UJeremiya 13
1 UThixo wathi kimi: “Hamba uyethenga ibhanti lelineni ubophe ukhalo lwakho ngalo, kodwa lingathinti amanzi.”
Thus saith the LORD to me, Go and get for thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water.
2 Ngakho ngathenga ibhanti, njengokulaya kukaThixo, ngabopha ukhalo lwami ngalo.
So I procured a girdle according to the word of the LORD, and put [it] on my loins.
3 Ilizwi likaThixo labuya lafika kimi ngokwesibili lathi:
And the word of the LORD came to me the second time, saying,
4 “Thatha ibhanti olithengileyo obophe ngalo ukhalo lwakho, uye eYufrathe, khathesi nje ulifihle khona eminkenkeni yamatshe.”
Take the girdle that thou hast procured, which [is] upon thy loins, and arise, go to 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 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 Euphrates, and take the girdle from thence, which I commanded thee to hide there.
7 Ngakho ngaya eYufrathe ngagebha lapho engangifihle khona ibhanti, kodwa laselonakele impela lingaselasizo.
Then I went to Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it: and behold, the girdle was marred, it was profitable for nothing.
8 Lapho-ke kwafika ilizwi likaThixo kimi lisithi:
Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
9 “UThixo uthi: ‘Ngendlela efanayo ngizakuchitha ukuzigqaja kukaJuda lokuzigqaja okukhulu kweJerusalema.
Thus saith the LORD, After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great 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!
This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, who walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good 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 the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave to me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the LORD; that they might be to me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.
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?’
Therefore thou shalt speak to them this word; Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Every bottle shall be filled with wine: and they shall say to thee, Do we not certainly know that every bottle shall be filled with wine?
13 wena uthi kubo, ‘UThixo uthi: Ngizabenza badakwe bonke abahlala kulelilizwe, kanye lamakhosi ahlala esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaDavida, abaphristi, abaphrofethi labo bonke abahlala eJerusalema.
Then shalt thou say to them, Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that sit upon David's throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness.
14 Ngizabamahlaza omunye komunye, oyise lamadodana ngokufananayo, kutsho uThixo. Angiyikuvumela isihawu loba umusa kumbe uzwelo ukuba kungivimbele ukubabhubhisa.’”
And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the LORD: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them.
15 Zwanini lilalele, lingazigqaji, ngoba uThixo usekhulumile.
Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the LORD hath 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 shall cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and while ye look for light, he shall turn it into the shades of death, [and] make [it] gross darkness.
17 Kodwa nxa lingalaleli, ngizakhalela ensitha ngenxa yokuzigqaja kwenu; amehlo ami azalila kabuhlungu, ageleze inyembezi, ngoba umhlambi kaThixo uzathunjwa.
But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for [your] pride; and my eye shall weep bitterly, and run down with tears, because the LORD'S flock is carried away captive.
18 Tshono enkosini lasendlovukazini uthi, “Yehlani ezihlalweni zenu zobukhosi lize phansi, ngoba imiqhele yenu emihle kakhulu izakuwa emakhanda enu.”
Say to the king and to the queen, Humble yourselves, sit down: for your principalities shall come down, [even] the crown of your glory.
19 Amadolobho aseNegebi azavalwa, njalo akuyikuba khona ozawavula. UJuda wonke uzathathwa asiwe ekuthunjweni, uzasiwa ekuthunjweni ngokupheleleyo.
The cities of the south shall be shut up, and none shall open [them]; Judah shall be carried away captive all of it, it shall be wholly carried away captive.
20 Phakamisani amehlo enu libone labo abavela enyakatho. Ungaphi umhlambi ababewugcinisiwe, izimvu elalizazisa ngazo na?
Lift up your eyes, and behold them that come from the north: where [is] the flock [that] was given thee, thy beautiful flock?
21 Lizakuthini lapho uThixo esebabeka phezu kwenu labo elabenza babangabangane benu abaqakathekileyo na? Kaliyikubanjwa yibuhlungu obufana lobowesifazane ehelelwa na?
What wilt thou say when he shall punish thee? for thou hast taught them [to be] captains, [and] as chief over thee: shall not sorrows take thee, 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 thou shalt say in thy heart, Why come these things upon me? For the greatness of thy iniquity are thy skirts uncovered, [and] thy heels made bare.
23 UmTopiya angaliguqula yini ijwabu lakhe loba ingwe iguqule amabala ayo na? Lani lingeke lenze okuhle lina selajwayela ukwenza okubi.
Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? [then] may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.
24 “Ngizalihlakaza njengamakhoba ephetshulwa ngumoya wasenkangala.
Therefore will I scatter them as the stubble that passeth away by the wind of the wilderness.
25 Lokhu yikho okungokwenu, isabelo engilimisele sona,” kutsho uThixo, “ngoba lingikhohliwe lathemba onkulunkulu bamanga.
This [is] thy lot, the portion of thy measures from me, saith the LORD; because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.
26 Ngizaphekulela izidwaba zakho ebusweni bakho ukuba kubonakale ihlazo lakho,
Therefore will I uncover thy skirts upon thy face, that thy shame may appear.
27 ubufebe bakho lokububuliswa yisigwebo, ukufeba kwakho ungelanhloni! Ngizibonile izenzo zakho ezenyanyekayo phezu kwamaqaqa lasegangeni. Maye kuwe, wena Jerusalema! Koze kube nini ungahlambulukanga na?”
I have seen thy adulteries, and thy neighings, the enormity of thy lewdness, [and] thy abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe to thee O Jerusalem! wilt thou not be made clean? when [shall it] once [be]?
