UJudith
1:1 Ngomnyaka weshumi elinesibini wobukumkani bukaNebhukadenetsare, obelawula kulo
INineve, umzi omkhulu; ngemihla ka-Arpakishadi, owayelawula phezu kwelizwe
amaMedi e-Ecbatane,
1:2 Wakha emadongeni e-Ekebhatane ngeenxa zonke ngamatye aqingqiweyo, aziikubhite ezintathu
ububanzi baba ziikubhite ezintandathu ubude, wakwenza ukuphakama kodonga
yaba ziikubhite ezimashumi mahlanu ububanzi;
1:3 wamisa iinqaba zalo phezu kwamasango awo, zalikhulu leekubhite ukuphakama.
ububanzi bube ziikubhite ezimashumi mathandathu esisekweni.
1:4 Wenza namasango ayo, amasango ayo aphakamileyo
zangamashumi asixhenxe eekubhite ububanzi, buziikubhite ezimashumi mane ububanzi
kuphuma imikhosi yakhe enamandla, nokumisa izintlu zakhe
abahamba ngeenyawo:
1:5 Ngaloo mihla ukumkani uNebhukadenetsare wenza imfazwe nokumkani uArpakishadi
intili enkulu, eyihewu ekwimida yeRagau.
1:6 Beza kuye bonke abemi bentaba, nabo bonke
ababemi ngase-Efrati, naseTigris, naseHidaspes, naseArabha
uAriyoki ukumkani wamaElima, nezizwe ezininzi zoonyana baka-Ariyoki
Chelod, bahlanganisana edabini.
1:7 UNebhukadenetsare ukumkani waseAsiriya wathumela kubo bonke abemiyo
namaPersi, nakubo bonke abemi bangasentshonalanga, nakubo bonke abemiyo
neKiliki, neDamasko, neLebhanon, neAntilibhano, nazo zonke ezo zinto
wahlala elunxwemeni lolwandle;
1:8 nakwiintlanga zaseKarmele, naseGiliyadi, nasezweni
kwelaseGalili ephezulu, nakwithafa elikhulu lase-Esdrelom,
1:9 nabo bonke abakwaSamari, nemizi yayo, nangaphaya
eYordan kwesa eYerusalem, neBhetane, neKelusi, neKadesi, nomlambo
iYiputa, neTafenes, neRamese, nelizwe lonke lakwaGesem;
1:10 nide nigqithe eTanis naseNofi, nakubo bonke abemi balo.
eYiputa, nide nifike emdeni wakwaKushi.
1:11 Ke bonke abemi belizwe bawutyeshela umthetho lowo
Ke uNebhukadenetsare ukumkani waseAsiriya, abayanga naye ekuyeni kwethu
idabi; ngokuba bebengamoyiki, wayephambi kwabo enjengamntu mnye
umntu, bandulula abathunywa bakhe kubo, akakho;
ngehlazo.
1:12 Ngoko ke uNebhukadenetsare waba noburhalarhume obukhulu kulo lonke eli lizwe, wafunga
ngetrone nobukumkani bakhe, ukuba aziphindezelele ngokwakhe kubo bonke
naloo mida yaseKiliki, neDamasko, neSiriya, nokuba wayeza kuyibulala
ngekrele bonke abemi belizwe lakwaMowabhi, noonyana
ama-Amon, nakwaYuda, nabo bonke ababeseYiputa, nide nifike kuni
imida yeelwandle zombini.
1:13 Waphuma ngezintlu zokulwa ngamandla akhe, waya kulwa nokumkani uArpakishadi
ngomnyaka weshumi elinesixhenxe, weyisa emfazweni;
namandla onke kaArpakishadi, nabamahashe bakhe bonke, neenqwelo zakhe zonke zokulwa;
1:14 Waba yinkosi yemizi yakhe, wafika e-Ekbhatane, wayithimba
Zazitshabalalisa izitrato zalo, zabujikisa ubukhazikhazi bayo
kwihlazo.
1:15 Naye uArpakishadi wamthabatha ezintabeni zaseRaga, wamxabela.
Ngeentolo zakhe, wamtshabalalisa ngaloo mini.
1:16 Wabuya emveni koko, waya eNineve, yena nebandla lakhe lonke
iintlanga ngeentlanga ziyingxokolo eninzi kunene yamadoda okulwa;
waphumla, wenza isidlo, yena nomkhosi wakhe, ikhulu elinanye
iintsuku ezingamashumi amabini.