UJeremiya 18
1 Leli yilizwi elafika kuJeremiya livela kuThixo lisithi:
The worde which came to Ieremiah from the Lord, saying,
2 “Suka wehlele endlini yombumbi, lapho engizakutshelela khona ilizwi lami.”
Arise, and go downe into the potters house, and there shall I shewe thee my words.
3 Ngakho ngehlela endlini yombumbi, ngambona esebenza ngevili.
Then I went downe to the potters house, and behold, he wrought a worke on the wheeles.
4 Kodwa imbiza ayeyibumba ngebumba yonakala ezandleni zakhe; ngakho umbumbi wayenza yaba ngenye imbiza, ngendlela ayibona ingcono kuye.
And the vessell that he made of clay, was broken in the hand of the potter. so he returned, and made it another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.
5 Ilizwi likaThixo laselifika kimi lisithi;
Then the worde of the Lord came vnto 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.
O house of Israel, cannot I doe with you as this potter, sayth the Lord? beholde, as the clay is in the potters hande, so are you in mine hande, O house of Israel.
7 Nxa ngimemezela langasiphi isikhathi ukuthi isizwe loba umbuso uzasuswa udilizwe, uchithwe,
I will speake suddenly against a nation or against a kingdome to plucke it vp, and to roote it out and to destroy it.
8 kuthi isizwe leso engisixwayisileyo siphenduke ebubini baso, ngizaxola ngingabe ngisasehlisela ebesengimise ukusehlisela khona.
But if this nation, against whom I haue pronounced, turne from their wickednesse, I will repent of the plague that I thought to bring vpon them.
9 Njalo nxa ngesinye isikhathi ngimemezela ukuthi isizwe kumbe umbuso ngizawakha ngiwumise,
And I wil speake suddenly concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdome to builde it and to plant it.
10 ube ususenza ububi emehlweni ami njalo ungangilaleli, ngizacabanga kutsha ngokuhle ebesengicebe ukukwenzela khona.
But if it do euill in my sight and heare not my voyce, I will repent of ye good that I thought to do for 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.’
Speake thou nowe therefore vnto the men of Iudah, and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem, saying, Thus saith ye Lord, Behold, I prepare a plague for you, and purpose a thing against you: returne you therefore euery one from his euill way, and make your wayes and your workes good.
12 Kodwa bazaphendula bathi, ‘Akusizi lutho. Sizaqhubeka ngamacebo ethu; lowo lalowo wethu uzalandela ubulukhuni benhliziyo yakhe embi.’”
But they sayde desperately, Surely wee will walke after our owne imaginations, and doe euery man after the stubburnnesse of his wicked 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, Aske now among the heathen, who hath heard such thinges? the virgin of Israel hath done very filthily.
14 Ungqwaqwane waseLebhanoni uyake unyamalale emithezukweni yayo elamatshe na? Amanzi akhona aqandayo avela kude ayake eme ukugeleza na?
Will a man forsake the snowe of Lebanon, which commeth from the rocke of the fielde? or shall the colde flowing waters, that come from another place, be forsaken?
15 Kodwa abantu bami sebengikhohliwe; batshisela izithombe eziyize impepha, ezabenza bakhubeka ezindleleni zabo lasemikhondweni yasendulo. Zabenza bahamba ngezindledlana zeganga lasemigwaqweni engalungiswanga.
Because my people hath forgotten me, and haue burnt incense to vanitie, and their prophets haue caused them to stumble in their wayes from the auncient wayes, to walke in the pathes and way that is not troden,
16 Ilizwe labo lizatshabalaliswa, into yokuhlekwa usulu; bonke abadlula khona bazakwethuka banyikinye amakhanda abo.
To make their land desolate and a perpetual derision, so that euery one that passeth thereby, shalbe astonished and wagge his head,
17 Njengomoya ovela empumalanga, ngizabahlakaza phambi kwezitha zabo; ngizabafulathela ngibancitshe ubuso bami ngosuku lokuhlupheka kwabo.”
I will scatter them with an East winde before the enemie: I will shewe them the backe, 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.”
Then sayde they, Come, and let vs imagine some deuice against Ieremiah: for the Lawe shall not perish from the Priest, nor counsell from the wise, nor the worde from the Prophet: come, and let vs smite him with the tongue, and let vs not giue heede to any of his words.
19 Ake ungizwe, awu Thixo; ulalele okutshiwo yizitha zami!
Hearken vnto mee, O Lord, and heare the voyce of them that contend with me.
20 Okuhle kuphindiselwa ngokubi na? Ikanti sebengimbele igodi. Khumbula ukuba ngema phambi kwakho ngabakhulumela ukuba ususe ulaka lwakho kubo.
Shall euill be recompensed for good? for they haue digged a pit for my soule: remember that I stood before thee, to speake good for the, and to turne 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, deliuer vp their children to famine, and let them drop away by the force of the sworde, and let their wiues be robbed of their children, and be widowes: and let their husbands be put to death, and let their yong men be slayne by the sword in the battell.
22 Kakuzwakale ukukhala ezindlini zabo, lapho usulethe abahlaseli ukuba babajume, ngoba sebegebhe igodi ukuba bangithumbe njalo bathiya inyawo zami ngemijibila.
Let the crye bee heard from their houses, when thou shalt bring an hoste suddenly vpon them: for they haue digged a pit to take me, and hid snares for my feete.
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.
Yet Lord thou knowest al their counsel against me tendeth to death: forgiue not their iniquitie, neither put out their sinne from thy sight, but let them be ouerthrowen before thee: deale thus with them in the time of thine anger.
