Jeremiah 13
1 Thus, said Yahweh unto me, —Go and buy for thyself a linen girdle, and put upon thy loins, —but in water, shalt thou not place it.
UThixo wathi kimi: “Hamba uyethenga ibhanti lelineni ubophe ukhalo lwakho ngalo, kodwa lingathinti amanzi.”
2 So I bought a girdle according to the word of Yahweh, —and put upon my loins.
Ngakho ngathenga ibhanti, njengokulaya kukaThixo, ngabopha ukhalo lwami ngalo.
3 Then came the word of Yahweh unto me second time saying:
Ilizwi likaThixo labuya lafika kimi ngokwesibili lathi:
4 Take the girdle which thou hast bought which is upon thy loins, —and arise go to the Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the cliff.
“Thatha ibhanti olithengileyo obophe ngalo ukhalo lwakho, uye eYufrathe, khathesi nje ulifihle khona eminkenkeni yamatshe.”
5 So I went, and hid it, by the Euphrates, as Yahweh had commanded me.
Ngakho ngahamba ngayalifihla eYufrathe, njengokutsho kukaThixo kimi.
6 And it came to pass, at the end of many days, —that Yahweh said unto me, —Arise go to the Euphrates, and take from thence the girdle, which I commanded thee to hide there.
Sekudlule insuku ezinengi uThixo wathi kimi, “Hamba khathesi eYufrathe uyethatha ibhanti engathi lifihle khona.”
7 So I went to the Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle out of the place where I had hidden it, —and lo! the girdle was spoiled, it was good for nothing,
Ngakho ngaya eYufrathe ngagebha lapho engangifihle khona ibhanti, kodwa laselonakele impela lingaselasizo.
8 Then came the word of Yahweh unto me saying:
Lapho-ke kwafika ilizwi likaThixo kimi lisithi:
9 Thus, saith Yahweh, —After this manner, will I spoil the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem.
“UThixo uthi: ‘Ngendlela efanayo ngizakuchitha ukuzigqaja kukaJuda lokuzigqaja okukhulu kweJerusalema.
10 This wicked people who are refusing to hear my words, who are walking in the stubbornness of their heart, and have gone after other gods, to serve them and to bow down to them, yea let them be like 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 a girdle cleaveth unto the loins of a man, so caused I to cleave unto me—the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah Declareth Yahweh, to become mine—For a people, and For a name, and For a praise and For an adorning, —but they hearkened not.
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 shalt thou say unto them this word—Thus, saith Yahweh God of Israel, Every jar, is to be filled with wine; and they will say unto thee, Do we not, know well, that every jar, is to 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 Yahweh—Behold me! filling all the inhabitants of this land Even the kings that are sitting for David upon his 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 every man against his brother even the fathers and the sons together, Declareth Yahweh, —I will not pity, Neither will I spare, Neither will I have compassion, that I should not 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 haughty, —For Yahweh, hath spoken.
Zwanini lilalele, lingazigqaji, ngoba uThixo usekhulumile.
16 Give ye to Yahweh your God—glory, Before he cause darkness, and Before your feet stumble upon the twilight mountains; Lest, when ye wait for light, He turn it into the shadow of death, And change it for thick 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, In secret places, shall my soul weep Because of the pride, And mine eye, shall flow over, and run down with tears, Because captive hath been taken the flock of Yahweh.
Kodwa nxa lingalaleli, ngizakhalela ensitha ngenxa yokuzigqaja kwenu; amehlo ami azalila kabuhlungu, ageleze inyembezi, ngoba umhlambi kaThixo uzathunjwa.
18 Say thou to the king and to the queen-mother, Abase yourselves—Sit down, —For descended have your Head-tires, your Crown of adornment.
Tshono enkosini lasendlovukazini uthi, “Yehlani ezihlalweni zenu zobukhosi lize phansi, ngoba imiqhele yenu emihle kakhulu izakuwa emakhanda enu.”
19 The cities of the South, are shut And there is none to open, —Judah hath been carried away captive, She hath altogether been carried away captive in full number.
Amadolobho aseNegebi azavalwa, njalo akuyikuba khona ozawavula. UJuda wonke uzathathwa asiwe ekuthunjweni, uzasiwa ekuthunjweni ngokupheleleyo.
20 Lift up your eyes and see Them who are coming in 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 bring punishment upon thee, Since, thou thyself, hast accustomed them to be over thee as friends in chief? Shall not, pangs, seize thee, as of a woman in childbirth?
Lizakuthini lapho uThixo esebabeka phezu kwenu labo elabenza babangabangane benu abaqakathekileyo na? Kaliyikubanjwa yibuhlungu obufana lobowesifazane ehelelwa na?
22 But if thou say in thy heart, Wherefore have these things befallen me? For the greatness of thine iniquity have Thy skirts been turned aside Thy heels suffered violence!
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? Even, ye, may be able to do right, Who are accustomed to do wrong.
UmTopiya angaliguqula yini ijwabu lakhe loba ingwe iguqule amabala ayo na? Lani lingeke lenze okuhle lina selajwayela ukwenza okubi.
24 Therefore have I scattered them, As broken straw passing away, by the wind of the desert.
“Ngizalihlakaza njengamakhoba ephetshulwa ngumoya wasenkangala.
25 This is thy lot Thy measured portion from me, Declareth Yahweh; For that thou didst forget me, And confide in falsehood:
Lokhu yikho okungokwenu, isabelo engilimisele sona,” kutsho uThixo, “ngoba lingikhohliwe lathemba onkulunkulu bamanga.
26 Therefore, even I myself, have drawn away thy skirts, over thy face, And thy shame hath been seen,
Ngizaphekulela izidwaba zakho ebusweni bakho ukuba kubonakale ihlazo lakho,
27 Thine adulteries and thy neighings, thine unchaste wickedness, Upon the hills in the field, I have seen thine abominations! Woe to thee, O Jerusalem, Wilt thou not become pure? After how long yet?
ubufebe bakho lokububuliswa yisigwebo, ukufeba kwakho ungelanhloni! Ngizibonile izenzo zakho ezenyanyekayo phezu kwamaqaqa lasegangeni. Maye kuwe, wena Jerusalema! Koze kube nini ungahlambulukanga na?”
