UJeremiya 13
1 Itsho njalo INkosi kimi: Hamba uzithengele ibhanti lelembu elicolekileyo, ulifake ekhalweni lwakho, ungalifaki emanzini.
The LORD said to me, “Go, and buy yourself a linen belt, and put it on your waist, and don’t put it in water.”
2 Ngasengithenga ibhanti njengokwelizwi leNkosi, ngalifaka ekhalweni lwami.
So I bought a belt according to the LORD’s word, and put it on my waist.
3 Ilizwi leNkosi laselifika kimi ngokwesibili lisithi:
The LORD’s word came to me the second time, saying,
4 Thatha ibhanti olithengileyo elisokhalweni lwakho, usukume uye eYufrathi, ulifihle khona engoxweni yedwala.
“Take the belt that you have bought, which is on your waist, and arise, go to the Euphrates, and hide it there in a cleft of the rock.”
5 Ngasengihamba, ngalifihla ngaseYufrathi njengoba iNkosi ingilayile.
So I went and hid it by the Euphrates, as the LORD commanded me.
6 Kwasekusithi ekupheleni kwensuku ezinengi, iNkosi yasisithi kimi: Sukuma, uye eYufrathi, uyethatha khona ibhanti engakulaya ukuthi ulifihle khona.
After many days, the LORD said to me, “Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take the belt from there, which I commanded you to hide there.”
7 Ngasengisiya eYufrathi, ngagebha, ngalithatha ibhanti endaweni lapho engangilifihle khona; khangela-ke, ibhanti lalonakele, lalingasasizi lutho.
Then I went to the Euphrates, and dug, and took the belt from the place where I had hidden it; and behold, the belt was ruined. It was profitable for nothing.
8 Laselifika kimi ilizwi leNkosi lisithi:
Then the LORD’s word came to me, saying,
9 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Ngalindlela ngizakonakalisa ukuziqhenya kukaJuda lokuziqhenya okukhulu kweJerusalema.
“The LORD says, ‘In this way I will ruin the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.
10 Lababantu ababi, abala ukuzwa amazwi ami, abahamba ngobulukhuni benhliziyo yabo, belandela abanye onkulunkulu ukubakhonza, lokubakhothamela, bazakuba njengalelibhanti elingasizi lutho.
This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, who walk in the stubbornness of their heart, and have gone after other gods to serve them and to worship them, will even be as this belt, which is profitable for nothing.
11 Ngoba njengoba ibhanti linamathela okhalweni lomuntu, ngokunjalo nginamathelise kimi indlu yonke yakoIsrayeli lendlu yonke yakoJuda, itsho iNkosi; ukuze kimi babe ngabantu, lebizo, lendumiso, lenkazimulo; kodwa kabalalelanga.
For as the belt clings to the waist of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to me,’ says the LORD; ‘that they may be to me for a people, for a name, for praise, and for glory; but they would not hear.’
12 Ngakho uzakhuluma kibo lelilizwi: Itsho njalo iNkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli: Yonke imbodlela izagcwaliswa ngewayini. Njalo bazakuthi kuwe: Isibili kasikwazi yini ukuthi yonke imbodlela izagcwaliswa ngewayini?
“Therefore you shall speak to them this word: ‘The LORD, the God of Israel says, “Every container should be filled with wine.”’ They will tell you, ‘Do we not certainly know that every container should be filled with wine?’
13 Ubususithi kibo: Itsho njalo iNkosi: Khangela, ngizagcwalisa bonke abakhileyo balelilizwe, lamakhosi ahlala esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaDavida, labapristi, labaprofethi, labo bonke abahlali beJerusalema, ngokudakwa.
Then tell them, ‘The LORD says, “Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings who sit on David’s throne, the priests, the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness.
14 Njalo ngizabaphahlaza omunye komunye, laboyise lamadodana ndawonye, itsho iNkosi; kangiyikuhawukela, kangiyikuyekela, kangiyikuba lomusa, ukuthi ngingabachithi.
I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together,” says the LORD: “I will not pity, spare, or have compassion, that I should not destroy them.”’”
15 Zwanini, libeke indlebe, lingaziqhenyi, ngoba iNkosi ikhulumile.
Hear, and give ear. Don’t be proud, for the LORD has spoken.
16 Inikeni iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu udumo, ingakalethi ubumnyama, lenyawo zenu zingakakhubeki ezintabeni zokuhwalala, lisalindela ukukhanya, ikwenze kube lithunzi lokufa, ikwenze kube ngumnyama onzima.
Give glory to the LORD your God, before he causes darkness, and before your feet stumble on the dark mountains, and while you look for light, he turns it into the shadow of death, and makes it deep darkness.
17 Kodwa uba lingalaleli, umphefumulo wami uzakhala inyembezi endaweni zensitha ngenxa yokuziqhenya kwenu, lelihlo lami lizakhala inyembezi kabuhlungu, lehlise inyembezi, ngoba umhlambi weNkosi uthunjiwe.
But if you will not hear it, my soul will weep in secret for your pride. My eye will weep bitterly, and run down with tears, because the LORD’s flock has been taken captive.
18 Tshono enkosini lendlovukazini uthi: Zithobeni, hlalani phansi; ngoba imiqhele yenu izawela phansi, umqhele wodumo lwenu.
Say to the king and to the queen mother, “Humble yourselves. Sit down, for your crowns have come down, even the crown of your glory.
19 Imizi yeningizimu izavalwa, njalo kakho ozayivula; uJuda uzathunjwa, yena wonke, uzathunjwa ngokupheleleyo.
The cities of the South are shut up, and there is no one to open them. Judah is carried away captive: all of them. They are wholly carried away captive.
20 Phakamisani amehlo enu, libone labo abavela enyakatho. Ungaphi umhlambi owaphiwa wona, umhlambi wakho omuhle?
Lift up your eyes, and see those who come from the north. Where is the flock that was given to you, your beautiful flock?
21 Uzakuthini uba esenza isijeziso phezu kwakho, ngoba wena ubafundise ukuthi babe yizinduna lenhloko phezu kwakho; inhlungu kaziyikukubamba yini njengowesifazana obelethayo?
What will you say when he sets over you as head those whom you have yourself taught to be friends to you? Won’t sorrows take hold of you, as of a woman in travail?
22 Njalo uba usithi enhliziyweni yakho: Kungani lezizinto zenzakele kimi? Ngenxa yobunengi bobubi bakho amalogwe akho embuliwe, lezithende zakho zaphathwa ngodlakela.
If you say in your heart, “Why have these things come on me?” Your skirts are uncovered because of the greatness of your iniquity, and your heels suffer violence.
23 UmEthiyophiya angasiphendula yini isikhumba sakhe, kumbe ingwe amabala ayo? Khona lani lizakuba lakho ukwenza okuhle elejwayele ukwenza okubi.
Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may you also do good, who are accustomed to do evil.
24 Ngakho ngizabahlakaza njengamakhoba edluliswa ngomoya wenkangala.
“Therefore I will scatter them as the stubble that passes away by the wind of the wilderness.
25 Le yinkatho yakho, isabelo sezilinganiso zakho ezivela kimi, itsho iNkosi, ngoba ungikhohliwe, wathemba emangeni.
This is your lot, the portion measured to you from me,” says the LORD, “because you have forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.”
26 Ngakho lami ngizakwembula amalogwe akho phezu kobuso bakho, ukuze kubonakale ihlazo lakho.
Therefore I will also uncover your skirts on your face, and your shame will appear.
27 Ngibonile ubufebe bakho, lokukhonya kwakho, inkohlakalo zokuphinga kwakho, phezu kwamaqaqa egangeni, amanyala akho. Maye kuwe, Jerusalema! Kawuyikuhlambuluka yini? Kusezadlula nini?
I have seen your abominations, even your adulteries and your neighing, the lewdness of your prostitution, on the hills in the field. Woe to you, Jerusalem! You will not be made clean. How long will it yet be?”
