UJeremiya 29

1 La-ke ngamazwi encwadi ayithumelayo uJeremiya umprofethi ivela eJerusalema isiya kunsali yabadala babathunjiweyo lakubapristi lakubaprofethi lebantwini bonke ayebathumbile uNebhukadinezari besuka eJerusalema wabasa eBhabhiloni

THUS SAITH THE LORD AGAINST THE PHILISTINES;

2 (emva kokuphuma kukaJekoniya inkosi, lendlovukazi, labathenwa, iziphathamandla zakoJuda lezeJerusalema, lababazi, labakhandi, besuka eJerusalema),

Behold, waters come up from the north, and shall become a sweeping torrent, and it shall sweep away the land, and its fulness; the city, and them that dwell in it: and men shall cry and all that dwell in the land shall howl,

3 ngesandla sikaElasa indodana kaShafani, loGemariya indodana kaHilikhiya, uZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda eyabathuma eBhabhiloni kuNebhukadinezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni, isithi:

at the sound of his rushing, at [the sound of] his hoofs, and at the rattling of his chariots, at the noise of his wheels: the fathers turned not to their children because of the weakness of their hands,

4 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, kibo bonke abathunjiweyo engabenza bathunjwa besuswa eJerusalema basiwa eBhabhiloni:

in the day that is coming to destroy all the Philistines: and I will utterly destroy Tyre and Sidon and all the rest of their allies: for the Lord will destroy the remaining [inhabitants] of the islands.

5 Yakhani izindlu, lihlale kizo, lihlanyele izivande, lidle izithelo zazo;

Baldness is come upon Gaza; Ascalon is cast away, and the remnant of the Enakim.

6 lithathe abafazi, lizale amadodana lamadodakazi, lithathele amadodana enu abafazi, lendise amadodakazi enu emadodeni, ukuze azale amadodana lamadodakazi, lande khona, linganciphi.

How long will you strike, O sword of the Lord? how long will it be ere you are quiet? return into your sheath, rest, and be removed.

7 Lidinge ukuthula komuzi lapho engilithumbele khona, liwukhulekele eNkosini; ngoba ekuthuleni kwawo lizakuba lokuthula.

How shall it be quiet, whereas the Lord has given it a commission against Ascalon, and against the regions on the sea-coast, to awake against the remaining [countries]! CONCERNING IDUMEA, thus says the Lord; There is no longer wisdom in Thaeman, counsel has perished from the wise ones, their wisdom is gone,

8 Ngoba itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli: Akuthi abaprofethi benu labavumisi benu abaphakathi kwenu bangalikhohlisi; lingawalaleli amaphupho enu eliwenza aphutshwe;

their place has been deceived. Dig deep for a dwelling, you that inhabit Daedam, for he has wrought grievously: I brought trouble upon him in the time at which I visited him.

9 ngoba baprofetha amanga kini ngebizo lami; kangibathumanga, itsho iNkosi.

For grape gatherers are come, who shall not leave you a remnant; as thieves by night, they shall lay their hand upon [your possessions].

10 Ngoba itsho njalo iNkosi: Qiniso, lapho iminyaka engamatshumi ayisikhombisa isigcwalisekile eBhabhiloni, ngizalihambela, ngiqinise ilizwi lami elihle kini, ukuthi ngilibuyise kulindawo.

For I have stripped Esau, I have uncovered their secret places; they shall have no power to hide themselves, they have perished [each] by the hand of his brother, my neighbour, and it is impossible

11 Ngoba mina ngiyazi imicabango engiyicabanga ngani, itsho iNkosi, imicabango yokuthula, kayisiyo eyokubi, ukuthi ngilinike isiphetho lokulindelweyo.

for your fatherless one to be left to live, but I shall live, and the widows trust in me.

12 Khona lizangibiza liyekhuleka kimi, ngilizwe.

For thus says the Lord; They who were not appointed to drink the cup have drunk [it]; and you shall by no means be cleared:

13 Njalo lizangidinga, lingithole, lapho lingidingisisa ngenhliziyo yenu yonke.

for by myself I have sworn, says the Lord, that you shall be in the midst of her an impassable [land], and a reproach, and a curse; and all her cities shall be desert for ever.

14 Njalo ngizatholwa yini, itsho iNkosi, ngibuyise ukuthunjwa kwenu, ngiliqoqe kuzo zonke izizwe lakuzo zonke indawo lapho engilixotshele khona, itsho iNkosi, ngilibuyise endaweni engalithumba livela khona.

I have heard a report from the Lord, and he has sent messengers to the nations, [saying, ]Assemble yourselves, and come against her; rise you up to war.

15 Ngoba litshilo: INkosi isivusele abaprofethi eBhabhiloni.

I have made you small amongst the nations, utterly contemptible amongst men.

16 Ngoba utsho njalo uJehova ngenkosi ehlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaDavida langabo bonke abantu abahlala kulumuzi, abafowenu abangaphumelanga ekuthunjweni kanye lani:

Your insolence has risen up against you, the fierceness of your heart has burst the holes of the rocks, it has seized upon the strength of a lofty hill; for as an eagle he set his nest on high: thence will I bring you down.

17 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Khangelani, ngizathumela phakathi kwabo inkemba, indlala, lomatshayabhuqe wesifo, ngibenze babe njengemikhiwa eyenyanyekayo, engadlekiyo ngenxa yobubi.

And Idumea shall be a desert: every one that passes by shall hiss at it.

18 Ngixotshane labo ngenkemba, ngendlala, langomatshayabhuqe wesifo, ngibanikele ukuba yisesabiso kuyo yonke imibuso yomhlaba, babe yisiqalekiso, lento eyesabekayo, lokuncifelwayo, lehlazo, phakathi kwazo zonke izizwe lapho engibaxotshele khona;

As Sodom was overthrown and Gomorrha and they that sojourned in her, says the Lord Almighty, no man shall dwell there, nor shall any son of man inhabit there.

19 ngenxa yokuthi bengawalalelanga amazwi ami, itsho iNkosi, engawathumela kibo ngenceku zami abaprofethi, ngivuka ngovivi ngibathuma, kodwa kalilalelanga, itsho iNkosi.

Behold, he shall come up as a lion out of the midst of Jordan to the place of Aetham: for I will speedily drive them from it, and do you set the young men against her: for who is like me? and who will withstand me? and who [is] this shepherd, who shall confront me?

20 Lina-ke zwanini ilizwi leNkosi, lina lonke bathunjiweyo, engabathuma besuka eJerusalema besiya eBhabhiloni:

Therefore hear you the counsel of the Lord, which he has framed against Idumea; and his device, which he has devised against the inhabitants of Thaeman: surely the least of the sheep shall be swept off; surely their dwelling shall be made desolate for them.

21 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, mayelana loAhabi indodana kaKolaya, lamayelana loZedekhiya indodana kaMahaseya, abaprofetha amanga kini ngebizo lami: Khangelani, ngizabanikela esandleni sikaNebhukadirezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni, ozababulala phambi kwamehlo enu.

For at the sound of their fall the earth was scared, and the cry of the sea was not heard.

22 Njalo kuzathathwa kubo isiqalekiso yibo bonke abathunjiweyo koJuda abaseBhabhiloni kuthiwe: Kungathi iNkosi ikumise njengoZedekhiya lanjengoAhabi, inkosi yeBhabhiloni eyamosa ngomlilo;

Behold, he shall look [upon her] as an eagle, and spread forth [his] wings over her strongholds; and the heart of the mighty men of Idumea shall be in that day as the heart of a woman in her pangs.

23 ngenxa yokuthi benze ubuthutha koIsrayeli, bafeba labafazi babomakhelwane babo, baqamba amazwi angamanga ngebizo lami, engingabalayanga wona; njalo yimi engaziyo, engingumfakazi, itsho iNkosi.

24 Uzakhuluma kuShemaya umNehelami usithi:

25 Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, isithi: Ngenxa yokuthi wena uthumele izincwadi ngebizo lakho kubo bonke abantu abaseJerusalema, lakuZefaniya indodana kaMahaseya umpristi, lakubo bonke abapristi, usithi:

26 INkosi isikwenze ube ngumpristi esikhundleni sikaJehoyada umpristi, ukuthi libe ngababonisi bendlu yeNkosi phezu kwakhe wonke umuntu ohlanyayo ozitshaya umprofethi, ukuthi limfake esitokisini elezankosi entanyeni.

27 Khathesi-ke, kungani ungamkhuzanga uJeremiya umAnathothi ozitshaya umprofethi kini?

28 Ngoba ngenxa yalokhu usethumele kithi eBhabhiloni esithi: Kuzakuba kude; yakhani izindlu, lihlale kizo, lihlanyele izivande, lidle izithelo zazo.

29 UZefaniya umpristi waseyifunda lincwadi endlebeni zikaJeremiya umprofethi.

30 Laselifika ilizwi leNkosi kuJeremiya lisithi:

31 Thumela kubo bonke abathunjiweyo usithi: Itsho njalo iNkosi ngoShemaya umNehelami: Ngenxa yokuthi uShemaya eprofethe kini, mina-ke ngingamthumanga, walenza ukuthi lithembe amanga,

32 ngakho itsho iNkosi: Khangela, ngizajezisa uShemaya umNehelami kanye lenzalo yakhe; kayikuba lamuntu ozahlala phakathi kwalababantu, angaboni okuhle engizakwenzela abantu bami, itsho iNkosi, ngoba ukhulume ukuhlamuka emelene leNkosi.