< UJeremiya 51 >
1 UThixo uthi: “Khangelani, ngizavusa umoya ochithayo umelane leBhabhiloni labantu beLebhi Khamayi.
Thus said YHWH: “Behold, I am stirring up against Babylon, And the inhabitants of Leb, My withstanders, A destroying wind,
2 Ngizathumela abezizweni eBhabhiloni ukuba bayihlungule njalo batshabalalise lelizwe layo; bazamelana layo enhlangothini zonke ngosuku lwencithakalo yayo.
And I have sent fanners to Babylon, And they have fanned her, and they empty her land, For they have been against her, All around—in the day of evil.
3 Lingavumeli mtshoki ebopha idandili lakhe loba limyekele egqoka isigqoko sakhe sensimbi. Lingazitshiyi izinsizwa zayo, liliqede du ibutho layo.
Do not let the treader tread his bow, Nor lift himself up in his coat of mail, Nor have pity on her young men, Devote all her host to destruction.
4 Bazawela phansi bebulewe eBhabhiloni belinyazwe okokufa emigwaqweni yayo.
And the wounded have fallen in the land of the Chaldeans, And the pierced-through in her streets.
5 Ngoba u-Israyeli loJuda kabalahlwanga nguNkulunkulu wabo, uThixo uSomandla, lanxa nje ilizwe labo ligcwele ukona phambi koNgcwele ka-Israyeli.
For Israel and Judah are not forsaken By his God—by YHWH of Hosts, For their land has been full of guilt, Against the Holy One of Israel.
6 Balekani eBhabhiloni! Sindisani impilo yenu! Lingabhujiswa ngenxa yezono zayo. Yisikhathi sokuphindisela kukaThixo; uzaphindisela kuyo ngokufaneleyo.
Flee from the midst of Babylon, And let each deliver his soul, Do not be cut off in her iniquity, For it [is] a time of vengeance for YHWH—His, He is rendering repayment to her.
7 IBhabhiloni yayiyinkezo yegolide esandleni sikaThixo; yenza umhlaba wonke wadakwa. Izizwe zanatha iwayini layo; ngakho khathesi sezihlanya.
Babylon [is] a golden cup in the hand of YHWH, Making all the earth drunk, Nations have drunk of her wine, Therefore nations boast themselves.
8 IBhabhiloni izakuwa masinyane idilike. Ilileleni! Idingeleni umuthi wokupholisa ubuhlungu bayo; mhlawumbe ingasila.
Babylon has suddenly fallen, Indeed, she is broken, howl for her, Take balm for her pain, perhaps 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 healed Babylon, and she was not healed, Forsake her, and we go, each to his land, For her judgment has come to the heavens, And it has been lifted up to the clouds.
10 UThixo usebonakalisile ukuthi kasilacala, wozani sibike eZiyoni osekwenziwe nguThixo uNkulunkulu wethu.’
YHWH has brought forth our righteousnesses, Come, and we recount in Zion the work of our God YHWH.
11 Lolani imitshoko; thathani amahawu! UThixo usevuse amakhosi amaMede ngoba inhloso yakhe yikuchitha iBhabhiloni. UThixo uzaphindisela, aphindisele ngenxa yethempeli lakhe.
Cleanse the arrows, fill the shields, YHWH has stirred up the spirit of the kings of Media, For His purpose [is] against Babylon to destroy her, For it [is] the vengeance of YHWH, The vengeance of His temple.
12 Phakamiselani imiduli yaseBhabhiloni uphawu! Qinisani ukulinda, bekani abalindayo, lungiselani ukucathamela! UThixo uzafeza inhloso yakhe, isimiso sakhe ngabantu baseBhabhiloni.
Lift up an ensign to the walls of Babylon, Strengthen the watch, Establish the watchers, prepare the ambush, For YHWH has both devised and done that which He spoke, Concerning the inhabitants of Babylon.
13 Lina elihlala ngasemanzini amanengi, njalo lilenotho enengi, isiphetho senu sesifikile, isikhathi senu sokuqunywa.
O dweller on many waters, abundant in treasures, Your end has come—the measure of your dishonest gain.
14 UThixo uSomandla usefungile ngayo wathi: Impela ngizakugcwalisa ngabantu abangangesikhongwane, njalo bazaklabalala ngamacilongo ngaphezu kwakho.
YHWH of Hosts has sworn by Himself, That, Surely I have filled you [with] men as the cankerworm, And they have cried against you—shouting.
15 Wenza umhlaba ngamandla akhe; wamisa umhlaba ngokuhlakanipha kwakhe njalo wendlala lamazulu ngokuqedisisa kwakhe.
Making [the] earth by His power, Establishing [the] world by His wisdom, Who by His understanding stretched out the heavens,
16 Lapho evungama, amanzi asemazulwini ayahlokoma; wenza amayezi aphakame evela emikhawulweni yomhlaba. Uthumela umbane ulezulu njalo akhuphe umoya eziphaleni zakhe.
At the voice He gives forth, A multitude of waters [are] in the heavens, And He causes vapors to come up from the end of the earth, He has made lightnings for rain, And He brings out wind from His treasures.
17 Abantu bonke kabalangqondo njalo kabalalwazi; wonke umkhandi wegolide uyangiswa yizithombe zakhe. Izithombe zakhe azenzayo ziyinkohliso; kazilamphefumulo phakathi kwazo.
Every man has been brutish by knowledge, Everyone has been put to shame—from refining a carved image, For his molten image [is] falsehood, And there is no breath in them.
18 Ziyize, izinto zenhlekisa nje; lapho ukwahlulelwa kwazo sekufikile, zizabhubha.
They [are] vanity—a work of errors, They perish in the time of their inspection.
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 these, For He is forming the whole, And [Israel is] the tribe of His inheritance, YHWH of Hosts [is] His Name.
20 Wena uyinduku yami yempi, isikhali sami sokulwa ngawe ngitshabalalisa izizwe, ngawe ngichitha imibuso;
You [are] My shatterer—weapons of war, And I have broken in pieces nations by you, And I have destroyed kingdoms by you,
21 ngawe ngihlifiza ibhiza lomgadi walo, ngawe ngihlifiza inqola yempi lomtshayeli wayo,
And I have broken in pieces horse and its rider by you, And I have broken in pieces chariot and its charioteer by you,
22 ngawe ngihlifiza indoda lomfazi, ngawe ngihlifiza amaxhegu labatsha, ngawe ngihlifiza izinsizwa lezintombi,
And I have broken in pieces man and woman by you, And I have broken in pieces old and young by you, And I have broken in pieces young man and virgin by you,
23 ngawe ngihlifiza abelusi lemihlambi, ngawe ngihlifiza umlimi lenkabi, ngawe ngihlifiza ababusi lezikhulu.
And I have broken in pieces shepherd and his drove by you, And I have broken in pieces farmer and his team by you, And I have broken in pieces governors and prefects by you.
24 Emehlweni enu ngizaphindisela kuyo iBhabhiloni lakubo bonke abahlala kuyo ngenxa yobubi bonke ababenzileyo eZiyoni,” kutsho uThixo.
And I have repaid to Babylon, And to all inhabitants of Chaldea, All the evil that they have done in Zion, Before your eyes,” a declaration of YHWH.
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 [am] against you, O destroying mountain,” A declaration of YHWH, “That is destroying all the earth, And I have stretched out My hand against you, And I have rolled you from the rocks, And given you for a burnt mountain.
26 Akulalitshe elizasuswa kuwe ukuba libe ngelekhoneni, loba elinye ilitshe ukuba ngelesisekelo ngoba lizachithwa kokuphela,” kutsho uThixo.
And they do not take out of you a stone for a corner, And a stone for foundations, For you are continuous desolations,” A declaration of YHWH.
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.
“Lift up an ensign in the land, Blow a horn among nations, Sanctify nations against it, Summon against it the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz, Appoint an infant head against it, Cause the horse to ascend as the rough cankerworm.
28 Lungisani izizwe ukuba zilwe layo, amakhosi amaMede, ababusi bawo lezikhulu zawo, kanye lamazwe wonke awabusayo.
Sanctify against it the nations with the kings of Media, Its governors and all its prefects, And all the land of its dominion.
29 Ilizwe liyaqhaqhazela libhinqike ngoba inhloso kaThixo yokumelana leBhabhiloni imi injalo ukuchitha ilizwe leBhabhiloni ukuze kungabikhona ohlala kulo.
And the land shakes, and it is pained, For the purposes of YHWH have stood against Babylon, To make the land of Babylon a desolation without inhabitant.
30 Amabutho aseBhabhiloni aseyekele ukulwa; ahlezi ezinqabeni zawo. Amandla awo asephelile. Asebe njengabesifazane. Izindawo zayo zokuhlala zithungelwe ngomlilo; imigoqo lamasango kwephukile.
The mighty of Babylon have ceased to fight, They have remained in strongholds, Their might has failed, they have become [as] women, They have burned her dwelling places, Her bars have been broken.
31 Esinye isithunywa silandela esinye; lesithunywa silandela esinye isithunywa ukuyabika enkosini yaseBhabhiloni ukuthi idolobho lonke selithunjiwe,
Runner runs to meet runner, And announcer to meet announcer, To announce to the king of Babylon, For his city has been captured—at the extremity.
32 amazibuko emifula athethwe, amaxhaphozi atshiswe ngomlilo lamabutho ethukile.”
And the passages have been captured, And they have burned the reeds with fire, And the men of war have been troubled.
33 Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo uSomandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli: “Indodakazi yaseBhabhiloni injengesiza sokubhulela ngesikhathi sokunyathelwa kwaso; isikhathi sokuvunwa kwayo sizafika masinyane.”
For thus said YHWH of Hosts, God of Israel: The daughter of Babylon [is] as a threshing-floor, The time of her threshing—yet a little [while], And the time of her harvest has come.
34 “UNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni usesidlile, usesenze saphambana amakhanda, usesenze saba yimbiza engelalutho. Usesiginyile njengenyoka, wagcwalisa isisu sakhe ngezibiliboco zethu, wasesihlanza futhi.
Devoured us, crushed us, has Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, He has set us [as] an empty vessel, He has swallowed us as a dragon, He has filled his belly with my delicacies, He has driven us away.
35 Udlakela olwenziwe emizimbeni yethu kalube phezu kweBhabhiloni,” kutsho abahlala eZiyoni. “Igazi lethu kalibe phezu kwalabo abahlala eBhabhiloni,” kutsho iJerusalema.
My wrong, and [that of] my flesh, [is] on Babylon—The inhabitant of Zion says; And my blood [is] on the inhabitants of Chaldea—Jerusalem says.
36 Ngakho uThixo uthi: “Khangelani, imfanelo yenu ngizayivikela, ngiliphindiselele; ngizacitsha ulwandle lwayo ngomise lemithombo yayo.
Therefore, thus said YHWH: Behold, I am pleading your cause, And I have avenged your vengeance, And dried up her sea, and made her fountains dry.
37 IBhabhiloni izakuba yinqumbi yonxiwa, isikhundla samakhanka, into yokwesatshwa lokuklolodelwa, indawo engahlali muntu.
And Babylon has been for heaps, A habitation of dragons, An astonishment, and a hissing, without inhabitant.
38 Abantu bayo bonke bayabhonga njengezilwane ezincane, bayahwabha njengemidlwane yesilwane.
They roar together as young lions, They have shaken themselves as lions’ whelps.
39 Kodwa lapho besesebukhali, ngizabenzela idili ngibadakise, ukuze baklabalale ngohleko, babe sebelala kokuphela bangavuki futhi,” kutsho uThixo.
In their heat I make their banquets, And I have caused them to drink, so that they exult, And have slept a continuous sleep, And do not awaken,” a declaration of YHWH.
40 “Ngizabehlisela phansi njengamawundlu esilaheni, njengenqama lembuzi.
“I cause them to go down as lambs to slaughter, As rams with male goats.
41 Yeka ukuthunjwa okuzakwenziwa iSheshaki, ukuzincoma komhlaba wonke kuthunjiwe! Yeka ukutshaqisa iBhabhiloni ezakuba yikho phakathi kwezizwe!
How Sheshach has been captured, Indeed, the praise of the whole earth is caught, How Babylon has been for an astonishment among nations.
42 Ulwandle luzaphakama phezu kweBhabhiloni; amagagasi alo ahlokomayo ayisibekele.
The sea has come up over Babylon, She has been covered with a multitude of its billows.
43 Amadolobho ayo azachitheka, ilizwe elomileyo leliyinkangala, ilizwe okungekho ohlala khona, okungekho muntu odabula phakathi kwalo.
Her cities have been for a desolation, A dry land, and a wilderness, A land—none dwell in them, Nor does a son of man pass over into them.
44 Ngizamjezisa uBheli eBhabhiloni ngimenze akuhlanze lokho akuginyileyo. Izizwe kazisayikujulukela kuye. Njalo umduli weBhabhiloni uzakuwa.
And I have seen after Bel in Babylon, And I have brought forth that which he swallowed—from his mouth, And nations no longer flow to him, Also the wall of Babylon has fallen.
45 Bantu bami, phumani kulo iBhabhiloni! Balekelani ukufa! Balekelani ulaka olwesabekayo lukaThixo.
Go forth from her midst, O My people, And let each deliver his soul, Because of the fierceness of the anger of YHWH,
46 Lingaphelelwa lithemba kumbe lesabe lapho kuzwakala amahungahunga elizweni; elinye ihungahunga lifika lonyaka, elinye kozayo, amahungahunga odlakela elizweni awombusi evukela umbusi.
And lest your heart be tender, And you are afraid of the report that is heard in the land, And the report has come in [one] year, And after it [another] report in [another] year, And violence [is] in the land, ruler against ruler;
47 Ngoba isikhathi sizafika impela lapho ngizajezisa izithombe zaseBhabhiloni; ilizwe layo lonke lizayangeka lababuleweyo bayo bonke bazawela phakathi kwayo.
Therefore, behold, days are coming, And I have seen after the carved images of Babylon. And all its land is ashamed, And all its pierced ones fall in its midst.
48 Lapho-ke izulu lomhlaba lakho konke okukukho kuzamemezela intokozo ngeBhabhiloni, ngoba abachithi bazayihlasela bevelela enyakatho,” kutsho uThixo.
And heavens and earth and all that [is] in them Have cried aloud against Babylon, For the spoilers come to her from the north,” A declaration of YHWH.
49 “IBhabhiloni kumele idilike ngenxa yabako-Israyeli ababulawayo, njengokubulawa kwabantu emhlabeni wonke, batshabalala ngenxa yeBhabhiloni.
“As Babylon [has caused the] pierced of Israel to fall, So they of Babylon have fallen, You pierced of all the earth.
50 Lina eliphephileyo enkembeni, sukani njalo lingalibali! Khumbulani uThixo elizweni elikude, licabange langeJerusalema.”
You escaped of the sword, go on, do not stand, Remember YHWH from afar, And let Jerusalem come up on your heart.
51 “Siyangekile, ngoba siqalekisiwe, lehlazo lembese ubuso bethu, ngoba abezizweni bangene ezindaweni ezingcwele zendlu kaThixo.”
We have been ashamed, for we heard reproach, Shame has covered our faces, For strangers have come in against the sanctuaries of the house of YHWH.
52 UThixo uthi, “Kodwa insuku ziyeza, lapho engizajezisa khona izithombe zayo, njalo elizweni layo lonke abalimeleyo bazabubula.
Therefore, behold, days are coming,” A declaration of YHWH, “And I have seen after her carved images, And the wounded groan in all her land.
53 Lanxa iBhabhiloni ingafinyelela emkhathini iqinise izinqaba zayo eziphakemeyo, ngizathumela abachithi bayihlasele,” kutsho uThixo.
Because Babylon goes up to the heavens, And because she fortifies the high place of her strength, Spoilers come into her from Me,” A declaration of YHWH.
54 “Umsindo wokukhala uvela eBhabhiloni, umsindo wencithakalo enkulu ovela elizweni lamaKhaladiya.
“A voice of a cry [is] from Babylon, And of great destruction from the land of the Chaldean.
55 UThixo uzayichitha iBhabhiloni; uzathulisa umsindo wayo wenhlokomo. Amagagasi ezitha azahlokoma njengamanzi amanengi; ukuvungama kwamazwi azo kuzazwakala.
For YHWH is spoiling Babylon, And has destroyed her great voice, And her billows have sounded as many waters, Their voice has given forth a noise.
56 Umchithi uzakuzahlasela iBhabhiloni; amabutho ayo azathunjwa, lamadandili awo azakwephuka. Ngoba uThixo unguNkulunkulu wempindiselo; uzaphindisela ngokugcweleyo.
For a spoiler has come in against her—against Babylon, And her mighty ones have been captured, Their bows have been broken, For the God of recompenses—YHWH—certainly repays.
57 Ngizadakisa izikhulu lezihlakaniphi zayo, kanye lababusi bayo, lezinduna kanye lamabutho; bazalala kokuphela bangavuki futhi,” kutsho uThixo, obizo lakhe nguThixo uSomandla.
And I have caused her princes to drink, And her wise men, her governors, And her prefects, and her mighty ones, And they have slept a continuous sleep, And they do not awaken—an affirmation of the King, YHWH of Hosts [is] His Name.
58 UThixo uSomandla uthi: “Umduli oqatha weBhabhiloni uzabhidlizwa lamasango ayo aphakemeyo athungelwe ngomlilo; abantu bazidinisela ize, umsebenzi wezizwe ungamafutha amalangabi nje kuphela.”
Thus said YHWH of Hosts: The wall of Babylon—The broad one—is made utterly bare, And her high gates are burned with fire, And peoples labor in vain, And nations in fire, and have been weary!”
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 Jeremiah the prophet has commanded Seraiah son of Neriah, son of Maaseiah, in his going with Zedekiah king of Judah to Babylon, in the fourth year of his reign—and Seraiah [is] a quiet prince;
60 UJeremiya wayelobe emqulwini ngomonakalo wonke owawuzakwehlela iBhabhiloni lakho konke okwakubhalwe ngeBhabhiloni.
and Jeremiah writes all the calamity that comes to Babylon on one scroll—all these words that are written concerning Babylon.
61 Wathi kuSeraya, “Lapho usufikile eBhabhiloni ubowafunda wonke amazwi la ngelizwi eliphakemeyo.
And Jeremiah says to Seraiah, “When you enter Babylon, then you have seen, and have read all these words,
62 Ube ususithi, ‘Awu Thixo, wathi indawo le uzayichitha ukuze kungabi lamuntu kumbe inyamazana ezahlala kuyo; izaphundleka kuze kube nininini.’
and have said: YHWH, You have spoken concerning this place, to cut it off, that there is none dwelling in it, from man even to livestock, for it is a continuous desolation.
63 Lapho usuqedile ukubala umqulu lo, ubophele ilitshe kuwo uwuphosele kuYufrathe,
And it has come to pass, when you finish reading this scroll, you bind a stone to it, and have cast 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 said, Thus Babylon sinks, and she does not arise, because of the calamity that I am bringing in against it, and they have been weary.” Until now [are the] words of Jeremiah.