Jeremiah 13
1 THUS saith the Lord unto me, Go and get thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water.
UThixo wathi kimi: “Hamba uyethenga ibhanti lelineni ubophe ukhalo lwakho ngalo, kodwa lingathinti amanzi.”
2 So I got a girdle according to the word of the Lord, and put it on my loins.
Ngakho ngathenga ibhanti, njengokulaya kukaThixo, ngabopha ukhalo lwami ngalo.
3 And the word of the Lord came unto me the second time, saying,
Ilizwi likaThixo labuya lafika kimi ngokwesibili lathi:
4 Take the girdle that thou hast got, which is upon thy loins, and arise, go to Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the rock.
“Thatha ibhanti olithengileyo obophe ngalo ukhalo lwakho, uye eYufrathe, khathesi nje ulifihle khona eminkenkeni yamatshe.”
5 So I went, and hid it by Euphrates, as the Lord commanded me.
Ngakho ngahamba ngayalifihla eYufrathe, njengokutsho kukaThixo kimi.
6 And it came to pass after many days, that the Lord said unto me, Arise, go to Euphrates, and take the girdle from thence, which I commanded thee to hide there.
Sekudlule insuku ezinengi uThixo wathi kimi, “Hamba khathesi eYufrathe uyethatha ibhanti engathi lifihle khona.”
7 Then I went to Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it: and, behold, the girdle was marred, it was profitable for nothing.
Ngakho ngaya eYufrathe ngagebha lapho engangifihle khona ibhanti, kodwa laselonakele impela lingaselasizo.
8 Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
Lapho-ke kwafika ilizwi likaThixo kimi lisithi:
9 Thus saith the Lord, After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.
“UThixo uthi: ‘Ngendlela efanayo ngizakuchitha ukuzigqaja kukaJuda lokuzigqaja okukhulu kweJerusalema.
10 This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing.
Lababantu abangalunganga, abalayo ukulalela amazwi ami, abalandela ubulukhuni bezinhliziyo zabo badinge abanye onkulunkulu ukuba babasebenzele njalo babakhonze, bazakuba njengebhanti leli, bengelasizo loluncane!
11 For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the Lord; that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.
Ngoba njengebhanti libopha ukhalo lomuntu, ngayibophela kanjalo kimi yonke indlu ka-Israyeli layo yonke indlu kaJuda, kutsho uThixo, ukuba babengabantu bami ngenxa yodumo lwami, ukubongwa lokudunyiswa. Kodwa kabalalelanga.’”
12 Therefore thou shalt speak unto them this word; Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Every bottle shall be filled with wine: and they shall say unto thee, Do we not certainly know that every bottle shall be filled with wine?
“Batshele uthi, ‘UThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi, zonke izikhumba zewayini kumele zigcwaliswe ngewayini.’ Bona bangathi kuwe, ‘Kanti thina kasikwazi yini ukuthi izikhumba zonke kumele zigcwaliswe ngewayini?’
13 Then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that sit upon David’s throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness.
wena uthi kubo, ‘UThixo uthi: Ngizabenza badakwe bonke abahlala kulelilizwe, kanye lamakhosi ahlala esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaDavida, abaphristi, abaphrofethi labo bonke abahlala eJerusalema.
14 And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the Lord: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them.
Ngizabamahlaza omunye komunye, oyise lamadodana ngokufananayo, kutsho uThixo. Angiyikuvumela isihawu loba umusa kumbe uzwelo ukuba kungivimbele ukubabhubhisa.’”
15 Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the Lord hath spoken.
Zwanini lilalele, lingazigqaji, ngoba uThixo usekhulumile.
16 Give glory to the Lord your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.
Dumisani uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu engakalethi ubumnyama, inyawo zenu zingakakhubeki emaqaqeni asesembeswa yibumnyama. Lilindele ukukhanya, kodwa yena uzakwenza kube yibumnyama, akuphendule kube yibumnyama obesabekayo.
17 But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the Lord’s flock is carried away captive.
Kodwa nxa lingalaleli, ngizakhalela ensitha ngenxa yokuzigqaja kwenu; amehlo ami azalila kabuhlungu, ageleze inyembezi, ngoba umhlambi kaThixo uzathunjwa.
18 Say unto the king and to the queen, Humble yourselves, sit down: for your principalities shall come down, even the crown of your glory.
Tshono enkosini lasendlovukazini uthi, “Yehlani ezihlalweni zenu zobukhosi lize phansi, ngoba imiqhele yenu emihle kakhulu izakuwa emakhanda enu.”
19 The cities of the south shall be shut up, and none shall open them: Judah shall be carried away captive all of it, it shall be wholly carried away captive.
Amadolobho aseNegebi azavalwa, njalo akuyikuba khona ozawavula. UJuda wonke uzathathwa asiwe ekuthunjweni, uzasiwa ekuthunjweni ngokupheleleyo.
20 Lift up your eyes, and behold them that come from the north: where is the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock?
Phakamisani amehlo enu libone labo abavela enyakatho. Ungaphi umhlambi ababewugcinisiwe, izimvu elalizazisa ngazo na?
21 What wilt thou say when he shall punish thee? for thou hast taught them to be captains, and as chief over thee: shall not sorrows take thee, as a woman in travail?
Lizakuthini lapho uThixo esebabeka phezu kwenu labo elabenza babangabangane benu abaqakathekileyo na? Kaliyikubanjwa yibuhlungu obufana lobowesifazane ehelelwa na?
22 And if thou say in thine heart, Wherefore come these things upon me? For the greatness of thine iniquity are thy skirts discovered, and thy heels made bare.
Njalo nxa uzibuza usithi, “Kungani lokhu kwenzakele kimi na?” Kungenxa yezono zakho ezinengi ukuthi izidwaba zakho zidatshulwe lomzimba wakho waphathwa kubi.
23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.
UmTopiya angaliguqula yini ijwabu lakhe loba ingwe iguqule amabala ayo na? Lani lingeke lenze okuhle lina selajwayela ukwenza okubi.
24 Therefore will I scatter them as the stubble that passeth away by the wind of the wilderness.
“Ngizalihlakaza njengamakhoba ephetshulwa ngumoya wasenkangala.
25 This is thy lot, the portion of thy measures from me, saith the Lord; because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.
Lokhu yikho okungokwenu, isabelo engilimisele sona,” kutsho uThixo, “ngoba lingikhohliwe lathemba onkulunkulu bamanga.
26 Therefore will I discover thy skirts upon thy face, that thy shame may appear.
Ngizaphekulela izidwaba zakho ebusweni bakho ukuba kubonakale ihlazo lakho,
27 I have seen thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy whoredom, and thine abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe unto thee, O Jerusalem! wilt thou not be made clean? when shall it once be?
ubufebe bakho lokububuliswa yisigwebo, ukufeba kwakho ungelanhloni! Ngizibonile izenzo zakho ezenyanyekayo phezu kwamaqaqa lasegangeni. Maye kuwe, wena Jerusalema! Koze kube nini ungahlambulukanga na?”
