Jeremiah 28
1 When Zedekiah had been the King of Judah for more than three years, late in the (summer/hot season), Azzur’s son Hananiah, a prophet from Gibeon [city], spoke to me in the [courtyard of the] temple, while [all] the priests and other people were listening. He said,
Ngenyanga yesihlanu yawonalowo umnyaka, umnyaka wesine, ekuqaleni kokubusa kukaZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda, umphrofethi uHananiya indodana ka-Azuri, owayevela eGibhiyoni, wathi kimi endlini kaThixo phambi kwabaphristi labantu bonke:
2 “This is what the Commander of the armies of angels, the God whom [we] Israelis [worship], says: ‘I will cause the king of Babylon to stop ruling/controlling [MET] [all of you].
“UThixo uSomandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi: ‘Ngizalephula ijogwe lenkosi yaseBhabhiloni.
3 (Within two years/Before two years have ended), I will cause to be brought bring back to this temple all the valuable things that King Nebuchadnezzar’s [soldiers] took from this temple and took to Babylon.
Phakathi kweminyaka emibili ngizazibuyisela kule indawo zonke izitsha zendlu kaThixo ezathathwa nguNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni wazisa eBhabhiloni.
4 And I will also cause King Jehoiachin to be brought back here, and all the [other] people who were captured and taken to Babylon. The king of Babylon has [forced you to do what he wants, like someone] puts a yoke [on the neck of an ox to force it to do what he] wants [MET] it to do. But I will cause that to end. [That will happen because] I, Yahweh, have said it.’”
Ngizambuyisela kule indawo futhi uJekhoniya indodana kaJehoyakhimi inkosi yakoJuda kanye labanye bonke abathunjwa koJuda baya eBhabhiloni,’ kutsho uThixo, ‘ngoba ngizalephula ijogwe lenkosi yaseBhabhiloni.’”
5 I replied to Hananiah in front of [all] the priests and other people who were standing outside the temple.
Umphrofethi uJeremiya waphendula umphrofethi uHananiya phambi kwabaphristi labantu bonke ababemi endlini kaThixo.
6 I said, “(Amen/May that happen)! I desire/hope that what you have predicted will happen. I hope/desire that Yahweh will do everything that you have said! I hope/desire that he will cause [men from Babylon] to bring back from Babylon [all] the valuable things that were in this temple, and all the people who were taken [to Babylon].
Wathi, “Ameni! Sengathi uThixo angamenzenjalo! Sengathi uThixo angagcwalisa amazwi owaphrofethayo ngokubuyisela kule indawo izitsha zendlu kaThixo labo bonke abathunjelwa eBhabhiloni.
7 But now listen to what I say to you while all these people are listening.
Lanxa kunjalo, lalela kulokhu engikutsho lawe usizwa kanye labantu bonke besizwa ukuthi:
8 Many years ago, those who were prophets before you and I [became prophets] spoke messages about many nations and great kingdoms. They predicted/prophesied that wars and disasters and plagues/diseases would occur in those nations.
Kusukela ezikhathini zakuqala abaphrofethi abandulela wena lami baphrofetha ngempi, ngomonakalo langesifo emazweni amanengi lasemibusweni emikhulu.
9 [So now you or] any other prophet who predicts that things will go well [for us must show that your message is correct. Only] if what you predict actually happens will we know that you were truly appointed by Yahweh.”
Kodwa umphrofethi ophrofetha ngokuthula uzakwaziwa njengothunywe nguThixo sibili lapho ilizwi lakhe seligcwalisekile.”
10 Then Hananiah took the yoke off my neck and broke it.
Lapho-ke uHananiya umphrofethi wasusa ijogwe entanyeni kaJeremiya umphrofethi walephula,
11 Then he said this to all the people who were there: “This is what Yahweh says: ‘Just like Hananiah has broken this yoke, within two years I will cause King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon to [stop forcing the people to do what he wants, which has been like] a heavy yoke on all their necks [MET].’” After Hananiah said that, I left the temple area.
wasesithi phambi kwabantu bonke, “UThixo uthi: ‘Ngizalephula kanjalo ijogwe likaNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni entanyeni zezizwe zonke phakathi kweminyaka emibili.’” Ngemva kwalokho umphrofethi uJeremiya wasuka wazihambela.
12 [Soon] after Hananiah had broken the yoke that was around my neck, Yahweh gave this message to me:
Masinyane nje emuva kokuba umphrofethi uHananiya ephule ijogwe entanyeni kaJeremiya umphrofethi, kwafika ilizwi likaThixo kuJeremiya lisithi:
13 “Go and say this to Hananiah: ‘Yahweh says that you have broken a wooden yoke, but that he will replace it with an iron yoke.
“Hamba uyetshela uHananiya uthi, ‘UThixo uthi: Wephule ijogwe lesigodo, kodwa esikhundleni salo uzakuba lejogwe lensimbi.
14 I have forced the people of all these nations to [become slaves of] King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. That is [like] [MET] an iron yoke around their necks. I have put everything, even wild animals, under his control.’”
UThixo uSomandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi: Ngizabeka ijogwe lensimbi entanyeni zezizwe zonke lezi ukuba zisebenzele uNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni, zizamsebenzela. Ngizamnika amandla laphezu kwezinyamazana zeganga.’”
15 Then I [went to] Hananiah and said to him, “Hananiah, listen [to this]: Yahweh has not appointed you; instead, [you have told] lies to the people, and they have believed your lies.
Umphrofethi uJeremiya wasesithi kuHananiya umphrofethi, “Lalela, Hananiya! UThixo kakuthumanga, kodwa usuwenze isizwe lesi sathemba amanga.
16 Therefore, this is what Yahweh says: ‘You will [soon] die. Before the end of this year, you will die, because you have rebelled against Yahweh.’”
Ngakho, uThixo uthi, ‘Sekuseduze ukuthi ngikususe ebusweni bomhlaba. Ngawonalo umnyaka uzakufa, ngoba uphrofithe ukuhlamukela uThixo.’”
17 Hananiah died two months later.
Ngenyanga yesikhombisa yalowomnyaka, uHananiya umphrofethi wafa.
