UJeremiya 30
1 Ilizwi elafika kuJeremiya livela eNkosini lisithi:
The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
2 Itsho njalo iNkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, isithi: Zibhalele encwadini wonke amazwi engiwakhulume kuwe.
“The LORD, the God of Israel, says, ‘Write all the words that I have spoken to you in a book.
3 Ngoba khangela, insuku ziyeza, itsho iNkosi, ukuthi ngizabuyisa ukuthunjwa kwabantu bami uIsrayeli loJuda, itsho iNkosi, ngibabuyisele elizweni engalinika oyise, njalo bazakudla ilifa lalo.
For, behold, the days come,’ says the LORD, ‘that I will reverse the captivity of my people Israel and Judah,’ says the LORD. ‘I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they will possess it.’”
4 Lala ngamazwi iNkosi eyawakhuluma mayelana loIsrayeli lamayelana loJuda.
These are the words that the LORD spoke concerning Israel and concerning Judah.
5 Ngoba itsho njalo iNkosi: Sizwile ilizwi lokuthuthumela; kulokwesaba, hatshi ukuthula.
For the LORD says: “We have heard a voice of trembling; a voice of fear, and not of peace.
6 Ake libuze, libone uba indoda ingabeletha yini? Kungani ngibona ngulowo lalowo owesilisa isandla sakhe siphezu kokhalo lwakhe njengowesifazana obelethayo, lobuso bonke sebuphenduke baba mhlotshana?
Ask now, and see whether a man travails with child. Why do I see every man with his hands on his waist, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned pale?
7 Maye! ngoba lukhulu lolosuku, okokuthi kalukho olunjengalo; kuyisikhathi sokuhlupheka kukaJakobe, kodwa uzasindiswa kukho.
Alas, for that day is great, so that none is like it! It is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he will be saved out of it.
8 Kuzakuthi-ke ngalolosuku, itsho iNkosi yamabandla, ngizakwephula ijogwe lakhe entanyeni yakho, ngiqamule izibopho zakho; labezizwe kabasayikumsebenzisa.
It will come to pass in that day, says the LORD of Armies, that I will break his yoke from off your neck, and will burst your bonds. Strangers will no more make them their bondservants;
9 Kodwa bazasebenzela uJehova, uNkulunkulu wabo, loDavida inkosi yabo engizabavusela yena.
but they will serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up to them.
10 Ngakho wena ungesabi, nceku yami Jakobe, itsho iNkosi; futhi ungatshaywa luvalo, Israyeli; ngoba khangela, ngizakusindisa ukhatshana, lenzalo yakho elizweni lokuthunjwa kwayo; njalo uJakobe uzaphenduka, athule, onwabe, njalo kakho ozamenza esabe.
Therefore don’t be afraid, O Jacob my servant, says the LORD. Don’t be dismayed, Israel. For, behold, I will save you from afar, and save your offspring from the land of their captivity. Jacob will return, and will be quiet and at ease. No one will make him afraid.
11 Ngoba mina ngilawe, itsho iNkosi, ukukusindisa; ngoba ngizakwenza ukuphela kuzo zonke izizwe engikuhlakazele khona, kodwa kangiyikwenza ukuphela kuwe; kodwa ngizakulaya ngokufaneleyo, kangiyikukuyekela ungajeziswanga ngokupheleleyo.
For I am with you, says the LORD, to save you; for I will make a full end of all the nations where I have scattered you, but I will not make a full end of you; but I will correct you in measure, and will in no way leave you unpunished.”
12 Ngoba itsho njalo iNkosi: Ukwaphuka kwakho kakwelapheki, isilonda sakho sibi.
For the LORD says, “Your hurt is incurable. Your wound is grievous.
13 Kakho owahlulela udaba lwakho, ukuthi abophe isilonda sakho; kawulamithi epholisayo.
There is no one to plead your cause, that you may be bound up. You have no healing medicines.
14 Zonke izithandwa zakho zikukhohliwe; kazikudingi; ngoba ngikutshayile ngokutshaya kwesitha, ngokulaywa kololunya, ngenxa yobunengi besiphambeko sakho, izono zakho zandile.
All your lovers have forgotten you. They don’t seek you. For I have wounded you with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the greatness of your iniquity, because your sins were increased.
15 Ukhalelani ngokwephuka kwakho? Usizi lwakho kalwelapheki ngenxa yobunengi besiphambeko sakho; ngoba izono zakho zandile, ngizenzile lezizinto kuwe.
Why do you cry over your injury? Your pain is incurable. For the greatness of your iniquity, because your sins have increased, I have done these things to you.
16 Ngakho bonke abakudlayo bazadliwa; lazo zonke izitha zakho, zonke zizakuya ekuthunjweni; labakuphangayo bazakuba yimpango, labo bonke abakwemukayo ngizabanikela ekwemukweni.
Therefore all those who devour you will be devoured. All your adversaries, everyone of them, will go into captivity. Those who plunder you will be plunder. I will make all who prey on you become prey.
17 Ngoba ngizakwenyusela ukuphila kuwe, ngikwelaphe emanxebeni akho, itsho iNkosi; ngoba bakubize ngokuthi oXotshiweyo, besithi: YiZiyoni, kakulamuntu oyidingayo.
For I will restore health to you, and I will heal you of your wounds,” says the LORD, “because they have called you an outcast, saying, ‘It is Zion, whom no man seeks after.’”
18 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Khangela, ngizabuyisa ukuthunjwa kwamathente kaJakobe, ngihawukele amakhaya abo; njalo umuzi uzakwakhiwa phezu kwenqumbi yawo, lesigodlo sizahlala njengomkhuba waso.
The LORD says: “Behold, I will reverse the captivity of Jacob’s tents, and have compassion on his dwelling places. The city will be built on its own hill, and the palace will be inhabited in its own place.
19 Njalo kuzaphuma kubo ukubonga, lelizwi labathokozayo; njalo ngizabandisa, kabayikuba balutshwana; ngibadumise, kabayikweyiswa.
Thanksgiving will proceed out of them with the voice of those who make merry. I will multiply them, and they will not be few; I will also glorify them, and they will not be small.
20 Labantwana babo bazakuba njengendulo, lenhlangano yabo izamiswa phambi kwami; njalo ngizajezisa bonke ababacindezelayo.
Their children also will be as before, and their congregation will be established before me. I will punish all who oppress them.
21 Lesikhulu sabo sizavela kubo, lombusi wabo uzaphuma evela phakathi kwabo; njalo ngizamsondeza, asondele kimi; ngoba ngubani lowo ongenza inhliziyo yakhe isibambiso sokusondela kimi? itsho iNkosi.
Their prince will be one of them, and their ruler will proceed from amongst them. I will cause him to draw near, and he will approach me; for who is he who has had boldness to approach me?” says the LORD.
22 Njalo lizakuba ngabantu bami, lami ngibe nguNkulunkulu wenu.
“You shall be my people, and I will be your God.
23 Khangelani isivunguzane seNkosi, ukuvutha kuphumile, isivunguzane esikhukhulayo; sizakwehla ngamandla phezu kwekhanda lababi.
Behold, the LORD’s storm, his wrath, has gone out, a sweeping storm; it will burst on the head of the wicked.
24 Ukuvutha kolaka lweNkosi kakuyikudeda, ize ikwenze, ize iqinise injongo zenhliziyo yayo; ekucineni kwezinsuku lizanakana ngalokhu.
The fierce anger of the LORD will not return until he has accomplished, and until he has performed the intentions of his heart. In the latter days you will understand it.”
