< Jeremiah 30 >
1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD:
Leli yilizwi elafika kuJeremiya livela kuThixo lisithi:
2 “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Write in a book all the words that I have spoken to you.
“UThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi, ‘Loba encwadini wonke amazwi engiwakhulume kuwe.
3 For behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will restore from captivity My people Israel and Judah, declares the LORD. I will restore them to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they will possess it.’”
Insuku ziyeza,’ kutsho uThixo, ‘lapho engizabuyisa abantu bami u-Israyeli loJuda bevela ekuthunjweni ngibabuyisele elizweni engalinika okhokho babo ukuba libe ngelabo,’ kutsho uThixo.”
4 These are the words that the LORD spoke concerning Israel and Judah.
Amazwi akhulunywa nguThixo ngo-Israyeli loJuda:
5 Yes, this is what the LORD says: “A cry of panic is heard— a cry of terror, not of peace.
“Wathi: ‘Ukukhala kokwesaba kuzwakele, ukwesaba okukhulu, hatshi ukuthula.
6 Ask now, and see: Can a male give birth? Why then do I see every man with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor and every face turned pale?
Buzani libone: Indoda ingazala abantwana na? Pho kungani ngibona wonke amadoda aqinileyo ebambe izisu zawo ngezandla njengowesifazane ohelelwayo, ubuso bonke sebube mhlotshana okokufa?
7 How awful that day will be! None will be like it! It is the time of Jacob’s distress, but he will be saved out of it.
Yeka ukwesabeka okuzakuba yilolosuku! Kalukho oluzakuba njengalo. Kuzakuba yisikhathi sokuhlupheka kukaJakhobe, kodwa uzahlengwa kukho.
8 On that day, declares the LORD of Hosts, I will break the yoke off their necks and tear off their bonds, and no longer will strangers enslave them.
Ngalolosuku,’ kutsho uThixo uSomandla, ‘ngizalephula ijogwe entanyeni zabo ngiqamule lezibopho zabo; abezizweni kabasayikubagqilaza futhi.
9 Instead, they will serve the LORD their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.
Esikhundleni salokho, bazasebenzela uThixo uNkulunkulu wabo, loDavida inkosi yabo, engizabavusela yona.
10 As for you, O Jacob My servant, do not be afraid, declares the LORD, and do not be dismayed, O Israel. For I will surely save you out of a distant place, your descendants from the land of their captivity! Jacob will return to quiet and ease, with no one to make him afraid.
Ngakho ungesabi, wena Jakhobe nceku yami; ungadangali, wena Israyeli,’ kutsho uThixo. ‘Ngeqiniso ngizakuhlenga ezindaweni ezikude, lenzalo yakho elizweni lokuthunjwa kwayo. UJakhobe uzakuba lokuthula futhi kanye lokuvikeleka, njalo kakho ozamenza esabe.
11 For I am with you to save you, declares the LORD. Though I will completely destroy all the nations to which I have scattered you, I will not completely destroy you. Yet I will discipline you justly, and will by no means leave you unpunished.”
Ngilawe njalo ngizakuhlenga,’ kutsho uThixo. ‘Lanxa ngizichitha ngokupheleleyo zonke izizwe engikuhlakazela kuzo, wena angiyikukuchitha ngokupheleleyo. Ngizakuqondisa kodwa ngokufaneleyo kuphela; kangiyikukuyekela ungajeziswanga.’
12 For this is what the LORD says: “Your injury is incurable; your wound is grievous.
UThixo uthi: ‘Isilonda sakho kaselapheki, ukulimala kwakho akupholi.
13 There is no one to plead your cause, no remedy for your sores, no recovery for you.
Kakho okhulumela inhloso yakho, akulamuthi wesilonda sakho, akukho kuphola kuwe.
14 All your lovers have forgotten you; they no longer seek you, for I have struck you as an enemy would, with the discipline of someone cruel, because of your great iniquity and your numerous sins.
Bonke abangane bakho sebekukhohliwe; kabalandaba lawe. Ngikutshaye njengokungenziwa yisitha ngakujezisa njengokungenziwa ngolesihluku, ngoba icala lakho likhulu kakhulu lezono zakho zinengi kakhulu.
15 Why do you cry out over your wound? Your pain has no cure! Because of your great iniquity and your numerous sins I have done these things to you.
Kungani ukhaliswa linxeba lakho, ubuhlungu bakho obungelaphekiyo na? Ngenxa yecala lakho elikhulu lezono ezinengi ngenze lezizinto kuwe.
16 Nevertheless, all who devour you will be devoured, and all your adversaries—every one of them— will go off into exile. Those who plundered you will be plundered, and all who raided you will be raided.
Kodwa bonke abakudlayo bazadliwa; zonke izitha zakho zizathunjwa. Labo abakuphangayo bazaphangwa; bonke abakwemukayo ngizabemuka.
17 But I will restore your health and heal your wounds, declares the LORD, because they call you an outcast, Zion, for whom no one cares.”
Kodwa ngizakusilisa ngipholise lamanxeba akho,’ kutsho uThixo, ‘ngoba kuthiwa ungolahliweyo, iZiyoni okungekho olendaba lalo.’
18 This is what the LORD says: “I will restore the fortunes of Jacob’s tents and have compassion on his dwellings. And the city will be rebuilt on her own ruins, and the palace will stand in its rightful place.
UThixo uthi: ‘Ngizavuselela inotho yasemathenteni kaJakhobe ngibe lesihawu emakhaya akhe; idolobho lizakwakhiwa kutsha emanxiweni alo, lendlu yobukhosi izakuma endaweni yayo uqobo.
19 Thanksgiving will proceed from them, a sound of celebration. I will multiply them, and they will not be decreased; I will honor them, and they will not be belittled.
Kubo kuzavela izingoma zokubonga kanye lomsindo wokuthokoza. Ngizakwandisa amanani abo, njalo kabayikuphungulwa; ngizabenza bahlonitshwe, njalo kabayikweyiswa.
20 Their children will be as in days of old, and their congregation will be established before Me; and I will punish all their oppressors.
Abantwana babo bazakuba njengezinsukwini zakudala, lebandla labo lizamiselwa phambi kwami; ngizabajezisa bonke ababancindezelayo.
21 Their leader will be one of their own, and their ruler will arise from their midst. And I will bring him near, and he will approach Me, for who would dare on his own to approach Me?”
Umkhokheli wabo uzakuba ngomunye wabakibo; umbusi wabo uzavela phakathi kwabo. Ngizamsondeza eduze, uzakuza phansi kwami, ngoba ngubani lowo ongazinikela ukuba seduze kwami na?’ kutsho uThixo.
22 “And you will be My people, and I will be your God.”
‘Ngakho lina lizakuba ngabantu bami, mina ngibe nguNkulunkulu wenu.’”
23 Behold, the storm of the LORD has gone out with fury, a whirlwind swirling down upon the heads of the wicked.
Khangelani, isiphepho sikaThixo sizakhupha ulaka, umoya osasivunguzane usehlela phezu kwamakhanda ababi.
24 The fierce anger of the LORD will not turn back until He has fully accomplished the purposes of His heart. In the days to come you will understand this.
Ulaka olwesabekayo lukaThixo kaluyikudeda aze ayifeze ngokupheleleyo injongo yenhliziyo yakhe. Ensukwini ezizayo lizakuzwisisa lokhu.