UJeremiya 51
1 UThixo uthi: “Khangelani, ngizavusa umoya ochithayo umelane leBhabhiloni labantu beLebhi Khamayi.
This is what Yahweh says: “I will inspire/motivate [an army] to destroy Babylon [like a powerful] wind [MET], and [also] to destroy the people of Babylonia.
2 Ngizathumela abezizweni eBhabhiloni ukuba bayihlungule njalo batshabalalise lelizwe layo; bazamelana layo enhlangothini zonke ngosuku lwencithakalo yayo.
I will send a foreign army to come to get rid of Babylonia [like a strong wind] that blows away chaff. They will attack from every direction on that day of disaster.
3 Lingavumeli mtshoki ebopha idandili lakhe loba limyekele egqoka isigqoko sakhe sensimbi. Lingazitshiyi izinsizwa zayo, liliqede du ibutho layo.
[I will tell them, ] ‘Do not allow the archers [of Babylon] to [have time to] put on their armor or draw their bows. Do not spare the young men of Babylon. Completely destroy their army.’
4 Bazawela phansi bebulewe eBhabhiloni belinyazwe okokufa emigwaqweni yayo.
Their soldiers will fall dead in Babylonia; [they will die after being] wounded in the streets.
5 Ngoba u-Israyeli loJuda kabalahlwanga nguNkulunkulu wabo, uThixo uSomandla, lanxa nje ilizwe labo ligcwele ukona phambi koNgcwele ka-Israyeli.
[I, ] the Commander of the armies of angels, the Israelis’ God, have not abandoned Israel and Judah. [Even though] their land was full of people who sinned against [me], the Holy God of Israel, I am still their God.
6 Balekani eBhabhiloni! Sindisani impilo yenu! Lingabhujiswa ngenxa yezono zayo. Yisikhathi sokuphindisela kukaThixo; uzaphindisela kuyo ngokufaneleyo.
[You people of Israel and Judah, ] flee from Babylon! Run away from there! Do not stay there and be killed when I punish [the people of Babylon]! It will be the time when I will get revenge; I will do to them what they deserve.
7 IBhabhiloni yayiyinkezo yegolide esandleni sikaThixo; yenza umhlaba wonke wadakwa. Izizwe zanatha iwayini layo; ngakho khathesi sezihlanya.
Babylon has been [like] [MET] a gold cup in my hand, [a cup that is full of wine] that caused people all over the earth [who drank some of it to become] drunk. [It is as though] the [rulers of] the nations drank the wine from Babylon, and it caused them to become crazy.
8 IBhabhiloni izakuwa masinyane idilike. Ilileleni! Idingeleni umuthi wokupholisa ubuhlungu bayo; mhlawumbe ingasila.
But suddenly Babylon will be conquered. [You foreigners who live in Babylon, ] weep for its people. Give them medicine for their wounds; perhaps they can be healed.”
9 ‘IBhabhiloni kade singayelapha kodwa kayelapheki; kasiyitshiyeni kuthi lowo lalowo aye elizweni lakibo, ngoba ukwahlulela kufika emikhathini kuqonga kuze kufike emayezini.
We [foreigners] would have [tried to] heal them, but [now] they cannot be healed. [So we will not try to help them; ] we will abandon them, and return to our own lands, because [it is as though] the punishment they are receiving is so great that it reaches up to the clouds in sky, [so great that no one can measure it].
10 UThixo usebonakalisile ukuthi kasilacala, wozani sibike eZiyoni osekwenziwe nguThixo uNkulunkulu wethu.’
Yahweh has (vindicated us/shown that we were right); [so] let’s proclaim in Jerusalem everything that Yahweh our God has done [for us].
11 Lolani imitshoko; thathani amahawu! UThixo usevuse amakhosi amaMede ngoba inhloso yakhe yikuchitha iBhabhiloni. UThixo uzaphindisela, aphindisele ngenxa yethempeli lakhe.
[You enemy soldiers, ] sharpen your arrows! Lift up your shields, [because] Yahweh has incited your kings of Media [and Persia to march with their armies] to Babylon and to destroy it. That is how Yahweh will get revenge on [those foreigners who entered] his temple [in Jerusalem] and defiled it.
12 Phakamiselani imiduli yaseBhabhiloni uphawu! Qinisani ukulinda, bekani abalindayo, lungiselani ukucathamela! UThixo uzafeza inhloso yakhe, isimiso sakhe ngabantu baseBhabhiloni.
Lift up a battle flag close to the walls of Babylon! (Reinforce the/Appoint more) guards, and tell the watchmen to stand [in their positions]! Prepare an ambush, because Yahweh is about to accomplish all that he has planned to do to the people of Babylon.
13 Lina elihlala ngasemanzini amanengi, njalo lilenotho enengi, isiphetho senu sesifikile, isikhathi senu sokuqunywa.
Babylon is [a city] near the great [Euphrates] River, a city in which there are many rich people, but it is time for Babylon to be finished; the time [for the city] to exist is ended.
14 UThixo uSomandla usefungile ngayo wathi: Impela ngizakugcwalisa ngabantu abangangesikhongwane, njalo bazaklabalala ngamacilongo ngaphezu kwakho.
The Commander of the armies of angels has solemnly promised, using his own name, “Your cities will be filled with your enemies; I will cause them to be like [SIM] a swarm of locusts; and they will shout triumphantly [when they conquer your city].”
15 Wenza umhlaba ngamandla akhe; wamisa umhlaba ngokuhlakanipha kwakhe njalo wendlala lamazulu ngokuqedisisa kwakhe.
Yahweh created the earth by his power; he established it by his wisdom, and he stretched out the sky 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 speaks loudly, there is thunder in the sky; he causes clouds to form in every part of the earth. He sends lightning with the rain and releases the winds from his storehouses.
17 Abantu bonke kabalangqondo njalo kabalalwazi; wonke umkhandi wegolide uyangiswa yizithombe zakhe. Izithombe zakhe azenzayo ziyinkohliso; kazilamphefumulo phakathi kwazo.
People are senseless, and they know very little [HYP]; those who make idols are [always] disappointed, because their idols [do nothing for them]. The images/statues that they make are not real [gods]; they are lifeless.
18 Ziyize, izinto zenhlekisa nje; lapho ukwahlulelwa kwazo sekufikile, zizabhubha.
Idols are worthless; they deserve to be ridiculed; there will be a time when they will [all] be destroyed.
19 Lowo oyingxenye yesizwe sikaJakhobe kafani lalaba, ngoba unguMenzi wezinto zonke, kubalwa labantu belifa lakhe, ibizo lakhe nguThixo uSomandla.
But the God whom [we] Israelis [worship] is not like those [idols]; he is the one who created everything [that exists]; [we], the people of Israel, belong to him; his name is ‘the Commander of the armies of angels’.
20 Wena uyinduku yami yempi, isikhali sami sokulwa ngawe ngitshabalalisa izizwe, ngawe ngichitha imibuso;
Yahweh says [about the army of Babylonia] (OR, [about a nation that will attack Babylonia)], “You have been [like] [MET] my battle-axe and war-club; with your [power] I have shattered nations and destroyed [many] kingdoms.
21 ngawe ngihlifiza ibhiza lomgadi walo, ngawe ngihlifiza inqola yempi lomtshayeli wayo,
With your [power] I have shattered armies [of other nations]: I destroyed [their] horses and their riders, [their] chariots and [their] chariot-drivers.
22 ngawe ngihlifiza indoda lomfazi, ngawe ngihlifiza amaxhegu labatsha, ngawe ngihlifiza izinsizwa lezintombi,
With your [power] I shattered men and women, old people and children, young men and young women.
23 ngawe ngihlifiza abelusi lemihlambi, ngawe ngihlifiza umlimi lenkabi, ngawe ngihlifiza ababusi lezikhulu.
With your [power] I shattered shepherds and their flocks [of sheep], farmers and their oxen, governors and [their] officials.”
24 Emehlweni enu ngizaphindisela kuyo iBhabhiloni lakubo bonke abahlala kuyo ngenxa yobubi bonke ababenzileyo eZiyoni,” kutsho uThixo.
But, Yahweh [also] says, “[Soon] I will repay/punish [you] people in Babylon and in the rest of Babylonia for all the evil things that you have done in Jerusalem.
25 “Ngimelana lawe, wena ntaba echithayo, wena ochitha umhlaba wonke,” kutsho uThixo. “Ngizakwelulela isandla sami kuwe, ngikugiqe usuka emaweni, ngikwenze ube yintaba eyatshiswayo.
[Babylonia is] [APO] like [MET] a great mountain [from which bandits descend] to (plunder/steal things from) people all over the earth. But I, Yahweh, am the enemy of you [people of Babylonia]. I will raise my fist to strike you. I will knock you down from the cliffs and cause you to be [only] a huge pile of burned rubble.
26 Akulalitshe elizasuswa kuwe ukuba libe ngelekhoneni, loba elinye ilitshe ukuba ngelesisekelo ngoba lizachithwa kokuphela,” kutsho uThixo.
Your [city] will be abandoned forever; [even] the stones in your [city] will never [again] be used for buildings. [Your city will be completely destroyed].”
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.
[Tell] the nations to lift up a battle flag! [Tell them to] shout the battle-cry! Gather all their armies to fight against Babylon! Prepare the nations to attack Babylon. Summon [the armies of] the kingdoms [north of Babylonia]—from Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz. Appoint a commander for them, and bring [a great number of] horses; [there must be a huge number of horses]; that [huge number] will resemble [SIM] a swarm of locusts.
28 Lungisani izizwe ukuba zilwe layo, amakhosi amaMede, ababusi bawo lezikhulu zawo, kanye lamazwe wonke awabusayo.
Prepare the [armies of other nations], armies that will be led by the kings of Media [and Persia], their governors and [their] officials.
29 Ilizwe liyaqhaqhazela libhinqike ngoba inhloso kaThixo yokumelana leBhabhiloni imi injalo ukuchitha ilizwe leBhabhiloni ukuze kungabikhona ohlala kulo.
[When they attack Babylon, it will be as though] the earth will shake and writhe [in pain], because [those armies] will accomplish everything that Yahweh has planned to do to Babylon; they will destroy it completely, [with the result that] no one will live there [again].
30 Amabutho aseBhabhiloni aseyekele ukulwa; ahlezi ezinqabeni zawo. Amandla awo asephelile. Asebe njengabesifazane. Izindawo zayo zokuhlala zithungelwe ngomlilo; imigoqo lamasango kwephukile.
[When their enemies attack], the strongest warriors in Babylon will not fight. They will remain in their barracks, without any strength. They will be as timid/weak as [SIM] women. [The enemy soldiers] will burn the buildings in the city and pull down the bars [of the city gates].
31 Esinye isithunywa silandela esinye; lesithunywa silandela esinye isithunywa ukuyabika enkosini yaseBhabhiloni ukuthi idolobho lonke selithunjiwe,
Messengers will go quickly, one after another, to tell the king that his city has been captured.
32 amazibuko emifula athethwe, amaxhaphozi atshiswe ngomlilo lamabutho ethukile.”
The places at which people can cross the river [to escape from the city] will be blocked. The dry reeds in the marshes/swamps will be set on fire, and the soldiers of Babylon will be terrified.
33 Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo uSomandla, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli: “Indodakazi yaseBhabhiloni injengesiza sokubhulela ngesikhathi sokunyathelwa kwaso; isikhathi sokuvunwa kwayo sizafika masinyane.”
This is what the Commander of the armies of angels, the God whom [we] Israelis [worship], says; “Babylon is like [SIM] wheat on the ground where it is about to be threshed by [animals] tramping on it. Very soon [their enemies] will trample on [the city of] Babylon [MET].”
34 “UNebhukhadineza inkosi yaseBhabhiloni usesidlile, usesenze saphambana amakhanda, usesenze saba yimbiza engelalutho. Usesiginyile njengenyoka, wagcwalisa isisu sakhe ngezibiliboco zethu, wasesihlanza futhi.
[The army of] Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon, has attacked and crushed us [Israeli people], and we have no strength [left]. [It is as though] they have swallowed us like a [great] monster that filled its belly with all our tasty parts, and then has spit out [what it did not like].
35 Udlakela olwenziwe emizimbeni yethu kalube phezu kweBhabhiloni,” kutsho abahlala eZiyoni. “Igazi lethu kalibe phezu kwalabo abahlala eBhabhiloni,” kutsho iJerusalema.
[So] the people of [PRS] Jerusalem say [to Yahweh], “Cause the people of Babylon to suffer like they caused us to suffer! Cause the people of Babylonia to be punished for killing [MTY] our people!”
36 Ngakho uThixo uthi: “Khangelani, imfanelo yenu ngizayivikela, ngiliphindiselele; ngizacitsha ulwandle lwayo ngomise lemithombo yayo.
And this is what Yahweh replies to the people of Jerusalem: “I will [be like your lawyer to] defend you, and I will avenge you. I will dry up the river in Babylon and [all] the springs of water.
37 IBhabhiloni izakuba yinqumbi yonxiwa, isikhundla samakhanka, into yokwesatshwa lokuklolodelwa, indawo engahlali muntu.
Babylon will become a heap of ruins, a place where jackals/wolves live. It will become a place that people are horrified about and will ridicule; it will be a place where no one lives.
38 Abantu bayo bonke bayabhonga njengezilwane ezincane, bayahwabha njengemidlwane yesilwane.
The people of Babylon will [all] roar like young lions; they will growl like baby lions.
39 Kodwa lapho besesebukhali, ngizabenzela idili ngibadakise, ukuze baklabalale ngohleko, babe sebelala kokuphela bangavuki futhi,” kutsho uThixo.
But while they are extremely hungry, I will prepare a [different kind of] feast for them. [It is as though] I will cause them to drink wine until they are very drunk, [with the result that] they will fall asleep. But they will never wake up from that sleep!
40 “Ngizabehlisela phansi njengamawundlu esilaheni, njengenqama lembuzi.
I will bring them down to a place where they will be slaughtered, like [SIM] [someone who takes] lambs or rams or goats [to where they will be slaughtered for sacrifices].
41 Yeka ukuthunjwa okuzakwenziwa iSheshaki, ukuzincoma komhlaba wonke kuthunjiwe! Yeka ukutshaqisa iBhabhiloni ezakuba yikho phakathi kwezizwe!
People all over the earth [now] (honor/praise) Babylon; they say that it is a great city. But I will cause it to become a [place about which people of all] nations are horrified.
42 Ulwandle luzaphakama phezu kweBhabhiloni; amagagasi alo ahlokomayo ayisibekele.
The [enemies of Babylon] will cover the city [like] huge waves of the sea [DOU].
43 Amadolobho ayo azachitheka, ilizwe elomileyo leliyinkangala, ilizwe okungekho ohlala khona, okungekho muntu odabula phakathi kwalo.
The towns in Babylonia will become ruins, Babylonia will become a dry desert area. It will be a land in which no one lives and which no one walks through.
44 Ngizamjezisa uBheli eBhabhiloni ngimenze akuhlanze lokho akuginyileyo. Izizwe kazisayikujulukela kuye. Njalo umduli weBhabhiloni uzakuwa.
And I will punish Bel, [the god that the people] of Babylon [worship], and I will cause the people to give back what they have stolen [MET]. [People of other] nations will no longer come to [worship] Bel. And the walls of Babylon will collapse.”
45 Bantu bami, phumani kulo iBhabhiloni! Balekelani ukufa! Balekelani ulaka olwesabekayo lukaThixo.
[Yahweh also says, ] “My people, come out of Babylon! Run away from there! Run, because [I], Yahweh, am extremely angry [MTY] [with the people of Babylon, and I will get rid of them]!
46 Lingaphelelwa lithemba kumbe lesabe lapho kuzwakala amahungahunga elizweni; elinye ihungahunga lifika lonyaka, elinye kozayo, amahungahunga odlakela elizweni awombusi evukela umbusi.
Do not be discouraged/worried [IDM] or afraid when you hear reports [about what is happening in Babylon]. People will report rumors like that every year, rumors about violent things being done in the land, and rumors about leaders fighting against each other.
47 Ngoba isikhathi sizafika impela lapho ngizajezisa izithombe zaseBhabhiloni; ilizwe layo lonke lizayangeka lababuleweyo bayo bonke bazawela phakathi kwayo.
But it will soon be the time for me to get rid of the idols in Babylon. [People all over] the land will be ashamed [because of being defeated]; and the corpses of their [soldiers] will lie in the streets.
48 Lapho-ke izulu lomhlaba lakho konke okukukho kuzamemezela intokozo ngeBhabhiloni, ngoba abachithi bazayihlasela bevelela enyakatho,” kutsho uThixo.
Then all [the angels in] heaven and all the [people on] [PRS] the earth will rejoice, because from the north will come [armies] that will destroy Babylon.
49 “IBhabhiloni kumele idilike ngenxa yabako-Israyeli ababulawayo, njengokubulawa kwabantu emhlabeni wonke, batshabalala ngenxa yeBhabhiloni.
Like [the soldiers of Babylon] killed the people of Israel and [also] killed others all over the world [HYP], [the people of] Babylon must also be killed.
50 Lina eliphephileyo enkembeni, sukani njalo lingalibali! Khumbulani uThixo elizweni elikude, licabange langeJerusalema.”
You [Israeli people] who have not been killed [MTY], get out of Babylon! Do not wait! [Even though you are in a land] far away [from Israel], think about Yahweh, and think about Jerusalem!”
51 “Siyangekile, ngoba siqalekisiwe, lehlazo lembese ubuso bethu, ngoba abezizweni bangene ezindaweni ezingcwele zendlu kaThixo.”
[The Israeli people say], “We are ashamed. We are completely disgraced [DOU], because foreigners have entered Yahweh’s temple [and (defiled it/caused it to become unfit for worship)].”
52 UThixo uthi, “Kodwa insuku ziyeza, lapho engizajezisa khona izithombe zayo, njalo elizweni layo lonke abalimeleyo bazabubula.
Yahweh replies, “[That is true], but there will soon be a time when I will destroy the idols in Babylon, and throughout Babylonia there will be wounded people who will groan.
53 Lanxa iBhabhiloni ingafinyelela emkhathini iqinise izinqaba zayo eziphakemeyo, ngizathumela abachithi bayihlasele,” kutsho uThixo.
Even if [the walls around] Babylon could extend up to the sky, and if its walls/fortifications were extremely strong, I will send [armies] that will destroy the city. [That will surely happen because I, ] Yahweh, have said it.”
54 “Umsindo wokukhala uvela eBhabhiloni, umsindo wencithakalo enkulu ovela elizweni lamaKhaladiya.
Listen to [the people of] Babylon crying [for help]! And listen to the sounds of things being destroyed all over Babylonia!
55 UThixo uzayichitha iBhabhiloni; uzathulisa umsindo wayo wenhlokomo. Amagagasi ezitha azahlokoma njengamanzi amanengi; ukuvungama kwamazwi azo kuzazwakala.
Yahweh will be destroying Babylon. He will cause the loud noises in the city to cease.
56 Umchithi uzakuzahlasela iBhabhiloni; amabutho ayo azathunjwa, lamadandili awo azakwephuka. Ngoba uThixo unguNkulunkulu wempindiselo; uzaphindisela ngokugcweleyo.
Enemy troops will surge against the city like [SIM] a great wave. They will capture the city’s mighty soldiers and break their weapons. [That will happen] because Yahweh is a God who punishes [his enemies] justly; he will punish them as they deserve.
57 Ngizadakisa izikhulu lezihlakaniphi zayo, kanye lababusi bayo, lezinduna kanye lamabutho; bazalala kokuphela bangavuki futhi,” kutsho uThixo, obizo lakhe nguThixo uSomandla.
The king, the Commander of the armies of angels says, “I will cause the city officials and wise men, the army captains and soldiers [in Babylon] to become drunk. They will fall asleep, but they will never wake up [again]!”
58 UThixo uSomandla uthi: “Umduli oqatha weBhabhiloni uzabhidlizwa lamasango ayo aphakemeyo athungelwe ngomlilo; abantu bazidinisela ize, umsebenzi wezizwe ungamafutha amalangabi nje kuphela.”
Yahweh also says, “The thick walls around Babylon will be flattened to the ground. The city gates will be burned. People [from other countries] will work hard [to save the city], but it will be (in vain/useless), because everything [that they have built] will be destroyed by fire.”
59 Leli yilizwi uJeremiya umphrofethi alinika induna yamabutho uSeraya indodana kaNeriya, indodana kaMahaseyiya, esesiya eBhabhiloni loZedekhiya inkosi yakoJuda ngomnyaka wesine wokubusa kwakhe.
Seraiah was the man who made arrangements for the King of Babylon [whenever he traveled]. He was the son of Neraiah and grandson of Mahseiah. When he was about to go to Babylon with King Zedekiah, after Zedekiah had been ruling Judah for almost four years, the prophet Jeremiah gave him a message.
60 UJeremiya wayelobe emqulwini ngomonakalo wonke owawuzakwehlela iBhabhiloni lakho konke okwakubhalwe ngeBhabhiloni.
Jeremiah had written on a scroll a list of all the disasters that he had written about, disasters that would soon occur in Babylon.
61 Wathi kuSeraya, “Lapho usufikile eBhabhiloni ubowafunda wonke amazwi la ngelizwi eliphakemeyo.
He said to Seraiah, “When you arrive in Babylon, read [aloud] everything that I have written [on this scroll].
62 Ube ususithi, ‘Awu Thixo, wathi indawo le uzayichitha ukuze kungabi lamuntu kumbe inyamazana ezahlala kuyo; izaphundleka kuze kube nininini.’
Then pray, ‘Yahweh, you said that you will thoroughly destroy Babylon, with the result that people and animals will no [longer] live there. You said that it will be desolate forever.’
63 Lapho usuqedile ukubala umqulu lo, ubophele ilitshe kuwo uwuphosele kuYufrathe,
[Then], when you have finished reading [what I have written on] the scroll, tie it to a [heavy] stone and throw it into the Euphrates [River].
64 ubususithi, ‘Izatshona kanje iBhabhiloni ingabe isavumbuluka ngenxa yomonakalo engizayehlisela wona. Labantu bayo bazakuwa.’” Amazwi kaJeremiya aphelela lapha.
Then say, ‘In the same way, Babylon [and its people] will disappear and never exist again, because of the disasters that Yahweh will cause to occur there’” That is the end of Jeremiah’s messages.
