1 In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, came Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and all his army against Jerusalem, and they besieged it. 2 And in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, the city was broken up. 3 And all the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate, even Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarsechim, Rab-saris, Nergal-sharezer, Rab-mag, with all the residue of the princes of the king of Babylon.
4 ¶ And it came to pass, that when Zedekiah the king of Judah saw them, and all the men of war, then they fled, and went forth out of the city by night, by the way of the king’s garden, by the gate betwixt the two walls: and he went out the way of the plain. 5 But the Chaldeans’ army pursued after them, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho: and when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he gave judgment upon him. 6 Then the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes: also the king of Babylon slew all the nobles of Judah. 7 Moreover he put out Zedekiah’s eyes, and bound him with chains, to carry him to Babylon.
8 ¶ And the Chaldeans burned the king’s house, and the houses of the people, with fire, and brake down the walls of Jerusalem. 9 Then Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard carried away captive into Babylon the remnant of the people that remained in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to him, with the rest of the people that remained. 10 But Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard left of the poor of the people, which had nothing, in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time.
11 ¶ Now Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard, saying, 12 Take him, and look well to him, and do him no harm; but do unto him even as he shall say unto thee. 13 So Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard sent, and Nebushasban, Rab-saris, and Nergal-sharezer, Rab-mag, and all the king of Babylon’s princes; 14 Even they sent, and took Jeremiah out of the court of the prison, and committed him unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, that he should carry him home: so he dwelt among the people.
15 ¶ Now the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, while he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying, 16 Go and speak to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring my words upon this city for evil, and not for good; and they shall be accomplished in that day before thee. 17 But I will deliver thee in that day, saith the LORD: and thou shalt not be given into the hand of the men of whom thou art afraid. 18 For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the LORD.
Kuwa kwe Jerusalema
1 Mu gole le buzhanalume la Zedekiya mambo we Juda, mu mwedzi we bugumi, Nebukadineza mambo we Bhabhiloni ne babhayani babe bose bakazha kuwonginilila Jerusalema ngono bakaikomba. 2 Mu gole le bugumi lina ling'ompela la Zedekiya mu mwedzi we bunna mu zhuba le buzhanalume le mwedzi bakanginila tja mukati kwe nzi nkulu. 3 Ipapo balauli bose be babhayani ba mambo we Bhabhiloni bakazha bakagala pa Nkoba Utjapakati bakabe bali bo Nerigalisharezeri we Samigari na Nebosarikimu we ntungamili we balauli be babhayani, na Nerigalisharezeri we ntungamili nkulu we balauli be babhayani ne bamwe balauli be babhayani be mambo we Bhabhiloni.
4 Kwakati Zedekiya mambo we Juda ne babhayani bose bebabona bakatizha, bakatizha mu nzi nkulu busiku bebhuda ne zila ye nnda wa mambo bakanobhuda ne nkoba upakati kwe makuma mabili ngono bakalinga ku Araba. 5 Koga babhayani be Bakhaladiya bakabatatamila bakabhata Zedekiya mu tjibata tje Jerikho ngono bakati basinokuntola bakanzhisa kuna Nebukadineza mambo we Bhabhiloni ku Ribila mu shango ye Hamati, ikoko Nebukadineza kan'tilika nlandu. 6 Ikoko ku Ribila mambo we Bhabhiloni kabulaya bakololo ba Zedekiya mbeli kukwe kabulayilanya ne banokudziwa be Juda. 7 Kadusa mesho a Zedekiya kansunga nge ketani ngono kan'yisa ku Bhabhiloni. 8 Bakhaladiya bakapisa ng'umba ya mambo ne ng'umba dze bathu nge moto ngono bakaliga makuma e Jerusalema. 9 Ipapo Nebuzaradani, ntungamili we balindi kasengela bathu bose bakabe basala mu nzi nkulu, ibo bakabe ban'tobela ne bakabe basala kabatapila ku Bhabhiloni.
10 Koga Nebuzaradani ntungamili we balindi wakasiya bamwe bashayi bakabe basina tjabo mu shango ye Juda ngono kabapa minda ye mizhambi ne minda zhuba ilelo zwalo.
11 Ngono Nebukadineza mambo we Bhabhiloni kapa ndaulo Nebuzaradani ntungamili we balindi ngekwa Jeremiya eti, 12 “Untole ngono un'tjengete kwazo, usitongon'kubadza koga unthamile tjimwe ne tjimwe tjaanokudwa.” 13 Ndizo Nebuzaradani ntungamili we balindi na Nebushazibhani ntungamili we balauli be babhayani na Nerigalisharezeri ntungamili nkulu we balauli be babhayani ne makulukota wose a mambo we Bhabhiloni, 14 bakatola Jeremiya mu nsha we babhayani ngono bakampa Gedaliya nkololo wa Ahikamu nkololo wa Shafani kuti ban'yise ku nzi uwe. Ndizo kagala pakati kwe bathu bakanyi kukwe.
15 Dama la Yahwe lakazha kuna Jeremiya atjakazhaliligwa mu nsha we balindi liti, 16 “Yenda unobudza Ebedimeleki we N'khushi uti, ‘Yahwe Masimbawose Ndzimu we Iziraela bakati, “Bona ndowoshingikadza matama angu ngekwe nzi iwoyu nkulu ndithama tjakabipa kusi bubuya ngono kowoshingikala mu mesho awo mu zhuba ilelo. 17 Koga iwe ndowokusunungula mu zhuba, kojalo Yahwe. Ndizo awotolongwa mu maboko e balume baunotja. 18 Ngoti nge malebeswa ndowokutjidza ndizo autobulawa nge thumo koga unowopudzumuka nge butjilo gugo ngoti unogalabgwe mu ndili, kojalo Yahwe.” ’ ”