Jeremiah 31
1 At that time, Declareth Yahweh, I will become a God, to all the families of Israel; And, they, shall become my people.
Ngalesosikhathi, itsho iNkosi, ngizakuba nguNkulunkulu wensapho zonke zakoIsrayeli; bona-ke bazakuba ngabantu bami.
2 Thus, saith Yahweh, —There hath found favour in the desert people escaped from the sword, —I must go to cause him, even Israel, to rest.
Itsho njalo iNkosi: Abantu babaseleyo benkemba bathola umusa enkangala; ngitsho uIsrayeli, lapho ngisiyamphumuza.
3 From afar, Yahweh hath appeared unto me, Yea with an age-abiding love, have I loved thee, For this cause, have I prolonged to thee lovingkindness.
INkosi yabonakala kimi ikhatshana isithi: Yebo, ngikuthandile ngothando olulaphakade, ngakho-ke ngikudonsile ngothandolomusa.
4 Again, will I build thee and thou shalt be built, thou virgin, Israel, —Again, shalt thou deck thyself with thy timbrels, And go forth in the dance of them that make merry:
Ngizabuya ngikwakhe, wakheke, wena ntombi emsulwa yakoIsrayeli; uzabuya uvunuliswe ngezigujana zakho, uphume phakathi kokugida kwabathokozayo.
5 Again, shalt thou plant vineyards in the mountains of Samaria, The planters have planted, and have laid open the vineyards,
Uzabuya uhlanyele izivini phezu kwezintaba zeSamariya; abahlanyeli bazahlanyela, badle izithelo.
6 For it is a day the watchmen have proclaimed throughout the hill country of Ephraim, —Arise ye and let us go up to Zion, unto Yahweh our God.
Ngoba kuzakuba khona usuku abazamemeza ngalo abalindi entabeni yakoEfrayimi besithi: Sukumani, senyuke siye eZiyoni, eNkosini uNkulunkulu wethu.
7 For, thus, saith Yahweh—Shout ye for Jacob with gladness, Make shrill thy voice, as the head of the nations, —Publish ye praise ye and say, Save thou O Yahweh thy people, the remnant of Israel.
Ngoba itsho njalo iNkosi: Mhlabeleleni uJakobe ngentokozo, limemezele phakathi kwenhloko yezizwe; zwakalisani, dumisani, lithi: Nkosi, sindisa abantu bakho, insali yakoIsrayeli.
8 Behold me bringing them in out of the land of the North, And I will gather them out of the remote parts of the earth, Among them, the blind and the lame The woman with child and she that giveth birth, together, —A great convocation, shall return hither:
Khangelani, ngizabaletha bevela elizweni lenyakatho, ngibabuthe emaceleni omhlaba; phakathi kwabo kukhona iziphofu labaqhulayo, abesifazana abakhulelweyo lababelethayo ndawonye; bazabuya lapha belibandla elikhulu.
9 With weeping, shall they come in, And with supplications, will I lead them, I will bring them unto rivers of waters By a smooth way, wherein they shall not stumble, —For I have become, to Israel, a father, And as for Ephraim, my firstborn, is he!
Bazabuya belokukhala, ngizabakhokhela belokuncenga; ngizabahambisa emifuleni yamanzi ngendlela eqondileyo, abangayikukhubeka kuyo; ngoba nginguyise kaIsrayeli, loEfrayimi ulizibulo lami.
10 Hear ye the word of Yahweh, O ye nations, And declare ye in the Coastlands, afar off, —And say—He that scattereth Israel, will gather him, And watch over him as a shepherd his flock;
Zwanini ilizwi leNkosi, lina zizwe, lilimemeze ezihlengeni ezikhatshana, lithi: Yena owachitha uIsrayeli uzambutha, amgcine, njengomelusi umhlambi wakhe.
11 For Yahweh hath ransomed Jacob, —And redeemed him from the hand of one stronger than he.
Ngoba iNkosi imhlengile uJakobe, yamhlawulela emsusa esandleni solamandla kulaye.
12 Then shall they come in and shall shout in triumph on the height of Zion, And shall stream unto the goodness of Yahweh To the wheat, and to the new wine, and to the oil, and to the young of the flocks and of the herds, —So shall their soul become like a garden well watered, And they shall not again languish any more.
Ngakho bazakuza bahlabelele ekuphakameni kweZiyoni, bagelezele kokuhle kweNkosi, ngamabele, langewayini elitsha, langamafutha, langamazinyane ezimvu, lenkomo; lomphefumulo wabo ube njengesivande esithelelweyo, kabasayikubuya babe losizi.
13 Then shall the virgin rejoice, in the dance, And young men and elders [rejoice] together, And I will turn their mourning into gladness and will comfort them, And will make them rejoice from their sorrow;
Khona intombi izathokoza ekugideni, lamajaha labadala kanyekanye; ngoba ngizaphendula ukulila kwabo kube yintokozo, ngibaduduze, ngibathokozise, bangabi losizi.
14 Then will I satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, And my people with my goodness, shall be satisfied, Declareth Yahweh.
Njalo ngizasuthisa umphefumulo wabapristi ngamanono, labantu bami bazasuthiswa ngokuhle kwami, itsho iNkosi.
15 Thus, saith Yahweh—A voice, in Ramah, is heard, Wailing, bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, —She refuseth to be comforted for her children, For they are not!
Itsho njalo iNkosi: Ilizwi lezwakala eRama, ukulila, ukukhala inyembezi okubuhlungu kakhulu; uRasheli ekhalela abantwana bakhe, esala ukududuzwa ngabantwana bakhe, ngoba bengasekho.
16 Thus, saith Yahweh—Restrain thy voice from weeping, And thine eyes from tears, —For there is a reward for thy labour, Declareth Yahweh, So they shall return from the land of the enemy:
Itsho njalo iNkosi: Bamba ilizwi lakho ekukhaleni, lamehlo akho ezinyembezini; ngoba kulomvuzo womsebenzi wakho, itsho iNkosi, ngoba bazabuya bevela elizweni lesitha.
17 Yea there is hope for thy future Declareth Yahweh, —And thy sons shall return to their own boundary.
Kukhona-ke ithemba enzalweni yakho, itsho iNkosi; ngoba abantwana bakho bazabuyela emngceleni wakibo.
18 I have, heard, Ephraim bemoaning himself, Thou hast chastised me and I have been chastised, Like a bullock, not broken in, Suffer me to return that I may return, For thou, art Yahweh my God.
Ngizwile lokuzwa uEfrayimi ezililelaesithi: Ungilayile, njalo ngalaywa njengethole elingathambanga; ngiphenduka, njalo ngizaphendula; ngoba uyiNkosi uNkulunkulu wami.
19 Surely after my return, I was filled with regret, And after I came to know myself, I smote upon the thigh, —I turned pale and was even confounded For I had borne the reproach of my youthful days.
Isibili emva kokuphenduka kwami, ngazisola, lemva kokufundiswa kwami ngatshaya phezu kwethangazi lami; ngaba lenhloni, njalo ngayangeka, ngoba ngathwala ihlazo lobutsha bami.
20 Was Ephraim, a very precious son to me? Was he a most delightful child? For as often as I have spoken against him, I have, remembered, him again! For this cause, have my affections been deeply moved for him, I must have, compassion, upon him, Declareth Yahweh.
UEfrayimi uyindodana yami eligugu yini, ungumntwana wami othokozisayo yini? Ngoba selokhu ngakhuluma ngimelene laye, ngisamkhumbula ngoqotho; ngenxa yalokho imibilini yami iyakhala ngaye; isibili ngizakuba lesihawu kuye, kutsho iNkosi.
21 Erect thee waymarks Set thee up finger-posts, Apply thy heart to The highway—The road by which thou didst depart, —Return O virgin of Israel, Return unto these thy cities.
Zibekele izitshengiso zendlela, uzimisele izinsika zeziqondiso, ubeke inhliziyo yakho kumgwaqo omkhulu, indlela owahamba ngayo; phenduka, ntombi emsulwa yakoIsrayeli, uphendukele kule imizi yakini.
22 How long wilt thou turn hither and thither, O apostate daughter? For Yahweh hath created a new thing in the earth, A female defendeth, a strong man!
Koze kube nini uzulazula, ndodakazi ehlehlela nyovane? Ngoba iNkosi idale into entsha emhlabeni: Owesifazana uzahanqa indoda.
23 Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, Again, shall they say this word, in the land of Judah and in the cities thereof, when I cause their captivity to return, Yahweh, bless thee, Thou home of righteousness! Thou mountain of holiness!
Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli: Bazabuya batsho lelilizwi elizweni lakoJuda lemizini yakho, lapho ngibuyisela ukuthunjwa kwabo: Kwangathi iNkosi ingakubusisa, khaya lokulunga, ntaba yobungcwele.
24 Then shall there dwell throughout Judah itself and all the cities thereof, together, —Husbandmen, who shall move about with a flock;
Njalo kuzahlala kulo uJuda layo yonke imizi yakhe ndawonye, abalimi labahamba lemihlambi.
25 For I have satiated the weary soul, —And every languishing soul, have I filled.
Ngoba ngisuthise umphefumulo okhatheleyo, ngigcwalise wonke umphefumulo ophela amandla.
26 Upon this, I awoke and considered, —And, my sleep, had been sweet to me!
Ngasengiphaphama, ngabona; lobuthongo bami babumnandi kimi.
27 Lo! days are coming, Declareth Yahweh—That I will sow, The house of Israel, and The house of Judah, With the seed of men, and With the seed of beasts;
Khangela, insuku ziyeza, itsho iNkosi, lapho ngizahlanyela indlu kaIsrayeli lendlu kaJuda ngenhlanyelo yabantu lenhlanyelo yenyamazana.
28 And it shall come to pass, that—Just as I watched over them, to root up and to break down and to tear out and to destroy, and to break in pieces, So, will I watch over them, to build and to plant, Declareth Yahweh.
Kuzakuthi-ke njengalokho ngibalindile ukuthi ngisiphune lokuthi ngidilize lokuthi ngichithe lokuthi ngibhubhise lokuthi ngenze okubi, ngokunjalo ngizabalinda ukuze ngakhe ngihlanyele, itsho iNkosi.
29 In those days, shall they say no more, Fathers, did eat sour grapes, —And, children’s teeth, are blunted!
Ngalezonsuku kabasayikuthi: Oyise badlile izithelo zevini ezimunyu, amazinyo abantwana asetshelela.
30 But, every one, for his own iniquity, shall die, —Any human being who eateth the sour grapes, his own teeth, shall be blunted.
Kodwa ngulowo lalowo uzafela ububi bakhe; wonke umuntu odla izithelo zevini ezimunyu, amazinyo akhe azatshelela.
31 Lo! days are coming, Declareth Yahweh, —When I will solemnize—With the house of Israel and With the house of Judah, A new covenant:
Khangela, insuku ziyeza, itsho iNkosi, lapho ngizakwenza isivumelwano esitsha lendlu kaIsrayeli lendlu kaJuda;
32 Not like the covenant which I solemnised with their fathers, In the day when I grasped their hand, to bring them forth out of the land of Egypt, —In that, they, brake my covenant Though, I, had become a husband unto them, Declareth Yahweh.
kungeyisikho njengesivumelwano engasenza laboyise mhla ngibamba isandla sabo ukubakhupha elizweni leGibhithe, osivumelwano sami bona abasephulayo, lanxa mina ngangingumyeni wabo, itsho iNkosi.
33 For, this, is the covenant which I will solemnize with the house of Israel after those days Declareth Yahweh, I will put my law within them, Yea, on their heart, will I write it, —So will I become their God, And they shall become my people.
Kodwa yilesi isivumelwano engizasenza lendlu kaIsrayeli emva kwalezonsuku, itsho iNkosi: Ngizafaka umlayo wami emibilini yabo, ngiwubhale enhliziyweni yabo, ngibe nguNkulunkulu wabo, labo babe ngabantu bami.
34 Then shall they no longer teach Every man his neighbour, and Every man his brother, saying, Know ye Yahweh, —For, they all, shall know me, From the least of them Even unto the greatest of them, Declareth Yahweh, For I will forgive their iniquity, And their sin, will I remember, no more.
Kabasayikufundisa-ke, ngulowo lalowo umakhelwane wakhe, langulowo lalowo umfowabo, esithi: Yazi iNkosi; ngoba bonke bazangazi, kusukela komncinyane wabo kuze kufike komkhulu wabo, itsho iNkosi; ngoba ngizathethelela isiphambeko sabo, lesono sabo kangisayikusikhumbula.
35 Thus, saith Yahweh—Who hath given the sun for a light by day, The ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night, —Who excited the sea, and the waves thereof roared Yahweh of hosts, is his name: —
Itsho njalo iNkosi, enika ilanga libe yikukhanya emini, izimiso zenyanga lezezinkanyezi zibe yikukhanya ebusuku, enyakazisa ulwandle ukuze amagagasi alo ahlokome; iNkosi yamabandla libizo layo.
36 If these ordinances depart from before me, Declareth Yahweh, —the seed of Israel also, may cease from being a nation before me, all the days,
Uba lezozimiso zingasuka phambi kwami, itsho iNkosi, inzalo yakoIsrayeli layo izaphela ekubeni yisizwe phambi kwami zonke insuku.
37 Thus, saith Yahweh—If the heavens above can be measured, Or the foundations of the earth beneath, be searched out I also, may reject all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, Declareth Yahweh.
Itsho njalo iNkosi: Uba engalinganiswa amazulu phezulu, zihlolwe izisekelo zomhlaba phansi, lami ngizayala yonke inzalo yakoIsrayeli ngenxa yakho konke abakwenzileyo, itsho iNkosi.
38 Lo days, are coming, Declareth Yahweh, That the city shall be built for Yahweh, From the tower of Hananeel, [As far as] the gate of the corner;
Khangela, insuku ziyeza, itsho iNkosi, lapho umuzi uzakwakhelwa iNkosi, kusukela emphotshongweni kaHananeli kuze kufike esangweni leNgonsi.
39 Then shall go forth again the measuring-line straight forward, Over the hill Gareb, And it shall go round to Goah;
Lentambo yokulinganisa isezaphuma maqondana layo kuze kube soqaqeni lweGarebi, iphendukele ngaseGowa.
40 And, all the vale of the dead bodies, and of the ashes, and all the fields as far as the Kidron torrent-bed, as far as the horse-gate corner on the east, Shall be holy unto Yahweh, —It shall not be rooted up, nor thrown down, any more, unto times age-abiding.
Lesihotsha sonke sezidumbu lesomlotha, lawo wonke amasimu kuze kufike esifuleni seKidroni, kuze kufike engonsini yeSango lamabhiza ngempumalanga, kuzakuba yibungcwele beNkosi. Kakuyikusitshunwa kakusayikudilizwa kuze kube nininini.
