UJeremiya 25

1 Ilizwi lafika kuJeremiya mayelana labantu bonke bakoJuda ngomnyaka wesine kaJehoyakhimi indodana kaJosiya inkosi yakoJuda, okwakungumnyaka wokuqala kaNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni.

The word which came to Jeremiah about all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah king of Judah; this was the first year of Nebuchadrezzar, king of Babylon.

2 Ngakho uJeremiya umphrofethi wathi kubo bonke abantu bakoJuda lakubo bonke abahlala eJerusalema:

This word Jeremiah gave out to all the people of Judah and to those living in Jerusalem, saying,

3 Okweminyaka engamatshumi amabili lantathu, kusukela ngomnyaka wetshumi lantathu kaJosiya indodana ka-Amoni inkosi yakoJuda kuze kube yilolusuku, ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi njalo ngalikhuluma kini njalonjalo, kodwa kalilalelanga.

From the thirteenth year of Josiah, the son of Amon, king of Judah, even till this day, for twenty-three years, the word of the Lord has been coming to me, and I have given it to you, getting up early and talking to you; but you have not given ear.

4 Lanxa uThixo wathumela zonke izinceku zakhe abaphrofethi kini njalonjalo, kalilalelanga njalo kalinakanga.

And the Lord has sent to you all his servants the prophets, getting up early and sending them; but you have not given attention and your ear has not been open to give hearing;

5 Bathi, “Phendukani khathesi, omunye lomunye wenu, ezindleleni zenu ezimbi lasezenzweni zenu ezimbi, lihlale elizweni uThixo alinika lona kanye labokhokho benu kuze kube nininini.

Saying, Come back now, everyone from his evil way and from the evil of your doings, and keep your place in the land which the Lord has given to you and to your fathers, from times long past even for ever:

6 Lingalandeli abanye onkulunkulu ukuba libasebenzele njalo libakhonze; lingangithukuthelisi ngalokho okwenziwa yizandla zenu. Lapho-ke angiyikulehlisela okubi.”

Do not go after other gods to be their servants and to give them worship, and do not make me angry with the work of your hands, causing evil to yourselves.

7 “Kodwa kalingilalelanga,” kutsho uThixo, “njalo lingithukuthelisile ngokwenziwa ngezandla zenu, lazehlisela okubi.”

But you have not given ear to me, says the Lord; so that you have made me angry with the work of your hands, causing evil to yourselves.

8 Ngakho uThixo uSomandla uthi: “Ngenxa yokuthi kalilalelanga amazwi ami,

So this is what the Lord of armies has said: Because you have not given ear to my words,

9 ngizabiza bonke abantu basenyakatho lenceku yami uNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni,” kutsho uThixo, “njalo ngizabaletha ukuba bamelane lelizwe leli labahlala kulo kanye lezizwe zonke eziseduze lalo. Ngizababhubhisa ngokupheleleyo ngibenze babe yinto eyesabekayo leyokuklolodelwa, lencithakalo yanini lanini.

See, I will send and take all the families of the north, says the Lord, and Nebuchadrezzar, king of Babylon, my servant, and make them come against this land, and against its people, and against all these nations on every side; and I will give them up to complete destruction, and make them a cause of fear and surprise and a waste place for ever.

10 Ngizasusa phakathi kwabo imisindo yokuthokoza lokuthaba, lelizwi lomlobokazi lelomyeni, lomsindo wamatshe okuchola kanye lokukhanya kwesibane.

And more than this, I will take from them the sound of laughing voices, the voice of joy, the voice of the newly-married man, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the stones crushing the grain, and the shining of lights.

11 Ilizwe leli lonke lizakuba yinkangala ephundlekileyo, lezizwe lezi zizasebenzela inkosi yaseBhabhiloni iminyaka engamatshumi ayisikhombisa.

All this land will be a waste and a cause of wonder; and these nations will be the servants of the king of Babylon for seventy years.

12 Kodwa lapho iminyaka engamatshumi ayisikhombisa isiphelile, ngizayijezisa inkosi yaseBhabhiloni lesizwe sayo, ilizwe lamaKhaladiya, ngenxa yobubi babo,” kutsho uThixo, “njalo ngizalenza lichitheke kokuphela.

And it will come about, after seventy years are ended, that I will send punishment on the king of Babylon, and on that nation, says the Lord, for their evil-doing, and on the land of the Chaldaeans; and I will make it a waste for ever.

13 Ngizakwehlisela phezu kwelizwe lelo zonke izinto engazitshoyo ngalo, konke okulotshwe encwadini le okwaphrofethwa nguJeremiya ezizweni zonke.

And I will make that land undergo everything I have said against it, even everything recorded in this book, which Jeremiah the prophet has said against all the nations.

14 Lazo uqobo zizathunjwa yizizwe ezinengi lamakhosi amakhulu; ngizaphindisela kubo mayelana lezenzo zabo langemisebenzi yezandla zabo.”

For a number of nations and great kings will make servants of them, even of them: and I will give them the reward of their acts, even the reward of the work of their hands.

15 UThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli wathi kimi, “Yamukela esandleni sami inkezo le egcwele iwayini lolaka lwami unathise zonke izizwe engikuthuma kuzo.

For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, has said to me: Take the cup of the wine of this wrath from my hand, and make all the nations to whom I send you take of it.

16 Zingalinatha, zizadiyazela zihlanye ngenxa yenkemba engizayithumela phakathi kwazo.”

And after drinking it, they will go rolling from side to side, and be off their heads, because of the sword which I will send among them.

17 Ngakho ngayithatha inkezo esandleni sikaThixo ngazinathisa zonke izizwe ayengithume kuzo:

Then I took the cup from the Lord's hand, and gave a drink from it to all the nations to whom the Lord sent me;

18 IJerusalema lamadolobho akoJuda, amakhosi akhona kanye lezikhulu, ukubenza babe yincithakalo lento eyesabekayo yokuklolodelwa lokuqalekiswa, njengoba benjalo lamhla;

Jerusalem and the towns of Judah and their kings and their princes, to make them a waste place, a cause of fear and surprise and a curse, as it is this day;

19 uFaro inkosi yaseGibhithe, lezinceku zakhe, lezikhulu zakhe kanye labantu bakhe bonke,

Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and his servants and his princes and all his people;

20 labantu bonke bezizweni abakhonale; wonke amakhosi ase-Uzi; wonke amakhosi amaFilistiya (awe-Ashikheloni, eGaza, e-Ekroni, labantu abasala e-Ashidodi);

And all the mixed people and all the kings of the land of Uz, and all the kings of the land of the Philistines, and Ashkelon and Gaza and Ekron and the rest of Ashdod;

21 e-Edomi, leMowabi kanye le-Amoni;

Edom and Moab and the children of Ammon,

22 wonke amakhosi aseThire, leSidoni; amakhosi amazwe angasolwandle ngaphetsheya kwalo,

And all the kings of Tyre, and all the kings of Zidon, and the kings of the lands across the sea;

23 eDedani, leThema leBhuzi labo bonke abasezindaweni ezikhatshana;

Dedan and Tema and Buz, and all who have the ends of their hair cut;

24 wonke amakhosi ase-Arabhiya lawo wonke amakhosi abantu bezizweni abahlala enkangala;

And all the kings of Arabia, and all the kings of the mixed people living in the waste land;

25 amakhosi wonke aseZimri, le-Elamu leMediya;

And all the kings of Zimri, and all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of the Medes;

26 lawo amakhosi asenyakatho, eduze lakhatshana, elandelana, yonke imibuso esemhlabeni. Emva kwabo bonke, inkosi yaseSheshaki layo izalinatha.

And all the kings of the north, far and near, one with another; and all the kingdoms of the world on the face of the earth.

27 “Lapho-ke batshele uthi, ‘UThixo uSomandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi: Nathani, lidakwe lihlanze, njalo liwe lingavuki futhi ngenxa yenkemba engizayithumela phakathi kwenu.’

And you are to say to them, This is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel, has said: Take of this cup and be overcome, and let it come out again from your lips, and from your fall you will never be lifted up again, because of the sword which I will send among you.

28 Kodwa bangala ukwamukela inkezo esandleni sakho ukuba banathe, batshele uthi, ‘UThixo uSomandla uthi: Kumele liyinathe!

And it will be, if they will not take of the cup in your hand, then you are to say to them, This is what the Lord of armies has said: You will certainly take of it.

29 Khangelani, sengiqalisile ukuletha umonakalo edolobheni elileBizo lami, njalo lina lizaphutha impela ukujeziswa na? Kaliyikuphutha ukujeziswa ngoba ngizakwehlisela inkemba phezu kwabo bonke abahlala emhlabeni, kutsho uThixo uSomandla.’

For see, I am starting to send evil on the town which is named by my name, and are you to be without any punishment? You will not be without punishment: for I will send a sword on all people living on the earth, says the Lord of armies.

30 Khathesi-ke phrofetha wonke amazwi la ngabo uthi kubo: ‘UThixo uzahlokoma ephezulu; uzaduma esendaweni yakhe engcwele, njalo ahlokome kakhulu emelana lelizwe lakhe. Uzamemeza njengabahluza amavini, akhwaze ngamandla ekhwazela bonke abahlala emhlabeni.

So, as a prophet, give out these words among them, and say to them, The voice of the Lord will be sounding like a lion from on high; he will send out his voice from his holy place, like the loud voice of a lion, against his flock; he will give a cry, like those who are crushing the grapes, against all the people of the earth.

31 Ukuxokozela kuzazwakala emikhawulweni yomhlaba, ngoba uThixo uzazethesa amacala izizwe; uzakwahlulela abantu bonke ababi ababhubhise ngenkemba,’” kutsho uThixo.

A noise will come, even to the end of the earth; for the Lord has a cause against the nations, he will give his decision against all flesh; as for the evil-doers, he will give them to the sword, says the Lord.

32 Nanku akutshoyo uThixo uSomandla: “Khangelani! Umonakalo uyanda usuka kwesinye isizwe usiya kwesinye; isiphepho esikhulu siyavunguza sivela emikhawulweni yomhlaba.”

This is what the Lord of armies has said: See, evil is going out from nation to nation, and a great storm will come up from the inmost parts of the earth.

33 Ngalesosikhathi labo ababulewe nguThixo bazakuba sezindaweni zonke kusukela komunye kusiya komunye umkhawulo womhlaba. Kabayikukhalelwa loba babuthwe kumbe bangcwatshwe, kodwa bazakuba njengezibi emhlabathini.

And at that day, the bodies of those whom the Lord has put to death will be seen from one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth: there will be no weeping for them, their bodies will not be taken up or put to rest in the earth; they will be like waste on the face of the land.

34 Khalani lilile lina belusi; giqikani ethulini lina bakhokheli bomhlambi. Ngoba isikhathi sokubulawa kwenu sesifikile; lizakuwa liphohlozeke njengokubunjiweyo.

Give cries of grief, you keepers of sheep; give cries for help, rolling yourselves in the dust, you chiefs of the flock: for the days of your destruction have fully come, and I will send you in all directions, and your fall will be like that of the males of the flock.

35 Abelusi laba kabayikuba lalapho abangabalekela khona, abakhokheli bomhlambi bengelandawo yokubalekela kuyo.

There will be no way of flight for the keepers of sheep, no road for the chiefs of the flock to get away safely.

36 Zwanini ukukhala kwabelusi, ukulila kwabakhokheli bomhlambi, ngoba uThixo uyalichitha idlelo labo.

A sound of the cry of the keepers of sheep, and the bitter crying of the chiefs of the flock! for the Lord has made waste their green fields.

37 Lamadlelo alokuthula azatshabalaliswa ngenxa yolaka olwesabekayo lukaThixo.

And there is no sound in the fields of peace, because of the burning wrath of the Lord.

38 Njengesilwane uzaphuma esikhundleni sakhe, njalo ilizwe labo lizakuba yinkangala ngenxa yenkemba yomncindezeli langenxa yolaka lukaThixo olwesabekayo.

The lion has come out of his secret place, for the land has become a waste because of the cruel sword, and because of the heat of his wrath.