UJeremiya 13

1 Itsho njalo INkosi kimi: Hamba uzithengele ibhanti lelembu elicolekileyo, ulifake ekhalweni lwakho, ungalifaki emanzini.

Yahweh said this to me, “Go and buy a linen undergarment and put it on around your waist, but do not put it in water first.”

2 Ngasengithenga ibhanti njengokwelizwi leNkosi, ngalifaka ekhalweni lwami.

So I bought an undergarment as Yahweh directed, and I put in on around my waist.

3 Ilizwi leNkosi laselifika kimi ngokwesibili lisithi:

Then the word of Yahweh came to me a second time, saying,

4 Thatha ibhanti olithengileyo elisokhalweni lwakho, usukume uye eYufrathi, ulifihle khona engoxweni yedwala.

“Take the undergarment that you purchased that is around your waist, get up and go now to Perath. Hide it there in a rock crevice.”

5 Ngasengihamba, ngalifihla ngaseYufrathi njengoba iNkosi ingilayile.

So I went and hid it in Perath, just as Yahweh had commanded me.

6 Kwasekusithi ekupheleni kwensuku ezinengi, iNkosi yasisithi kimi: Sukuma, uye eYufrathi, uyethatha khona ibhanti engakulaya ukuthi ulifihle khona.

After many days, Yahweh said to me, “Get up and go back to Perath. Take from there the undergarment that I had told you to hide.”

7 Ngasengisiya eYufrathi, ngagebha, ngalithatha ibhanti endaweni lapho engangilifihle khona; khangela-ke, ibhanti lalonakele, lalingasasizi lutho.

So I went back to Perath and dug out the undergarment where I had hid it, and behold, it was destroyed and completely useless.

8 Laselifika kimi ilizwi leNkosi lisithi:

Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

9 Itsho njalo iNkosi: Ngalindlela ngizakonakalisa ukuziqhenya kukaJuda lokuziqhenya okukhulu kweJerusalema.

“Yahweh says this: In the same way I will destroy the great arrogance of Judah and Jerusalem.

10 Lababantu ababi, abala ukuzwa amazwi ami, abahamba ngobulukhuni benhliziyo yabo, belandela abanye onkulunkulu ukubakhonza, lokubakhothamela, bazakuba njengalelibhanti elingasizi lutho.

This wicked people who refuses to listen to my word, who walk in the hardness of their heart, who go after other gods to worship them and bow down to them—they will be like this undergarment that is good for nothing.

11 Ngoba njengoba ibhanti linamathela okhalweni lomuntu, ngokunjalo nginamathelise kimi indlu yonke yakoIsrayeli lendlu yonke yakoJuda, itsho iNkosi; ukuze kimi babe ngabantu, lebizo, lendumiso, lenkazimulo; kodwa kabalalelanga.

For just as an undergarment clings to someone's hips, so I have made all the house of Israel and all the house of Judah cling to me—this is Yahweh's declaration—to be my people, to bring me fame, praise, and honor. But they would not listen to me.

12 Ngakho uzakhuluma kibo lelilizwi: Itsho njalo iNkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli: Yonke imbodlela izagcwaliswa ngewayini. Njalo bazakuthi kuwe: Isibili kasikwazi yini ukuthi yonke imbodlela izagcwaliswa ngewayini?

So you must speak this word to them, 'Yahweh, the God of Israel, says this: Every jar will be filled with wine.' They will say to you, 'Do we not indeed know that every jar will be filled with wine?'

13 Ubususithi kibo: Itsho njalo iNkosi: Khangela, ngizagcwalisa bonke abakhileyo balelilizwe, lamakhosi ahlala esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaDavida, labapristi, labaprofethi, labo bonke abahlali beJerusalema, ngokudakwa.

So say to them, 'Yahweh says this: See, I am about to fill with drunkenness every inhabitant of this land, the kings who sit on David's throne, the priests, prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

14 Njalo ngizabaphahlaza omunye komunye, laboyise lamadodana ndawonye, itsho iNkosi; kangiyikuhawukela, kangiyikuyekela, kangiyikuba lomusa, ukuthi ngingabachithi.

Then I will smash each man against the other, fathers and children together—this is Yahweh's declaration—I will not pity them or have compassion, and I will not spare them from destruction.'”

15 Zwanini, libeke indlebe, lingaziqhenyi, ngoba iNkosi ikhulumile.

Listen and pay attention. Do not be arrogant, for Yahweh had spoken.

16 Inikeni iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu udumo, ingakalethi ubumnyama, lenyawo zenu zingakakhubeki ezintabeni zokuhwalala, lisalindela ukukhanya, ikwenze kube lithunzi lokufa, ikwenze kube ngumnyama onzima.

Give honor to Yahweh your God before he brings darkness, and before he causes your feet to stumble on the mountains at twilight. For you are hoping for light, but he will turn the place into a deep darkness, into a dark cloud.

17 Kodwa uba lingalaleli, umphefumulo wami uzakhala inyembezi endaweni zensitha ngenxa yokuziqhenya kwenu, lelihlo lami lizakhala inyembezi kabuhlungu, lehlise inyembezi, ngoba umhlambi weNkosi uthunjiwe.

So if you will not listen, I will weep alone because of your arrogance. My eyes will certainly weep and flow with tears, for Yahweh's flock has been taken captive.

18 Tshono enkosini lendlovukazini uthi: Zithobeni, hlalani phansi; ngoba imiqhele yenu izawela phansi, umqhele wodumo lwenu.

“Say to the king and to the queen mother, 'Come down from your thrones, for your splendid crowns have fallen from your heads.'

19 Imizi yeningizimu izavalwa, njalo kakho ozayivula; uJuda uzathunjwa, yena wonke, uzathunjwa ngokupheleleyo.

The cities in the Negev will be shut up, with no one to open them. All Judah will be taken captive, completely taken captive.

20 Phakamisani amehlo enu, libone labo abavela enyakatho. Ungaphi umhlambi owaphiwa wona, umhlambi wakho omuhle?

Lift up your eyes and look at the ones coming from the north. Where is the flock he gave to you, the flock that was so beautiful to you?

21 Uzakuthini uba esenza isijeziso phezu kwakho, ngoba wena ubafundise ukuthi babe yizinduna lenhloko phezu kwakho; inhlungu kaziyikukubamba yini njengowesifazana obelethayo?

What will you say when God sets over you those you had trained to be your special allies? Are these not the beginnings of the labor pains that will seize you just like a woman in childbirth?

22 Njalo uba usithi enhliziyweni yakho: Kungani lezizinto zenzakele kimi? Ngenxa yobunengi bobubi bakho amalogwe akho embuliwe, lezithende zakho zaphathwa ngodlakela.

Then you might say in your heart, 'Why are these things happening to me?' It will be for the multitude of your iniquities that your skirts are raised up and you have been violated.

23 UmEthiyophiya angasiphendula yini isikhumba sakhe, kumbe ingwe amabala ayo? Khona lani lizakuba lakho ukwenza okuhle elejwayele ukwenza okubi.

Can the people of Cush change their skin color, or a leopard change its spots? If so, then you yourself, although accustomed to wickedness, would be able to do good.

24 Ngakho ngizabahlakaza njengamakhoba edluliswa ngomoya wenkangala.

So I will scatter them like chaff that perishes in the desert wind.

25 Le yinkatho yakho, isabelo sezilinganiso zakho ezivela kimi, itsho iNkosi, ngoba ungikhohliwe, wathemba emangeni.

This is what I have given to you, the portion I have decreed for you—this is Yahweh's declaration— because you have forgotten me and trusted in deceit.

26 Ngakho lami ngizakwembula amalogwe akho phezu kobuso bakho, ukuze kubonakale ihlazo lakho.

So also I myself will strip your skirts off you, and your private parts will be seen.

27 Ngibonile ubufebe bakho, lokukhonya kwakho, inkohlakalo zokuphinga kwakho, phezu kwamaqaqa egangeni, amanyala akho. Maye kuwe, Jerusalema! Kawuyikuhlambuluka yini? Kusezadlula nini?

I have seen your adultery and neighing, the wickedness of your prostitution on the hills and in the fields, and I have seen these detestable things! Woe to you, Jerusalem! How long until you are made clean again?”