< UJeremiya 48 >

1 Mayelana leMowabi: UThixo uSomandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi: “Maye kuyo iNebho ngoba izachithwa. IKhiriyathayimi izayangeka njalo ithunjwe; inqaba izayangeka ibhidlizwe.
Concerning Moab, this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Woe to Nebo, for it will be devastated. Kiriathaim will be captured and disgraced; the fortress will be shattered and dismantled.
2 IMowabi kayiyikudunyiswa futhi; eHeshibhoni abantu bazaceba ukumbhidliza: besithi, ‘Wozani sitshabalalise isizwe lesiyana.’ Lawe, wena Madimeni uzathuliswa; inkemba izaxotshana lawe.
There is no longer praise for Moab; in Heshbon they devise evil against her: ‘Come, let us cut her off from nationhood.’ You too, O people of Madmen, will be silenced; the sword will pursue you.
3 Zwanini ukukhala okuvela eHoronayimi; ukukhala komonakalo omkhulu lencithakalo.
A voice cries out from Horonaim: ‘Devastation and great destruction!’
4 IMowabi izachitheka; abancinyane bayo bazakhala.
Moab will be shattered; her little ones will cry out.
5 Baqansa ngendlela eya eLuhithi, bahamba belila kabuhlungu, emgwaqweni owehlela eHoronayimi, kuzwakala ukukhala okulosizi ngenxa yokuchitheka.
For on the ascent to Luhith they weep bitterly as they go, and on the descent to Horonaim cries of distress resound over the destruction:
6 Balekani! Gijimani lizivikele ekufeni; wobani njengesihlahla enkangala.
‘Flee! Run for your lives! Become like a juniper in the desert.’
7 Njengoba lithembe izenzo zenu lenotho yenu, lani futhi lizathunjwa, loKhemoshi uzakuya ekuthunjweni, kanye labaphristi bakhe lezikhulu zakhe.
Because you trust in your works and treasures, you too will be captured, and Chemosh will go into exile with his priests and officials.
8 Umchithi uzafika emadolobheni wonke, njalo akukho dolobho elizaphepha. Isigodi sizatshabalaliswa, lamagceke azaqothulwa ngoba uThixo usekhulumile.
The destroyer will move against every city, and not one town will escape. The valley will also be ruined, and the high plain will be destroyed, as the LORD has said.
9 Fakani itswayi kuyo iMowabi ngoba izachitheka; amadolobho ayo azakuba ngamanxiwa angayikuba lamuntu ozahlala kuwo.
Put salt on Moab, for she will be laid waste; her cities will become desolate, with no one to dwell in them.
10 Yeka isithuko kulowo oyekethisayo ekwenzeni umsebenzi kaThixo! Yeka isithuko kulowo ogodla inkemba yakhe ekuchitheni igazi!
Cursed is the one who is remiss in doing the work of the LORD, and cursed is he who withholds his sword from bloodshed.
11 IMowabi ibiphumule kusukela ebutsheni bayo njengewayini elisele phezu kwezinsipho zalo, elingathelwanga kwenye imbiza lisuswa kwenye kayithunjwanga. Ngakho inambitheka njengakuqala, iphunga layo kaliguqukanga.
Moab has been at ease from youth, settled like wine on its dregs; he has not been poured from vessel to vessel or gone into exile. So his flavor has remained the same, and his aroma is unchanged.
12 Kodwa insuku ziyeza, lapho ngizathuma abantu abathulula okusembizeni, njalo bazayithululela phandle; bazachitha okusezimbizeni zayo bazimahlaze imbiza zayo.
Therefore behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will send to him wanderers, who will pour him out. They will empty his vessels and shatter his jars.
13 Lapho-ke iMowabi izayangeka ngoKhemoshi njengokuyangeka kwendlu ka-Israyeli lapho babethembe iBhetheli.
Then Moab will be ashamed of Chemosh, just as the house of Israel was ashamed when they trusted in Bethel.
14 Lingatsho kanjani na ukuthi, ‘Singamabutho, amadoda alesibindi empini na’?
How can you say, ‘We are warriors, mighty men ready for battle’?
15 IMowabi izachithwa, amadolobho ayo ahlaselwe; amajaha ayo aqinileyo azacakazelwa phansi abulawe,” kutsho iNkosi, obizo layo nguThixo uSomandla.
Moab has been destroyed and its towns have been invaded; the best of its young men have gone down in the slaughter, declares the King, whose name is the LORD of Hosts.
16 “Ukuwa kweMowabi sekuseduze; umonakalo wayo uzafika ngokuphangisa.
Moab’s calamity is at hand, and his affliction is rushing swiftly.
17 Ikhaleleni lonke lina elakhelene layo, bonke abalwaziyo udumo lwayo, lithi, ‘Yeka ukwephuka kwentonga yobukhosi elamandla, yeka ukwephuka kodondolo oluhle kakhulu!’
Mourn for him, all you who surround him, everyone who knows his name; tell how the mighty scepter is shattered— the glorious staff!
18 Yehlani ebukhosini benu lihlale emhlabathini owomileyo, lina elihlala eNdodakazini yaseDibhoni. Ngoba lowo ochitha iMowabi uzakuzalihlasela adilize amadolobho enu avikelweyo.
Come down from your glory; sit on parched ground, O daughter dwelling in Dibon, for the destroyer of Moab has come against you; he has destroyed your fortresses.
19 Manini emgwaqweni lilinde, lina elihlala e-Aroweri. Buzani indoda ebalekayo lowesifazane obalekayo; babuzeni lithi, ‘Kwenzakaleni na?’
Stand by the road and watch, O dweller of Aroer! Ask the man fleeing or the woman escaping, ‘What has happened?’
20 IMowabi iyangekile, ngoba ichithekile. Lilani likhale! Bikani ngase-Arinoni ukuthi iMowabi itshabalalisiwe.
Moab is put to shame, for it has been shattered. Wail and cry out! Declare by the Arnon that Moab is destroyed.
21 Ukwehlulela sekufikile emagcekeni eHoloni, leJahazi laseMefahathi,
Judgment has come upon the high plain— upon Holon, Jahzah, and Mephaath,
22 eDibhoni, leNebho laseBhethi-Dibhilathayimi,
upon Dibon, Nebo, and Beth-diblathaim,
23 eKhiriyathayimi, leBhethi-Gamuli laseBhethi Meyoni,
upon Kiriathaim, Beth-gamul, and Beth-meon,
24 eKheriyothi kanye laseBhozira kuwo wonke amadolobho aseMowabi, aseduze lakhatshana.
upon Kerioth, Bozrah, and all the towns of Moab, those far and near.
25 Uphondo lweMowabi luqunyiwe, ingalo yalo yephuliwe,” kutsho uThixo.
The horn of Moab has been cut off, and his arm is broken,”
26 “Idakiseni ngoba idelele uThixo. IMowabi kayizibhixe ngamahlanzo ayo; kayibe yinto yokuhlekwa.
“Make him drunk, because he has magnified himself against the LORD; so Moab will wallow in his own vomit, and he will also become a laughingstock.
27 U-Israyeli wayengasinto yokuhlekisa kuwe na? Watholakala ephakathi kwamasela na, ukuba unikine ikhanda lakho ngokweyisa ngasosonke isikhathi lapho ukhuluma ngaye?
Was not Israel your object of ridicule? Was he ever found among thieves? For whenever you speak of him you shake your head.
28 Tshiyani amadolobho enu lihlale emadwaleni, lina elihlala eMowabi. Wobani njengejuba elakhela isidleke salo emlonyeni wobhalu.
Abandon the towns and settle among the rocks, O dwellers of Moab! Be like a dove that nests at the mouth of a cave.
29 Sizwile ngokuzigqaja kweMowabi, ukuziqakisa kwayo lokuzazisa kwayo! Ukuzigqaja lokuzikhukhumeza kwayo, kanye lokuziphakamisa kwenhliziyo yayo.
We have heard of Moab’s pomposity, his exceeding pride and conceit, his proud arrogance and haughtiness of heart.
30 Ngiyakwazi ukudelela kwayo, kodwa kuyize, lokuzincoma kwayo akusizi lutho,” kutsho uThixo
I know his insolence,” declares the LORD, “but it is futile. His boasting is as empty as his deeds.
31 “Ngakho-ke ngiyalila ngeMowabi, ngikhalela iMowabi yonke, ngililela abantu baseKhiri-Haresethi.
Therefore I will wail for Moab; I will cry out for all of Moab; I will moan for the men of Kir-heres.
32 Ngiyalikhalela njengokulila kweJazeri, lina zivini zaseSibhima. Ingatsha zenu zinaba zifike olwandle, zafika olwandle lwaseJazeri. Umchithi usehlele phezu kwezithelo zakho ezivuthiweyo laphezu kwamavini.
I will weep for you, O vine of Sibmah, more than I weep for Jazer. Your tendrils have extended to the sea; they reach even to Jazer. The destroyer has descended on your summer fruit and grape harvest.
33 Ukuthokoza lokuthaba akusekho ezivinini lasemasimini eMowabi. Ukugeleza kwewayini ezikhamelweni sengikumisile; kakho ozalikhama eklabalala ngentokozo. Lanxa kulokuklabalala akusikuklabalala kwentokozo.
Joy and gladness are removed from the orchard and from the fields of Moab. I have stopped the flow of wine from the presses; no one treads them with shouts of joy; their shouts are not for joy.
34 Umsindo wokukhala kwabo uyaphakama uvelela eHeshibhoni usiya e-Eliyale laseJahazi, uvela eZowari usiyafika eHoronayimi le-Egilathi Shelishiya, ngoba lamanzi aseNimirimi asecitshile.
There is a cry from Heshbon to Elealeh; they raise their voices to Jahaz, from Zoar to Horonaim and Eglath-shelishiyah; for even the waters of Nimrim have dried up.
35 EMowabi ngizabaqeda labo abanikela iminikelo ezindaweni eziphakemeyo batshisele labonkulunkulu babo impepha,” kutsho uThixo.
In Moab, declares the LORD, I will bring an end to those who make offerings on the high places and burn incense to their gods.
36 “Ngakho inhliziyo yami ikhalela iMowabi njengemfegwana; iyakhala njengemfegwana ikhalela abantu beKhiri-Haresethi. Inotho ababeyizuzile kayisekho.
Therefore My heart laments like a flute for Moab; it laments like a flute for the men of Kir-heres, because the wealth they acquired has perished.
37 Amakhanda wonke aphuciwe lezindevu zonke zigeliwe; izandla zonke zisikiwe lezinkalo zonke zigqokiswe amasaka.
For every head is shaved and every beard is clipped; on every hand is a gash, and around every waist is sackcloth.
38 Phezu kwezimpahla zonke zezindlu zaseMowabi lasemagcekeni kazulu, akulalutho ngaphandle kokukhala, ngoba iMowabi ngiyibulele njengembiza engafunwa muntu,” kutsho uThixo.
On all the rooftops of Moab and in the public squares, everyone is mourning; for I have shattered Moab like an unwanted jar,”
39 “Yeka ukuphahlazwa kwayo! Yeka ukulila kwabo! Yeka ukufulathela kweMowabi ilehlazo! IMowabi isibe yinto yokuhlekwa; into yokwesatshwa yibo bonke abakhelane layo.”
“How shattered it is! How they wail! How Moab has turned his back in shame! Moab has become an object of ridicule and horror to all those around him.”
40 UThixo uthi: “Khangela! Ukhozi lwehlela phansi ngesiqubu, lwelulele impiko zalo phezu kweMowabi.
For this is what the LORD says: “Behold, an eagle swoops down and spreads his wings against Moab.
41 IKheriyothi izathunjwa, lezinqaba zithunjwe. Ngalolosuku inhliziyo zamabutho aseMowabi zizakuba njengenhliziyo yowesifazane ohelelwayo.
Kirioth has been taken, and the strongholds seized. In that day the heart of Moab’s warriors will be like the heart of a woman in labor.
42 IMowabi izachithwa ingabe isaba yisizwe ngoba yadelela uThixo.
Moab will be destroyed as a nation because he vaunted himself against the LORD.
43 Ukwesaba lomgodi kanye lomjibila kulilindele lina bantu baseMowabi,” kutsho uThixo.
Terror and pit and snare await you, O dweller of Moab,”
44 “Loba ngubani obalekela ukwesaba uzawela emgodini, loba ngubani ophuma emgodini uzabanjwa ngumjibila; ngoba ngizakwehlisela phezu kweMowabi umnyaka wokujeziswa kwayo,” kutsho uThixo.
“Whoever flees the panic will fall into the pit, and whoever climbs from the pit will be caught in the snare. For I will bring upon Moab the year of their punishment,”
45 “Emthunzini waseHeshibhoni ababalekayo bayema kungelasizo, ngoba umlilo usuphumile eHeshibhoni, ilangabi elivela phakathi kwakoSihoni; litshisa amabunzi eMowabi inkakhayi zamaqhalaqhala alomsindo.
“Those who flee will stand helpless in Heshbon’s shadow, because fire has gone forth from Heshbon and a flame from within Sihon. It devours the foreheads of Moab and the skulls of the sons of tumult.
46 Maye kuwe! wena Mowabi! Abantu baseKhemoshi babhujisiwe; amadodana athunjiwe lamadodakazi akho athunjiwe.
Woe to you, O Moab! The people of Chemosh have perished; for your sons have been taken into exile and your daughters have gone into captivity.
47 Kodwa inhlanhla ye-Mowabi ngizayibuyisela ensukwini ezizayo,” kutsho uThixo. Ukwahlulelwa kweMowabi kuphelela lapha.
Yet in the latter days I will restore Moab from captivity,” declares the LORD. Here ends the judgment on Moab.

< UJeremiya 48 >