Jeremiah 51
1 This is what the Lord says: Look! I'm going to stir up a destructive wind against Babylon and against the people of Babylonia.
Itsho njalo iNkosi: Khangela ngizavusela iBhabhiloni lalabo abahlala enhliziyweni yalabo abangivukelayo umoya ochithayo.
2 I will send foreign soldiers to attack Babylon to winnow her and turn her country into a wasteland—they will attack her from all directions when her time of trouble comes.
Ngithume eBhabhiloni abelayo, abazakuyela, bathulule ilizwe layo, ngoba bazamelana layo bevela inhlangothi zonke ngosuku lobubi.
3 The archer doesn't need to use his bow; the infantryman doesn't need to put on his armor. Don't spare her young soldiers; set apart her whole army for destruction!
Kakuthi otshokayo agobise idandili lakhe emelene loligobisayo, njalo emelene loziphakamisayo ebhatshini lakhe lensimbi; njalo lingawayekeli amajaha ayo, lilitshabalalise ibutho layo lonke.
4 They will fall down wounded in her streets, killed in the country of Babylonia.
Ngokunjalo ababuleweyo bazakuwa elizweni lamaKhaladiya, labagwazwe ezitaladeni zayo.
5 Israel and Judah have not been deserted by their God, the Lord Almighty, even though they sinned against the Holy One of Israel everywhere in their country.
Ngoba uIsrayeli kayikutshiywa, loJuda nguNkulunkulu wabo, yiNkosi yamabandla, lanxa ilizwe labo ligcwele icala koNgcwele kaIsrayeli.
6 Escape from Babylon! Run for your lives! Don't get caught up in her punishment and die, for this is the time when the Lord pays her back for her sins.
Balekani liphume phakathi kweBhabhiloni, likhulule ngulowo lalowo umphefumulo wakhe; lingaqunywa esiphambekweni sayo; ngoba lesi yisikhathi sempindiselo yeNkosi, ophindisela impindiselo kuyo.
7 Once Babylon was a golden cup the Lord held in his hand. She made the whole earth drunk. The nations drank her wine which is why they went mad.
IBhabhiloni yayiyinkezo yegolide esandleni seNkosi, eyayidakisa umhlaba wonke; izizwe zanatha okwewayini layo; ngenxa yalokho izizwe zahlanya.
8 Now, all of a sudden, Babylon has fallen. She has been smashed to pieces. Weep for her; get her some treatment for her pain. Maybe she can be healed.
IBhabhiloni yahle yawa, yephuka; qhinqani isililo ngayo, lithathele ubuhlungu bayo ibhalisamu, mhlawumbe ingelatshwa.
9 “We tried to heal her, but she couldn't be helped. So give up on her! All of us should go home to where we came from. The news of her punishment has reached everywhere, all the way to heaven.
Besingayelapha iBhabhiloni, kodwa kayelaphekanga; itshiyeni, asihambeni ngulowo lalowo aye elizweni lakhe; ngoba isigwebo sayo sifinyelele emazulwini, siphakanyisiwe kwaze kwafika esibhakabhakeni.
10 The Lord has encouraged and supported us. Come on, let's tell people here in Jerusalem what the Lord has done for us!”
INkosi ikhuphe ukulunga kwethu; wozani, silandise eZiyoni umsebenzi weNkosi uNkulunkulu wethu.
11 Sharpen the arrows! Pick up the shields! The Lord has encouraged the kings of the Medes, because his plan is directed at the destruction of Babylon. The Lord is paying them back for what happened to his Temple.
Lolani imitshoko, liqoqe izihlangu; iNkosi ivusile umoya wamakhosi amaMede; ngoba icebo layo limelene leBhabhiloni ukuyichitha; ngoba lokho kuyimpindiselo yeNkosi, impindiselo yethempeli layo.
12 Raise the signal flag to attack the walls of Babylon; strengthen the guard; have the watchmen take their places; get the ambush ready. The Lord planned and carried out his threats against the people of Babylon.
Phakamisani isiboniso phezu kwemiduli yeBhabhiloni, liqinise ukulinda, libeke abalindi, lilungise abacathami, ngoba iNkosi isikucebile, futhi izakwenza lokho ekukhulume ngabahlali beBhabhiloni.
13 You people who live beside by many waters, and have so much wealth, this is the time of your end—your life will be cut short.
Wena ohlala emanzini amanengi, owande ngamagugu, ukuphela kwakho sekufikile, isilinganiso senzuzo yakho embi.
14 The Lord Almighty vowed by his own life, saying, I'm going to make sure to fill you with so many enemy soldiers they'll be like locusts. They will shout as they celebrate their victory over you.
INkosi yamabandla ifungile ngomphefumulo wayo yathi: Isibili ngizakugcwalisa ngabantu njengamacimbi, njalo bazahlabelela umkhosi ngawe.
15 It was God who made the earth by his power. He created the world by his wisdom and by his understanding he put the heavens in place.
Wenza umhlaba ngamandla akhe, walimisa ilizwe ngenhlakanipho yakhe, langokuqedisisa kwakhe wendlala amazulu.
16 The waters of the heavens rain down with a roar at his command. He makes the clouds to rise all over the earth. He makes lightning to accompany rain, and sends the wind from his storehouses.
Lapho ekhupha ilizwi lakhe, kulokuhlokoma kwamanzi amanengi emazulwini, ukhuphula inkungu ivela emkhawulweni womhlaba, enze imibane kanye lezulu, akhuphe umoya eziphaleni zakhe.
17 Everyone is stupid; they don't know anything. Every metalworker is embarrassed by the idols they make. For their images made of molten metal are fraudulent—they're not alive!
Wonke umuntu uyisiphukuphuku kalalwazi; wonke umkhandi wegolide uyangiswa yisithombe esibaziweyo, ngoba isithombe sakhe esibunjwe ngokuncibilikisa siyinkohliso, njalo kakulamoya kuzo.
18 They are useless, an object to be laughed at. They will be destroyed at the time of their punishment.
Ziyize, umsebenzi wezinkohliso; ngesikhathi sokuhanjelwa kwazo zizabhubha.
19 The God of Jacob is not like these idols, for he is the creator of everything, including his own people that are special to him. The Lord Almighty is his name.
Isabelo sikaJakobe kasinjengazo; ngoba yena nguye umbumbi wakho konke, loIsrayeli uyintonga yelifa lakhe; iNkosi yamabandla libizo lakhe.
20 You are my war club, the weapon I use in battle. I use you to destroy nations; I use you to destroy kingdoms.
Wena uyinduku yami yempi, izikhali zempi; ngoba ngawe ngizaphahlaza izizwe, langawe ngichithe imibuso,
21 I use you to destroy horses and their riders; I use you to destroy chariots and their drivers.
langawe ngiphahlaze ibhiza lomgadi walo, langawe ngiphahlaze inqola lomkhweli wayo,
22 I use you to destroy men and women; I use you to destroy old men and youths; I use you to destroy young men and girls.
langawe ngiphahlaze indoda lowesifazana, langawe ngiphahlaze ixhegu lomutsha, langawe ngiphahlaze ijaha lentombi,
23 I use you to destroy shepherds and their flocks; I use you to destroy farmers and their cattle; I use you to destroy rulers and state officials.
langawe ngiphahlaze umelusi lomhlambi wakhe, langawe ngiphahlaze umlimi lesipani sakhe, langawe ngiphahlaze ababusi lezinduna.
24 Right in front of you I'm going to pay back Babylon and everyone who live in Babylonia for all the evil they did to Jerusalem, declares the Lord.
Njalo ngizayiphindisela iBhabhiloni labo bonke abahlali beKhaladiya konke okubi kwabo abakwenzileyo eZiyoni emehlweni enu, itsho iNkosi.
25 Watch out, because I am against you, you destructive monster who devastates the whole world, declares the Lord. I will reach out to attack you; I will roll you down the cliffs; I will turn you into a mountain of ash.
Khangela, ngimelana lawe, wena ntaba echithayo, itsho iNkosi, echitha umhlaba wonke; ngizakwelulela isandla sami kuwe, ngikugiqe usuke emadwaleni, ngikwenze ube yintaba yokutshiswa.
26 Nobody will be even able to find themselves a cornerstone or a foundation stone among your ruins, because you will be so utterly destroyed, declares the Lord.
Njalo kabayikuthatha kuwe ilitshe libe ngelengonsi, lelitshe libe ngelezisekelo; ngoba uzakuba ngamanxiwa aphakade, itsho iNkosi.
27 Raise a signal flag in the country! Blow the trumpet call to war among the nations! Get the nations ready to attack her; Summon the kingdoms to march against her: Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz. Choose a commander to lead the armies to attack her; send into battle cavalry like a swarm of locusts.
Phakamisani isiboniso elizweni, livuthele uphondo phakathi kwezizwe, lilungise izizwe ukumelana layo, liyibizele ndawonye imibuso yeArarathi, iMini, leAshikenazi; libeke umlawuli webutho emelene layo, lenyuse amabhiza njengentethe ezimaxhakaxhaka.
28 Have the armies of the nations prepare for battle against her. This applies to the kings of the Medes, their leaders and all their officers, and every country they rule.
Lungisani izizwe ukumelana layo, amakhosi amaMede, induna zayo, lababusi bayo bonke, lelizwe lonke lombuso wayo.
29 The earth quakes and trembles because the Lord is determined to carry out what he threatened against Babylon—to turn Babylonia into a wasteland where no one lives.
Lelizwe lizazamazama libe lobuhlungu, ngoba ngalinye lamacebo eNkosi lima limelene leBhabhiloni, ukwenza ilizwe leBhabhiloni libe yincithakalo engelamhlali.
30 Babylon's defenders have given up fighting—they're just sitting in their fortresses. They're worn out; they've become like frightened women. Babylon's houses are burning; the bars securing her gates have been smashed.
Amaqhawe eBhabhiloni ayekele ukulwa, ahlala ezinqabeni, amandla awo aphelile, sebengabesifazana; bathungele indawo zayo zokuhlala, imigoqo yayo yephukile.
31 A runner hands his message over to another to carry; one messenger follows another messenger, all of them alerting the king of Babylon to the news that his city has been completely conquered,
Isigijimi sizagijima ukuhlangana lesigijimi, lombiki ukuhlangana lombiki, ukutshela inkosi yeBhabhiloni ukuthi umuzi wayo uthunjiwe kusukela ekucineni,
32 the river crossings have been captured, the marshlands set on fire and his soldiers are panicking.
lamazibuko abanjiwe, lamaxhaphozi atshiswe ngomlilo, lamadoda empi ethukile.
33 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: The people of Babylon are like a threshing floor when the grain is trampled out. Her time of harvest will come very soon.
Ngoba itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli: Indodakazi yeBhabhiloni injengebala lokubhulela; kuyisikhathi sokuyinyathela; kuseyisikhatshana, lesikhathi sesivuno sizafika kuyo.
34 Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon chewed me up and sucked me dry, making me as empty as a jar with nothing in it. He swallowed me down as if he were some monster, filling himself with the tastiest parts of me and throwing the rest away.
UNebhukadirezari inkosi yeBhabhiloni ungidlile, ungichobozile; wangibeka ngaba yimbiza engelalutho, wangiginya njengomgobho, wagcwalisa isisu sakhe ngezibondlo zami, wangixotsha.
35 “Babylon must bear the responsibility for the violent attacks on us,” say the inhabitants of Zion. “The people of Babylonia must bear the responsibility for the blood shed in my city,” says Jerusalem.
Udlakela lwami lolwenyama yami kube phezu kweBhabhiloni, utsho umhlalikazi weZiyoni; legazi lami libe phezu kwabahlali beKhaladiya, itsho iJerusalema.
36 This is what the Lord says: Watch as I present your case for you and make your enemies pay for what they did to you. I'm going to dry up her river and her springs.
Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi: Khangela, ngizalumela udaba lwakho, ngiphindisele impindiselo yakho; ngomise ulwandle lwayo, ngenze umthombo wayo wome.
37 Babylon will be turned into a pile of rubble, a home for jackals, a place that horrifies people, a place they jeer at, a place where no one lives.
LeBhabhiloni izakuba ngamadundulu, indawo yokuhlala yemigobho, isesabiso, lento yokuncifelwa, kungelamhlali.
38 The Babylonians will roar together like powerful lions and growl like lion cubs.
Bazabhonga kanyekanye njengamabhongo ezilwane, bahwabhe njengemidlwane yezilwane.
39 But while their passions are aroused, I will serve them a banquet and get them drunk. They'll celebrate so much that they'll pass out and won't ever wake up, declares the Lord.
Ekutshisekeni kwabo ngizabenzela amadili, ngibadakise ukuze bathokoze, balale ubuthongo obulaphakade, bangavuki, itsho iNkosi.
40 I will take them down like lambs to be slaughtered, like rams and goats.
Ngizabehlisa njengamawundlu ekuhlatshweni, njengezinqama kanye lezimpongo.
41 How could it be? Babylon has fallen! The most famous city in the world has been conquered! What a horrible sight Babylon has become to everyone watching!
Ithunjwe njani iSheshaki; yebo, lubanjiwe udumo lomhlaba wonke! IBhabhiloni isibe njani yisesabiso phakathi kwezizwe!
42 It's as if the sea has flooded over Babylon, covering her in crashing waves.
Ulwandle lukhukhumele phezu kweBhabhiloni, isibekelwe ngobunengi bamagagasi alo.
43 The towns of Babylonia are in ruins, turned into a dry desert wasteland where no one lives—no one even passes by.
Imizi yayo isingamanxiwa, ilizwe elomileyo, lenkangala, ilizwe okungahlali muntu kulo, okungadluli kulo indodana yomuntu.
44 I will punish Bel in Babylon. I will force him to spit out what he swallowed. People of other nations won't run to worship him anymore. Even Babylon's wall has fallen.
Njalo ngizajezisa uBheli eBhabhiloni, ngikhuphe emlonyeni wakhe lokho akuginyileyo; lezizwe kazisayikujulukela kuyo; yebo, umduli weBhabhiloni uwile.
45 My people, come out of her! Each one of you, save yourselves from the Lord's furious anger.
Phumani phakathi kwayo, bantu bami, likhulule ngulowo lalowo umphefumulo wakhe ekuvutheni kolaka lweNkosi.
46 Don't lose courage, and don't be afraid when you hear different rumors going around the country. There'll be one rumor one year, and another one the next, talking about violent revolution, of one ruler fighting against another.
Njalo hlezi inhliziyo yenu ibe buthakathaka, lesabe ngombiko ozwakala elizweni; ngoba kuzafika umbiko ngomunye umnyaka, lemva kwalokho umbiko ngomnyaka olandelayo, lodlakela elizweni, lombusi avukele umbusi.
47 Look, the time is coming when I will punish Babylon's idols. The whole country will be humiliated; it will be full of the dead bodies of those who have been killed.
Ngakho khangela, insuku ziyeza lapho engizahambela izithombe ezibaziweyo zeBhabhiloni; lelizwe lonke layo lizayangeka, lababuleweyo bayo bonke bawele phakathi kwayo.
48 Then everyone in heaven and on earth will celebrate with shouts of joy at what's happened to Babylon, because the destroyers from the north will come and attack her, declares the Lord.
Kuzakuthi-ke amazulu lomhlaba lakho konke okukukho kuhlabelele ngeBhabhiloni, ngoba abachithi bazayifikela bevela enyakatho, itsho iNkosi.
49 Babylon has to fall because of the Israelites and people of other nations she killed.
Njengalokhu iBhabhiloni yenza bawe ababuleweyo bakoIsrayeli, ngokunjalo ababuleweyo bomhlaba wonke bazakuwa eBhabhiloni.
50 Those of you who have managed to escape being killed, leave now! Don't delay! Remember the Lord in this far away place; think about Jerusalem.
Lina eliphunyukileyo enkembeni, hambani, lingemi; khumbulani iNkosi lisekhatshana, leJerusalema ivele enhliziyweni yenu.
51 “We are embarrassed because we've been mocked, and we held our heads in shame because foreigners went into the holy places of the Lord's Temple,”
Siyangekile ngoba sizwile ihlazo; inhloni zisibekele ubuso bethu, ngoba abezizwe sebefikile ezindaweni ezingcwele zendlu yeNkosi.
52 So keep watching, declares the Lord, because the time is coming when I will punish her for worshiping idols, and the sound of wounded people moaning will be heard throughout the country.
Ngakho khangela, insuku ziyeza, itsho iNkosi, lapho engizahambela izithombe zayo ezibaziweyo; lakulo lonke ilizwe layo kuzabubula ogwaziweyo.
53 Even if Babylon could climb up into the sky to strengthen her high fortresses, those I send to attack her will destroy her, declares the Lord.
Loba iBhabhiloni ingaphakamela emazulwini, njalo loba ingaqinisa ukuphakama kwamandla ayo, kube kanti abachithi bazayifikela bevela kimi, itsho iNkosi.
54 A cry comes from Babylon; the noise of terrible destruction comes from the country of Babylonia.
Kulomsindo wokukhala ovela eBhabhiloni, lokufohlela okukhulu elizweni lamaKhaladiya.
55 For the Lord is going to destroy Babylon; he will put an end to her boastful talk. The waves of attacking army will roar like the crashing sea; the noise of their shouts will echo all around.
Ngoba iNkosi ichithile iBhabhiloni, yabhubhisa kuyo ilizwi elikhulu. Lapho amagagasi abo ahlokoma njengamanzi amanengi, umsindo wawo uzakhupha ilizwi.
56 A destroyer is coming to attack Babylon. Her soldiers will be taken prisoner, and their bows will be smashed, for the Lord is a God who punishes fairly; he will definitely pay them back.
Ngoba umchithi wehlela phezu kwayo, phezu kweBhabhiloni, amaqhawe ayo azathunjwa, amadandili awo ephukile; ngoba iNkosi, uNkulunkulu wezimpindiselo, uzayivuza sibili.
57 I will make her leaders and wise men drunk, along with her commanders, officers, and soldiers. Then they will pass out, and won't ever wake up, declares the King, whose name is the Lord Almighty.
Ngizadakisa-ke iziphathamandla zayo, lezihlakaniphi zayo, ababusi bayo, lenduna zayo, lamaqhawe ayo; njalo bazalala ubuthongo obulaphakade, bangavuki, itsho iNkosi, obizo layo nguJehova wamabandla.
58 This is what the Lord Almighty says: Babylon's massive walls will be knocked down to the ground and her high gates burned. All that the people worked for will be for nothing; other nations who came to help will wear themselves out, only to see what they've done go up in flames.
Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla: Imiduli ebanzi yeBhabhiloni izadilizwa ngokupheleleyo, lamasango ayo aphakemeyo athungelwe ngomlilo, labantu batshikatshikele ize, lezizwe zitshikatshikele umlilo, zikhathale.
59 This is the message that Jeremiah the prophet gave to Seraiah son of Neriah, son of Mahseiah, when he accompanied King Zedekiah of Judah to Babylon in the fourth year of Zedekiah's reign. Seraiah was the king's personal assistant.
Ilizwi uJeremiya umprofethi alilaya uSeraya indodana kaNeriya, indodana kaMahaseya, ekuhambeni kwakhe loZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda ukuya eBhabhiloni emnyakeni wesine wokubusa kwakhe. Njalo uSeraya wayeyisiphathamandla sokuthula.
60 Jeremiah had written on a scroll a description of all the disasters that would come to Babylon—all these words written here about Babylon.
UJeremiya wasebhala egwalweni konke okubi okuzakwehlela iBhabhiloni, wonke lamazwi abhaliweyo emelene leBhabhiloni.
61 Jeremiah told Seraiah, “When you arrive in Babylon, make sure you read out loud everything written here,
UJeremiya wasesithi kuSeraya: Lapho usufikile eBhabhiloni, ubone ufunde wonke lamazwi.
62 and announce, ‘Lord, you have promised to destroy this place so that none will be left—no people or animals. In fact it will be deserted forever.’
Ubususithi: Nkosi, wena ukhulumile ngalindawo ukuthi uzayiquma, ukuze kungabi khona umhlali kiyo, kusukela emuntwini kusiya enyamazaneni, kodwa ibe zincithakalo phakade.
63 After you finish reading this scroll out loud, tie a stone to it and throw it into the Euphrates.
Kuzakuthi-ke usuqedile ukulufunda lolugwalo, ubophele ilitshe kulo, uluphosele phakathi kweYufrathi,
64 Then say, ‘This is how Babylon will sink and won't ever rise again, because of the disaster I'm bringing down on her. Her people will grow tired.’” This is the end of Jeremiah's messages.
ubususithi: Ngokunjalo iBhabhiloni izatshona, ingabe isavumbuluka, ngenxa yobubi engizayehlisela bona; njalo bazadinwa. Kuze kube lapha ngamazwi kaJeremiya.
