UJeremiya 15
1 INkosi yasisithi kimi: Loba bekumi phambi kwami oMozisi loSamuweli, inhliziyo yami ibingebe kulababantu; baxotshe phambi kwami, bayekele baphume.
And the Lord said to me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before my face, my soul could not be toward them: dismiss this people, and let them go forth.
2 Kuzakuthi-ke uba besithi kuwe: Sizaphuma siye ngaphi? Uzabatshela-ke uthi: Itsho njalo iNkosi: Abokufa baya ekufeni, labenkemba baya enkembeni, labendlala baya endlaleni, labokuthunjwa baya ekuthunjweni.
And it shall be, if they say to you, Whither shall we go forth? then you shall say to them, Thus says the Lord; As many as are for death, to death; and as many as are for famine, to famine; and as many as are for the sword, to the sword; and as many as are for captivity, to captivity.
3 Ngoba ngizabamisela izinhlobo ezine, itsho iNkosi: Inkemba yokubulala, lezinja zokudonsa, lenyoni zamazulu lezinyamazana zomhlaba zokudla lezokubhubhisa.
And I will punish them with four kinds [of death], says the Lord, the sword to kill, and the dogs to tear, and the wild beasts of the earth, and the birds of the sky to devour and destroy.
4 Ngizabanikela babe yinto eyesabekayo kuyo yonke imibuso yomhlaba, ngenxa kaManase indodana kaHezekhiya, inkosi yakoJuda, ngalokho akwenza eJerusalema.
And I will deliver them up for distress to all the kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasses son of Ezekias king of Juda, for all that he did in Jerusalem.
5 Ngoba ngubani ozakuhawukela, wena Jerusalema? Njalo ngubani ozakulilela? Njalo ngubani ozaphambukela eceleni ukubuza ngokuthula kwakho?
Who will spare you, O Jerusalem? and who will fear for you? or who will turn back [to ask] for your welfare?
6 Wena ungidelile, itsho iNkosi, wabuyela emuva; ngakho ngizakwelula isandla sami ngimelene lawe, ngikuchithe; ngikhathele yikuhawukela.
You have turned away from me, says the Lord, you will go back: therefore I will stretch out my hand, and will destroy you, and will no more spare them.
7 Njalo ngizabela ngoluthi lokwela emasangweni elizwe; ngizabemuka abantwana, ngibhubhise abantu bami; kabaphendukanga endleleni zabo.
And I will completely scatter them; in the gates of my people they are bereaved of children: they have destroyed my people because of their iniquities.
8 Abafelokazi babo bandile kimi kuletshebetshebe lolwandle. Ngilethe phezu kwabo, phezu kukanina, ijaha, umchithi emini enkulu; ngiwisele phezu kwabo uvalo lezesabiso bengananzelele.
Their widows have been multiplied more than the sand of the sea: I have brought young men against the mother, [even] distress at noon-day: I have suddenly cast upon her trembling and anxiety.
9 Owazala abayisikhombisa usekhathele; usephefumule okokucina; ilanga lakhe litshone kusesemini; waba lenhloni, wayangeka; lensali yabo ngizayinikela enkembeni phambi kwezitha zabo, itsho iNkosi.
She that bore seven is spent; her soul has fainted under trouble; her sun is gone down while it is yet noon; she is ashamed and disgraced: I will give the remnant of them to the sword before their enemies.
10 Maye mina, mama, ukuthi ungizele, umuntu wokuphikisana lomuntu wokuxabana emhlabeni wonke! Kangebolekisanga ngenzuzo, futhi kabangebolekisanga ngenzuzo, kanti bayangithuka, ngulowo lalowo wabo.
Woe is me, [my] mother! you have born me as some man of strife, and at variance with the whole earth; I have not helped [others], nor has any one helped me; my strength has failed among them that curse me.
11 INkosi yathi: Isibili kuzakuba kuhle ngensali yakho; isibili ngizakuncengela esitheni ngesikhathi sokubi langesikhathi sosizi.
Be it so, Lord, in their prosperity; surely I stood before you in the time of their calamities, and in the time of their affliction, for [their] good against the enemy.
12 Insimbi ingayephula yini insimbi evela enyakatho lethusi?
Will iron be known? whereas your strength is a brazen covering.
13 Inotho yakho lokuligugu kwakho ngizakunikela kube yimpango, kungelantengo, langenxa yezono zakho zonke, ngitsho emingceleni yakho yonke.
Yes, I will give your treasures for a spoil as a recompence, because of all your sins and [that] in all your borders.
14 Ngizakwenza ukuthi udlule kanye lezitha zakho uye elizweni ongalaziyo; ngoba umlilo ubasiwe olakeni lwami; uzabhebha phezu kwenu.
And I will enslave you to your enemies round about, in a land which you have not known; for a fire has been kindled out of my wrath; it shall burn upon you.
15 Wena uyazi, Nkosi; ngikhumbula, ungihambele, ungiphindiselele kwabangizingelayo; ungangisusi ekubekezeleni kwakho; yazi ukuthi ngenxa yakho ngithwele ihlazo.
O Lord, remember me, and visit me, and vindicate me before them that persecute me; do not bear long with them; know how I have met with reproach for your sake, from those who set at nothing your words;
16 Amazwi akho atholakala njalo ngawadla; lelizwi lakho kimi laba yinjabulo njalo laba yintokozo yenhliziyo yami; ngoba ibizo lakho labizwa phezu kwami, wena Nkosi, Nkulunkulu wamabandla.
consume them; and your word shall be to me for the joy and gladness of my heart: for your name has been called upon me, O Lord Almighty.
17 Kangihlalanga emhlanganweni wabahleka usulu, kumbe ngijabule; ngenxa yesandla sakho ngahlala ngedwa; ngoba ungigcwalise ngentukuthelo.
I have not sat in the assembly of them as they mocked, but I feared because of your power: I sat alone, for I was filled with bitterness.
18 Kungani ubuhlungu bami bube khona njalonjalo, lenxeba lami lingelapheki, lisala ukuphola? Isibili uzakuba njengomqambimanga kimi yini, njengamanzi angathembekanga?
Why do they that grieve me prevail against me? my wound is severe; whence shall I be healed? it is indeed become to me as deceitful water, that has no faithfulness.
19 Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi: Uba ubuya, ngizakubuyisa, ume phambi kwami; njalo uba ukhupha okuligugu kokungasizi lutho, uzakuba njengomlomo wami. Bona kababuyele kuwe, kodwa wena ungabuyeli kubo.
Therefore thus says the Lord, If you will return, then will I restore you, and you shall stand before my face: and if you will bring forth the precious from the worthless, you shall be as my mouth: and they shall return to you; but you shall not return to them.
20 Ngoba ngizakwenza ube ngumduli wethusi ovikelweyo kulababantu; njalo bazakulwa bemelene lawe, kodwa kabayikukwehlula, ngoba mina ngilawe ukukusindisa lokukophula, itsho iNkosi.
And I will make you to this people as a strong brazen wall; and they shall fight against you, but they shall by no means prevail against you;
21 Ngizakophula esandleni sababi, ngikuhlenge esandleni sabalesihluku.
for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you out of the hand of wicked [men]; and I will ransom you out of the hand of pestilent [men].
