UJeremiya 15
1 INkosi yasisithi kimi: Loba bekumi phambi kwami oMozisi loSamuweli, inhliziyo yami ibingebe kulababantu; baxotshe phambi kwami, bayekele baphume.
Then the LORD said to me, “Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind would not turn towards this people. Cast them out of my sight, and let them go out!
2 Kuzakuthi-ke uba besithi kuwe: Sizaphuma siye ngaphi? Uzabatshela-ke uthi: Itsho njalo iNkosi: Abokufa baya ekufeni, labenkemba baya enkembeni, labendlala baya endlaleni, labokuthunjwa baya ekuthunjweni.
It will happen when they ask you, ‘Where shall we go out?’ then you shall tell them, ‘The LORD says: “Such as are for death, to death; such as are for the sword, to the sword; such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for captivity, to captivity.”’
3 Ngoba ngizabamisela izinhlobo ezine, itsho iNkosi: Inkemba yokubulala, lezinja zokudonsa, lenyoni zamazulu lezinyamazana zomhlaba zokudla lezokubhubhisa.
“I will appoint over them four kinds,” says the LORD: “the sword to kill, the dogs to tear, the birds of the sky, and the animals of the earth, to devour and to destroy.
4 Ngizabanikela babe yinto eyesabekayo kuyo yonke imibuso yomhlaba, ngenxa kaManase indodana kaHezekhiya, inkosi yakoJuda, ngalokho akwenza eJerusalema.
I will cause them to be tossed back and forth amongst all the kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem.
5 Ngoba ngubani ozakuhawukela, wena Jerusalema? Njalo ngubani ozakulilela? Njalo ngubani ozaphambukela eceleni ukubuza ngokuthula kwakho?
For who will have pity on you, Jerusalem? Who will mourn you? Who will come to ask of your welfare?
6 Wena ungidelile, itsho iNkosi, wabuyela emuva; ngakho ngizakwelula isandla sami ngimelene lawe, ngikuchithe; ngikhathele yikuhawukela.
You have rejected me,” says the LORD. “You have gone backward. Therefore I have stretched out my hand against you and destroyed you. I am weary of showing compassion.
7 Njalo ngizabela ngoluthi lokwela emasangweni elizwe; ngizabemuka abantwana, ngibhubhise abantu bami; kabaphendukanga endleleni zabo.
I have winnowed them with a fan in the gates of the land. I have bereaved them of children. I have destroyed my people. They didn’t return from their ways.
8 Abafelokazi babo bandile kimi kuletshebetshebe lolwandle. Ngilethe phezu kwabo, phezu kukanina, ijaha, umchithi emini enkulu; ngiwisele phezu kwabo uvalo lezesabiso bengananzelele.
Their widows are increased more than the sand of the seas. I have brought on them against the mother of the young men a destroyer at noonday. I have caused anguish and terrors to fall on her suddenly.
9 Owazala abayisikhombisa usekhathele; usephefumule okokucina; ilanga lakhe litshone kusesemini; waba lenhloni, wayangeka; lensali yabo ngizayinikela enkembeni phambi kwezitha zabo, itsho iNkosi.
She who has borne seven languishes. She has given up the spirit. Her sun has gone down while it was yet day. She has been disappointed and confounded. I will deliver their residue to the sword before their enemies,” says the LORD.
10 Maye mina, mama, ukuthi ungizele, umuntu wokuphikisana lomuntu wokuxabana emhlabeni wonke! Kangebolekisanga ngenzuzo, futhi kabangebolekisanga ngenzuzo, kanti bayangithuka, ngulowo lalowo wabo.
Woe is me, my mother, that you have borne me, a man of strife, and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have not lent, neither have men lent to me; yet every one of them curses me.
11 INkosi yathi: Isibili kuzakuba kuhle ngensali yakho; isibili ngizakuncengela esitheni ngesikhathi sokubi langesikhathi sosizi.
The LORD said, “Most certainly I will strengthen you for good. Most certainly I will cause the enemy to make supplication to you in the time of evil and in the time of affliction.
12 Insimbi ingayephula yini insimbi evela enyakatho lethusi?
Can one break iron, even iron from the north, and bronze?
13 Inotho yakho lokuligugu kwakho ngizakunikela kube yimpango, kungelantengo, langenxa yezono zakho zonke, ngitsho emingceleni yakho yonke.
I will give your substance and your treasures for a plunder without price, and that for all your sins, even in all your borders.
14 Ngizakwenza ukuthi udlule kanye lezitha zakho uye elizweni ongalaziyo; ngoba umlilo ubasiwe olakeni lwami; uzabhebha phezu kwenu.
I will make them to pass with your enemies into a land which you don’t know; for a fire is kindled in my anger, which will burn on you.”
15 Wena uyazi, Nkosi; ngikhumbula, ungihambele, ungiphindiselele kwabangizingelayo; ungangisusi ekubekezeleni kwakho; yazi ukuthi ngenxa yakho ngithwele ihlazo.
LORD, you know. Remember me, visit me, and avenge me of my persecutors. You are patient, so don’t take me away. Know that for your sake I have suffered reproach.
16 Amazwi akho atholakala njalo ngawadla; lelizwi lakho kimi laba yinjabulo njalo laba yintokozo yenhliziyo yami; ngoba ibizo lakho labizwa phezu kwami, wena Nkosi, Nkulunkulu wamabandla.
Your words were found, and I ate them. Your words were to me a joy and the rejoicing of my heart, for I am called by your name, LORD, God of Hosts.
17 Kangihlalanga emhlanganweni wabahleka usulu, kumbe ngijabule; ngenxa yesandla sakho ngahlala ngedwa; ngoba ungigcwalise ngentukuthelo.
I didn’t sit in the assembly of those who make merry and rejoice. I sat alone because of your hand, for you have filled me with indignation.
18 Kungani ubuhlungu bami bube khona njalonjalo, lenxeba lami lingelapheki, lisala ukuphola? Isibili uzakuba njengomqambimanga kimi yini, njengamanzi angathembekanga?
Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuses to be healed? Will you indeed be to me as a deceitful brook, like waters that fail?
19 Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi: Uba ubuya, ngizakubuyisa, ume phambi kwami; njalo uba ukhupha okuligugu kokungasizi lutho, uzakuba njengomlomo wami. Bona kababuyele kuwe, kodwa wena ungabuyeli kubo.
Therefore the LORD says, “If you return, then I will bring you again, that you may stand before me; and if you take out the precious from the vile, you will be as my mouth. They will return to you, but you will not return to them.
20 Ngoba ngizakwenza ube ngumduli wethusi ovikelweyo kulababantu; njalo bazakulwa bemelene lawe, kodwa kabayikukwehlula, ngoba mina ngilawe ukukusindisa lokukophula, itsho iNkosi.
I will make you to this people a fortified bronze wall. They will fight against you, but they will not prevail against you; for I am with you to save you and to deliver you,” says the LORD.
21 Ngizakophula esandleni sababi, ngikuhlenge esandleni sabalesihluku.
“I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem you out of the hand of the terrible.”
