UJeremiya 24

1 Emva kokuba uJekhoniya indodana kaJehoyakhimi inkosi yakoJuda lezikhulu, izingcitshi kanye lezisebenzi zakoJuda sebethunjwe eJerusalema basiwa eBhabhiloni nguNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni, uThixo wangitshengisa izitsha ezimbili zomkhiwa zibekwe phambi kwethempeli likaThixo.

The LORD showed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs were set before the temple of the LORD, after Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, and the princes of Judah, with the craftsmen and smiths, from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon.

2 Esinye isitsha sasilomkhiwa omuhle kakhulu, njengovuthwa kuqala; esinye isitsha sasilomkhiwa omubi, ubolile ungeke wadleka.

One basket had very good figs, even like the figs that are first ripe: and the other basket had very bad figs, which could not be eaten, they were so bad.

3 UThixo wasesithi kimi, “Kuyini okubonayo, Jeremiya?” Ngathi, “Ngumkhiwa. Omuhle muhle kakhulu, kodwa omubi ubole kakhulu ungeke udliwe.”

Then said the LORD to me, What seest thou, Jeremiah? And I said, Figs; the good figs, very good; and the bad, very bad, that cannot be eaten, they are so bad.

4 Ilizwi likaThixo laselifika kimi lisithi:

Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

5 “UThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi, ‘Njengalo umkhiwa omuhle, ngibathatha njengabalungileyo abathunjwa bakoJuda, engabasusa kule indawo ngabasa elizweni laseBhabhiloni.

Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good.

6 Amehlo ami azabakhangela kokuphela, njalo ngizababuyisa kulelilizwe. Ngizabakha ngingabadilizi; ngizabahlanyela ngingabasiphuni.

For I will set my eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land: and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up.

7 Ngizabapha inhliziyo yokungazi, ukuthi mina nginguThixo. Bazakuba ngabantu bami, mina ngibe nguNkulunkulu wabo, ngoba bazabuyela kimi ngenhliziyo yabo yonke.

And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return to me with their whole heart.

8 Kodwa njengomkhiwa omubi, obolileyo ongeke udliwe,’ kutsho uThixo, ‘ngizamphatha kanjalo uZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda, lezikhulu zakhe kanye labasindayo eJerusalema, langabe basele kulelilizwe loba baseGibhithe.

And as the bad figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so bad; surely thus saith the LORD, So will I give Zedekiah the king of Judah, and his princes, and the remnant of Jerusalem, that remain in this land, and them that dwell in the land of Egypt:

9 Ngizabenza bazondakale njalo babe yisinengiso kuyo yonke imibuso yasemhlabeni, insolo lesiga, into yokuhlekwa lokuthukwa, loba kungaphi engibaxotshela khona.

And I will deliver them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for their hurt, to be a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse, in all places where I shall drive them.

10 Ngizathumela inkemba, indlala lomkhuhlane baze babhujiswe baphele elizweni engabanika lona kanye labokhokho babo.’”

And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, among them, till they are consumed from off the land that I gave to them and to their fathers.