16 Natsi nine: ‘Cha, tsine sitawubaleka ngemahhashi.’ Ngako-ke nitawubaleka! Nine natsi: ‘Sitawugibela emahhashini lagijimisa kwembane.’ Ngako-ke laba labanicoshako nabo bayawugijimisa kwembane!
kodvwa emabutfo emaBhabhulona acosha Sedekiya, inkhosi, aze amkhandza etsafeni laseJerikho. Onkhe emasotja akhe esuswa kuye asakatwa,
Ungawetsemba yini lamandla ayo lamakhulu? Ungawuyekelela yini umsebenti wakho lomkhulu kuyo?
Simakadze akatfokotiswa ngemandla emahhashi emphi; nemasotja lahlomile lahamba ngetinyawo angeke amjabulise.
Lihhashi lemphi lingeke likukhulule; nome lingaba nemandla lamakhulu, lingeke likusindzise.
Live labo ligcwele isiliva negolide; ingcebo yabo ayinasiphetfo. Live labo ligcwele emahhashi; tincola temphi tinyenti kakhulu.
Maye kulabo labaya eGibhithe bayewucela khona lusito, labetsembela emahhashini, betsembele nasebunyentini betincola tabo temphi, nasemandleni lamakhulu ebagibeli babo bemahhashi, kodvwa bangabuki kuLongcwele waka-Israyeli, nome-ke bafune lusito kuSimakadze.
Kodvwa baseGibhithe bantfu nje, abasiye Nkulunkulu, nemahhashi abo ayinyama nje, akasiwo umoya. Simakadze utsi nakaphakamisa sandla sakhe, kutsi lowo lositako akhubatele, nalowo lositwako yena awe, babhubhe bonkhe kanyekanye.
Kwatsi Sedekiya, inkhosi yakaJuda, nawo onkhe emabutfo nakatibona letiphatsimandla, babaleka; baphuma kulelidolobha ebusuku, babaleka ngendlela yengadze yenkhosi, ngelisango lelisemkhatsini wetibondza letimbili, babhekisa emabombo kuyo i-Arabha.
Bukelani, usondzela ukhephuka njengemafu, tincola takhe temphi tiyayalutela njengesiwunguwungwana, emahhashi akhe agijima kwendlula tinsweti.
“Labanematubane bangeke bakhone kubaleka, nalabanemandla bangeke baphunyule. Bayakhubatela bawe, enyakatfo, ngasemfuleni iYufrathe.
Lubondza-ke lwalelidolobha lwase luyafohlwa, imphi yonkhe yesuka yabaleka. Besuka edolobheni ebusuku, baphuma ngelisango lelisemkhatsini wetibondza letimbili letiseceleni kwengadze yenkhosi, lite nome emaBhabhulona abelitungeletile lelidolobha. Babaleka babhekisa emabombo ngase-Arabha,
Batingeli betfu babegijima kwendlula lusweti lwasesibhakabhakeni; basigijimisa etintsabeni, basibhacela ehlane.
Ngabona Simakadze eme ngaselatini, watsi: “Shaya tihloko tetinsika, kuze tenabelo teminyango titewunyikanyika. Juba tihloko tetinsika utehlisele etinhloko tabo bonkhe bantfu; labo labasele ngiyawubabulala ngenkemba. Kute namunye loyawubaleka; yebo, kute loyawuphunyula.
Nine lenihlala eLakhishi, bophelani emahhashi enu etincoleni, ngobe ngini lenaholela iSiyoni esonweni, tono ta-Israyeli takhandzakala kini.
“Emahhashi abo agijima kwendlula tingwe, esabeka kwendlula timphisi ebusuku. Emasotja abo lagibela emahhashi agijima ashiye inyosi. Bagibeli babo bemahhashi bachamuka khashane. Bandiza njengelusweti naluhlwitsa kudla.
“Simakadze uyakunenta nehlulwe titsa tenu. Niyakuta kuto nitetihlasela ngendlela yinye, kodvwa niyawubaleka seninhlanhlatsela niphume ngetindlela letisikhombisa; niyawuba yintfo yekwesatjiswa emkhatsini wayo yonkhe imibuso emhlabeni.
“Simakadze uyawuletsa sive lesiyawumelana nani, lesisuka khashane, emaphetselweni emhlaba sinihlwitse njengelusweti lolundizako, sive lesikhuluma lulwimi leningalwati,