UJeremiya 18
1 Leli yilizwi elafika kuJeremiya livela kuThixo lisithi:
The word that came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying,
2 “Suka wehlele endlini yombumbi, lapho engizakutshelela khona ilizwi lami.”
Arise and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.
3 Ngakho ngehlela endlini yombumbi, ngambona esebenza ngevili.
And I went down to the potter's house; and behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
4 Kodwa imbiza ayeyibumba ngebumba yonakala ezandleni zakhe; ngakho umbumbi wayenza yaba ngenye imbiza, ngendlela ayibona ingcono kuye.
And the vessel that he made was marred, as clay, in the hand of the potter; and he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make.
5 Ilizwi likaThixo laselifika kimi lisithi;
And the word of Jehovah came to me, saying,
6 “Wena ndlu ka-Israyeli, ngingeze ngenza kuwe njengokwenziwa ngumbumbi lo na?” kutsho uThixo. “Njengebumba esandleni sombumbi lawe unjalo esandleni sami, wena ndlu ka-Israyeli.
House of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith Jehovah. Behold, as the clay in the potter's hand, so are ye in my hand, house of Israel.
7 Nxa ngimemezela langasiphi isikhathi ukuthi isizwe loba umbuso uzasuswa udilizwe, uchithwe,
At the moment that I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to break down, and to destroy,
8 kuthi isizwe leso engisixwayisileyo siphenduke ebubini baso, ngizaxola ngingabe ngisasehlisela ebesengimise ukusehlisela khona.
if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turn from their evil, then I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.
9 Njalo nxa ngesinye isikhathi ngimemezela ukuthi isizwe kumbe umbuso ngizawakha ngiwumise,
And at the moment that I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant,
10 ube ususenza ububi emehlweni ami njalo ungangilaleli, ngizacabanga kutsha ngokuhle ebesengicebe ukukwenzela khona.
if it do evil in my sight, that it hearken not unto my voice, then I will repent of the good wherewith I said I would benefit them.
11 Ngakho khathesi tshela abantu bakoJuda lalabo abahlala eJerusalema uthi, ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: Khangelani! Ngilungisela ukulehlisela umonakalo njalo ngibumba lecebo ngani. Ngakho phendukani ezindleleni zenu ezimbi, omunye lomunye wenu, lilungise izindlela zenu lezenzo zenu.’
And now, speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I prepare evil against you, and devise a device against you: turn ye then every one from his evil way, and amend your ways and your doings.
12 Kodwa bazaphendula bathi, ‘Akusizi lutho. Sizaqhubeka ngamacebo ethu; lowo lalowo wethu uzalandela ubulukhuni benhliziyo yakhe embi.’”
But they say, There is no hope; for we will walk after our own devices, and we will each one do [according to] the stubbornness of his evil heart.
13 Ngakho uThixo uthi: “Buzani phakathi kwezizwe ukuthi: Ngubani owake wezwa okunjengalokhu na? Kwenziwe into eyesabekayo kakhulu, yenziwe yintombi egcweleyo u-Israyeli.
Therefore thus saith Jehovah: Ask ye now among the nations, Who hath heard such things? The virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing.
14 Ungqwaqwane waseLebhanoni uyake unyamalale emithezukweni yayo elamatshe na? Amanzi akhona aqandayo avela kude ayake eme ukugeleza na?
Shall the snow of Lebanon cease from the rock of the field? Shall the cool flowing waters coming from afar be dried up?
15 Kodwa abantu bami sebengikhohliwe; batshisela izithombe eziyize impepha, ezabenza bakhubeka ezindleleni zabo lasemikhondweni yasendulo. Zabenza bahamba ngezindledlana zeganga lasemigwaqweni engalungiswanga.
For my people hath forgotten me: they burn incense to vanity; and they have caused them to stumble in their ways, the ancient paths, to walk in by-paths of a way not cast up;
16 Ilizwe labo lizatshabalaliswa, into yokuhlekwa usulu; bonke abadlula khona bazakwethuka banyikinye amakhanda abo.
to make their land an astonishment, a perpetual hissing: every one that passeth by shall be astonished, and shake his head.
17 Njengomoya ovela empumalanga, ngizabahlakaza phambi kwezitha zabo; ngizabafulathela ngibancitshe ubuso bami ngosuku lokuhlupheka kwabo.”
As with an east wind will I scatter them before the enemy; I will shew them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity.
18 Bona bathi, “Wozani sicebe amacebo amabi ngoJeremiya; ngoba ukufundisa kwabaphristi umthetho akusoze kuphuthe, kumbe ukweluleka kwezihlakaniphi, loba ilizwi elivela kubaphrofethi. Ngakho wozani, simhlasele ngemilomo yethu singananzi lutho alutshoyo.”
And they said, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor word from the prophet. Come and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.
19 Ake ungizwe, awu Thixo; ulalele okutshiwo yizitha zami!
Jehovah, give heed to me, and listen to the voice of those that contend with me.
20 Okuhle kuphindiselwa ngokubi na? Ikanti sebengimbele igodi. Khumbula ukuba ngema phambi kwakho ngabakhulumela ukuba ususe ulaka lwakho kubo.
Shall evil be recompensed for good? For they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before thee to speak good for them, to turn away thy wrath from them.
21 Ngakho-ke abantwababo banikele endlaleni; ubaqhubele emandleni enkemba. Abafazi babo kabangabi labantwana njalo babe ngabafelokazi; amadoda abo kawabulawe, amajaha akhona abulawe ngenkemba empini.
Therefore give up their children to the famine, and deliver them over to the power of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of children and be widows; and let their men be swept off by death, their young men be smitten by the sword in battle.
22 Kakuzwakale ukukhala ezindlini zabo, lapho usulethe abahlaseli ukuba babajume, ngoba sebegebhe igodi ukuba bangithumbe njalo bathiya inyawo zami ngemijibila.
Let a cry be heard from their houses, when thou shalt bring a troop suddenly upon them; for they have digged a pit to take me, and have hidden snares for my feet.
23 Kodwa uyawazi, wena Thixo, wonke amaqhinga abo okungibulala. Ungabathetheleli amacala abo loba ucitshe izono zabo phambi kobuso bakho. Kabachithwe phambi kwakho; bahlasele ngesikhathi sokuthukuthela kwakho.
And thou, Jehovah, knowest all their counsel against me to slay me. Forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight, but let them be overthrown before thee: deal with them in the time of thine anger.
