Jeremias 18
1 The word that came from the Lord to
Ilizwi elafika kuJeremiya livela eNkosini lisithi:
2 Jeremias, saying, Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there thou shalt hear my words.
Sukuma, wehlele endlini yombumbi, lapho-ke ngizakuzwisa amazwi ami.
3 So I went down to the potter's house, and behold, he was making a vessel on the stones.
Ngasengisehlela endlini yombumbi, khangela-ke wayesenza umsebenzi emavilini.
4 And the vessel which he was making with his hands fell: so he made it again another vessel, as it seemed good to him to make [it].
Njalo imbiza ayeyenza ngebumba yonakala esandleni sombumbi; wasebuya wenza ngayo enye imbiza njengoba kwakuqondile emehlweni ombumbi ukwenza.
5 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
Ilizwi leNkosi laselifika kimi lisithi:
6 Shall I not be able, O house of Israel, to do to you as this potter? behold, as the clay of the potter are ye in my hands.
Ndlu kaIsrayeli, ngingeze ngenza kini njengalo umbumbi yini? itsho iNkosi. Khangela, njengebumba esandleni sombumbi, linjalo lina esandleni sami, lina ndlu kaIsrayeli.
7 [If] I shall pronounce a decree upon a nation, or upon a kingdom, to cut them off, and to destroy [them];
Ngesikhatshana ngizakhuluma ngesizwe langombuso ukuthi ngizakusiphuna, ngikudilize, ngikuchithe;
8 and that nation turn from all their sins, then will I repent of the evils which I purposed to do to them.
uba lesosizwe engikhulume ngimelene laso siphenduka ebubini baso, ngizazisola ngokubi ebengicabanga ukuthi ngizakwenza kiso.
9 And [if] I shall pronounce a decree upon a nation and kingdom, to rebuild and to plant [it];
Langesikhatshana ngizakhuluma ngesizwe langombuso, ukwakha lokukuhlanyela;
10 and they do evil before me, so as not to hearken to my voice, then will I repent of the good which I spoke of, to do it to them.
uba kusenza okubi emehlweni ami, kungalaleli ilizwi lami, khona ngizazisola ngokuhle ebengisithi ngizakwenzela okuhle ngakho.
11 And now say to the men of Juda, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Behold, I prepare evils against you, and devise a device against you: let every one turn now from his evil way, and amend your practices.
Ngakho khathesi ake ukhulume ebantwini bakoJuda lakubahlali beJerusalema, usithi: Itsho njalo iNkosi: Khangelani, ngilibumbela okubi, ngilicebela icebo. Phendukani khathesi, ngulowo lalowo endleleni yakhe embi, lenze indlela zenu lezenzo zenu zibe zinhle.
12 And they said, We will quit ourselves like men, for we will pursue our perverse ways, and we will perform each the lusts of his evil heart.
Kodwa bathi: Kakulathemba; kodwa sizalandela awethu amacebo, senze, ngulowo lalowo inkani yenhliziyo yakhe embi.
13 Therefore thus saith the Lord; Enquire now among the nations, who has heard such very horrible things as the virgin of Israel has done?
Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi: Buzani khathesi phakathi kwabahedeni, ngubani owake wezwa izinto ezinje? Intombi emsulwa yakoIsrayeli yenzile into eyesabekayo kakhulu.
14 Will fertilising streams fail [to flow] from a rock, or snow [fail] from Libanus? will water violently impelled by the wind turn aside?
Umuntu angatshiya yini iliqhwa elikhithikileyo leLebhanoni elivela edwaleni leganga? Angatshiywa yini amanzi aqandayo ageleza evela kwezinye indawo?
15 For my people have forgotten me, they have offered incense in vain, and they fail in their ways, [leaving] the ancient tracks, to enter upon impassable paths;
Kodwa abantu bami bangikhohliwe, batshisela okuyize impepha, babenza bakhubeka ezindleleni zabo, emikhondweni yasendulo, ukuthi bahambe ezindledlaneni, endleleni engabuthelelwanga;
16 to make their land a desolation, and a perpetual hissing; all that go through it shall be amazed, and shall shake their heads.
besenza ilizwe labo libe lunxiwa, ukuncifelwa njalonjalo; wonke owedlula khona uzamangala kakhulu, anikine ikhanda lakhe.
17 I will scatter them before their enemies like an east wind; I will shew them the day of their destruction.
Ngizabahlakaza njengomoya wempumalanga phambi kwesitha; ngizabatshengisa umhlana, hatshi ubuso, ngosuku lwengozi yabo.
18 Then they said, Come, and let us devise a device against Jeremias; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and we will hear all his words.
Basebesithi: Wozani simcebele amacebo uJeremiya; ngoba umthetho kawuyikuphela kumpristi, lokweluleka kohlakaniphileyo, lelizwi kumprofethi. Wozani simtshaye ngolimi, singananzi lawaphi amazwi akhe.
19 Hear me, O Lord, and hear the voice of my pleading.
Nginakekela, Nkosi, ulalele ilizwi labaphikisana lami.
20 Forasmuch as evil is rewarded for good; for they have spoken words against my soul, and they have hidden the punishment they [meant] for me; remember that I stood before thy face, to speak good for them, to turn away thy wrath from them.
Kuyavuzwa okubi esikhundleni sokuhle yini? Ngoba bagebhele umphefumulo wami umgodi. Khumbula ukuthi ngema phambi kwakho ukubakhulumela okuhle, ukuphambula ulaka lwakho kibo.
21 Therefore do thou deliver their sons to famine, and gather them to the power of the sword: let their women be childless and widows; and let their men be cut off by death, and their young men fall by the sword in war.
Ngakho nikela abantwana babo endlaleni, ubanikele emandleni enkemba; labafazi babo balahlekelwe ngabantwana, babe ngabafelokazi, lamadoda abo abulawe yikufa, amajaha abo atshaywe ngenkemba empini.
22 Let there be a cry in their houses: thou shalt bring upon them robbers suddenly: for they have formed a plan to take me, and have hidden snares for me.
Kakuzwakale ukukhala endlini zabo, lapho uzahle ulethe iviyo phezu kwabo; ngoba begebhe umgodi ukungibamba, bafihlela inyawo zami imijibila.
23 And thou, Lord, knowest all their deadly counsel against me: account not their iniquities guiltless, and blot not out their sins from before thee: let their weakness come before thee; deal with them in the time of thy wrath.
Kanti wena, Nkosi, uyawazi wonke amacebo abo bemelene lami ukungibulala. Ungathetheleli isiphambeko sabo, lesono sabo ungasicitshi sisuke phambi kwakho; kodwa kabawiswe phambi kwakho, bana lokwenza labo ngesikhathi sokuthukuthela kwakho.
