Jeremiah 51
1 Thus says Jehovah: Behold, I will raise up against Babylon, and against those who dwell in Leb-kamai, a destroying wind.
UThixo uthi: “Khangelani, ngizavusa umoya ochithayo umelane leBhabhiloni labantu beLebhi Khamayi.
2 And I will send strangers to Babylon, who shall winnow her, and they shall empty her land. For in the day of trouble they shall be against her round about.
Ngizathumela abezizweni eBhabhiloni ukuba bayihlungule njalo batshabalalise lelizwe layo; bazamelana layo enhlangothini zonke ngosuku lwencithakalo yayo.
3 Against him who bends let the archer bend his bow, and against him who lifts himself up in his coat of mail. And spare ye not her young men. Destroy ye utterly all her host.
Lingavumeli mtshoki ebopha idandili lakhe loba limyekele egqoka isigqoko sakhe sensimbi. Lingazitshiyi izinsizwa zayo, liliqede du ibutho layo.
4 And they shall fall down slain in the land of the Chaldeans, and thrust through in her streets.
Bazawela phansi bebulewe eBhabhiloni belinyazwe okokufa emigwaqweni yayo.
5 For Israel is not forsaken, nor Judah, of his God, of Jehovah of hosts, though their land is full of guilt against the Holy One of Israel.
Ngoba u-Israyeli loJuda kabalahlwanga nguNkulunkulu wabo, uThixo uSomandla, lanxa nje ilizwe labo ligcwele ukona phambi koNgcwele ka-Israyeli.
6 Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and save every man his life. Be not cut off in her iniquity, for it is the time of Jehovah's vengeance; he will render to her a recompense.
Balekani eBhabhiloni! Sindisani impilo yenu! Lingabhujiswa ngenxa yezono zayo. Yisikhathi sokuphindisela kukaThixo; uzaphindisela kuyo ngokufaneleyo.
7 Babylon has been a golden cup in Jehovah's hand, that made all the earth drunken. The nations have drunk of her wine, therefore the nations are mad.
IBhabhiloni yayiyinkezo yegolide esandleni sikaThixo; yenza umhlaba wonke wadakwa. Izizwe zanatha iwayini layo; ngakho khathesi sezihlanya.
8 Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed. Wail for her. Take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed.
IBhabhiloni izakuwa masinyane idilike. Ilileleni! Idingeleni umuthi wokupholisa ubuhlungu bayo; mhlawumbe ingasila.
9 We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed. Forsake her, and let us go each one into his own country. For her judgment reaches to heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies.
‘IBhabhiloni kade singayelapha kodwa kayelapheki; kasiyitshiyeni kuthi lowo lalowo aye elizweni lakibo, ngoba ukwahlulela kufika emikhathini kuqonga kuze kufike emayezini.
10 Jehovah has brought forth our righteousness. Come, and let us declare in Zion the work of Jehovah our God.
UThixo usebonakalisile ukuthi kasilacala, wozani sibike eZiyoni osekwenziwe nguThixo uNkulunkulu wethu.’
11 Make sharp the arrows. Hold firm the shields. Jehovah has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because his purpose is against Babylon, to destroy it. For it is the vengeance of Jehovah, the vengeance of his temple.
Lolani imitshoko; thathani amahawu! UThixo usevuse amakhosi amaMede ngoba inhloso yakhe yikuchitha iBhabhiloni. UThixo uzaphindisela, aphindisele ngenxa yethempeli lakhe.
12 Set up a standard against the walls of Babylon. Make the watch strong. Set the watchmen. Prepare the ambushes. For Jehovah has both purposed and done that which he spoke concerning the inhabitants of Babylon.
Phakamiselani imiduli yaseBhabhiloni uphawu! Qinisani ukulinda, bekani abalindayo, lungiselani ukucathamela! UThixo uzafeza inhloso yakhe, isimiso sakhe ngabantu baseBhabhiloni.
13 O thou who dwell upon many waters, abundant in treasures, thine end has come, the measure of thy covetousness.
Lina elihlala ngasemanzini amanengi, njalo lilenotho enengi, isiphetho senu sesifikile, isikhathi senu sokuqunywa.
14 Jehovah of hosts has sworn by himself, saying, Surely I will fill thee with men as with the canker-worm, and they shall lift up a shout against thee.
UThixo uSomandla usefungile ngayo wathi: Impela ngizakugcwalisa ngabantu abangangesikhongwane, njalo bazaklabalala ngamacilongo ngaphezu kwakho.
15 He has made the earth by his power. He has established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding he has stretched out the heavens.
Wenza umhlaba ngamandla akhe; wamisa umhlaba ngokuhlakanipha kwakhe njalo wendlala lamazulu ngokuqedisisa kwakhe.
16 When he utters his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth. He makes lightnings for the rain, and brings forth the wind out of his treasuries.
Lapho evungama, amanzi asemazulwini ayahlokoma; wenza amayezi aphakame evela emikhawulweni yomhlaba. Uthumela umbane ulezulu njalo akhuphe umoya eziphaleni zakhe.
17 Every man has become brutish, without knowledge. Every goldsmith is put to shame by his image, for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.
Abantu bonke kabalangqondo njalo kabalalwazi; wonke umkhandi wegolide uyangiswa yizithombe zakhe. Izithombe zakhe azenzayo ziyinkohliso; kazilamphefumulo phakathi kwazo.
18 They are vanity, a work of delusion. In the time of their visitation they shall perish.
Ziyize, izinto zenhlekisa nje; lapho ukwahlulelwa kwazo sekufikile, zizabhubha.
19 The portion of Jacob is not like these, for he is the former of all things, and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance. Jehovah of hosts is his name.
Lowo oyingxenye yesizwe sikaJakhobe kafani lalaba, ngoba unguMenzi wezinto zonke, kubalwa labantu belifa lakhe, ibizo lakhe nguThixo uSomandla.
20 Thou are my battle-axe and weapons of war. And with thee I will break in pieces the nations, and with thee I will destroy kingdoms,
Wena uyinduku yami yempi, isikhali sami sokulwa ngawe ngitshabalalisa izizwe, ngawe ngichitha imibuso;
21 and with thee I will break in pieces the horse and his rider,
ngawe ngihlifiza ibhiza lomgadi walo, ngawe ngihlifiza inqola yempi lomtshayeli wayo,
22 and with thee I will break in pieces the chariot and him who rides in it, and with thee I will break in pieces man and woman, and with thee I will break in pieces the old man and the youth, and with thee I will break in pieces the young man and the virgin,
ngawe ngihlifiza indoda lomfazi, ngawe ngihlifiza amaxhegu labatsha, ngawe ngihlifiza izinsizwa lezintombi,
23 and with thee I will break in pieces the shepherd and his flock, and with thee I will break in pieces the husbandman and his yoke of oxen, and with thee I will break in pieces governors and deputies.
ngawe ngihlifiza abelusi lemihlambi, ngawe ngihlifiza umlimi lenkabi, ngawe ngihlifiza ababusi lezikhulu.
24 And I will render to Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight, says Jehovah.
Emehlweni enu ngizaphindisela kuyo iBhabhiloni lakubo bonke abahlala kuyo ngenxa yobubi bonke ababenzileyo eZiyoni,” kutsho uThixo.
25 Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, says Jehovah, which destroys all the earth. And I will stretch out my hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain.
“Ngimelana lawe, wena ntaba echithayo, wena ochitha umhlaba wonke,” kutsho uThixo. “Ngizakwelulela isandla sami kuwe, ngikugiqe usuka emaweni, ngikwenze ube yintaba eyatshiswayo.
26 And they shall not take from thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone for foundations, but thou shall be desolate forever, says Jehovah.
Akulalitshe elizasuswa kuwe ukuba libe ngelekhoneni, loba elinye ilitshe ukuba ngelesisekelo ngoba lizachithwa kokuphela,” kutsho uThixo.
27 Set ye up a standard in the land. Blow the trumpet among the nations. Prepare the nations against her. Call together against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz. Appoint a marshal against her. Cause the horses to come up as the rough canker-worm.
“Phakamisani uphawu elizweni! Khalisani icilongo phakathi kwezizwe! Lungisani izizwe ukuba zilwe layo; ibizeleni imibuso le: i-Ararathi leMini kanye le-Ashikhenazi. Ibekeleni umlawuli wokulwa layo; lithumele amabhiza anjengomtshitshi wentethe.
28 Prepare against her the nations, the kings of the Medes, the governors of it, and all the deputies of it, and all the land of their dominion.
Lungisani izizwe ukuba zilwe layo, amakhosi amaMede, ababusi bawo lezikhulu zawo, kanye lamazwe wonke awabusayo.
29 And the land trembles and is in pain, for the purposes of Jehovah against Babylon stand, to make the land of Babylon a desolation, without inhabitant.
Ilizwe liyaqhaqhazela libhinqike ngoba inhloso kaThixo yokumelana leBhabhiloni imi injalo ukuchitha ilizwe leBhabhiloni ukuze kungabikhona ohlala kulo.
30 The mighty men of Babylon have ceased fighting; they remain in their strongholds. Their might has failed. They have become as women. Her dwelling-places are set on fire. Her bars are broken.
Amabutho aseBhabhiloni aseyekele ukulwa; ahlezi ezinqabeni zawo. Amandla awo asephelile. Asebe njengabesifazane. Izindawo zayo zokuhlala zithungelwe ngomlilo; imigoqo lamasango kwephukile.
31 One post shall run to meet another, and one messenger to met another, to show the king of Babylon that his city is taken on every quarter.
Esinye isithunywa silandela esinye; lesithunywa silandela esinye isithunywa ukuyabika enkosini yaseBhabhiloni ukuthi idolobho lonke selithunjiwe,
32 And the passages are seized, and the reeds they have burned with fire, and the men of war are frightened.
amazibuko emifula athethwe, amaxhaphozi atshiswe ngomlilo lamabutho ethukile.”
33 For thus says Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: The daughter of Babylon is like a threshing-floor at the time when it is trodden. Yet a little while, and the time of harvest shall come for her.
Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo uSomandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli: “Indodakazi yaseBhabhiloni injengesiza sokubhulela ngesikhathi sokunyathelwa kwaso; isikhathi sokuvunwa kwayo sizafika masinyane.”
34 Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon has devoured me. He has crushed me. He has made me an empty vessel. He has, like a monster, swallowed me up. He has filled his stomach with my delicacies. He has cast me out.
“UNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni usesidlile, usesenze saphambana amakhanda, usesenze saba yimbiza engelalutho. Usesiginyile njengenyoka, wagcwalisa isisu sakhe ngezibiliboco zethu, wasesihlanza futhi.
35 The violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon, the inhabitant of Zion shall say. And, My blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea, Jerusalem shall say.
Udlakela olwenziwe emizimbeni yethu kalube phezu kweBhabhiloni,” kutsho abahlala eZiyoni. “Igazi lethu kalibe phezu kwalabo abahlala eBhabhiloni,” kutsho iJerusalema.
36 Therefore thus says Jehovah: Behold, I will plead thy cause, and take vengeance for thee. And I will dry up her sea, and make her fountain dry.
Ngakho uThixo uthi: “Khangelani, imfanelo yenu ngizayivikela, ngiliphindiselele; ngizacitsha ulwandle lwayo ngomise lemithombo yayo.
37 And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwelling-place for jackals, an astonishment, and a hissing, without inhabitant.
IBhabhiloni izakuba yinqumbi yonxiwa, isikhundla samakhanka, into yokwesatshwa lokuklolodelwa, indawo engahlali muntu.
38 They shall roar together like young lions. They shall growl as lions' whelps.
Abantu bayo bonke bayabhonga njengezilwane ezincane, bayahwabha njengemidlwane yesilwane.
39 When they are heated, I will make their feast. And I will make them drunken, that they may rejoice, and sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, says Jehovah.
Kodwa lapho besesebukhali, ngizabenzela idili ngibadakise, ukuze baklabalale ngohleko, babe sebelala kokuphela bangavuki futhi,” kutsho uThixo.
40 I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with he-goats.
“Ngizabehlisela phansi njengamawundlu esilaheni, njengenqama lembuzi.
41 How Sheshach is taken, and the praise of the whole earth seized! How Babylon has become a desolation among the nations!
Yeka ukuthunjwa okuzakwenziwa iSheshaki, ukuzincoma komhlaba wonke kuthunjiwe! Yeka ukutshaqisa iBhabhiloni ezakuba yikho phakathi kwezizwe!
42 The sea has come up upon Babylon. She is covered with the multitude of the waves thereof.
Ulwandle luzaphakama phezu kweBhabhiloni; amagagasi alo ahlokomayo ayisibekele.
43 Her cities have become a desolation, a dry land, and a desert, a land in which no man dwells, nor does any son of man pass thereby.
Amadolobho ayo azachitheka, ilizwe elomileyo leliyinkangala, ilizwe okungekho ohlala khona, okungekho muntu odabula phakathi kwalo.
44 And I will execute judgment upon Bel in Babylon, and I will bring forth out of his mouth that which he has swallowed up. And the nations shall not flow any more to him. Yea, the wall of Babylon shall fall.
Ngizamjezisa uBheli eBhabhiloni ngimenze akuhlanze lokho akuginyileyo. Izizwe kazisayikujulukela kuye. Njalo umduli weBhabhiloni uzakuwa.
45 My people, go ye out of the midst of her, and save yourselves each man from the fierce anger of Jehovah.
Bantu bami, phumani kulo iBhabhiloni! Balekelani ukufa! Balekelani ulaka olwesabekayo lukaThixo.
46 And let not your heart faint. Neither fear ye for the news that shall be heard in the land. For news shall come one year, and after that in another year, news, and violence in the land, ruler against ruler.
Lingaphelelwa lithemba kumbe lesabe lapho kuzwakala amahungahunga elizweni; elinye ihungahunga lifika lonyaka, elinye kozayo, amahungahunga odlakela elizweni awombusi evukela umbusi.
47 Therefore, behold, the days come, that I will execute judgment upon the graven images of Babylon. And her whole land shall be confounded, and all her slain shall fall in the midst of her.
Ngoba isikhathi sizafika impela lapho ngizajezisa izithombe zaseBhabhiloni; ilizwe layo lonke lizayangeka lababuleweyo bayo bonke bazawela phakathi kwayo.
48 Then the heavens and the earth, and all that is therein, shall sing for joy over Babylon. For the destroyers shall come to her from the north, says Jehovah.
Lapho-ke izulu lomhlaba lakho konke okukukho kuzamemezela intokozo ngeBhabhiloni, ngoba abachithi bazayihlasela bevelela enyakatho,” kutsho uThixo.
49 As Babylon has caused the slain of Israel to fall, so at Babylon shall fall the slain of all the land.
“IBhabhiloni kumele idilike ngenxa yabako-Israyeli ababulawayo, njengokubulawa kwabantu emhlabeni wonke, batshabalala ngenxa yeBhabhiloni.
50 Ye who have escaped the sword, go ye; do not stand still. Remember Jehovah from afar, and let Jerusalem come into your mind.
Lina eliphephileyo enkembeni, sukani njalo lingalibali! Khumbulani uThixo elizweni elikude, licabange langeJerusalema.”
51 We are confounded, because we have heard reproach. Confusion has covered our faces. For strangers have come into the sanctuaries of Jehovah's house.
“Siyangekile, ngoba siqalekisiwe, lehlazo lembese ubuso bethu, ngoba abezizweni bangene ezindaweni ezingcwele zendlu kaThixo.”
52 Therefore, behold, the days come, says Jehovah, that I will execute judgment upon her graven images, and through all her land the wounded shall groan.
UThixo uthi, “Kodwa insuku ziyeza, lapho engizajezisa khona izithombe zayo, njalo elizweni layo lonke abalimeleyo bazabubula.
53 Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify the height of her strength, yet from me destroyers shall come to her, says Jehovah.
Lanxa iBhabhiloni ingafinyelela emkhathini iqinise izinqaba zayo eziphakemeyo, ngizathumela abachithi bayihlasele,” kutsho uThixo.
54 The sound of a cry from Babylon, and of great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans!
“Umsindo wokukhala uvela eBhabhiloni, umsindo wencithakalo enkulu ovela elizweni lamaKhaladiya.
55 For Jehovah lays Babylon waste, and destroys the great voice out of her, and their waves roar like many waters; the noise of their voice is uttered.
UThixo uzayichitha iBhabhiloni; uzathulisa umsindo wayo wenhlokomo. Amagagasi ezitha azahlokoma njengamanzi amanengi; ukuvungama kwamazwi azo kuzazwakala.
56 For the destroyer has come upon her, even upon Babylon, and her mighty men are taken. Their bows are broken in pieces. For Jehovah is a God of recompenses; he will surely requite.
Umchithi uzakuzahlasela iBhabhiloni; amabutho ayo azathunjwa, lamadandili awo azakwephuka. Ngoba uThixo unguNkulunkulu wempindiselo; uzaphindisela ngokugcweleyo.
57 And I will make drunk her rulers and her wise men, her governors and her deputies, and her mighty men. And they shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, says the King, whose name is Jehovah of hosts.
Ngizadakisa izikhulu lezihlakaniphi zayo, kanye lababusi bayo, lezinduna kanye lamabutho; bazalala kokuphela bangavuki futhi,” kutsho uThixo, obizo lakhe nguThixo uSomandla.
58 Thus says Jehovah of hosts: The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly overthrown, and her high gates shall be burned with fire. And the peoples shall labor for vanity, and the nations for the fire, and they shall be weary.
UThixo uSomandla uthi: “Umduli oqatha weBhabhiloni uzabhidlizwa lamasango ayo aphakemeyo athungelwe ngomlilo; abantu bazidinisela ize, umsebenzi wezizwe ungamafutha amalangabi nje kuphela.”
59 The word which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, when he went with Zedekiah the king of Judah to Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. Now Seraiah was chief chamberlain.
Leli yilizwi uJeremiya umphrofethi alinika induna yamabutho uSeraya indodana kaNeriya, indodana kaMahaseyiya, esesiya eBhabhiloni loZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda ngomnyaka wesine wokubusa kwakhe.
60 And Jeremiah wrote in a book all the evil that would come upon Babylon, even all these words that are written concerning Babylon.
UJeremiya wayelobe emqulwini ngomonakalo wonke owawuzakwehlela iBhabhiloni lakho konke okwakubhalwe ngeBhabhiloni.
61 And Jeremiah said to Seraiah, When thou come to Babylon, then see that thou read all these words.
Wathi kuSeraya, “Lapho usufikile eBhabhiloni ubowafunda wonke amazwi la ngelizwi eliphakemeyo.
62 And say, O Jehovah, thou have spoken concerning this place, to cut it off, that none shall dwell therein, neither man nor beast, but that it shall be desolate forever.
Ube ususithi, ‘Awu Thixo, wathi indawo le uzayichitha ukuze kungabi lamuntu kumbe inyamazana ezahlala kuyo; izaphundleka kuze kube nininini.’
63 And it shall be, when thou have made an end of reading this book, that thou shall bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of the Euphrates.
Lapho usuqedile ukubala umqulu lo, ubophele ilitshe kuwo uwuphosele kuYufrathe,
64 And thou shall say, Thus Babylon shall sink, and shall not rise again because of the evil that I will bring upon her, and they shall be weary. Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.
ubususithi, ‘Izatshona kanje iBhabhiloni ingabe isavumbuluka ngenxa yomonakalo engizayehlisela wona. Labantu bayo bazakuwa.’” Amazwi kaJeremiya aphelela lapha.
