loba kungaphi lapho ofuna khona.” Emva kwalokho umlawuli wamnika umphako lesipho wasesithi kahambe.
6 I returned to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and I stayed in Judah with the people who still remained in the land.
Ngakho uJeremiya waya kuGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhami eMizipha wahlala phakathi kwabantu ababetshiywe elizweni.
7 The [Israeli] soldiers [who had not surrendered to the army of Babylonia] were roaming around in the countryside. Then their leaders heard someone say that the King of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah to be the governor of the very poor people [who were still in Judah], who had not been taken to Babylon.
Kwathi zonke izikhulu zabalawuli bamabutho lamabutho azo ayesegangeni sebezwe ukuthi inkosi yaseBhabhiloni yayisibeke uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhami ukuba abe ngumbusi welizwe njalo imenze waba ngumphathi wamadoda labesifazane kanye labantwana ababengabayanga bokucina elizweni njalo ababengasiwanga ekuthunjweni eBhabhiloni,
8 So they went [to talk] to Gedaliah at Mizpah. [Those who went included] Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai from Netophath, and Jezaniah from Maacah, and the soldiers who were with them.
baya kuGedaliya eMizipha kungu-Ishumayeli indodana kaNethaniya, uJohanani loJonathani amadodana kaKhareya, loSeraya indodana kaThanihumethi, lamadodana ka-Efayi umNethofa, loJezaniya indodana yomMahakhathi kanye labantu babo.
9 Gedaliah solemnly promised that the soldiers from Babylonia would not harm them. He said, “Do not be afraid to do things for them. Stay [here] in this land and do things for the King of Babylon. If you do that, things will go well for you.
UGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhami, indodana kaShafani, wafunga isifungo ebathembisa labantu babo, wathi, “Lingesabi ukusebenzela amaKhaladiya. Hlalani elizweni lisebenzele inkosi yaseBhabhiloni, konke kuzalilungela.
10 As for me, I will stay [here] at Mizpah to be your representative to the [officials from] Babylonia who come to [talk with] us. But you should [return to your towns, and eat the things that are produced on your land]. Harvest the grapes and the fruit [that ripen in] the (summer/hot season) and the olives, [make wine and olive oil, ] and store it.”
Mina ngokwami ngizahlala eMizipha ukuba ngilimele kumaKhaladiya eza kithi, kodwa lina vunani iwayini lezithelo zasehlobo kanye lamafutha, likufake ezimbizeni zokugcinela, lihlale emadolobheni eseliwaphethe.”
11 Then the Jews who had fled to Moab, Ammon, Edom, and other [nearby] countries heard people say that the King of Babylon had allowed a few people [to remain] in Judah, and that he had appointed Gedaliah to be their governor.
Kwathi bonke amaJuda baseMowabi, e-Amoni le-Edomi lawo wonke amanye amazwe sebezwe ukuthi inkosi yaseBhabhiloni yayitshiye insalela koJuda njalo ibeke uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhami indodana kaShafani, ukuba ngumbusi wabo,
12 So they [began to] return to Judah. They stopped at Mizpah to [talk with] Gedaliah. Then [they went to various places in Judea, and] they harvested a great amount of grapes and summer fruit.
bonke babuyela elizweni lakoJuda, kuGedaliya eMizipha, bevela kuwo wonke amazwe ababehlakazekele kuwo. Bavuna iwayini elinengi lezithelo zasehlobo.
13 [Some time later, ] Johanan and all the [other] leaders of the Israeli soldiers [who had not surrendered to the army of Babylonia] came to Gedaliah at Mizpah.
UJohanani indodana kaKhareya lezikhulu zonke zebutho ezazilokhu zisegangeni, baya kuGedaliya eMizipha
14 They said to him, “Do you know that Baalis, the king of the Ammon [people-group], has sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to assassinate you?” But Gedaliah did not believe what they said.
bathi kuye, “Kawazi na ukuthi uBhahalisi inkosi yama-Amoni usethume u-Ishumayeli indodana kaNethaniya ukuba akubulale?” Kodwa uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhami kakukholwanga lokho.
15 Later Johanan talked with Gedaliah privately. He said, “Allow me to go and murder Ishmael secretly. It would not be good [RHQ] to allow him to come and murder you! If you are killed, what will happen to all the Jews who have returned to this area? They will be scattered, and the other people who remain in Judah will all be killed!”
UJohanani indodana kaKhareya wasekhuluma ngasese loGedaliya eMizipha esithi, “Yekela ngihambe ngiyebulala u-Ishumayeli indodana kaNethaniya, kakho ozakwazi lokho. Kungani kumele akubulale enze ukuba abakoJuda bonke ababuthene kuwe bahlakazeke, lensalela yakoJuda ibhubhe na?”
16 But Gedaliah said to Johanan, “[No], I will not allow you to do that. [I think that] you are lying about Ishmael.”
Kodwa uGedaliya indodana ka-Ahikhami wathi kuJohanani indodana kaKhareya, “Ungenzi into enjalo. Lokhu okutshoyo ngo-Ishumayeli akusiqiniso.”
