Jeremiah 49
1 This is what the Lord says about the Ammonites: Don't the Israelites have any children? Don't they have heirs to inherit their property? So why has Milcom taken over the territory belonging to the tribe of Gad? Why are his people living in their towns?
Mayelana lama-Amoni: Nanku akutshoyo uThixo: “U-Israyeli kalamadodana na? Kalandlalifa na? Pho kungani uMoleki esethumbe iGadi na? Kungani abantu bakhe behlala emadolobheni alo na?
2 Watch out! The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will signal the attack on the Ammonite town of Rabbah. It will be turned into a pile of ruins, and its villages will be burned down. Then the Israelites will drive out the people who took over their land, says the Lord.
Kodwa insuku ziyeza, lapho engizahlaba khona umkhosi wempi wokumelana leRabha yama-Amoni, izakuba yindunduma yonxiwa; lemizi eseduze layo izathungelwa ngomlilo. Ngakho u-Israyeli uzabaxotsha labo ababemxotshele phandle,” kutsho uThixo.
3 Weep, people of Heshbon, for the town of Ai has been destroyed. Cry for help, people of Rabbah! Put on clothes made of sackcloth and start mourning; run to and fro inside your city walls, because your god Milcom will go into exile along with his priests and leaders.
“Lila weHeshibhoni, ngoba i-Ayi ichithekile! Khalani lina elihlala eRabha! Gqokani amasaka lilile; gijimelani lapha lalaphaya phakathi kwemiduli, ngoba uMoleki uzathunjwa, ndawonye labaphristi bakhe kanye lezikhulu zakhe.
4 Why do you boast that your valleys are so productive, you unfaithful people? You trust in your wealth, saying, “Who would dare attack us?”
Lizincomelani ngezigodi zenu, lizincomelani ngezigodi ezithela kangaka? Wena ndodakazi engathembekanga, uthemba inotho yakho uthi, ‘Ngubani ozangihlasela na?’
5 Watch out! I'm going to bring the surrounding nations to terrorize you, declares the Lord God Almighty. You will all be driven out and scattered, and no one will be able to gather you refugees together again.
Ngizalilethela ukwesaba okuvela kubo bonke abaseduze lani,” kutsho iNkosi, uThixo uSomandla. “Lonke lizaxotshelwa khatshana, njalo kakho ozaqoqa ababalekayo.
6 However, later on I will bring you Ammonites back from exile, declares the Lord.
Kodwa emva kwalokho ngizabuyisela inhlanhla yama-Amoni,” kutsho uThixo.
7 This is what the Lord Almighty says about Edom: Aren't there any wise people left in Teman? Isn't there any good advice from those with insight? Has their wisdom rotted away?
Mayelana le-Edomi: Nanku akutshoyo uThixo uSomandla: “Kakuselakuhlakanipha eThemani na? Izeluleko sezaphela na kwabahlakaniphileyo? Ukuhlakanipha kwabo sekwabola na?
8 Turn and run away! Find somewhere to hide, people of Dedan, because I'm bringing disaster down on you descendants of Esau when I punish you.
Phendukani libaleke, licatshe ezimbalwini ezitshonayo, lina elihlala eDedani, ngoba ngizaletha umonakalo phezu kuka-Esawu ngesikhathi engizamjezisa ngaso.
9 If people harvesting grapes came to you, they'd leave some behind, wouldn't they? If thieves came during the night, they'd only steal what they wanted, wouldn't they?
Nxa abavuni bamavini befike kuwe, kabangeke batshiye amalutshwana na? Nxa amasela efika ebusuku kabayikuntshontsha lokho okwanele abakufunayo kuphela na?
10 But I'm going to strip the whole country of bare, leaving its people with nowhere to hide. All of Esau's descendants will be destroyed, along with their relatives and friends—they will all be gone.
Kodwa u-Esawu ngizamhlubula asale eze; ngizakwembula izindawo zakhe zokucatsha, ukuze angacatshi. Amabutho akhe ahlomileyo azabhubha kanye labomakhelwane bakhe labahlanganyela laye, angabikhona khona ozakuthi,
11 However, you can leave your orphans to me because I will protect them. Have your widows put their trust in me.
‘Tshiya izintandane zakho; ngizavikela impilo yazo labafelokazi bakho bangathemba kimi.’”
12 This is what the Lord says: If those who were not required to drink from the cup of judgment had to do so, how could you not be punished yourselves? You won't go unpunished, because you have to drink it too.
UThixo uthi: “Nxa labo abangafanelanga ukunatha inkezo kumele bayinathe, kungani wena ungeze wajeziswa na? Kawuyikuphutha ukujeziswa, kumele uyinathe.
13 I made myself a solemn promise, declares the Lord, that the town of Bozrah will become a place that horrifies people, a complete humiliation, a pile of ruins, and a name that's used as a curse word. All its surrounding towns will also be left in ruins forever.
Ngifunga ngami, ukuthi iBhozira izakuba lunxiwa lento yokwesatshwa, eyokuthukwa lokuqalekiswa, njalo wonke amadolobho ayo azakuba ngamanxiwa nini lanini,” kutsho uThixo.
14 I received this message from the Lord. He has sent a messenger to the nations: Get yourselves ready to attack Edom! Prepare for battle!
Sengizwe ilizwi elivela kuThixo: Kuthunywe isithunywa ezizweni ukuba sithi, “Buthanani ukuba liyihlasele! Vukani lilwe impi!”
15 Watch as I will make you insignificant compared to other nations—everyone will look down on you.
“Khathesi ngizakwenza ube mncane phakathi kwezizwe, udeleleke ebantwini.
16 The fear you once created in others, and your pride in yourselves, has fooled you into overconfidence, you people living on the rocky mountain tops. Though you make your homes high out of reach like an eagle's nest, I will tear you down, even from there, declares the Lord.
Ukuthuthumela okungabangwa nguwe, lokuzigqaja kwenhliziyo yakho kukukhohlisile, wena ohlala eminkenkeni yamadwala, wena ohlala ezingqongeni zoqaqa. Lanxa usakhela isidleke sakho phezulu njengengqungqulu, ukhonapho ngizakwehlisela phansi,” kutsho uThixo.
17 People will be horrified at what's happened to Edom. Everyone passing by will be shocked, and will sneer at all its damage.
“I-Edomi izakuba yinto yokwesatshwa, bonke abadlula khona bazathuthumela baklolode ngenxa yamanxeba ayo wonke.
18 Just as Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed, along with their neighboring towns, says the Lord, nobody will live there—they will become uninhabited.
Njengokuchitheka kweSodoma leGomora, kanye lamadolobho awo ayeseduze, ngakho kakho ozahlala kuyo, kakho ozabuye ahlale khona” kutsho uThixo.
19 Watch out! I'm going to come like a lion from the tangled undergrowth beside the Jordan to attack the animals grazing the green pasture. In fact I'm going to chase the Edomites from their land very quickly. Who will I choose to conquer them? Who is like me? Who can challenge me? Which leader could oppose me?
“Njengesilwane siphuma emahlathini aseJodani sisiya emadlelweni amahle, i-Edomi ngizayixotsha elizweni layo ngesikhatshana. Ngubani okhethiweyo engizamkhethela lokhu na? Ngubani onjengami, ngubani ongamelana lami na? Njalo nguphi umelusi ongajamelana lami na?”
20 So listen to what the Lord has planned to do to Edom and the people of Teman: Their children will be dragged away like lambs from the flock, and because of them their pasture will become a wasteland.
Ngakho, zwanini lokho uThixo asecebe ukukwenza nge-Edomi, asemise ukukwenza kulabo abahlala eThemani: Amazinyane omhlambi azadonselwa le; amadlelo awo uzawatshabalalisa ngokupheleleyo ngenxa yabo.
21 When they fall, the sound they make will make the earth shake; their cries will be heard all the way to the Red Sea.
Ekuzwakaleni komsindo wokuwa kwabo umhlaba uzagedezela, ukukhala kwabo kuzazwakala eLwandle oluBomvu.
22 Watch as an enemy like an eagle flies high, then swoops down, spreading its wings as it attacks Bozrah. At that time Edom's warriors will be as scared as a woman in labor.
Khangelani! Ingqungqulu izaqonga iphinde yehlele phansi, yelulele impiko zayo phezu kweBhozira. Ngalolosuku inhliziyo zamabutho ase-Edomi zizakuba njengenhliziyo yowesifazane ohelelwayo.
23 A prophecy about Damascus: The towns of Hamath and Arpad are disturbed, because they've received bad news. They are fearful, restless like the sea. Nothing can calm their worries.
Mayelana leDamaseko: “IHamathi le-Ariphadi athithibele, ngoba azwe izindaba ezimbi. Adanile, akhathazeke njengolwandle olungela kuphumula.
24 The people of Damascus are demoralized—they turn and run away in panic, overcome by pain and anguish like a woman in labor.
IDamaseko isibe buthakathaka, isiphendukile ukuba ibaleke, isiphethwe layikuphaphazela; ibanjwe lusizi lobuhlungu, ubuhlungu obunjengowesifazane ohelelwayo.
25 Why isn't the city that is praised deserted, the city that made me happy?
Kungani idolobho lodumo lingadelwanga, idolobho engithokoza ngalo na?
26 For on that day its young men will die in its streets, all its defenders will be killed, declares the Lord of Hosts.
Ngeqiniso izinsizwa zayo zizakuwa emgwaqweni; amabutho ayo wonke azathuliswa ngalolosuku,” kutsho uThixo uSomandla.
27 I'm going to set fire to the walls of Damascus; that will burn down the fortresses of Ben-hadad.
“Imiduli yaseDamaseko ngizayithungela ngomlilo; uzaqothula izinqaba zaseBheni-Hadadi.”
28 A prophecy about the land of Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor that were attacked by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. This is what the Lord says: Go and attack Kedar; destroy the people of the east!
Mayelana leKhedari lemibuso yaseHazori, eyahlaselwa nguNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni: UThixo uthi: “Vuka uhlasele iKhedari ubhubhise labantu baseMpumalanga.
29 Take their tents and their flocks! Carry off their tent curtains and all their possessions! Take their camels for yourselves. Shout out to them: “Terror is everywhere!”
Amathente abo lemihlambi yabo kuzathunjwa; amakhetheni abo azathathwa layo yonke impahla yabo kanye lamakamela abo. Abantu bazaklabalala besithi kubo, ‘Ukwesaba enhlangothini zonke!’
30 Run! Get away as far as you can! Find somewhere to hide, people of Hazor, declares the Lord. For Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has made plans to attack and destroy you.
Balekani ngokuphangisa! Hlalani ezimbalwini ezitshonayo, lina elihlala eHazori,” kutsho uThixo. “UNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni usecebe icebo ngani, usebumbe icebo ngani.
31 Go and attack that self-satisfied nation that thinks it's safe, declares the Lord. They don't have any barred gates and have no allies.
Vukani lihlasele isizwe esizinzileyo, esihlezi ngethemba,” kutsho uThixo, “isizwe esingelawo amasango kumbe imigoqo; abantu baso bahlala bodwa.
32 Their camels and large herds will be plunder for you. I will scatter them everywhere, these desert people who trim their hair on the sides of their heads. I will bring disaster down on them from all directions, declares the Lord.
Amakamela aso azakuba yimpango, lemihlambi yabo emikhulu izakuba yimpango. Ngizabahlakazela emoyeni labo abasezindaweni ezikude njalo ngizaletha umonakalo kubo uvelela enhlangothini zonke,” kutsho uThixo.
33 Hazor will become a place where jackals live, a place abandoned forever. No one will live there; it will become uninhabited.
“IHazori izakuba yisikhundla samakhanka, indawo echithekileyo nini lanini. Kakho ozahlala khona, akulamuntu ozahlala kuyo.”
34 This is the Lord's message that came to Jeremiah the prophet about Elam. This was at the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah.
Leli yilizwi likaThixo elafika kuJeremiya umphrofethi mayelana le-Elamu, ekuqaleni kombuso kaZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda, elathi:
35 This is what the Lord Almighty says: Look! I'm going to smash the bows of the Elamites, the weapon they rely on for their power.
UThixo uSomandla uthi: “Khangela, idandili le-Elamu ngizalephula, insika yamandla abo.
36 I will bring winds from all directions to attack Elam, and I will scatter them in all directions. There won't be a nation that doesn't have some of Elam's exiles.
Ngizalethela i-Elamu imimoya emine ezavela emagumbini amane amazulu, ngizabahlakazela emimoyeni emine, njalo akuyikuba lesizwe abathunjwe e-Elamu abangayikuya kuso.
37 I will smash the Elamites in front of their enemies, before those who want to kill them. In my furious anger I will bring disaster down on them, declares the Lord. I will chase them down with the sword until I have destroyed them.
I-Elamu ngizayibhidliza phambi kwezitha zayo, phambi kwalabo abafuna ukubabulala. Ngizakwehlisela umonakalo phezu kwabo kanye lolaka lwami oluvuthayo,” kutsho uThixo. “Ngizabaxhuma ngenkemba ngize ngibaqede bonke.
38 I will set up my throne in Elam, and destroy its king and officials, declares the Lord.
Ngizabeka isihlalo sami sobukhosi e-Elamu ngichithe inkosi yayo lezikhulu zayo,” kutsho uThixo.
39 However, later on I will bring the Elamites back from exile, declares the Lord.
“Kodwa inhlanhla ye-Elamu ngizayibuyisa ensukwini ezizayo,” kutsho uThixo.
