< Jeremias 31 >

1 Thus has the Lord said concerning MOAB, Woe to Nabau! for it has perished: Cariathaim is taken: Amath and Agath are put to shame.
“Ngalesosikhathi ngizakuba nguNkulunkulu wezizwana zonke zako-Israyeli, bona bazakuba ngabantu bami,” kutsho uThixo.
2 There is no longer any healing for Moab, [nor] glorying in Esebon: he has devised evils against her: we have cut her off from [being] a nation, and she shall be completely still: after you shall go a sword;
UThixo uthi: “Abantu abasilayo enkembeni bazathola umusa enkangala; ngizakuzanika u-Israyeli ukuphumula.”
3 for [there is] a voice of [men] crying out of Oronaim, destruction and great ruin.
UThixo wabonakala kithi kudala esithi: “Ngikuthandile ngothando olungapheliyo; ngikuhole ngesisa esikhulu.
4 Moab is ruined, proclaim [it] to Zogora:
Ngizakwakha njalo uzakwakhiwa kutsha futhi, wena Israyeli Ntombi emsulwa. Uzathatha amagedla akho futhi uphume uyegida labathokozayo.
5 for Aloth is filled with weeping: one shall go up weeping by the way of Oronaim; you have heard a cry of destruction.
Uzalima izivini zakho futhi emaqaqeni aseSamariya; abalimi bazazilima badle izithelo zazo.
6 Flee you, and save your lives, and you shall be as a wild ass in the desert.
Kuzakuba losuku lapho abalindi bezamemeza phezu kwamaqaqa ako-Efrayimi bathi, ‘Wozani, kasiyeni eZiyoni, kuThixo uNkulunkulu wethu.’”
7 Since you have trusted in your strong-hold, therefore you shall be taken: and Chamos shall go forth into captivity, and his priests, and his princes together.
UThixo uthi: “Mhlabeleleni uJakhobe ngokuthokoza; nqongolozelani izizwe ezidumileyo. Yenzani ukudumisa kwenu kuzwakale, lisithi, ‘Awu Thixo, bahlenge abantu bakho, insalela ka-Israyeli.’
8 And destruction shall come upon every city, it shall by no means escape; the valley also shall perish, and the plain country shall be completely destroyed, as the Lord has said.
Khangelani, ngizababuyisa bevela elizweni lasenyakatho, ngibaqoqe emikhawulweni yomhlaba. Phakathi kwabo kuzakuba leziphofu labaqhulayo; abesifazane abazithweleyo labahelelwayo; ixuku elikhulu lizabuya.
9 Set marks upon Moab, for she shall be touched with a plague-spot, and all her cities shall become desolate; whence [shall there be] an inhabitant for her?
Bazabuya bekhala; bazakhuleka lapho ngibabuyisa. Ngizabaholela ezihotsheni zamanzi endleleni eyendlalekileyo lapho abangayikukhubeka khona, ngoba nginguyise ka-Israyeli, njalo u-Efrayimi yindodana yami elizibulo.
10 Cursed is the man that does the works of the Lord carelessly, keeping back his sword from blood.
Zwanini ilizwi likaThixo, lina zizwe; limemezeleni emazweni angaselwandle khatshana lithi: ‘Yena owahlakaza u-Israyeli uzamqoqa njalo uzakwelusa umhlambi wakhe njengomelusi.’
11 Moab has been at ease from a child, and trusted in his glory; he has not poured out [his liquor] from vessel to vessel, and has not gone into banishment, therefore his taste remained in him, and his smell departed not.
Ngoba uThixo uzamhlenga uJakhobe, abakhulule ezandleni zalabo abalamandla kulabo.
12 Therefore, behold, his days come, says the Lord, when I shall send upon him bad leaders, and they shall lead him astray, and they shall utterly break in pieces his possessions, and shall cut his horns asunder.
Bazakuza banqongoloze ngentokozo ezingqongeni zeZiyoni; bazathokoza ngokuphana kukaThixo, ngamabele, langewayini elitsha kanye lamafutha e-oliva, ngamazinyane ezimvu langamathole enkomo. Bazakuba njengesivande esithelelwa kuhle, njalo kabasayikuba losizi futhi.
13 And Moab shall be ashamed of Chamos, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Baethel their hope, having trusted in them.
Izintombi zizagida njalo futhi zithabe, enzenjalo amajaha labadala. Ngizaguqula ukukhala kwabo kube yikuthaba; ngizabapha induduzo lentokozo esikhundleni sosizi.
14 How will you say, We are strong, and men strong for war?
Ngizasuthisa abaphristi ngokunengi, labantu bami bazasutha ngokuphana kwami,” kutsho uThixo.
15 Moab is ruined, [even] his city, and his choice young men have gone down to slaughter.
Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: “Ilizwi lizwakala eRama, lesililo lokukhala okukhulu, uRasheli ukhalela abantwabakhe njalo esala ukududuzwa, ngoba kabasekho.”
16 The day of Moab is near at hand, and his iniquity moves swiftly [to vengeance].
Nanku akutshoyo uThixo: “Bamba ilizwi lakho ungakhali, lamehlo akho angehlisi inyembezi ngoba umsebenzi wakho uzathola umvuzo,” kutsho uThixo. “Bazabuya bevela elizweni lesitha.
17 Shake [the head] at him, all you that are round about him; all [of you] utter his name; say you, How is the glorious staff broken to pieces, the rod of magnificence!
Ngakho kulethemba ensukwini zakho ezizayo,” kutsho uThixo. “Abantwabakho bazabuyela elizweni labo.
18 Come down from [your] glory, and sit down in a damp place: Daebon shall be broken, because Moab is destroyed: there has gone up against you one to ravage your strong-hold.
Ngikuzwile impela ukukhala kuka-Efrayimi esithi: ‘Wangitshaya njengethole elingathambanga, njalo sengajeziseka. Ngibuyisa, njalo ngizabuya, ngoba unguThixo uNkulunkulu wami.
19 Stand by the way, and look, you that dwell in Arer; and ask him that is fleeing, and him that escapes, and say, What has happened?
Emva kokweduka kwami, ngaphenduka; emva kokuba sengizwisisile, ngazitshaya isifuba. Ngaba lenhloni ngadumazeka ngoba ngangilehlazo lasebutsheni bami.’
20 Moab is put to shame, because he is broken: howl and cry; proclaim in Arnon, that Moab has perished.
U-Efrayimi kasindodana yami ethandekayo, umntanami engithokoza ngaye na? Lanxa ngihlala ngikhuluma kubi ngaye ngisamkhumbula. Ngakho inhliziyo yami iyamlangatha; ngiyamzwela kakhulu, kutsho uThixo.
21 And judgment is coming against the land of Misor, upon Chelon, and Rephas, and Mophas,
Beka izitshengiso zomgwaqo; umise lezinsika zeziqondiso. Nanzelela umgwaqo, indlela ozahamba ngayo. Phenduka, wena Ntombi egcweleyo Israyeli, buyela emadolobheni akho.
22 and upon Daebon, and upon Nabau, and upon the house of Daethlathaim,
Koze kube nini ulokhu uzulazula, wena ndodakazi engathembekanga na? UThixo uzadala into entsha emhlabeni, owesifazane uzavikela indoda.”
23 and upon Cariathaim, and upon the house of Gaemol, and upon the house of Maon,
UThixo uSomandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi, “Lapho ngibabuyisa bevela ekuthunjweni, abantu abaselizweni lakoJuda lasemadolobheni alo bazawasebenzisa futhi amazwi la athi, ‘UThixo akubusise wena ndawo yokuhlala elungileyo, wena ntaba engcwele.’
24 and upon Carioth, and upon Bosor, and upon all the cities of Moab, far and near.
Abantu bazahlala ndawonye koJuda lasemadolobheni akhona wonke, abalimi kanye lalabo abazulazulayo lemihlambi yabo.
25 The horn of Moab is broken, and his arm is crushed.
Ngizaqinisa abadiniweyo ngisuthise abangelamandla.”
26 Make you him drunk; for he has magnified himself against the Lord: and Moab shall clap with his hand, and shall be also himself a laughing stock.
Lapho-ke ngaphaphama ngakhangela indawana yonke. Ubuthongo bami babubemnandi kimi.
27 For surely Israel was to you a laughing stock, and was found among your thefts, because you did fight against him.
“Insuku ziyeza, lapho engizahlanyela khona indlu ka-Israyeli lendlu kaJuda lenzalo yabantu lezinyamazana.
28 The inhabitants of Moab have left the cities, and lived in rocks; they have become as doves nestling in rocks, at the mouth of a cave.
Njengoba ngabalinda ukusiphuna lokudiliza, ukuchitha lokubhubhisa kanye lokuletha umonakalo, ngokunjalo ngizabalinda ukwakha lokuhlanyela,” kutsho uThixo.
29 And I have heard of the pride of Moab, he has greatly heightened his pride and his haughtiness, and his heart has been lifted up.
“Ngalezonsuku abantu kabasayikutsho ukuthi, ‘Abazali badle amavini amunyu, ngakho amazinyo abantwana asetshelela.’
30 But I know his works: is it not enough for him? has he not done thus?
Esikhundleni salokho, umuntu wonke uzafela izono zakhe; loba ngubani odla amavini amunyu amazinyo akhe azatshelela.
31 Therefore howl you for Moab on all sides; cry out against the shorn men [in] a gloomy place. I will weep for you,
Isikhathi siyeza, lapho engizakwenza khona isivumelwano esitsha lendlu ka-Israyeli kanye lekaJuda,” kutsho uThixo.
32 O vine of Aserema, as with the weeping of Jazer: your branches are gone over the sea, they reached the cities of Jazer: destruction has come upon your fruits, [and] upon your grape gatherers.
“Kasiyikufana lesivumelwano engasenza labokhokho babo lapho engababamba khona ngesandla ukuba ngibakhuphe eGibhithe, ngoba bephula isivumelwano sami, lanxa ngangingumyeni wabo,” kutsho uThixo.
33 Joy and gladness have been utterly swept off the land of Moab: and [though] there was wine in your presses, in the morning they trod it not, neither in the evening did they raise the cry of joy.
“Lesi yiso isivumelwano engizasenza lendlu ka-Israyeli ngemva kwalesosikhathi,” kutsho uThixo. “Ngizafaka umthetho wami ezingqondweni zabo, ngiwulobe lasezinhliziyweni zabo. Ngizakuba nguNkulunkulu wabo, bona bazakuba ngabantu bami.
34 From the cry of Esebon even to Aetam their cities uttered their voice, from Zogor to Oronaim, and their tidings [as] a heifer of three years old, for the water also of Nebrin shall be dried up.
Umuntu kasayikufundisa umakhelwane wakhe, kumbe umfowabo esithi, ‘Mazi uThixo,’ ngoba bonke bazangazi, kusukela komncinyane wabo kusiya komkhulu, kutsho uThixo. Ngoba ngizabathethelela ububi babo, njalo angiyikukhumbula izono zabo futhi.”
35 And I will destroy Moab, says the Lord, as he comes up to the altar, and burns incense to his gods.
Nanku akutshoyo uThixo, yena obeka ilanga ukuba likhanyise emini, omisa inyanga lezinkanyezi ukuba kukhanye ebusuku, onyakazisa ulwandle ukuze amagagasi alo ahlokome, uThixo uSomandla yilo ibizo lakhe, uthi:
36 Therefore the heart of Moab shall sound as pipes, my heart shall sound as a pipe for the shorn men; forasmuch as what [every] man has gained has perished from him.
“Nxa izimiso lezi zinganyamalala ebusweni bami,” kutsho uThixo, “kulapho lenzalo ka-Israyeli ezacina khona ukuba yisizwe phambi kwami.”
37 They shall all have their heads shaved in every place, and every beard shall be shaved; and all hands shall beat [the breasts], and on all loins shall be sackcloth.
UThixo uthi: “Nxa amazulu phezulu engalinganiswa lezisekelo zomhlaba ngaphansi zihlolwe, kulapho engingayilahla khona yonke inzalo ka-Israyeli ngenxa yakho konke abakwenzileyo,” kutsho uThixo.
38 And on all the housetops of Moab, and in his streets [shall be mourning]: for I have broken [him], says the Lord, as a vessel, which is useless.
“Insuku ziyeza,” kutsho uThixo, “lapho idolobho leli ngizalakhelwa kutsha kusukela eMphotshongweni waseHananeli kusiya eSangweni leNgosi.
39 How has he changed! how has Moab turned [his] back! Moab is put to shame, and become a laughing stock, and an object of anger to all that are round about him.
Intambo yokulinganisa izasukela lapho iqonde eqaqeni lweGarebi ibe isijikela eGowa.
40 For thus said the Lord;
Isigodi sonke lapho okulahlelwa khona izidumbu zabafileyo lomlotha, lawo wonke amasimu kusiyafika esigodini seKhidironi ngasempumalanga kusiyafika ejikweni leSango leBhiza, kuzakuba ngcwele kuThixo. Idolobho kaliyikusitshunwa futhi loba lidilizwe.”
41 Carioth is taken, and the strongholds have been taken together.
42 And Moab shall perish from being a multitude, because he has magnified himself against the Lord.
43 A snare, and fear, and the pit, are upon you, O inhabitant of Moab.
44 He that flees from the terror shall fall into the pit, and he that comes up out of the pit shall even be taken in the snare: for I will bring these things upon Moab in the year of their visitation.

< Jeremias 31 >