UJeremiya 46
1 Ilizwi leNkosi elafika kuJeremiya umprofethi limelene labezizwe;
The LORD’s word which came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations.
2 limelene leGibhithe, limelene lebutho likaFaro Neko inkosi yeGibhithe, elalingasemfuleni iYufrathi, eKarikemishi, alitshayayo uNebhukadirezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni, ngomnyaka wesine kaJehoyakhimi, indodana kaJosiya, inkosi yakoJuda:
Of Egypt: concerning the army of Pharaoh Necoh king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates in Carchemish, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon struck in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah.
3 Hlelani ihawu lesihlangu, lisondele empini.
“Prepare the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle!
4 Bophelani amabhiza, ligade, bagadi bamabhiza, lizimise lilezingowane, lilole imikhonto, ligqoke amabhatshi ensimbi.
Harness the horses, and get up, you horsemen, and stand up with your helmets. Polish the spears, put on the coats of mail.
5 Ngibaboneleni betshaywa luvalo, bebuyela emuva? Lamaqhawe abo ephulaphuliwe, ayabaleka ngesiqubu, kawanyemukuli emuva; kulokwesaba inhlangothi zonke, itsho iNkosi.
Why have I seen it? They are dismayed and are turned backward. Their mighty ones are beaten down, have fled in haste, and don’t look back. Terror is on every side,” says the LORD.
6 Olejubane kangabaleki, leqhawe kalingaphunyuki; bazakhubeka bawele ngenyakatho eceleni komfula iYufrathi.
“Don’t let the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape. In the north by the river Euphrates they have stumbled and fallen.
7 Ngubani lo okhukhumala njengesifula, omanzi aso aqubuka njengomfula?
“Who is this who rises up like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge?
8 IGibhithe ikhukhumala njengesifula, lamanzi aqubuka njengemifula; ithi: Ngizakhukhumala, ngiwusibekele umhlaba, ngichithe umuzi labahlala kiwo.
Egypt rises up like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge. He says, ‘I will rise up. I will cover the earth. I will destroy cities and its inhabitants.’
9 Yenyukani mabhiza, lihlanye zinqola; kawaphume amaqhawe; amaEthiyophiya, lamaPuti aphatha isihlangu, lamaLudi aphatha anyathela idandili.
Go up, you horses! Rage, you chariots! Let the mighty men go out: Cush and Put, who handle the shield; and the Ludim, who handle and bend the bow.
10 Ngoba lolu lusuku lweNkosi uJehova wamabandla, usuku lwempindiselo, ukuthi iziphindisele ezitheni zayo; lenkemba izakudla, isuthe, idakwe ligazi labo; ngoba iNkosi uJehova wamabandla ilomhlatshelo elizweni lenyakatho ngasemfuleni iYufrathi.
For that day is of the Lord, GOD of Armies, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge himself of his adversaries. The sword will devour and be satiated, and will drink its fill of their blood; for the Lord, GOD of Armies, has a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.
11 Yenyukela eGileyadi, uyethatha ibhalisamu, ntombi emsulwa, ndodakazi yeGibhithe; imithi uyandisela ize, kakulakwelatshwa kuwe.
Go up into Gilead, and take balm, virgin daughter of Egypt. You use many medicines in vain. There is no healing for you.
12 Izizwe zizwile ihlazo lakho, lomhlaba ugcwele ukukhala kwakho; ngoba akhubekile, iqhawe limelene leqhawe, womabili awele phansi ndawonye.
The nations have heard of your shame, and the earth is full of your cry; for the mighty man has stumbled against the mighty, they both fall together.”
13 Ilizwi iNkosi eyalikhuluma kuJeremiya umprofethi ngokuza kukaNebhukadirezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni ukutshaya ilizwe leGibhithe:
The word that the LORD spoke to Jeremiah the prophet, how that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon should come and strike the land of Egypt:
14 Memezelani eGibhithe, lizwakalise eMigidoli, lizwakalise eNofi leThahaphanesi, lithi: Zimise, uzilungiselele, ngoba inkemba izakudla inhlangothi zonke zakho.
“Declare in Egypt, publish in Migdol, and publish in Memphis and in Tahpanhes; say, ‘Stand up, and prepare, for the sword has devoured around you.’
15 Kungani amadoda akho alamandla ekhukhuliwe? Kawemanga ngoba iNkosi iwafuqile.
Why are your strong ones swept away? They didn’t stand, because the LORD pushed them.
16 Yandisa abakhubekayo, yebo, omunye wawela phezu komunye; basebesithi: Sukumani, sibuyele ebantwini bakithi, lelizweni lokuzalwa kwethu, sisuke enkembeni ecindezelayo.
He made many to stumble. Yes, they fell on one another. They said, ‘Arise! Let’s go again to our own people, and to the land of our birth, from the oppressing sword.’
17 Bamemeza khona, bathi: UFaro inkosi yeGibhithe ungumsindo; udlulise isikhathi esimisiweyo.
They cried there, ‘Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a noise; he has let the appointed time pass by.’
18 Kuphila kwami, itsho iNkosi, obizo layo yiNkosi yamabandla: Isibili njengeThabhori phakathi kwezintaba lanjengeKharmeli ngaselwandle uzafika.
“As I live,” says the King, whose name is the LORD of Armies, “surely like Tabor amongst the mountains, and like Carmel by the sea, so he will come.
19 Zenzele izikhali zokuthunjwa, ndodakazi ehlala eGibhithe; ngoba iNofi izakuba yincithakalo, itshiswe, kungabi lomhlali.
You daughter who dwells in Egypt, furnish yourself to go into captivity; for Memphis will become a desolation, and will be burnt up, without inhabitant.
20 IGibhithe ilithokazi elihle kakhulu; isibawu siyeza, sivela enyakatho.
“Egypt is a very beautiful heifer; but destruction out of the north has come. It has come.
21 Labaqhatshiweyo bayo phakathi kwayo banjengethole lesibaya; ngoba labo baphendukile, babaleka kanyekanye; kabemanga, ngoba usuku lokuhlupheka kwabo lubehlele, isikhathi sempindiselo yabo.
Also her hired men in the middle of her are like calves of the stall, for they also are turned back. They have fled away together. They didn’t stand, for the day of their calamity has come on them, the time of their visitation.
22 Ilizwi layo lizahamba njengenyoka; ngoba bazahamba lebutho, beze kuyo belamahloka, njengabagamuli bezihlahla.
Its sound will go like the serpent, for they will march with an army, and come against her with axes, as wood cutters.
23 Bagamule ihlathi layo, itsho iNkosi, lanxa lingephenywe, ngoba banengi okwedlula isikhonyane, kabalakubalwa.
They will cut down her forest,” says the LORD, “though it can’t be searched; because they are more than the locusts, and are innumerable.
24 Indodakazi yamaGibhithe izayangeka, izanikelwa esandleni sabantu benyakatho.
The daughter of Egypt will be disappointed; she will be delivered into the hand of the people of the north.”
25 INkosi yamabandla, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, ithi: Khangela, ngizajezisa uAmoni weNo, loFaro, leGibhithe, labonkulunkulu bayo, lamakhosi ayo, yebo uFaro labathembela kuye.
The LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Behold, I will punish Amon of No, and Pharaoh, and Egypt, with her gods and her kings, even Pharaoh, and those who trust in him.
26 Ngibanikele esandleni salabo abadinga impilo yabo, lesandleni sikaNebhukadirezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni, lesandleni senceku zakhe; lemva kwalokho ihlalwe njengensukwini zendulo, itsho iNkosi.
I will deliver them into the hand of those who seek their lives, and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of his servants. Afterwards it will be inhabited, as in the days of old,” says the LORD.
27 Kodwa wena, ungesabi, nceku yami Jakobe, ungatshaywa luvalo, Israyeli, ngoba khangela, ngizakusindisa usekhatshana, lenzalo yakho elizweni lokuthunjwa kwayo; uJakobe uzaphenduka-ke, athule, onwabe, njalo kakho ozamethusa.
“But don’t you be afraid, Jacob my servant. Don’t be dismayed, Israel; for, behold, I will save you from afar, and your offspring from the land of their captivity. Jacob will return, and will be quiet and at ease. No one will make him afraid.
28 Wena, ungesabi, nceku yami Jakobe, itsho iNkosi, ngoba ngilawe; ngoba ngizaqeda ngokupheleleyo zonke izizwe engikuxotshele kuzo, kodwa kangiyikukuqeda ngokupheleleyo, ngikukhuze ngokufaneleyo, kodwa kangiyikukuyekela lokukuyekela ungajeziswanga.
Don’t be afraid, O Jacob my servant,” says the LORD, “for I am with you; for I will make a full end of all the nations where I have driven 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.”
