UJeremiya 51
1 UThixo uthi: “Khangelani, ngizavusa umoya ochithayo umelane leBhabhiloni labantu beLebhi Khamayi.
Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will raise up against Babylon, and against them that dwell in the midst of them that rise against me, a destroying wind;
2 Ngizathumela abezizweni eBhabhiloni ukuba bayihlungule njalo batshabalalise lelizwe layo; bazamelana layo enhlangothini zonke ngosuku lwencithakalo yayo.
And will send to Babylon fanners, that shall fan her, and shall empty her land: for in the day of trouble they shall be against her on all sides.
3 Lingavumeli mtshoki ebopha idandili lakhe loba limyekele egqoka isigqoko sakhe sensimbi. Lingazitshiyi izinsizwa zayo, liliqede du ibutho layo.
Against [him that] bendeth let the archer bend his bow, and against [him that] lifteth himself up in his coat of mail: and spare ye not her young men; destroy ye utterly all her host.
4 Bazawela phansi bebulewe eBhabhiloni belinyazwe okokufa emigwaqweni yayo.
Thus the slain shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans, and [they that are] thrust 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 [hath] not [been] forsaken, nor Judah by his God, by the LORD of hosts; though their land was 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 from the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this [is] the time of the LORD'S vengeance; he will render to her a recompense.
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 LORD'S hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drank of her wine; therefore the nations are mad.
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, it may be 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 healed Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country: for her judgment reacheth to heaven, and is lifted [even] to the skies.
10 UThixo usebonakalisile ukuthi kasilacala, wozani sibike eZiyoni osekwenziwe nguThixo uNkulunkulu wethu.’
The LORD hath brought forth our righteousness: come, and let us declare in Zion 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.
Make bright the arrows; gather the shields: the LORD hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for his purpose [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.
Set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set up the watchmen, prepare the ambushes: for the LORD hath both devised and done that which 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, abundant in treasures, thy end is come, [and] the measure of thy covetousness.
14 UThixo uSomandla usefungile ngayo wathi: Impela ngizakugcwalisa ngabantu abangangesikhongwane, njalo bazaklabalala ngamacilongo ngaphezu kwakho.
The LORD of hosts hath sworn by himself, [saying], Surely I will fill thee with men, as with caterpillars; and they shall raise a shout against thee.
15 Wenza umhlaba ngamandla akhe; wamisa umhlaba ngokuhlakanipha kwakhe njalo wendlala lamazulu ngokuqedisisa kwakhe.
He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heaven 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, [there is] a multitude of waters in the heavens; and he causeth the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth: he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth 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 brutish by [his] knowledge; every founder is confounded by the graven 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, the work of errors: 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 [is] the former of all things: and [Israel is] the rod 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 [art] my battle-ax [and] weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms;
21 ngawe ngihlifiza ibhiza lomgadi walo, ngawe ngihlifiza inqola yempi lomtshayeli wayo,
And with thee will I break in pieces the horse and his rider; and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and its rider;
22 ngawe ngihlifiza indoda lomfazi, ngawe ngihlifiza amaxhegu labatsha, ngawe ngihlifiza izinsizwa lezintombi,
With thee also will I break in pieces man and woman; and with thee will I break in pieces old and young; and with thee will I break in pieces the young man and the maid;
23 ngawe ngihlifiza abelusi lemihlambi, ngawe ngihlifiza umlimi lenkabi, ngawe ngihlifiza ababusi lezikhulu.
I will also break in pieces with thee the shepherd and his flock; and with thee will I break in pieces the husbandman and his yoke of oxen; and with thee will I 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 Zion in your sight, 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 [am] against thee, O destroying mountain, saith the LORD, which destroyest all the earth: and I will stretch out my hand upon thee, and 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 a corner, nor a stone for foundations; but thou shalt be desolate 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, blow the trumpet among the nations, prepare the nations against her, call together against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashchenaz; appoint a captain against her; cause the horses to come up as the rough caterpillars.
28 Lungisani izizwe ukuba zilwe layo, amakhosi amaMede, ababusi bawo lezikhulu zawo, kanye lamazwe wonke awabusayo.
Prepare against her the nations with the kings of Media, her captains, and all her rulers, and all the land of his dominion.
29 Ilizwe liyaqhaqhazela libhinqike ngoba inhloso kaThixo yokumelana leBhabhiloni imi injalo ukuchitha ilizwe leBhabhiloni ukuze kungabikhona ohlala kulo.
And the land shall tremble and sorrow: for every purpose of the LORD shall be performed against Babylon, to make the land of Babylon a desolation without an inhabitant.
30 Amabutho aseBhabhiloni aseyekele ukulwa; ahlezi ezinqabeni zawo. Amandla awo asephelile. Asebe njengabesifazane. Izindawo zayo zokuhlala zithungelwe ngomlilo; imigoqo lamasango kwephukile.
The mighty men of Babylon have forborne to fight, they have remained in [their] holds: their might hath failed; they became as women: they have burned her dwelling-places; her bars are broken.
31 Esinye isithunywa silandela esinye; lesithunywa silandela esinye isithunywa ukuyabika enkosini yaseBhabhiloni ukuthi idolobho lonke selithunjiwe,
One post shall run to meet another, and one messenger to meet another, to show the king of Babylon that his city is taken at [one] end,
32 amazibuko emifula athethwe, amaxhaphozi atshiswe ngomlilo lamabutho ethukile.”
And that the passages are stopped, and the reeds they have burned 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 threshing-floor, [it is] time to thresh her: 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.
Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon hath devoured me, he hath crushed me, he hath made me an empty vessel, he hath swallowed me up like a dragon, he hath filled his belly with my delicates, 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 violence done to me and to my flesh [be] upon Babylon, shall the inhabitant of Zion say; and my blood upon the inhabitants of Chaldea, shall Jerusalem say.
36 Ngakho uThixo uthi: “Khangelani, imfanelo yenu ngizayivikela, ngiliphindiselele; ngizacitsha ulwandle lwayo ngomise lemithombo yayo.
Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will plead thy cause, and take vengeance for thee; and I will dry up her sea, and make her springs dry.
37 IBhabhiloni izakuba yinqumbi yonxiwa, isikhundla samakhanka, into yokwesatshwa lokuklolodelwa, indawo engahlali muntu.
And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwelling-place for dragons, an astonishment, and a hissing, without an inhabitant.
38 Abantu bayo bonke bayabhonga njengezilwane ezincane, bayahwabha njengemidlwane yesilwane.
They shall roar together like lions: they shall yell as lions' whelps.
39 Kodwa lapho besesebukhali, ngizabenzela idili ngibadakise, ukuze baklabalale ngohleko, babe sebelala kokuphela bangavuki futhi,” kutsho uThixo.
In their heat I will make their feasts, and I will make them drunken, that they may rejoice, and sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the LORD.
40 “Ngizabehlisela phansi njengamawundlu esilaheni, njengenqama lembuzi.
I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with he-goats.
41 Yeka ukuthunjwa okuzakwenziwa iSheshaki, ukuzincoma komhlaba wonke kuthunjiwe! Yeka ukutshaqisa iBhabhiloni ezakuba yikho phakathi kwezizwe!
How is Sheshach taken! and how is the praise of the whole 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 upon Babylon: she is covered with the multitude of its waves.
43 Amadolobho ayo azachitheka, ilizwe elomileyo leliyinkangala, ilizwe okungekho ohlala khona, okungekho muntu odabula phakathi kwalo.
Her cities are a desolation, a dry land, and a wilderness, a land in which no man dwelleth, neither doth [any] son of man pass by it.
44 Ngizamjezisa uBheli eBhabhiloni ngimenze akuhlanze lokho akuginyileyo. Izizwe kazisayikujulukela kuye. Njalo umduli weBhabhiloni uzakuwa.
And I will punish Bel in Babylon, and I will bring forth out of his mouth that which he hath swallowed: and the nations shall not flow together any more to him: even the wall of Babylon shall fall.
45 Bantu bami, phumani kulo iBhabhiloni! Balekelani ukufa! Balekelani ulaka olwesabekayo lukaThixo.
My people, depart from the midst of her, and deliver ye every man his soul from the fierce anger 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 heart should faint, and ye should fear for the rumor that shall be heard in the land; a rumor shall both come [one] year, and after that in [another] year [shall come] a rumor, and violence 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, the days come, that I will do judgment upon the graven images 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.
Then the heaven and the earth, and all that [is] in them, shall sing for Babylon: for the 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.
As Babylon [hath caused] the slain of Israel to fall, so at Babylon shall fall the slain of all the earth.
50 Lina eliphephileyo enkembeni, sukani njalo lingalibali! Khumbulani uThixo elizweni elikude, licabange langeJerusalema.”
Ye that have escaped the sword, go 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: for strangers are come into the sanctuaries of the LORD'S house.
52 UThixo uthi, “Kodwa insuku ziyeza, lapho engizajezisa khona izithombe zayo, njalo elizweni layo lonke abalimeleyo bazabubula.
Wherefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will do judgment upon her graven images: and through all her land the wounded shall groan.
53 Lanxa iBhabhiloni ingafinyelela emkhathini iqinise izinqaba zayo eziphakemeyo, ngizathumela abachithi bayihlasele,” kutsho uThixo.
Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify the hight of her strength, [yet] from me shall spoilers come to her, saith the LORD.
54 “Umsindo wokukhala uvela eBhabhiloni, umsindo wencithakalo enkulu ovela elizweni lamaKhaladiya.
A sound of a cry [cometh] 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 waste Babylon, and destroyed out of her the great voice; when her waves roar like great waters, a noise of their voice is uttered:
56 Umchithi uzakuzahlasela iBhabhiloni; amabutho ayo azathunjwa, lamadandili awo azakwephuka. Ngoba uThixo unguNkulunkulu wempindiselo; uzaphindisela ngokugcweleyo.
Because the spoiler is come upon her, [even] upon Babylon, and her mighty men are taken, every one of their bows is broken: for the Lord GOD of recompenses shall surely requite.
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 drunk her princes, and her wise [men], her captains, and her rulers, and her mighty men: and they shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the king, whose name [is] the 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; The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken, and her high gates shall be burned with fire; and the people shall labor in vain, and the people in the fire, and they shall be 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 which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, when he went with Zedekiah the king of Judah into Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. And [this] Seraiah [was] a quiet prince.
60 UJeremiya wayelobe emqulwini ngomonakalo wonke owawuzakwehlela iBhabhiloni lakho konke okwakubhalwe ngeBhabhiloni.
So Jeremiah wrote in a book all the evil that should come upon Babylon, [even] all these words that are written against Babylon.
61 Wathi kuSeraya, “Lapho usufikile eBhabhiloni ubowafunda wonke amazwi la ngelizwi eliphakemeyo.
And Jeremiah said to Seraiah, When thou shalt come to 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.’
Then shalt thou say, O LORD, thou hast spoken against this place, to cut it off, that none shall remain in it, neither man nor beast, but that it shall be desolate for ever.
63 Lapho usuqedile ukubala umqulu lo, ubophele ilitshe kuwo uwuphosele kuYufrathe,
And it shall be, when thou hast made an end of reading this book, [that] thou shalt bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of 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 shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her: and they shall be weary. Thus far [are] the words of Jeremiah.
