UJeremiya 46
1 Leli yilizwi likaThixo elafika kuJeremiya umphrofethi mayelana lezizwe:
The LORD’s word which came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations.
2 Mayelana leGibhithe: Leli yilizwi elimayelana lebutho likaFaro Nekho inkosi yaseGibhithe, elanqotshwayo eKharikhemishi emfuleni iYufrathe nguNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni ngomnyaka wesine kaJehoyakhimi indodana kaJosiya inkosi yakoJuda:
Of Egypt: concerning the army of Pharaoh Necoh king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates in Carchemish, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon struck in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah.
3 “Lungisani amahawu enu, amakhulu lamancane, liphume liye empini.
“Prepare the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle!
4 Bophani amabhiza, liwagade! Manini ezindaweni zenu lilezingowane zenu! Lolani imikhonto yenu, ligqoke impahla zempi!
Harness the horses, and get up, you horsemen, and stand up with your helmets. Polish the spears, put on the coats of mail.
5 Kuyini engikubonayo? Bayesaba, bahlehlela emuva, amabutho abo ehlulwe. Abaleka ngesiqubu anganyemukuli, njalo kulokwesaba izindawo zonke,” kutsho uThixo.
Why have I seen it? They are dismayed and are turned backward. Their mighty ones are beaten down, have fled in haste, and do not look back. Terror is on every side,” says the LORD.
6 “Olejubane kasoze abaleke kumbe olamandla aphephe. Ngasenyakatho, emfuleni iYufrathe bayakhubeka bawe.
“Do not let the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape. In the north by the river Euphrates they have stumbled and fallen.
7 Ngubani lo ophakama njengeNayili, njengemifula elamanzi agubhazelayo na?
“Who is this who rises up like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge?
8 IGibhithe liphakama njengeNayili, njengemifula elamanzi agubhazelayo. Lithi: ‘Ngizaphakama ngembese umhlaba; ngizachitha amadolobho labantu bawo.’
Egypt rises up like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge. He says, ‘I will rise up. I will cover the earth. I will destroy cities and its inhabitants.’
9 Hlaselani, lina mabhiza! Qhubekani ngentukuthelo, lina zinqola zempi! Yanini phambili, lina mabutho, madoda aseKhushi lawePhuthi, aphatha amahawu, madoda aseLudi agoba idandili.
Go up, you horses! Rage, you chariots! Let the mighty men go out: Cush and Put, who handle the shield; and the Ludim, who handle and bend the bow.
10 Kodwa usuku lolo ngolweNkosi, uThixo uSomandla, usuku lokuphindisela, olokuphindisela ezitheni zakhe. Inkemba izakudla ize isuthe, ize icitshe ukoma kwayo ngegazi. Ngoba iNkosi, uThixo uSomandla uzanikela umhlatshelo elizweni lasenyakatho ngasemfuleni iYufrathe.
For that day is of the Lord, GOD of Armies, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge himself of his adversaries. The sword will devour and be satiated, and will drink its fill of their blood; for the Lord, GOD of Armies, has a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.
11 Yana eGiliyadi uyethatha umuthi wokwelapha, wena Ndodakazi egcweleyo yaseGibhithe. Kodwa imithi uyandisela ize; akukho kusila kuwe.
Go up into Gilead, and take balm, virgin daughter of Egypt. You use many medicines in vain. There is no healing for you.
12 Izizwe zizakuzwa ngehlazo lakho; ukukhala kwakho kuzagcwala umhlaba. Elinye ibutho lizakhubeka kwelinye; womabili azawela phansi ndawonye.”
The nations have heard of your shame, and the earth is full of your cry; for the mighty man has stumbled against the mighty, they both fall together.”
13 Leli yilizwi uThixo alikhuluma kuJeremiya umphrofethi ngokuza kukaNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni ukuba ahlasele iGibhithe:
The word that the LORD spoke to Jeremiah the prophet, how that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon should come and strike the land of Egypt:
14 “Memezelani lokhu eGibhithe, likubike laseMigidoli; kumemezeleni njalo laseMemfisi laseThahiphanesi lithi: ‘Manini ezindaweni zenu lilunge, ngoba inkemba idla abakhelene lani.’
“Declare in Egypt, publish in Migdol, and publish in Memphis and in Tahpanhes; say, ‘Stand up, and prepare, for the sword has devoured around you.’
15 Amabutho enu azabulawelwani na? Angeke ame, ngoba uThixo uzawalahlela phansi.
Why are your strong ones swept away? They did not stand, because the LORD pushed them.
16 Azakhubeka kokuphela; azakuwa elekane. Azakuthi, ‘Vukani, kasibuyeleni emuva ebantwini bakithi lasemazweni akithi, kude kwenkemba yomncindezeli.’
He made many to stumble. Yes, they fell on one another. They said, ‘Arise! Let’s go again to our own people, and to the land of our birth, from the oppressing sword.’
17 Khonale bazamemeza bathi, ‘UFaro inkosi yaseGibhithe ingumsindo omkhulu nje kuphela; uselahlekelwe lithuba lakhe.’
They cried there, ‘Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a noise; he has let the appointed time pass by.’
18 Ngeqiniso elinjengokuthi ngikhona,” kutsho iNkosi, obizo layo nguThixo uSomandla, “kuzafika omunye onjengoThabhori phakathi kwezintaba, njengoKhameli ngasolwandle.
“As I live,” says the King, whose name is the LORD of Armies, “surely like Tabor among the mountains, and like Carmel by the sea, so he will come.
19 Lungisani impahla zekuthunjweni, lina abahlala eGibhithe, ngoba iMemfisi izadilizwa ibe lunxiwa olungahlali muntu.
You daughter who dwells in Egypt, furnish yourself to go into captivity; for Memphis will become a desolation, and will be burned up, without inhabitant.
20 IGibhithe ilithokazi elihle, kodwa isibawu siyeza silisongela sivela enyakatho.
“Egypt is a very beautiful heifer; but destruction out of the north has come. It has come.
21 Amabutho okuqatshwa aphakathi kwalo anjengamathole anonisiweyo. Lawo azaphenduka abaleke endawonye, kawayikuma, ngoba usuku lomonakalo luyeza phezu kwabo, isikhathi sabo sokujeziswa.
Also her hired men in the middle of her are like calves of the stall, for they also are turned back. They have fled away together. They did not stand, for the day of their calamity has come on them, the time of their visitation.
22 IGibhithe izakhwaza njengenyoka ebalekayo lapho isitha sisondela ngobunengi baso; sizayihlasela ngamahloka okwabantu abagamula izihlahla.
Its sound will go like the serpent, for they will march with an army, and come against her with axes, as wood cutters.
23 Sizagamula amahlathi ayo,” kutsho uThixo, “lanxa eminyene kanjani. Banengi kulentethe, ngeke babalwe.
They will cut down her forest,” says the LORD, “though it cannot be searched; because they are more than the locusts, and are innumerable.
24 Indodakazi yaseGibhithe izayangiswa, inikelwe ebantwini basenyakatho.”
The daughter of Egypt will be disappointed; she will be delivered into the hand of the people of the north.”
25 UThixo uSomandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi: “Sekuseduze ukuba ngijezise u-Amoni unkulunkulu waseThebesi, loFaro, leGibhithe kanye labonkulunkulu balo lamakhosi alo, lalabo abathembe uFaro.
The LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Behold, I will punish Amon of No, and Pharaoh, and Egypt, with her gods and her kings, even Pharaoh, and those who trust in him.
26 Ngizabanikela kulabo abafuna ukubabulala, kuNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni lezikhulu zakhe. Kodwa muva, iGibhithe lizahlalwa ngabantu futhi njengasezinsukwini zakudala,” kutsho uThixo.
I will deliver them into the hand of those who seek their lives, and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of his servants. Afterwards it will be inhabited, as in the days of old,” says the LORD.
27 “Ungesabi, wena Jakhobe nceku yami; ungathuthumeli, wena Israyeli. Impela ngizakukhulula endaweni ekude, lenzalo yakho elizweni lokuthunjwa kwayo. UJakhobe uzakuba lokuthula futhi kanye lokuvikeleka, njalo kakho ozamthuthumelisa.
“But do not you be afraid, Jacob my servant. Do not be dismayed, Israel; for, behold, I will save you from afar, and your offspring from the land of their captivity. Jacob will return, and will be quiet and at ease. No one will make him afraid.
28 Ungesabi wena Jakhobe nceku yami ngoba ngilawe,” kutsho uThixo. “Lanxa ngizachitha ngokupheleleyo izizwe zonke engakuhlakazela kuzo, wena angiyikukuchitha ngokupheleleyo. Ngizakujezisa kodwa ngokufaneleyo kuphela; angiyikukuyekela nje ungajeziswanga.”
Do not be afraid, O Jacob my servant,” says the LORD, “for I am with you; for I will make a full end of all the nations where I have driven you, but I will not make a full end of you, but I will correct you in measure, and will in no way leave you unpunished.”
