UJeremiya 18
1 Leli yilizwi elafika kuJeremiya livela kuThixo lisithi:
The word that came from Jeremias to the Lord, saying:
2 “Suka wehlele endlini yombumbi, lapho engizakutshelela khona ilizwi lami.”
Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there thou shalt hear my words.
3 Ngakho ngehlela endlini yombumbi, ngambona esebenza ngevili.
And I went down into the potter’s house, and behold he was doing a work on the wheel.
4 Kodwa imbiza ayeyibumba ngebumba yonakala ezandleni zakhe; ngakho umbumbi wayenza yaba ngenye imbiza, ngendlela ayibona ingcono kuye.
And the vessel was broken which he was making with clay with his hands: and turning he made another vessel, as it seemed good in his eyes to make it.
5 Ilizwi likaThixo laselifika kimi lisithi;
Then the word of the Lord 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.
Cannot I do with you as this potter, saith the Lord? behold as clay is in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.
7 Nxa ngimemezela langasiphi isikhathi ukuthi isizwe loba umbuso uzasuswa udilizwe, uchithwe,
I will suddenly speak against a nation, and against a kingdom, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy it.
8 kuthi isizwe leso engisixwayisileyo siphenduke ebubini baso, ngizaxola ngingabe ngisasehlisela ebesengimise ukusehlisela khona.
If that nation against which I have spoken, shall repent of their evil, I also will repent of the evil that I have thought to do to them.
9 Njalo nxa ngesinye isikhathi ngimemezela ukuthi isizwe kumbe umbuso ngizawakha ngiwumise,
And I will suddenly speak of a nation and of a kingdom, to build up and plant it.
10 ube ususenza ububi emehlweni ami njalo ungangilaleli, ngizacabanga kutsha ngokuhle ebesengicebe ukukwenzela khona.
If it shall do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice: I will repent of the good that I have spoken to do unto it.
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.’
Now therefore tell the men of Juda, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying: Thus saith the Lord: Behold I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: let every man of you return from his evil way, and make ye your ways and your doings good.
12 Kodwa bazaphendula bathi, ‘Akusizi lutho. Sizaqhubeka ngamacebo ethu; lowo lalowo wethu uzalandela ubulukhuni benhliziyo yakhe embi.’”
And they said: We have no hopes: for we will go after our own thoughts, and we will do every one according to the perverseness 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 the Lord: Ask among the nations: Who hath heard such horrible things, as the virgin of Israel hath done to excess?
14 Ungqwaqwane waseLebhanoni uyake unyamalale emithezukweni yayo elamatshe na? Amanzi akhona aqandayo avela kude ayake eme ukugeleza na?
Shall now the snow of Libanus fail from the rock of the field? or can the cold waters that gush out and run down, be taken away?
15 Kodwa abantu bami sebengikhohliwe; batshisela izithombe eziyize impepha, ezabenza bakhubeka ezindleleni zabo lasemikhondweni yasendulo. Zabenza bahamba ngezindledlana zeganga lasemigwaqweni engalungiswanga.
Because my people have forgotten me, sacrificing in vain, and stumbling in their ways, in ancient paths, to walk by them in a way not trodden:
16 Ilizwe labo lizatshabalaliswa, into yokuhlekwa usulu; bonke abadlula khona bazakwethuka banyikinye amakhanda abo.
That their land might be given up to desolation, and to a perpetual hissing: every one that shall pass by it, shall be astonished, and wag his head.
17 Njengomoya ovela empumalanga, ngizabahlakaza phambi kwezitha zabo; ngizabafulathela ngibancitshe ubuso bami ngosuku lokuhlupheka kwabo.”
As a burning will I scatter them before the enemy: I will shew them the back, and not the face, in the day of their destruction.
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 invent devices against Jeremias: for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet: come, and let us strike him with the tongue, and let us give no heed to all his words.
19 Ake ungizwe, awu Thixo; ulalele okutshiwo yizitha zami!
Give heed to me, O Lord, and hear the voice of my adversaries.
20 Okuhle kuphindiselwa ngokubi na? Ikanti sebengimbele igodi. Khumbula ukuba ngema phambi kwakho ngabakhulumela ukuba ususe ulaka lwakho kubo.
Shall evil be rendered for good, because they have digged a pit for my soul? Remember that I have stood in thy sight, so speak good for them, and turn away thy indignation 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 deliver up their children to famine, and bring them into the hands of the sword: let their wives be bereaved of children and widows: and let their husbands be slain by death: let their young men be stabbed with 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 out of their houses: for thou shalt bring the robber upon them suddenly: because they have digged a pit to take me, and have hid 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.
But thou, O Lord, knowest all their counsel against me unto death: forgive not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from thy sight: let them be overthrown before thy eyes, in the time of thy wrath do thou destroy them.
