14 “Ngako phrofetha, ndvodzana yemuntfu, ugcizelele ngekushaya tandla. Inkemba ayigadle kabili nakatsatfu. Yinkemba yekugwaza, yinkemba yekugwaza lokukhulu, lebavimbetela ndzawo tonkhe.
Lawa lamanye avele abalekela edolobheni lase-Afeki, lapho atsi nakefika khona, lubondza lwalelo dolobha lwadzilikela etikwalababeti-27 000 bawo. Bheni Hadadi wabalekela edolobheni, wafike wabhaca ekamelweni lelalingekhatsi endlini.
Mikhaya waphendvula watsi: “Loko uyawukubona ukwati, mhlazana uhamba sewuyawubhaca ekamelweni lelisekhatsi.”
Ngesikhatsi sekubusa kwaJehoyakimu, Nebukhadnezari, inkhosi yaseBhabhulona, wahlasela live. Jehoyakimu waba yinceku yaNebukhadnezari, iminyaka lemitsatfu. Kodvwa wabe sewugucula ingcondvo yakhe, wavukela Nebukhadnezari.
Kodvwa ingaphumula kanjani, nangabe Simakadze akhiphe umyalo kuyo kutsi ihlasele i-Ashkeloni nelusentse lwelwandle?”
“ ‘Nakanjani kuvivinywa kuyeta. Kwentiwa yini kutsi wedzelele luswati? Kungaba njani nalungete lwaphumelela? Kusho iNkhosi Simakadze.’
Nami futsi ngitabe sengishaya tandla, nelulaka lwami luyawubohla. Mine, Simakadze sengikhulumile.”
Ngiyawutfumela sifo lesibulalanako etikwakho, ngigeletise ingati etitaladini takho. Labahlatjiwe bayawusacatekela ekhatsi kuwe, inkemba iyawukuhlasela macala onkhe. Ngulapho-ke bayawukwati khona kutsi mine nginguSimakadze.’ ”
“ ‘Naku lokushiwo yiNkhosi Simakadze, itsi: Yetfwalani tandla etinhloko, nishaye ngetinyawo phansi nikhale, nimemete, nitsi: “Maye!” ngenca yato tonkhe letento letimbi tendlu yaka-Israyeli; nyalo sebatawubulawa ngenkemba, nangendlala, nangesifo lesibulalanako.
Watsi kimi: “Ndvodzana yemuntfu, ubonile kambe kutsi bentani baholi bendlu yaka-Israyeli lapha entimeni, nguloyo endvumbeni yesithico sakhe? Batsi: ‘Simakadze akasiboni. Simakadze sewulishiyile lelive.’ ”
Nebukhadnezari watfukutselela boShadraki, naMeshaki, na-Abednego, nesimo sakhe kubo sagucuka. Watfumela kutsi kubaswe lamalangabi emlilo lowesabekako nalohhumako kutsi ushise ngalokuphindvwe kasikhombisa,
“ ‘Nanichubeka kumelana nami nale nekungilalela, lokuhlupheka kwenu ngiyawukuphindza kasikhombisa kuye ngaleto tono lenitentile.
nami-ke sengiyawumelana nani ngekunivisa buhlungu ngalokuphindvwe kasikhombisa ngenca yetono tenu.
Nome bangemba bashone phansi ekujuleni kwelithuna, nakhona lapho sandla sami siyawubakhipha. Nome bangekhwela benyukele etulu emazulwini, nakhona lapho ngiyawubehlisela phansi.
Lulaka lwaBhalaki lwamvutsela kamatima Bhalamu, washaya tandla takhe, watsi kuye: “Ngikulandzele kutsi utewucalekisa titsa tami, kodvwa wena sewutibusise kwaze kwaba katsatfu.