UJeremiya 21
1 Ilizwi lafika kuJeremiya livela kuThixo lapho uZedekhiya inkosi wayethume kuye uPhashuri indodana kaMalikhija lomphristi uZefaniya indodana kaMaseya. Bathi:
The worde which came vnto Ieremiah from the Lord, when king Zedekiah sent vnto him Pashur, the sonne of Malchiah, and Zephaniah, the sonne of Maaseiah the Priest, saying,
2 “Ake usibuzele kuThixo khathesi nje, ngoba uNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni uyasihlasela. Mhlawumbe uThixo angasenzela izimanga njengasezikhathini ezedlulayo ukuze asuke kithi.”
Inquire, I pray thee, of the Lord for vs, (for Nebuchad-nezzar King of Babel maketh warre against vs) if so be that the Lord will deale with vs according to all his wonderous workes, that he may returne vp from vs.
3 Kodwa uJeremiya wathi kubo, “Tshelani uZedekhiya lithi:
Then said Ieremiah, Thus shall you say to Zedekiah,
4 ‘UThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi: Sekuseduze ukuthi ngiziphendulele kuwe izikhali zempi ezisezandleni zakho, ozisebenzisayo ekulweni lenkosi yaseBhabhiloni lamaKhaladiya angaphandle komduli ekuvimbezele. Njalo ngizawaqoqa phakathi kwalelidolobho.
Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Behold, I will turne backe the weapons of warre that are in your hands, wherewith ye fight against the King of Babel, and against the Caldeans, which besiege you without the walles, and I will assemble them into the middes of this citie.
5 Mina uqobo ngizakulwa lawe ngesandla eseluliweyo langengalo elamandla ngentukuthelo langokufuthelana kanye lolaka olukhulu.
And I my selfe will fight against you with an outstretched hand, and with a mighty arme, eue in anger and in wrath, and in great indignation.
6 Ngizabatshaya abahlala kulelidolobho, abantu lezifuyo njalo bazabulawa yisifo esesabekayo.
And I will smite the inhabitants of this citie, both man, and beast: they shall die of a great pestilence.
7 Emva kwalokho, kutsho uThixo, uZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda, lezikhulu zakhe kanye labantu bakulelidolobho abaphepha emkhuhlaneni, enkembeni lasendlaleni, ngizabanikela kuNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni lasezitheni zabo ezifuna ukubabulala. Uzababulala ngenkemba; kayikuba lomusa kumbe uzwelo loba isihawu.’
And after this, sayeth the Lord, I will deliuer Zedekiah the King of Iudah, and his seruants, and the people, and such as are left in this citie, from the pestilence, from the sworde and from the famine into the hande of Nebuchad-nezzar King of Babel, and into the hande of their enemies, and into the hande of those that seeke their liues, and he shall smite them with the edge of the sworde: he shall not spare them, neither haue pitie nor compassion.
8 Phezu kwalokho, abantu batshele uthi, ‘UThixo uthi: Khangelani, ngiyalimisela phambi kwenu indlela yokuphila lendlela yokufa.
And vnto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the Lord, Beholde, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.
9 Loba ngubani osala kulelidolobho uzabulawa ngenkemba, yindlala loba ngumkhuhlane. Kodwa loba ngubani ophumayo kulo ayezinikela kumaKhaladiya alivimbezeleyo uzasila, aphunyuke lokuphila kwakhe.
He that abideth in this citie, shall dye by the sword and by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth out, and falleth to the Caldeans, that besiege you, he shall liue, and his life shalbe vnto him for a pray.
10 Sengiqonde ukwenza okubi kulelidolobho hatshi okuhle, kutsho uThixo. Lizanikelwa ezandleni zenkosi yaseBhabhiloni, ezalitshabalalisa ngomlilo.’
For I haue set my face against this citie, for euill and not for good, saith the Lord: it shalbe giuen into the hande of the King of Babel, and he shall burne it with fire.
11 Phezu kwalokho, wothi endlini yenkosi yakoJuda, ‘Zwanini ilizwi likaThixo;
And say vnto the house of the King of Iudah, Heare ye the worde of the Lord.
12 lina abendlu kaDavida, uThixo uthi: Yenzani ukulunga insuku zonke ekuseni; mhlengeni esandleni somncindezeli wakhe lowo ophangiweyo, hlezi ulaka lwami luqubuke, lutshise njengomlilo ngenxa yobubi elibenzileyo, lutshise engekho ongalucitsha.
O house of Dauid, thus saith the Lord, Execute iudgement in the morning, and deliuer the oppressed out of the hande of the oppressor, lest my wrath go out like fire and burne, that none can quench it, because of the wickednes of your workes.
13 Ngimelane lawe, Jerusalema, wena ohlala ngaphezu kwalesisigodi, emagcekeni alamadwala, kutsho uThixo, lina elithi, “Ngubani ongazasihlasela na? Ngubani ongangena esiphephelweni sethu na?”
Beholde, I come against thee, O inhabitant of the valley, and rocke of the plaine, saith the Lord, which say, Who shall come downe against vs? or who shall enter into our habitations?
14 Ngizalijezisa njengokufanele izono zenu, kutsho uThixo. Ngizaphemba umlilo emahlathini enu ozalobisa konke okuseduze lani.’”
But I will visite you according to the fruite of your workes, saith the Lord, and I will kindle a fire in the forest thereof, and it shall deuoure rounde about it.
