UJeremiya 24

1 Emva kokuba uJekhoniya indodana kaJehoyakhimi inkosi yakoJuda lezikhulu, izingcitshi kanye lezisebenzi zakoJuda sebethunjwe eJerusalema basiwa eBhabhiloni nguNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni, uThixo wangitshengisa izitsha ezimbili zomkhiwa zibekwe phambi kwethempeli likaThixo.

Jehovah hath shewed me, and lo, two baskets of figs, appointed before the temple of Jehovah, — after the removing by Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, of Jeconiah, son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, and the heads of Judah, and the artisan, and the smith, from Jerusalem, when he bringeth them into Babylon —

2 Esinye isitsha sasilomkhiwa omuhle kakhulu, njengovuthwa kuqala; esinye isitsha sasilomkhiwa omubi, ubolile ungeke wadleka.

In the one basket [are] figs very good, like the first-ripe figs, and in the other basket [are] figs very bad, that are not eaten for badness.

3 UThixo wasesithi kimi, “Kuyini okubonayo, Jeremiya?” Ngathi, “Ngumkhiwa. Omuhle muhle kakhulu, kodwa omubi ubole kakhulu ungeke udliwe.”

And Jehovah saith unto me, 'What art thou seeing, Jeremiah?' and I say, 'Figs, the good figs [are] very good, and the bad [are] very bad, that are not eaten for badness.'

4 Ilizwi likaThixo laselifika kimi lisithi:

And there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying:

5 “UThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi, ‘Njengalo umkhiwa omuhle, ngibathatha njengabalungileyo abathunjwa bakoJuda, engabasusa kule indawo ngabasa elizweni laseBhabhiloni.

Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, Like these good figs so do I acknowledge The removed of Judah — that I sent from this place, [To] the land of the Chaldeans — for good.

6 Amehlo ami azabakhangela kokuphela, njalo ngizababuyisa kulelilizwe. Ngizabakha ngingabadilizi; ngizabahlanyela ngingabasiphuni.

And I have set Mine eyes on them for good, And have brought them back to this land, And built them up, and I throw not down, And have planted them, and pluck not up.

7 Ngizabapha inhliziyo yokungazi, ukuthi mina nginguThixo. Bazakuba ngabantu bami, mina ngibe nguNkulunkulu wabo, ngoba bazabuyela kimi ngenhliziyo yabo yonke.

And have given to them a heart to know Me, For I [am] Jehovah, And they have been to Me for a people, And I am to them for God, For they turned back unto Me with all their heart.

8 Kodwa njengomkhiwa omubi, obolileyo ongeke udliwe,’ kutsho uThixo, ‘ngizamphatha kanjalo uZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda, lezikhulu zakhe kanye labasindayo eJerusalema, langabe basele kulelilizwe loba baseGibhithe.

And like the bad figs, that are not eaten for badness, Surely thus said Jehovah: So do I make Zedekiah king of Judah, And his heads, and the remnant of Jerusalem, Who are left in this land, And who are dwelling in the land of Egypt,

9 Ngizabenza bazondakale njalo babe yisinengiso kuyo yonke imibuso yasemhlabeni, insolo lesiga, into yokuhlekwa lokuthukwa, loba kungaphi engibaxotshela khona.

And I have given them for a trembling, For evil — to all kingdoms of the earth, For a reproach, and for a simile, For a byword, and for a reviling, In all the places whither I drive them.

10 Ngizathumela inkemba, indlala lomkhuhlane baze babhujiswe baphele elizweni engabanika lona kanye labokhokho babo.’”

And I have sent against them the sword, The famine and the pestilence, Till their consumption from off the ground, That I gave to them and to their fathers!