< Jeremiah 49 >

1 Concerning the Ammonites, this is what the LORD says: “Has Israel no sons? Is he without heir? Why then has Milcom taken possession of Gad? Why have his people settled in their cities?
Mayelana labantwana bakoAmoni itsho njalo iNkosi: UIsrayeli kalamadodana yini? Kalayo indlalifa yini? Kungani uMilkomu esidla ilifa lakoGadi, labantu bakhe behlala emizini yayo?
2 Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will sound the battle cry against Rabbah of the Ammonites. It will become a heap of ruins, and its villages will be burned. Then Israel will drive out their dispossessors, says the LORD.
Ngakho khangela, insuku ziyeza, itsho iNkosi, lapho ngizakwenza ukuthi kuzwakale umkhosi wempi eRaba yabantwana bakoAmoni; njalo izakuba yinqumbi yencithakalo, lamadodakazi ayo atshiswe ngomlilo; loIsrayeli adle ilifa labadla ilifa lakhe, itsho iNkosi.
3 Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai has been destroyed; cry out, O daughters of Rabbah! Put on sackcloth and mourn; run back and forth within your walls, for Milcom will go into exile together with his priests and officials.
Qhinqa isililo, Heshiboni, ngoba iAyi ichithiwe; khalani, madodakazi eRaba, libhince amasaka, lilile, liye le lale ezintangweni; ngoba uMilkomu uzahamba ekuthunjweni, abapristi bakhe leziphathamandla zakhe ndawonye.
4 Why do you boast of your valleys— your valleys so fruitful, O faithless daughter? You trust in your riches and say, ‘Who can come against me?’
Uzincomelani ngezihotsha? Isihotsha sakho siyageleza, ndodakazi ehlehlela nyovane, ethemba amagugu ayo, usithi: Ngubani ozakuza kimi?
5 Behold, I am about to bring terror upon you, declares the Lord GOD of Hosts, from all those around you. You will each be driven headlong, with no one to regather the fugitives.
Khangela, ngizakwehlisela phezu kwakho uvalo, itsho iNkosi, uJehova wamabandla, luvela kubo bonke abakuhanqileyo; njalo lizaxotshwa, ngulowo lalowo phambi kwakhe; njalo kakho ozabutha ozulayo.
6 Yet afterward I will restore the Ammonites from captivity,” declares the LORD.
Kodwa emva kwalokho ngizabuyisa ukuthunjwa kwabantwana bakoAmoni, itsho iNkosi.
7 Concerning Edom, this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Is there no longer wisdom in Teman? Has counsel perished from the prudent? Has their wisdom decayed?
Mayelana leEdoma, itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Kakuselanhlakanipho yini eThemani? Icebo liphelile yini kwabaqedisisayo? Inhlakanipho yabo isinyamalele yini?
8 Turn and run! Lie low, O dwellers of Dedan, for I will bring disaster on Esau at the time I punish him.
Balekani, buyelani emuva, hlalani endaweni ejulileyo, bahlali beDedani; ngoba ngizakwehlisela inhlupheko kaEsawu phezu kwakhe, isikhathi sokumhambela kwami.
9 If grape gatherers came to you, would they not leave some gleanings? Were thieves to come in the night, would they not steal only what they wanted?
Uba abavuni bamavini befika kuwe bebengayikutshiya yini umkhothozo? Uba amasela efika ebusuku, azaphanga aze anele?
10 But I will strip Esau bare; I will uncover his hiding places, and he will be unable to conceal himself. His descendants will be destroyed along with his relatives and neighbors, and he will be no more.
Kodwa mina ngimhlubule uEsawu, ngizembule indawo zakhe zensitha, ukuze angabi lakho ukucatsha; inzalo yakhe ichithiwe, labafowabo, labomakhelwane bakhe, yena kasekho.
11 Abandon your orphans; I will preserve their lives. Let your widows trust in Me.”
Tshiya izintandane zakho, mina ngizazilondoloza ziphila, labafelokazi bakho kabathembele kimi.
12 For this is what the LORD says: “If those who do not deserve to drink the cup must drink it, can you possibly remain unpunished? You will not go unpunished, for you must drink it too.
Ngoba itsho njalo iNkosi: Khangela, labo okugwetshwa kwabo kwakungeyisikho ukunatha inkezo bazayinatha lokuyinatha, wena-ke nguwe yini ozayekelwa ungajeziswanga ngokupheleleyo? Kawuyikuyekelwa ungelacala, kodwa isibili uzanatha.
13 For by Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, that Bozrah will become a desolation, a disgrace, a ruin, and a curse, and all her cities will be in ruins forever.”
Ngoba ngifungile ngami uqobo, itsho iNkosi, ukuthi iBhozira izakuba ngokwesabekayo, ibe lihlazo, ibe lunxiwa, ibe yisiqalekiso; lemizi yayo yonke izakuba ngamanxiwa aphakade.
14 I have heard a message from the LORD; an envoy has been sent to the nations: “Assemble yourselves to march against her! Rise up for battle!”
Ngizwile umbiko ovela eNkosini, lesithunywa sithunywe phakathi kwezizwe, sisithi: Buthanani, lize limelane layo, lisukumele impi.
15 “For behold, I will make you small among nations, despised among men.
Ngoba khangela, ngizakwenza ube mncinyane phakathi kwezizwe, udeleleke phakathi kwabantu.
16 The terror you cause and the pride of your heart have deceived you, O dwellers in the clefts of the rocks, O occupiers of the mountain summit. Though you elevate your nest like the eagle, even from there I will bring you down,”
Ukwesabeka kwakho kukukhohlisile, ukuziqhenya kwenhliziyo yakho, wena ohlala ezingoxweni zamadwala, obamba izingqonga zoqaqa. Loba usenza isidleke sakho sibe phezulu njengokhozi, ngizakwehlisa usuka khona, itsho iNkosi.
17 “Edom will become an object of horror. All who pass by will be appalled and will scoff at all her wounds.
IEdoma layo izakuba yinto eyesabekayo; wonke odlula kuyo uzamangala kakhulu, ancife ngenxa yenhlupheko yonke yayo.
18 As Sodom and Gomorrah were overthrown along with their neighbors,” says the LORD, “no one will dwell there; no man will abide there.
Njengokuchithwa kweSodoma leGomora, labomakhelwane bayo, itsho iNkosi; kakulamuntu ozahlala khona, kakulandodana yomuntu ezahlala khona njengowezizwe.
19 Behold, one will come up like a lion from the thickets of the Jordan to the watered pasture. For in an instant I will chase Edom from her land. Who is the chosen one I will appoint for this? For who is like Me, and who can challenge Me? What shepherd can stand against Me?”
Khangela, njengesilwane esivela ekukhukhumaleni kweJordani uzakwenyuka emelene lendawo yokuhlala okungapheliyo, kodwa ngizahle ngimgijimise asuke kuyo; njalo ngubani okhethiweyo engingammisa emelene layo? Ngoba ngubani onjengami? Ngubani-ke ozangibizela ukulandisa? Njalo nguwuphi lowomelusi ongema phambi kwami?
20 Therefore hear the plans that the LORD has drawn up against Edom and the strategies He has devised against the people of Teman: Surely the little ones of the flock will be dragged away; certainly their pasture will be made desolate because of them.
Ngakho, zwanini icebo leNkosi elicebe imelene leEdoma, lemicabango yayo eyicabange emelene labahlali beThemani: Isibili abancinyane bomhlambi bazabadonsa; isibili izachitha indawo yabo yokuhlala phezu kwabo.
21 At the sound of their fall the earth will quake; their cry will resound to the Red Sea.
Ngomsindo wokuwa kwabo umhlaba uyazamazama; ukukhala, umsindo wakho wezwakala eLwandle oluBomvu.
22 Look! An eagle will soar and swoop down, spreading its wings over Bozrah. In that day the hearts of Edom’s mighty men will be like the heart of a woman in labor.
Khangela, uzakwenyuka andize ngesiqubu njengokhozi, elulele impiko zakhe phezu kweBhozira; lenhliziyo yamaqhawe eEdoma ngalolosuku izakuba njengenhliziyo yowesifazana ohelelwayo.
23 Concerning Damascus: “Hamath and Arpad are put to shame, for they have heard a bad report; they are agitated like the sea; their anxiety cannot be calmed.
Mayelana leDamaseko. IHamathi leArpadi kuyangekile, ngoba bazwile umbiko omubi; bancibilika, kulokunqineka elwandle, kungeke kube lokuthula.
24 Damascus has become feeble; she has turned to flee. Panic has gripped her; anguish and pain have seized her like a woman in labor.
IDamaseko isibuthakathaka, itshibilike ukuze ibaleke, lokwethuka kuyibambile, ukucindezelwa losizi kuyibambile njengobelethayo.
25 How is the city of praise not forsaken, the town that brings Me joy?
Kawutshiywanga njani umuzi wodumo, umuzi wentokozo yami!
26 For her young men will fall in the streets, and all her warriors will be silenced in that day,”
Ngakho amajaha awo azawela ezitaladeni zawo, lawo wonke amadoda empi azabhujiswa ngalolosuku, itsho iNkosi yamabandla.
27 “I will set fire to the walls of Damascus; it will consume the fortresses of Ben-hadad.”
Ngizaphemba-ke umlilo emdulini weDamaseko, ozaqothula izigodlo zikaBenihadadi.
28 Concerning Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon defeated, this is what the LORD says: “Rise up, advance against Kedar, and destroy the people of the east!
Mayelana leKedari njalo mayelana lemibuso yeHazori owayitshayayo uNebhukadirezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni: Itsho njalo iNkosi: Sukumani, lenyukele eKedari, lichithe amadodana empumalanga.
29 They will take their tents and flocks, their tent curtains and all their goods. They will take their camels for themselves. They will shout to them: ‘Terror is on every side!’
Bazathatha amathente abo lemihlambi yabo, amakhetheni abo lempahla yabo yonke lamakamela abo bazazithwalela khona; bamemeze kibo bathi: Uvalo enhlangothini zonke.
30 Run! Escape quickly! Lie low, O residents of Hazor,” declares the LORD, “for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has drawn up a plan against you; he has devised a strategy against you.
Balekani, lizulazule kakhulu, lihlale ngokujula, lina bahlali beHazori, itsho iNkosi; ngoba uNebhukadirezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni waceba icebo emelene lani, wacabanga umcabango emelene lani.
31 Rise up, advance against a nation at ease, one that dwells securely,” declares the LORD. “They have no gates or bars; they live alone.
Sukumani, lenyuke limelene lesizwe esonwabileyo, esihlala ekuvikelekeni, itsho iNkosi, esingelamasango, esingelamigoqo, esizihlalele sodwa.
32 Their camels will become plunder, and their large herds will be spoil. I will scatter to the wind in every direction those who shave their temples; I will bring calamity on them from all sides,”
Lamakamela abo azakuba yimpango, lemihlambi yezifuyo zabo izakuba yimpango; njalo ngizabachithachitha kuyo yonke imimoya, abaphoselwe engonsini, ngilethe inkathazo yabo evela inhlangothi zonke zaso, itsho iNkosi.
33 “Hazor will become a haunt for jackals, a desolation forever. No one will dwell there; no man will abide there.”
LeHazori izakuba yindawo yokuhlala yamakhanka, unxiwa kuze kube nininini; kakuyikuhlala muntu khona, lendodana yomuntu kayiyikuhlala kuyo njengowezizwe.
34 This is the word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning Elam at the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah.
Ilizwi leNkosi elafika kuJeremiya umprofethi limelene leElamu ekuqaleni kokubusa kukaZedekhiya, inkosi yakoJuda, lisithi:
35 This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Behold, I will shatter Elam’s bow, the mainstay of their might.
Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Khangela, ngizakwephula idandili leElamu, induna yamandla abo.
36 I will bring the four winds against Elam from the four corners of the heavens, and I will scatter them to all these winds. There will not be a nation to which Elam’s exiles will not go.
Ngilethele iElamu imimoya emine evela emikhawulweni emine yamazulu, ngibahlakazele kuyo yonke leyomimoya; njalo kakuyikuba khona isizwe lapho abaxotshiweyo beElamu abangayikufika khona.
37 So I will shatter Elam before their foes, before those who seek their lives. I will bring disaster upon them, even My fierce anger,” declares the LORD. “I will send out the sword after them until I finish them off.
Ngoba ngizakwenza abeElamu besabe phambi kwezitha zabo laphambi kwalabo abadinga impilo yabo, ngibehlisele okubi, ukuvutha kolaka lwami, itsho iNkosi, ngithume inkemba emva kwabo, ngize ngibaqede.
38 I will set My throne in Elam, and destroy its king and officials,”
Ngizamisa-ke isihlalo sami sobukhosi eElamu, ngichithe kuyo inkosi leziphathamandla, itsho iNkosi.
39 “Yet in the last days, I will restore Elam from captivity,”
Kodwa kuzakuthi ekucineni kwezinsuku ngibuyise ukuthunjwa kukaElamu, itsho iNkosi.

< Jeremiah 49 >