UBaba Wethu Uxwayisa NgoJeremiya
Ibutho laseGibhithe lidonsela amaBhabhiloni kude, iJerusalema libe nethemba; uJeremiya uletha izwi likaBaba wethu lokuthi azobuya alishise umuzi. Lapho ehamba ngezindaba zomndeni, uyabanjwa kuthiwa uyahlubuka, ashaywe, aboshwe. UZedekiya ucela izwi ngasese, uthola elinzima, bese emnika isinkwa.
37 1UZedekiya indodana kaJosiya wabusa esikhundleni sikaKoniya indodana kaJehoyakimi, uNebukadinezari inkosi yaseBhabhiloni amenza inkosi ezweni lakwaJuda. 2Kodwa kwaba akekho—yena, nezinceku zakhe, nabantu bezwe—owawanaka amazwi kaBaba wethu awakhuluma ngoJeremiya umprofethi.
3INkosi uZedekiya yathuma uJehukali indodana kaShelemiya noZefaniya indodana kaMahaseya umpristi kuJeremiya umprofethi, yathi: “Ake usikhulekele kuBaba wethu.”
4UJeremiya wayesalokhu engena ephuma phakathi kwabantu; babengakambeki etilongweni. 5Impi kaFaro yayiphumile eGibhithe; kwathi lapho amaBhabhiloni ayevimbezele iJerusalema ezwa lokho, asuka eJerusalema.
6Khona-ke izwi likaBaba wethu lafika kuJeremiya umprofethi, lathi:
7Nakhu okushiwo nguBaba wethu ka-Israyeli: Tshelani inkosi yakwaJuda eyanithuma ukuba ningibuze, nithi: Impi kaFaro ephumele ukunisiza izobuyela ekhaya eGibhithe. 8Khona-ke amaBhabhiloni azobuya alwe nalo muzi, awuthumbe, awushise uphele.
9Nakhu okushiwo nguBaba wethu: Ningazikhohlisi, nithi, “AmaBhabhiloni azomuka kithi nakanjani”—ngeke amuke. 10Noma beningayibulala yonke impi yamaBhabhiloni elwa nani, kusale amadoda alimele kuphela ematendeni awo, bebengavuka bawushise lo muzi uphele.
UJeremiya Uyaboshwa Afakwe Etilongweni
11Kwathi lapho impi yamaBhabhiloni isisukile eJerusalema ngenxa yempi kaFaro, 12uJeremiya waphuma eJerusalema waya ezweni lakwaBhenjamini ukuze athathe isabelo sakhe khona phakathi kwabantu. 13ESangweni lakwaBhenjamini, induna yabalindi u-Iriya indodana kaShelemiya indodana kaHananiya yambamba uJeremiya umprofethi, yathi: “Ubalekela kumaBhabhiloni!”
14UJeremiya wathi: “Amanga! Angibalekeli kumaBhabhiloni.” Kodwa u-Iriya akamnakanga, wabamba uJeremiya, wamyisa ezikhulwini.
15Izikhulu zamthukuthelela uJeremiya, zamshaya, zamfaka etilongweni endlini kaJonathani umbhali, eyayenziwe yaba yitilongo.
16Ngakho uJeremiya wangena emagumbini asemgodini wetilongo, wahlala khona izinsuku eziningi. 17Khona-ke iNkosi uZedekiya yathumela ukuba alandwe, yamkhipha. Inkosi yambuza ngasese esigodlweni, yathi: “Likhona yini izwi elivela kuBaba wethu?” UJeremiya wathi: “Likhona.” Wathi futhi: “Uyonikelwa esandleni senkosi yaseBhabhiloni.”
18UJeremiya wabuza iNkosi uZedekiya, wathi: “Ngone ngani kuwe, nasezincekwini zakho, nakulaba bantu, ukuba ningivalele etilongweni? 19Baphi manje abaprofethi benu ababeprofetha, bethi, ‘Inkosi yaseBhabhiloni ngeke inihlasele nina naleli zwe’? 20Ake ungizwe manje, nkosi yami: ukunxusa kwami makufinyelele kuwe—ungangibuyiseli endlini kaJonathani umbhali, funa ngifele khona.”
21INkosi uZedekiya yakhipha umyalo, bambeka uJeremiya egcekeni labalindi, bemnika isinkwa esisodwa nsuku zonke esitaladini sababhaki, kwaze kwaphela sonke isinkwa somuzi. Ngakho uJeremiya wahlala egcekeni labalindi.
