konja kaalam kalitthu, belshaathsaar baabilōnin raajaavaanaan. orunaal raatthiri, dhēsatthil irundha miga mukkiyamaana aatkalil aayiram pērukku virundhu vaitthaan. yegōvaavin aalayatthilirundhu nēbukaathnēchaar edutthuvandhirundha thanga kōppaigalai konduvarumpadi vēlaikkaarargalidam sonnaan. belshaathsaarum avanudaiya virundhaaligalum andha kōppaigalil kuditthu, thangal kadavulgalai pugalndhaargal. thidīrendru, oru manidha kai thōndri, andha saappaattu araiyin suvaril puriyaadha sila vaartthaigalai eludhiyadhu.

belshaathsaar bayandhu nadunginaan. udanē, than mandhiravaadhigalai kūppittu, ‘indha vaartthaigalukku yaar arttham solgiraarō, avarai baabilōnil mūndraavadhu mukkiya padhaviyil vaippēn’ endru satthiyam seidhaan. avargal muyarchi seidhaargal. aanaal, yaaraalum arttham solla mudiyavillai. appōdhu raani ullē vandhu, ‘dhaaniyēl endra oruvar irukkiraar. avardhaan nēbukaathnēchaarudaiya kanavugalukkum vidugadhaigalukkum arttham sonnavar. indha vaartthaigalukku avaraal arttham solla mudiyum’ endru sonnaal.

raajaavidam dhaaniyēl vandhaar. avaridam belshaathsaar, ‘indha vaartthaigalai vaasitthu, arttham sonnaal, unakku thanga sangili pōttu, baabilōnil mūndraavadhu mukkiya padhaviyil vaippēn’ endraan. adharku dhaaniyēl, ‘enakku parisugal edhuvum vēndaam, aanaal indha vaartthaigalukku arttham solgirēn. ungal appaa nēbukaathnēchaar, perumai piditthavaraaga irundhaar. avarai yegōvaa thaaltthinaar. avarukku nadandhadhu ellaamē ungalukku theriyum. aanaalum, yegōvaavin aalayatthilirundhu edutthuvandha thanga kōppaigalil dhraatchamadhuvai kuditthu kadavulai avamaanappadutthinīrgal. adhanaal kadavul, “menē, menē, thekkēl, paarsin” endra indha vaartthaigalai eludhiyirukkiraar. mēdhiyargalum persiyargalum baabilōnai pidippaargal. ini nīngal raajaavaaga irukka maattīrgal enbadhudhaan idhan arttham’ endru sonnaar.

baabilōnai yaaraalum pidikka mudiyaadhu endru niraiya pēr ninaitthaargal. ēnendraal, andha nagaratthai sutri urudhiyaana madhilsuvargalum, aalamaana aarum irundhana. aanaal, andha raatthiriyē mēdhiyargalum persiyargalum nagaratthai thaakkinaargal. persiya raajaavaana kōrēs, andha aatrin  thannīrai vēru pakkamaaga thiruppivittaar. adhanaal, avarudaiya vīrargal nadandhē andha aatrai kadandhu nagaratthin vaasalukku pōnaargal. angē pōnapōdhu, nagaratthin kadhavugal thirandhē kidandhana! avargal ullē pugundhu, nagaratthai piditthu, raajaavai kondrupōttaargal. piragu, kōrēs baabilōnin raajaavaanaar.

oru varushatthukkul, kōrēs oru arivippu seidhaar. ‘erusalēmil irukkira thannudaiya aalayatthai thirumba kattumpadi yegōvaa ennidam solliyirukkiraar. avarudaiya makkalil yaaraavadhu angē pōi udhavi seiya virumbinaal pōgalaam’ endru sonnaar. yegōvaa sonnapadiyē, erusalēm alindhu 70 varushangalukku piragu niraiya yūdhargal thirumbavum angē pōnaargal. aalayatthilirundhu nēbukaathnēchaar edutthuvandhirundha thanga kōppaigalaiyum velli kōppaigalaiyum matra paatthirangalaiyum kōrēs avargalidam kodutthu anuppinaar. kōrēsai payanpadutthi yegōvaa thannudaiya makkalukku eppadi udhavi seidhaar endru paartthaayaa?