Jeremiah 50
1 This is the Lord's message that he told Jeremiah the prophet to give about Babylon and the country of Babylonia.
Leli yilizwi uThixo alikhuluma ngoJeremiya umphrofethi mayelana leBhabhiloni lelizwe lamaKhaladiya:
2 Tell everyone the news! Hold up a sign and shout it out, don't hold back! Tell them, Babylon has fallen! Her god Bel is humiliated; the power of her god Marduk is broken; all Babylon's idols are humiliated and their power is broken.
“Memezelani libike phakathi kwezizwe, phakamisani uphawu lilubike; lingafihli lutho, kodwa lithi, ‘IBhabhiloni izathunjwa, iBheli izayangiswa, iMariduki ibe lokwesaba. Izifanekiso zayo zizayangiswa, izithombe zayo zibe lokwesaba.’
3 A northern nation will come and attack her and turn the country into a wasteland. No one will live there—both people and animals will desert it.
Isizwe esivela enyakatho sizayihlasela sitshabalalise ilizwe layo. Kakho ozahlala kuyo; abantu lezinyamazana kuzasuka kubaleke.
4 That's the time when the people of Israel and Judah will join together, weeping as they go to worship the Lord their God, declares the Lord.
Ngalezonsuku, ngalesosikhathi, abantu bako-Israyeli ndawonye labantu bakoJuda bazahamba bekhala bedinga uThixo uNkulunkulu wabo.
5 They will ask the way to Zion, and start going in that direction. They will arrive and commit themselves to the Lord in an everlasting agreement that won't ever be forgotten.
Bazabuza indlela eya eZiyoni bakhangelise ubuso babo kuyo. Bazakuza bazibophele kuThixo ngesivumelwano esingapheliyo esingayikukhohlakala.
6 My people are sheep that are lost, led astray by their shepherds, making them wander aimlessly in the mountains. They go from place to place in the mountains and hills, forgetting where they used to rest.
Abantu bami bebeyizimvu ezilahlekileyo, abelusi babo babebadukisile babenza bazulazula phezu kwezintaba. Bantula phezu kwezintaba laphezu kwamaqaqa bakhohlwa indawo yabo yokuphumula.
7 All those who came across them attacked them. Their enemies declared, “We're not to blame! They're the ones who sinned against the Lord, their true resting place; the Lord who was the hope of their forefathers.”
Loba ngubani owabatholayo wabadla; izitha zabo zathi, ‘Kasilacala, ngoba benza okubi kuThixo, idlelo labo eliqotho, uThixo, ithemba laboyise.’
8 Run away from the city of Babylon; get away from the country of Babylonia! Lead the way like the male goats that lead the flock.
Balekelani ngaphandle kweBhabhiloni; sukani elizweni lamaKhaladiya, libe njengembuzi ezikhokhela umhlambi.
9 Look! I'm assembling a coalition of strong northern nations who will come and attack Babylon. They will line up in battle against her; she will be conquered from the north. Their arrows will be like the best warriors—they don't miss!
Ngoba iBhabhiloni ngizayivusela umanyano lwezizwe ezinkulu ezivela elizweni lasenyakatho. Bazaviva ezindaweni zabo bamelane layo. Njalo izathunjwa kuvelelwa enyakatho. Imitshoko yabo izakuba njengamabutho alolwazi angaphenduki engelalutho.
10 Babylonia will be plundered—everyone who plunders her will have plenty of loot, declares the Lord.
Ngakho iBhabhiloni izaphangwa, bonke abayiphangayo bazasuthiseka,” kutsho uThixo.
11 Though for now you Babylonians celebrate and sing triumphantly as you plunder my special people, though for now you jump around like a frisky young cow treading out the grain, and neigh like stallions,
“Njengoba lithokoza njalo lithabile, lizaphanga ilifa lami ngoba liyaqolotsha njengethokazi etshanini, njalo likhale njengamabhiza amaduna,
12 you are going to bring shame on your mother, you are going to disgrace the one who gave birth to you. Watch as she becomes the least important of all the nations, a wilderness, a dry desert land.
unyoko uzayangeka kakhulu, yena owalizalayo uzakuba lenhloni. Uzakuba ngowokucina phakathi kwezizwe, inkangala, ilizwe elomileyo, ugwadule.
13 Because of Lord's angry punishment, she will be deserted, completely desolate. Everyone who passes by will be horrified at what has happened to Babylon, and sneer at all her wounds.
Ngenxa yolaka lukaThixo kayiyikuhlalwa muntu kodwa izachithwa ngokupheleleyo. Bonke abadlula eBhabhiloni bazakwesaba baklolode ngenxa yamanxeba ayo wonke.
14 All you archers, line up ready for battle around Babylon. Shoot at her! Don't save your arrows, because she has sinned against the Lord.
Vivani inhlangothi zonke zeBhabhiloni lonke lina eliphethe amadandili. Itshokeni! Lingatshiyi mitshoko ngoba yonile kuThixo.
15 Shout war-cries against her from every side! She holds up her hands in surrender. Her towers have collapsed; her walls are demolished. This is the Lord paying her back, so you too can pay her back—do the same to her as she did to others.
Klabalalani kuyo ezinhlangothini zonke! Iyazinikela, imiphotshongo yayo iyawa, imiduli yayo idilikela phansi. Njengoba lokhu kuyikuphindisela kukaThixo, phindiselani kuyo iBhabhiloni; yenzani kuyo njengalokhu eyakwenza kwabanye.
16 Stop the sower from sowing in the country of Babylon, and stop the harvester swinging the sickle to reap the grain. Under the threat of the enemies' swords, everyone runs home to their own people, they go back to where they came from.
Msuseni eBhabhiloni umhlanyeli, lomvuni lesikela yakhe ekuvuneni. Ngenxa yenkemba yomncindezeli, umuntu wonke kabuyele ebantwini bakibo; umuntu wonke kabalekele elizweni lakibo.
17 The Israelites are a flock that's been chased and scattered by lions. The first on the attack was the king of Assyria; then lastly Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon crushed their bones.
U-Israyeli ungumhlambi ohlakazekileyo oxotshwe yizilwane. Owaqalayo ukumudla yinkosi yase-Asiriya; owacinayo ukuqhoba amathambo akhe nguNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni.”
18 So this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I'm going to punish the king of Babylon and his country just like I punished the king of Assyria.
Ngakho uThixo uSomandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi: “Ngizayijezisa inkosi yaseBhabhiloni lelizwe layo njengoba ngajezisa inkosi yase-Asiriya.
19 I will lead the Israelites back to their pasturelands, to feed on Carmel and Bashan, to satisfy their appetites on the hills of Ephraim and Gilead.
Kodwa u-Israyeli ngizambuyisela edlelweni lakhe, uzakudla eKhameli kanye laseBhashani; inkanuko yakhe izasuthiswa emaqaqeni ako-Efrayimi kanye leGiliyadi.
20 This will be when the guilt and the sins of Israel and Judah will be looked for, but none will be found, because I will forgive those people who remain that I'm looking after, declares the Lord.
Ngalezonsuku, ngalesosikhathi,” kutsho uThixo, “ukona kuka-Israyeli kuzadingwa, kodwa akuyikuba khona; kudingwe lezono zikaJuda kodwa kasikho esizafunyanwa, ngoba insalela engiyitshiyayo ngizayithethelela.
21 Go and attack the land of Merathaim, and the people living in Pekod. Kill them with swords, set them apart for destruction, along with everything they leave behind. Make sure you do everything I have ordered you to do, declares the Lord.
Hlaselani ilizwe laseMerathayimi lalabo abahlala ePhekhodi. Xotshanani labo libabulale libaqede du,” kutsho uThixo. “Yenzani konke engililaye khona.
22 The noise of battle is heard in the country, the noise of terrible destruction.
Umsindo wempi uselizweni, umsindo wencithakalo enkulu!
23 See how the hammer of the whole earth is lying broken in pieces in the ground! The nations look with horror on what Babylon has become!
Yeka ukwephuka lokucezuka kwesando somhlaba wonke! Yeka ukuchitheka kweBhabhiloni phakathi kwezizwe!
24 Babylon, I set a trap for you, and you were caught before you realized it. You were hunted down and captured because you fought against the Lord.
Ngakuthiya ngomjibila, wena Bhabhiloni, wabanjwa ungakakwazi lokho; waficwa wathunjwa, ngoba wamelana loThixo.
25 In his anger the Lord opened his armory to bring out his weapons, for this is what the Lord God Almighty is doing in the country of Babylonia.
UThixo usevule indlu yakhe yezikhali wakhupha izikhali zolaka lwakhe, ngoba uThixo Wobukhosi, uSomandla ulomsebenzi okumele awenze elizweni lamaKhaladiya.
26 Come and attack her from every side! Open her granaries; collect the loot you take from her like piles of grain. Set her apart for destruction; don't leave any survivors.
Wozani kuyo limelane layo livela kude. Fohlelani eziphaleni zayo; liyibuthelele njengezinqumbi zamabele. Ichitheni okupheleleyo lingayitshiyeli nsalela.
27 Kill all her young bulls with the sword; let them be slaughtered. What a disaster for them, because their time has come when they're punished.
Bulalani zonke inkunzi zayo ezisesengamaguqa; ziwiseleni phansi ekuhlatshweni! Maye kubo! Ngoba usuku lwabo selufikile, isikhathi sabo sokujeziswa.
28 (Listen to the refugees and survivors who have returned from Babylonia, announcing in Zion, “The Lord our God is paying them back for what happened to his Temple.”)
Lalelani ababalekayo labaphephileyo abavela eBhabhiloni bememezela eZiyoni ngokuphindisela uThixo uNkulunkulu wethu asekwenzile, ukuphindisela ngenxa yethempeli lakhe.
29 Call up the archers to attack Babylon, yes, all of them! Completely surround her—don't let anyone escape. Pay her back for what she's done, because in her pride she defied the Lord, Israel's Holy One.
Bizani abemitshoko bahlasele iBhabhiloni, bonke labo abaphatha amadandili. Ihanqeni inxa zonke; kungabikhona ophunyukayo. Iphindiseleni izenzo zayo; yenzani kuyo njengekwenzileyo. Ngoba idelele uThixo, oNgcwele ka-Israyeli.
30 As a result her young men will be killed in the streets; all her soldiers will die that day, declares the Lord.
Ngakho izinsizwa zayo zizakuwa emigwaqweni; ngalolosuku wonke amabutho ayo azabulawa,” kutsho uThixo.
31 Watch out, because I'm against you, you arrogant people! declares the Lord God Almighty. Your time has come when I will punish you.
“Khangela, ngimelane lawe, wena oyisiqholo,” kutsho uThixo, uThixo uSomandla, “ngoba usuku lwakho selufikile, isikhathi sokujeziswa kwakho.
32 You arrogant people will trip and fall. Nobody will be there to pick you up. I'm going to set fire to your towns and burn up everything around you.
Oyisiqholo uzakhubeka awe, njalo kakho ozamsiza amvuse. Ngizabasa umlilo emadolobheni akhe ozaqothula bonke abakhelene laye.”
33 This is what the Lord Almighty says: The people of Israel and Judah are being mistreated. All who captured them are holding onto them, refusing to let them go.
UThixo uSomandla uthi: “Abantu bako-Israyeli bancindezelwe, kanye labantu bakoJuda futhi. Bonke abathumbi babo babagagadlele, besala ukubadedela bahambe.
34 But the one who rescues them is powerful; the Lord Almighty is his name. He will defend them and their cause, so he may bring peace on earth, but trouble to the people of Babylon.
Kodwa uMhlengi wabo ulamandla; uThixo uSomandla yilo ibizo lakhe. Uzavikela imfanelo zabo ngamandla ukuze alethe ukuthula elizweni labo, kodwa ukuxokozela kulabo abahlala eBhabhiloni.
35 A sword is raised to attack the Babylonians, declares the Lord, ready to attack those who live in Babylon, and her officials and wise men.
Inkemba imelana lamaKhaladiya,” kutsho uThixo, “imelane lalabo abahlala eBhabhiloni kanye lezikhulu zayo lezihlakaniphi zayo!
36 A sword is raised to attack her false prophets, and they will become fools. A sword is raised to attack her soldiers, and they will be terrified.
Inkemba izamelana labaphrofethi balo bamanga! Bazakuba yizithutha. Inkemba izamelana lamabutho ayo! Azakuba lokwesaba okukhulu.
37 A sword is raised to attack her horses and chariots, along with all the foreign soldiers with her, and they will become like frightened women. A sword is raised to attack her stores of treasure, and they will be plundered.
Inkemba izamelana lamabhiza ayo lezinqola zempi labo bonke abezizweni abakuyo! Bazakuba ngabafazi. Inkemba izamelana lenotho yayo! Izaphangwa.
38 A drought has hit her rivers, and they will dry up. For it's a country full of pagan images. These horrible idols drive their worshipers mad.
Kuzakuba lokoma kwamanzi ayo! Azacitsha. Ngoba yilizwe lezithombe, izithombe ezizahlanya ngenxa yokwesaba.
39 Consequently desert animals and hyenas will live there, and it will be a home for owls. It will be uninhabited forever—it won't be lived in from one generation to the next.
Ngakho izidalwa zasenkangala lezimpisi zizahlala khona, lesikhova sizahlala khona. Akusayikwakhiwa kuyo lanini kumbe kuhlalwe kuyo kusukela kusizukulwane kusiya kusizukulwane.
40 In the same way that God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns, declares the Lord, no one will live there, no one will stay there.
Njengalokhu uNkulunkulu wachitha iSodoma leGomora ndawonye lamadolobho ayeseduzane lawo,” kutsho uThixo, “ngokunjalo kakho ozahlala khona; akulamuntu ozahlala phakathi kwayo.
41 Look! An army is advancing from the north. A great nation and many kings are coming against you from the distant lands.
Khangelani! Ibutho liyeza livela enyakatho; isizwe esikhulu lamakhosi amanengi bayadungwa kusukela emikhawulweni yomhlaba.
42 They're carrying bows and javelins. They are cruel and merciless. When they shout it's like the sea roaring. They ride on horses and attack in formation against you, people of Babylon.
Bahlome ngamadandili langemikhonto; balesihluku, kabalasihawu. Bezwakala njengolwandle oluhlokomayo lapho begade amabhiza abo; beza njengabantu abalungele impi ukuba bakuhlasele, wena Ndodakazi yaseBhabhiloni.
43 The king of Babylon has heard the news and he's terrified. He's overcome with fear, in pain like a woman in labor.
INkosi yaseBhabhiloni isiyizwile imibiko ngabo, njalo izandla zayo zilenga zingelamandla. Usizi seluyibambile, ubuhlungu obunjengowesifazane ohelelwayo.
44 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 Babylonians 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, iBhabhiloni ngizayixotsha elizweni layo ngesikhatshana. Ngubani okhethiweyo engizamkhethela lokhu na? Ngubani onjengami, ngubani ongamelana lami? Njalo nguphi umelusi ongajamelana lami na?”
45 So listen to what the Lord has planned to do to Babylon and the country of Babylonia: 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 ngeBhabhiloni, asemise ukukwenza ngelizwe lamaKhaladiya: Amazinyane omhlambi azadonselwa le, amadlelo awo uzawatshabalalisa ngokupheleleyo ngenxa yabo.
46 The sound of Babylon's capture will make the earth shake; their cries will be heard throughout the nations.
Ekuzwakaleni komsindo wokuthunjwa kweBhabhiloni umhlaba uzagedezela; ukukhala kwayo kuzazwakala phakathi kwezizwe.
