UJeremiya 15
1 UThixo wasesithi kimi, “Lanxa uMosi loSamuyeli bengema phambi kwami, inhliziyo yami ingeke iphendukele kulababantu. Basuse phambi kwami! Kabahambe!
Then the LORD said to me: “Even if Moses and Samuel should stand before Me, My heart would not go out to this people. Send them from My presence, and let them go.
2 Bangakubuza bathi, ‘Sizakuya ngaphi na?’ uthi kubo, uThixo uthi: ‘Abamiselwe ukufa, baya ekufeni; abenkemba, enkembeni; abendlala, endlaleni; abokuthunjwa, ekuthunjweni.’
If they ask you, ‘Where shall we go?’ you are to tell them that this is what the LORD says: ‘Those destined for death, to death; those destined for the sword, to the sword; those destined for famine, to famine; and those destined for captivity, to captivity.’
3 Ngizabathumela imihlobo emine yabachithi,” kutsho uThixo, “inkemba yokubulala lezinja zokuhudulela khatshana njalo lezinyoni zasemoyeni kanye lezinyamazana zeganga ukuba zidle zibhuqe.
I will appoint over them four kinds of destroyers, declares the LORD: the sword to kill, the dogs to drag away, and the birds of the air and beasts of the earth to devour and destroy.
4 Ngizabenza banengeke emibusweni yonke yasemhlabeni ngenxa yalokho okwenziwa eJerusalema nguManase indodana kaHezekhiya inkosi yakoJuda.
I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth because of what Manasseh son of Hezekiah king of Judah did in Jerusalem.
5 Ngubani ozakuba lesihawu kuwe wena Jerusalema? Ngubani ozakukhalela na? Ngubani ozakuma abuze ukuthi unjani na?
Who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem? Who will mourn for you? Who will turn aside to ask about your welfare?
6 Ungalile,” kutsho uThixo. “Uqhubeka uhlehlela emuva. Ngakho ngizabeka izandla phezu kwakho ngikuchithe; ngingeke ngibe lesihawu futhi.
You have forsaken Me, declares the LORD. You have turned your back. So I will stretch out My hand against you and I will destroy you; I am weary of showing compassion.
7 Ngizabahlungula ngefologwe yokwela emasangweni amadolobho elizwe. Ngizaletha ukufelwa lokuchitheka ebantwini bami, ngoba kabaguqulanga izindlela zabo.
I will scatter them with a winnowing fork at the gates of the land. I will bereave and destroy My people who have not turned from their ways.
8 Ngizakwenza abafelokazi babo bande kakhulu kuletshebetshebe lasolwandle. Emini ngizakwehlisela umbulali phezu kwabonina bamajaha akibo; khonokho ngizabehlisela usizi lokwesaba.
I will make their widows more numerous than the sand of the sea. I will bring a destroyer at noon against the mothers of young men. I will suddenly bring upon them anguish and dismay.
9 Unina wabayisikhombisa uzaqaleka aphefumule okokucina. Ilanga lakhe lizatshona kusesemini; uzayangiswa njalo eyiswe. Izinsalela ngizaziqeda ngenkemba phambi kwezitha zazo,” kutsho uThixo.
The mother of seven will grow faint; she will breathe her last breath. Her sun will set while it is still day; she will be disgraced and humiliated. And the rest I will put to the sword in the presence of their enemies,”
10 Maye, wena mama, ngokuthi wangizala, mina muntu ilizwe lonke elibangisana laye njalo liphikisana laye! Kangikaze ngebolekise loba ngeboleke, kodwa bonke bayangithuka.
Woe to me, my mother, that you have borne me, a man of strife and conflict in all the land. I have neither lent nor borrowed, yet everyone curses me.
11 UThixo wathi, “Ngeqiniso ngizakukhulula ngenjongo enhle; ngeqiniso ngizakwenza izitha zakho zikuncenge ezikhathini zomonakalo lezokuhlupheka.
The LORD said: “Surely I will deliver you for a good purpose; surely I will intercede with your enemy in your time of trouble, in your time of distress.
12 Umuntu angayiqamula insimbi, insimbi evela enyakatho kumbe ithusi na?
Can anyone smash iron— iron from the north—or bronze?
13 Inotho yakho lamatshe akho aligugu ngizakwenza kube yimpango, yamahala, ngenxa yezono zakho kulolonke ilizwe lakini.
Your wealth and your treasures I will give up as plunder, without charge for all your sins within all your borders.
14 Ngizakwenza ube yisigqili sezitha zakho elizweni ongalaziyo, ngoba ulaka lwami luzabhebha umlilo ozakutshisa.”
Then I will enslave you to your enemies in a land you do not know, for My anger will kindle a fire that will burn against you.”
15 Uyazwisisa wena Thixo; ngikhumbula ungikhathalele. Ungiphindiselele kwabangihluphayo. Uyabekezela, ungangigudluli; khumbula ukuthi ngithukwa njani ngenxa yakho.
You understand, O LORD; remember me and attend to me. Avenge me against my persecutors. In Your patience, do not take me away. Know that I endure reproach for Your honor.
16 Ekufikeni kwamazwi akho, ngawadla; ayeyintokozo yami lenjabulo yenhliziyo yami, ngoba mina ngibizwa ngebizo lakho, wena Thixo Nkulunkulu Somandla.
Your words were found, and I ate them. Your words became my joy and my heart’s delight. For I bear Your name, O LORD God of Hosts.
17 Kangizange ngihlale enhlanganisweni yabazithokozisayo, kumbe ngijabule labo; ngahlala ngedwa ngoba isandla sakho sasiphezu kwami njalo wawungenze ngagcwala intukuthelo.
I never sat with the band of revelers, nor did I celebrate with them. Because Your hand was on me, I sat alone, for You have filled me with indignation.
18 Kungani ubuhlungu engibuzwayo bungapheli lenxeba lami lilibi kakhulu njalo lingelapheki na? Kimi uzakuba njengesifula esikhohlisayo, lanjengomthombo ongelamanzi na?
Why is my pain unending, and my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? You have indeed become like a mirage to me— water that is not there.
19 Ngakho uThixo uthi: “Ungaphenduka, ngizakubuyisela ukuze ungikhonze; nxa ukhuluma amazwi afaneleyo, hatshi angasizi lutho, uzakuba yisikhulumeli sami. Abantu laba kabaphendukele kuwe, kodwa wena akumelanga uphendukele kubo.
Therefore this is what the LORD says: “If you return, I will restore you; you will stand in My presence. And if you speak words that are noble instead of worthless, you will be My spokesman. It is they who must turn to you, but you must not turn to them.
20 Ngizakwenza ube ngumduli kulababantu, umduli ovikelweyo wethusi; bazakulwa lawe kodwa kabayikukwehlula, ngoba mina ngilawe ukuba ngikuhlenge ngikusize,” kutsho uThixo.
Then I will make you a wall to this people, a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you to save and deliver you, declares the LORD.
21 “Ngizakuhlenga ezandleni zababi ngikukhulule ezandleni zabalesihluku.”
I will deliver you from the hand of the wicked and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.”
