Jeremiah 50
1 The word that YHWH has spoken concerning Babylon, concerning the land of the Chaldeans, by the hand of Jeremiah the prophet:
Leli yilizwi uThixo alikhuluma ngoJeremiya umphrofethi mayelana leBhabhiloni lelizwe lamaKhaladiya:
2 “Declare among nations, and sound, And lift up an ensign, sound, do not hide, Say, Babylon has been captured, Bel has been put to shame, Merodach has been broken, Her grievous things have been put to shame, Her idols have been 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 For a nation from the north has come up against her, It makes her land become a desolation, And there is not an inhabitant in it. From man even to beast, They have moved, they have gone.
Isizwe esivela enyakatho sizayihlasela sitshabalalise ilizwe layo. Kakho ozahlala kuyo; abantu lezinyamazana kuzasuka kubaleke.
4 In those days, and at that time,” A declaration of YHWH, “Sons of Israel come in, They and sons of Judah together, Going on and weeping they go, And they seek their God YHWH.
Ngalezonsuku, ngalesosikhathi, abantu bako-Israyeli ndawonye labantu bakoJuda bazahamba bekhala bedinga uThixo uNkulunkulu wabo.
5 They ask the way [to] Zion, Their faces [are] toward that place: Come in, and we are joined to YHWH, A perpetual covenant—never forgotten.
Bazabuza indlela eya eZiyoni bakhangelise ubuso babo kuyo. Bazakuza bazibophele kuThixo ngesivumelwano esingapheliyo esingayikukhohlakala.
6 My people have been a perishing flock, Their shepherds have caused them to err, Causing them to go back [on] the mountains, They have gone from mountain to hill, They have forgotten their crouching-place.
Abantu bami bebeyizimvu ezilahlekileyo, abelusi babo babebadukisile babenza bazulazula phezu kwezintaba. Bantula phezu kwezintaba laphezu kwamaqaqa bakhohlwa indawo yabo yokuphumula.
7 All finding them have devoured them, And their adversaries have said: We are not guilty, Because that they sinned against YHWH, The habitation of righteousness, And the hope of their fathers—YHWH.
Loba ngubani owabatholayo wabadla; izitha zabo zathi, ‘Kasilacala, ngoba benza okubi kuThixo, idlelo labo eliqotho, uThixo, ithemba laboyise.’
8 Move from the midst of Babylon, And go out from the land of the Chaldeans; And be as male goats before a flock.
Balekelani ngaphandle kweBhabhiloni; sukani elizweni lamaKhaladiya, libe njengembuzi ezikhokhela umhlambi.
9 For behold, I am stirring up, And am causing to come up against Babylon, An assembly of great nations from [the] land of the north, And they have set in array against her, From there she is captured, Its arrow—as a skillful hero—does not return empty,
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 And Chaldea has been for a spoil, All her spoilers are satisfied,” A declaration of YHWH.
Ngakho iBhabhiloni izaphangwa, bonke abayiphangayo bazasuthiseka,” kutsho uThixo.
11 “Because you rejoice, because you exult, O spoilers of My inheritance, Because you increase as a heifer [at] the tender grass, And cry aloud as bulls,
“Njengoba lithokoza njalo lithabile, lizaphanga ilifa lami ngoba liyaqolotsha njengethokazi etshanini, njalo likhale njengamabhiza amaduna,
12 Your mother has been greatly ashamed, She who bore you has been confounded, Behold, the last of nations [is] a wilderness, A dry land, and a desert.
unyoko uzayangeka kakhulu, yena owalizalayo uzakuba lenhloni. Uzakuba ngowokucina phakathi kwezizwe, inkangala, ilizwe elomileyo, ugwadule.
13 Because of the wrath of YHWH it is not inhabited, And it has been a desolation—all of it. Everyone passing by at Babylon is astonished, And hisses because of all her plagues.
Ngenxa yolaka lukaThixo kayiyikuhlalwa muntu kodwa izachithwa ngokupheleleyo. Bonke abadlula eBhabhiloni bazakwesaba baklolode ngenxa yamanxeba ayo wonke.
14 Set yourselves in array against Babylon all around, All you treading a bow, Shoot at her, have no pity on the arrow, For she has sinned against YHWH.
Vivani inhlangothi zonke zeBhabhiloni lonke lina eliphethe amadandili. Itshokeni! Lingatshiyi mitshoko ngoba yonile kuThixo.
15 Shout against her all around, She has given forth her hand, Her foundations have fallen, Her walls have been thrown down, For it [is] the vengeance of YHWH, Be avenged of her, as she did—do to her.
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 Cut off the sower from Babylon, And him handling the sickle in the time of harvest, Because of the oppressing sword, Each to his people—they turn, And each to his land—they flee.
Msuseni eBhabhiloni umhlanyeli, lomvuni lesikela yakhe ekuvuneni. Ngenxa yenkemba yomncindezeli, umuntu wonke kabuyele ebantwini bakibo; umuntu wonke kabalekele elizweni lakibo.
17 Israel [is as] a scattered sheep, Lions have driven [him] away, At first, the king of Asshur devoured him, And now, at last, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has broken his bone.
U-Israyeli ungumhlambi ohlakazekileyo oxotshwe yizilwane. Owaqalayo ukumudla yinkosi yase-Asiriya; owacinayo ukuqhoba amathambo akhe nguNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni.”
18 Therefore, thus said YHWH of Hosts, God of Israel: Behold, I am seeing after the king of Babylon, And after his land, As I have seen after the king of Asshur;
Ngakho uThixo uSomandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi: “Ngizayijezisa inkosi yaseBhabhiloni lelizwe layo njengoba ngajezisa inkosi yase-Asiriya.
19 And I have brought Israel back to his habitation, And he has fed on Carmel and on Bashan; And his soul is satisfied on Mount Ephraim and on Gilead.
Kodwa u-Israyeli ngizambuyisela edlelweni lakhe, uzakudla eKhameli kanye laseBhashani; inkanuko yakhe izasuthiswa emaqaqeni ako-Efrayimi kanye leGiliyadi.
20 In those days, and at that time,” A declaration of YHWH, “The iniquity of Israel is sought, and it is not, And the sin of Judah, and it is not found, For I am propitious to those whom I leave!
Ngalezonsuku, ngalesosikhathi,” kutsho uThixo, “ukona kuka-Israyeli kuzadingwa, kodwa akuyikuba khona; kudingwe lezono zikaJuda kodwa kasikho esizafunyanwa, ngoba insalela engiyitshiyayo ngizayithethelela.
21 Against the land of Merathaim, go up against it, And to the inhabitants of Pekod, Dry up and devote their posterity,” A declaration of YHWH, “And do according to all that I have commanded you.
Hlaselani ilizwe laseMerathayimi lalabo abahlala ePhekhodi. Xotshanani labo libabulale libaqede du,” kutsho uThixo. “Yenzani konke engililaye khona.
22 A noise of battle [is] in the land, And of great destruction.
Umsindo wempi uselizweni, umsindo wencithakalo enkulu!
23 How it has been cut and broken, The hammer of the whole earth! How Babylon has been for a desolation among nations!
Yeka ukwephuka lokucezuka kwesando somhlaba wonke! Yeka ukuchitheka kweBhabhiloni phakathi kwezizwe!
24 I have laid a snare for you, And you are also captured, O Babylon, And you have known, You have been found, and are also caught, For you have stirred yourself up against YHWH.
Ngakuthiya ngomjibila, wena Bhabhiloni, wabanjwa ungakakwazi lokho; waficwa wathunjwa, ngoba wamelana loThixo.
25 YHWH has opened His treasury, And He brings out the weapons of His indignation, For a work [is] to Lord YHWH of Hosts, In the land of the Chaldeans.
UThixo usevule indlu yakhe yezikhali wakhupha izikhali zolaka lwakhe, ngoba uThixo Wobukhosi, uSomandla ulomsebenzi okumele awenze elizweni lamaKhaladiya.
26 Come in to her from the extremity, Open her storehouses, Raise her up as heaps, and devote her, Let her have no remnant.
Wozani kuyo limelane layo livela kude. Fohlelani eziphaleni zayo; liyibuthelele njengezinqumbi zamabele. Ichitheni okupheleleyo lingayitshiyeli nsalela.
27 Slay all her cows, they go down to slaughter, Woe [is] on them, for their day has come, The time of their inspection.
Bulalani zonke inkunzi zayo ezisesengamaguqa; ziwiseleni phansi ekuhlatshweni! Maye kubo! Ngoba usuku lwabo selufikile, isikhathi sabo sokujeziswa.
28 A voice of fugitives and escaped ones [Is] from the land of Babylon, To declare in Zion the vengeance of our God YHWH, The vengeance of His temple.
Lalelani ababalekayo labaphephileyo abavela eBhabhiloni bememezela eZiyoni ngokuphindisela uThixo uNkulunkulu wethu asekwenzile, ukuphindisela ngenxa yethempeli lakhe.
29 Summon archers to Babylon, all treading the bow, Encamp against her all around, Let [her] have no escape; Repay to her according to her work, According to all that she did—do to her, For she has been proud against YHWH, Against the Holy One of Israel.
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 Therefore her young men fall in her broad places, And all her men of war are cut off in that day,” A declaration of YHWH.
Ngakho izinsizwa zayo zizakuwa emigwaqweni; ngalolosuku wonke amabutho ayo azabulawa,” kutsho uThixo.
31 “Behold, I [am] against you, O pride,” A declaration of Lord YHWH of Hosts, “For your day has come, the time of your inspection.
“Khangela, ngimelane lawe, wena oyisiqholo,” kutsho uThixo, uThixo uSomandla, “ngoba usuku lwakho selufikile, isikhathi sokujeziswa kwakho.
32 And pride has stumbled, And he has fallen, and has none raising up, And I have kindled a fire in his cities, And it has devoured all around him.
Oyisiqholo uzakhubeka awe, njalo kakho ozamsiza amvuse. Ngizabasa umlilo emadolobheni akhe ozaqothula bonke abakhelene laye.”
33 Thus said YHWH of Hosts: The sons of Israel are oppressed, And the sons of Judah together, And all their captors have kept hold on them, They have refused to send them away.
UThixo uSomandla uthi: “Abantu bako-Israyeli bancindezelwe, kanye labantu bakoJuda futhi. Bonke abathumbi babo babagagadlele, besala ukubadedela bahambe.
34 Their Redeemer [is] strong, YHWH of Hosts [is] His Name, He thoroughly pleads their cause, So as to cause the land to rest, And He has given trouble to the inhabitants 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] for the Chaldeans,” A declaration of YHWH, “And it [is] on the inhabitants of Babylon, And on her heads, and on her wise men;
Inkemba imelana lamaKhaladiya,” kutsho uThixo, “imelane lalabo abahlala eBhabhiloni kanye lezikhulu zayo lezihlakaniphi zayo!
36 A sword [is] on the princes, And they have become foolish; A sword [is] on her mighty ones, And they have been broken down;
Inkemba izamelana labaphrofethi balo bamanga! Bazakuba yizithutha. Inkemba izamelana lamabutho ayo! Azakuba lokwesaba okukhulu.
37 A sword [is] on his horses and on his chariot, And on all the rabble who [are] in her midst, And they have become women; A sword [is] on her treasuries, And they have been spoiled;
Inkemba izamelana lamabhiza ayo lezinqola zempi labo bonke abezizweni abakuyo! Bazakuba ngabafazi. Inkemba izamelana lenotho yayo! Izaphangwa.
38 A sword [is] on her waters, and they have been dried up, For it [is] a land of carved images, And they boast themselves in idols.
Kuzakuba lokoma kwamanzi ayo! Azacitsha. Ngoba yilizwe lezithombe, izithombe ezizahlanya ngenxa yokwesaba.
39 Therefore desert-dwellers dwell with howlers, Indeed, daughters of the ostrich have dwelt in her, And it is not inhabited anymore forever, Nor dwelt in from generation to generation.
Ngakho izidalwa zasenkangala lezimpisi zizahlala khona, lesikhova sizahlala khona. Akusayikwakhiwa kuyo lanini kumbe kuhlalwe kuyo kusukela kusizukulwane kusiya kusizukulwane.
40 As the overthrow by God of Sodom, And of Gomorrah, and of its neighbors,” A declaration of YHWH, “None dwell there, Nor does a son of man sojourn in her.
Njengalokhu uNkulunkulu wachitha iSodoma leGomora ndawonye lamadolobho ayeseduzane lawo,” kutsho uThixo, “ngokunjalo kakho ozahlala khona; akulamuntu ozahlala phakathi kwayo.
41 Behold, a people has come from the north, Even a great nation, And many kings are stirred up from the sides of the earth.
Khangelani! Ibutho liyeza livela enyakatho; isizwe esikhulu lamakhosi amanengi bayadungwa kusukela emikhawulweni yomhlaba.
42 They seize bow and javelin, They [are] cruel, and they have no mercy, Their voice sounds as a sea, and they ride on horses, Set in array as a man for battle, Against you, O daughter 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 their report, And his hands have been feeble, Distress has seized him; pain as a travailing woman.
INkosi yaseBhabhiloni isiyizwile imibiko ngabo, njalo izandla zayo zilenga zingelamandla. Usizi seluyibambile, ubuhlungu obunjengowesifazane ohelelwayo.
44 Behold, he comes up as a lion, Because of the rising of the Jordan, To the enduring habitation, But I cause to rest, I cause them to run from off her. And who is chosen? I lay a charge on her, For who [is] like Me? And who convenes Me? And who [is] this shepherd who stands before 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 Therefore, hear the counsel of YHWH, That He counseled concerning Babylon, And His plans that He has devised Concerning the land of the Chaldeans; Do little ones of the flock not drag them out, Does He not make the habitation desolate over them?
Ngakho, zwanini lokho uThixo asecebe ukukwenza ngeBhabhiloni, asemise ukukwenza ngelizwe lamaKhaladiya: Amazinyane omhlambi azadonselwa le, amadlelo awo uzawatshabalalisa ngokupheleleyo ngenxa yabo.
46 From the sound of Babylon having been captured, The earth has been shaken, And a cry has been heard among nations!”
Ekuzwakaleni komsindo wokuthunjwa kweBhabhiloni umhlaba uzagedezela; ukukhala kwayo kuzazwakala phakathi kwezizwe.
