UJeremiya 30
1 Leli yilizwi elafika kuJeremiya livela kuThixo lisithi:
Yahweh gave me another message. He said,
2 “UThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi, ‘Loba encwadini wonke amazwi engiwakhulume kuwe.
“[I], Yahweh, the God whom the Israeli people [say they belong to], am telling you that you should write down everything that I have said to you.
3 Insuku ziyeza,’ kutsho uThixo, ‘lapho engizabuyisa abantu bami u-Israyeli loJuda bevela ekuthunjweni ngibabuyisele elizweni engalinika okhokho babo ukuba libe ngelabo,’ kutsho uThixo.”
[I want you to know that] some day I will free my people, [the people of] Israel and Judah, from being slaves [in Babylon]. I will bring them back to this land that I gave to their ancestors, and this land will belong to them again. [That will surely happen because] I, Yahweh, have said it.”
4 Amazwi akhulunywa nguThixo ngo-Israyeli loJuda:
Yahweh gave [to me] another message concerning [the people of] Israel and Judah.
5 “Wathi: ‘Ukukhala kokwesaba kuzwakele, ukwesaba okukhulu, hatshi ukuthula.
This is what he said: “I hear people screaming because they are terrified [DOU]; there is no peace [in the land].
6 Buzani libone: Indoda ingazala abantwana na? Pho kungani ngibona wonke amadoda aqinileyo ebambe izisu zawo ngezandla njengowesifazane ohelelwayo, ubuso bonke sebube mhlotshana okokufa?
But think about this: Men certainly do not [RHQ] give birth to babies. Therefore, why do strong men stand there, with their faces very white/pale, with their hands pressed against their stomachs, like women who are about to give birth to babies?
7 Yeka ukwesabeka okuzakuba yilolosuku! Kalukho oluzakuba njengalo. Kuzakuba yisikhathi sokuhlupheka kukaJakhobe, kodwa uzahlengwa kukho.
[Terrible things will soon happen]; that will be a terrible day! There has never been such a time. It will be a time when [my] Israeli people will experience great trouble, but [finally] they will be saved [from their sufferings].”
8 Ngalolosuku,’ kutsho uThixo uSomandla, ‘ngizalephula ijogwe entanyeni zabo ngiqamule lezibopho zabo; abezizweni kabasayikubagqilaza futhi.
The Commander of the armies of angels says this: “At that time [it will be as though] I will sever/cut the ropes [that are around my people], and I will free them from being (slaves/forced to do what the King of Babylon wants them to do) [MET]. People in other countries will no longer be their bosses.
9 Esikhundleni salokho, bazasebenzela uThixo uNkulunkulu wabo, loDavida inkosi yabo, engizabavusela yona.
My people will [again] serve me, Yahweh, their God, and [they will serve a king who is a descendant of] King David; [they will serve the king] whom I will appoint for them.
10 Ngakho ungesabi, wena Jakhobe nceku yami; ungadangali, wena Israyeli,’ kutsho uThixo. ‘Ngeqiniso ngizakuhlenga ezindaweni ezikude, lenzalo yakho elizweni lokuthunjwa kwayo. UJakhobe uzakuba lokuthula futhi kanye lokuvikeleka, njalo kakho ozamenza esabe.
So, [you people of] Israel who serve me, do not be dismayed/worried [now], because [some day] I will bring you back from distant places; I will bring your descendants [back home] from the land to which they were exiled. [Then you] Israeli people will [again] live peacefully and safely, and there will not be any [nation] that will cause you to be terrified.
11 Ngilawe njalo ngizakuhlenga,’ kutsho uThixo. ‘Lanxa ngizichitha ngokupheleleyo zonke izizwe engikuhlakazela kuzo, wena angiyikukuchitha ngokupheleleyo. Ngizakuqondisa kodwa ngokufaneleyo kuphela; kangiyikukuyekela ungajeziswanga.’
I, Yahweh, say that I will be with you and will rescue you; I will completely destroy the nations to which I have scattered you. But I will not completely destroy you. I will punish you [for your many sins], but I will punish you [only] as severely as you deserve: I would be doing wrong if I did not punish you at all.”
12 UThixo uthi: ‘Isilonda sakho kaselapheki, ukulimala kwakho akupholi.
Yahweh [also] says this: “[You have (suffered very much/endured many disasters)]; [it is as though] you have a terrible wound that cannot be cured.
13 Kakho okhulumela inhloso yakho, akulamuthi wesilonda sakho, akukho kuphola kuwe.
There is no one to help you, no one to put a bandage on your wound. There is no [medicine that will] heal you.
14 Bonke abangane bakho sebekukhohliwe; kabalandaba lawe. Ngikutshaye njengokungenziwa yisitha ngakujezisa njengokungenziwa ngolesihluku, ngoba icala lakho likhulu kakhulu lezono zakho zinengi kakhulu.
All your allies [MET] have deserted you and they do not want to help you [any more]. [It is true that] I have punished you severely, [like your] enemies would wound you, because you have committed many sins and you are very guilty.
15 Kungani ukhaliswa linxeba lakho, ubuhlungu bakho obungelaphekiyo na? Ngenxa yecala lakho elikhulu lezono ezinengi ngenze lezizinto kuwe.
[Because that is true], why do you protest about my punishing you, [as though I had caused] a wound that could not be cured [RHQ]? It was necessary for me to punish you, because you had committed many sins and you were very guilty.
16 Kodwa bonke abakudlayo bazadliwa; zonke izitha zakho zizathunjwa. Labo abakuphangayo bazaphangwa; bonke abakwemukayo ngizabemuka.
But [some day] all those who [are trying to] destroy you will be destroyed; all your enemies will be exiled [to other nations]. All those who have stolen things from you will have their [valuable] possessions stolen, and all those who attack you will be attacked.
17 Kodwa ngizakusilisa ngipholise lamanxeba akho,’ kutsho uThixo, ‘ngoba kuthiwa ungolahliweyo, iZiyoni okungekho olendaba lalo.’
[Everyone] says that you are (outcasts/people that they no longer associate with), and that [you live in] Jerusalem, a city that no one cares about.” But Yahweh says, “I will heal your injuries/wounds and cause you to be healthy again.”
18 UThixo uthi: ‘Ngizavuselela inotho yasemathenteni kaJakhobe ngibe lesihawu emakhaya akhe; idolobho lizakwakhiwa kutsha emanxiweni alo, lendlu yobukhosi izakuma endaweni yayo uqobo.
This is what Yahweh says: “I will bring the people of Israel back from the lands to which they were taken and enable them to possess their land and their houses again. [When that happens], Jerusalem will be rebuilt on top of its ruins, and the [king’s] palace will be rebuilt to be like it was before.
19 Kubo kuzavela izingoma zokubonga kanye lomsindo wokuthokoza. Ngizakwandisa amanani abo, njalo kabayikuphungulwa; ngizabenza bahlonitshwe, njalo kabayikweyiswa.
People will [again] sing joyfully to thank [me], and I will cause there to be more people [in Jerusalem], not fewer; I will cause them to be honored, not despised.
20 Abantwana babo bazakuba njengezinsukwini zakudala, lebandla labo lizamiselwa phambi kwami; ngizabajezisa bonke ababancindezelayo.
Their children will [prosper] like they did before. I will cause them to be a group of people [who worship] me, and I will punish any [nation] that oppresses them.
21 Umkhokheli wabo uzakuba ngomunye wabakibo; umbusi wabo uzavela phakathi kwabo. Ngizamsondeza eduze, uzakuza phansi kwami, ngoba ngubani lowo ongazinikela ukuba seduze kwami na?’ kutsho uThixo.
One of their own people will be their king, and I will invite him to come close to me [to worship me], because no one [RHQ] would (dare/have courage) to come close to me [if I did not invite him].
22 ‘Ngakho lina lizakuba ngabantu bami, mina ngibe nguNkulunkulu wenu.’”
You [Israeli people] will be my people, and I will be your God.”
23 Khangelani, isiphepho sikaThixo sizakhupha ulaka, umoya osasivunguzane usehlela phezu kwamakhanda ababi.
Yahweh will punish [MTY] [your enemies]; [it will be like a great] storm; it will come down [like] a whirlwind, swirling around the heads of wicked people.
24 Ulaka olwesabekayo lukaThixo kaluyikudeda aze ayifeze ngokupheleleyo injongo yenhliziyo yakhe. Ensukwini ezizayo lizakuzwisisa lokhu.
He will not stop being angry until he completely accomplishes [all] that he has planned. In the future, you will understand [all] of this [clearly].
