UJeremiya 18
1 Leli yilizwi elafika kuJeremiya livela kuThixo lisithi:
The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, 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 you to hear my words.”
3 Ngakho ngehlela endlini yombumbi, ngambona esebenza ngevili.
Then I went down to the potter’s house, and behold, he was making something on the wheels.
4 Kodwa imbiza ayeyibumba ngebumba yonakala ezandleni zakhe; ngakho umbumbi wayenza yaba ngenye imbiza, ngendlela ayibona ingcono kuye.
When the vessel that he made of the clay was marred in the hand of the potter, he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.
5 Ilizwi likaThixo laselifika kimi lisithi;
Then the LORD’s word 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, can’t I do with you as this potter?” says the LORD. “Behold, as the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, house of Israel.
7 Nxa ngimemezela langasiphi isikhathi ukuthi isizwe loba umbuso uzasuswa udilizwe, uchithwe,
At the instant I speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy it,
8 kuthi isizwe leso engisixwayisileyo siphenduke ebubini baso, ngizaxola ngingabe ngisasehlisela ebesengimise ukusehlisela khona.
if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them.
9 Njalo nxa ngesinye isikhathi ngimemezela ukuthi isizwe kumbe umbuso ngizawakha ngiwumise,
At the instant I speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it,
10 ube ususenza ububi emehlweni ami njalo ungangilaleli, ngizacabanga kutsha ngokuhle ebesengicebe ukukwenzela khona.
if they do that which is evil in my sight, that they not obey my voice, then I will repent of the good with which 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.’
“Now therefore, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, ‘The LORD says: “Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a plan against you. Everyone return from his evil way now, 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, ‘It is in vain; for we will walk after our own plans, and we will each follow 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 the LORD says: “Ask now amongst the nations, ‘Who has heard such things?’ The virgin of Israel has done a very horrible thing.
14 Ungqwaqwane waseLebhanoni uyake unyamalale emithezukweni yayo elamatshe na? Amanzi akhona aqandayo avela kude ayake eme ukugeleza na?
Will the snow of Lebanon fail from the rock of the field? Will the cold waters that flow down 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 have forgotten me. They have burnt incense to false gods. They have been made to stumble in their ways in the ancient paths, to walk in byways, in a way not built up,
16 Ilizwe labo lizatshabalaliswa, into yokuhlekwa usulu; bonke abadlula khona bazakwethuka banyikinye amakhanda abo.
to make their land an astonishment, and a perpetual hissing. Everyone who passes by it will be astonished, and shake his head.
17 Njengomoya ovela empumalanga, ngizabahlakaza phambi kwezitha zabo; ngizabafulathela ngibancitshe ubuso bami ngosuku lokuhlupheka kwabo.”
I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy. I will show 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.”
Then they said, “Come! Let’s devise plans against Jeremiah; for the law won’t perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let’s strike him with the tongue, and let’s not give heed to any of his words.”
19 Ake ungizwe, awu Thixo; ulalele okutshiwo yizitha zami!
Give heed to me, LORD, and listen to the voice of those who contend with me.
20 Okuhle kuphindiselwa ngokubi na? Ikanti sebengimbele igodi. Khumbula ukuba ngema phambi kwakho ngabakhulumela ukuba ususe ulaka lwakho kubo.
Should evil be recompensed for good? For they have dug a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before you to speak good for them, to turn away your 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 deliver up their children to the famine, and give them over to the power of the sword. Let their wives become childless and widows. Let their men be killed and their young men struck 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 you bring a troop suddenly on them; for they have dug a pit to take me and 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.
Yet, LORD, you know all their counsel against me to kill me. Don’t forgive their iniquity. Don’t blot out their sin from your sight, Let them be overthrown before you. Deal with them in the time of your anger.
