UJeremiya 25

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

This is the word that came to Jeremiah about all the people of Judah. It came in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah. That was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon.

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

Jeremiah the prophet proclaimed this to all the people of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

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.

He said, “For twenty-three years, from the thirteenth year of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah until this day, Yahweh's words have been coming to me and I have spoken to you again and again, but you have not listened.

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

Yahweh sent out all his servants the prophets to you again and again, but you have not listened or paid any attention.

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

These prophets said, 'Let each man turn from his wicked way and the corruption of his practices and return to the land that Yahweh gave in ancient times to your ancestors and to you, as a permanent gift.

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

So do not walk after other gods to worship them or bow down to them, and do not provoke him with the work of your hands so that he does you harm.'

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

But you have not listened to me—this is Yahweh's declaration—so you have provoked me with the work of your hands to do harm to you.

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

So Yahweh of hosts says this, 'Because you did not listen 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 am about to send out a command to gather all the peoples of the north—this is Yahweh's declaration—with Nebuchadnezzar my servant, king of Babylon, and bring them against this land and its inhabitants, and against all the nations around you. For I will set them apart for destruction. I will turn them into a horror, an object for hissing, and an unending desolation.

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

I will put an end to the sound of joy and sound of gladness, the sound of the groom and the sound of the bride, the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp.

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

Then all of this land will become a desolation and a horror, and these nations will serve 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.

Then it will happen when seventy years have been completed, that I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans—this is Yahweh's declaration—for their iniquity and make it an unending desolation.

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

Then I will carry out against that land all the words that I had spoken, and everything written in this book that Jeremiah has prophesied against all the nations.

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

For also many other nations and great kings will make slaves out of these nations. I will repay them for their deeds and the works 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 Yahweh, God of Israel, said this to me, “Take this cup of the wine of fury from my hand and make all the nations to which I am sending you drink it.

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

For they will drink and then stagger about and rant madly before the sword that I am sending out among them.”

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

So I took the cup from Yahweh's hand, and I made all the nations to which Yahweh had sent me drink it:

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

Jerusalem, the cities of Judah and her kings and officials—to turn them into ruins and something terrifying, and into an object for hissing and cursing, as they are at this present day.

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

Other nations also had to drink it: Pharaoh king of Egypt and his servants; his officials 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);

all people of mixed heritage and all the kings of the land of Uz; all the kings of the land of Philistia—Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod;

21 e-Edomi, leMowabi kanye le-Amoni;

Edom and Moab and the people of Ammon.

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

The kings of Tyre and Sidon, the kings of the coasts on the other side of the sea,

23 eDedani, leThema leBhuzi labo bonke abasezindaweni ezikhatshana;

Dedan, Tema, and Buz with all the ones who cut the hair on the sides of their heads, they also had to drink it.

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

All the kings of Arabia and all the kings of people of mixed heritage who live in the wilderness;

25 amakhosi wonke aseZimri, le-Elamu leMediya;

all the kings of Zimri, 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.

all the kings of the north, the ones close by and the ones far away—everyone with his brother and all the kingdoms of the world that are on the surface of the earth, all of them had to drink the cup from Yahweh's hand. Finally, the king of Babylon will also drink from that cup.

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

Yahweh said to me, “Now you must say to them, 'Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, says this: Drink and become drunk, then vomit, fall down, and do not rise before the sword that I am sending among you.'

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

Then it will happen that if they refuse to take the cup from your hand to drink, you will say to them, 'Yahweh of hosts says this: You must certainly drink 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 about to bring disaster on the city that is called by my name, and should you yourselves be free from punishment? You will not be free, for I am calling a sword against all the inhabitants of the land!—this is the declaration of Yahweh of hosts.'

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.

You must prophesy all these words against them, and say to them, 'Yahweh will roar from the heights and he will shout with his voice from his holy dwelling, and he will roar mightily against his fold; and he will shout, like those who tread the grapes against all those who live on the earth.

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

The sound of battle will resound to the ends of the earth, for Yahweh brings charges against the nations, and he brings judgment on all flesh, and the wicked ones he will put to the sword—this is Yahweh's declaration.'

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

Yahweh of hosts says this, 'See, disaster is going out from nation to nation, and a great storm is beginning from the farthest 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.

Then those killed by Yahweh will on that day extend from one end of the earth to the other; they will not be mourned, gathered, or buried. They will be like dung on the ground.

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

Wail, shepherds, and shout for help! Roll about in the dust, you leaders of the flock, for the days of your slaughter have come; you will be scattered when you fall like fine pottery.

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

There is no refuge for the shepherds, there will be no escape for the leaders of the flock.

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

Hear the cries of the shepherds and the wails of the leaders of the flock, for Yahweh is destroying their pastures.

37 Lamadlelo alokuthula azatshabalaliswa ngenxa yolaka olwesabekayo lukaThixo.

So the peaceful pastures will be devastated because of Yahweh's fierce anger.

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

Like a young lion, he has left his den, for their land will become a horror because of the oppressor's anger, because of his angry wrath.'”