UJeremiya 13
1 UThixo wathi kimi: “Hamba uyethenga ibhanti lelineni ubophe ukhalo lwakho ngalo, kodwa lingathinti amanzi.”
Thus says the Lord, Go and procure for yourself a linen girdle, and put it about your loins, and let it not be put in water.
2 Ngakho ngathenga ibhanti, njengokulaya kukaThixo, ngabopha ukhalo lwami ngalo.
So I procured the girdle according to the word of the Lord, and put it about my loins.
3 Ilizwi likaThixo labuya lafika kimi ngokwesibili lathi:
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
4 “Thatha ibhanti olithengileyo obophe ngalo ukhalo lwakho, uye eYufrathe, khathesi nje ulifihle khona eminkenkeni yamatshe.”
Take the girdle that is upon your loins, and arise, and go to the Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the rock.
5 Ngakho ngahamba ngayalifihla eYufrathe, njengokutsho kukaThixo kimi.
So I went, and hid it by the Euphrates, as the Lord commanded me.
6 Sekudlule insuku ezinengi uThixo wathi kimi, “Hamba khathesi eYufrathe uyethatha ibhanti engathi lifihle khona.”
And it came to pass after many days, that the Lord said to me, Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take thence the girdle, which I commanded you to hide there.
7 Ngakho ngaya eYufrathe ngagebha lapho engangifihle khona ibhanti, kodwa laselonakele impela lingaselasizo.
So I went to the river Euphrates, and dug, and took the girdle out of the place where I [had] buried it: and, behold, it was rotten, utterly good for nothing.
8 Lapho-ke kwafika ilizwi likaThixo kimi lisithi:
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Thus says the Lord,
9 “UThixo uthi: ‘Ngendlela efanayo ngizakuchitha ukuzigqaja kukaJuda lokuzigqaja okukhulu kweJerusalema.
Thus will I mar the pride of Juda, and the pride of Jerusalem;
10 Lababantu abangalunganga, abalayo ukulalela amazwi ami, abalandela ubulukhuni bezinhliziyo zabo badinge abanye onkulunkulu ukuba babasebenzele njalo babakhonze, bazakuba njengebhanti leli, bengelasizo loluncane!
[even] this great pride [of the men] that will not listen to my words, and have gone after strange gods, to serve them, and to worship them: and they shall be as this girdle, which can be used for nothing.
11 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.’”
For as a girdle cleaves about the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave to myself the house of Israel, and the whole house of Juda; that they might be to me a famous people, and a praise, and a glory: but they did not listen to me.
12 “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?’
And you shall say to this people, Every bottle shall be filled with wine: and it shall come to pass, if they shall say to you, Shall we not certainly know that every bottle shall be filled with wine? that you shall say to them,
13 wena uthi kubo, ‘UThixo uthi: Ngizabenza badakwe bonke abahlala kulelilizwe, kanye lamakhosi ahlala esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaDavida, abaphristi, abaphrofethi labo bonke abahlala eJerusalema.
Thus says the Lord, Behold, I [will] fill the inhabitants of this land, and their kings the sons of David that sit upon their throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and Juda and all the dwellers in Jerusalem, with strong drink.
14 Ngizabamahlaza omunye komunye, oyise lamadodana ngokufananayo, kutsho uThixo. Angiyikuvumela isihawu loba umusa kumbe uzwelo ukuba kungivimbele ukubabhubhisa.’”
And I will scatter them a man and his brother, and their fathers and their sons together: I will not have compassion, says the Lord, and I will not spare, neither will I pity [to save them] from destruction.
15 Zwanini lilalele, lingazigqaji, ngoba uThixo usekhulumile.
Hear you, and give ear, and be not proud: for the Lord has spoken.
16 Dumisani uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu engakalethi ubumnyama, inyawo zenu zingakakhubeki emaqaqeni asesembeswa yibumnyama. Lilindele ukukhanya, kodwa yena uzakwenza kube yibumnyama, akuphendule kube yibumnyama obesabekayo.
Give glory to the Lord your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble on the dark mountains, and you shall wait for light, and behold the shadow of death, and they shall be brought into darkness.
17 Kodwa nxa lingalaleli, ngizakhalela ensitha ngenxa yokuzigqaja kwenu; amehlo ami azalila kabuhlungu, ageleze inyembezi, ngoba umhlambi kaThixo uzathunjwa.
But if you will not listen, your soul shall weep in secret because of pride, and your eyes shall pour down tears, because the Lord's flock is sorely bruised.
18 Tshono enkosini lasendlovukazini uthi, “Yehlani ezihlalweni zenu zobukhosi lize phansi, ngoba imiqhele yenu emihle kakhulu izakuwa emakhanda enu.”
Say you to the king and the princes, Humble yourselves, and sit down; for your crown of glory is removed from your head.
19 Amadolobho aseNegebi azavalwa, njalo akuyikuba khona ozawavula. UJuda wonke uzathathwa asiwe ekuthunjweni, uzasiwa ekuthunjweni ngokupheleleyo.
The cities towards the south were shut, and there was none to open [them]: Juda is removed [into captivity, ]they have suffered a complete removal.
20 Phakamisani amehlo enu libone labo abavela enyakatho. Ungaphi umhlambi ababewugcinisiwe, izimvu elalizazisa ngazo na?
Lift up your eyes, O Jerusalem, and behold them that come from the north; where is the flock that was given you, the sheep of your glory?
21 Lizakuthini lapho uThixo esebabeka phezu kwenu labo elabenza babangabangane benu abaqakathekileyo na? Kaliyikubanjwa yibuhlungu obufana lobowesifazane ehelelwa na?
What will you say when they shall visit you, for you did teach them lessons for rule against yourself; shall not pangs seize you as a woman in travail?
22 Njalo nxa uzibuza usithi, “Kungani lokhu kwenzakele kimi na?” Kungenxa yezono zakho ezinengi ukuthi izidwaba zakho zidatshulwe lomzimba wakho waphathwa kubi.
And if you should say in your heart, Therefore have these things happened to me? Because of the abundance of your iniquity have your skirts been discovered, that your heels might be exposed.
23 UmTopiya angaliguqula yini ijwabu lakhe loba ingwe iguqule amabala ayo na? Lani lingeke lenze okuhle lina selajwayela ukwenza okubi.
If the Ethiopian shall change his skin, or the leopardess her spots, then shall you be able to do good, having learnt evil.
24 “Ngizalihlakaza njengamakhoba ephetshulwa ngumoya wasenkangala.
So I scattered them as sticks carried by the wind into the wilderness.
25 Lokhu yikho okungokwenu, isabelo engilimisele sona,” kutsho uThixo, “ngoba lingikhohliwe lathemba onkulunkulu bamanga.
Thus is your lot, and the reward of your disobedience to me, says the Lord; as you did forget me, and trust in lies,
26 Ngizaphekulela izidwaba zakho ebusweni bakho ukuba kubonakale ihlazo lakho,
I also will expose your skirts upon your face, and your shame shall be seen;
27 ubufebe bakho lokububuliswa yisigwebo, ukufeba kwakho ungelanhloni! Ngizibonile izenzo zakho ezenyanyekayo phezu kwamaqaqa lasegangeni. Maye kuwe, wena Jerusalema! Koze kube nini ungahlambulukanga na?”
your adultery also, and your neighing, and the looseness of your fornication: on the hills and in the fields I have seen your abominations. Woe to you, O Jerusalem, for you have not been purified so as to follow me; how long yet [shall it be]?
