Jeremiah 31
1 "At that time," says Jehovah, "will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people."
Ngalesosikhathi, itsho iNkosi, ngizakuba nguNkulunkulu wensapho zonke zakoIsrayeli; bona-ke bazakuba ngabantu bami.
2 Thus says Jehovah, "The people who were left of the sword found favor in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.
Itsho njalo iNkosi: Abantu babaseleyo benkemba bathola umusa enkangala; ngitsho uIsrayeli, lapho ngisiyamphumuza.
3 Jehovah appeared to him from afar. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with loving kindness have I drawn you.
INkosi yabonakala kimi ikhatshana isithi: Yebo, ngikuthandile ngothando olulaphakade, ngakho-ke ngikudonsile ngothandolomusa.
4 Again will I build you, and you shall be built, O virgin of Israel: again you shall be adorned with your tambourines, and shall go forth in the dances of those who make merry.
Ngizabuya ngikwakhe, wakheke, wena ntombi emsulwa yakoIsrayeli; uzabuya uvunuliswe ngezigujana zakho, uphume phakathi kokugida kwabathokozayo.
5 Again you shall plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria; the planters shall plant, and shall enjoy its fruit.
Uzabuya uhlanyele izivini phezu kwezintaba zeSamariya; abahlanyeli bazahlanyela, badle izithelo.
6 For there shall be a day, that the watchmen on the hills of Ephraim shall cry, "Arise, and let us go up to Zion to Jehovah our God."'"
Ngoba kuzakuba khona usuku abazamemeza ngalo abalindi entabeni yakoEfrayimi besithi: Sukumani, senyuke siye eZiyoni, eNkosini uNkulunkulu wethu.
7 For thus says Jehovah, "Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout for the chief of the nations: publish, praise, and say, 'For Jehovah has saved your people, the remnant of Israel.'
Ngoba itsho njalo iNkosi: Mhlabeleleni uJakobe ngentokozo, limemezele phakathi kwenhloko yezizwe; zwakalisani, dumisani, lithi: Nkosi, sindisa abantu bakho, insali yakoIsrayeli.
8 'Look, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the uttermost parts of the earth, along with the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her who travails with child together: a great company shall they return here.
Khangelani, ngizabaletha bevela elizweni lenyakatho, ngibabuthe emaceleni omhlaba; phakathi kwabo kukhona iziphofu labaqhulayo, abesifazana abakhulelweyo lababelethayo ndawonye; bazabuya lapha belibandla elikhulu.
9 They shall come with weeping; and with petitions will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by rivers of waters, in a straight way in which they shall not stumble; for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.'"
Bazabuya belokukhala, ngizabakhokhela belokuncenga; ngizabahambisa emifuleni yamanzi ngendlela eqondileyo, abangayikukhubeka kuyo; ngoba nginguyise kaIsrayeli, loEfrayimi ulizibulo lami.
10 Hear the word of Jehovah, you nations, and declare it in the islands afar off; and say, "He who scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as shepherd does his flock."
Zwanini ilizwi leNkosi, lina zizwe, lilimemeze ezihlengeni ezikhatshana, lithi: Yena owachitha uIsrayeli uzambutha, amgcine, njengomelusi umhlambi wakhe.
11 For Jehovah has ransomed Jacob, and redeemed him from the hand of him who was stronger than he.
Ngoba iNkosi imhlengile uJakobe, yamhlawulela emsusa esandleni solamandla kulaye.
12 They shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and they shall be radient over the goodness of Jehovah, to the grain, and to the new wine, and to the oil, and to the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all.
Ngakho bazakuza bahlabelele ekuphakameni kweZiyoni, bagelezele kokuhle kweNkosi, ngamabele, langewayini elitsha, langamafutha, langamazinyane ezimvu, lenkomo; lomphefumulo wabo ube njengesivande esithelelweyo, kabasayikubuya babe losizi.
13 "Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old together; for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.
Khona intombi izathokoza ekugideni, lamajaha labadala kanyekanye; ngoba ngizaphendula ukulila kwabo kube yintokozo, ngibaduduze, ngibathokozise, bangabi losizi.
14 I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness," says Jehovah.
Njalo ngizasuthisa umphefumulo wabapristi ngamanono, labantu bami bazasuthiswa ngokuhle kwami, itsho iNkosi.
15 Thus says Jehovah: "A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and weeping and great bitterness, Rachel weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more."
Itsho njalo iNkosi: Ilizwi lezwakala eRama, ukulila, ukukhala inyembezi okubuhlungu kakhulu; uRasheli ekhalela abantwana bakhe, esala ukududuzwa ngabantwana bakhe, ngoba bengasekho.
16 Thus says Jehovah: "Refrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears; for your work shall be rewarded," says Jehovah; "and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.
Itsho njalo iNkosi: Bamba ilizwi lakho ekukhaleni, lamehlo akho ezinyembezini; ngoba kulomvuzo womsebenzi wakho, itsho iNkosi, ngoba bazabuya bevela elizweni lesitha.
17 There is hope for your latter end," says Jehovah; "and your children shall come again to their own border.
Kukhona-ke ithemba enzalweni yakho, itsho iNkosi; ngoba abantwana bakho bazabuyela emngceleni wakibo.
18 I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus, 'You have chastised me, and I was chastised, as an untrained calf: turn me, and I shall be turned; for you are Jehovah my God.
Ngizwile lokuzwa uEfrayimi ezililelaesithi: Ungilayile, njalo ngalaywa njengethole elingathambanga; ngiphenduka, njalo ngizaphendula; ngoba uyiNkosi uNkulunkulu wami.
19 Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I struck on my thigh: I was ashamed, yes, even confounded, because I bore the reproach of my youth.'
Isibili emva kokuphenduka kwami, ngazisola, lemva kokufundiswa kwami ngatshaya phezu kwethangazi lami; ngaba lenhloni, njalo ngayangeka, ngoba ngathwala ihlazo lobutsha bami.
20 Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he a darling child? For as often as I speak against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him," says Jehovah.
UEfrayimi uyindodana yami eligugu yini, ungumntwana wami othokozisayo yini? Ngoba selokhu ngakhuluma ngimelene laye, ngisamkhumbula ngoqotho; ngenxa yalokho imibilini yami iyakhala ngaye; isibili ngizakuba lesihawu kuye, kutsho iNkosi.
21 "Set up road signs, make guideposts; set your heart toward the highway, even the way by which you went: turn again, virgin of Israel, turn again to these your cities.
Zibekele izitshengiso zendlela, uzimisele izinsika zeziqondiso, ubeke inhliziyo yakho kumgwaqo omkhulu, indlela owahamba ngayo; phenduka, ntombi emsulwa yakoIsrayeli, uphendukele kule imizi yakini.
22 How long will you go here and there, you backsliding daughter? For Jehovah has created a new thing in the earth: a woman shall encompass a man."
Koze kube nini uzulazula, ndodakazi ehlehlela nyovane? Ngoba iNkosi idale into entsha emhlabeni: Owesifazana uzahanqa indoda.
23 Thus says Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, "Yet again shall they use this speech in the land of Judah and in its cities, when I shall bring again their captivity: 'Jehovah bless you, habitation of righteousness, mountain of holiness.'
Itsho njalo iNkosi yamabandla, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli: Bazabuya batsho lelilizwi elizweni lakoJuda lemizini yakho, lapho ngibuyisela ukuthunjwa kwabo: Kwangathi iNkosi ingakubusisa, khaya lokulunga, ntaba yobungcwele.
24 Judah and all its cities shall dwell in it together, the farmers, and those who go about with flocks.
Njalo kuzahlala kulo uJuda layo yonke imizi yakhe ndawonye, abalimi labahamba lemihlambi.
25 For I have satiated the weary soul, and every sorrowful soul have I replenished."
Ngoba ngisuthise umphefumulo okhatheleyo, ngigcwalise wonke umphefumulo ophela amandla.
26 On this I awakened, and saw; and my sleep was sweet to me.
Ngasengiphaphama, ngabona; lobuthongo bami babumnandi kimi.
27 "Look, the days come," says Jehovah, "that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the seed of animal.
Khangela, insuku ziyeza, itsho iNkosi, lapho ngizahlanyela indlu kaIsrayeli lendlu kaJuda ngenhlanyelo yabantu lenhlanyelo yenyamazana.
28 It shall happen that, like as I have watched over them to pluck up and to break down and to overthrow and to destroy and to afflict, so will I watch over them to build and to plant," says Jehovah.
Kuzakuthi-ke njengalokho ngibalindile ukuthi ngisiphune lokuthi ngidilize lokuthi ngichithe lokuthi ngibhubhise lokuthi ngenze okubi, ngokunjalo ngizabalinda ukuze ngakhe ngihlanyele, itsho iNkosi.
29 "In those days they shall say no more, 'The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge.'
Ngalezonsuku kabasayikuthi: Oyise badlile izithelo zevini ezimunyu, amazinyo abantwana asetshelela.
30 But everyone shall die for his own iniquity: every man who eats the sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge.
Kodwa ngulowo lalowo uzafela ububi bakhe; wonke umuntu odla izithelo zevini ezimunyu, amazinyo akhe azatshelela.
31 Look, the days come," says Jehovah, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Khangela, insuku ziyeza, itsho iNkosi, lapho ngizakwenza isivumelwano esitsha lendlu kaIsrayeli lendlu kaJuda;
32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they broke, and I disregarded them," says Jehovah.
kungeyisikho njengesivumelwano engasenza laboyise mhla ngibamba isandla sabo ukubakhupha elizweni leGibhithe, osivumelwano sami bona abasephulayo, lanxa mina ngangingumyeni wabo, itsho iNkosi.
33 "But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days," says Jehovah: "I will put my law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people:
Kodwa yilesi isivumelwano engizasenza lendlu kaIsrayeli emva kwalezonsuku, itsho iNkosi: Ngizafaka umlayo wami emibilini yabo, ngiwubhale enhliziyweni yabo, ngibe nguNkulunkulu wabo, labo babe ngabantu bami.
34 and they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, 'Know Jehovah'; for they shall all know me, from their least to their greatest, for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sins I will remember no more."
Kabasayikufundisa-ke, ngulowo lalowo umakhelwane wakhe, langulowo lalowo umfowabo, esithi: Yazi iNkosi; ngoba bonke bazangazi, kusukela komncinyane wabo kuze kufike komkhulu wabo, itsho iNkosi; ngoba ngizathethelela isiphambeko sabo, lesono sabo kangisayikusikhumbula.
35 Thus says Jehovah, who gives the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, who stirs up the sea, so that its waves roar; Jehovah of hosts is his name:
Itsho njalo iNkosi, enika ilanga libe yikukhanya emini, izimiso zenyanga lezezinkanyezi zibe yikukhanya ebusuku, enyakazisa ulwandle ukuze amagagasi alo ahlokome; iNkosi yamabandla libizo layo.
36 "If this fixed order departs from before me," says Jehovah, "then the descendants of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me forever."
Uba lezozimiso zingasuka phambi kwami, itsho iNkosi, inzalo yakoIsrayeli layo izaphela ekubeni yisizwe phambi kwami zonke insuku.
37 Thus says Jehovah: "If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, then will I also cast off all the descendants of Israel for all that they have done," says Jehovah.
Itsho njalo iNkosi: Uba engalinganiswa amazulu phezulu, zihlolwe izisekelo zomhlaba phansi, lami ngizayala yonke inzalo yakoIsrayeli ngenxa yakho konke abakwenzileyo, itsho iNkosi.
38 "Look, the days come," says Jehovah, "that the city shall be built to Jehovah from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate.
Khangela, insuku ziyeza, itsho iNkosi, lapho umuzi uzakwakhelwa iNkosi, kusukela emphotshongweni kaHananeli kuze kufike esangweni leNgonsi.
39 The measuring line shall go out further straight onward to the hill Gareb, and shall turn about to Goah.
Lentambo yokulinganisa isezaphuma maqondana layo kuze kube soqaqeni lweGarebi, iphendukele ngaseGowa.
40 The whole valley of the dead bodies and of the ashes, and all the fields to the Kidron Valley, to the corner of the Horse Gate toward the east, shall be holy to Jehovah; it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more forever."
Lesihotsha sonke sezidumbu lesomlotha, lawo wonke amasimu kuze kufike esifuleni seKidroni, kuze kufike engonsini yeSango lamabhiza ngempumalanga, kuzakuba yibungcwele beNkosi. Kakuyikusitshunwa kakusayikudilizwa kuze kube nininini.
