UJeremiya 51
1 UThixo uthi: “Khangelani, ngizavusa umoya ochithayo umelane leBhabhiloni labantu beLebhi Khamayi.
Thus saith the Lord: Behold I will raise up as it were a pestilential wind against Babylon and against the inhabitants thereof, who have lifted up their heart against me.
2 Ngizathumela abezizweni eBhabhiloni ukuba bayihlungule njalo batshabalalise lelizwe layo; bazamelana layo enhlangothini zonke ngosuku lwencithakalo yayo.
And I will send to Babylon fanners, and they shall fan her, and shall destroy her land: for they are come upon her on every side in the day of her affliction.
3 Lingavumeli mtshoki ebopha idandili lakhe loba limyekele egqoka isigqoko sakhe sensimbi. Lingazitshiyi izinsizwa zayo, liliqede du ibutho layo.
Let not him that bendeth, bend his bow, and let not, him go up that is armed with a coat of mail: spare not her young men, destroy all her army.
4 Bazawela phansi bebulewe eBhabhiloni belinyazwe okokufa emigwaqweni yayo.
And the slain shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans, and the wounded in the regions thereof.
5 Ngoba u-Israyeli loJuda kabalahlwanga nguNkulunkulu wabo, uThixo uSomandla, lanxa nje ilizwe labo ligcwele ukona phambi koNgcwele ka-Israyeli.
For Israel and Juda have not been forsaken by their God the Lord of hosts: but their land hath been filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel.
6 Balekani eBhabhiloni! Sindisani impilo yenu! Lingabhujiswa ngenxa yezono zayo. Yisikhathi sokuphindisela kukaThixo; uzaphindisela kuyo ngokufaneleyo.
Flee ye from the midst of Babylon, and let every one save his own life: be not silent upon her iniquity: for it is the time of revenge from the Lord, he will I render unto her what she hath deserved.
7 IBhabhiloni yayiyinkezo yegolide esandleni sikaThixo; yenza umhlaba wonke wadakwa. Izizwe zanatha iwayini layo; ngakho khathesi sezihlanya.
Babylon hath been a golden cup in the hand of the Lord, that made all the earth drunk: the nations have drunk of her wine, and therefore they have staggered.
8 IBhabhiloni izakuwa masinyane idilike. Ilileleni! Idingeleni umuthi wokupholisa ubuhlungu bayo; mhlawumbe ingasila.
Babylon is suddenly fallen, and destroyed: howl for her, take balm for her pain, if so she may be healed.
9 ‘IBhabhiloni kade singayelapha kodwa kayelapheki; kasiyitshiyeni kuthi lowo lalowo aye elizweni lakibo, ngoba ukwahlulela kufika emikhathini kuqonga kuze kufike emayezini.
We would have cured Babylon, but she is not healed: let us forsake her, and let us go every man to his own land: because her judgment hath reached even to the heavens, and is lifted up to the clouds.
10 UThixo usebonakalisile ukuthi kasilacala, wozani sibike eZiyoni osekwenziwe nguThixo uNkulunkulu wethu.’
The Lord hath brought forth our justices: Come, and let us declare in Sion the work of the Lord our God.
11 Lolani imitshoko; thathani amahawu! UThixo usevuse amakhosi amaMede ngoba inhloso yakhe yikuchitha iBhabhiloni. UThixo uzaphindisela, aphindisele ngenxa yethempeli lakhe.
Sharpen the arrows, fill the quivers, the Lord hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: and his mind is against Babylon to destroy it, because it is the vengeance of the Lord, the vengeance of his temple.
12 Phakamiselani imiduli yaseBhabhiloni uphawu! Qinisani ukulinda, bekani abalindayo, lungiselani ukucathamela! UThixo uzafeza inhloso yakhe, isimiso sakhe ngabantu baseBhabhiloni.
Upon the walls of Babylon set up the standard, strengthen the watch: set up the watchmen, prepare the ambushes: for the Lord hath both purposed, and done all that he spoke against the inhabitants of Babylon.
13 Lina elihlala ngasemanzini amanengi, njalo lilenotho enengi, isiphetho senu sesifikile, isikhathi senu sokuqunywa.
O thou that dwellest upon many waters, rich in treasures, thy end is come for thy entire destruction.
14 UThixo uSomandla usefungile ngayo wathi: Impela ngizakugcwalisa ngabantu abangangesikhongwane, njalo bazaklabalala ngamacilongo ngaphezu kwakho.
The Lord of hosts hath sworn by himself, saying: I will fill thee with men as with locusts, and they shall lift up a joyful shout against thee.
15 Wenza umhlaba ngamandla akhe; wamisa umhlaba ngokuhlakanipha kwakhe njalo wendlala lamazulu ngokuqedisisa kwakhe.
He that made the earth by his power, that hath prepared the world by his wisdom, and stretched out the heavens by his understanding.
16 Lapho evungama, amanzi asemazulwini ayahlokoma; wenza amayezi aphakame evela emikhawulweni yomhlaba. Uthumela umbane ulezulu njalo akhuphe umoya eziphaleni zakhe.
When he uttereth his voice the waters are multiplied in heaven: he lifteth up the clouds from the ends of the earth, he hath turned lightning into rain: and hath brought forth the wind out of his treasures.
17 Abantu bonke kabalangqondo njalo kabalalwazi; wonke umkhandi wegolide uyangiswa yizithombe zakhe. Izithombe zakhe azenzayo ziyinkohliso; kazilamphefumulo phakathi kwazo.
Every man is become foolish by his knowledge: every founder is confounded by his idol, for what he hath cast is a lie, and there is no breath in them.
18 Ziyize, izinto zenhlekisa nje; lapho ukwahlulelwa kwazo sekufikile, zizabhubha.
They are vain works, and worthy to be laughed at, in the time of their visitation they shall perish.
19 Lowo oyingxenye yesizwe sikaJakhobe kafani lalaba, ngoba unguMenzi wezinto zonke, kubalwa labantu belifa lakhe, ibizo lakhe nguThixo uSomandla.
The portion of Jacob is not like them: for he that made all things he it is, and Israel is the sceptre of his inheritance: the Lord of hosts is his name.
20 Wena uyinduku yami yempi, isikhali sami sokulwa ngawe ngitshabalalisa izizwe, ngawe ngichitha imibuso;
Thou dashest together for me the weapons of war, and with thee I will dash nations together, and with thee I will destroy kingdoms:
21 ngawe ngihlifiza ibhiza lomgadi walo, ngawe ngihlifiza inqola yempi lomtshayeli wayo,
And with thee I will break in pieces the horse, and his rider, and with thee I will break in pieces the chariot, and him that getteth up into it:
22 ngawe ngihlifiza indoda lomfazi, ngawe ngihlifiza amaxhegu labatsha, ngawe ngihlifiza izinsizwa lezintombi,
And with thee I will break in pieces man and woman, and with thee I will break in pieces the old man and the child, and with thee I will break in pieces the young man and the virgin:
23 ngawe ngihlifiza abelusi lemihlambi, ngawe ngihlifiza umlimi lenkabi, ngawe ngihlifiza ababusi lezikhulu.
And with thee I will break in pieces the shepherd and his dock, and with thee I will break in pieces the husbandman and his yoke of oxen, and with thee I will break in pieces captains and rulers.
24 Emehlweni enu ngizaphindisela kuyo iBhabhiloni lakubo bonke abahlala kuyo ngenxa yobubi bonke ababenzileyo eZiyoni,” kutsho uThixo.
And I will render to Babylon, and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil, that they have done in Sion, before your eyes, saith the Lord.
25 “Ngimelana lawe, wena ntaba echithayo, wena ochitha umhlaba wonke,” kutsho uThixo. “Ngizakwelulela isandla sami kuwe, ngikugiqe usuka emaweni, ngikwenze ube yintaba eyatshiswayo.
Behold I come against thee, thou destroying mountain, saith the Lord, which corruptest the whole earth: and I will stretch out my hand upon thee, and will roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain.
26 Akulalitshe elizasuswa kuwe ukuba libe ngelekhoneni, loba elinye ilitshe ukuba ngelesisekelo ngoba lizachithwa kokuphela,” kutsho uThixo.
And they shall not take of thee a stone for the corner, nor a stone for foundations, but thou shalt be destroyed for ever, saith the Lord.
27 “Phakamisani uphawu elizweni! Khalisani icilongo phakathi kwezizwe! Lungisani izizwe ukuba zilwe layo; ibizeleni imibuso le: i-Ararathi leMini kanye le-Ashikhenazi. Ibekeleni umlawuli wokulwa layo; lithumele amabhiza anjengomtshitshi wentethe.
Set ye up a standard in the land: sound with the trumpet among the nations: prepare the nations against her: call together against her the kings of Ararat, Menni, and Ascenez: number Taphsar against her, bring the horse as the stinging locust.
28 Lungisani izizwe ukuba zilwe layo, amakhosi amaMede, ababusi bawo lezikhulu zawo, kanye lamazwe wonke awabusayo.
Prepare the nations against her, the kings of Media, their captains, and all their rulers, and all the land of their dominion.
29 Ilizwe liyaqhaqhazela libhinqike ngoba inhloso kaThixo yokumelana leBhabhiloni imi injalo ukuchitha ilizwe leBhabhiloni ukuze kungabikhona ohlala kulo.
And the land shall be in a commotion, and shall be troubled: for the design of the Lord against Babylon shall awake, to make the land of Babylon desert and uninhabitable.
30 Amabutho aseBhabhiloni aseyekele ukulwa; ahlezi ezinqabeni zawo. Amandla awo asephelile. Asebe njengabesifazane. Izindawo zayo zokuhlala zithungelwe ngomlilo; imigoqo lamasango kwephukile.
The valiant men of Babylon have forborne to fight, they have dwelt in holds: their strength hath failed, and they are become as women: her dwelling places are burnt, her bars are broken.
31 Esinye isithunywa silandela esinye; lesithunywa silandela esinye isithunywa ukuyabika enkosini yaseBhabhiloni ukuthi idolobho lonke selithunjiwe,
One running post shall meet another, and messenger shall meet messenger: to tell the king of Babylon that his city is taken from one end to the other:
32 amazibuko emifula athethwe, amaxhaphozi atshiswe ngomlilo lamabutho ethukile.”
And that the fords are taken, and the marshes are burnt with fire, and the men of war are affrighted.
33 Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo uSomandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli: “Indodakazi yaseBhabhiloni injengesiza sokubhulela ngesikhathi sokunyathelwa kwaso; isikhathi sokuvunwa kwayo sizafika masinyane.”
For thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel: The daughter of Babylon is like a thrashingfloor, this is the time of her thrashing: yet a little while, and the time of her harvest shall come.
34 “UNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni usesidlile, usesenze saphambana amakhanda, usesenze saba yimbiza engelalutho. Usesiginyile njengenyoka, wagcwalisa isisu sakhe ngezibiliboco zethu, wasesihlanza futhi.
Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon hath eaten me up, he hath devoured me: he hath made me as an empty vessel: he hath swallowed me up like a dragon, he hath filled his belly with my delicate meats, and he hath cast me out.
35 Udlakela olwenziwe emizimbeni yethu kalube phezu kweBhabhiloni,” kutsho abahlala eZiyoni. “Igazi lethu kalibe phezu kwalabo abahlala eBhabhiloni,” kutsho iJerusalema.
The wrong done to me, and my flesh be upon Babylon, saith the habitation of Sion: and my blood upon the inhabitants of Chaldea, saith Jerusalem.
36 Ngakho uThixo uthi: “Khangelani, imfanelo yenu ngizayivikela, ngiliphindiselele; ngizacitsha ulwandle lwayo ngomise lemithombo yayo.
Therefore thus saith the Lord: Behold I will judge thy cause, and will take vengeance for thee, and I will make her sea desolate, and will dry up her spring.
37 IBhabhiloni izakuba yinqumbi yonxiwa, isikhundla samakhanka, into yokwesatshwa lokuklolodelwa, indawo engahlali muntu.
And Babylon shall be reduced to heaps, a dwelling place for dragons, an astonishment and a hissing, because there is no inhabitant.
38 Abantu bayo bonke bayabhonga njengezilwane ezincane, bayahwabha njengemidlwane yesilwane.
They shall roar together like lions, they shall shake their manes like young lions.
39 Kodwa lapho besesebukhali, ngizabenzela idili ngibadakise, ukuze baklabalale ngohleko, babe sebelala kokuphela bangavuki futhi,” kutsho uThixo.
In their heat I will set them drink: and I will make them drunk, that they may slumber, and sleep an everlasting sleep, and awake no more, saith the Lord.
40 “Ngizabehlisela phansi njengamawundlu esilaheni, njengenqama lembuzi.
I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, and like rams with kids.
41 Yeka ukuthunjwa okuzakwenziwa iSheshaki, ukuzincoma komhlaba wonke kuthunjiwe! Yeka ukutshaqisa iBhabhiloni ezakuba yikho phakathi kwezizwe!
How is Sesach taken, and the renowned one of all the earth surprised? How is Babylon become an astonishment among the nations?
42 Ulwandle luzaphakama phezu kweBhabhiloni; amagagasi alo ahlokomayo ayisibekele.
The sea is come up over Babylon: she is covered with the multitude of the waves thereof.
43 Amadolobho ayo azachitheka, ilizwe elomileyo leliyinkangala, ilizwe okungekho ohlala khona, okungekho muntu odabula phakathi kwalo.
Her cities are become an astonishment, a land uninhabited and desolate, a land wherein none can dwell, nor son of man pass through it.
44 Ngizamjezisa uBheli eBhabhiloni ngimenze akuhlanze lokho akuginyileyo. Izizwe kazisayikujulukela kuye. Njalo umduli weBhabhiloni uzakuwa.
And I will visit against Bel in Babylon, and I will bring forth out of his mouth that which he had swallowed down: and the rations shall no more flow together to him, for the wall also of Babylon shall fall.
45 Bantu bami, phumani kulo iBhabhiloni! Balekelani ukufa! Balekelani ulaka olwesabekayo lukaThixo.
Go out of the midst of her, my people: that every man may save his life from the fierce wrath of the Lord.
46 Lingaphelelwa lithemba kumbe lesabe lapho kuzwakala amahungahunga elizweni; elinye ihungahunga lifika lonyaka, elinye kozayo, amahungahunga odlakela elizweni awombusi evukela umbusi.
And lest your hearts faint, and ye fear for the rumour that shall be heard in the land: and a rumour shall come in one year, and after this year another rumour: and iniquity in the land, and ruler upon ruler.
47 Ngoba isikhathi sizafika impela lapho ngizajezisa izithombe zaseBhabhiloni; ilizwe layo lonke lizayangeka lababuleweyo bayo bonke bazawela phakathi kwayo.
Therefore behold the days come, and I will visit the idols of Babylon: and her whole land shall be confounded, and all her slain shall fall in the midst of her.
48 Lapho-ke izulu lomhlaba lakho konke okukukho kuzamemezela intokozo ngeBhabhiloni, ngoba abachithi bazayihlasela bevelela enyakatho,” kutsho uThixo.
And the heavens and the earth, and all things that are in them shall give praise for Babylon: for spoilers shall come to her from the north, saith the Lord.
49 “IBhabhiloni kumele idilike ngenxa yabako-Israyeli ababulawayo, njengokubulawa kwabantu emhlabeni wonke, batshabalala ngenxa yeBhabhiloni.
And as Babylon caused that there should fall slain in Israel: so of Babylon there shall fall slain in all the earth.
50 Lina eliphephileyo enkembeni, sukani njalo lingalibali! Khumbulani uThixo elizweni elikude, licabange langeJerusalema.”
You that have escaped the sword, come away, stand not still: remember the Lord afar off, and let Jerusalem come into your mind.
51 “Siyangekile, ngoba siqalekisiwe, lehlazo lembese ubuso bethu, ngoba abezizweni bangene ezindaweni ezingcwele zendlu kaThixo.”
We are confounded, because we have heard reproach: shame hath covered our faces: because strangers are come upon the sanctuaries of the house of the Lord.
52 UThixo uthi, “Kodwa insuku ziyeza, lapho engizajezisa khona izithombe zayo, njalo elizweni layo lonke abalimeleyo bazabubula.
Therefore behold the days come, saith the Lord, and I will visit her graven things, and in all her land the wounded shall groan:
53 Lanxa iBhabhiloni ingafinyelela emkhathini iqinise izinqaba zayo eziphakemeyo, ngizathumela abachithi bayihlasele,” kutsho uThixo.
If Babylon should mount up to heaven, and establish her strength on high: from me there should come spoilers upon her, saith the Lord.
54 “Umsindo wokukhala uvela eBhabhiloni, umsindo wencithakalo enkulu ovela elizweni lamaKhaladiya.
The noise of a cry from Babylon, and great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans:
55 UThixo uzayichitha iBhabhiloni; uzathulisa umsindo wayo wenhlokomo. Amagagasi ezitha azahlokoma njengamanzi amanengi; ukuvungama kwamazwi azo kuzazwakala.
Because the Lord hath laid Babylon waste, and destroyed out of her the great voice: and their wave shall roar like many waters: their voice hath made a noise:
56 Umchithi uzakuzahlasela iBhabhiloni; amabutho ayo azathunjwa, lamadandili awo azakwephuka. Ngoba uThixo unguNkulunkulu wempindiselo; uzaphindisela ngokugcweleyo.
Because the spoiler is come upon her, that is, upon Babylon, and her valiant men are taken, and their bow is weakened, because the Lord, who is a strong revenger, will surely repay.
57 Ngizadakisa izikhulu lezihlakaniphi zayo, kanye lababusi bayo, lezinduna kanye lamabutho; bazalala kokuphela bangavuki futhi,” kutsho uThixo, obizo lakhe nguThixo uSomandla.
And I will make her princes drunk. and her wise men, and her captains, and her rulers, and her valiant men: and they shall sleep an everlasting sleep, and shall awake no more, saith the whose name is Lord of hosts.
58 UThixo uSomandla uthi: “Umduli oqatha weBhabhiloni uzabhidlizwa lamasango ayo aphakemeyo athungelwe ngomlilo; abantu bazidinisela ize, umsebenzi wezizwe ungamafutha amalangabi nje kuphela.”
Thus saith the Lord of hosts: That broad wall of Babylon shall be utterly broken down, and her high gates shall be burnt with fire, and the labours of the people shall come to nothing, and of the nations shall go to the fire, and shall perish.
59 Leli yilizwi uJeremiya umphrofethi alinika induna yamabutho uSeraya indodana kaNeriya, indodana kaMahaseyiya, esesiya eBhabhiloni loZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda ngomnyaka wesine wokubusa kwakhe.
The word that Jeremias the prophet commanded Saraias the son of Nerias, the son of Maasias, when he went with king Sedecias to Babylon, in the fourth year of his reign: now Saraias was chief over the prophecy.
60 UJeremiya wayelobe emqulwini ngomonakalo wonke owawuzakwehlela iBhabhiloni lakho konke okwakubhalwe ngeBhabhiloni.
And Jeremias wrote in one book all the evil that was to come upon Babylon: all these words that are written against Babylon.
61 Wathi kuSeraya, “Lapho usufikile eBhabhiloni ubowafunda wonke amazwi la ngelizwi eliphakemeyo.
And Jeremias said to Saraias: When thou shalt come into Babylon, and shalt see, and shalt read all these words,
62 Ube ususithi, ‘Awu Thixo, wathi indawo le uzayichitha ukuze kungabi lamuntu kumbe inyamazana ezahlala kuyo; izaphundleka kuze kube nininini.’
Thou shalt say: O Lord, thou hast spoken against this place to destroy it: so that there should be neither man nor beast to dwell therein, and that it should be desolate for ever.
63 Lapho usuqedile ukubala umqulu lo, ubophele ilitshe kuwo uwuphosele kuYufrathe,
And when thou shalt have made an end of reading this book, thou shalt tie a stone to it, and shalt throw it into the midst of the Euphrates:
64 ubususithi, ‘Izatshona kanje iBhabhiloni ingabe isavumbuluka ngenxa yomonakalo engizayehlisela wona. Labantu bayo bazakuwa.’” Amazwi kaJeremiya aphelela lapha.
And thou shalt say: Thus shall Babylon sink, and she shall not rise up from the affliction that I will bring upon her, and she shall be utterly destroyed. Thus far are the words of Jeremias.
